Diabetic medication
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hello
I am so pleased to have found this forum.
I am 63 and have had Lichen Sclerosus for some years and have had occasional flare ups. However, the last month or so have been ghastly, I have wanted to tear at my skin and have often been unable to sleep. I saw the consultant today who said he was a bit baffled and there was a lot going on which he would have to think about. I am still uncomfortable from the vinegar wash he put on it (no words!!).
I have been on a new diabetic medication - Jardiance - for the last few weeks and the side effects of this are increased urination, irritation and thrush. I am weeing about 4 times a night and feel that because Jardiance makes you wee the sugar out, I feel this must be a contributory factor. I used Canestan and Vagisil, which was probably very unwise. I have been told to just use Dermovate and nothing else and to go back to see the consultant in 2 weeks if there is no improvement. Does anyone else take Jardiance who has LS? I have also just been told my thyroid has become very underactive and wondered if this is a contributory factor also.
I know other people use a variety of things to calm their LS. Does anyone else use fresh Aloe Vera from the leaf?
Thank you
Amanda
0 likes, 21 replies
maggie81413 gw1417
Posted
Hi Amanda, so sorry you are having a bad time of it. I am newly diagnosed, and won't go into my experience of this condition, but just wanted to offer a bit of advice I hope may help you. I've always had to work hard to keep thrush at bay, and I only ever take a 150mg Diflucan capsule when it starts. That way you can avoid Canestan cream, which I never could tolerate anyway. There are probiotics to take, including vaginally. Personally, I drink a glass of Kefir most days, which I get from a well-known supermarket. It's with the Polish dairy products. I don't know anything about diabetic medication, so can't offer any advice on that. But at around the menopause, I had hypothyroidism for a while, which has since gone back to normal. And I believe it is a factor in LS. My Dermatology Consultant asked about my thyroid when I saw her for my initial diagnosis last week. Hope this helps you a bit. Good luck.
gw1417 maggie81413
Posted
Hello maggie81413
Thank you for your reply, I'm really grateful that you took the time. Also, I am sorry you are newly diagnosed. I am taking acidophilus daily, and am on a sugar de-tox, also looking after my daughter in laws Kefir making while she is working away, so should take this, but don't fine it very palatable! Thank you for all your advice, good luck to you too. I think I was feeling a bit sorry for myself having been doused with a vinegar wash yesterday, but it's all feeling slightly calmer this morning.
maggie81413 gw1417
Posted
You're very welcome Amanda, we all feel overwhelmed at times with this horrible thing. I did laugh when you mentioned the Kefir making. Good luck with that, and do try it over some ice....very nice lol. Best wishes, Maggie.
Bridge_of_Sighs maggie81413
Posted
Hmmm... I made kefir for a while and my family rebelled and refused to drink it! I was a bit relieved as I didn't like it much either. My hobby-horse is bread. I think we'd all be a lot healthier if we ate proper bread rather than the mass-produced rubbish...
maggie81413 Bridge_of_Sighs
Posted
Oh dear Bridge lol, it's an acquired taste, but I don't mind it poured over ice, quite refreshing, but I take it for the health benefits of course.
Bridge_of_Sighs gw1417
Posted
Have a look at the thread 'an experiment with borax'. Many of us have found relief from a dilute solution of borax applied to the skin. For me the relief from itching was instant, others took a little longer. There are instructions on how much to use on the thread. Sit down with a cup of tea and read it through. Some people have had a similar effect with bicarbonate of soda, 3 pinches in 100ml. That didn't work for me, but one thing you will find is that we are all different and that different things work for different people. There's a wealth of knowledge and experience on here, doctors really don't seem to know much about this and give out very contradictory information. We each have to find out what works for us and support each other. So sorry you have joined us, but this is the best place to come for support and advice.
gw1417 Bridge_of_Sighs
Posted
Hello Bridge of Sighs, thank you for all that information. I have just found some alternative remedies which I will be trying, and certainly your suggestion of Borax sounds a really good thing to try first. I have had the condition for years, but it's been managed pretty well except for one bad flair up, and I've not followed the consultant's advice re what I should be doing. However, this latest bout has concentrated my mind and I am determined to do all I can to look after it. I am so grateful for this forum but what a shame it's needed. Not many people know of the condition do they. Thanks again.
gw1417 Bridge_of_Sighs
Posted
Bridge_of_Sighs gw1417
Posted
ebay, I ordered it from America, the 20 Mule team one. Someone mentioned somewhere in the UK you could get the same brand, I saw it on one of the threads, but can't remember where. I crossed my fingers and hoped it would arrive, and it did!
gw1417
Posted
Bridge_of_Sighs gw1417
Posted
My current doctor (GP) has read the thread 'An experiment with Borax,' and was very excited by it. She is also a skin specialist and sees A LOT of LS. She says that it is so common that she thinks that every woman by the time she is well through menopause will have had it to some degree. She dismisses the 'rare' comments and is angry that women who have it think they are therefore the only one and feel isolated and depressed. She also said 'If and when I get it, I know what to use now.'
I found her by chance, after I changed surgeries. If only there were more like her...
Great news about the Soap Kitchen, will bookmark it now.
maggie81413 Bridge_of_Sighs
Posted
You are so right Bridge. I went to 2 different male GP's and told them I was sure I had LS, after much research online seemed to point to that being my problem. They both disagreed with me, but then after a 4 month wait for a routine appointment, the Dermatology Consultant at the Vulval Clinic confirmed I'd been right all along. There really is much ignorance surrounding this condition.
maggie81413 gw1417
Posted
viv15674 gw1417
Posted
Thrush can make the itching unbearable. Every time I've thought I was having a terrible flare up of LS, I was actually experiencing a yeast infection. Once that was treated, the itching and pain settled down. The last time, I had such a vicious growth of yeast that the doctor took one look and prescribed three rounds of Diflucan and two weeks of twice-daily Clobetasol to get rid of the infection and settle down the resultant LS flare up. It worked very well.
I would talk to your doctor about trying a round or two of Diflucan. If you get rid of the thrush, then the LS should also settle down. Also, look into taking strong daily probiotics, especially if the diabetes medication is prone to causing thrush. Good probiotics should help keep that side effect in check. I order mine through Amazon (much less expensive than my local health store).
Guppy007 viv15674
Posted
Hi Viv, LS and thrush go hand in hand and so you are right that you have to get on top of the thrush before the LS will go away. I actually have a theory that systemic candida causes LS and other diseases. I think candida is an insidious problem that some women don't always know they have. I had to take some antibiotics recently and although I took the right measures to avoid thrush, I still got it, and sure enough I had a LS flare up.