Extremely itchy vulva and anus

Posted , 25 users are following.

Hi,

For about 6 months I've been having a non stop itch on my vulva. So bad to the point that I wanna cry. I can't stop itching! I've tried everything and seen the doctor too many times where they probably think I'm crazy. At first it was a fungal infection, then a yeast infection and now my gyno sees nothing that's related to the itching. I've been washing my underwear with clean and clear laundry detergent and been careful about soaps but still nothing. I also have hemorrhoids which I think is the cause of the anal itch too but that's just as bad! All day I just want to scratch the hell out of down there. It's quite depressing. I should mention my son did have pinworms at one point but they're now gone. And usually from reading pinworm eggs make it itch but even after I shower (if I had pinworms the eggs would wash away) its still itchy! Please help. I'm desperate for an answer. Holidays are coming up and I just want my normal feeling vagina back!

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  • Posted

    Your symptoms sound like it could possibly be Lichen schlerosus, an autoimmune condition of the skin treated with steroid ointments (initially and perhaps longer-term depending on seriousness of the condition & response to treatment) - see section on this website. I would advise that you go to your GP asap as, if it is LS, the sooner it's diagnosed, the better. S/he probaby won't know anything about it so specialist dermatologist is needed to confirm dagnosis. Check online for a gynaecological dermatologist somewhere in your area (not many of them either) so you can suggest getting a referral at the visit - you may have to wait a while for an appointment. GP will still go through all the differential diagnosis processes in the meantime but they really need to be told about LS so they can educate themselves on it as well. Even if you don't have LS, we need to raise the GP level of education about the condition so that when someone does come in with it, they will get the advice and treatment needed. Hope it goes well for you smile.

     

    • Posted

      Thanks for the reply! I feared it could be that but I recently switched gynecologist after my old one looked at me like I was crazy and that nothing was wrong. My new gyno is awesome and working with me to make sure we can find a solution. She ruled lichen sclerosis out so that's a relief. Things have been the same. But these past 2 days a little better. I was on the mini pill for 2 years cuz I'm still breastfeeding. My new gyno informed me that I could have gotten off of that after 6 months! My old one didn't say anything. 🙄 I've had no estrogen in my system that could have been causing the itch. I hope that's the case and will go away soon. Also taking 6 months of yeast infection medication because she found that there was still yeast. Also she said it could be just a itch, scratch cycle?? And as for my hemorrhoids...still bad! Well, wish me luck! Hoping this goes away very very soon!

  • Posted

    Have you seen a dermatologist? You may have a mild contact dermatitis or another vulvar skin condition. Family docs and gynecologists are not very adept at diagnosing it. Hope you're feeling better at this stage!

    • Posted

      Thanks for the reply! Hoping it was just low estrogen which can cause the itch. Switched my birth control after 2 years on the mini pill. My old gyno didn't inform me I could do that. So mad. Hoping for better results my next doctors appt in a couple days. If not, I will definitely look into your suggestion! Thanks!

    • Posted

      This sounds like my life story for the past month. I don't have any additional advice but I'll be following your story and sharing anything I learn. You are not alone with this. I'm currently on my 3rd different yeast infection treatment.

    • Posted

      Sorry you're suffering with this too! So far I've been ok...which for me is like the best thing in the world being able to actually enjoy my christmas. If I started to scratch it would still become very itchy so I've been dealing with a low level itch. Before..I would either itch and it would have this horrible poking feeling that wouldn't go away...like someone was poking me with needles and the only way to relieve that feeling was to scratch one scratch. Not sure if that makes sense but now I'm doing a lot better. Not sure if it's the flucanazole that's working or the estrogen I'm getting from my new birth control but I'm thankful that it's subsided. Now just hoping for full recovery! Also, my hemorrhoids are still itchy 😩 that hasn't gone away.

  • Posted

    Hello, aja93431! I have exactly the same condition for 3 years now. Been to 4 ob-gyne and 1 derma. I also took flucanozole but 2 weeks after taking it, it came back! 😫😭 I also have allergic reaction to daktarin (miconazole) cream and nizoral (ketoconazole) cream, which are both antifungal cream. I cant forget that night when I applied Daktarin cream, it was terribly itchy and didnt make me sleep. I was also crying. Sometimes I already feel helpless.. 😞 But, recently I consulted a dermatologist, she checked my labia majora and anus, and her findings was contact dermatitis.It is possible that i have allergies to some detergents, that caused me to have dermatitis. So she gave me this cleansing solution that is soap-free. Felt good.  however, she advised me to apply betamethasone cream... First and 2nd day, it was fine. On the 3rd day, it was already itchy. My labia majora became saggy and swollen. So I stopped. I still need to see her again this weekend. But, I also did some experiment recently before I consulted this dermatologist, I stopped using feminine wash like lactacyd, which was prescribed by my current OB. I wash after I pee using plain water. Thank God, the itch lessened. Only that, at night when I arrive home, thats the time i itch so badly and scratch it so hard. I hope you are feeling better now. But, I do more hope, that yours had been cured already. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!

