Vagifem just prescribed....got some questions!

Hi Ladies
Just returned from my one year post op appt. I have been having issues with bladder spasms, bladder leakage, vaginal dryness and irritation AND no libido. Once he examined me, he said I definately have vaginal atrophy and prescribed Vagifem to use every day for 2 weeks and then reducing it to twice weekly. He is hopeful that this will take care of the bladder and atrophy issues. He even said it "might" improve my libido. He also ordered hormone tests to see if my one remaining ovary is failing; he feels that it probably is. Here are my questions:

Is it best to use it at bedtime? My prescription says the strength of the Estradiol is 25 MCG. Is that a high level and is that the only strength that it comes in? I can't find my sheet where he ordered the bloodwork for the hormone levels, but I think I remember it saying FSH/FH levels...does that sound right and if so does that include testosterone levels? I saw free testosterone listed above that and it wasn't checked off to be tested, so I thought maybe it was included in what they did check off. Have those of you who are using Vagifem found that it worked well for you and did you have any nasty side effects? I didn't tolerate BCP's too well, so I hope this will not turn out the same way that they did. I don't want to start suffering from migraines again.

Sorry that this is long.....this is all new to me and I am one that loves the power of being well informed

I have just been prescribed ovestin cream (estrogen cream) for my bladder problems and general irritation and pain so i was interested to read your thread that you are having the same problems. He didnt actually call it vaginal atrophy so could you explain what that is exactly? He just said my bladder needs some hormones. My instructions tell me to use it at bedtime. Can i ask you (hope you dont mind) when you have been intimate does all the bladder issues return again 24 hrs later? Hope it works for you.

Sheila

Hi Sheila!
The way my Dr. described it to me is that sometimes after a Hyst., our remaining ovary(ies) sometimes don't produce enough estrogen and that leads to the vaginal walls thinning and becoming dry, which can lead to the same thing happening to the urethral walls causing the bladder spasms. I went thru several periods of thinking that I had a yeast infection with all the itching and irritation, but come to find out it's all related to the vaginal atrophy.

As for the bladder problems after sex, I haven't seen where that affects mine. Most of my spasms come at the end of emptying my bladder or if I've had to hold it for a while.

Hope this helps.