Thank you all so much for posting. It's good to know that I'm not the only one trying not to scratch all the time...
whereisegg and holger DH was not treated for thrush, because all my swabs came back negative.
bettertogether that is interesting. my swabs came back positive for Strep B. That was high vaginal swab though (still cannot understand why they did that when it's my vulva, but any hooo), and was told that is only an issue in childbirth, as it's a normal commensal.
Llarregeb not sure about cheap paper, but I always stick to a
Andrex puppies on a roll as it is unscented, not coloured, soft and does not shred like normal 2 ply paper. And it's funny to dry my fanjo on a puppy!
bellabot thongs are the work of the devil. I feel they transfer bum bacteria to the fanjo, and haven't worn them for years.
holger condoms and their lube really do not agree with me. only used them for casual sex, and had an STI check for both of us before relying on the pill. Including when I met DH. I was back on the pill for a couple of months about a year ago, but stopped because 1. i thought it might be contributing to the itching and 2. it took so long to get pg with DS2, it seemed pointless using contraception when a pregnancy would be most welcome, if a bit soon.
coilregret what is the oil based lubricant you use? I've got some organic vitamin E oil, do you think that might help? It sounds like you have things much worse than me, it much be awful. I've not been on a bike for years, but I horse ride and have no problems at all associated with that. It's interesting what you say about the amitriptyline. I know it's used widely to manage chronic pain, pain that is causing distress. I'd vertainly consider it as part of managing this, though I'd prefer to avoid in view of us TTC.
coilregret and maddy, when you have a flare up of the dermititis is there anything to see, like redness or flaking? The reason I ask is that there is literally nothing to see in my case.
ginger no itching anywhere else. You make good points about the chemicals in shampoo, and I suppose by inference face wash. I'm currently using Naked shampoo, which is meant to be nasties- free, but I will check that, ditto the Aussie 3 minute miracle stuff. I tend to use dove soap on my pits, and plain water everywhere else. I hate shower gel and haven't used it for years. As to hair dye.... well I used to do it myself every 2 weeks (my hair is white), but actually decided to go cold turkey before christmas. this has massively reduced the amount of products I use, and I had hoped that this would have helped, just as a side effect, though it's not why I stopped colouring. What shampoo and conditioners do you use? I'm assuming that as it's my fanjo only, that I can use what I want if it's not coming in contact with it, so fairy liquid for the dishes, and what I use on the kids is less relevent. DH is obsessed with Johnson and Johnson for the kids, which I hate as it's so perfumed and chemically, luckily they only get it when he baths them, which is only 1-2 x a week.
I saw the GP. She has referred me to dermatology. Not sure if that's the right place. She wanted to send me to gynae, but I've already gone down that route with no success. She did mention Lichen Planus, and we agreed unlikely, because firstly it doesn't look like it, secondly I don't have it elsewhere, and thirdly, I've already used the steroid cream, which usually helps with it, at least initially. Ditto Lichen Sclerosis. She said in the mean time to go back to using the Dermovate once a day and using an emolliant.
The local GUM clinic is walk in or appointments within a week only for self referrals. I can't really get there until after the school holidays, so will book for then if I've not heard from the dermatology clinic by then (or found them unhelpful).