Vaginal atrophy and painful intercourse: What helps?

@marjou I agree with you that vaginal atrophy is not addressed in the medical community. I was told in radiation oncology to use a vaginal moisturizer because of the radiation therapy. I also use a dilator a minimum of twice a week as this keeps the tissue healthier because the radiation therapy both scars and shrinks tissue. The main reason for doing this in oncology is to make sure the vagina can be easily viewed during exams. There are apparently women who do not do this after gynecological radiation therapy and then tissue at the top 1/3 of the vagina becomes constricted.

With all that said the nurse practitioner in the Menopause and Women's Sexual Health Clinic at Mayo told me that all women, sexually active or not, should use vaginal moisturizers to prevent vaginal atrophy. This allows the woman to feel more comfortable because sometimes vaginal atrophy can cause pain and discomfort. She compared it to moisturizer any part of your body. She asked me if I apply moisturizer to my face? I answered, yes (of course I do). So now I moisturize inside and out.

Do you think you might like to try this @marjou? If yes, I can post some links to products that were recommended to me and tell more about what I like to use (This post is already too long!).

Hello
A few years ago my gyno said i had lichen planus treated it and forgot about it. My newest gyno never noticed anything.
That was unfortunate bec i actually have lichen sclerosis which apparently has been festering a long time. Untreated it can turn into squamous cell cancer.
My dermatologist left her practice in july. She asked if there were any other skin problems i wanted to discus before she left.
I had her look and watched her shocked face. I immediately went on clobatesol the same as with lichen planus. That was followed by tacrolimus ointment. There is definite improvement but its something that doesn't go away.
During the last appt i had the dr told me of two vulvar centers. Never even heard of such a thing.

Over the last year or two many of my drs have left for other opportunities or left medicine. It takes many months to get appts. So i am on my own fow awhile.

Wishing you all the best.

@fight777. Hi Sue, Here are the products I've learned about. I'll write my little review with them too.

-Hyalo Gyn (only available online from the company). This comes in suppositories or cream. It contains Hyaluronic Acid which is highly recommended by my radiation oncologist. I use it in suppository form as it's less messy and less to go into the landfill. I have a standing order that is shipped so I can get a discount. I use it with a little of Good Clean Love Bio-nourish (available from Target but also from Amazon which also has hyaluronic acid. I put the Good Clean Love product on the suppository and on the entrance to my vagina and then it's easier and more comfortable to insert. I do this 2-3 times a week.

--https://hyalogyn.com/

Bio Nourish (a little goes a long way).
https://goodcleanlove.com/collections/vaginal-care/products/bionourish-moisturizing-vaginal-gel-with-hyaluronic-acid
Satin by Sliquid. Mayo clinic recommends applying a little every night to the entrance of the vagina. I'm not doing this now as I've been using Hyalo-Gyn as I described because of radiation therapy.

--https://www.amazon.com/Sliquid-Organics-Natural-Satin-Lubricant/dp/B00763K1IU

Mayo Clinic sells all of these products in their physical and online store except for Hyalo-Gyn.

You can see I've done a lot of trials and figured what works for me. I know you will do the same.

You wrote that you are finishing chemo and will start radiation How are you feeling?

Hi @Helen,

Thanks - I have my initial consultation today. I have really bad neuropathy in my foot so they had to stop the taxol and have only had carboplatin the last 3 rounds. It has all been pretty tough, but the neuropathy has been the worst. Thank you very much for the information; I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
@fight777

I too have been diagnosed w lichen sclerosis. My dr told me to use clocatsol sparingly bc it causes tissue thinning. I try to use only when burning and itching are intense. I have noticed now a shrinking that has me very concerned.
Thank you for mentioning the tacrolimus ointment. I’m about to make an appointment so I’ll mention this .

I have used an estrogen cream for years when my female nurse practitioner in an oby/gyn practice recommended it and for me, it works. There are lubricants that you can use prior to intercourse. I agree, even my best friends don’t want to talk about anything “intimate”. I think it’s this generation …friends are mostly in the 70s and early 80s. A fellow I was dating years ago talked about it with me and we did use a lubricant on occasion. We used to joke about it …where there is a will there is a way. Not all partners are as enlightened sad to say….affects both men and women of my generation.

FL Mary aka Hurricane Mary at this point…just north a bit of the major impact but tonight will be the worst.

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.