Extremely sore vulva sorry TMI

[Madamlulu]

Hi sorry this is a tmi topic but I feel I don’t know where to turn.

ive been suffering from an extremely sort vulva/labia/urethra (wee hole if that’s what it’s called?) for 3.5 months and its getting worse and worse.

I think it had been getting drier for quite some time with like a callus area on the tip (near where the wee hole is) it would sometimes itch but not terribly) I put this down to approaching menopause (I’m 47) and hadn’t done anything about it.

Then I went away with my family to an air b&b in March and used a perfume soap down there in the shower and it became inflamed and painful.

I then stopped using soap altogether (read on here that was a good idea even though I’d always used a simple soap at home) and have since only washed with warm water in that area.

it got worse and kept waking me up at night.
I then bought an over the counter cream called Vagisil which seemed to offer some relief but no cure and I was having to put it on a number of times during the day and waking up at night scratching (sorry!) and quite distressed and had to put it on to try to cool it down.

I then thought I need to get to the route of this problem and had an online consultation with Louise Newson’s team and she prescribed me with Ovisten cream and a oestrogen pessary, I felt relieved to hear that this is common and treatable but after 2 weeks of using this religiously it got worse not better!

in my panic I read on here and started also putting sudocrem on it, it’s now red raw with the skin off it and I’m not sure if the sud-crem has burned it or whether to continue with the Ovestin.

tbh now im using a concoction of the creams each day - ovestin, sudocrem & vagisil I haven’t got a bloody clue which is helping and which is making it worst and I’m stressed to hell! I know this sounds dramatic but I literally feel like it’s hard to walk! It hurts even to wear cotton pants! I sometimes get a shooting itch and sometimes pure soreness and pain.

I forgot to say I also recently in the last days thought I would rule out thrush (which I don’t think it is) so took a thrush tablet.

I know it seems like I’ve gone completely OtT with the creams but this has been a quest in desperation and it’s like now I don’t know how to get out of it.

any advice on what to do or where to seek help would be greatly appreciated. I can’t talk to anyone about it I’m so embarrassed and my hubby just nods sympathetically but feels helpless.

thanks so much in advance xx

OP, you don’t mention an appointment with your GP to get this diagnosed and treated or referred to a gynaecologist. But that’s what I recommend.
None of us can make a diagnosis over the internet.

You very clearly need to go to the GP! Book an appointment tomorrow morning

Hi Op, you have my sympathy. I have Lichen Sclerosis and it can be just awful during a flare up. No one here can tell you what’s causing your pain and discomfort so you really must see your doctor. But, I had a bit of an idea that I did have LS due to taking a picture of my vulva and anal area just to see if any changes were obvious or if I had something with invisible symptoms. Truth be told I was rather shocked by the changes I found and once I saw them I realised my condition was way more then the discomfort/burning/itching I was experiencing.

I hope you feel better soon.

absolutely! that sounds nasty. have you seen a doctor? Time to ramp it up, as the over the counter stuff is obviously not helping.

You need to go to the GP and you probably need referral to a vulval dermatologist. You might have lichen sclerosus and that needs strong steroid cream.

Please see your gp.

I would bathe with Epsom salts and Epsom salts alone to try and soothe the area until you see a gp.

Yes I know you are right and do you know why I haven’t actually done this because it takes forever to get an appointment! Obviously if I’d done this 2 weeks ago then I would have been seen by now. Do you think I can say it’s urgent? xx

I agree with see your GP.

When I had an abscess on my vulva, the GP said to bathe twice a day in a salt bath (as well as take the antibiotics she prescribed.) Table salt as good as Epsom salts, if you've no Epsom salts to hand.

Yes, it’s urgent! Call them tomorrow.

Op, I’m not in the UK so I’m not up on whether you can say something is urgent when phoning the drs. But, I’ve often read of people advising posters to visit a sexual health clinic (is that the correct term) in order to be seen for something quickly.

yes I think it’s urgent if it’s stopping you sleeping and you are in pain.

Of course you can say its urgent you've had it for ages and it sounds chronic whatever it is. Insist on a GP appointment.

Op, if it hurts when you wee then try pouring water over your lady bits when seeing in order to water down the acidity of your wee. Sometimes I even wee in the shower just for the relief of not feeling as if I’ve taken a flame thrower to my lady bits.

oh ladies thanks so much for the sympathy and advice… it’s so kind and so lovely to not feel so alone with this thing.. ok I will ring the gp in the morning and say it’s urgent.. also will look at a sexual health clinic if that’s an option xx thanks so much xx

When I first had vaginal atrophy I went mad with tons of different creams & whatnot trying to treat it. I got great advice on the vaginal atrophy Facebook group about just stop throwing the metaphorical kitchen sink at it & try different things in turn, not all in one go! One of the things I learned is that it takes a while to establish what works for you because everyone is very different. When I eventually got vagifem it got worse at first too but then it calmed down.

3 years on I use vagifem twice a week, yes VM moisturiser twice a week & estriadol cream externally once a week but it took a good year to get to that point

i hope you can see your GP & start to feel better soon 💐

Thank you, glad it’s not just me who went crazy with the creams! I will see if I can join the Facebook group.

how is your condition now with the way you control it? x

the Facebook group was a lifeline for me - I thought I was going mad! It was the only place where I felt I could vent with women who understood. I was constantly itchy, swollen & miserable but now my symptoms are completely under control 😊

And yes god I spent a fortune of lotions, potions & god knows what!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Gp asap to rule out anything like infection and then get on HRT.

Oh so pleased for you!!! And thanks for sharing, it gives me hope! I’ve requested to join the group now xx

@Madamlulu 🤗 I really hope it helps you too

But you will still need to go to the Drs because you could have something different entirely.

OP go to see your GP. I had similar symptoms and had urine tests, swabs, blood test and internal scan.
Mine has been helped by Ovestin.

Mine was like this at your age. I was told my my GP that it was caused by insufficient oestrogen and prescribed Vagifem pessaries 1 twice a week after an initial loading dose. All was well for 15 years/until recently. I went back to my (different) GP. He looked into whether it was okay to increase the dose. It is and I’m now using 2 twice a week. It took about 10 weeks to settle things, but it’s great now. Just be aware that oestrogen treatment takes up to 12 weeks to works. You may have found that it got worse for you after you started the treatment because it hadn’t been enough time to get better. Whilst you’re waiting for the oestrogen to work. I suggest using this. It’s ridiculously expensive for what it is, but it’s excellent stuff, really soothing and protective.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M743TG8?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-t1_k1_1_5&amp=&crid=262SUENNE737&amp=&sprefix=vulva

Oh bless you. Yes call the drs in the morning and tell them you need to be urgently seen. If they can’t see you can you get yourself to a walk-in clinic? It’s clear no over-the-counter products are helping you and they actually may be making it worse. You must be in agony :( Fingers crossed you get some answers and some help from a medical professional asap xx