i want to start by saying that i am not menopausal but i am FTM and do experience severe persistent vaginal atrophy from HRT which i take estradiol vaginally for. i know this is not the right community but THERE’S NO OTHER ACTIVE COMMUNITY ON THE INTERNET WITH A HIGH PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WHO SPECIFICALLY TAKE VAGINAL ESTROGEN CREAM FOR ATROPHY. I’M SO DESPERATE. every. single. search result for discomfort with the applicator led me here, i don’t know where else to go and i DID look.
the applicator is hell. it’s not painful, but i feel the inner ridge of the plastic catch on my skin and i feel it scrape the walls of my vagina. it’s so uncomfortable it makes me gag. i’m sick to my stomach thinking about it. apparently nobody else in the world has this issue, especially considering i don’t have issues with penetration. i brought this up to my boyfriend who also takes it but never got atrophy as severe as mine, and he was confused. he said “i’ve never experienced that. it just slides right in.” he asked me “why don’t you use lube?” and i almost lost my shit at him because I DO!! I USE SO MUCH! it doesn’t matter, it always scrapes against my skin the whole way up.
i don’t understand what im doing wrong or why this is so uncomfortable. i dont have difficulties with penetration from toys, but i HAVE had similar issues with hands, even short nails also scrape against me no matter how well they’re filed down or how much lube is used, it’s a similar feeling and it also sucks.
i know i am not menopausal but i am desperate for advice. i dread doing the cream all day because i hate it so much. atrophy is extremely painful for me and this is my only option. if anyone else has experienced this or has advice for me PLEASE help.