From what you describe, you’ve experienced the kind of atrophy that’s very common in post-menopausal women. Without intervention, some estimate that women lose up to 80 percent of their genitals—which is surprising to many of us, just as puberty is sometimes surprising! It’s good to act just as soon as you can, and then maintain the progress you’ve made.
From what you describe, I might recommend that you look at creams or tablets for localized hormones to start. The Estring is inserted for 90 days. Having any foreign body placed in fragile tissues causes irritation or ulcerations for some. But once you’ve achieved a healthy vagina, you could switch from other forms to the Estring, which certainly has a convenience advantage.
Adding estrogen for two to three months will tell you what other actions might be helpful. Along with the vaginal tissues becoming fragile and thin without estrogen, the vagina actually becomes shorter and more narrow. Dilators help to restore capacity, and they’re easy to use.
Congratulations on deciding to reclaim intimacy with your husband! Best of luck, and we’re here if you have questions along the way.
