Discontinued Estrace - burning, itching, swelling

Patricia, I feel your pain.  I cannot use Replens either.  I have been using ice and I am going to ask the dr. for an rx for lidocaine today.  Does it burn when it is first applied and how long does the numbing effect last?  I would like to use it before getting into the car. 

I am taking Ativan for anxiety and now my PCP wants me to discontinue taking it.  She belongs to a hospital system that discourages doctors from prescribing benzodiazepines and opioids.  This is not a good time to stop. 

I used Metrogel after two tubes of Monistat 7 even though my cultures were negative.  The doctor did a swab and claimed she saw bacteria under a microscope.  I would think a culture would be more accurate.  Metrogel is the same as flagyl, but flagy is pill for and Metrogel is a vaginal antibiotic.  The doctor said if I still felt symptoms after the Metrogel, it could be a yeast infection caused by it and to take Terconazol which is an rx for yeast.  I took two tubes of it and this is how this all started.  Also, using Replens in between.  I am going to wear loose, stretchy pajama bottoms in the car.  They look enough like flowered capris if I have to use a restroom along the way. 

This may sound like one more foolish thing, but has anyone suggested changing your diet? Not that this is all caused by food, but maybe if you eliminate certain ones for now your body won't be as reactive(?)

Everyone says sugar is bad, particularly for yeast. but also in general.

Have you ever been to see a natural remedy type person? Just their attitude alone makes you feel better. Might be worth a try. .

Returned from pelvic pain doctor.  He doesn't see anything but thinning and he said the burning is caused by atrophy.  I asked him if it could be vulvodynia and he said it could, but usually there is no reason for vulvodynia and I had reason using so many different creams.

He is very young and had a young intern observing.  I asked if he could leave the room during the exam.  I didn't want two young male doctors looking up there!

He gave me an rx for hydrocortisone/lidocaine and he rx'd a compounding pharmacy.  They will send me several different creams to see which I can tolerate and then add the estrogen.  I told him I didn't want to try this until the end of next week.  Although, I will try the hydrocortisone/lidocaine to see if I can tolerate it before using it before our road trip.

I feel like a real hypochondriac, but I can't tolerate the burning anymore.  He told me I am washing with too much water and that could also be the cause of the burning.

As far as diet, he didn't say anything.  I know that sugar causes yeast, but sugar is my only vice!

Thanks, everyone, for listening to me whine!

Oh hope it helps, what will you wash with may I ask

Originally he told me to wash with glycerine soap.  I bought an unscented bar, but it had a fragrance from essential oils and it burned.  I could not find a glycerine bar without something added.  The last few times I used Neutrogena unscented sensitive skin face soap.  I told him I was using it and he said it was OK.

Excellent question! With less water?? The printout my doctor gave me on LS said no soap, but not no water. Maybe Lorrie's doc just meant too much washing might be drying out the skin(?) Truth is they do a lot of guessing. Looking at irritated vaginal skin can't possibly tell you what is causing it to be irritated. So it becomes a process of guess work and elimination. Or they throw everything but the kitchen sink at you, I guess.

I just called my doc's office today (not in) and spoke with the nurse. Told her I was getting an increasing burning sensation where hormone cream was used so didn't use last 2 nights and felt better. Someone is supposed to get back to me tomorrow.

My inclination is to continue with the steroid, but not the estradiol if it is in fact causing a burning sensation. Maybe time to move on to something natural. 

I always use that on my face for years!Every Dr tells a different version of what's best to do , I too have a trip in November and hopefully can enjoy it

Beverly who diagnosed you with LS Dermatologist? Was wondering if that's someone to go see next, was reading about lichen plantis . Gyno gave me steroid yeast cream to use outside and I've used Replens for 8 weeks or so but it sometimes irritates too but help inside heal. Maybe I need a barrier cream but then may cause myself dermatitis lol This is a real mystery , everything seems to irritate

The doctor meant too much water.  My original gyn said to use a sitz bath daily.  My dermatologist said not to use it more than once a week.  I just started using it again along with showers and a hand held travel bidet.  I thought that perhaps urine was burning my skin and that is why I was using so much water not knowing that water might have been the culprit!  Beverly, please post what the nurse advises.

I love the soap and there is no fragrance at all.  It is the one soap that hasn't burned badly.  I hope you can be free from pain and enjoy your trip in November.

