Vaginal atrophy

Nellie I was in a Jardines pharmacy earlier and they had a sign up saying they could prescribe some things for free including thrush medication.

kitty, I think if the Sylk hasn't helped she will go back to her GP and mention the Vagifem, as I told her what had been said about it on this thread. Perhaps the problem against this would be her breast cancer, but it may just be that she might still be able to have it.
Butty, my friend was given a 'wash' as well, but I can't remember the name of it.
She does experience tremendous discomfort, on a day to day basis. She's told me that it's not about making it easier for sex as this isn't an issue for her now.

Oh bless her. I hope she can get it sorted out.

Butty marelli there is a Femfresh, Intimate Hygiene, Triple action soothing wash. for (intimate areas). This seems less irritating than anything else I have tried. Someone else makes one as well but I haven't seen that lately.

JessM I typed dinoestrol cream/ ca breast.
My iPad says dinoestrol shoul be dingoes stroll imagine using that for vaginitis

Keep those dingoes out of this thread I say! Stop strolling you wicked little beasts.

jeni

jeni dont turn of the predictive texting if that's what is doing it. You I pad is keeping us all smiling. How are you feeling now?

Ah-ha here is a good article aimed at doctors but written in plain language

www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Topical-HRT.htm

And here are some links to artlcles for anyone seriously intent on going armed to the teeth with research when they go to the surgery.
To get the full articles you will have to either pay or go to a medical library and photocopy them, or get someone who belongs to a university library service to get them for you.
What I just picked up is that the concern is that someone who has had bc may have "dormant micro tumours" which, if oestrogen sensitive, could be reactivated by any form of HRT. So the stage of your breast cancer could be significant in making a decision. Also - only some bc s are oestrogen sensitive and if you have had an operation in the last 10 years or so, they might have tested the cells for oestrogen sensitivity.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16239103?dopt=Abstract

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18378532
Quote:
"The treatment of urogenital symptoms among this population is poorly understood and relatively understudied. "

(That sums us up really doesnt it folks, poorly understood and relatively understudied. They dont know what they are missing)

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19493638

That's what I said!
Goodnight

Having lengthy experience with all illnesses named in this forum, I am sad that after all these years of suffering I have had to take things into my own hands, compile information gleened over the years and embark on treating myself. As a result, I am better than I have been for a very long time. GPs are not very consistant in their views of these things and we can become confused by visiting different doctors giving us different views. There clearly is inadequate interest and research into older womens' problems. I have to say I am lately experiencing the 'older person' attitude from not only GPs but other public services also. I am not happy at this atall.

hi I am in my 70s, and have suffered thrush since reaching 11 yrs;
dr; always made a issue of implying that only once or twice a year -is norm; and oral treatment should not be requested more often! when it became available over counter my life was easier and happier; but then came the over 60s --no sell ! yes I lied as I am young looking for my age, then I asked daughters to do so for me, over counter!
then in U.S.A. I noted on shelves a product called niacin which on reading contents/ it said -VIT B,s mostly, and as I had noted on any thrush treatments was - always there would be this name-niacin ; so I brought them being vitamins seemed very healthy ? and on the `next time' I tried ONE tablet, I felt a bit strange and got a little hot, as in a hot flush but for a short time - but it worked I was free of thrush within a day, needless to say this I did each time it re-accured, I also noted every time prior to thrush I would be craving sweet things and it was almost impossible to refuse eating such!
recently my dr had me tested for vit b 12, which I am low on, (this is not one within niacin), because I am so deaf now, which makes consultations with dr very hard, I seem to get the `push off' feeling when I go for any help, embarrassed that all and sundry can hear what the dr needs to tell me !! result I rarely go there.
it is like being in a glass box, ones sees all that happens and can talk--but cannot hear any form of communication! even with NHS hearing aids. I text and email- but not the same;
hope this info; may help someone ! happy new year to all, enjoyed the funny ones.

Dear jcdoh your post makes it clear that a good doctor should always listen to the patient (as has been said on other threads). My husband was given niacin when he was younger as part of treatment for acne, and he was warned that he would experience hot flushes. to all and onwards and forwards!

Lovely to hear from you jcdoh and that is very interesting that a B vitamin seems to help your thrush.
There does seem to be one study that studied this effect. See link. The original article is a pay per view academic study - but it was conducted by a reputable research team. It was done on mice. As with most primary research. So it was not the kind of study where they got humans with thrush to take vitamin and measured the outcomes compared to those who took a dummy pill.
One study does not prove anything - which never stops the vitamin industry pushing things into the market.

www.wellnessresources.com/studies/niacinamide_helps_combat_candida_albicans/
I cannot see any "citations" which probably means that nobody has picked this up in the last 2 years and had a paper published. But there might be some in the pipeline.

Lots of information including potential side effects of taking too much niacin in wikipedia. And the foods that provide it in the diet. Nearly always better to get your vitamins from food.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacin
Thank you for sharing your experience.

I have VA and tird vagifem but it made no difference to me. We haven't had sex for a number of years now.

Tird = tried

How long did you try it for Ylil? It can take several months to work and my UTIs got worse before they got better. I think if the atrophy is advanced, it takes quite a long time to rebuild the vaginal wall.

Recurrent thrush can also be due to diabetes

Mamie I tried it for six months.n

Sorry I'm a late comer to this thread. This is a hot topic with me and my close friends as between us as we are all effected in one way or another. My GP readily prescribed Vagifem but friend's not so keen - she insisted that this was more likely a dermatological issue caused by shower products. She was prescribed Dermol 100 wash which worked a treat and the thrush symptoms have gone. It comes in a shower or bath version, you can buy it in Boots but she got a free script (in Scotland). Hope this helps someone ��

My problem wasn't thrush!!

My problem wasn't caused by shower products they just made things worse.

Irritation by shower products might cause similar discomfort. But in AV the tissues in the vagina are lacking in oestrogens which vagifem provides.

They have made such a difference to me.

I have a problem though in that I keep wanting to find some good use for the used blue sticks!

You can go to your local hospital Genito Urinary clinic without a referral or an appointment. We have a female consultant in ours who is brilliant. Check before you go what days/times they have the walk in. Some people think they only deal with sexually transmitted diseases but its not true. You will be seen by an expert and get the right help. They are specialists - I'd rather go there than to my GP. Less embarrassing too.

Nellie you'd then have to explain where you got them.

There's an idea mrsmopp for those who don't have an understanding GP