Vaginal atrophy

In fact, if you are over 60, the pharmacies in this country won't let you have the Canesten pessary. I was able to get it in NZ.

Mamie I had an appalling allergic reaction to a pessary the doc. gave me here for an infection - nightmare indeed! You have my sympathies.

Once a week I use a little cream with a v. low dose of progesterone in it, which works very well, although a couple of months usage is needed for it to start working effectively. I expect (but don't really know) even this low dosage wouldn't be possible for your friend who's had breast cancer Marelli.

Indeed Jess and actually they told me to go to the doctor as soon as I got home when I was in Boots.
Yes pest arises (I like it) and suppositories are popular. They gave us a suppository for my five month old grandaughter when she had conjunctivitis?? (Resisting the temptation to say that in England we don't put medication for our eyes up our bottoms)..
I think it can all be a bit more earthy here, you don't get paper gowns while you wait for a mammogram for example.
I gather that Vagifem has a nifty little applicator, whereas with the French version you just insert them..
Am I putting anyone off their cornflakes?

Is that Trophicreme, Butty? I have Trophigil. I wonder why the French version has progesterone? The gelules of 350mg have 341 mg of estriol, 0.2 mg of progesterone in a lactobacillus culture and I have three a week. Would be interested to know what is in Vagifem?

Mamie The topical cream is called Colpotrophine (promestriene 1%).

Vagifem contains oestrodiol a naturally occurring oestrogen.

And does indeed have a nifty little applicator, thankfully.

mamie Same here its ouch!

Mamie I had heard about the French and their suppositories. However treating conjuntivities with a suppository is mind boggling. We normally put the eye drops right where they are needed.

If you are using a suppository you are surely going to have to use a much bigger dose as the drug would get a bit "lost" as it goes through the system?
What happens if the baby poos straight away?

I have had breakfast!

I am very annoyed about this, not dispensing canestan to over 60s. I know I don't have diabetes. I know what thrush is. it comes after I have antibiotics.

I could try lying about my age I might just get away with it.

When you are young you lie about your age to try and buy a drink in a pub. When you are over 60 you do it to get anti thrush cream that's sad.

Well if you had a prescription nellie it would be free. But in emergency I would lie about age or send in a friend. I think the point is unless thrush clears up quickly, or you have a repeat attack then your doctor should be treating the underlying cause.
Anyone come across any actual research on whether hormone cream does actually increase the risk of repeat of BC. I know HRT does . But has anyone ever done the research on the cream?
Ultimately I guess it is the choice not of the GP but the woman - if she can't darn well walk because she is so sore, then she might be prepared to take a small increase in risk!

I haven't seen the research, Jess, but I also haven't seen anything about serious risk. I think this has probably caused a lot of suffering for generations. I can remember my Grandma wriggling on a chair and talking about her poor old bottom. I imagine that VA was the problem. That is why I think it is important to talk about it on here. I do hope your friend gets some help, Marelli.

Apparently research shows equivocal results. In other words no one knows. I think the no oestrogen party says no,more on theoretical risk than substantiated research.
Bags is good at paper research, she might have an idea.

I always administer voltarol via suppository as otherwise I get indigestion - I have never had a problem with it - it seems to get to the right place all by itself!

Oh cheers jeni the trouble with pubmed etc is that you have to know the right search jargon to use.
Yes if you start to think about the amount of suffering that women have endured, and continue to endure in the third world because they do not have quite basic medical care
And also embarrassment - women still probably die because they are embarrassed to talk to their doctors - I knew someone whose mother died of a vulval cancer.
My Masters research was about embarrassment in gynaecological settings and
it would be interesting to find out after 25 years, if things have changed much...
I just googled it but to no avail. Buried in the depths of the university of wales archives. I have a hard copy though.

Jess its the hassle to get an appointment and you can't do that at a weekend. I will just have to lie and keep using the pessaries regularly!

GPs have to offer 7am appointments these days to suit working people, which might help.

Can't you go to a Walk- in Centre Nellie? I was a regular at ours with my UTIs and always got more tabs than the course so every third time I got a UTI I could self medicate!

My life is totally changed since I was prescribed Vagifem and reading this thread has brought back awful memories of all the pain and discomfort. I'm not sure that it is an automatic thing for a GP to think of when someone presents with recurrent UTIs.

Mine certainly didn't and I was sent to one of those day clinics where they do all sorts of tests in one session. I had scans, xrays and the dreaded camera - there might have been other things as well but I have forgotten them. The 'cancer' word was definitely an enormous elephant in the room. All this whilst waiting to go back to visit Matt in Japan for the second time after his stroke. The leaflet that came with the appointment said that only one in four (I think) people are found to need referring for further investigation. There were 12 of us, I was last and only 2 others had been given referral letters.

Sympathies to all who are suffering right now - see a doctor.

I phoned my friend this morning and she is really grateful for all of your help. She'd been given a prescription for Sylk and had applied this and lain in a bath containing Oilatum for an hour last night. It's given her a certain amount of relief so she's going to give it a week. If there's no definite improvement, she'll return to her GP and ask for a referral if no other option is offered. I'd suggested the Well Woman Clinic, so she's considering that as well - she thought that was only for such things as smears.
Thanks again from E .

This is fascinating and the only way I for one could discuss my problem. The female GP, Practise Nurse and DN I asked for advice seemed to think I was making a fuss about nothing.

Vagifem eventually helped with about 50% of severe (I mean SEVERE) itching. I now use it 2ce a week, was told I could use it daily, but I had HRT type breast discomfort.

Eventually a gynacologist (I think he was Polish) advised me to use olive oil, topically that is - best cooking variety I could afford - 'slap it on', he said!! I did not fancy this somehow - but have found almond aromatherapy carrier oil does the trick.

I am so glad someone started this post! It is a very delicate and embarrasing issue, but it is now apparent there are a lot of us with this problem.

However I personally would not go anywhere near my nether regions with perfumed anything.

If she is no better Marelli she could say that someone suggested that Vagifem might help, she's Googled it and would they consider letting her try it (grovel grovel). Referrals take time - not good when one has such a problem.

When I suggested something (HRT patches, a good while ago) that I'd seen in the paper to my lovely GP and apologised he told me that he couldn't be expected to know everything and I was obviously going to spot things pertaining to my own health/problems.

marelli Tell her to tell her GP that a lot of people have suggested Vagifem.

Lancashirelass I do fully understand how people find this very embarrassing. I am also like this about such stuff. My mum was hopeless at talking about bodily bits and I was also influenced by this.

Good idea, Kitty, a nice gentle way of suggesting it.
I read that up to 40% of women suffer from VA, so it is good that we can discuss it on here.

I forgot to mention that as a supplement to the cream I use, I also use a wash specifically for the itching, which works wonderfully. It 'gyn hydralin'.
Probably doesn't help because I live in France and it's a French product - but I'm sure there are similar products available in the UK.

Interestingly, when I first used it, the scent reminded me of something I was given to wash with after I'd given birth to my first son, and the stitches had become inflamed. It more than likely has the same components.