I need advice!
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi everyone. I've never posted anything before, anywhere but I'm desperate for advice from some people that obviously know what they are talking about.
I've been having some very unpleasant symptoms intermittently for around 5 months now. I've had these symptoms since moving house and meeting a new partner which is why doctors are keen to blame environmental factors but I can't see it myself. The main problem I get is tearing and cuts right at the entrance of my vagina when I have sex with my partner. I hasten to add that I'm always relaxed and ready and we use plenty of lube so I don't think it can be friction. Inbetween, I also get quite itchy and sore but this is not all the time. Some weeks I have no problems at all, others I can't sit down. I have had 7 STI screens in 5 months - all negative; no thrush present; been patch tested for allergy and negative smear. I wash with water only and contact nothing else, I've also made sure it's not washing powder by changing it and double rinsing.
My question is, could I have LS? I know these are not classic symptoms but wondered if anyone else has had this experience as I am sure this is a skin condition. I have intermittent pain and itching and tearing that resembles papercuts but no white or discoloured patches anywhere. When I haven't had sex and don't have tears, the skin looks normal - can this happen with LS.
I have seen 2 GPs, 3 GUM docs, 1 dermatologist and 1 gynaecologist. All agree something is wrong but don't know what. Would at least one of these have identified LS if I had it?
I'd be really grateful to hear from anyone who had non-classic symptoms!
Thanks and sorry for the long post, i'm just very worried!
0 likes, 9 replies
lisette
Posted
Don't be fobbed off, if you have LS you won't get relief until you get the right help for you. If you haven't got LS at least you can move on and find out what is upsetting you. Good luck I hope you find your answers. P.s I did find I was allergic to my lubricant!
Winnie58
Posted
One thing you said did make me question whether I have it, which was that I wouldn't get relief without treatment. The odd thing with whatever I have is that I do get relief, probably more than I get symptoms. I seem to get 'flare ups' for anything between 3 days and 2 weeks but in between these times I have no symptoms whatsoever and feel completely normal. Also, the first episode I had went from having nothing at all to excruciating pain in less than 24 hours, lasted a week and then disappeared as quickly as it arrived with no treatment. Has anyone had anything like this? My doctor is adamant that it's an allergy but unless I'm allergic to water, I don't contact anything else, I use KY jelly but have had episodes when I've been away from my partner.
Whatever this is, LS or not, it's rubbish and my absolute sympathies go out to people who have been suffering for years, I've had it on and off for 5 months and I've more than had enough!
lisette
Posted
Winnie58
Posted
I have asked a dermatologist for a biopsy and he did agree that it would help with diagnosis but because I don't have an obvious area of 'different' looking skin or really any inflammation, he would just be blindly taking bits of skin and hoping for the best. To be fair to him, he said he'd do it if I wanted it but that he could quite easily get a false negative by taking it from the wrong site and the pain would be for nothing.
One thing he did suggest was that certain oils like almond oil and emu oil can really help, have you heard of this? Think I might try it in the meantime before I see the vulval specialist as I don't have anything to lose. They're reluctant to prescribe steroid creams until they've investigated further because if the skin is thin for a different reason, steroid creams could make it worse. At least they are listening now, reading up and going in with s bit of knowledge has helped me to get taken seriously and seems to have stopped them fobbing me off! They've done some patch tests this week to check I don't have any allergies to any of the creams they may later prescribe which is very sensible of them! The fact that my back is strapped up with patches to the point I can't bend is certainly distracting from the other pain at least!!!
lisette
Posted
Winnie58
Posted
The only other reason my skin would be thin was suggested by my housemate but when I mentioned it to the doctor she just laughed and said it was silly. My housemate pointed out that I am quite obsessive about washing and she's right, I shower a lot for a long time and our shower head is, well, powerful. Although I use only water, no soap, it is a jet of water. This shower is new, as I said I moved house just before I got symptoms. She reckoned, repeated washing with powerful water could be enough to cause skin damage like when your hands get dry from over-washing. I'm not convinced as I don't have symptoms all the time which I thought I would if that was the case but I'm cutting out the over-washing as well in the hope it helps.
As for what I've read about what causes other women's flare-ups, I don't seem to get problems from sitting a lot, wearing trousers, I go to the gym in very tight trousers a lot and if anything exercise makes me feel better. Diet and stress (which go together for me) definitely coincide with problems but my problems are mainly induced by any poking around down there ie. sex. I've looked a lot into vulvodynia but nowhere have I come across tearing in the symptoms.
It's so good to be able to talk to someone about this, I've tried with a couple of close friends but the faces they pulled suggested it was too much sharing! LS or not, it's good to know there are people that understand the symptoms!
lisette
Posted
Winnie58
Posted
lisette
Posted