  • Posted

    Hello ladies,

    I have been driving myself crazy for three months with ongoing genital irritation. It started in my vulva, then moved to the anal area, then it was in both. I first went to my primary care where they said it was a yeast infection and they sent me home with Nystatin powder. It helped for a bit but the irritation came back, and I also found out my yeast test came back negative so it wasn’t a yeast infection anyway.

    Next I went to my gyno and got every STD test under the sun. All of it came back negative. At this point, the irritation was so bad I was losing my mind. I had never had anything like this issue until now and I hadn’t done anything different with my body so there was no explanation why it just popped up suddenly. The whole vulvar and anal area was red, raw, itchy, swollen, and sometimes I would see just the tiniest drops of blood after wiping. I changed everything: my soaps, detergent, diet and all that. My gyno gave me a steroid cream. It helped with the symptoms but did not cure anything. As soon as the cream was off, the irritation was just as bad. 

    I went to 2 different gynos trying to figure out this issue. I convinced myself it was cancer, lichen sclerosis, and every other vulvar disease I could find online. My 2nd gyno said she just didn’t see anything wrong and told me to keep using the steroid cream like the other gyno suggested. This is after I have changed my creams twice, had the powder, and been told to get over the counter hemorrhoid ointment even though I didn’t have hemorrhoids. I had done full blood work and everything was clear. 

    Finally I decided to just go to a dermatologist. And after two weeks of doing what she told me, I am finally starting to feel like it’s healing. She did give me another steroid ointment, but it’s more of a gel and not a cream like the others were. But her main suggestion for treatment was using regular baby diaper rash cream after every single visit to the bathroom. She mentioned AD ointment and Butt Paste. I used AD for a while but I think the Butt Paste is what truly is healing it. It’s a harder consistency to deal with but it seems to be getting the job done. She also said do not wash the area with anything but cold water. She also said to not even worry about scrubbing it that vigorously, because the area is supposed to have bacteria anyway and a simple rinse is good enough. 

    She also told me that this type of irritation is super common and that 9/10 times it is not something serious. I hope this helps someone. For the first time in months, I am feeling normal again. And I wanted to share because I have been frantically googling my symptoms and hoping for an answer like many of you for too long!

    • Posted

      Hi i have been having irritation down there for ten years. Been treated for yeast infection and bacteria infection over the years . My last few paps have been negative for everything. Like you my blood work is negative for everything. I've been googling like crazy trying to figure this out. Any suggestions?

    • Posted

      Have you been to a dermatologist? They will probably ask if you have had an STD screening first. But if you have and everything is negative, the Butt Paste has been working well for me. I think it’s finally starting to get better. She did give me a steroid gel to use twice a day, but the butt paste is the main treatment. I also have stopped using soap in the area, only cold water. I think it’s getting a lot better, and now I’m only using the steroid once a day.

      I have been having this issue for about 4 months now and I have been going crazy until about two weeks ago. It started changing for me when I added in the diaper rash treatment. I wish I had gone to a dermatologist right away, but like many I assumed my gyno would have been the best choice. I have a great gyno too but really it came down to a simple skin irritation that was probably causing me more harm mentally than physically. You should definitely go see a dermatologist if you have not already. I would suggest finding one who has experience with identifying common vulvar issues and diseases. Not saying it’s a disease though!  Just get to a good doc who will listen to you and take it one step at a time. 

    • Posted

      I have had the exact same problem for almost four years. I have done everything and then some. I've been all over the internet as every doctor I've seen is useless. I'm so frustrated. Glad to know I'm not alone. I'm going to try what you shared. Hope it works. 

    • Posted

      OMG Thank you so much for your time in writing your valuable information. You have saved my life. I kid you not, I was suicidal with the itching. Too embarrassed to go to the doctor I tried everything my web searches had to offer and after reading your post, I went to the store immediately and bought butt paste and A&D. It is now the second day and I have not itched once. God Bless wonderful people like you who take the time to make a difference in the lives of others you don't even know. You truly are amazing and I wish you nothing but the best life has to offer.   I will add that I made ice packs out of long balloons to help the healing process and it is working wonderfully.

    • Posted

      Thank you soooo much for taking the time to write this.  Just ran to the store to get Butt Paste!
    • Posted

      I know this post is a little old but I've come across it after getting no answers from about 4 different gynecologists! How exactly did you apply the butt paste, is it safe for inside the vagina?

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