“Vaginal discharge?”
I am 58 years old. I have experienced vaginal dryness but a week ago I noticed I was getting wet often so I am concerned. The discharge is watery and does have a slight odor. There is no burning itching, stomach pain, or chalky white discharge like a normal yeast infection. I can feel the wetness when I get out of bed and all night on the pantiliner it's a light brown I can see. It's not slimy. My cycle stopped over 5 years ago. Is there a cream you can recommend?
Female | 58 years old
Complaint duration: 5
Medications: Hydrochlorizide, Simastatin, meds for acid reflux and potassium
Conditions: HBP, Cholestorol,
4 Answers
It appears your condition is post-menopause related. Discuss this with your doc and he/she may consider estrogen vaginal cream if no contraindications.
If you have any vaginal bleeding or spotting after your menaupose you should see your medical doctor.
Dr. Victoria Mondloch
OB-GYN (Obstetrician-Gynecologist) | Gynecology
What you are describing is not unusual. In fact, the likely reason is that with menopause and lack of Estradiol that comes with menopause, the pH of the vaginal vault goes from it’s natural acid pH of approx. 4.5-5.0 to a more neutral or even slightly alkaline pH of 7.0-8.0. With this change in pH comes an imbalance in the approx. 30 bacteria that help maintain the healthy balance of a woman’s vaginal vault. And along with this change in bacterial balance, there are 2 ‘normal’ bacteria that can overgrow and cause problems: 1) Gardnerella which has a ‘rotten fish’ odor and this is called Bacterial vaginosis or BV; it is treated with an antibiotic gel called Flagyl placed directly in the vaginal vault. 2) Strep B which has no malodor at all but can cause itching, irritation and even bladder infection; it is treated with an antibiotic orally as the risk of strep getting into the bladder is a higher risk of that strep travelling from the bladder up into your kidneys. These patients are called strep carriers and once their bladder gets strep, it can be a regular trip to the doctor for antibiotics. The best treatment for both of these conditions is actually bio-identical hormone replacement orally or at least Estradiol vaginally as a cream or as a ring. Check in with your healthcare provider about how to best be certain that any vaginal infection or overgrowth is properly treated and then how to properly ‘reset’ the vaginal pH to prevent further issues.
Not a good idea to use over the counter creams, please see your gynecologist.
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