To ask for help with my fiery vulva?

[Ouchouchowwwww]

As the title says. Sorry but I’m desperate!

have been having a burning stinging inner labia/urethra for months. Pain worse when I need a wee but no pain upon actually weeing. No smell, no discharge, no itch,nothing external i can see. Seems to be especially triggered by sex. Pain concentrated to right side of vulva?!

i am 39. Three kids. Oldest 3. not breastfeeding or on any hormonal contraceptives. don’t use condoms. DH lucky if he gets near me thanks to the fires of hell in my knickers.

i’ve had swabs for thrush - came back showing minor growth only and have done round after round of pessary/canestan ointment/oral tablet. Also treated DH who has no symptoms. I’m on heavy duty probiotics. Tried BV treatment (negative swab) but didn’t help. Two rounds of ABx in case UTI (samples clear) but didn’t really help and doesn’t feel like a UTI really. GP stumped, he’s doing gynae referral but wait times of forever.

comes and goes - worse before my period then relieved when it arrives, then gradually returns.

it’s so sore and irritating.

asked GP if it could be early vag atrophy and she didn’t think so but can persist with this if others think it could be.

no scented sanpro or washing powder, live in joggers, cotton knickers etc. Only ever use unperfumed soap, no bubble bath or soap in vag.

Have found loads of threads on this but none ever have a resolution!

help me. I’m like that sex on fire song but in a massively unsexy way.

Google Vulvodynia, I think this may be what you are suffering from. Steroid cream can be very helpful. Ask your GP to prescribe some. if not, it is possible to buy some from the pharmacy milder but still helps. You have my sympathy.

Thanks for sympathy everyone 🥰 it helps! Know others dealing with much worse but it’s just so draining!

i do have various steroid creams in house due to DH eczema but always thought they were used only for itching? Am I being thick?

No, I think I took 2 a day. It was a while ago, so not too sure. You can take 1 - 4 per day.

There's a gynae dermatology consultant in my local hospital that I've seen who was very good with my post menopausal vagina & vulva. Maybe you could find one of those?

Eczema

Try steroid cream on the external parts. If you have Betnovate or dermovate. Could be a patch of eczema.

Here in the US, we have a non-[prescription cream called Vagisil which when appled cures itching and burning immediately. Use for about four days to give skin time to heal. Maybe you could order some?

I had this on and off it was horrible. Was then prescribed ovestin as it coincided with me starting the mini pill which caused a dip in my estrogen. Ask gp if you could try this for a few days

Boric acid pessaries! 600 mg at night for 2 weeks fixed me right up. I had recurrent thrush for 20 years. Honestly, one 2 week treatment of boric acid and it never came back. That was 3 years ago now.

i had similar problems last year for six months on and off - sometimes thrush but mostly not.
Prescribed an oestrogen pessary - but also at the same time got my blood sugar under control; have you had a blood test for diabetes?

I posted about this recently too op. Changed washing powder, used only water but it has come back again. Using aqueous cream too. Switching to bamboo loo paper and if that doesn’t work will go to gp. Wondering if my new Mirena has anything to do with it. Having said that have had this before and then it stopped for ages. I just don’t get it 😫

I've found Multi-Gyn Actigel to be very effective.

I use it to prevent thrush (to which I was a martyr for decades!) and have had no instances of thrush since I began using it some 20 years ago.

The discomfort you refer to is something I also experience intermittently. Again, Multi-Gyn Actigel applied directly to the area has taken the pain/sting out of it.

Worth trying for less than a tenner!!

I was wondering this. The pessaries (sold as Gina and cost approx. £28) can be bought without prescription from the pharmacist. I strongly recommend OP try a course of them and see if they help.

It's a tiny dose of oestrogen, and as it's inserted directly into the vagina, it won't enter your bloodstream. They can work miracles, particularly on non-specific symptoms like this.

I got this in my teens and we tried all manners of things. Natural yoghurt would help temporarily I think it was the cold rather than the substance. After three years I managed to tie it in with hormones. I’m now at the other end of my reproductive life and it’s starting again usually a week before my period. I sit as much as possible
legs akimbo and getting air to the fanny.

It doesn’t help with symptoms but for me knowing why was was half the battle.

I actually think it’s inflammation related due to an autoimmune problem I have but that my cycle would cause it to flare.

Thanks everyone some really interesting ideas here! Will def look into Gina, multi active gel and boric acid. I do think it must be slightly hormonal as it comes and goes.

To those who have suggested eczema. Wouldn’t it be itchy? Genuine question. DH has eczema on his arms and the itch drives him mad!

Sorry so many others have it too. It’s horrible!

I'm off to see the nurse practitioner for first investigations for similar today. I've treated aggressively for thrush so far and no joy so hope to god they find something!

I had similar and it turned to to be thread worms. No itching, no other signs of worms just tingling/burning vulva. I couldn't get my head round how the symptoms were nothing like what they should be but treatment cleared it right up.

As a PP suggested, have a look at Ovestin cream. It's a form of HRT used for vaginal dryness, soreness, bladder sensitivity etc.
it's worked a treat for me.

Thanks 😊

Have you had your blood sugar tested?

Vestibulodynia or generalized vulvodynia? I had this for a decade, it is truly awful and feels really isolating. GP useless and dismissive, but I was diagnosed within seconds at a GUM clinic- go and see them. I had various NHS and private treatments. It eventually completely resolved after the birth of my second child.

Caulidop i called the local GUM and they said they don’t deal with anything dermatological! Was gutted

This can't be right, painful sex is a standard condition for a sexual health clinic. I just wouldn't actually present it to them as a dermatological thing, rather start with sudden painful sex as that's in your remit. Could you also just go for a walk-in appointment?

There was a similar thread recently with lots of advice

Burning vagina - please for the love of God help! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4692811-burning-vagina-please-for-the-love-of-god-help

I had similar, I thought it was thrush but it wasn’t. I went for 3 months without knickers!

gp treated me for lichen sclerosis but it made it worse, gynae said it was just dryness and irritation. Dermol 500 to wash with only, separate washing of knickers in mild (or no) detergent, and diprobase ointment inside and out as needed. Took a few weeks but fully resolved. Now I get flare ups once every 4-6 months for a couple of days. Use the diprobase and it’s gone within a day or two.