I've been prescribed a generic estradiol vaginal cream for vaginal atrophy due to menopause. I'm actually still in perimenopause but about 4 years ago (age 46) I began to get UTI's after intercourse and would feel irritated and itchy also. It's just gotten worse over time and now it's really bad. So, my question is this: Does the cream cause burning as it leaks out of the vaginal opening onto the outer genital parts? For me, it's burning something terrible and I can't figure out if it's just because of the bad atrophy/dry skin or if I'm allergic to this stuff. I tried Imvexxy (the estrogen suppository) and had the same reaction. Has anyone experienced this burning with the cream and did it go away after some time of using it? Thanks.
burning from estradiol vag cream - Menopause and Per...
burning from estradiol vag cream
Hi, Yes it's a common problem, I use the pesseries and the cream, my atophy and dryness is/was really bad, I have found because you are so dry it can take three months or longer to heal. I use Yes lube with the cream and pessary, it helps stop the burning.
Hi Lemonbalm, thank you for your reply. Are you in the UK? I am from the USA and I think we're given different creams by our doctors over here. It seems that the ladies from the UK are given estriol cream and the USA doctors give estradiol cream. Doctors here prefer the estradiol cream over estriol for some reason and I've been wondering why or what's the difference. The doctors here consider estriol "alternative" medicine. Anyway, why is it that you take two things for your dryness? What is a pessary? Is that like the Imvexxy I was taking? I think what happened to me was that I was allergic to something in the Imvexxy suppository and it made everything raw and inflamed and when I switched to the cream it just made things worse for a time. It's been two weeks since the awful Imvexxy reaction and I'm feeling better now with cream. It's not burning as bad but it does still burn a bit when the cream "comes out". Yes, my atrophy is really bad too and it seems like the cream is taking its sweet time to work. I'll hang in there and I appreciate your encouraging words. How do you use the YES lube? Do you insert it with an applicator or how does that work? I have to lube the applicator for the cream because it hurts without it. I use a lube called Slippery Stuff. It's pretty popular in the states.
Hi Sungirl55, Ok yeah the creams are the same I think. The pesserys we have over hear have estrogen in them like the creams, except they are in tablet form for the vagina. The lube I use has no glycerin in it (can feed thrush), I use an applicater to push up some lube before I insert a pessery, it stops the burning and helps it to dessolve better.
Oh okay, yes we have the estrogen tablets too. I think the brand name is called Vagifem. I haven't tried those but I guess for now I'll just stick to the cream. The brand name for estradiol cream here in the US is called Estrace. I use a generic form of Estrace. But yeah, I'm hoping after a month or so of using this cream that there will be no more burning as it comes out. Are you STILL burning from your estrogen pessaries and how long have you been healed? How long did it take for you?
Ahh, yes those are what I have, vagifem, and the cream is called ovestin, yes If I have a bad day like i feel its itchy, thats a warning its going to get sore so I use vagifem , the cream and the lube, lube first the vagifem then cream just inside. The yes lube is so cooling, I am able to get it on prescription which saves me a lot of money . The vagifem took 3 months to work, but I still had burning, Dr put me on it every other day and that helpped but I still had burning so I decided to try different lubes and then asked for the cream, so all in all my personal journey has taken over 2 years to sort, but its all good now.
Boy, I'm glad you are all better. That gives me hope. I've been dealing with this for about four years but it got really bad in the last few months. I finally figured out that I need estrogen down there. Maybe I'll try the YES lube too. Seems like the lube would prevent the absorption of the estrogen tablet and cream, but I guess not. So, now you don't need to use them regularly, only if you start to feel itchy? My understanding is that I'll have to use this cream for the rest of my life. 😏 Kind of a bummer.
Goodness, 4 years that's a long time to cope with all that. It started with me in 2019, boxing day lol, I had a urinary tract infection then thrush (never has those in my life), but after going to the dr with these symptoms, the problem would not go away, so after having burning pain ( I struggled to walk and im a gardener by trade), all this time the dr gave me the vagifem and yes I have to use these for life, but I use the cream as well as vagifem if I get the scratch/itchy feeling, that tells me im a bit extra dry, so its the cream that I use when I need to but vagifem for life. using the lube just helps the pessery to stick to the vaginal wall, as I have no natural lube left! yes the lube might weeken it a bit but it stops the burning.
