Sore vulva - yes another thread

[Sobloodysoreandfedup]

I posted about this a few weeks ago but did it on 30 days Only (stupid me) now it’s disappeared. I can promise you I’m not a troll. I have name changed.

Please help me. I am 39 and if this could be in any way relevant I had a Mirena inserted in August last year. That has been life changing, I had a few days of spotting and no periods since and no other side-effects to my knowledge. Around that time - and I can’t remember if it was before or after - I started getting a sore vulva. It comes and goes. I think it stops when I would usually have got my period.

Symptoms are a burning soreness, sometimes a bit itchy, but not really just more irritated. Sometimes it gets very sore and goes red, sometimes it’s just one side where the skin is quite delicate I think from where it was injured when I gave birth. Otherwise there is nothing else to see down there. It tends to get irritated by sex. Sometimes I get a burning pain when I pee, but that doesn’t happen very often.

I went to the GP and she said the skin looked a bit sore and split, took swabs for herpes which were negative, told me I needed to look after the skin. I then used aqueous cream, I don’t use any products on my vulva except water, I’m using sensitive washing powder now, cotton knickers, going commando as much as possible (overnight etc). I even switched to more soft toilet paper to no avail. I’ve never had sensitivity problems before.

My GP initially gave me steroid cream, that didn’t really do anything, I went back and she gave me oestrogen cream but told me she thought it was highly unlikely that that would work. I tried it for a few days but also used canaesten cream - I do think things got better but not sure if was just my “period”. But then I thought it was the thrush cream - this is because she did the initial swabs for herpes but also, the other one for thrush which subsequently showed a light covering of thrush (for some reason this didn’t come back at the same time). I then decided it must be a recurrent thrush infection after reading some of the threads on mumsnet, even though I didn’t really have discharge and it didn’t seem like thrush from when I’ve had it before. I’m currently taking the oral and pessary treatment, but if anything it’s become worse. I’m sore in the morning from the thrush cream irritating it overnight.

GP thinks I’m way too young for it to be menopause related etc. I don’t know whether I should be getting back on the oestrogen cream or what.

The only other thing I can think that’s possibly relevant is my DH has had itchy testicles which gp said was jock itch. He also had an itchy bum at one point and gp gave us all a worm tablet, no change. Sorry I realise it’s grim but at this point I’ll talk about anything if it stops it. We also don’t have sex a great deal - we might if I wasn’t so bloody sore.

It’s not an STI from a third party - I know some people will jump to that conclusion but I promise it’s not.

I am at the end of my tether and really just need MN wisdom on what this could possibly be? I feel like I’m bugging my gp and I live overseas where I have to pay each time I go. Please help MN.

A hopeful bump

I had something similar around 10 years ago, (I am 56 now) but it was very itchy rather than burning and sex was very sore. It lasted a couple of years. It was so itchy that I was constantly getting holes in my pants and trousers.

I assumed that it was food related as so I tried to cut certain foods but it didn't really help until I stopped eating shredded wheat. I don't know if it was a coincidence because I am too scared to eat it again.

Have you tried probiotics such as unspasturised sauerkraut, kefir, natural yoghurt
etc? Do you eat lots of plants, nuts and seeds to help your gut?

Can you be referred to a gynacologist?

Me too! Although I'm older than you at 45. Weirdly I think it might be connected to me having a couple of full fat coke cans.

When I used to have them, it gave me thrush and I just wonder whether it's happened again.

I've been using lamisol (yup the stuff you use when you're breastfeeding) and so far it's helping.

I used to have this and has calmed down now, I won't use scented toilet roll, no fabric conditioner, lowered sugar intake(try to), underwear without elastic on the outer bit of the gusset, do not have bubble baths and try to shower instead.

