Visit to doctor - embarrassing feminine issue

[ShyGirlie]

Hi everyone,

Hope someone can help me out as I'm at the end of my tether here. Sorry for possibly too much info...

I have had an extremely sore undercarriage for about the last six months now. It extends from my vaginal opening to between my hips. It's a constantly itchy, burning pain and its really making me miserable - agonising to sit, stand or walk!
I have tried everything possible - canesten cream, sudocreme, savlon cream, germoline cream, natural yogurt, allowing it to be bare when possible. I only wash with water and wear cotton "big" pants.

I've had a look at it in mirror - the skin looks so red and almost raw.

I can't put up with it any longer so have booked visit to doctor for a couple of weeks time. REALLY dreading the thought of having someone look there. :-(

Was wondering what the etiquette for such visits are. Obviously I will ensure area is clean and hygienic beforehand, but do I need to shave / tidy up the area? I don't normally as I'm not very hairy! Paranoid now though, as it seems the whole world is smooth and bare!

Is it better to go to a male or female doctor?

Also, if my period comes (unreliable), should I cancel until it is over?

I am just soooooooo embarrassed (and sore), please help me before I chicken out altogether :-(

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

How's it going, OP? Any improvement?

[ShyGirlie]

Aww thank u so much ladies for all of your advice, I'm certainly going to take it all on board, anything to ease this problem.

This is why I love mumsnet, I really did feel so down and isolated by the whole thing, unable to talk to absolutely anyone in real life about it. I was scared in case I would get flamed on here, but u really have all been lovely!

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

That shoudk read "canesten" ha ha!

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Also, you may need to reduce the AMOUNt of washing powder in your machine. Most people use far too much. In doing that, and doing extra rinses on clothes, my ds's eczema went away. If the skin is generally inflamed and irritated down there it will be sensitive to the slightest thing till its had a chance to recover.

By the way, I had a similar problem to yours in my early 20s. The itching was bad enough to wake me up at night. Can eaten cream would help for a while but it would all flare up again if I stopped the cream. Swabs for thrush came back negative and they were done twice. Doctor said there wasnt really excessive discharge like you would expect in thrush too so she really thought it couldn't be that. the end, I used a combination of canes ten combi , so cream externally and pessary. PLUS I took Diflucan orally at the same time. Took multivitamin, lowered my sugar and alcohol intake, got loads of sleep, rinsed knickers loads by hand to make sure all washing powder was gone, got partner to use canesten cream on himself etc, and doing all that at once finally cleared it for good. It must have been thrush, despite the negative swabs, I am convinced.

[valiumredhead]

Just wanted to add that Always have irritated me too. I use a moon cup but have used pantie liners as am menopausal and felt I needed a bit of extra freshness. Oh dear God, the burning started almost immediately and realised it was the liners.

Hope you feel better soon. One more thing do you use bio washing detergent/softeners? If you do switch to non bio and cut out the softener. Ditto soaps/shower gels.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Using the steroid cream for longer than prescribed can cause problems with skin thinning, so best not to do that.

I suggest what others have said, keep cool with loose, cotton underwear, just wash with plain water - no soaps, shower gels etc, and ditch the Always pads.

If the discomfort returns, go back to the GP as may need referral/other treatment.

[tipp2chicago]

Cut down on sugar a bit if you can.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

You need to get a referral to a vulval dermatologist or gynaecologist that specialises in skin issues. They will take skin samples.

[breatheslowly]

I've been diagnosed by a dermatologist having a look. Some people have biopsies, but I haven't needed one.

[awaynboilyurheid]

Try Lactobacillus adopholis for encouraging healthy bacteria in your gut works well for health but also for thrush type symptoms can get it in most health food shops

[ShyGirlie]

Discomfort during sex - I just mean pain on penetration, as if I am too tight. I have bled a little in the past.
Daily discomfort - severe itching, like I could just tear my skin off.

Haven't changed washing powder or anything, don't use soap to wash down there.

