Urinary issues related to dry vagina

Hi,

I am a female, age 61. Awhile ago I started having symptoms which included:

1. Pain upon urination but not burning like a bladder infection - it was a generalized, intense pain that felt more internal.

2. Uncomfortable feelings in my pelvic area even when not urinating - not sharp pain, more like constant dull aching and pressure.

3. Waking up in the night to urinate which is very unusual for me.

Because it felt like there might be a vaginal issue as well, I decided to go to my gynecologist who tested for a bladder infection, the results of which were negative.

However, he diagnosed a very dry vagina (severe atrophy) causing the urinary symptoms, and prescribed VagiFem (estrogen) suppositories, which he said I would need to take indefinitely.

He insisted that they have no side effects (the accompanying literature indicated otherwise) and that I should take them twice a week. Being a very small person with past experience of being over-medicated, I took them once a week and felt a lot of depression (one of the side effects).

My chiropractor tested me on them (using kinesiology) and recommended once every ten days, which has eliminated the depression and seems to work just as well in relieving the symptoms.

Although the prescription does help (it resolves about 95% of the problem), I am uncomfortable taking estrogen and also being on an expensive prescription indefinitely. Both my husband and I are out of work, and health insurance is an ongoing issue.

However, when I tried to go off the prescription, I felt so bad that I was ready to go to the drug store at 3 a.m. to get a refill! This condition really affects my sleep as well as how I feel all day long.

I would love to find a less expensive, more natural solution. I am specifically looking for non-prescription ways to combat extreme vagina dryness.

FYI, I am looking strictly from a medical perspective (as opposed to sexual), as my husband and I are on a spiritual path and have been celibate for quite some time.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Uma