Vulval Itching ? Peri menopause

[IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls]

Hello

I have vulval itching at night which is driving me potty

I am also getting very sweaty down there at certain times of the month so wondered if it could be peri menopause.

I am 43 , have also been getting sore boobs.

The itching is really getting me down and making me feel like a dirty freak .

You need topical oestrogen.
See your GP and ask about vagifem.

Sounds like it’s vaginal atrophy which is common in peri menopause

Oh, God, I'm the same. Sooo damn itchy, especially at night. I looked the other day and it's white in patches, like the pigment has gone. Would that fit with suggestions above?

Thankyou so much ladies.

Am laid awake so miserable with it .

How are you @sleepyFlump if you dont mind me asking ?

sleepyFlump look up lichen schlerosis it could be that. Treatable with a steroid cream x

I was about to start a thread asking about this. It's really awful.

I even got up @IWannaSeeHowItEnds and took antihistamine to see if it would help ( it didn't).

It also seems to be affecting my skin in general everywhere, i feel itchy everywhere, its just awful .

Its not exactly glamorous wanting to spend the night scratching my fanny

I'm 44

And I have the implant.

What sort of implant do you have OP?
A contraceptive implant isn't the same as HRT or local/topical oestrogen.

Sorry - it's the contraceptive implant. Implanon.

Or nexplanon

It s very possible that it is perimenopausal dryness and itching. It is one of the most distressing and uncomfortable things IME.
Definitely worth seeing if some topical cream or vagifem would help.

I've got vagifem. It helps a bit but doesn't get rid of it completely. Why does no one tell you what peri menopause entails - this is all coming as a total shock to me!

General itchiness is a big part of it. I'm going on HRT soon.

I have this (started same age as you) and sympathise.

I've tried all sorts and now finally on vagifem pessaries via my GP. Its early days but I do think I'm less itchy at night.

What helps me alongside the pessaries is washing the area with either plain water or aqueous cream and then applying aqueous cream as an emollient to the area twice daily. I was trying coconut oil but this was making my skin flake .

Using Dermal 500 lotion is another option which I've seen recommended by NHS dermatologists for the Vulva area so might be worth a try but you will need the estrogen alongside if it's peri related.

I had this a few months ago, convinced myself it was p.men related. Turned out to be thrush.

As thedevilinablackdress suggests, it could be thrush so GP likely to want to do a swab to check. The thing about peri is that thrush/UTIs are more common so I found I was going round in circles with the whole thing for years never really finding a solution til hopefully now.

Tmi maybe, but isn't there a discharge with thrush? I don't have any, which is why I assumed it wasn't that.
Can't face going to the doctor for a swab. Might just buy a canesten pessary on Monday and see what happens.

You can get the test that'll tell you if it's thrush or not over the counter.

And what? Really? This is what I've got to look forward too... Itchy fannies?!

Also, does anyone know why it's worse at night?

I use Vagisil, from chemists and supermarkets. Have found it cheapest at Home Bargains - £2.99 - as it can be up to £4.50 otherwise.