Itchy, raw, vulva, nothing seems to

Hi Liz, after reading your post I can identify with your symptoms and think this is possibly what I have. I have just returned from my fourth trip to my Drs and been prescribed steroid cream. What also struck a cord with me was your back issues. When I'm really sore my lower back, down my legs and lowers abdomen are also so, to the point where I can sleep fir the pain. I just wondered if you experienced these symptoms.

Hi

Can you tell me how soon you noticed the amitryptyline working? I have been using it for 18 days, 10mg for 14 days and then 20 mgs for 2 days. I am still having pain and just wondered how long it took?

Thanks

I am new to this site/thread/discussion but already I feel better just knowing I'm not alone.  I have had the words "lichen sclerosus" thrown around, never thought of vulvodynia, so I'm going to check out more information on that too.  I have been so scared and frustrated by all this.  Symptoms identical to what eveyrone here is describing have been going on about 9 months.  Incidentally, this entire year I've not had a cycle and they've been wonky for a couple of years, and I am 50 years, 7 months of age.  

Go to a dermatologist they know alot about possible issues with the vulva skin.

I just found this discussion and I do not feel so alone. I have been dealing with this for many years. I think I have had it for a long time but it was mild and transient. Then about 5-8 years ago. I had a horrible flare up. I had a rash all over the area. It was summer and sweating always makes it worse but anyway the doctor thought it was a yeast thing and gave me diflucan. Well I guess that was not the problem and I reacted badly systemically. I broke out in hives all over the vaginal symptoms turned to fire and I also developed some sort of itchy blisters on my fingers. The doctor ended up giving me oral prednisone...like a 5 day course. That calmed everything down but it came back when I stopped so he gave me another course and that seemed to calm things down. Since then though, I just get it flaring up from time to time, and most of the time I have a low level of issues. It does not sound like there is an easy diagnosis and it's sort of like saying I have a sore throat. It could have a multitude of causes and solutions.

I am post menopausal and had a complete hysterectomy about 15 or more years ago. About 7 months ago I had a bad flare up and found myself online googling if I could have my vagina removed. At that point I realized how serious what I have is and how it's affected my life. I do not want to travel anywhere by plane because it's hard to bring my arsenal of various treatments that may or may not work at any given time. I started some estrogen back when I had this bad flare. It seemed to help a little but it was just over the counter. biestro I got on amazon and progesterone cream also on amazon. I mentioned it to my doctor and she suggested trying some vaginal estrogen so I got a script for estrace. I have not used it consistently because I do not like having all that cream up there. It does not seem to hurt and maybe even feels soothing to a degree.

I have also used hydrocortisone cream but think that may help in the short term but make it worse in the long term by thinning out the tissue further and making it more sensitive.

I have not tried antidepressants because I have tried them for an anxiety disorder and I react badly. The estrogen / progestorone has helped my anxiety though....I thought it was helping my vaginal issues too but I am presently having a flare so I am just not sure.

I do not have much advice and have had limited success with a bunch of things

One thing I can say for sure. No matter how much you want to, do not scratch!!!! I can be fine and feel like it itches just a little so I scratch just a tiny bit and then I am in agony for days. You would think I used a wire brush to scratch when I just lightly scratched a few times and I am on fire for days! ugh.

I have tried boric acid capsules and I have to say they work if you have any BV at all. I think they work for yeast too. any infection can obviously cause the vulva to flare up. I have suspected that BV or yeast might be lurking so I have tried boric acid and also peroxide douche or just spraying with 3% peroxide. It burns but it seems to feel better when the burning subsides. I have also tried lotrimine yeast infection cream, and clindamycin vaginal cream. I have tried just about every ointment or cream on amazon for vaginal health. I've tried replens...you name it I have tried it. Everything seems to help sometimes, do nothing sometimes and make it worse sometimes. It seems that what really helps is time and not having anything irritating going on.

