Severely Itchy private parts...

[Loulybelle]

For the past 3 months, i've suffered with red angry skin both back and front, sometimes it bleeds, and i can make my underwear wet with the clear discharge i get from the skin, i've had 3 different sets of anti biotics, and now i just wanna cry, because its really effecting me everyday, constant itchy, its burns when i go to the loo. Its not any UTI or Thrust.

Anyone had this before?

[sadie9]

you need a steroid cream. It's likely to be localised eczema. Does the skin heal then peel off. I developed this. Betnovate from the GP eventually solved it.

[Heatherjayne1972]

Lichen sclerosis is the worst A steroid cream helps- that’s the standard treatment
I found that only after I was put on methotrexate for something else that it calmed down - but that’s a really strong chemo drug

[3WiseYonis]

Pleased to hear it's getting a bit better.

Hope you get to see the vulva specialist asap.

[Loulybelle]

Well, im on Daktacort and double base gel, had swabs taken, and now have to see a vulva specialist, the chemist was very sympathetic about how i've put up with this for 4 months, its slowly getting better, but not fast enough.

[ScrumpigMum]

It sounds like Lichen Sclerosis to me. Doctors are shamefully unaware. There are several chats on this on mumsnet, and some very good advice and chats on patient,co.uk. Whatever you do don't look for images, there are horror stories out there and it isn't like that for most of us. Do get a diagnosis quickly and start treatment. If it is LS the sooner you get treatment, the more chance of reversal or at least stopping the symptoms. You need a referral to a Vulval Dermatologist if you can get one, not all gynies are that knowlegable about this either, it's an autoimmune skin condition not a gynacological one.
Good luck and I sympathise with you.

[Coffee1Sugar]

Have you been checked at a gum clinic? Not suggesting an std but those doctors will have much more experience of vulval issues than a gp

[Loulybelle]

Well its getting worse, i can now peel off bits of skin that feel like plastic and i now have a pin head type red rash all over me, itches like mad.

[Coffee1Sugar]

Perhaps then! It stains like buggery and even when you wipe yourself after a wee dont be alarmed by yellow/green gunk!

[Loulybelle]

I have a yellow cream in a tube, that stinks to high heaven.

[Coffee1Sugar]

I dont know sorry just that trimovate is a very thick greeny/yellow cream

[Loulybelle]

Arent Timodine and Trimovate the same, if not my chemist made a fuck up.

[Coffee1Sugar]

Btw, the gynae consultant recommended it but GP can prescribe too

[Coffee1Sugar]

Ask for trimovate cream - its amazing!! I used it for general soreness of the vulval skin after dd's birth. It has a steroid and anti fungal in. Does stain knickers though so wear primark cheapies. Cannot recommend enough!

[Loulybelle]

Thanks Bonzo, i've had many types of medication for this. including 3 types of antibiotics, aqueous cream, timodine cream and a rectogesic for the fissure i have, i couldnt use the rectogesic, because it gave me the worst headaches and i felt so sick.

[bonzo77]

I'd suggest a GUM clinic and a dermatology referral. What a disgrace that you've had to put up with it for this long. My vulva has been very itchy, it turned out to be a sort of residual reaction to thrush (which had long gone). It was red and raw, and resolved totally with some strong steroid cream used for about 3 days. But mine was nowhere as awful as yours sounds. You poor poor thing.

[Loulybelle]

No swabs taken, but will speak to the doc tomorrow and mention LS to her, its not so bad today, minor itch, but otherwise ok, the skin still looks like i've burned.

[Coffee1Sugar]

Sorry op but sounds definitely like LS. My best friend has it - exactly as you do

[breatheslowly]

Have you had swabs done - these can be used to rule out thrush and bacterial infections. Definitely stop using aqueous cream - Dermol 500 is quite a good soap substitute and you should ask for a different emollient.

Lichen sclerosus is treated with steroid cream and generally dermovate - you can look up the treatment guidelines here.

[CajaDeLaMemoria]

Honestly, try Acylovir for a few days. I'd be surprised if it didn't immediately help.

A girl at work had this...she was so uncomfortable, she took to sleeping in the bath. We got her some Acylovir at Boots over lunch, and by the end of the day she looked like the happiest person ever. She's never mentioned it again, so I presume it's doing a good job keeping it at bay!

If not, mention lichen sclerosis to your GP.

[Loulybelle]

So i took a piriteze tablet, getting desperate, and used a little bit of Timodine cream on my backside, and it doesnt sting to pee now, the skin is red raw and all dry still, but atleast im not sore or itchy.

[rabbitstew]

I hate aqueous cream. It has, in any event, been proven not to be a good moisturiser, but to dry the skin out and damage it in the long term, particularly if used for moisturising purposes (it has sodium lauryl sulphate in it, which is in shampoo and similar products so should NOT be left to soak into the skin) and to be positively bad for eczema, despite having been used for years (because it's cheap) as the first thing doctors recommended people with eczema to try... Frankly, I wouldn't even use it as a soap substitute. And you can be allergic to it, anyway.

Even if it is not being made worse by the aqueous cream, there could be something else you have become sensitive to and are having an allergic reaction to. You say it is a bit better when you have your period. Do you have your pants directly against your skin for the rest of the month? Could you have become sensitive to the residue of whatever washing powder you use?

And finally, has the GP actually swabbed you and had the discharge tested to find out what bacteria or fungal infections are causing the problem? No point trying to treat it "blind."

[carlywurly]

Second vote for aloe Vera. I get this once a month and wondered if I,m allergic to my moon cup, of all things. Scratching makes it worse, but aloe Vera allows the skin to heal to a level where the itch is manageable, and it's usually gone quickly afterwards.

[Montybojangles]

Canestan might sting if the skin is that raw, even if it is thrush. If it started after antibiotics for a uti then it really might be thrush. Did you try the oral thrush treatment -fluconazole tablet? And you can get the cream ingredients in a vaginal pessary. Might be worth a go.

[HotCrossFRIGG]

It could well be herpes,have they tested for it?
it can lay dormant for years and could have been triggered by the uti.
ask for some Acylovir,it will numb the area and stop the itching,allow the sores to heal and stop the cycle.