LS breastfeeding and long term maintenance
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi. New to this group, but hoping to get advice on treating LS whilst breastfeeding and also in the longer term.
I am 32 and was diagnosed with LS 2 years ago after a biopsy of a small red bruise on my inner labia. My only other symptom was itching at night.
I only had a handful of flare ups (itching at night) after diagnosis, that I had been treating with dermovate. However, I then got pregnant and am now breastfeeding a 3 month old and as of 2 days ago am having another flare up. My doctor gave me hydrocortisone cream (1%) to use whilst pregnant and I have since read it's ok to use whilst breastfeeding, so have been putting it on once before bed. My questions are as follows:
-how much should I be putting on and how often? Can I over do it?
-Can I use something stronger (whilst breastfeeding) if the hydrocortisone doesn't help soon?
-In the long term (after I finish breastfeeding), given that my main symptom is currently just itching and possibly a little whitening of my perineum, should I be using cream only to get rid of the itching? Or more regularly to prevent any itching (and more worryingly) changes to my skin occurring in the first place? And if so, what sort of cream and how often?
-I also wonder about preventative treatment as I worry skin changes may occur without me actually experiencing any irritating symptoms. Or that by the time I start to itch, little changes will already have occurred. Does this happen? And should I therefore be using a cream every few weeks simply as a preventative measure even when I am symptomless? And if so what sort and how often?
Sorry this is quite long. Am up breastfeeding, so have time on my hands and lots of questions going round in my mind!
0 likes, 3 replies
frankie6220
Posted
I hope it all makes sense and I can get a bit of advise. I worry that having LS from the age of 30 means I won't be able to keep unwanted changes at bay for long enough and that symptoms and damage will only progress and worsen as I get older.
Morrell1951 frankie6220
Posted
Although I was never prescribed steroid ointment for my vulva, I was using creams for psoriasis the whole time and I suspect the slight systemic absorption gave a fairly steady low dose to the LS.
So, first I think you're flaring now because the pregnancy hormones that usually put LS in remission are gone now. If I were you I'd keep using the low potency steroid daily while nursing, then ask your gynaecologist for Dermovate when you've weaned the baby. If your perineum is getting white you shouldn't abandon treatment.
Do use oils and barriers like Vaseline to protect flared flesh from urine and sweat.
frankie6220 Morrell1951
Posted
I hope you don't mind me asking a few more questions?...
This is the only flare up that I have actually noticed burning from urine, so I will definetely take your advice and start putting Vaseline on as a barrier. When do you do this so it does not interfere with the hydrocortisone cream I apply?
Can I reverse the whitening on my perineum with cream as it isn't too bad, or am I stuck with it?
Looking back at things I have always found sex painful, which I thought was psychological, but now think may have been undiagnosed LS, so perhaps I have had it since I was a teenager.
Do you think fusing and atrophy will be inevitable for me post menopause as I will have had LS for years by then or was this the case for you as you were still undiagnosed at that point?
Also, once this flare up is under control and I am not experiencing any symptoms again (hopefully!) do I continue to use a cream just to keep things at bay/stop any changes happening without me experiencing symptoms (can this happen??)? If so, which cream would you recommend and how regularly should I use it?
Thank you again.