This is a reminder for the ladies, particularly those who have had full hysterectomies or are in menopause. Are you finding that youre having multiple urinary tract infections? Do you suffer from painful urination that shoots up into your pelvis but your urinalysis tests are negative for an infection? Do you have continual discomfort in your vaginal area? Do you have interstitial cystitis? When menopause occurs, estrogen production is reduced, which is the major cause of urogenital atrophy. Atrophy means a wasting away of muscle mass, and urogenital atrophy involves atrophy of the vagina as well as atrophy of the urinary tract. The lack of estrogen weakens the bladder (which holds urine) and the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body, compromising their ability to control urinary functions. Reduced estrogen also alters the acidity of the vulva and the vagina, which can make the area more prone to infection by bacteria or yeast overgrowth. Often doctors overlook the fact that lack of estrogen, even if youre taking ERT in pill form, causes the vaginal wall to dry out. Some women suffer from atrophic vaginitis which can be seriously painful and often treated for a UTI or yeast infection, when in fact its the lining of the vagina thats too dry. I ended up in the ER several years ago with horrible pelvic pain. My doctor had been treating me for UTIs and yeast infections for 3 months, yet the pain never subsided. The doctor in the ER sent me home with a prescription for pain relief. It was finally my pharmacist who diagnosed the condition, gave me some estrogen cream, and the problem was solved! For FM patients, and particularly those who also have Sjogrens Syndrome, its very important to be aware that lack of estrogen can be a serious problem. FM causes the muscles of the bladder to weaken thus making completely voiding your bladder difficult. As a result e.coli bacteria develops and youve got a UTI. If you find youre experiencing these problems and not getting any relief, dealing with emotional distress, ask your doctor about prescribing you a vaginal estrogen cream such as Estrace. Heres a great article all about menopause and urinary symptoms: urogyn.coloradowomenshealth/patients/library/menopause-urinary-symptoms/ Hope this information helps!! Healing hugs ~ Beth
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 17:00:01 +0000
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