How many women..., Vaginal atrophy Options

[ladybugs]

Does anyone know the % of women who if they do not have a regular sex life have issues with vaginal atrophy? This scares the hebbies out of me! Do ALL women get it and is it preventable if you choose NOT to be sexually active due to medical issues or such? Help I am freaking out here!

[ladybugs]

I can't believe after all the hits on this topic and how much this topic is talked about here that NOBODY has any input for me? To shame....

[epdp2]

hi ladybugs,

sorry no one has replied yet. this isn't anything i know anything about, which may have been the case for some of the others who have viewed the topic. i completely understand the freak out & hope that you get some good answers soon.

best wishes & good luck,
ellen

[Miss Tibbs]

Ladybugs,

I just read an article on CNN (google "burning urine, menopause" and it is the first article that comes up. It was on CNN's site but the article was from the Mayo Clinic. It said that women who have never given birth vaginally are more prone to vaginal dryness. (It also said that by some estimates over 50% of women experience vaginal atrophy/dryness, very few women seek treatment, and that it can become a problem in peri or it can not become apparent until years after your last period.

That group would include me. and I have it. It is controlled with estroderm patches and vaginal estrogen in me. I got lax abot the vaginal estrogen and the symptoms and discomfort came back--which is why I was googling--to see if that might be why the symptoms were returning--it was.

It is easy to get rid of the symptoms--if you keep up the treatment. Without it--it comes back. I'm wondering if I will be needing estrogen when I'm older. I'm 56 now. I've had the symptoms since about a year after my last period which occurred in the summer of 2000--of course, I didn't know what the symptoms meant for several years, several doctors and several urinary tract infections.

Miss Tibbs

[Perimeno]

Does anyone know the % of women who if they do not have a regular sex life have issues with vaginal atrophy? This scares the hebbies out of me! Do ALL women get it and is it preventable if you choose NOT to be sexually active due to medical issues or such? Help I am freaking out here!

I have no idea the percentage of women who do not have regular sex who get it but I believe they say 70% to 80% of all post menopausal women will get it.
Also I am not even done with perimenopause yet and when I first started getting the atrophy hubby and I were still having sex 5 or 6 times a week. so regular sex does not prevent it for everyone.

[jasminetea]

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question but I'll just say that even though I DID (and do) have a regular sex life, I still had vaginal thinning, dryness, etc, until I started using estradiol. All better now!

[BelindaMWO]

I could write a book about vaginal atrophy - with most chapters on vaginal dryness. After many years of agony, I find that the Estring (vaginal ring) works the best for me. The mental anguish of this condition was the most troublesome for me. I would become so dry and irritated that I would develop paper-like cuts that would actually bleed. Each time this would happen, I would go into a tailspin. About four months ago, I began seeing a Certified Nurse Midwife who works with my own regular physician, who truly knew exactly what I was talking about and who assured me there were many, many women who sufer with this condition. I felt as though a huge cement block was magically lifted from my shoulders. Simply knowing that I was not the only woman in the world with this torment put me on the road to recovery.

The condition has not affected intimacy with my husband. I have found the irritation to be very unpredictible, actually. Even though I am now using the vaginal ring, I have minor flare-ups from time to time. I am now able to take a deep breath and deal with it. If the tiny cuts occur, I find hydrocortisone cream works well applied directly to the cut. After applying the cream, I go on about my business and in no time, I find relief.

There are many of us who suffer with this condition, and many are reluctant to talk about it. I hope my own experience is of some comfort.

Belinda

[menosick]

HI! Thanks God for your post, right now got back from the store with my husband and went to use the bathroom and first let me tell you that i haven't have period for about 3 years, but i notice that i'm having a prolaps, can look on the mirrow. So i went to the bathroom and the paper towel shows a little stain of blood, i just don't need more problems that i already have. I'm soo panic right now thinking what it is all this. Can be my pants rubbing too much or something more serious? Anyways i just going to set an appt with my gyno.

menosick

[sharon58]

Hi Ladybugs,

Yes, this topic freaks me out too, and I don't think it JUST effects sexually inactive women. I'm a few mos. shy of 50 and am starting to experience significant vaginal dryness. It hasn't been a major issue for me since I'm not sexually active anyway, but I worry about vaginal atrophy down the road with increased risk for infections. I know there are OTC products to help with dryness, but it has been my understanding that they don't help with the atrophy whereas the estrogen creams/suppositories do. I have an HMO and my PCP was not willing to prescribe anything [even though estrace is on their formulary], stating that "it's not prescribed to prevent vaginal atrophy" and suggested the OTC's, but I read that the dryness will continue to worsen over time with resulting atrophy, so now I'm wondering if I should just pay out of pocket [like I do so much for everything else!] and get something from my naturopath, or perhaps I'm just being overly paranoid [?].

