Women with Vaginal Atrophy After Long Term Birth Control Use

Discomfort + Vaginal Atrophy After Long Term Contraceptive Use I'm 37F, suffering from pelvic floor tension, dryness and now vaginal atrophy for ten years. After trying and failing to get an OB/GYN to identify the problem or even take it seriously for as long and writing it off as psychosomatic/generally inexplicable, I was FINALLY referred to a PT who listened to me and figured it out. I'm now doing PT and estrogen cream, feeling some relief. I went on the pill at 18, started feeling discomfort (itching, pain, spasms) ten years later, and got proper care another ten years after that. I just stopped OC to begin TTC, so this is the first time I've had a natural period since. This is also the first time anyone has ever made the connection between suppressed hormones from OC and vaginal atrophy and I'm stunned and honestly, furious. I'm a journalist and looking into reporting on this for a story. If you have experienced something similar and are open to discussing, would love to hear from you. Could be on background, off the record, whatever you're comfortable with. I want to look at the gap in research here and how it's affecting my generation of women who went on BC in their teens and early 20s and are now dealing with unforeseen consequences.