Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[misskh]

At the beginning of April I had what I thought was the beginning of a UTI, all the normal symptoms, including, which is a first a bit of brown discharge for a day or so when wiping.
Was given antibiotics which cleared up the non stop rushing to the toilet and did a 2 week reload, vagifem internally, estriol externally as I was so sore around the vulva/vagina entrance. All was well.  Ended 2 week top up last Thursday.

Things have been fine..
Until early hours of this morning when that familiar burning and rushing to the toilet started.
Popped a vagifem in and some cream externally to try and ward off before ir could take hold.

Same symptoms including the brown discharge, not heavy but noticeably but still there.

Now...I've had a totally hysterectomy, all taken out, uterus cervix, tubes, ovaries..
Obviously I'm going to phone the surgery in the morning but am more concerned that 15 months post op there's a discharge...

Has anyone else had this happen?

Thing is I was due a smear at the end of last year but was told I don't need to have them due to having had a radical hysterectomy.

[CLKD]

Why not take every night?  Many ladies have to do so in order to keep symptoms under control.

The brown discharge may be due to the tender vaginal tissues being torn/thin due to lack of oestrogen.  When I get the need2P symptoms I swallow 2 Nurofen 3 times a day and up the 'ovestin' to nightly. 

Let us know what the GP suggests.

[misskh]

I'm actually surprised that it went downhill so quickly, it was only the Friday night that I didn't use the HRT.

Hopefully I'll be able to have a word with a Dr and ask for a review as to upping the HRT now I've had a hysterectomy.
I'd rather not live with the discomfort so hopefully they'll agree, some of the info on the Web is still so out dated so hopefully I get a Dr that's on the ball.

I've taken some Ibuprofen and also some type of cystitis meds, not that it'll cure it just more in the hope that it may dampen down the strength of the urine..

[CLKD]

Do U have any VA treatment? 

[misskh]

I use vagifem x 2 weekly, Estriol cream but not usually more than once a week and YES vaginal moisturiser a few times a week.

[CLKD]

Not enough!  Every night as a re-load to increase the supppleness in the vulva/vagina may be required.

[Taz2]

Have you had a vaginal examination misskh? After a hysterectomy with removal of the cervix you can develop something called granulation tissue. This is more common after abdominal hysterectomy apparently. I know it can cause bleeding years after hysterectomy but maybe it can be a cause of discharge too?

Taz x

[misskh]

No....Not a post op I haven't.

I'm hoping that it is graduation tissue, alarm bells aren't ringing in my head, as sometimes they have done with certain gynecology problems.

The surgeon who did my operation got way laid and forgot to phone for the 2 week post op chat and only got in touch after I'd called her secretary when I got notice to book a smear test and the Dr's surgery had no knowledge that i'd had a hysterectomy, so it was a good 6 months after that I spoke her.

I was waiting for her to give the go ahead to go back on topical HRT, I was off it in total for 10 months in all, from first consultation to waiting for histology report, as the Dr/surgeon wanted to wait and see what the histology report showed, which is fair enough.

I did phone the surgery this morning and was told no appointments available but I can book to see a Dr on Friday or call back after 2pm, but to be honest I don't think I could wait until Friday and didn't want to risk not getting an appointment at 2pm.
Receptionist recommended I call the chemist.

I phoned the pharmacist they were helpful checked through my records, asked questions and prescribed me some antibiotics, which I was grateful for as feeling desperate for the tummy pain to ease and hopefully they'll settle things until I can see a Dr.

I've also started to reapply the cream and will use a pessary every other night for now until I see the Dr, only due to not wanting to run out as it's on my records for 1 twice weekly so I'm hoping that will be updated and can apply more often as I order my prescriptions through the app.

I will be calling back this afternoon and even if I can't see a Dr today I'm going to be asking for an appointment face to face to discuss my HRT regime as I really don't want to continually get UTI's if upping the HRT may prevent reoccurrence or even put a stop to it.

I think as most people that suffer with UTI's and VA know that once the burning, stinging and constant peeing sets it it's not always a case of one pessary a dab of cream and all's going to be fine, it can take time, it hinders sleep, day to day life and stops me from wanting to be to far away from the loo.
I become practically house bound.

