I want to rip my vagina off!

[Imnotmeanymore3]

Hi all I need advice please!! I'm getting desperate now. This has been an ongoing issue for 3 years and I'm still no further forward. Around 3 years ago I ramdomly started to suffer soreness and itchiness down stairs a few days before my period was due and when my period came it's stopped around day 2. It happened every month at the same time. It was so sore I had to sit on ice cubes, couldn't wear underwear even walking would be uncomfortable. I was given swabs and bloods and everything seemed normal. I was given antibiotics and creams and nothing worked. I had an ultrasound and other than a few ovarian cysts couldn't see anything. They put me on the mini pill in the hope my period would stop but it didn't stop and if anything I get my periods longer now. The soreness has calmed down but Is still there and most of the time still happens before my period but sometimes would happen randomly in the month for a few days. My dp has said the days before I start to get irritated and we have intercourse he feels abit sore the next day but it only lasts a day then goes away. The way it feels now is not deep inside all of the time but kind of feels like I've had a catheter in and around the surrounding area is sore. Im absolutly out of ideas, ive had enough and the doctors doing nothing. I have another ultrasound next month to check on the cyst so im going to mention it again but everytime I do I feel fobbed off. Anyone else had this? I really can't continue it's affecting everything. I don't feel like going out when I feel this way, obviously do not want sex please help me. Thankyou

That sounds like classic thrush but I’m sure you’ve had that checked out.

I don't know your age but I know that some women experience this when peri menopausal. This sounds awful for you!

Could it be dryness?

I'd try a month of replens MD.. it changed my life. I had similar issues in my 20's with dryness, better once in period then hell. Not had to use it again.

I hear you sister ! But mine has been diagnosed as thrush.
I've had it every few week for over a year !

I have started on HRT but it doesn't seem to have stopped my symptoms.
I fear the doctors are at a loss as what to do as the normal treatments don't seem to be working 🤷‍♀️

No advise really but we can't be the only 2 !

Thanks all. Im 33. No thrush. 9 times out of 10 it's a few days before my period then stops once my period starts but for the past 2 months it happened before my period but once or twice during the month aswell. It's like it's always there just waiting for something to irritate it, sometimes feels like a burning sensation sometimes. I don't really feel the itch like I used to but the soreness and irrartation I still get.
@gummggum ill look into that I'll literally try anything now. I'm sick of mentioning it to the gp and nothing is done other than keep taking the pill etc but it's 3 years and though it's not as bad it's still there and affecting me.

@lmnoh sorry your getting it too. I'm glad it's not just me I was starting to feel my body hates me Just to clarify aswell and I'm sorry tmi but I don't get discharge or any smells unless it's really irritated or I itch too much then it does have a certain smell but does clear up when the irratation stops.

Your natural discharge can sometimes irritate you. I whack a bit of Sudocrem on and the problem is solved.

Could it be vulvodynia? I had this about 10 years ago and your symptoms sound very similar. GPs tend to know very little about the condition in my experience, though I would expect there to be more awareness about this condition today.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vulvodynia/

painuk.org/members/charities/vulval-pain-society/

It can be treated successfully with tricyclic antidepressants. I haven’t had a flare up for years now. Also, seeing a women’s health physio regularly helped me enormously.

I hope it works for you. I tried everything from potion, lotions, creams, herbal, treated myself for thrush too but it never came up as thrush on swabs. The GP had me down as aggressive as I was so distressed by it and they said nothing was wrong. The replens is weird stuff you put it in and a few days later it sort of comes out with loads of dead cells ? It's very strange, and then I'd use it again. So maybe I used it once a week for a month / 6 weeks and less and less and then I realised it was sorted and I stopped. You can but it in Boots. Btw I'm 41 now and had two kids since and all fine. No idea what caused it.

@auntmasha thankyou. I have seen the name floating around when searching. I think i might speak with the gyno AGAIN and see if he thinks it could possibly be that. I just can't believe I've been going all these years every few months and I'm still no further forward. Sometimes I feel like it low down deep in my stomach kind of around an above the cervix almost, abit like when you get a water infect and you feel like you need wee but cant (defo not water infection though). I'm so sorry I'm probably not making any sense whatsoever it's just really hard explain and hoping someone might read and say yes I had that!

