To ask WTF is wrong with my Vag?

[WTFiswrongwithmyVag]

NCd obv. Apols for TMI.

Doctor has done a swab and said it is unlikely to be thrush or BV. I did a home test kit that said the same. Dr said most likely eczema and to keep it moisturised , not use soap, blah blah. I don't anyway, just wash with water.

Had a fairly comprehensive STI screening and nothing detected.

It itches like fuck. All the time. On my vulva skin. And is sore sore sore.

Discharge does not smell. It is usually white and not much of it, but it dries inside my vulva like a smear of toothpaste which can be rubbed off. For one week a month mid cycle it is clear and runny and copious. The itching is far worse then.

Sex irritates it. Wiping after the loo irritates it. It keeps me awake at night with The Fucking Itch. If I scratch it, it gets even more sore.

FML. It has been like this for literally Years. Worse at times, better at times.

I've tried yogurt, tea tree oil, vinegar, canesten, HC cream, probiotics, antibiotics, low carb diet, no yeast diet, cotton undies, non bio washing powder...Not sure what else I can try.

Anyone else had this and can point me to some help?

Anti fungal cream and tablets will definitely work as I had the same problem.

"Me too" OP The only thing that soothes it is the Vagisil wipes. I'm diabetic though and when blood sugars are good, the itching is much better.

(Does anyone else find the scratching is almost "pleasure-pain"?)

There are more posts!

I eat a low sugar diet mostly. So I try and reduce the sugars that help thrush to thrive. It doesn't help down there.

To the PP who said Bush Fire, love it . A very apt phrase!

Some PPs are recommending various antifungal or antibacterial creams. I have tried quite a few.

Interesting re vitiligo. I have some dark pigmented patches of skin inside on the mucous membrane area of the vulva. Like ink splodges. I assumed birthmarks as I have a lot of them in other places on my body which are def birthmarks.

I am going to push for a proper dermatologist referral I think. Just don't want to have to whip it out for yet another medical professional to peer at closely .

Are you on any hormonal contraception? I had recurrent thrush when I was on the mini pill and breastfeeding DS. In the end (when he was 18 months) I stopped breastfeeding and stopped the mini-pill at the same time and one of those worked. Oh, and at one point I also infected DH so he had to be treated too to stop him from passing it back to me.

Sorry, forgot to add, been tested for diabetes and I'm not even in the at risk stage.

No hormonal contraceptives, HRT or coils btw.

I have vulval eczema and was diagnosed after a biopsy 2 years ago. It comes and goes. I use Betnovate steroid cream when it gets bad, Dermol and Vagisil when it’s just a bit itchy. Perimenopause makes everything so much worse! I have delicate skin and a very weak pelvic floor after DC. I also have a sensitive bladder and so leaking a little urine on a regular basis does not help the eczema at all.

I’m not sure if your issue is eczema but I agree with the doctor, it does sound like it or similar type of vulval dermatitis. I also itch in my anal area too when I get a flare up and it’s very uncomfortable indeed.

I really empathise with you, genital itching is so so distressing. I was going mad! Be rest assured that it’s very unlikely to be anything very serious. But to be extra safe, please make sure you get checked out as a precaution for pre cancerous cells known as VIN. It can be fully treated and is very slow growing so don’t panic at all! There are three types of VIN and type one goes away on its own but the others do need treatment.

Please don’t think I’m trying to scare you at all but just want to make you aware of the most serious issue possible. I was checked for VIN and I’m sure your doctor will do too. My consultant told me if it was VIN then it’s very treatable.

I hope you get to the bottom of it ( no pun intended!). Possibly Lichen Schlerosis too- my specialist thought I had that until my biopsy results came through. Good luck x

How old are you OP?

I second either LS or peri-menopausal 'something'. I had a year/18 months of this as my periods started to get erratic (late 40s) and the itch was like nothing I have ever experienced - to scratch was more than relief it was almost joyful even though it instantly made me more itchy. And it was deffo labia not inside the vulva. So i got into a hideous itch/scratch cycle that kept me up/woke me up, night after night for months on end. I had to leave meetings at work, leave the room etc to go and scratch - it was mortifying but the nights were by FAR the worst. Eventually, the texture of the labia started to change as I was ripping them to shreds every night.

I saw GPs/Gynae person and Derma-Bits people who couldn't nail it, but eventually I saw a dermatologist who gave me a super-strength steroid cream which i used liberally twice a day for six months. It was a complete game changer and broke the cycle. All my skin has gone back to feeling how it used to now and no itching. But MY GOD IT WAS FUCKING AWFUL. I feel for you.

I was also suffering with itching and testing positive for thrush. Recently been diagnosed with Bartholins cysts which had turned into abscesses. Perhaps this is a possibility? Caused me no end of itching before the abscess stage. Wish you all the best OP, keep us updated if you can

It sounds exactly like genital psoriasis.

I've seen proper psoriasis and it isn't that on my vag.

