Mystery vaginal ‘infection,’ please help :(

[Burnybits12]

I’ve name changed for this for obvious reasons.

I’m so, so desperate and if anyone can offer me any advice, I would be so grateful.

9 months ago I had a microneedling procedure done on my face that caused a huge acne outbreak and awful stress. I was put on antibiotics (3 different types over a month and a half) and strong antihistamines and my skin issue resolved.

However, I developed itching and a lot of discharge that I presumed was thrush. I also used scented sanitary towels and this came 3 days afterwards. Long story short, treated for thrush and didn’t work and multiple visits to doctors/GUM clinics and swabs have shown nothing except for group b strep. No STIs, no thrush, no BV.

Itching soon changed to burning and swelling, internally and externally (but not on labia majora, just inside of labia minora and vestibule, plus entrance of vagina etc).

I’ve been in continuous pain for 8 months now. The original discharge and itching have mostly gone. I would gladly welcome them over the redness and burning!

I’ve been treated with fluconazole, metronizadole, pencillin v for 10 days, 2 weeks of estrogen pessaries and clindamycin vaginal cream. I’ve been using the clindamycin cream for almost 2 weeks and don’t feel better. Natural yogurt burned and caused red patches.

No outer skin issues or white areas to suggest Lichen and am under the care of a hospital gynaecology team. The only thing they can think of is Desquamative vaginitis, but it isn’t responding to the clindamycin.

My PH is waaaay off, (way too alkaline) and I probably have no good bacteria left in there.

Is there anyone out there who could please help me? I have young children and it’s taking all my strength not to just sit in a room and cry all day. It’s killing me and has destroyed my mental health.

I don’t know who to turn to and have even looked at flying to America, so am willing to try anything. I’m open to all natural suggestions or anything.
Please?

[StealthPolarBear]

No particular suggestions but you poor thing. Surely someone must be able to help!

[Burnybits12]

Oh and if it’s any use, i also became allergic to hair dye at this exact same time. So I’m clearly now oversensitive to everything.

Have also tried probiotics and 10 days of a completely no sugar diet (not even in potatoes, etc) which made no difference. I’ve also tried taking Allicin Max garlic, 6 a day

[Burnybits12]

Thank you, @StealthPolarBear

I don’t know who to turn to and feel so alone with this It’s like an awful dream that I can’t wake up from

[Burnybits12]

Oh and also, i feel SO much better during my period and then have the worst symptoms ever once my period ends.

[NC4Now]

Do you have any kind of coil?

[Chimchar]

I'm so sorry..I can't offer any advice at all, but couldn't read and run.
I hope that something can be found that helps...it sounds ever so miserable.

X

[Burnybits12]

No coil, no birth control.

Thank you, @Chimchar x

[adultcat]

Have a look at vaginal dermatitis... Avoid any perfumed soaps / washing powder / toilet roll etc. I use Epiderm as a 'soap', have to wash my hair over the bath (not in the shower). Use hydrocortisone 1% cream for flare ups. Maybe ask your GP about this or for a referral to dermatology...
I completely sympathise with you.. Hope you get some relief soon 🤗

[Burnybits12]

@NottonightJosepheen

I have tried lots of different types. Started drinking kefir right around the time this started and then took a broad spectrum (25 billion) probiotic. I then tried a 50 billion from America but that gave me awful stomach pains.
I’ve taken optibac for women for months and am now back on it again

[Burnybits12]

@adultcat, can that also cause soreness inside? I’ve switched to bamboo natural toilet roll and only wash my bum with dermol 500 (not the front). I tried only washing my hair over the bath for a couple of months and gave up as it didn’t make any difference.
I’m currently putting 1% hydrocortisone ointment on the outer sore areas but doesn’t seem to make much difference. Will try it for a month!

[PlugUgly1980]

Put metanium on the outer sore bits! Bloody amazing stuff, used in for severe nappy rash on my kids, but works wonders on my sore bits too!

[Burnybits12]

Thanks, @PlugUgly1980, will try it

[jamtart30]

Have you tried sudocrem on the outer bits? And lidocaine? Not that either will treat the issue until you've got a known cause but it'll numb the area.

