I feel some unfcomfortable down below with abdominal discomfort and burning senstation all the time. Surely this cannot be normal, any of you ladies suffer from constant discomfort from AV. I am 67 and ths has been going on for years. Have seen gynae could not find anything wrong and it is GP who said it is AV. Do I believe her, I have declined hormone treatment!! I have been using replens on and off and cetraben for the itchyness. I do feel as if I have UTI but when I took sample to test uring is very clear like water and is normal. Do not want to keep pestering GP, I did tell her if she is sure it is AV and nothing serious I will put up with it. The discomfort is manageable and if I am busy I do not notice it esp when on holidays, did not bother me at all. At the back of my mind I always wonder what if they have missed something serious. We have been through all the big women cancer and she said it is unlikely. I can put up with it if I have to. Thanks
Hi Marie , sounds like AV to me. I have suffered for many years as have many ladies on this forum. You have come to the right forum as you will find many ideas and suggestions from others. Personally I find vitamin E from the pierced capsule rubbed on the skin around vagina very soothing
Thanks Sue, will put up with it as the discomfort is manageable.
Hi Marie
It sounds like you have started to have mild VA symptoms. The severity seems to vary person to person and for many rubbing some cream on from time to time seems to be enough. However I can assure you if it gets a hold and becomes severe like mine did you will do anything to stop the sheer pain and 24 hr discomfort - it literally feels like someone has set fire to your insides and is burning you alive.
Marie13049 - I am going to be 65 soon and have the same sensations you do - almost all the time. My obgyn confirmed that it is definitely VA and not at all life threatening. My GP did not catch it - thought I had a yeast infection. WRONG. I have used Vagifem and the vaginal tissue has improved but my symptoms just come back. Sometimes severely, sometimes mildly. I have gone to the DR so many times to be checked for UTI that I finally went to a urologist to see what he thought. He said I should do kegal (is that how you spell that?) exercises. Now that was about as useful as a headache. I practice tighting those muscles all the time. And it just hurts and doesn't get much better. But I keep trying anyway. I also feel better when I am busy; how are we suppose to stay busy constantly? I do my best but when I finally stop - like to go to bed at night - I am uncomfortable. Sometimes really badly. Anyway, all we can do is try some of the things that people recommend and hope that our doctors come up with something effective. The Vagifem is such a low dose of estrogen that it never leaves the area. My dr. said it was very safe for me. If I had some kind of history of cancer in my family or past occurance myself, he would not prescribe it. But, for the most part, it is completely safe and should be prescribed in these cases. It is appropriate were his exact words. My prescription ends this week; at that point I am going to try a cream called Estrace which the urologist prescribed. You only use a tiny bit and apply it just inside the vagina and on the surrounding tissue. It too, stays localized and should not be a problem. I totally understand your reluctance to use hormonal treatments and I would not if there was a chance that it could travel through the body. In both of these cases, the medication stays local and just helps the vaginal tissue. The urinal atrophy is anoher story. That is harder to treat (per my Dr) because it is "deep tissue" ... and that is what seems to bother me the most right now. So glad to have read your post and hope you keep posting.
Thanks Pat, it has been so reassuring and informative having found this forum. Until a couple of years ago I have never heard of AV and if I did, I did not have any clue about. I have been going to see GP and gynae on and off and had the usual tests putting camera inside vagina etc. Sometimes if feels as if down below is on fire, is that a symptom of AV. I feel so reassured now and thanks a lot ladies.
That hot feeling is definitely a symptom. I have it too. One of the ladies said she makes coconut oil inserts using ice cube trays in the freezer. You just chip off a piece and use it internally. Just let it warm a bit before inserting. I haven't tried it yet but I am going to. Seems very therapeutic to me. This site is a real blessing. You don't feel so alone with the issue.
Whats helped me alot are warm sitz baths..i use a basin that fits on a toilet that you can get from a medical supply store.use the bath for about 15 minutes.Then air dry.really bad flare my doctor said 1 percent hydrocotisone cream on outside.Seems to help.