What brings on vaginal atrophy (GSM)?
Vaginal atrophy also goes by the name genitourinary syndrome of menopause. A few things to check and a few questions to ask keep a busy week from turning into months of guessing.
Why the name points to menopause
The name itself points to menopause, which makes it the starting point for the question of cause. For the full explanation, read a menopause professional society's sexual health page for patients, then ask a clinician which causes apply to you.
Jotting down symptom timing before an appointment
Symptoms like dryness or discomfort are easy to push aside when work, family, and travel fill the calendar. Before an appointment, it helps to jot down when the symptoms started, what changed around then, and which products or medicines you currently use. That list gives a clinician something concrete to work from.
If a plan already exists and a stretch of travel or a schedule change interrupts it, write down what was skipped and for how long. Do not assume the plan can simply be restarted where it left off. That is a question for the person who prescribed it.
Reading up before you book
Read the government women's health overview of menopause treatment options so you know the general terms before you book. Then bring your notes and your questions to a licensed clinician who can examine you and review your history.
What notes cannot tell you
Notes taken before a visit help the conversation, but they do not name the cause of your symptoms. A clinician is the right source for yours.