@gummggum thanks so much I've saved the name and will get some in the week. I completely get you being distressed it's a horrible feeling, it really is.

You’re welcome notmeanymore, I was lucky with my gp, she had another patient with the symptoms before me.

It makes me mad that some women seem to have to fight to be taken seriously with their gp and others told that the pain is ‘all in your head’ which is disgraceful. It’s good to read up as much as you can on the condition and arm yourself with knowledge before seeing the gynae. Vulvodynia is actually not that unusual apparently, but sadly many women just put up with it. Hope you manage to get the help you need.

Wishing you all the best.

Get an appointment at a sexual health clinic. I had those symptoms - was fobbed off by GP. Turned out I have lichen sclerosis. Once treatment started, not an itch since. At my last appointment was told my vulva ‘was looking great’ .... bit of a surreal moment but I was delighted after all the years of suffering and finding someone who took me seriously and diagnosed within seconds of examining me. 😁

@SummerHouse

Could it be dryness?

Er....yes....that is what the op is describing. What she wants to know is why and what she can do other than what she has already done.

@spacewitch99

Get an appointment at a sexual health clinic. I had those symptoms - was fobbed off by GP. Turned out I have lichen sclerosis. Once treatment started, not an itch since. At my last appointment was told my vulva ‘was looking great’ .... bit of a surreal moment but I was delighted after all the years of suffering and finding someone who took me seriously and diagnosed within seconds of examining me. 😁

Yes that was my thought too. You really need a referral to a gynaecologist at the sexual health clinic. Get the experts in.

Forgive my stupidness but is lichen sclerosis a sexual infection? I only ask as I've been with my dp for over 14 years and even though this is the case the gp did do sexual health checks anyway just to be on the safe side. Everything was OK in that area. I'm writting all this down to throw at my gyno next time I go and ask why none of this has been checked. How is lichen sclerosis treated?

LS is autoimmune I think. Have you been tested for BV and stopped using any scented bath products?

I vote lichen sclerosis as well, definitely worth raising with the GP.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/lichen-sclerosus/

How old are you? Peri meno? Has a dr provided vaginal estrogen cream?

I used to get similar in my early 20s and the problem was dryness and I found it was aggravated by sex. I used two lots of the canesten internal cream and then lube every time I had sex after that and then was never bothered by it again - after having similar to what you described for years! I think the internal thrush cream was more moisturising than anything. So the replens sounds like it would do the trick and honestly some simple plain lube during sex to stop any microtrauma and further irritation. My partner also got irritation after sex with me and I think it was just from friction due to the dryness

I also think lichen sclerosus might be a contender. I’ve had mine since my early twenties, was frequently mistaken for thrush. I have long periods of remission now but the treatment is potent steroids. It is not a sexually transmitted condition, it’s an inflammatory condition with no known cause.

Also, would opt to have LS ruled out. It's very common and easily managed but takes ages to get diagnosed because, well, fannies.

Ask to be referred to a gynaecologist with an interest in dermatology.

I used to get lots of dryness and itchiness too, the things that have helped me is never using fabric conditioner on underwear, no soap in that area, underwear without elastic seams, not using sanitary towels as they can be scented.. I use reusable pads made of cotton which are great and not using scented toilet roll. My symptoms have improved so much since doing these things!!!

My gp recently prescribed antibiotics for bv as I was feeling really irritated but it's not helped at all. @ihatewinding I do use lube but it's really horrible sticky stuff so I'm going to look for something better. I feel really bad when dp says he's sore the next day. It doenst always happen it's just if we have sex the day before the soreness starts or just before. I'll be giving everything to my gp and ask him to load me up with whatever he can. I just really hope I don't come away with nothing. Whenever I mention it now they just kind of ignore it. The pill obviously isn't helping the situation at all but still they keep giving it to me even though I told the nurse on my last pill review and all she said was go back to the gp or gyno. This thread has helped so much. I feel like there sonething I can do for my old girl 😂