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Vaginal atrophy and painful intercourse: What helps?

Posted by Anonymous297113 @anonymous297113, Sep 27, 2022

Seems like vaginal atrophy is a taboo topic, yet so many women are suffering with this. It’s a subject so difficult to discuss with your husband, partner, doctors, etc. Many women have told me estrogen creams don’t work, Mona Lisa type treatments don’t help, and our sex lives are non-existent.

Honestly I feel almost worthless when it comes to being intimate. It’s really sad and I wish I could have normal sex again without feeling like I’m being stabbed by a knife, hiding my face crying, and swollen.

Have you found anything that helps?

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darienneadams | @darienneadams | Feb 7 1:25pm

Estrogen cream applied daily works wonders in aiding natural lubrication and aids in making your canal more flexible. Pelvic floor therapy will make a huge difference. Not to be crude, but your SO performing oral sex will make you much more comfortable and relaxed for penetration, especially after 50.

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gravity3 | @gravity3 | Feb 7 10:52pm

Yes. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy with estradiol patch, testosterone pellet, progesterone and estradiol vaginal cream. Game changer for me at 76. This may or may not be right for you.

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dkcbc24 | @dkcbc24 | Feb 10 10:11am

After abdominal radiation (internal and external) intercourse became increasingly difficult and painful and finally no longer possible. I saw a physical therapist who specialized in this issue, but it really didn't help me. She did suggest dilators and so did my oncologist. But this was 20+ years ago and the dilators weren't what they are today, and they didn't work for me. Now, there is a great brand, and it is the brand the cancer center I go to recommends to their patients. The set of dilators is graduated so you can start with something the size of your pinky, up to an extra-large size. I believe the brand is called Soul Source. Once we could no longer have intercourse, we went for about 15 years without it. As you mentioned, it made me feel flawed, damaged and it was hard. My husband was supportive, and we still had an intimate relationship. But we both missed intercourse.

In 2018 a local doctor told me vaginal reconstruction is possible, and I had that done in 2019. It wasn't an easy recovery but worth it. We are able to have a full intimate relationship now but of course a water-based lubricant is definitely still necessary. I mentioned the dilators because for some, it is enough to help regain intercourse if you stick to working with them regularly. And after my reconstruction, I had to use them first before we could attempt actual intercourse. Now I only use them if my husband is out of town for an extended period of time/in order to keep the tissue from tightening up again.

As with every case, it's a very individual/person journey. Take good care, Kristi and be sure to love yourself every day. Hugs!

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komiskey10 | @komiskey10 | Feb 12 10:11am

I would like to have links. Thank you so much.

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prudytootsie | @prudytootsie | Apr 22 11:33am
In reply to @cindylb "Hello ..... I am new to this group but am a member of the Breast Cancer..." + (show)
@cindylb

Hello .....

I am new to this group but am a member of the Breast Cancer Group (survivor 7 years) and a member of the Lung Cancer group (husband is still battling).

Anyone heard of the Viveve Treatment:??????
I have had vaginal atrophy for around 5 years. I first noticed when I had a terrible burning sensation one day and found that I have a cystocele (a drop of my urethra/bladder into my vaginal canal due to vaginal atrophy). I have been using estrogen and Replens for years. Then one day I got a massive, terrible, on-going fungal/yeast infection that took weeks to clear up. I'm 65 now and on Medicare (thank goodness) and finally able to get some care for several issues. Overall, I'm as dry as the Sarhara Desert everywhere (eyes, mouth, skin, hair, vagina) and am on a quest to get some answers.
One option that has been presented to me is an intravaginal treatment called Viveve. It's a laser treatment, inside your vagina that creates an environment that makes new cells grow (similar to the action that intercourse might have I guess, but that's in layman terms). The results create new cells that keep the vagina from atrophy for either one year, five years or perhaps a lifetime....different for everyone. Has anyone else heard of this or something similar?
I would really like to try this, as the constant creams I have to use (multiple times per day) and as an estrogen positive breast cancer survivor - who uses vaginal estradiol cream carefully- I'd like a more permanent solution. If I don't stop the march of time with my vagina I will have to get a pessary (an item that holds my bladder in place to keep it out of my vagina).

The drawback is that the procedure is FDA approved but Medicare and Health Insurance won't pay for it and it's pricey (about $2,500). My Urogynecologist believes it's safe and was very frank about how angry she is that health insurance and Medicare consider the treatment 'cosmetic'. Not sure about you gals but how the inside of my vagina 'looks' isn't a big factor for me, ha ha. How it feels and the subsequent problems and distress vaginal atrophy and dryness can cause...that's more of a concern to me.
Hugs to all...........would appreciate any input.

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Hi there from Canada. I am 63 and have been going through this for 13 years. I’ve tried every estrogen product, moisturizers etc and still the itchy ness and soreness comes back every few months. I’m presently using the Estring. My gyno has mentioned the laser too. The cost is a lot with no guarantee that it will work. I feel your frustration and am constantly second guessing myself is there something else going on like lichen sclerosis but I think I will cry if I’m diagnosed with something else incurable. Are you going through with the laser? Please let me know your thought if you have discussed it further with your doctor. Wishing you luck

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