[taska]

Does anyone know the % of women who if they do not have a regular sex life have issues with vaginal atrophy? This scares the hebbies out of me! Do ALL women get it and is it preventable if you choose NOT to be sexually active due to medical issues or such? Help I am freaking out here!

Hello. I have just logged into this website to try and find if anyone else is having the same problems as I am. It is quite and eye opener to find so many with ALL my symptoms! I cannot answer your particular question and I dont know if there has been a study done on it. By the little I know, sexually inactive women would be totally unaware of it.. my discomfort happens only with intercourse. My Dr prescribed estradol pessaries which were such a wonderful relief but can only be used for a short period if one still has a womb. because of this and a total lack of libido, I am seriously considering going on HRT.Does any one else have any helpful alternatives?

[gevalia]

I was diagnosed with the beginning of vaginal atrophy after having a hysterectomy and not using any hrt for years and I was having sex regularly. After replacing estrogen and testosterone, my atrophy improved greatly. I think the biggest contributor to atrophy is the loss of estrogen. I now take hrt and use vaginal estrogen and testosterone.

[Interactive]

Yes started suffering with vaginal atrophy immediately I stopped taking HRT almost two years ago. Remedy it now by use of estriol cream used vaginally. The leaflet with the cream says to use twice a week but my doc says I can use it three times a week if I wish as I'm also using progesterone cream so I'd be balancing the estrogen with progesterone. However using the estriol cream twice a week seems to work. It is messy though if you're sexually active.

Applying estrogen so close to the cervix prompts the cervix to produce mucus as it would at ovulation. I can't be sure, but I think estrogen applied vaginally not only improves the condition of the vagina and the surrounding tissue but also contributes to the vagina lubricating. Sorry to be so graphic!

[Joycelinda2]

Does anyone know the % of women who if they do not have a regular sex life have issues with vaginal atrophy? This scares the hebbies out of me! Do ALL women get it and is it preventable if you choose NOT to be sexually active due to medical issues or such? Help I am freaking out here!

YES/ I am in my 50's and I have vaginal atrophy. Freaks me out because I am in menopause a few years aloready and I really dont even have any libido! seems to have gone down the tubes! plus I have itching on the outside (vulval area) and its getting me nervous!
This is ridiculous. anyone have itching also?????
Unbelieveable how this happens.

[Interactive]

I had external itching Joycelinda, before I started using the estriol cream.

[Joycelinda2]

Does anyone know the % of women who if they do not have a regular sex life have issues with vaginal atrophy? This scares the hebbies out of me! Do ALL women get it and is it preventable if you choose NOT to be sexually active due to medical issues or such? Help I am freaking out here!

Ok, I can tell you about my experience. Went into menopause and because dried up and that is the total opposite of what I was!!
It has atrophied and I have no libidio. zilch. feel bad for my husband. He takes it personally!
I really had trouble doing anything as it felt like a broomstick was going up my vagina! so, now the doctor convinced me to take estrace vaginally.
I have to. I have no choice. being dry and atrophied is the pits!
Hopefully I will be able to resume something but I can see this is going to take time. dr. actually saw cracks inside.
this is depressing. how old are you? Im 56, and believe me as I said I was the opposite of now but thats hormones for you!
how old are you and I dont know if all women get it. but it is common. but not all women get it. I have friends my age who have no problem. each person is different.


hope I helped you on this

Joyce

[Joycelinda2]

I had external itching Joycelinda, before I started using the estriol cream.

I think the estriol cream you are talking about is like our estrace vaginal cream. I live here in the US.
so were you putting the cream on both internally and externally????????? or just internally which helped the external part?
this is the pits. but thank you so much for replying.

Joyce

[Sariah]

Yes, I have the atrophy also. Sex is painful and my libido is GONE. I did use Estriol cream specifically the one for the vaginal area, but I started getting sore breasts so apparently it was being absorbed systemically. At that time, I was not on any hormones.

I may try it again, though. This time I will use it a couple times/week rather than every day. Hormones are so tricky to tweak just right.

[Interactive]

Initially I was using the cream mostly externally, as that's where I seemed to be experiencing itching and soreness, but applying just a little inside the opening of the vagina. However, whilst this improved the area, and made it comfortable for activities day to day, penetration was still unpleasant. So my doctor told me to use the full applicator internally, twice a week or even three times a week if I wished (the recommended frequency with the cream I use is twice a week but the doc said as I was also using progesterone cream, I could use it more often as the progesterone would balance the estrogen). It was only when I began to use the full dose internally that I felt the full benefits. I don't know if your cream is the same, but I think this is how the cream I'm using is intended to work. It either stimulates the vagina to lubricate itself (it certainly stimulated the cervix to produce mucus, as used to happen when I ovulated) or the cream itself is gradually released from the vagina and keeps the external parts healthy, in a similar way as used to happen when the vagina lubricated naturally pre-menopause. I do still apply the cream to the external parts however, at the same time as I use it internally.