[Seaweed42]

I had dermatitis down there. It presented like thrush for years and docs kept saying it's treatment resistant thrush etc etc.
Then one GP gave me Betnovate, a steroid ointment. The itching I had on the outside did seem to spread to the inner part as well. The betnovate literally fixed it overnight. I only needed a tiny bit then every time I felt it starting.
None of the fungal creams made any difference because it wasn't anything fungal.

[jamtart30]

Oh try trimovate. It's incredible. It's a three way cream - antibiotic, anti inflammatory and anti fungal. It's yellow and messy so not great with whit me underwear but i swore by it when I had a lot of unknown soreness.

[Burnybits12]

@Seaweed42

Hmm that’s interesting! Do you mind me asking if you had any kind of discharge or change in ph when it started? I will try and get some betnovate from my gp. Thanks!

[Burnybits12]

@jamtart30 I was given trimovate but felt like it hurt a bit- I wondered if it was because I’m just so sore and so the added anti fungal etc might have been too much. Might have been a coincidence though so I could try again

[Sonicknuckles]

How awful for you. I don't really know what to suggest but I had a bad infection a few months ago and I've had thrush a few times which I assumed this was so I took the canestan oral tablet and had the cream etc but it wouldn't shift and the tablet always works for me usually. It was so uncomfortable. In the end I just kept using the cream, and I washed my bits with just water and rubbed salt down there. Eventually it went

[Burnybits12]

@Sonicknuckles

That’s what I’m hoping, that eventually my body will deal with it.

I’m SO stressed about it that I’m really run down and getting lots of cold sores etc so that won’t be helping.

[thewreckofthehesperus]

I've recommended this on here before but there are gels which help bring your vaginal ph back to where it should be. Relactagel is the one I use (I'm in ireland) but I think there are a few different ones so check with your chemist. You get 7 individual use little tubes for €14 so you just use one before you go to sleep for the seven nights. I found them extremely good so could be worth a shot?

Also Udo's Super 8 is a brilliant probiotic, they're capsules with live probiotics so they're stored in the fridge. Again a decent chemist or health store should stock them.

I had suffered with recurrent thrush and vaginosis for years and only found out about relactagel last year so ive been recommending it to all and sundry. Such a common problem for women but people don't talk about it! Hope you get some relief soon

[Seaweed42]

I only noticed that with the itchiness the area might 'weep' then heal over with very dry flaky skin (sometimes). For me, it was always just at the end of my period too. Scented pads or liners made it worse.

[adultcat]

@burnybits12 mind some of the HC creams have acetate in which makes mine worse. I stick to Lloyds own brand,seems to be the one that agrees the best.
And yes, it can be really sore inside too 🙁 try to let your bits breathe too - I never wear underwear to bed.
Also, when I eat a lot of sugar it's definitely worse!

[RumDo]

How old are you OP? Any chance this might be a peri menopause symptom?
I’ve had exactly your symptoms for a couple of years, GP diagnosed various things from Lichen Schlerosus, to thrush, but nothing helped. Some days I thought I’d go mad with the itching and burning and then the pain when I’ve scratched myself raw.

Finally it’s clicked that it’s the peri menopause... I have loads of other symptoms too, but were possibly masked by extended breastfeeding and hormonal contraception. Am waiting for a GP’s appointment and will be asking (demanding ) for HRT and oestrogen cream.

Lots of luck, it’s a horrible state to be in.

[Burnybits12]

@thewreckofthehesperus

Thanks! I’ve got a box of balance activ that I bought and used 1 night and it burned when I put it in. Maybe I should give it a go for the full 7 days! Makes sense if my PH is too high that it could help.

@adultcat Thanks, that’s good to know! I bought the Boots own brand.

@RumDo I’m 32 with normal periods. It literally came on overnight...went to bed fine and woke up with it. I can try estrogen again though as they gave it to me to try and I can get it on repeat prescription.

Doctors at this point seem so sick of me that they’re willing to just prescribe me anything I ask for. Perhaps I can get a brand new vagina on prescription?