Menopausal misery

Just to say, soya is really bad if you also have thyroid problems. It prevents the uptake of Thyroxine. If you google "Thyroid-Soya link", there is a lot of info.

It's often quoted that Japanese women don't suffer menopausal problems because they eat a lot of soya .... but they actually get a lot of thyroid problems instead.

So much great advice , I am dairy intolerant so haven’t eaten anything dairy for 20 years, I drink a lot of water , have great bone density and apart from this hidden issue am in great health. I am quite adept also at finding ways to look after my husbands needs .. mine however are a no go ?. I’m sure my Dr will be great I’ve only got another 2 weeks to get in as the waiting list like with most surgery’s is 3 weeks - in the meantime I’ll squish around with more grease in my pants than a full English !

Have you tried soya products?burgens bread,alpro(or shops own brand)milk, yogurts,cream?soya is a plant based oestrogen, it helped me through my menopause,i didn`t bother with HRT.i`m now 54 the only thing i do get from time to time is vaginal dryness,i use vaseline.I thank my lucky stars i haven`t got a sexlife,i1m happily divorced.If soya doesn`t help i would see you GP.x

do you drink coffee/? i found that drinking less coffee made me itch less....i went through menopause for at least 10 years , i still get hot flushes where i am dripping with pespirations.i am now 61.....wear cotton clothes ,and cut out DAIRY FOOD,.i cant eat eggs /spicy food/ dairy food. cheese is ok.. and its worked for me. oh and take a pro biotic (tablet) a day. and not the drinkable stuff either as that's classed as dairy.do this for a month and tell me how you feel then. i really think what you eat causes menopause to play up..good luck...

'GlamM' said I’m very lucky my husband is a patient man, because our once active and great sex life is non existent I know it is not the same but there are numerous ways to satisfy and please your OH which do not involve Vaginal Intercourse........ Just Saying

Glam M.I’ve had that,Doctor advised using no soap/ shower gel etc.Im also on very low dose hrt.Which helps to lubricate the area.Dont think anything can be done about the atrophy?

Vagifem, and ReplensMD

GlamM, I feel your pain! I also was diagnosed with vaginal atrophy - it sounds awful, doesn't it? I use vagifem pessaries twice a week (started out using every night), and I can honestly say that things are now back to normal. I felt quite sore all the time, but that has cleared up. Good luck, I hope this helps.

As all menopausal symptoms are caused by lack of oestrogen the most logical treatment is to replace the oestrogen.
I have been doing this for the last 30 years and the benefits are undeniable. My main worry was osteoporosis and by replacing the oestrogen my bone density is excellent. My health is superb and I still work part-time. I am on it for life!
Personally I choose to have the oestrogen implant but understand that might not suit everyone. The benefit to me is only having to think about it two days a year and forget about it for the other 363.
Incidentally I noticed in an earlier reply someone suggested using yoghurt. Yoghurt does work for BV but must be live yoghurt. BV does not however cause itching, just a fishy/rotting flesh smell.
Best wishes OP. Hope you are back to normal soon.

I take Omega 7 daily which does help but you need something more to actually treat it. Get to see your GP asap or at least get Re-plens or Vagimoist cream to help while you wait for an appointment. It's a horrible condition and you shouldn't have to suffer.

I totally agree with the other posters about Vagifem. It has transformed my relationship with my husband, before I started with it intercourse felt like a cheese grater, but since starting Vagifem there is no discomfort at all and I have every intention of staying on it for as long as possible. A male GP recently tried very hard to persuade me to stop having it (no real reason; am low-risk and on low dose) clearly not understanding at all how horrible it is to dread sex so much. Needless to say I insisted on continuing with it...

I have never used soap / only wear cotton and have also used the wellsprings cream. I woke up today looking like I had used a cheese grater in the night. I’m waiting to see how fast I can be seen by a lady dr. It’s been over 12 months of itching so I’m not going without something to help. Thanks for the advice on options for treatment

Try aqueous cream, it is very good for itching ....

Someone I know had LS and when she went for treatment the sign in the hospital said, loud and clear: Vulva Clinic!

Loobs I too have LS. It's a nightmare. I have struggled with it for 4 years now. I haven't entered into any sort of relationship predominantly because of LS. I'm waiting for a gynae dermatology appointment.
Definitely worth getting that checked GlamM. ?

Sorry to hear about your plight ,I had a relatively smooth menopause with slight mood swings . Hope you find a solution to your menopausal misery.

Replens helped me.

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.

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.

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 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!

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 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.

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 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.