How is lichen sclerosis diagnosed? It's just that the swabs all came back clear, although they were taken internally, whereas the problem seems to be external in my opinion.

Does taking the steroid cream for longer than 7 days cause any problems I wonder?

[inneedofrain]

Shy girl

Ok a question what do you mean by discomfort?

Have you had a smear?

Ok next

Have you changed anything recently like laundry powder? I assume you are just using water to clean and nothing else
Your not using personal wipes or anything?
Not wear a different type make of tights?

Don't worry about being normal we are all normal it probably something real simple but it might take a little thinking to work out what

[breatheslowly]

Could well be lichen sclerosus. Get a referral to a dermatologist with special interest in vulval stuff.

[meditrina]

The word you are looking for is speculum.

It does sound as if this is some sort fo contact irritation. aside from Always, have you changed washing powder recently?

[ShyGirlie]

Also, when she was using that thing that holds u "open" for swab (can't remember name of it!!!) she asked if I normally felt discomfort during penetration as I was quite "tight" for that thingy (what is it called?!?) I have no problem getting, ahem, lubricated, when aroused but would still feel discomfort during sex.

Is this ringing any bells with anyone?!? I feel like I'm totally abnormal or something!

[ShyGirlie]

Swabs all came back satisfactory... What now?!? Must say steroid canesten has really helped, no trouble at all for now. But it says ur only allowed to use it for 7 days, so when I stop will the irritation come back??

Rally morphing into too much info now, but I never have any discharge at all, except for my period. Mentioned this to doctor, she seemed interested but didn't follow through on it. She said being overly dry maybe is causing the irritation through friction etc. I'm only in my 20s, is no discharge normal, or what can be done about it?

[Stressedtothehilt]

Oh god poor you. I've always used Always never had a problem until few months ago! Now they're irritating me like mad!! I got a free trial sample of some disaposable moon cup things and they were fab have tempted me to buy a real one, I never ever would've even tried one if it hadn't been free!

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Have you considered washable cotton sanpro? Not to everyone's taste but I find myself much cleaner feeling and less sweaty down ther than with always.
Always are plastic, and soooo superabsorbent that my bits seem to stick to the, I'm sure it's because they are trying to absorb tpeven the natural moisture in my skin! Also the inner is la sort of chemical crystal stuff like you find in pampers nappies. Really not good to have plastic wrapped chamicals near a sore and irritated fanjo.

If you don't fancy washables during the day, I second the suggestion of body form, or the really cheap towels from bargain shops - they are bulkier because they don't contain the expensive superabsorbent stuff - and maternity pads for at night.


I am sure some one will belong to recommend a moon cup in a minute....

[Sparklingbrook]

Shea Butter Andrex did this to me. there was a roll in the apartment on holiday. I thought it was posh. OMG the irritation.

[scaevola]

ShyGirlie: you might like to read this thread about Always. The manufacturers are claiming it's not an irritant, but it doesn't seem that clear cut to many users.

Might be worth mentioning as a possibility to your GP? And if they sopprt it as the likely cause, raising with the manufacturer?

[Wearegoingtobedlehem]

I have just changed ( well 3 months ago) to get away from their nasty irritating scent.

[inneedofrain]

I had a similar problem (in a hot country) doctor recommended I used maternity pads and I treated them the same way, in freezer with witch hazel they gave me some reliefe and helped everything to calm down down there!

I would certainly suggest trying maternity pads for flow etc. I know they can be bulky and less discret might be tricky depending on your job, but they shouldn´t irritate the area!

Hope you get feel better soon

[scaevola]

Bodyform are similar price and unscented. So are many supermarket own brands (often cheaper), and worth a look in a Poundland if you have one nearby, for Kotex.

[FriedSprout]

Think they do still do one that is un-scented. I got dd some without scent the other month.

[ShyGirlie]

Yes I do use Always! Just bought two double packs this afternoon so I'm stocked up for quite a while!! What should I try instead? I have always used Always (confusing!!)