Lichen S diagnosis’ yesterday

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Hi, 50f reaching out to find anyone else diagnosed with lichen sclerosis. 🙏

Yep.
Similar age. The joys of peri/meno. Apparently it’s very common for women to start suffering around this time. I Suffered on for months before finally going to the GP a couple of years ago.
The Dermovate and the treatment instructions they gave were less than useless. I found the best advice for relief on here. It was to use a mirror and apply morning and night for two weeks. Life changing. The mirror actually made all the difference tbh. If I have a flare up now, I usually only need 5-7 days applying the Dermovate now before it settles again, and flare ups aren’t too frequent, thankfully.

Thanks for replying. Any other tips you can share will be greatly appreciated

Hi, and yes I have been diagnosed few months ago. But symptoms have been going on for couple or more years. It's a lot worse at night. I haven't been prescribed any treatment as yet. But gynaecologist said steroid ointment. But bit concerned as this thins the skin. This is horrendous 😢

Same here I’m 52. Terrible inital flare up it’s everywhere my vulva on my upper thighs and on my bottom. In Australia we are given steroid cream and told to use twice a week and see a Gynae or dermatologist twice yearly in case it turns cancerous. Sex is really painful (not sure if that is atrophy or LS 😖). I’m at a bit of a loose end here with how my marriage will keep going.

Have you been diagnosed by a GP or by a vulvar dermatologist?

I was misdiagnosed with all sorts (including lichen s) by GPs but in the end got referred to a vulvar dermatologist who said it was actually vulvar eczema. Treatment similar, a moisturising wash to use in the shower (Eumovate maybe?) and steroid cream (Locoid) when needed. But the difference is that it is temporary and has now completely gone.

Apologies for those who definitely have lichen sclerosis but just to say it is worth being sure and getting referred to the right specialist.

Op, if you do a search on LS you should find a link to the UK Facebook page for LS that I added a few months ago.

Yes, had it since I was a small child, but no one thought to actually tell me, or use steroids

diagnosed again by biopsy in my early 30s, been on Dermovate since.
the Uk LS Facebook page is very good

I currently use Dermovate, Naydaya oil for moisturise, überlube for sex, yes unscented wash, M&S flexfit knickers, just about to start estrogen cream as perimenopausal,

This is probably a silly question but what are the main symptoms of this? I’ve had a bit of an itchy rash on my labia majora (I think that’s right) doctor gave me trimovate cream which definitely made a difference to the itchiness and the rash but when I stopped the cream similar seemed to appear on the other side. The doctor thought it was some kind off fungal / bacterial infection hence the cream but said long term it may be this if the cream hasn’t sorted it. I’m early 40s.

Has anyone else experienced symptoms like this?

Sounds like you could do with seeing a Gynae, i dont think GPs are very good with this sort of thing.

@cloud this is a link to a fabulous UK based support group and you’ll get all the help you need there.

And going forward you may want to consider asking to be referred to a dermatologist who in my experience are better suited to dx and the care of LS than a gynaecologist. In fact in many countries you wouldn’t even be referred to a gynaecologist for LS.

Thank you. What are the symptoms of LS? I’m not sure if it is or not

For me it was itching and soreness.

I think I had this at menopause, but didn’t get it checked out , just kind of tried different stuff- totally horrendous for 2 years- eventually settled down towards end of what I presume was menopause ( was on mirena so never had periods anyway past 36) - I stupidly felt too embarrased to get it looked at - but I used to scratch till I bled

So itchiness ‘down there’? Seems to come and go. Sometimes red patches other times not. When I put the trimovate cream on which doctors gave me in May, it clears but after I stop using it I feel itchy again so skin flares up.

MIL had this and had some sort of surgery. She never mentions it now.

Cloud you really would be better off joining the group I’ve mentioned as theres hundreds of women there who are living with LS. People don’t hold back when explaining their symptoms and they often back it up with photographs.

You need more than MN can give you as there isn’t even much traffic on the threads.

@Weepixie would you mind posting the link again it doesnt seem to show on the thread?

I’m so sorry. I forgot to post it. At least I think I did. But here you are - fingers crossed.

Thank you 😀