Need help itchy and soreness around vagina!

[SY9]

Been almost a year. Getting fed up with it. Been doctor she prescribed thrush cream. Last appointment told by doctor that may be skin issue. She's given me another steroid cream. I'm bit hesitant to keep using steroid creams. 30 years old so definitely not menopause.
Please help with any suggestions?

Something like vestibulitus, perhaps? I tried every cream going, steroids certainly helped. Using a bath emollient oil daily was a game changer (Oilatum plus, not entirely sure it's still available). Use non-bio laundry stuff if you aren't already.

I have vaginal dermatitis.. my GP prescribes big tubs of hydromol..you can wash with it.. use as a barrier or a soother ...

I would go to your local sexual health clinic for a screen. I'm not insinuating you have an sti but the clinicians who work there will be far more experienced in assessing and treating any skin conditions in your vulval/vaginal area.

There are a few options it can be, they can look at swabs under the microscope and see what's going on and send swabs away for sensitivity testing (in recurrent thrush for example). I work in an Sti clinic (I am not medically trained) and our clinicians will have a far better idea of what's going on than a GP. There are a few conditions that have sprung to mind that might explain your symptoms (lichens sclerosis, lichens planus, dermatitis etc).

When you call to book in, just say you'd like a screening done and you have symptoms. Your clinician will likely take sti tests initially to rule out the easy to treat and obvious causes of your symptoms but (at least in the service I work for) you can ask for a follow up if they come back negative and you're still getting symptoms.

All the best.

Could be an allergy to washing powder. I can always tell if I've put too much in the load cause the first symptom is an itchy ninny!!

Thank you all for the suggestions :)
The doctor did take swabs and it ruled out any STI. She's prescribed me dermovate for now. Last time gave me lotriderm. My skin around vagina is red and inflamed. When I go for a wee it causes slight pain. Wish it gets better as it's driving me insane.

BV or AV maybe? Bacterial or aerobic vaginitis? Might be worth sending off a vaginal swab to one of the private testing companies.

How old are you? Vaginal oestrogen made all the difference for me as soon as I hit perimenopause.

OP does it get more itchy at night for you?

Hmm yeh might do that then.
Im 30 years old.
It stays all day really. Doesnt worsen or get better at night.

I second the washing powder suggestion

Like I said, take yourself along to the gum clinic. They can send away testing for bv, explore recurrent thrush and look into skin conditions that affect the genitals. They're not just there for stis and you won't have to pay for a private clinic to look at a swab. Where I work has gu consultants who would be able to diagnose and treat a whole range of vaginal issues and they will give you treatments without having to pay a prescription charge.

Thank you. Will take a visit to the clinic soon :)

GP has suggested I try coconut oil and camomime lotion to stop it itching on that area at night, sounds silly but I can’t find the lotion online. She said it comes in a big white pot same as what use on baby’s for chicken pox etc , does anyone know where I can find it? And does coconut oil actually help?

Search for calamine lotion :)

Thank you! They suggested putting it on every night to help calm down the itching - does that sound like the right thing?

I bought a bottle of calamine lotion from Savers

Is boots aqueous cream the same thing?

Genital psoriasis?

Lichen sclerosus?

And I thought it was a cream but this looks more like a liquid?

www.boots.com/boots-calamine-lotion-200ml-10334823?srsltid=AfmBOopf43223J4cI2k29o23amTzbfoi39Iro_wQ-G7g7hiRkeYChB1p

Have you tried the pecessary and taking fluconazole? I’ve had this and it drives me mad and I think it’s theush. I just order the tablet online and last time it cleared it up.

It could be something as simple as a fungal infection if you get sweaty, or do lots of exercise? Canestan wont help. I get Timodene prescribed. Mine gets worse whenever I am training for a long running race or doing lots of cycling. In the past I have had a form of Daktacort that was safe for that area. If the itching drives you mad at night, try Vagisil, which contains lidocaine and will numb the area. It won’t go away of its own accord. It needs to be treated.

I have Lichen sclerosis had to use the strong steroid cream daily for a good few weeks to see an effect and then every couple of days now I use it once a month or so. My doctor was great and reminded me it would take a while to get better as it had been bad for so long when I said I was worried about the amount of steroid I was using.

If you have been prescribed dermovate the doctor is most likely thinking lichen sclerosis. I have this and am 30 as well! Been diagnosed for around 4 years but it’s likely I’ve had it since around 14. Feel free to ask any questions 😊

This is going to sound strange but is it all of the time or just at certain points in your cycle? I’m similar age to you and mine has been going on for over a year too but at specific points in my cycle I’ve just been prescribed dermovate but haven’t needed to start it yet