Please help my painful fanny

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

Can anyone help? I am 52, and since peri-menopause have been on vaginal oestrogen as well as HRT. I sometimes get uncomfortable, itchy, thrush type symptoms but they quickly resolve.

This week it started up and I am in pure agony. No discharge, but weeing is excruciating, and the area looks red/inflamed. I got the thrush oral tablet and vaginal pessaries yesterday but it hasn’t helped.

Our GP surgery is useless, I wouldn’t be able to get an appointment until June, but we can access a video GP through DP’s private healthcare through work. I did a video call today and she suggested cystitis and prescribed three days of antibiotics. I’m not sure it’s that as my vulva feels sore/irritated, not just when using the toilet - can cystitis cause this? (I’ve only had it once about 20 years ago.)

Been with DP 20 years and we’re not having much penetrative sex at the mo because it’s uncomfortable - and peri has killed my libido anyway! - so no danger of an STI.

Sounds like vaginal atrophy. Get back onto your GP to up your HRT topical oestrogen cream/pessaries.

Google Lichen Sclerosus. Ask GP if it could be this. Dermovate Ointment will keep it under control if this is what it is.

How often are you using the topical estrogen?

@Anonym00se i have that, yes - I did a vaginal pessary every day this week to try and resolve it but it hasn’t. Usually that does the trick. I wondered if I had over-oestrogen-d.

@CrowsInMyGarden like for many people, it is easier to catch the Loch Ness Monster than see a doctor here in person. There are a small number of on the day slots released in a Hunger Games style battle at 8am, otherwise you phone on a Wednesday morning and they are booking for six weeks away if you can get through. I’m generally lucky that I don’t often need to see a doctor!

@DeerWatch its supposed to be twice weekly but this week I did Monday - Thursday.

OP. When I get thrush it takes three oral tablets in a row plus one or sometimes two pessaries. (chalk ones work best, gel useless).

I'd suggest a thrush pessary and more orals. Amazon sell three for £10.

If that doesn't work, massively increase the amount of oestrogen cream.

FYI I'm not a doctor, this is just my experience with a sore vulva over the last few years!

OP i mean a thrush pessary not an oestrogen one.

Soinds like you need estriol cream too. My gynae said I couldn't overdo this, I use an amount the size of a large grape on my vulva and perineum daily.

Oh and obviously no soap to the area. Gynae was explicit that it needs nothing but water!

I have never managed on twice a week and use it every day.You may need to do a 2 week reload and then up the weekly dose.
Also I had what I thought was a bad flare up last year and it was contact dermatitis, GP prescribed steroid ointment.

I now use Epaderm in shower or just warm water and estriol cream as well as Vagifem.

You lot are all so helpful - I have been feeling awful! I’ve muddled things I think, so to be clear this week I have done:

M-Th - oestrogen pessary (Vagifem)
Th - thrush tablet and thrush pessary
F - have been prescribed antibiotics but wasn’t sure if I should take them or not

I use Imperial Leather soap in the shower and am a big recreational bather (which might be part of the problem - scalding hot water, bubbles…?)

@Judystilldreamsofhorsesdon’t use any kind of soap on your nethers - a rinse with water is enough. Definitely cut back on soapy baths too. No advice on the rest of it as PP have already said wise things.

Never soap anywhere near vulva. Ever. I don't even let soap drip down from my armpits.

Bathing is fine but in plain water.

Also my gynae started muttering about not using anything like Olive oil soap or super duper sensitive soap. Nothing. He clearly spends his life telling women not to use soap! He was quite worked up!

I don’t think I would feel clean without soap - obviously i don’t put it right up inside - but noted.

I have hydrocortisone cream, might that help?

What about femfresh wash or another ph balanced one rather than fragranced soap?

Yes I thought that too. But actually I can't imagine using it again now.

And I get a lot less thrush.

You shouldn't use anything. At all. Just water.

If you really wouldn't feel OK using just water then these would be ok:
Aqueous cream
Dermol 500 cream
Emma soap https://www.emmassoap.co.uk/

I have something called Epimax cream that I use on my hands - that seems to be along the same lines?

Epaderm or Hydromol ointment if you want something to wash with is what my GP said also 1% hydrocortisone ointment can be used safely for a few days. GP prescribed one is stronger.
The creams have more additives so look for ointment,
And bin the Imperial Leather soap, just thinking about that is making me feel itchy!

Extra rinse on washing machine when washing knickers

I had thrush a while back and my skin ended up very inflamed and sore. I was in agony. In addition to the various items the doctor prescribed for the thrush, he also prescribed emla cream. It’s topical pain relief and worked within about ten minutes, totally numbing the whole area and it was such an enormous relief.

Whilst I can’t offer any advice on the underlying problem that might be causing your issues, if you’re desperate for some short-term relief, it might be worth considering.

What massively massively helped me was wearing m and s period pants all the time ,just the light flow ones ,but it keeps me super duper dry ,as it was a slightly damp knicker causing my thrush ..
I don't wear any other knickers now except period ones and I don't have periods ,I just use them to stay comfortable

This is all so helpful, I have felt really “lost” with it so feel quite emosh - thank you all so much. I’m going to try the hydrocortisone cream for now, and go to the pharmacy tomorrow. I might also go to M&S and buy some new cotton knickers.

My DP suggested switching to dresses/bare legs so I only have one layer but it’s still single figure temps here and I just can’t.

I was in the same boat and my GP recommended this vaginal moisturiser. I use it 2 or 3 times a day and it really helps. I, also, use an oestrogen pessary Mon & Thursday, Oestrogen gel daily and a progesterone tablet at night. I really notice if I forget to use the moisturiser in the morning, tbh.