TMI about vaginal issues.

[Astrolady]

I've suffered on and off with small haemerroids ever since being pregnant with Lachlan. This year they were really annoying me so I tried over the counter creams and suppositries to not much avail. The suppositories gave me diarrhea. Probably the whole reason for them so you have looser bowel movements, but having IBS I generally don't have to strain

I was finding it wasn't really helping so the doctor prescribed me a cream to use. I seemed to get really really itchy including the area surrounding the vagina, so I went back to the doctor who said that the haemmeroids weren't as bad, but I now had thrush, so was put onto thrush cream. A course of thrush cream brought no great relief, and with the itching being worse at night I'd scratch in my sleep in turn causing layers of skin to break open making sores.

I remembered Kameron when he had really bad nappy rash, so I tried a few nappy rash creams to help the sores and itching to no avail. I had gone back to the doctor about something else during the time and she asked how it was going and I said it still wasn't great and that I just felt like airing it out, but was hard to do. The nappy rash cream wasn't working so I did another course of thrush treatment. Once again to no great avail.

I ended up going back to the doctor again because for the last few months since this has started I have not had a full nights sleep, and some nights it is so bad I can't sleep. I am up and down all night warming up wheat bags to put between my legs. I said I need something that has a local anesthetic in it just so i can get some relief at night. It isn't covered under the health care card so cost me $40 for a tiny tube

Was finally starting to heal up.... what did I do last night. Yep scratched the buggery out of myself. Back to square 1. I have started taking a probiotic in case something is lurking on the inside.

Has anyone been through something similiar? what helped? I sometimes get relief from a warm bath if I wake up really sore, and I have stopped using soaps in the shower. I am about to change back to an old washing powder I used to use in case that is it, but the one I have is for sensitive skin anyway so I just don't know. By afternoons I am totally stuffed cause I am not sleeping at night, and it itches the most when laying down.

[~clover~]

Were both thrush treatments you tried the same? Have you tried any others, incase that one just doesn't work for you?

Try some rolled oats in the bath?

[Astrolady]

Same brand but different versions. One was a cream and the other a suppository type thing, so it stayed in longer.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

Probably not much help but dd went through a phase of sore/ itchy vagina that only happened at night and dr said it was intestinal worms. Gave her a worm tablet and she was fine again.


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[Astrolady]

I have combantrin here so I will give everyone a dose, and again next week just in case. It can be itchy during the day, just not as bad and I can generally ignore it.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

Well the worming tablets cant hurt, may as well give it a try. Is there any discharge? Maybe you should ask for a swab and get it sent away for testing. ??


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[Astrolady]

very little discharge. I have thought about requesting a swab be done.

[Trillian]

Definitely get a swab done Kat. It sounds really painful and irritating and it's quite possible that it's an entirely separate issue to the roids.

[PumpkinZulu]

This has happened to me. The itching all the skin off etc. It's unbearable and if I get even a small itch down there I feel sick and scared! The only things that worked for me during that time was using a cream called Resolve, not using anything soapy or slightly perfumed down there, changing to a hypoallergenic in scented and un-dyed toilet paper, cotton undies and no pants when at home and apple cider vinegar applied topically. I had no discharge or smell, just extreme itchiness, a bruised sore feeling etc.

[willow5]

I've had terrible trouble with thrush and the only thing that got rid of it was a sugar and yeast free diet for 10 days and flooding my system with a good pro-biotic. I took twice the dosage as recommended on the bottle, advised by my chiro.
It kicked it right in the butt. I remember the horrible feeling of not even being able to walk properly The creams worked in a soothing way when first put on but they just couldn't clear it.

[Artechim]

From an episode of Embarrassing Bodies that sounded similar - maybe something to look into: vulval psoriasis.

Sounds really awful! I hope you can find some relief soon xx

[Mildez]

I could have written the same post myself last year. It was agony and completely destroyed my sex life at the time. I had bacterial vaginosis which is very hard to treat because it usually reoccurs. I'm on my iPod so can't reply in full til I fire up the main computer. If you google it you will find lots of info on it. You should definitely get a swab done and start on a peserie antibiotics. Thrush cream only gives a tempory relief if it is vaginosis / vaginitis.

[Astrid]

I have vulval dermatitis which gets worse with thrush. Definitely get a swab, there is a strain of thrush (can't remember the name), that needs it own treatment, so get that ruled out along with other issues.