Thank you dear Lemonbalm for sharing your experience with me. I really appreciate the detail you've given me. I have hope that I can heal. It sounds like it takes a long time though. I just have to be patient and continue to use my estrogen cream. I'm a little nervous about trying Vagifem because of the reaction I had to Imvexxy (that was horrid). I'm glad it's working for you but darn it I hate that it burns you. Good thing you have the YES lube and have figured out what works for you. Yeah, I've been suffering for a long time because I didn't know it was related to low estrogen. Like you, mine started with frequent UTI's and I couldn't understand what was going on. Over the course of four years, things just kept getting worse and I finally figured out it was vaginal/urethral atrophy. I hope to one day have intimacy with my dear husband who has been so patient with me through all this. It's been about two years so I'm pretty sad about that. Thank you again for your advice. You're a blessing.
Dear Sungirl, you are so very welcome, I feel its important to share when it's important such as this time in a womans life and when no one else knows what its like. Yes hang in there, treat this as an indurance test, you will win this battle. The only way is to try other meds like vagifem, again if It causes more pain stop it, but it might help in the long term, if you do use it then use lots of lube with it to help it sick to the vaginal wall, I use an applicater that holds about 2mil of lube and just shove it up quite high! Bless you and your hubby, hopefully soon you will be able to go back to being Intimate, but remember lots of lube will help there and go very slowly!, also lube after too, I also use the cream and lube after, because friction will make you a bit sore to start with. take care xx
Yes, an endurance test. That describes it perfectly. I've only been on the cream for a short time so I'll give it a chance to work first before trying something else. I'm happy to know that intimacy could be possible again. Thank you for the tips on that front. I think it would be neat to start a trend where women can have vagi-pen-pals and learn from each other. I've told myself that if I get beyond this bad time then I want to do something that will help other women with my problem. Bless you and thanks again. 
You got this Sungirl!, just message me if you need to chat, you will feel well again, its a change of life that is hard but also a time of a new you. I go on this phone app called Balance, lots of menopausal women on there with all sorts of problems, I use the free version but not sure you can get it over there, it was a comfort in the last year since going on HRT. take care of yourself x
Hi
I’ve started using Ovestin and not experienced this. My symptoms haven’t disappeared but are more manageable to deal with its awful having to cope with this plus other menopausal symptoms.
Someone recommended this book on another menopause forum: Me and my menopausal vagina by Jane Lewis.
I brought it via Amazon, I’m half way through and it’s got some really good advice.
I’ve just ordered some products from YES too.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Hello Peanut31, thank you for your reply! I have that book too and I've already read it! I sure can relate to a lot of what she's saying and has experienced. Are you in the UK? I am in the USA. I think Ovestin is an estriol cream isn't it? The doctors over here don't prescribe estriol for some reason. They always want us on estradiol cream. How long have you been taking the Ovestin to get your symptoms under control? I'm so ready to have some relief from this awful pain. I cannot even believe how much pain having a vagina with no estrogen can be. Who would have ever imagined.
Hi I've just started to use the cream ovestin. I am getting the stinging burning too. I've been told it will settle . Not sure why this is happening though . Hope we can get some insight on here.
Hello Miss Moljanie, I guess I should update my post a little bit. In the few days since I've written my post, I have been improving. Looking back, I realize that the terrible burning was from an allergic reaction to Imvexxy. I'm not sure if they sell Imvexxy in the UK (I'm from the USA) but it is a capsule (with liquid estradiol inside it) that you inset into the vagina. Well, there was something about that med that irritated my insides and outsides and caused stabbing pains in my lower abdominal area. Once I stopped the Imvexxy it took two or three weeks for the irritation to settle down. So, right after stopping the Imvexxy, I switched back to the estradiol cream I had been using before and I think the cream irritated the already inflamed tissue down there and caused a terrible burning sensation. I had only been on the cream about a month before switching to Imvexxy. The reason I switched is because I was burning on my outer genital area from the cream and I thought that a pessary-type application wouldn't leak out and cause burning. I did notice that the burning wasn't as bad with the cream after I had used it a few weeks but there was still a general discomfort from the cream. So, here I am now and using the cream again and the burning and discomfort are there but not terrible. I'm like you, wondering if at some point as the tissue gets more moisturized the burning will let up. For some reason, my doctor can't seem to answer that question. Was it your doctor who told you it would settle?
