Help! Severe Vaginal Burning, Vagifem Treatment Going Slow Options

[jan56]

I'm 52 and unexpectedly got my period again after not having one in 6 months. Two days after my period ended I got severe burning in my vagina which I recognized as an episode of severe vaginal atrophy. I was already treated for these symptoms in July. At that time my gyno prescribed 2 weeks of vagifem which was pure hell due to burning for the first 7 to 10 days. After that episode I continued to use the vagifem twice a week and things got better. I'm not sure why this last period caused the symptoms to reappear so severely. My gyno agreed to prescribe a 2 week application with vagifem again. Now I'm into day 4 of using the vagifem and the burning is so severe for most of the day that I am beside myself. I was also given a prescription for amoxicillin to take since I felt that I was getting the usual urethritis that use to follow every irregular period for the past few years. I've used heat and ice packs and prosed (relief for UTI burning) with little relief. I'm worried and embarassed about not being able to make it to work during the next couple of days. I took off 1 day last week because of the level of pain and then managed to make it through on Friday with much less burning. Yesterday and today are over the top with burning. I'm so miserable with this burning and hate to call in tomorrow. This issue is too personal to share when people ask why you are unable to work.

[janet c]

Hi there
Welcome to Power Surge message board. I am sure you will find it a very helpful place to come with all your meno problems including any that are too embarrasing to talk about to anyone else.
Lots of us here have vaginal problems. Unfortunately it is par for the course at our time of life!
The upside is that we have tried all sorts of lotions and potions which give good results-so do not despair! I am sure others will be along with their particular favourites in due course. I will tell you mine.
If you are really burning then I recommend at first you try either inserting a vitamin E capsule every day or better still a vitamin E suppository. I have never used the suppositories but I believe they are particularly good!
I, myself now use a non hormonal vaginal moisturiser called Replens. You can buy it from the pharmacy and it is inserted with a special applicator which is provided. It may sting a litle the first few times you use it and you may also find a bit of weird pink discharge but with regular use that goes away.
Maybe you could try cutting the vagifem to a couple of times a week and use one of the other things in between? Or maybe the vagifem is just not right for you and you should ask your doctor for a different type of hormone treatment?
Hope you find some relief soon

janet c

[Happymom07]

janet c,

I don't have any words of wisdom to help you, but I wanted to give you hugs and offer my support. I hope the burning goes away and you get some relief soon.

Happymom

[gevalia]

After a hysterectomy, I started with the signs of atrophy. Using Premarin cream burned like the dickens so I switched to Estrace cream, which was an improvement. I now use estriol cream 3 x week along with some testosterone cream 1%, which I believe has helped my atrophy even more than the vaginal estrogen. When it flared, I would use a vitamin e capsule inserted in the vagina. That seemed to take out some of the sting when using the cream. I would insert the vitamin e prior to using the estriol.
Hang in there. With treatment, this should resolve.

[janet c]

janet c,

I don't have any words of wisdom to help you, but I wanted to give you hugs and offer my support. I hope the burning goes away and you get some relief soon.

Happymom

Its not actually me with the problem happymom-I was also posting with some (hopefully good advice) to jan56 but its an easy mistake to make

janet c