Itchy and sore down below

[Micki37]

I wondered if anyone else found the menopause triggered eczema around the vulva (inbetween the "labia"). It's driving me mad, itching and sore, sometimes cracking. I have seen a dermatologist who said to use Daktacort once a day for two weeks which would clear it up. Well it did, but within a couple of days of finishing the course it was back to itching again. I stopped using all bubble baths, soaps, etc years ago and use emollients to wash and moisturise. I've been told not to use hydrocortisone too often as it will thin the skin but it's the only thing which helps. Any advice would be so welcome.

I had dreadful itching/soreness in my perineum area for years, tried all sorts of anti fungal treatments. Turned out the cause was vaginal atrophy as it went away after I started the pessaries. So I would suggest VA as a possible cause

I already use the oestrogen pesseries which relieve the itching inside but not outside. The oestrogen cream applied externally seems to iritate it more! HRT patches helped quite a bit, but had to stop using thanks to heavy bleeding.
Thanks for your reply crochetyquaver.

Could you have lichen sclerosis? It's really easily treated but mine happened around the start of the menopause too.
I used to cry with the itching. The GP first treated me for thrush.
I resorted to buying lidocaine but that didn't work!
Ask your GP to look again?
Good luck 💐

Have you tried one of the intimate moisturisers? I have VA too and the pessaries help but not on the outside the moisturiser does though.

@Neverendingmindfuck So LS is easy to treat is it? I've got a bag full of creams/balms/ointments that I rotate to alleviate the unrelenting itchiness. The only thing that works most of the time it a borax solution in a sitz bath as hot as possible for as long as possible. I've not had a continuous nights sleep for months now as it's driving me crazy.
@Micki37 try to see a dermatologist who knows about this and get a biopsy done. Messing about with OTC treatments only goes so far. There are herbal type ointments that work quite well - many containing emu oil, but it is s marathon not a sprint. Check it out on line

@crazeecatladee
I'm sorry if that came across as flippant.
I'm sorry you're struggling.
I was prescribed Clobetasol and Trimovate for very bad flares. I learned quickly that anything that was perfumed or even coloured loo roll set it off. I also was prescribed Dermol 500 to wash with.
Only wear cotton pants, only can use bodyform sanitary products.
But all that combined meant I was relatively symptom free.
I still can't get in chlorinated water though 😕

The joys of the bloody menopause! I had lichen sclerosis and was given steroid cream, thankfully it hasn't come back but instead my nethers decided to split inside the labia which was really sore . Oh and I've been told I have vaginal atrophy and have a really really really sore bit on the vaginal wall which makes having a smear almost unbearable, the nurse didn't want to carry on as I was crying in pain. I can't see me ever having sex again, which is why I've decided to stay single.

@Micki37 The advice given re clobetasol is not to use it for long as it thins skin. However, since the LS actually thickens skin the wisdom is that they balance each other out. Clob is also supposed to have a preventative effect re: adhesion and atrophy. So it's kinda personal choice. I didn't find that steroid cream was effective for very long, and it does mess up the skin at the top of my thighs

Sometimes Ovestin does cause irritation to start with but try to persevere.

I found it stung a bit but within a few days that had gone.

You might also want to re-think the HRT that you had to stop. No one should need to stop because of heavy bleeding. There are lots of kinds of HRT and one will suit you!

Were you offered the Mirena?

Did you try different doses of HRT and a different progestogen in patches or tablets?