I'm sorry to be so graphic, but I didn't know how to explain it to you otherwise! I can certainly identify with your description of painful sex. I experienced vaginal atrophy for the first time when I abruptly stopped taking oral HRT. The first time I attempted intercourse after having withdrawn from HRT, I nearly hit the ceiling! The estriol cream has definitely made things much, much better, although it hasn't returned to that wonderful pre-menopausal state that we all experienced. I think I'd need systemic estradiol for that.

Hoping you get some relief soon.

[Sariah]

Initially I was using the cream mostly externally, as that's where I seemed to be experiencing itching and soreness, but applying just a little inside the opening of the vagina. However, whilst this improved the area, and made it comfortable for activities day to day, penetration was still unpleasant. So my doctor told me to use the full applicator internally, twice a week or even three times a week if I wished (the recommended frequency with the cream I use is twice a week but the doc said as I was also using progesterone cream, I could use it more often as the progesterone would balance the estrogen). It was only when I began to use the full dose internally that I felt the full benefits. I don't know if your cream is the same, but I think this is how the cream I'm using is intended to work. It either stimulates the vagina to lubricate itself (it certainly stimulated the cervix to produce mucus, as used to happen when I ovulated) or the cream itself is gradually released from the vagina and keeps the external parts healthy, in a similar way as used to happen when the vagina lubricated naturally pre-menopause. I do still apply the cream to the external parts however, at the same time as I use it internally.

I'm sorry to be so graphic, but I didn't know how to explain it to you otherwise! I can certainly identify with your description of painful sex. I experienced vaginal atrophy for the first time when I abruptly stopped taking oral HRT. The first time I attempted intercourse after having withdrawn from HRT, I nearly hit the ceiling! The estriol cream has definitely made things much, much better, although it hasn't returned to that wonderful pre-menopausal state that we all experienced. I think I'd need systemic estradiol for that.

Hoping you get some relief soon.

Interactive,
Thanks for sharing this. I also was using the cream on the exterior, so maybe that's why it didn't seem to help much, although apparently there was enough to cause the breast tenderness. I will have to try using the applicator and applying internally. It worries me, though, since I'm not using progesterone since I don't like how it makes me feel.

[Interactive]

Yes I can understand that you'd be concerned. We're not talking about the same cream of course so it's difficult to compare. I didn't experience breast tenderness when I first started the cream (a sign that the estrogen is having an effect systemically as you say) but I did get spotting. This only happened once and towards the beginning however, and I think is fairly common. Did your breast tenderness subside?

[Interactive]

I think the estriol vaginal creams are ok to use without progesterone aren't they, as long as you're not exceeding the stated dose? My doctor only mentioned the balancing effect of progesterone when she suggested I use the estriol cream more frequently than is recommended by the manufacturer of the cream. In the event, I didn't increase the number of applications per week beyond the manufacturer's recommendation, although I am now using the maximum weekly dose.

[Puddock]

Hi Ladybugs and all you other Surgers

I've only just found this site. I am so glad you posted this question as I've been wondering the same thing.

I am 50 and have been suffering significant vaginal dryness problems for about six months. I am post-menopausal.

I was widowed 3 years ago and have not had a sex life since then. Before he died we hadn't had much of a sex life for years and I can't help but wonder if that has contributed to the problem. So I'd be interested to know what other people think too.

One thing that might be happening is that for those of us who are not having sex, our vaginal dryness problems may progress to a more serious stage before they are picked up. Mine certainly have. I've felt as if I've had cystitis for six months now and it's doing my head in frankly. I was eventually put on an estrogen cream and it did work but I've had a flare-up this week and feel as if I'm back almost to square one.

What makes me angry about the situation is that I went for my smear eighteen months ago and it was agony - much worse than usual. I joked with the nurse that it was lack of use that was making it sore and she said - oh no dear, it'll be the menopause. But that's all she said. She didn't offer any solutions or suggest that I see a doctor. I was left with the impression that there was no answer and that, as I was widowed, it didn't really matter anyway. Grrrrr!

I do feel better than I did - the estrogen cream is definitely helping - but I must admit that I do get depressed at the thought of having this for the rest of my life.

But it's good to know that I'm not alone in this (though I wish none of you had it, obviously!) - definitely makes me feel a bit better about it all.