Itching Down Below (title edited by MNHQ at request of the OP)

[Attendreetesperer]

In my vaginal area - I’ve just been for a wee and I could have cried. I have been struggling now for months, I treated it once for thrush but have just since hoped symptoms would go away. But I had a bath and used a tampon whilst in. Normally only use pads. The burning as I got out was really really bad. Then stinging burning as I wee. Odd sporadic itch near my bum since this started. Maybe once a day.

I don’t know whether I have bad thrush. Cystitis or threadworms. I don’t have children and obsessionally wash my hands, but there’s something going on!! My vaginal area itches alllllllllllll the time without burning. What’s going on?

its not threadworms

Don’t use tampons .
Get some worming medication
wash hands regular
use thrush cream

could it be peri ?

Go to sexual health clinic get tested if anything it’s all clear.
Is your smear up to date ?

Sounds exactly like a UTI to me.
You need antibiotics, but in the mean time take painkillers, drink as much clear fluid as you can. Cystitis powders help too. If you leave it you will start to get fever symptoms too, then a kidney infection…

Don't leave it - I left a UTI once and ended up in hospital on a drip with a kidney infection. It was extremely painful. Speak to pharmacist and if the antibiotics don't start working quickly, go to minor injuries/A&E.

Why on Earth don't you just ask for an urgent medical appointment instead of asking on here?

I get this the few days before and after my period. Sometimes it’s manageable others (like now) I feel much like you Op and need antibiotics-you can get them online via boots or Superdrug.
I find those disgusting cystitis powder sachets that you put in water also help (you can get from Tesco), but really just lots of water and parecetomal. And if you can get a GP appt I would as it’s ongoing. Mine is yet another charming peri meno symptom the Gp says, not sure what age you are but could that be a possibility?

It says a lot about the world that I clicked and braced myself to read what had happened.

Weird title for a thread about genitals.

I second this. I suffered for years. GP hadn’t a clue. Vaginal estrogen worked within a few days x

I hope you have an appointment. I'm just getting over my second bout in less than six months. Antibiotics both times

Maybe go to the doctor instead of Mumsnet?

FFS I thought the place was literally burning to the ground then!

Wise decision. I had a mild uti which appeared to clear up with plenty of water & cranberry juice. A week later I developed sepsis. I was asymptomatic but the infection was still lurking. Thankfully after 3 days in hospital I was sent home cured. If my DH hadn't rushed me to hospital when my legs turned blue & I began vomiting I dread to think of the outcome. Never ignore a uti.

Pour on water, OP.

Go to see your GP immediately

How do you change the name of the thread?

@Attendreetesperer Might be better in Womens' health or Menopause parts of site.

If you're around 40 or older this could be vaginal atrophy now called Genito Urinary Symptoms of Menopause. GSM.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vaginal-atrophy/symptoms-causes/syc-20352288

Loss of estrogen causes all the same symptoms as a UTI but it doesn't get better with ABs.

The treatment is vaginal estrogen creams which also work their way to the bladder (via the vaginal wall.)

You need to see your GP. If you're over 50 you can buy the cream OTC (it's called Ovesse).

I'd steer clear of cranberry- no evidence is works. It's highly acidic and is like pouring acid on sore tissues.

You REPORT it yourself to MNHQ and maybe also ask for this to go into women's health or menopause.

See my post to you- it sounds like loss of estrogen.

Maybe you haven’t read all what I have put but also I was abused sexually. I will run to the other side of the world over being examined. I have put myself through it and I wasn’t treated very gently. I was also told that even though my thrush levels were really high and needed an antibiotic once a week for two months, they could be bought from the pharmacist. As though I was wasting their time. There’s usually a myriad of reasons and more than meets the eye when someone runs from something. Not that I can’t be bothered

Okay.

You can buy canesten cream, cream and pessary combo from any chemist. Probably in a supermarket.
You can get UTI antibiotics from the pharmacy without having to speak to a GP.

All of this has been said. I think it's unfair what you have just said to the PP.

You don't need to be examined for vaginal atrophy if your symptoms tick all the boxes.

How old are you?

VA is very much part of peri menopause and can start from 40ish.

You can buy tests for thrush from the supermarket or online.
Antibiotics don't cure thrush. They CAUSE thrush.
You can use an oral tablet- Diflucan- bought OTC, or a pessary, and creams for external use.

But first you need a diagnosis.

@PineForestsSmellGood thank you for being kind. I’m 35

If you can afford it, buy a thrush test (from Superdrug or supermarkets.)

Try the oral thrush tablet- you swallow it- you can buy it over the counter. Diflucan.

It may take a week to work.

In the mean time try using Canestan cream outside.

Avoid hot baths. Try showers.

Don't wear polyester knickers- just cotton- and no tight trousers.

Love the new thread title op!

I had wondered if you were anxious about a “ down below” appointment.

I think lots of people are. If I were you I’d ring the gp surgery and say it has now progressed to urgent and it’s taken a lot of courage to phone because you have suffered abuse and find this hard. It’s nothing at all to be ashamed of and I’m sure they will give you a sympathetic gp.

If you find it hard to ring and say that pm one of us with the surgery number. But you need to be seen op. It’s reasonable to tell them your fears as some gp will just go about their business without realising the sensitivity.

Its only going to get more complicated and require more poking about in your nethers if you let it get worse.

In our surgery the receptionist said a bladder infection is one of the symptoms that are treated as urgent. As for the pharmacy I've used it twice both times been referred back to the GP.

Good grief - there's a lot going on here!

1. If you have itching in your vaginal area then it isn't threadworms. Those live in your guts, not your uterus/vagina.
2. Severe itching can be caused by all manner of things: yeast infections; UTIs; bacterial vaginosis; together with some STDs.
3. Call 111, tell them your symptoms, and follow their guidance. If they think you need to see your GP they will/should either help you get that appointment or you can tell the GP that 111 said you need urgent help.
4. If the GP doesn't give you an immediate appointment then go see the pharmacist, explain your symptoms, and hope that they can give you something that at the very least may help with the itching until you can get the appropriate tests necessary to determine what is causing this.
5. If all else fails, and you cannot get any help from GP etc then go to Urgentcare/A&E - clearly you need some kind of treatment, and messing around with potential BV/UTI issues - particularly if you start feeling unwell/fever is no good. But I would only do this if you've exhausted your attempts to get non-emergency help.
6. Again: It's not threadworms - you cannot get get threadworms living in your vagina!