vaginal dryness

Body: 

I am 65, I have had a chronic yeast infection from the age of 23. If I use any estrogen suppliments the yeast infection comes raging back. My vagina and vulva are extremely dry as attested by my gyn and by the fact that I can bleed from using a suppository or even bathroom tissue. I have to use so much lubrication to have relations with my husband that it takes all the fun out, not to mention that it still hurts. I am desperate any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Smithdater,

You might want to check out my other website: www.lichensclerosisanswers.com to see if anything there rings a bell for you. It is my belief that there is a continuum of symptoms from mild to very severe that have their roots in hormonal imbalance - the conventional "balancing" of which does not adequately or safely address. 40+ years is a tremendously long bout with yeast!

:) Christine

Hi Smithdater

There is a product called Replens that some women find useful. It is not an oestrogen cream. It is available over the counter, in Australia anyway, but women from other places have purchased it as well. You use it every 5 days or so, so it is not an ordinary lubricant. You might find that useful.

If you put 'Replens' into the search box, these topics will come up. They might not have Replens as the original topic but will have a post somewhere in the thread that mentions Replens.

I think it would be a good idea to check out Christine's LS page as well. Has the doctor ever cultured it? Do standard thrush treatments work, even for a short time? It might not be yeast, as Christine suggests.

Cheers

Louise

I got some of this after my son was born and every so often that area gets very irritated. I tried some of it, and it went away after using it maybe twice.

Hi Smithdater

The other products that are also worth trying are the Wholewoman balms, which are all organic and have soothing and rebuilding ingredients.

They are plant oil and beeswax based products so are more persistent than the water based products. Be aware though that you may need to be careful if you use a pessary, condoms or diaphragm that is rubber-based. I am not sure if it is all oils or just mineral oils. The Bliss Balm is an exquisite lubricant for sex. It is quite granular and hard when the weather is cool, but melts instantly when it hits body-temperature skin, so you don't have to rub it on. It just liquefies instantly with warmth. Also, it doesn't spill if the jar falls over, unless the weather is unbearably hot, which is a laundry plus! There is also Vulva Balm and Peri Balm. You can buy both from the online store at www.wholewoman.com .

Cheers

Louise

Hi Smithdater,

I am one of the pleased Replens users that Louise was referring to. I have tried all kinds of lubricants and, without a doubt, at least for me, Replens works the best. I had only used the Replens previously (for about 2 years now), but after learning on this site that I might benefit from lubricant lower as well, I tried that, wondering the whole time why I hadn't thought of that! I use the Replens (high up in the vagina and it lasts for at least 3 days) and Ky jelly on the vulva (I use that on a daily basis) and it was definitely better. I recently purchased Christine's Bliss Balm and have only used it with the Replens twice (the Balm just came yesterday), and it works equally as well, maybe even better..time and experience will tell.

You might want to give these things a try. They are wonderful products for vaginal dryness.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

Warm regards,

Mae