It’s thrush isn’t it? Or what else could it be?

[Whyismycatanasshat]

Well now I’ve managed to avoid the ol’ thrush of the undercarriage for all of my days until now,’when it’s super inconvenient to get caneston!

Before I press go on Amazon; does this sound like thrush to anyone more clued up... I’m on day 4 of an irritating itch at the front of my bits; sort of inside where the outer flaps meet, the itch doesn’t go as far back as the urethra and the only thing that soothes it for a while is sudocrem.

It’s not a rip my skin off itch, but a persistent “hello I’m here” itch.
No unusual discharge or anything but I know that’s not occurrent in all occasions of thrush.

Thanks!!

I used to suffer terribly.

Usually with thrush there is a discharge, often described as like cottage cheese 🤢. and grab a mirror- when I had it the vulva was very red but with tiny little white spots, plus the itching. There are over the counter remedies so try one and see if it works . I had canestan resistance so had to get gynodaktarin on prescription.

Thanks for responding.
I’ve no discharge but the skin is red and tender; when I pull the skin taught it’s looking like little white heads or little wee blisters but not bumpy if that makes sense.
It’s all pointing to thrush. No idea how I’ve got it but hey ho!

Well if it’s not thrush you won’t do any harm by using some canestan on it anyway. So go for it. If it doesn’t go then you can get in touch with the Gp and get them to do a swab etc.

I suffer with thrush a lot due to autoimmune conditions and I never have the white discharge, ever. Mine is always just red and sore and sometimes itchy.

Has your diet recently gone downhill since lockdown?
Xmas time and lock down = alcohol/ chocolate/ cake / sweet treats plus the stress can lead to outbreak of thrush :(

Sounds like thrush. If you can get to a pharmacy I’d recommend asking at the counter for a flucanazole tablet. You can get an own brand one which is much cheaper than canesten, same with the cream. But when I took the tablet I felt the difference within hours.

Yes definitely get the Fluconazole 150mg tablet and the external cream to use at the same time. That’s the best combo - I actually take the tablet long term once a month on the advice of my endocrinologist to keep it at bay now.

@HeartZone You May have hit the nail on the head there - I’ve had a particularly sugar fuelled weekend plus I have pre existing anxiety issues which are obviously running rampant at times during the lockdown and had a row with my mother the day before the itch started.

I’ll order a caneston duo pack from Amazon then, as we live rurally so getting to the gp/pharmacy is a pain at the best of times!

GP always thought I had thrush.

I didn't. I had vaginal atrophy caused by early menopause.

Can you use a mirror and try to look as far 'up' as possible...you might see some white stuff.

@ReturnofSaturn I can’t as the world is conspiring against me and I’ve started to have a breakthrough bleed, time to come off my pill for a couple of days.
Timing eh!?

And so the itch intensified overnight, thank goodness I’ve no online classes today, don’t fancy squirming on screen.
Hurry up Amazon; Wednesday delivery can’t come quick enough!

Could it be Lichen Sclerosus?

Itch intensifying overnight is what makes me think it could be. Is your GP doing phone consultations? Might be worth a call if so, as if it is LS you'll need a steroid cream.

When possible, have a test for diabetes, but start now eating far less sugar (including the hidden stuff bread& other carbs rice/potatoes/pasta etc) Despite other symptoms (drinking loads of water/headaches) 'the itch' is what finally made me go for a test & yes, I'm diabetic.

I control it with diet & exercise, but when I fall off the wagon the thing that makes me get back in it, is when the itch comes back.

Overnight is definitely the worst. I found the only relief was to use 'water wipes' folded in half and placed between the length of 'the flaps'

The cream might give you some relief but I've read they're not good to use, especially not frequently and really it's just masking what's causing it.

A test for diabetes starts with just a finger prick & the sooner you find out the better. IF you have it, you might be able to manage it with diet aline (low carb).

I suddenly started developing a propensity towards thrush and I don’t know why ( blood sugar is fine). I actually didn’t recognise it to begin with because I didn’t / don’t get the “ cottage cheese” type discharge that people always refer to. The itching is always present though. In the end I had to get a prescription and take a tablet fortnightly over 3 months to deal with it.

You can order fluconazole through one of the online pharmacies. I did during lockdown and it came within a day or two.

@TheShoesa I’d be surprised, given the speed of onset without noticeable inflammation etc. I also slept lightly so was maybe more aware than it actually getting worse!

@IncrediblySadToo I had a diabetes test about two months ago due to other things; came back negative; I have no other symptoms at the moment.

The current plan of action is to Not itch today, the light coating of sudocrem helps for a while; then use the external cream when it arrives to soothe the itch - this is because I had a short but heavy breakthrough bleed last night which is an indicator for me that I need a pill break and have a withdrawn bleed - the internet has told will render the internal cream useless whilst the whole bleeding thing is going on.

Once the bleeds have stopped I’ll be able to use the internal cream.
If it gets worse or is persistent I’ll contact my GP but they are very busy with a rural, ageing community at the moment - no avoiding the gp through fear of covid 19 here in the borders!

I wouldn't put canesten inside.

I ha0ve thrush at the mo, recurs often. I use a pessary plus 2 or 3 oral tablets to shift it.

For me the main symptoms are painful bits - so my knickers hurt. Also feel like i have period pain but no cottage cheese discharge.

I called gp yesterday they have prescribed for me to collect which is way cheaper than buying OTC as I have a pre payment cert.

Def buy flucanzole online, much cheaper. Also asda sometimes has them for 5 instead of the branded ones which are 15 from memory.

Do not use canestan unless it’s thrush! I have suffered on and off with similar problem for years...was once given treatment for thrush without being examined. Never had any discharge, just irritation. It never was thrush and the treatment for thrush made it much, much, worse.
As someone else said it could be lichen sclerosis, but this would have to be diagnosed.
Mine was eventually diagnosed after a biopsy as “chronic non-specific skin irritation”. Treatment is daily washing with epaderm, and I have a steroid cream if it gets really bad.
I really sympathize, it’s so embarrassing and the tiniest itch is so unbearable in such a sensitive area. Find a sympathetic doctor and get examined, don’t waste all the time I did to get it properly diagnosed. Good luck.

So I’ve rung my gp and got the good receptionist; there’s no doctor available today, I would have wait for one to ring from the partner surgery, so I was triaged by the nurse who is fab and can do everything or so it seems; she thinks it’s thrush too and said as I’d ordered stuff already to use that, but as I was heading towards a withdrawal bleed/pill period (I stopped my pill this morning) I could have a prescription for flucanzole or it is available over the counter.

Sounds reasonable.

@actiongirl1978 - how many tablets would you recommend; the nurse said a single would probably do it if it’s mild to medium irritation.

I think if its your first time one may work. Never has for me though and that's the recommendation. I generally go with online pesaary and 3 orals.

But I had to take them weekly for 6 months at one point and in addition gave both my DC thrush from my breasts while feeding them and I get it in my throat from inhalers. So I'm riddled!

Ahhh one pessary

@Whyismycatanasshat I find that one works for me even when I have it quite badly. Amazon sell packs of three that I order to keep in just in case as I went through a spell of getting it regularly!

@Winterberry, thanks, I’ve ordered some.

@actiongirl1978 I’ve got some ordered now.

I hope the nurse is right, and it’s thrush, I’d agree it’s mild to medium as it’s not claw my skin off at all times itchy. Just itchy.

Why do these things happen during lockdown!

Sods law!

Did the nurse also mentioned that your partner (if applicable) should be treated also to prevent re-infection?