I use cotton only underwear that I get from cottonique. they cost a fortune but it's all I will wear. If I had to wear a pad with any of the medications it's difficult but I did find target carries some pads that have a cotton cover and honestly feel just like wearing my cotton underwear. They are very thin. The package just says chlorine free ultra thin pads Made in Italy. I am not sure what the brand is...it's not prominent on the package. But if you need pads these are the only thing I can wear. They are not expensive either.

I wish I had more to offer but this is my experience so far. I am following this thread and I assume or hope I will get notified when there are new messages.

Becky

I thought I was the only one feeling like this. I’ve been suffering with vaginal itchy since 2010 till this day. No solutions I’ve been to 5 different doctor. I really don’t know what to do anymore. 

My clear symptoms hit me 2 months ago. They have started after sex and urgent feeling need to go to the loo for wee. I went through antibiotics just in case and urine test was clear 😕.  So what was it? Changed my GP. Going for blood test tomorrow eventually my hormones will be checked and in 2 weeks will see gynecologist. GPscared me a bit. She said I probably will need to take a biopsy 😢. Hope I haven't got Cancer.  

Thank you ladies. I always here with my crazy feelings. 

Hi Liz, i have been facing the same problems since more then a month now, i get this burning sensation, very itchy and stinging sensation too. I tried different ointments, recently went to the doctor, she did a urine test for me but it was positive, then she asked me to use canesten cream upto four-five times a day and suggested me  fluconazole oral tablets. I tried both of it, but seems like no help to me, this is really getting me depressed and i cannot concentrate on anything. The doctors here are of no much help too. Can you please help me as to what shall i do?

Hi there. I had a corse of antibiotics at the end of October for a throat infection after that I got thrush had the oral tablet didn’t work had 3 caniston tables internal didn’t work tubes of creams didn’t work had my sexual health test swabs for differ kinds of thrush all fine went back endless of times because I thought I had the herpy virus was told 5 times it’s not that it’s made me physically ill because Iv made my self believe it’s herpes But nothing has ever shown I get I get burning outside the vulva pricking sensation little stings in the entrance but still nothing shows I also get a food cold feeling like Iv used mint soap also it’s irritated after all most eveything I’m so low and down about it cuz nothing seems to be working Iv just tried Gyno-daktarin cuz for 2 months they have sent me away with thrush I’m due to see a gynaecologist at the end of this month I’m so hoping they can tell me what it is Iv had enough and it’s really  getting me down x

Hi All. I posted on here before about how I have been suffering from a horrendously itchy vulva that was really raw and sore with a horrible creepy crawly like sensation with prickling that was a bit like pins and needles. After suffering for roughly two years it has finally calmed down A LOT! I had all the tests done with nothing showing so there was no thrush or other infections. It drove me absolutely mad and is one of the worst things that I have suffered in my life that it even made me feel like ending it all. I was suicidal with it. The doctors kept telling me to take antihistamines but I can't take them as they make my restless legs worse. I have had a lot of dermatitis on my hands over the years and the only thing that ever helped the itching was Benadryl Cream so I thought there was nothing to lose on trying that on my vulva. After a few days I had relief from my itches! I started using it about two months ago and I just can't believe how better it feels! One slight stumbling block though is that I'm in the Uk and we can't get Benadryl cream here now but I bought the equivalent Boots make. I have also been taking Gabapentin for the prickly sensations and the ants crawling sensations as the doctor said it sounds like nerve damage. All in all though I am feeling so much better that I can get back on with my life. My theory is though that everything that I put on my vulva to try to stop the itching has caused the nerve damage. I can't really do anything about that now but at least I've got relief by taking the gabapentin. On my previous post on here I put that I had found relief from replensMD. Unfortunately soon after my post I realised it wasn't the answer. Once I put the antihistamine cream on though I was able to stop scratching which stopped my vulva from being raw and sore from the constant scratching. I still get a little itch every now and then but it's nothing compared to what it was.

Hey I know thisI is four years old. I too am on amitrptaline and recovering. StillI quite itchy but no painsymptoms. How are you doing now love to know if you were able to come off the ami without a relapse?