What I found in the end was that I was using too many creams. I took some oral thrush treatment and watched what I was eating a bit, trying to avoid yeasty foods (something I need to do better). I had to give my skin a break and then it started to heal, now I just use creams when I feel an itch starting.

There is a good cream by Ego (Egoderm Ointment) which is made for these types of conditions. Moo Goo Excema balm is also good, along with the odd bath sitting in pintarsol. I only resort to Elacon when desperate now.

It it horrible. Last summer it was so bad I had to sit on cold packs for relief.

[helle]

I had thrush constantly for about 12 months and in the end I went to a naturopath who helped adjust the flora in my gut... It sort of worked but it didn't cure it completely. I also cut out sugar and carbs, took the edge off but it was still meh...
Then one day I found a pamphlet in a chemist about the vagina and I got talking to one of the ladies there and she suggested that perhaps it was dermatitis and recommended washing in pintarsol (obviously you don't wash up there with it but around...) I also stopped using disposable pads and tampons and I don't think I have had a "thrush" attack since. Just some food for thought I'd get a swab done tho, yours sounds a lot worse than mine was and it would be good to rule everything out.
Gl! xx

[Astrolady]

Thanks for all the replies girls. I did read on a forum about a girl with similar issues and someone suggested trying Zyrtec in case it was an allergy. She also did a few other things like changing shampoos/soaps to ones that were free of something and using Cepacil cream and some other cream that had a menthol in it.

I got Zyrtec yesterday, because I am known for other allergies where I can be fine one day and my body decides the next that I am going to be allergic to it for the rest of my life. Hence why I am replacing my washing powder this week, although I have no other itchy patches. I took a Zyrtec before bed and had one of the best nights sleeps in ages LOL. I did wake up to scratching but just in the area where I knew a sore had developed not all over, and 2 mins later I was asleep again. I know they can cause drowsiness, so not counting my chickens yet.

Got up this morning and it was pretty itchy so have taken half a Zyrtec to see if it helps. I know I am probably only masking the issue but will see how I go for a couple of days and if still no good will be back to the GP. She said to come back if the cream she prescribed didn't help anyway, which it did for a few days which is why I was nearly healed and then it was like I got used to it, so will request a swab when I go back.

I have checked a few times for critters, but have never seen anything.

[BellyBelly]

Kat - you poor thing! It must be awful.

Given you have IBS as well, no matter if this is thrush or some other dermatitis, I would still be really strongly thinking there are gut issues going on here, and a really potent, ramped probiotic would be ideal as well as majorly cutting back sugar (soft drinks, juices, usual sugars) as well as all the wheat products as you can (white flours, biscuits, cakes, pastries etc). You can take a probiotic but many things in our diet kill them and leave us out of balance again. Make sure you switch to cotton underwear only (or better still go underwear free if you can) and tight fitting clothes. It sounds silly, but when I was in my early 20's I think mum bought me some nice g-strings and every single time I wore them, I got thrush - it was bizarre, never had that with underwear before! One day she asked me if I liked them, and I said, 'Actually its funny, every time I wear them (even one use!) I get thrush!' Turns out she did too. So fabrics can be a problem too.

Loads of ideas in the BB article on thrush which I am halfway in the process of updating. Drink lots of water to hydrate, flush and rebalance (replace other drinks with only water, bit of lemon in if you like it), get rid of sugar and wheat where possible and you'll notice lots of problems start to ease up or disappear. Its hard, but remind yourself of what you're going to get rid of in return x

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/health...trol-of-thrush

[Astrid]

At least if you can minimising the scratching it will allow the area to heal a bit.

I found garlic along with probiotics helps a lot. I cringe now every time I have to take AB's as I know I will flare up again. I need to lose weight as well, as too much fat in the area keeps it warmer.

Oh another tip, dry off that area well. Use a hair dryer as part of your drying off routine, just externally

[Astrolady]

I have actually been doing the hair dryer since it got really bad because using a towel to pat dry would make me want to scratch. Same with wiping when I go to the loo have been blotting dry and not wiping.

I have been struggling to stay awake this afternoon. I actually did lay down and slept for 5 mins here and there. So it has got to be the Zyrtec. Will take the other half a tablet (can have half every 12hrs) tonight before bed, and hopefully I won't need to take one again tomorrow morning, like I needed to this morning. Have had no desire to scratch however so far today.

Kelly I'd love to do try the Miessence stuff, but it's way out of my price range although I have probably easily spent that if not more on different creams the last few months.