I'm 65 and generally on the Fibromyalgia forum.
For the past couple of years, I've had extreme dryness, especially in the vaginal and rectal areas, as well as dry eyes. I use Systane for the dry eyes and it helps quite a lot, though that moisture doesn't seem to last too long.
My "big" problem area is the vaginal area, and the rectal area can also feel quite uncomfortable and even sting. I do take fish oil and evening primrose oil daily and drink lots of fluids. I'm prone to UTIs due to some bladder prolapse.
Because of the prolapse, I need to wear a sling, especially if I'm out and about
. I also wear a lighter one (homemade) which is "breathable" (cotton)--the sling is nylon, I believe. Due to this, I believe any moisture gets trapped and with the prolapse, likely may cause the UTIs. I don't want to have surgery for the prolapse, but am wondering if a pessary might help---or, because of the dryness, cause more irritation(?)
I'm currently working with my doctor who is very knowledgeable on "female issues." She prescribed a cream for the rectal area and a small amount of (oral) estradiol daily. The cream doesn't seem to do much. The estrogen hasn't done much either--only seems to cause digestive issues. I did switch to an OTC estrogen cream recently which I can use on inner thighs or arms or the stomach area. I need to give it a little more time to see how it goes.
I recheck my recent UTI and also the estrogen in early October. (I had been taking Cipro for the UTI but finished the 5-day course). I'm hoping to switch to a better estrogen cream, rather than something oral or OTC (any suggestions welcome!). But the estriol cream I'm using temporarily, I hope, will at least make things a bit more comfortable. (Yes, I did discontinue the oral estrogen---tried it a few weeks apart but always got the stomach issues each time).
I guess I'm posting here because all this extreme dryness makes me wonder occasionally if I could have Sjogren's. Do my symptoms sound familiar to anyone? If you have any tips to solve any of these issues, I'm all ears!
Thank you.