I'm about ready to explode with frustration

[Meow75]

I have Psoriasis, first noticed it on my scalp and behind my ears when I was about 13, my GP at the time told me that he reckoned puberty kicked it off. Awesome!!

Over the last 20 years, it has developed so that I now have a different kind of it under my right breast, and sometimes in my right groin.

But the thing that's driving me nuts now, adn I wanted to ask if anyone had ever encountered this, is that I think I might have it one the endothelial skin (outer layer just like arm skin but there's also mucosal secretions) of my outer and inner labia.

I have an itch like you wouldn't believe, no discharge like thrush, no chance that I could have an STI - only slept with one man in the last 16 yrs and his hobbies are all home based ones, and apart from anything else, I trust him absolutely and completely.

Has anyone ever had this. I've got a doctor's appointment on Fri morning, but it's for something different. I am going to HAVE to mention this though. Am not looking forward to it - appt is with a doctor I've seen before, but don't know too well. I'm a scientist by profession, and thus know that there is no shame in discussing my personal parts with my GP, but even so I feel uncomfortable about the prospect of this ordeal on Friday morning!!!

bump

Please, anyone?!?!

I know it was a bit late when I first posted this last night.

At bedtime, I used vagisil which contains lidocaine, the anaesthetic and even that didn't fully sort it.

Sorry about the lack of TMI warning, BTW. In my haze, last night, I forgot.

Poor you!

I have no experience of this but did not want to leave it unanswered....what is the usual treatment for psorasis then?

I have had excema(sp?)on and off over the years and the itching at times drove me almost insane. I had it all over my legs once before some exams and I could draw blood with scratching it and it still felt itchy! Horrible. I feel for you, sounds a lot worse.

Good luck at the doctors. I too get quite fed up with presenting my girlie bits at various times but it will be so worth it if they can sort this out for you.

I did used to get it 'down there' but I agree with you that you ought to get it looked at, because while it was itchy it wasn't insanely itchy or sore.

you poor thing, I have it on my scalp and know how itchy it can be, having it on your labia must be horrible.
Are you worried they're going to push you to have tests for STIs?

Ask for referal to dermatologist. Private referal if necessary.

StealthPB. The doc asking me to be tested for an STI isn't a problem, I know for them the only way to rule it out for sure is to test, but I KNOW (as many of us would) that I don't have any.

It's just that daft feeling that makes you always want to put off going for a smear test when it's due!!

Good
By this time tomorrow it will be over

Muriel76,

Sorry, missed your question.

The usual treatment for Psoriasis is a vitamin D cream, the name of which escapes me at this moment. Psoriasis has a genetic element BUT the skin has a deficiency of vitamin D, and it cannot be rectified by dietary vitamin D that is found in dairy produce; it has to be topical. But not in intimate areas.

Thanks, Stealth.

Doc appt is at 0840hrs. Rarely have I ever wished for that time of day to arrive to readily!!

good luck

how did it go?

Hi Stealth,

Doc reckons that my Psoriasis isn't Psoriasis, just common or garden Eczema. He says that Eczema is itchy whereas Psoriasis isn't. He gave me the standard 1% hydrocortisone cream to be used twice a day for a week, and then once a day twice a week from then on.

He also recommended aqueous cream every day to increase the effectiveness of the HC cream. I think it's all the fairly routine treatment programme. Will let you know how it progresses.

hope it helps
at psoriasis not being itchy though

Can you lift the flakes of skin off? I think that psoriasis sticks to the skin more, and eczema flakes off more.

The word psoriasis comes from the Greek 'to have the itch' so, as a fellow sufferer, to the GP from me too.

My sympathy on your symptoms. Hope the treatment works.

Thanks all,

I was VERY surprised at what the doc said, but I'm not a doctor, and although I've only seen this particular one a few times, I like him and trust him.

For the last couple of days I've been using Dead Sea Spa Magic shampoo and conditioner which makes the flakes less sticky than normal. I told him that I'd been using these products, but he still seemed convinced that it was eczema.

he may be right that it is eczema, but he is wrong about it not being itchy. Psoriasis can be incrediblt itchy, to the point of the dermatolgist prescribing some really heavy duty sedating antihistamines to calm mine down.

however, cortisone is what I was prescribed for mine 'down there', it doesnt sound like the treatment is different.

Feels much better today - HC 1% on all my other scaly bits too, and they seem to be doing well.

I'm starting to think that the picking at the scaly bits behind my ears is habit more than anything. I don't think that area has ACTUALLY itched today, but I've still had to stop myself from picking!!!