[CLKD]

Again ABs being prescribed for an un-diagnosed condition.  They will ease the symptoms but won't help with the loss of oestrogen, when my symptoms niggle it's below the belly button initially which is a warning to take some pain relief as well as an 'extra' "ovestin" that afternoon and evening.  Some require treatment every night regardless.

Usually localised VA treatment works, some find that other forms of HRT R required. 

I would have booked the appt. 4 Friday so that I have a slot if required.  Can be cancelled on Thursday if necessary.  Was it a 2.p.m. phone call today  .  Do point out that many ladies use VA treatment every night, not as suggested in the leaflet in the box.  If a GP queries this then suggest that they read this Forum ;-).  So many still believe that we can 'overdose' on oestrogen!!!

It's probably similar to what Taz has suggested.  However, the follow up has been abysmal.  No excuse for any medic to become waylaid, where was the secretary in all this!  Or records office  or GP - did they not know that you had been recommended surgery?  and if so, why didn't some1 in your Practice make enquiries.  It's lack of joined up thinking these days, makes me so cross 

It is unlikely 2B one pessary, a dab of cream etc., VA has to be managed with regular appropriate treatment.  It's the Trial and Error that can be so tiresome.   Let us know how you get on. 

[MrsMitch]

I use estradiol every night and I must admit after being in that regime for a few weeks now, the discharge I've had for countless years seems to be much less. Perhaps as others have said, you need to use vagifem more often? I slept through all night last night for the first time since my VA began because the urgency to pee all the time seems to be getting much less too. Maybe that'd be the way to go for you too? It took an email from Dr Heather Currie,  forwarded to my GP,  to get her to prescribe the dose I need. As CLKD says, your GP only need see this forum to see how many of us are on the max dose.

[misskh]

CKLD...

I've just finished a 2 week reload of both the pessary internally and cream externally, but I'm going to continue and start again as I said I didn't think after 2 weeks of reload one day off would turn the whole fortnight's work on its head overnight.
I'm especially keeping on top of the external areas but way of estriol cream as that's where it seems to bother me more.

My GP practice used to be pretty good but I will say they have a very quick turnover of receptionists, in fact although I've only been in there around 4 times in the 2 years I've lived in this area it's never the same people.

As much as I don't like taking antibiotics I'm desperate for the peeing to stop so a combination of pessary, cream and the antibiotics should do the trick until I can see a Dr.

I was surprised when I called the GP surgery to explain I'd received a letter re my usual smear test but thought I no longer needed them due to having had a radical hysterectomy but they knew nothing and receptionist said appointment must be booked.
It was then I called the surgeons secretary and she said she'd send a letter out.
I received a copy the day after my appointment, which I did go along to and the nurse checked my records and it had been updated.

I'm not to good at saying what I want medically but when i do ask some GP's just reel off
"that's what the NICE guildlines recommend" some are ridged some realise that it's not really a one size fits all, strange how some think.

[misskh]

MrMitch...

It was a wonderful Dr from my old practice that finally prescribed me HRT after years of painful UTI's.

Started on the cream only but found it a bit messy and leaked out, back for a catch up chat on how it was going and when I explained to her she then gave me Vagifem but said continue with the cream for external use.

It was her that first recommended I look for the Menopause matters forum.

 I'll always remember she was going to a Menopause conference the next day and as a new partner in the practice was intent on changing how women were listened to regarding VA and other gynecology problems...

Dare I say it, she was only young but she knew one day she'd possibly need HRT and was determined she'd try her hardest to be part of the solution in changing the way women were treated.

[CLKD]

Lack of education for many GPs it appears 

Let us know how you get on!

[misskh]

I've just spoken again to reception and all appointments are fully booked for this afternoon..

Call back tomorrow.

So I've prebooked an appointment as I can see this 8.30am/2.00pm calling shenanigans going on for lord knows how long..

Earliest available date for a phone consultation is May 9th

Until then I'm going to make the decision to continue to use the pessary and cream daily.

[CLKD]

Now I'm confused, it doesn't take much at my age 

I did phone the surgery this morning and was told no appointments available but I can book to see a Dr on Friday or call back after 2pm, but to be honest I don't think I could wait until Friday and didn't want to risk not getting an appointment at 2pm.

Were U able to book the appt offered for Friday