Vaginal pain with no infection - please help

[Desperatelyseekinganswer]

For the past 3 months I've been in hell with my vagina. What started out as potential thrush has turned into a living nightmare. My doctor was adamant it was thrush and prescribed me a pessary and cream. After 2 attempts at the pessary and nothing but irritation, my test results came back showing no infection at all.

Since then, I've been experiencing almost constant burning and physical pain, all directly at the entrance of my vagina. I've paid for private testing, I've stopped wearing underwear, I've tried probiotics, apple cider vinegar, a no sugar diet...basically everything you can think of. I wondered if I was having some sort of irritant reaction and tried antihistamines a couple of times but had no relief.

Some days it's so bad that I'm literally crying, but my doctors can't offer me any help. I've just been told to try a hydrocortisone cream but I'm too scared to try because they all say for external use only and advise that extended use could cause thinning of the vaginal walls and I'm afraid of doing more damage.

I'm taking Optibac probiotics and Seabuckthorn oil. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I'm feeling so desperate that I just don't know how to live like this.

Any help or advice would be so appreciated x

Have you tested for Ureaplasma?

Do you have, or work with kids? Thread worms are absolute bastards and if you're sensitive to their secretions they can cause stinging / burning / itching and pain. You could get some wormer and if after a few days it stops you know they're the culprit. It took me ages to work it out (I used to work with kids) it was only when I had my own, the penny finally dropped!

Yep, all within range!

I don't have or work with kids!

I’d be inclined to go to a Sexual Health Clinic. I had an awful problem with my Vag, my G.P was no help whatsoever, she sent samples off but it wasn’t thrush, which is what I thought it was. It stung like hell when I had a wee, hurt when I sat down and sex was definitely out of the window. Out of desperation I visited our local Sexual Health Clinic, baffled by my issues, low and behold the Dr I saw knew straight away what it was, I had vaginal atrophy which is part of the menopause journey, at last an answer. It’s a shame my G.P didn’t switch on, she was at the coal face taking the swabs 😝. I’m now sorted out on HRT, estrogen is what I needed, I’d lost the lubrication, I was so baffled for months, it’s shocking what we put up with. I hope you get it sorted, there is nothing worse than your bits being so sore, it’s distressing, take care 🤗

And if you don’t want to go the full hrt route OP…..you can ask to be prescribed a vaginal eotrogrn ( stays in the vagina….doesn’t crosss the bloodstream) you can get a cream or a pessary

have you been tested for BV?
could it be a recurrent uti? ….with referred vagina pain?

I use hydrocortisone 1% cream on my vagina/ labia ..not inside.. I get contact dermatitis sometimes.
I also have Estrogen cream prescribed. .. use twice a week.
I was in agony.
My GP also prescribed a large tub of Hydromol ointment..it can be used to wash with or used as a barrier.

Good luck and hope you get some relief and answers.

Have you considered it might be related to oxalates OP? Read about vulvodynia and oxalates and/or look up Sally K Norton on YT as this is a classic symptom of oxalate overload.

I was suffering the same. Saw a private Gynae, now being treated for Lichen Sclerosis and Vulvodynia.

I tried the vaginal products, I got on with vagifem, the ovestin stung like hell. I’m on HRT to help my M.S, the lack of estrogen was making it a lot worse, it helps dampen down inflammation in my muscles, otherwise I wouldn’t bother with it 🥴

The same G.P that didn’t notice my vaginal atrophy gave me advice on my problem with lack of libido. She recommended a romantic meal 🤣, after that advice I paid to see a specialist, who did blood tests to find that I was really deficient in testosterone, within two weeks of taking it I got my mojo back, yay, and a worn out husband 😝

OP I get this intermittently and my gynaecologist said it was skin irritation. I wash now with dermol emollient only, the lotion as it’s thinner so easier to use as a wash. Then I use diprobase ointment as a moisturiser after. Go mad with it, a big load all around the entrance, a bit inside. It won’t hurt. At its worst I have to use it 3x a day. I know it’s improving when it stops being sore and just gets itchy. Then it goes again for a while. I have to moisturise at bedtime sometimes twice a day, I go periods with nothing but when it starts again this helps within days, a week at most.

it can’t hurt to try.

It could be aerobic vaginitis, with inflammation

Ask for a nhs referral to a specialist vulva clinic …..try some amitriptyline to help with nerve pain……how old are you? Maybe a referral to menopause clinic?

I had burning and pain for months, it turned out I had developed a skin allergy to some ingredients in my shampoo and laundry detergent. Antihistamines didn't help! I've had to cut back to very minimal cleaning product use - happy to DM recommendations if you want help to eliminate that as a cause.
The similarities in our usernames may not be a coincidence!

Did you ever find a solution @Desperatelyseekinganswer ? I'd be interested to know as I've been having the same thing. Xxx