On a lighter note, I thought you all might enjoy this story.  When I was seeing my dermatologist for what she said was irritation (more so on the left side) I broke out in three pimples next to my crack on the right side.  They hurt like heck and I began applying acne medicine to no avail.  I went back to the dermatologist and my regular doctor was off, so my appointment was with a new doctor.  She looked at the pimples and said I had herpes!  I asked her if she was sure to which she replied she was.  She obtained a culture and requested if the herpes was Type I (oral) or Type 2 (genital).

I went home in hysterics and told my husband, "I have herpes!  How would I get this?!"  I had a week of misery waiting for the results and ready to divorce my husband.  After a week, I received a message on my voice mail stating I had shingles!

I went for my follow up visit and made the nurse and doctor aware they caused me much anxiety.  Their defense was that shingles is a type of herpes!  I said, no - the doctor said it was either herpes I or 2 which is herpes simplex.  Shingles is herpes zoster!  The nurse and doctor were at a loss of words.

So, I was in pain on the left side from either  the VA or irritation or vulvodynia (too many diagnoses) and the right side from freaking shingles!

Think of me when you are in dire pain and be glad you don't have shingles too!

The gynecologist (who said she is also a menopause specialist) diagnosed the LS after a very lengthy exam using a very bright light. I'm using the steroid cream for it nightly. After a month's use (along with the estradiol cream) I went back for a check-up and the doctor said everything was coming along nicely.

I seem fine with the steroid, but maybe not so fine with the estradiol. I stopped using that a few nights ago because of a burning sensation. Prior to that it was internal itch which seems to have been cured after my insistence on flagyl. I think the burn became more noticeable after the itching stopped.

Early call this morning got a call from the main office to my cell. Didn't get to the phone on time (I only use it during the winter and am sure I put that info on the sheet I was given). Message totally garbled so I don't know what I am supposed to be doing. Could not get through when I called back  Was told by service that staff was in meeting. Has been hours. No call. The only words I could glean from the message was "coconut oil", nothing about hormone cream. Technology along with my body working against me.

My little saga continues.

lorrie, please see my message to Yolanda. I have yet to get a message clarifying the garbled message left on my cell.

Yikes! Didn't know you could get shingles on your genital area! I had the shingles vaccine as soon as I was old enough, but I got it anyway a few years later. Fortunately a mild attack. It gave me a backache I will never forget though. Highly recommend that people get the vaccine. Worth the $ if you have to pay. At the time my insurance covered it. 

OK, Lorrie, here's what the nurse had to say. Continue with steroid and use coconut oil. (I had to call again as call never returned). That was all the info the doctor left. Nothing about the hormone cream which is what I had asked about. Nurse agreed with my assumption that I should stop with the hormone cream, but as I don't have an appt for another 3 months I asked for clarification re do I stop altogether or use less frequently. Don't know why communicating with them is so difficult. Seems doctors all have too many patients. Just love the insecure and unspecial feeling of being one of hundreds!

This is why I called after hours and I am glad I did because I could speak directly to the doctor.  Have you ever used coconut oil before?  If not, I would try it in a small area first.  My worst reaction was when I used the estrace and the coconut oil together.  I am using nothing but hydrocortisone 1% today and I'm feeling a little better.  I went to get the lidocaine/hydrocortisone, but the pharmacy had to order it.

Yes, I've been using coconut oil for a few years. Has never bothered me, fortunately. Didn't start to use regularly till this past winter.

When I saw the doctor a month ago she told me to keep using it with the Estradiol and the steroid ointment. I thought that might lessen the effectiveness of the prescribed stuff, but she said "we love coconut oil". I did try a couple of nights without it, and I seemed to be drier the next day so I stuck with it. At least without the hormone cream it will be a bit less messy. I'm certainly less sore now as each day passes without using it.

Not sure what options I will have now for hormones. I'm guessing I won't get a call back answering my question re do I stop for the full 3 months till I see her again or try using it a few times a week rather than every night. (That did seem like a lot to me).

Good luck. Hope you get to enjoy your trip.

Good luck

Thanks.

To my surprise the nurse left a message today: the doctor said to try the estradiol twice a week. As I'm feeling pretty good now, I'm not looking forward to it, but if the need for hormones is so extreme that it caused the LS I don't see I have much choice. But maybe something other than estradiol would be better suited to me. Will see. 

I seem to now be in the guinea pig category that so many women find themselves in due to these AV issues