I had this, started a year ago
Perianal soreness. Thought it was eczema I was diagnosed with 16 years ago. I stopped using any bath/shower products...just water. Wasn't improving. Saw nurse practitioner who diagnosed lichen sclerosis. She said to only use the Dermovate steroid cream one week. Vagifem pessary.It was ok for a couple of weeks. Started up again in August,but all over the vulval area. Had to wait 5 weeks for a phone appointment with nurse. She called in GP who said she could see "changes to skin". 2 weeks emergency cancer pathway,saw gynae consultant 3 days later. She said area was ulcerative but healing. Possible L's, starting up. She prescribed Dermal wash, couldn't use it...it burns. Estrogen cream for vulva. Few months agony, did everything on the leaflet, white cotton pants, swapped PJ's for night shirts. Non bio washing liquid,no fabric conditioner. Some days I can't walk. Done a lot of crying. Booked to see a private dermatologist (no, couldn't afford it!) she said it's eczema. To use the Dermovate 2 weeks,then twice a week. Epaderm cream to wash .. feels lovely, epaderm ointment for moisturizer it burns.such a faff putting this stuff on a different times. One day,it's not too bad,next day agony again

Vagisan Moist Cream White 50 g amzn.eu/d/7lJ19ee

I got this and it helped enormously. Read the reviews and see if you think it would suit your symptoms

I had similar and I used fluomizin which has improved things about 80%. Due to see my 5th gynae this week to see if I can get the 100% better.

Op, you mentioned partner had Jock itch. Maybe treat yourself for this, other name Dhobi itch. The creams for athletes foot treat it, such as Lamisil cream or spray. Apply around vulva and around labia. Makes an immediate difference. Just something to consider for all the women in misery with itching, burning.

Thank you all I’m taking all on board. Just so sick of this.

I was REALLY itchy/ sore for a few weeks after I gave birth and a midwife told me to apply KY jelly... worked wonders! I had tried all the thrush/ vagisil stuff before this and nothing did the trick.

My friend had something similar. Ended up being diagnosed as chronic thrush and she takes an oral thrush treatment now…which helps far better than the cream.

I'm so sorry, I'm sure you're very distressed by your symptoms. Look up Vulvodynia on the NHS website. I don't know how to link - sorry.

Could it be Lichen Sclerosus?

Try taking a probiotic for vaginal health. Worked for me 👍

Live yoghurt might help, I don't know if people still apply externally but definitely add to your diet

Have you got a nearby GUM clinic? They can assess, test and refer you and they're far more knowledgeable about genito-urinary matters than a GP.
I had similar symptoms and was diagnosed first with vulval psoriasis and eventually with lichen planus.

I'd revisit the worm tablets. Not one tablet but two taken 10 days apart, and better still a third 10 days after the second. One tablet isn't always enough to get rid.
For many women and girls the key symptom is soreness.

I would stop everything and ask for Vagifem pessary to try for a month.

With the oestrogen cream you need to keep using it as it works slowly - you use it every day for 2/3 weeks and then 2-3 times a week long term (Ovestin is better than vagifem as you can use it externally as well as internally). Whatever you do with everything else you’d need to keep using this. It takes a while to work. (I have persistent thrush due to autoimmune issues and use this all the time, alongside Replens on the days I don’t use Ovestin, I find it really helps). Google Sjögren’s syndrome.

(Oestrogen cream isn’t like thrush cream - you don’t just use it as a short term / one off thing, you need to get the oestrogen into your bits slowly, it needs to build up and if you stop using it you’ll be back to square one again).

I would also agree with probiotic for vaginal health. I use a Holland and Barret one and it has made such a difference

Thank you everyone. Really helpful. Anyone have a view on the Mirena factor?

42 over the last year or so

not every cycle but on the week or so before my period as soon as I sit on the loo I get a really itchy vulva area. It’s like the cool air triggers it. It also feels sore and “heavy”

I think it’s hormonal cos it definitely calms down when my period starts.

Had similar with nothing coming up on tests. I went on the Blood Sugar diet and pretty much stopped itching straight away. That’s cutting out bread, refined carbs and sugar to bring down risk of diabetes.

I would say it’s not the coil itself but maybe you eat more or something in response to hormones.

The mirena coil is progesterone- which lots of women do have issues with when used as part of their HRT (women often have the coil or mini pill for the progesterone part and then have oestrogel for the oestrogen in HRT). If you have a google about progesterone and progesterone intolerance that might be interesting. Especially as you say it seems to have been worse since you’ve got the coil. It’s also possible that it’s just triggered some sort of imbalance in your hormones. I disagree you are far too early to be experiencing menopausal symptoms- at 39 your oestrogen will probably be starting to drop. The normal age for menopause is around 52 but oestrogen and hormone levels in general start dropping and changing from late 30s in many women (I have autoimmune issues and went into menopause aged 37, I’m now 42).

If you can afford it I’d try and see a private gynaecologist I think. Not sure if that’s an option.