Replens and Urinary Tract Infection: What Users Say

• Bre...
• April 3, 2021

For Vaginal Dryness "Oh, how I had wished I had read the reviews here FIRST! I was diagnosed with vaginal atrophy, but the doctor recommended Replens. Tried the inserts first, all they did was swell me up with 0 lubrication. External gel - same swelling, but this time horrible burning and pain while urinating. It made me itch and burn like a yeast infection. Inside looked as bad as it felt. Decided to try the lubricant in the little packet that came with the inserts. It helped at first, but then - BAM! Soreness, itching, and painful urination with swollen labia internal AND external. On a whim, I took Benadryl, thinking this has GOT to be a bad allergic reaction. Benadryl took away the feeling of being on fire down there a little to save my sanity! I'll take dryness over this ANY day! Definitely need to report your reactions to the FDA!"

• Jaz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2020

For Vaginal Dryness "I have used Replens 3 times. I was crampy the first time. Felt like an oncoming UTI after the second insert. Then the white wet tissue discharge after the third time. Done... was not cheap, so a waste. Too many ladies seem to be having the same symptoms. Like others, wish I had read these reviews! Just don’t..."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2021

For Vaginal Dryness "Be very wary when using this product. As per many of the ladies on this forum, I have experienced a really bad reaction to this medication and wish I had seen these reviews beforehand. I was diagnosed with severe vaginal atrophy in July, and the first round of HRT has not worked yet, nor estriol pessaries or cream from the Gyn. The GP recommended Replens. Total disaster - horrible burning and pain while urinating. Already had the start of a UTI, which compounded the situation. Inside looked as bad as it felt. Soreness, itching, and pain with swollen labia, internal AND external. I have also had the white clumpy residue. I wonder if that is related to the cramping. I will never use this again and will need to find out how to report these issues. If this product helps someone, then that’s great, but the majority of us are in worse shape from having tried this. If I could rate this 0 or a minus rating, I would. This product should be pulled from circulation."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2022

For Vaginal Dryness "I have experienced the following: 1st application thought I was getting a UTI; second application pelvic cramping as if I was getting a period, soreness; 3rd application cramping soreness, needing the loo more often (as if I was getting a UTI) and some blood after peeing when I wiped. I had a hysterectomy over 20 years ago, and my Gynae recommended Replens for soreness and dryness. The solution is worse than the problem for me. In fact, if I hadn't been to get a Gynae check 6 weeks previously, I would have worried that something was seriously wrong. Product manufacturers need to warn more openly about all the possible side effects that so many women seem to be experiencing."

• Jo5...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2023

For Vaginal Dryness "I am so glad to hear that I am not alone in my negative experience of this product. I thought it might help me enjoy sex with my husband again after menopausal dryness, and it did at first (I used it for just over a month), but then I got a UTI. Antibiotics took away the infection, but not the pain on urinating, which sometimes lasted for a long time after. Then on the 5th use, when my husband and I had sex, it was uncomfortable for me, and so we stopped. When he withdrew, he had these white clumps on him, which came from me. The white clumpy discharge continued, so I had a thrush treatment, which didn't work. Found out that Replens MD can cause these symptoms. I stopped using two weeks ago. Clumpiness stopped within days, still having pain on weeing, but it is lessening in severity and frequency, so hopefully it will go completely now I'm not using this stuff. I definitely would not recommend it."

• Pri...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 21, 2021

For Vaginal Dryness "I have persevered with Replens pessaries on and off since menopause for over 5 years. It burns like crazy initially, and the pessaries scrape the skin going in. Very painful. This then turns to constant itching. There is momentary relief, having that feeling of lubrication, but by the next day, it has all fallen out, and back to square one again. The pain of insertion puts me off using it as it gives me urinary infections. I've been to about 6 different consultants who said there was nothing wrong with me, and I just didn't know where to turn. I have had no relief for nearly 6 years. Going to the toilet is painful, and sex is completely out the window."