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Sometimes, the doctor is more in the dark than you think. I had just been dx with atrophic vaginitis two months prior to being dx with bc. Romance was pretty much out of the picture through 2 surgeries and getting my head around the dx and tx choices. I am ER+, and my onc told me he was going to put me on an AI. I was aware that this would make the condition worse, and I told him at that visit, "I have vaginal atrophy." He didn't pause a beat and kept on talking. Six months later, I am at the gyn's for my annual visit, and she cannot properly insert and open the speculum to do a PAP smear because the VA has progressed. At this point, I tell her I want topical estrogen therapy, and she says the onc needs to agree. I see him the next day, and tell him what the gyn says, that topical estrogen is called for, that I have vaginal atrophy and can no longer have sex. (THAT got his attention!) He said, (rather boorishly, I thought) How do you get THAT? (He had no idea what I was talking about - no doubt why it did not register the first time). He looked it up on the internet while I was there with him. He agreed that not being able to have sex was an unacceptable change in QOL, asked me to have the gyn fax him her report, and agreed to have her prescribe the topical estrogen therapy. She did, and things have been improving ever since.
I said all that to say this - the doctors need to be educated in this, too. I was using a standard medical term for a common complication of both menopause and bc tx with a medical professional who treats tons of menopausal women with bc, AND HE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE NAME OF THE CONDITION. How can he possibly counsel patients about something he had to look up on line while I was there?
He is around 57 years old, and a pretty hip guy, all things considered, so I was genuinely taken aback. My advice is to not hide behind the medical terminology if you have an issue - describe what is happening as bluntly as you can and insist you be given some real life options.
Hopeful
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