Vaginal atrophy

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

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?

jeni

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 .

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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 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.

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 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.