Any ideas what is wrong with my poor vagina :(

[slyoldfoxystoat]

Hi have name changed as slightly embarrassed about this, though I know I shouldn't be!
I have a very sore itchy vagina, and feeling of having a UTI at the same time. Have taken a thrush oral capsule used the cream and though better not cured! This all started a few months ago, I assumed I had cystitis and treated with the drink sachets from Tesco. It went but soon came back a couple of times, at this point I went to see a doctor who prescribed an antibiotic which cleared it then.
It came back again so I went and saw another doctor who thought thrush, treated for that but again it never really went so went back and she took swabs. I used a BV gel which cleared it up so thought I had it sussed, and never heard back about the swabs which would mean no issues.
But it has come back again after having antibiotics for sinusitis. I have an app on weds as want to see the same person so I can be referred but I am fed up and in a lot of pain.
It is making my anxiety worse so will be asking to go back on AD's on weds as extremely anxious all the time which gives me chronic shits as have IBS too!
If the itch is really high in my vagina is there anything I can put up there?
Any ideas what is actually wrong with me?? This is really getting me down now and affecting my mental health

forgot to mention the area above and around my clitoris feels bruised, and heavy if that makes sense, infact the whole area feels 'dragged down'.

Yeast infection highly likely cause, they can be reoccurring. Often naturally occurring yeast can grow out of control when on antibiotics. Taking a probiotic can replace helpful gut bacteria which keep yeast in check.

Are you sexually active or have you been since last swabs? If so get re-checked for STD's as you could be getting re-infected.

It has put a dampener on the sex life! (been with dh 11 years). STD not an issue and he was treating for thrush too.

Have you tried the diet for thrush, your diet can really help, have a google link

no as not sure if it is thrush??

Get a tampon and put live yogurt on it and put it inside you (obviously )
It's got friendly bacteria in it.

There is a product the dr could prescribe called gyno daktarin, it has a different active ingredient to the canesten products. You load up an applicator with cream then shoot the cream up there just like inserting a tampon. It worked a treat for me.

will do that tomorrow Mini, as I am sat here the itch is really high up inside, and I constantly feel the need to pee??!!

TMI but I had chronic thrush that didn't clear for months. The oral capsules were crap. Only the pessary worked.
Mine got extremely painful to the point I could barely sit down and got blisters but after taking 1x pessary/cream then another 7 days later it cleared.
I did get regular bouts of thrush, like once a month for a year until it finally cleared.
I didn't think mine was thrush as it was more painful than itchy

Ooh, poor you.

Sounds like thrush. I know that cystitis can keep coming back as my Mum kept getting it.

Could you take an antihistamine to help with the itch as a temporary measure?

I was very itchy at some stage, more outside than in, which drs thought was thrush but turned out to be dermatitis. Got a lot better when I was given daktarin cream for the thrush that also had hydrocortisone. Could that be a possibility 8n your case?

If you are on /been on antibiotics these are one of the things that give you thrush!!

I feel for you, I bet it makes you really irritable !
Drink plenty of water, better with ice in not as bland boring. Just if it's cystitis flushing it out will help. You will wee more, but will get flush out any infection

Best of luck. X

I have the same symptoms everytime, am sat in tears as I am fed up and extremely anxious. I am supposed to be starting a new college course tom and am so anxious about this plus my Ibs and diarrhea that I am bloody crying and prob wont make it tomorrow as am so anxious!

bump

sorry meant to put does anyone think BV??

You've had the swabs for BV so call the surgery just to double check the results are clear.

However, this sounds like a deep seated thrush which has been made worse by all those antibiotics. Antibiotics are not your friend in most situations, although obviously they can be lifesavers.

The modern way to treat thrush seems to be very much geared towards quick fixes such as the one off pessary and oral tablet. These will dampen the issue for cases like yours but the thrush will be lingering and waiting to flare up again.

Try asking your GP for a week long course of lower dose pessaries and cream. You can coat the pessaries in cream before inserting as high as possible at bedtime. Use the cream externally three times a day. Often the gps only give one small tube of Cannestan which isn't enough, ask for plenty!

It's a horrid problem, I had it for ages but you can get rid of it. Presuming you are already doing the cotton pants, avoiding tight jeans etc?

Mach years ago I read an article about a trial whereby women with this problem were using a pessary once a fortnight and I got my GP to prescribe this and touch wood it went and never came back.

Thank you Matilda, I have an app tomorrow and will mention all you have put here. Its so frustrating how BV and thrush symptoms are so similar but the treatment for one can bugger you up if its the wrong one!!

Anyone experienced my symptons ? Had urine infection couple months ago with blood in tests came bsck clear have been having to wee more often now then I ever have ialso now notice a heaviness feeling down below and a soreness which is now getting so distressing sny ideas what this cld be im post menopausal 55 years old

To be honest the best place to go for this sort of thing is the sti clinic. It's not just to check for stis but they check out all of bits related stuff. It might be quicker than referrals by your gp and whatnot.

Got appointment today with GP for a check and smear which not looking forward to but was hoping someone may have had same symptons and some ideas of what it cld be

Has your dh been treated for thrush too?

locky you sound as if you have problems due to lack of oestrogen. You need localised oestrogen- cream or small pessaries vaginally, to bring it all back to pre-meno health.

If you want to discuss and read more, then maybe look at the forum here menopausematters.co.uk and google 'vaginal atrophy'.

Thanks pinkfrock saw doctor yest cannot see any major prolapse possibly a very mild case so trying pelvic floor exercises for now then possibly a cream if no improvement thx for your feedback

If you advance search with my user name & 'vaginal atrophy' I have written several long posts about it & its treatment in my quest for it to be something that women are more aware of.

Mumsnet is really playing up for me today (& others, from reading Site Stuff) & I can't do an advanced search at the moment.

MN is behaving again so here we go:

Vaginal Atrophy.

I've posted this before as I do feel very strongly, that more women need to be aware of this:

I am now post menoapuse & recently suffered from vaginal atrophy (VA). I had always thought I was a woman who knew about things & was aware of my body, but VA really took me by surprise .

It's not something that is common knowledge & I so wish it was - as it is a real curse of the late/post menopause for many women.

I've copied & pasted from another post I made about it as I do feel that women should be aware of it so they can recognize the symptoms.

Vaginal Atrophy (VA) is what happens post menopause & it is my mission to make more women aware of it.

Basically (& you can google for the finer details) the lack of eostrogen causes great dryness up your fanjo. It makes sex painful & also leads to itchiness that makes thrush seem mild. It is horrible & causes enormous discomfort. I had to rush to the loo just to scratch - the itchiness is almost unbearable. The itch is both inside your fanjo & all over your vulva

If you are menopausal or post menopause & get an itch and/or great dryness do look at the possibility that it could be VA & go to see your GP.

It is easily sorted out with topical eostrogen in the form of 'Vagifem', a small pessary that is inserted into the vagina with an applicator.

You need a 25mcg dose daily for 2 weeks & then twice weekly for 4 weeks & then a maintenance dose of 10mcg twice weekly.

There is a great deal of argument about giving women vagifem long term &, it seems to me, that many health professionals are not up to date with recent research.

I discussed this with my GP with this piece of research:

www.menopausematters.co.uk/newsitem.php?recordID=83

You do need to keep up to date with mammograms & smears but otherwise no side effects.

I tell a lie about the side effects - it has hugely helped my pelvic floor (this is well documented). I can now cough without fear of leakage.

I was lucky & had a GP who instantly diagnosed VA - but, sadly, it is not something that is well known or discussed.

IT NEEDS TO BE! (I know I am shouting!)