Genital psoriasis presents nothing like the kind you possibly mean here. It's smooth and read and really itchy. Look it up, it's a possible

I could have virtually written your post as well OP. I have the same kind of problems down there. Have had them now for about 9 months. I'm prone to Thrush so thought it was that . I ended up on the 6 monthly course of fluconazole. After that not much better. Went to doctors and had a swab taken and was told BV which I've never had before. Just finished a second course of antibiotics for BV last week. But I have to varying degrees some pain down there in and around. I also suffer with pain in my bottom which doesn't help. The GP has said she can't see any evidence of LS but I think at the very least it is something like that. I also suffer with Painful Bladder Syndrome which doesn't help. I have LP in my mouth. I also have stomach conditions which don't help. Like you it's worse when hot ,sweaty etc,it stings more. I also feel like it flares up for a time then will settle down to be a bit more bearable and then the cycle starts again. I sleep with gloves on as get so itchy and have done for quite awhile now. I no longer can wear jeans,underwear. I wear wide leg trousers which give you more room to breathe and maxi skirts or tracksuit bottoms when at home. I'm very overweight which I know obviously doesn't help anything. I am overdue my smear by nearly 18 months because of the pain I have down there already. I even went out and bought a new dining chair to sit at for dinner as I was finding it to uncomfortable with my current ones. So there is a odd chair at the table. Ridiculous isn't it.

Me too OP! I got referred to a dermatologist, they did a biopsy where they tested for LS and (don’t want to worry you, it’s incredibly rare) vulval cancer. It came back as eczema, they gave me an amazing cream called Elocon and it cleared up really quickly. Definitely worth insisting on being tested. I don’t know whereabouts you are but I was referred to Milton Keynes hospital and they were absolutely brilliant.

@contrary13 interesting you say about group b strep as I am suffering with what the op is and had a whole load of swabs done and one came back saying I had group b strep. They didn't call me or anything, it was a text result but said I needn't worry unless pregnant. Did this cause you these symptoms?

@mummymayhem18 please go and get your smear done. That is VERY important. Don't delay any more.

I've googled vulval LS and now have PTSD and I don't think there are white patches. Though who can get that close to their own to see properly?

I do get the odd small Bartholin cyst now and then. Maybe about 3 or 4 in my life. They just fix themselves with good hygiene/zinc cream.

This isn't a perimenopausal thing. I've had it since I went through puberty and all through my 20s and 30s too.

Off to google psoriasis now.

I’ve only skimmed through the thread, so apologies if someone has already posted this. Do you have a regular partner, OP. If so, could they be reinfecting you?

Just a thought as I suffered from thrush when younger. My BF lived away and I always caught thrush when I visited him. It took ages until it was diagnosed and treated. When we broke up, I never had it again.

I had something similar a few years ago, tried every thrush cream, went to the doctors who put me on a high strength tablet for 2 weeks at a time still no relief, I started trawling the internet for a cure. What worked for me was a super hot bath, as hot as u can bear, with loads of salt, I think I used like 1/4kg in each bath. I done it morning and night for about a week and I also started to drink apple cider vinegar. Thankfully I got rid of the symptoms which nearly drove me crazy. Worth a try. Hope you get to some relief soon

Echoing a PP re. loo paper - apparently the posh/expensive quilted types contain a type of adhesive that can not only cause blockages in the toilets, but also irritate your bottom.

Also, check you aren't using scented sanpro. It's almost the default to put fragrance in sanitary towels these days and it is the worst for irritation.

Hmmmm the psoriasis is looking like a potential...especially with the dry skin.

But that doesn't account for the white chalky dried stuff inside the labia. Dermnet says it doesn't affect the inside bits/mucosa I think was the medical term.

Partners don't seem to affect it. I've had various periods of the same partner, multiple partners, and abstinence. Sex irritates it per se if its already sore because of the friction, and any semen leaking out (sorry not envy ) also irritates it. Condoms only help with one of those aspects.

My money is on menopause

I'm another one suggesting cutting out sugar (and chocolate, sorry), as I had recurring thrush type symptoms, which normal remedies didn't clear, but went when I eventually cut out sugar. I only cut it out until the symptoms went and I can now eat it daily again, but just smaller amounts.
Also agree with toilet paper being a problem - Andrex is the worst for giving me these symptoms, and surprisingly Aldi's own is the best!

OP normal psoriasis on the skin is silver and scaly. Down below it tends to be red smooth and slightly shiny, completely different,
.

@contrary13 I think Group B Strep is highly unlikely. It is my understanding that it is very rare for it to cause any symptoms and for this reason it generally tends to go undetected unless it causes an issue in child birth as we don’t routinely screen for it in the UK.

I’m a carrier of Group B Strep, I only know because my eldest was born affected. I was supposed to have 4hrs of strong IV antibiotics before the birth of my youngest as a result to prevent the same happening but had only been on them an hour when he arrived (things progressed quickly), fortunately he was ok. I’ve never had any symptoms.

Funny that several people have recommended Aldi washing powder and loo roll as I use both!! Great store!

I've just had a serious look with a magnifying mirror. It does indeed look like some of the least worst genital psoriasis pics I googled (some are horrific, poor poor sufferers). Def not Lichen Sclerosus.

But the white peely off stuff is still on the inner labia, so I'm thinking I have also got thrush at the same time????

Anyways to cover both bases, I slathered canesten on the inner (as have done for the past few weeks to no avail, but hey ho), and tried bepanthen on the outer (I figured it is both an emollient and a barrier cream and have it left over from last DC when in nappies).

I'll report back in the morning! So far, it is prickling. I'm in my PJs in bed, and this is the worst time of the day for the itching, so we will see.

Actigel was hell for me, and I can't use Canesten cream, it burns.

PP said not to use aqueous cream but it is what is recommended in place of soap.

Lichen sclerosis mouth ulcers do exist. It affects the membranes.