Menopausal misery

Freddie Krueger!
No advice, but that did make me laugh.
Hope someone can give you good advice.

Has your GP done swabs and also tested for type II diabetes?

I was recently tested for lots of stuff in relation to too much iron in my blood - honestly apart from this I’m in great health ! I think I need to ask for a more in-depth ‘ swabbing ‘ as opposed to bloods

Miss adventure - you’re welcome for the giggle , I have to try to find humour in it ?

Thank you.
Actually I think there is a thread from a while back where people recommended treatments for this kind of problem.

GlamM When you mention HRT, do you mean the topical cream or pessaries you insert, or in tablet form to swallow? The cream or pessaries work within about 10 days because they are inserted in the right place.

I would recommend you check the NICE guideline for Vaginal Atrophy, you need to be on a local vaginal form of Oestrogen via pessary. There are various different one's the most common being Vagifem. They contain a very very low dose of Oestrogen, a year of treatment would only be equivalent to one HRT tablet but they do a good job in restoring the Oestrogen to where it should be.

I would strongly urge you to check out Menopause Matters web site. It was set up by a Gynaecologist and the forum is excellent for addressing issues such as this. The advice and support is second to none and there is a lot of information that would be very helpful for you .

Look up Amazon as well and type in Vaginal Atrophy, one of the women from the forum has written a book on this very subject and it's on sale via Amazon.

It's about time women spoke up more about this " hidden " debilitating condition. It's the cause for not only pain and distress in intimate situations but also responsible for UTI's and other problems.

Thankyou all. I’m going to see the Dr too as well as read up and speak to guru of the ‘access denied ‘ area. ?

I've recently doubled my dose of Vagifem (in agreement with my doctor) because a single tablet twice a week wasn't fully controlling the symptoms. Things do seem to be a bit better now.

I agree with all the above, and would also suggest asking your GP to refer you to a gynaecologist.
I had the same problems, and after three years of misery a very nice consultant sorted out my difficulties.
I hope you feel much better soon

Vagifem, should do the trick ,surprised youe Dr hasnt prescibed them

I too suffered discomfort and itching and soreness GlamM and was prescribed estriol pessaries. They have definitely worked and I am so much more comfortable now.

GlamM....what a nightmare for you.... I can’t give advice I’m afraid...but take heed of what the other posters have said, and do re-visit your doctor! I was ‘quite’ lucky regards menopause as it went reasonably smoothly ...no problems like you ...no hot flushes during day and ‘only’ profuse night sweats which did go on ten years or more!! Still recur occasionally now. I feel lucky, but know of lots of women who do suffer so much. Please don’t just put up with it....follow all the leafs on this thread. And be better soon.

Glam m. I read somewhere once that smearing natural yoghurt on the area is very good for vaginal itching. It's cooling and soothing.you could give it a try for short term relief .Hope you get it sorted soon.

There is a natural hormone cream which has worked wonders for me.
I bought it online from Wellsprings, the 20+1 cream. You use it pv and it gets rid of the dryness. It costs about £20, well worth the money. Good luck x

I too suffered for a year before Doctor gave me vaginal pessaries, but she also advised to drink lots of water, refrain from wearing knickers whenever possible, & to wash down there (including my bottom area), with nothing but aqueous cream, also letting air get to my “bits” whenever I could. I felt horrified but she was tough with me and said I had to do all the hard work and keep at it. So I began the regime: no knickers, (I wore loose trousers) and loose cotton ones if I wore a skirt, it felt weird but I stuck with it. I wore long t-shirts at night, washed with handfuls of aqueous cream (big tubs aren’t too expensive) and slathered myself with the stuff every time I used the loo & also drunk lots of water even though sometimes I got up 3 times at night for a wee. It took me a year of this very strict regime but slowly sex started to be a little bit more comfortable and the dreadful itching lessened & I started not be dominated by my nether regions. Three years on I use vaginal pessaries (Vagifem 10mg) twice a week, and still use aqueous cream to wash: I have no itching, still wear no knickers (no one ever suspects) & my sex life is pain free and active. It was very hard work and tedious at times but so worth it.

Well remember the feeling. I lost count of the various medications I was prescribed until the day a new GP came into my local practice and solved my problem.Have you thought of going to a specialist in your problems even if it means going 'private' what price comfort and a happy relationship?

I also have had a problem like this since the menopause but have recently been diagnosed with Lichen Sclerosis. This causes similar itching 'down below' and it is possible to be diagnosed with recurring thrush when in fact it is LS. LS is an autoimmune condition and if you have one autoimmune condition, there is a good chance you will develop others (I am at 4 and counting) so just be aware.

Another vote for Vagifem - last year I had extreme problems in having a smear taken due to atrophy, so I was prescribed it to help in the future. As I had an abnormal result, I had to go back this year for another - I was dreading it as last year's was really painful. This year's smear was easy-peasy (and the abnormality had disappeared, thank God!).

I posted something about this on here a little while ago. I won't take any form of hrt but did try various pessaries. It has helped with the dryness, but sex is absolutely impossible. It is although I've virtually closed up now. My husband is very understanding but I feel very cheated at 54, that I may not be ever to have intercourse again!

Have you considered that some of the itching may be due to you, due to dryness in an around the vagina, no longer being able to tolerate the bath soap and laundry soap you have been using for years?

If you don't already use soap and washing powder that is allergy tested and do not contain any form of perfume or bleaching agents, please do try them.

I realise it won't solve the problem, but it might just cut down on some of the itching.

I think it would be a good idea to have a swab done just in case. In the past I have taken Omega 7 for dryness but you sound in need of a quicker fix. Good luck.

Might sound a bit silly but when I was a teenager I was itching nearly as bad as you and for immediate relief sat it cold water, not my whole body obviously just dunked my backside in and found it really helped. Also I found the area I had been itching weeper and the moisture didn’t help the problem and I used Sterzac powder (was used for drying up babies belly buttons) which helped a lot unfortunately I don’t think they make it anymore. You could also try wearing cotton gloves to bed. Hope you get this sorted soon.