Dear God, the ITCHING

[TragicMuse]

It's driving me absolutely insane. All day, all night, all the time.

I have the estradiol pessaries but that's all.

It's not thrush, I had a swab.

I'm so sore and so damn itchy, I don't know what to do with myself...

I've tried:
Vagisil
Yes VM
Sudocrem
Eurax

The only slight relief is from a cold flannel, but that's not particularly long lasting. And makes the bed damp.

Help! Any suggestions will be so gratefully received.

If it’s night time, i actually found a close fitting, not tight, pair of cotton pants rather than closer night clothes. Stops the itching. I think because of the close contact with skin stops the nerve ending irritation , a bit like covering burns with clingfilm
been doing that for 10 years now.
worth a shot for a couple of nights

Is this whole body itching or just vaginal itching?

Loser, not closer night clothes. 🙄

I'd talk to your Dr about more oestrogen. If it is your vulva itching, then oestrogen cream could be enough to calm it down

I get an itchy face especially my nose and itchy nipples. Completely random body parts but it drives me insane! I’m on the max dose for patches and it’s still driving me potty. Sorry I have no advice but fist bump 👊🏼 in solidarity

ButterflyBitch

I have the itchy face thing too, every night in bed!
I didn't realise it was a menopause thing.
It's like insects crawling over my face.
I ended up binning all my pillows because I thought there might be mites in them.

With me it's my lower arms. So itchy. Nowhere else on my body itches just lower arms. Not eligible for HRT apparently so just trying to put up with it

Just vaginal/vulval...

Thank you, I'll ask them for some cream! Fingers crossed.

All sympathy to fellow sufferers, it's maddening isn't it.

@TragicMuse I'm pm-ing this because I've posted so many times about this and folk will be getting bored. Ref - the itching If you've been tested for thrush and its come back clear consider looking up 'Lichen schlerosis.' It's a condition, believed to be auto immune. It affects any skin on any body, male, female or other, young or old, but predominately vulval/perineum and anal areas. Referral to a dermatologist who understands the condition and who is prepared to do a biopsy to confirm is the way to go. In the meantime check out a thin book called 'Lost Labia Chronicles'. I suffer with horrendous itching and I find soaking in hot water with borax dissolved in it (start with 1 teaspoon and increase amount as you become used to it. Get a portable bidet to fit in the toilet. Then I apply a Piles cram (Germaloids) and rub it in well. Sitting in warm/hot water means the active ingredient (lidocaine) get absorbed more quickly. The thing is you must avoid scratching cos down that path lies problems. There are other balms and creams available. PM me if you need any more answers

I had this recently & it was completely unbearable weeks. GP thought it was to do with menopause & prescribed various creams. Then I got diagnosed with diabetes & since I started treatment for that/changed my diet it has completely gone away. Apparently genital itching can be a symptom of diabetes.

Coconut oil. I suffered for about a year all of a sudden with what I thought was repeated thrush. Felt itchy and burny most of the time and then really flared up now and then. Started using coconut oil on whole vulva and it's been amazing. No itching or inflammation, it's like having a new lady garden 🤣

Could be lichen sclerosis

How often are you using the pessaries? As far as I remember it is one every night for 2 weeks then one twice a week. It is my understanding that since the strength was reduced a while ago, many women find that twice a week isn't enough.
Topical oestrogen cream might help to calm things down.
Epaderm barrier cream in the tub is excellent for both washing and applying topically regularly. Avoid soap and shower gel and hot water.
Avoid bio washing powder and watch out for scented liners and toilet rolls.
The other thing that gets missed is residual itching, burning, stinging from chronic nerve inflammation and taking a short course of something like gabapentin at night for a few days can sooth the nerve endings until the oestrogen kicks in.
I wouldn't use the other products you mentioned. I am a big fan of sudocrem normally, but not for this particular problem.

I find that spraying the whole area with the fierce shower jet helps. Just water, no soaps, obviously.
But recently my lower legs have been really itchy and I scratch them in my sleep. They look terrible and I'm due at a wedding in a hot climate next week.

I find Dr. Wolff with lactic acid helpful. Also steroid creams calm it right down instantly. You'll have to get the latter prescribed.

I have type 2 diabetes and I get this a lot. Usually at night and it's intense.

Excess oestrogen causes itching.

You can't put steroid cream in your vulva or on your face. It is only recommended for short term use on other parts of the body which are irritating, such as feet, toes, hands. It can be quite harmful.

@LBFseBrom yes you can.

Prescribed by a Dr , because my GP prescribed it for me for both vulval and internal use.

You can't put it on your face, you can put it on your vulva. It is a standard treatment for years for many conditions. OP - take advice on this from your doctor.

Steroid cream resolved some awful vulval itching for me almost immediately.

1. as pp said look at lichen sclerosis.
2. you can ask to be referred to now I can’t recall if it’s dermatology for gynaecology or gynaecology with dermatology, but basically someone with a special interest in vulval dermatology
3. for people who have itching in other places too, please do get this looked into, don’t just assume meno, there are conditions such as diabetes (mentioned by pp) and PBC more frequently diagnosed in women of middle age
4. for some reason my terrible vulval itching went away when I started taking evening primrose but it took a year 😨

https://store.approvedfood.co.uk/body_care/evagloss_anti_fungal_cream_30ml-30857733-p?pid=30857733

I use this. I dont think mine is fungal, it just happens that it has tea tree and lavender in it which I know is soothing. It stings when it goes on due to the eucalyptus but it feels nice, then it takes away the itch. Its unbearable at times. If I dont use it for a few days it comes back again.