Aerobic vaginitis

[Firstsitdowntoday]

Has anyone had this. I have been suffering for 5 weeks with soreness inside my vagina which is splitting. It is so painful and I can hardly walk.

Have had treatment for thrush, steroid cream and sudocream. I asked the GP about this today, as they seem at a loss what to do next, have told me to try the steroid cream again. Not sure why it will work this time when it didn't last time!

Helpfully she had never heard it before. I told her how it was diagnosed which she said they didn't have the facility to do a wet mount and she asked me what the treatment was! I know it is antibiotics but without knowing the bacteria obviously I can't advise her which antibiotics! She googled and said yes this could be what I am suffering from.

I have asked to be referred, privately as she said nhs will be at least 12 months and I can't live like this for 12 months. I feel based on previous experience I need to be armed with knowledge for this appointment (hoping the specialist has at least heard of the condition) do anyone else's experience and what treatment help would be greatly received.

I suffered with this - undiagnosed - for years a few years back (including Private referral & lots of different tests where two gynae consultants were at a loss!) As a last resort, the second consultant referred me to an NHS GUM clinic for another opinion (walk in at local city hospital), who identified it straight away & I was treated with the antibiotic Clindomycin. Within a week I was back to normal. I have had a couple of flare ups in recent years & I’ve done the same (not sure a GP can prescribe it). I understand that it is a relatively newly understood condition & so is often misdiagnosed. So my advice would be to get yourself to a reputable GUM clinic near you asap. Hope this helps!

Brilliant, thank you I went to see a private gynae last week who told me my result was normal and caused a massive flair by examining me. I am going to go and see another gyane for a second opinion in just over a week. They are meant to be a specialist in aerobic vaginitis but I have to travel to London from the South West to see him. If I get no help from him I will definitely try your suggestion of the GUM clinic.

I know it’s been a while firstsitdowntoday but how did you get on and are you back to normal? Since August I’ve had bladder pressure and burning stinging urethra/ vulva area. I was initially prescribed 2 x antibiotics without urine culture or test but once they carried out urine culture all was clear. Swabs all negative for thrush/bv. I had coil removed thinking that could be contributing but still no joy. Ultrasound clear. Bought some vagina ph testing strips and ph was 4.8. Spoke to Dr and she said it was most likely vulvodynia. Have just been reading about aerobic vaginitis online and i think this is what I have. One thing that seems to have helped my symptoms (not bladder though) has been multi-gyn gel. Applied it and it stung for the first day but the next day things felt much calmer. It works by returning the ph to normal. Unsure if it’s a long term solution but nice to get some relief. I’ve just googled if nhs test for this aerobic vaginitis but it appears they don’t routinely.

I have tried a number of gynaecologists, but ended up treating myself with fluomizin and vaginal probiotics. I am better than I was. Swabs are coming back normal now and I am seeing a pelvic physio who thinks I am in spasm as things have been going on so long. Also waiting for a testosterone and oestrogen cream as oestrogen on its own has helped but I am not 100%. I would recommend reading Dr Goldsteins book why sex hurts. It is all about vulvodynia and the causes. Vulvodynia means painful vaginal, it is a description of symptoms not a diagnosis. Something must be causing the pain!

Glad you’re a little bit better and thanks for the book recommendation. Hopefully you’ll have some luck with the testosterone and pelvic floor therapy . I was referred to gynae a long time ago as had excess discharge and diagnosed with Vulvodynia in 2014 and prescribed amitriptaline and licodine but I didn’t want to take those so I asked to see another gynae and he suggested cervix cauterisation and that worked. Pain went. I think there’s always a reason for pain/discomfort and we just need to keep pushing until we find someone knowledgeable.

That's interesting as I have been told I have an inflamed cervix, just waiting for colposcopy and told they may cauterise so that may help too. Seems to be a lack of understanding of the problem with a lot of gynaecologists!