Vagina burning/pain

[justbloodystayhomeplease]

Hi All

I have a mysterious vaginal problem I am hoping someone else might recognise and help me!

A few years ago i started having a problem whereby i would have burning and stinging in my vagina after sex, also a UTI after sex every time without fail.

We both went through the rigmorole of washing before sex,i would pee before and after sex and nothing would help so eventually I was put on an antibiotic to take after sex and that stopped it.

However, the vaginal burning and pain would remain. I saw various specialists, went to the GUM clinic several times convincing myself it must be an STI as it always always came back negative for thrush & BV. I even paid to have some private STI and vaginal swabs done as I was convinced the NHS cultures were not good enough - everything came back normal.

I also put my poor DP through the same and insisted on him being prodded and poked and tested, he had urine tests, STI checks etc etc and he was totally normal.

It always went away with my period and then came back on the lightest day of my period.

One day it just disappeared, it just stopped happening.

Fast forward to January and its back with a vengeance :-( I have been back to the GUM clinic, all tests negative again, they suggested using some sudocrem - that did nothing, doctor has prescribed different steriod creams, they have done nothing, thrush creams, pessaries, antibiotics have done nothing.

I had my hormone levels checked to make sure i wasnt peri menopausal or anything to suggest low estrogen might be the cause but it wasn't - i was given estrogen cream anyway to try it but no difference at all. I'm not on any contraception.

I had sex 3 nights ago, i was absolutely fine the next day but yesterday morning i woke up with lots of itching and some pain, when i looked my labia and just inside my vagina was bright red. Luckily I have some multigyn actigel on hand and whilst this burns like hell when i apply it, it soon calms everything down but never cures it.

I always use plenty of lube when i have sex but only water based, have also tried switching to another lube incase it was that but no difference.

I applied more during the day yesterday and then more when i went to bed last night.

I woke up and its itchy again but nowhere near as bad as yesterday morning, im not as red either.

The actigel always seems to "help" with the symptoms but doesnt get rid of whatever it is - I always stay bright red inside until my period comes and then all the pain just goes, i still have a little bit of itchyness but im not bright red.

I was told it isn't vulvodynia because it hurts constantly and is notably red whereas vulvodynia tends to present normally and then hurt upon touch and is rarely itchy.

It isn't lichen sclerosis or any kind of skin dermatitis. I have no discharge and I do smell very fishy after sex but only the next day, not immediately after. My DP also smells fishy the day after sex but we always assumed this was just how sperm smells the next day! I've noticed the smell with every partner I've ever been with, not just DP.

I take an anthistamine, probiotics, non bio washing powder, dont take baths, dont use any shower gel on my bits, i use dove for the rest of my body, i wear 100% cotton underwear

I work from home so 90% of the time im still in a dressing gown with no underwear on until around 1pm, i dont sleep in pyjamas or underwear so it definitely breathes a lot!

The fact that the multigyn burns like hell upon application is leading me to believe its an inbalance/infection of some kind - i've read that it only burns when its fighting a problem - has anyone else noticed that?

So obviously there is a problem of some sort but what?!

If i start to feel better and I don't have sex then everything is fine but the second i have sex it flares back up agian! what is going on?!

Maybe it’s a reaction to semen? You could try using condoms and see if that helps. Or if already using them, perhaps try hypoallergenic condoms if it could be a problem with latex?

Might be worth going to see a dermatologist who has expertise in vulval skin conditions. A biopsy might help them find out what’s actually going on.

It's worth a try although i guess if i was allergic i would react everywhere not just down there? Plus it doesn't explain why it goes away with my period and then comes back straight away on the lightest days...

@justbloodystayhomeplease, the fact that it always goes away with your period and creeps back when the flow is light may suggest that you have cytolytic vaginosis. Look it up. It is an overgrowth of good bacteria, too many lactobacilli that make your vagina too acidic. So it burns and itches and looks red. Very thrush like symptoms. All tests are negative, it can be diagnosed under the microscope (a specialist needs to read slides).

Marking place as I have similar problems, right down to feeling better during my period, which I have never read anywhere else before.

myvagina.com/lactobacillus-overgrowth-syndrome-cytolytic-vaginosis/
If you google for cytolytic vaginosis, quite a few scientific articles will pop up too. People find relief from either bicarb soda baths/douches or using the sperm friendly lubricant Preseed as it is alkaline. If you google for Preseed together with cytolytic vaginosis, a few discussions come up. It is also recommended to stop using tampons, and obviously any probiotics either supplements or yogurt, kefir etc. I can recommend a specialist in London, PM me if interested.

I had what you describe, OP and I still do to an extent. I don't want to say on here what eventually helped but do PM me if you think my experience could be of help to you.

Hi I wonder if you managed to get to the bottom of this as I have EXACTLY the same symptoms and it’s driving me insane!!

I am also suffering from this mystery ailment! Any update OP?

I'm following this with interest as I also have similar symptoms

This is similar to me! It’s early days but I wanted to share some information on vaginal thrush treatment as I have had recurring bouts of vagina thrush for a year. I get prescribed antibiotics but it always comes back. The latest one two days ago was particularly annoying because I am in ‘seriously trying to beat it mode’ which entailed giving up sugar entirely, no bread only Ryvita, no alcohol of any kind (this has been a year), limiting sweet fruit because of the sugar, using Ecover instead of other detergents, topping up on vitamins by taking iron tablets and Well Woman multivitamins. It still came back in spite of all this. So yesterday I didn’t eat all bran cereal for breakfast and instead chopped three garlic cloves in half, swallowed them with a pint of water then ate natural yogurt. I woke up today and it has gone. No itching all day and I can tell nothing else is growing there anymore. I am sharing this because I have spent close to £200 trying to sort this out. I even bought a food allergy test and discovered I’m allergic to loads of things that do seem to trigger the thrush when I’ve accidentally eaten something containing offender ingredients. If you’re suffering, please try the garlic cloves cut in half because I am certain it has helped me. X

Op did you sort this? I have a similar issue

Yes. Two years now of Fluconazole every week to stop thrush and it turns out I was on the cusp of being in the menopause. I am now on HRT. A blood test confirmed it! Hope you sort it soon.

Thanks op, can I ask how old you are? Glad you got to bottom of it

I am 43 now but the symptoms started at 40. Diagnosed at 41. I’ve been told it’s early for the menopause but it can start in your 30s. I had terrible brain fog as well and migraines at times when it wasn’t my period. I hope you find out what it is. I believe you can buy Fluconazole over the counter while you wait to see the GP.

Thank you, taking that now to no avail. Not sure if it is the mirena - all started when I had that inserted. GP seems disinterested!

I get this and I’m being referred for possible vaginal atrophy