Hi I've only used it twice . I'm a bit scared really tbh because of the burning. A friend said its very good treatment she's used it for a long time but not as regularly as prescribed . I'm just so fed up with my body . It hurts . I'm doing a menopause course to try and get a better understanding of it. Centre of Excellence is offering it at a reduced cost of £29 here in the UK. I've learnt there is 3 types of oestrogen our body makes so I'm gaining more knowledge. I feel the UK doctors ate not really telling us all we need to know.
I understand about being scared because I'm the same way. I am so careful not to put anything down there and to be sure I'm not introducing bacteria because my sensitive parts hurt all the time. Lemonbalm says the Vagifem form of estrogen can also burn so there's no good answers. I considered trying systemic estrogen (patches and gels that go on the skin and not the vagina) if I just can't handle the pain of meds in my vagina. But for now, I'm trying to hang in there with the vaginal estrogen cream because I've read that it's more effective than the systemic methods (patches and gels work 75% of the time for vaginal atrophy). Sometimes, women need both vaginal and systemic to get the atrophy under control. Get that book by Jane Lewis called My Menopausal Vagina; it has some good info and she's from the UK. The same is true in the US. The docs don't know a lot about menopause and women struggle to get the proper treatment. It's a lot of trial and error it seems. Over here, docs give estradiol but in Europe they give estriol (Ovestin). Docs here don't like to prescribe estriol for some reason but I'm not sure why. Alternative docs over here prefer estriol over estradiol because they say estradiol is "too strong" whatever that means. I remember reading that one lady used a compounded form (with a certain base cream) of estriol in the UK because she was burning from Ovestin and it worked great for her. Maybe you could consider a compounded form of estriol.
Hi thankyou for your help. I will look up more info . Its so confusing at the moment. We will get there though 💪 let's all help one another through this madness lol
I use the oestrogen cream prescribed by my GP and had no side effects. My husband did on the other hand. He was developing gyno through absorbing the oestrogen during our sexual intercourse.
Hi sungirl
I now know how common vaginal atrophy is and feel relieved that I’m not on my own!! mine kicked in after a total hysterectomy and being post menopausal- with a vengeance!! Recently Gp prescribed Vagifem every day for two weeks and then twice a week. I’m just coming to end of the first two weeks. I’m hoping it will work. There has been some improvement but I’m still getting itchiness intermittently and have been using aloe Vera gel to cool the area. Is there a better product I could be using to relieve the itchiness?
Kind Regards
Lara
Hi there. I’m so sorry to hear you’re suffering so badly. I’m wondering if it’s something else - either you have an infection causing rawness/inflammation or whether it’s the ingredients in the products you’ve used. My oestrogen cream is very gentle and only a tiny amount is used. I do apply a bit externally too though as it really helps and I suffer no irritation at all. It seems very gentle/mild. I’ve been through times in the past where I was suffering awful burning and irritation and never got to the bottom of it. One thing that did used to help was an anti inflammatory cream used internally which used to relieve and heal it. It was clindamycin cream intended for vaginal use and even though it’s for bacterial vagititis, it still relieved inflammation without the infection being present. Just for info, my oestrogen cream is called Ovestin. It does sound like inflammation which is making you sensitive to everything and probably due to hormones. I’d recommend probiotics too. Hope that’s all helpful in some way x
Thank you Eevee for your advice. I agree, I'm now having better luck with the estrogen cream. It doesn't seem to be burning me like before and is helping with the terrible dryness. I notice though that I should probably apply some externally because the cream is not reaching the area around the clitoris. I know I have/had inflammation around the vaginal opening and my doctor gave me a cream that contains gabapentin, amitriptyline and lidocaine but I've been too scared to use it. I'm scared of introducing bacteria down there because I'm terrified of a UTI, so I try not to apply creams on the outside just to be safe. Problem is, the cream may help a lot! 
I just thought the estrogen cream would eventually take care of all the inflammation and pain. But, I also have pelvic floor dysfunction and muscles that "guard" and tense up when anything touches my vagina, so maybe that's what's causing me pain and it was never the estrogen cream. It's so hard to pinpoint. I'm in my menopause years so I have several things going on at once. I'm now back in physical therapy to help my muscles to stretch and calm down and I'm hoping this will get me healed. It's hard to stay optimistic but I'm trying really hard.
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