Lichen Sclerosus

I had one single bout of herpes simplex in 1974, while I was married. So, if I had a blood test, I would test positive. My ObGyn said they think there may be some relationship between psoriasis (which I've had forever) and LS, whatever that means.

The basic truth is they've known about LS for over 100 years; they figured out that corticosteroid cream was the best treatment around 1960. There are some auto-immune disorders like this and my mother's rheumatoid arthritis that cause such bad degeneration if left untreated that I just don't see how I can refuse to use the cream.

I believe I've lost three husbands in forty years thanks to LS.

I can understand why is so painful when you get it. and dont know what you have. yes they have told me my auto-immune is low after the test i have put this down to shock over many years. having been told i had an heart attack and put on all this medication. they got it wrong my heart was fine it was the failing of my marriage and the stress from that. i had to fight for everything. but i got there in the end. with hard work. my doctor had to bring me down off it that was stressful anger i had was unreal. my doctor told me i was a lucky lady when i went to him telling him i didnt think i would be here much longer if they dont get me tested again i was rushed there and then my heart was that slow i could not stand up. he help me he was my old doctor from where i had lived. thank the lord i moved back. it was the hospital that got all my notes wrong in the first place. The thing is i was out in manchester when i passed out. it was hope hospital that treated me.

my suffering now is to be told i have LS but my health otherwise is fine. i dont smoke and i only drink a glass of red wine. i try to live an healthy life most of the time. my daughter has to be gluten free so i have always had to watch what i gave my children. now i am looking after my grand child we think she will suffer like her mum. so she cant wean her yet she is happy with her milk for now. her mummy is worried bless her but i told her i will start weaning her with her.

Your daughter is very lucky to have her looking after the baby. If she does turn out to be gluten-sensitive, you'll know how to do the diet. The real meaning in our lives comes from aspects much bigger than sex. It's interesting that in this forum many women put a high value on sex and will endure pain and damage to keep their mates happy. I did that for decades and maybe I wouldn't have my two great children if I hadn't gritted my teeth. But if I had a daughter with bad LS I'd really encourage her to look elsewhere in life for meaning and satisfaction.

Lots of men who have surgery for prostate cancer accept that they won't be having sex. So, that's where I stand and fortunately my mate takes that attitude. I guess it's easier for women in late life than young women.

Jean I just realized half of my notifications are going to my spam box. So, sorry, I missed your post about the hospital mess-up with your shock/anger/'heartattack'.

I credit years of anger with a lot of my auto immune stuff. Anger is poison.

good afternoon morrell had a lovely morning in bed think i needed the rest looking after a baby from 6.30 each morning has been long days but i would not change it. my own mother never came close to my children with all the other grand kids she has. so i told my daughter i wanted to play a big part in her life.when she told me she wanted to go back teaching i told her to go for it and i would have freya for her. she as been a very calm baby much like her mummy. i have had her from day one with her mum not recovering very well after having her. but now she is doing great. freya is 5 months now but she knows who her mummy and daddy are.

may be i will find a nice man to go out for meals etc i love fine art and traveling to places of interest . bless my friends little boy just came with his gold fish for freya he says he is getting to big for them now hahahah he is only four she said he was having none of it when she told him he could have it for a long time. hahaha he said he is not a baby. so i now have a gold fish called cobey.

Jean, deciding to date at our age is like deciding to have kids – if you're not positively obsessed with the idea, best to skip it. You should have seen the psoriasis flareups I had while meeting new men. I was a mess. Who knows what they thought about my pizza face. I mostly wanted a companion to watch movies with and that's what I've got, plus of course, more. But I also have someone to worry about. My LS is nothing compared to his health stuff, much of it relatively invisible to others. Like LS, nothing that will kill him.

I did have one male friend who was great for going out and having dinners at home with. But I pushed the romance side and when that didn't work out, instead of going back to our friendship I went on the dating sites and left him behind. Poor guy. He was impotent and we would have been a perfect match now.

morrell I understand what your saying its nice to find someone who understands what i'm saying. My friend i have known all my life found it hard she thought i could pass it to her stupid women. so i gave her some info i had been given myself. I have lost many friends due to it but i take it they could never have been true friends. so now i find myself here making good conversation. so now i am not looking to date just need good friends who you can laugh with. and i find the ladys my age have lost partners etc i joined a club thats how we met up they say i look to young to be with them i still have long dark hair i am lucky i get that from my parents its very thick . i did say to my daughter i will have it cut back she said why you would not suit short hair. she trims it for me when it needs it. my x husband was an hairdresser so i was lucky that way.

I know a number of single women our age in the rural community here. They do lots of things together and meaningful volunteer work, plus grandkids. It's nice to keep up the hair and clothing in case a nice guy happens into your life. It might be simpler to tell a man sex is out of the question than my experience of trying to appear normal, but actually having quite a bit of discomfort and after-effects.

I told a group of women about LS and they were pretty shocked. Other than my husband, my shiatsu therapist and my mother, nobody's going to be hearing any more about it from me. One girl my age got lyme disease three years ago and she talks about it constantly, turns every conversation to it. This certainly drives me away. Interestingly, I found one web site that says there may be a link between LS and lyme disease. In other words there may be a related bacterium that sneaks in and causes the problem. But they'd have to do a massive study to be sure and the last time there was a study done on LS was 1960. I blame myself and others like me who have kept quiet about it all their lives. But even lyme disease is only curable if they catch you immediately after the tick bite. Once that spiral bacteria becomes part of your system, it's done. Diet and symptom treatment is all there is.

Like you I hardly drink alcohol, never smoked, always ate pretty healthy food. I say, 'Everything in moderation – including moderation!'

i know what you mean you need a positive attitude with this. thats what i was told from day one. And i feel your a positive person with how your coming over to me. i did not get out this evening stayed in with my friends daughter and her 8 week old son he was stressing her out a little. so i taken him from her to give her some rest. i am a helpful person i am told i do to much. but i have always been there for others. with being a carer for many years to a sick man. over years he had tried many times to take his life. i have spent hours talking to him though the night and even the police have come for me. when they have found him. i worked side by side with his parents. they are much older then me and they could not deal with him any more. he is a lost soul who believes god will save him from his inner pain.

I'm not surprised to hear you're one of those helping souls who wear themselves to the bone – giving, giving, giving. I have had my issues with stress, but I'm not a helper. But I am often too enthusiastic for my own good and will carry the ball after almost everyone has quit the game. I've been used and abused by many manipulators – I'm pretty gullible.

Tonight we watched a film online about how GMO foods cause chronic disease. Maybe in UK you don't have to worry about that. I'm certainly planning to cut out the few foods where I've been turning a blind eye. I'm not inclined to become obsessed with this as some very nervous people I know are. I believe it raises your stress level to be worrying about every molecule you eat. Generally I try to eat mostly organic, simple, local-where-possible but I've been buying cheap chocolate and jugs of canola oil. I guess it won't break us if those two items double in price.

I have had lichen sclerosus now for 8years diagnosed 5 years ago. My problem is that l keep getting water infections l am told l am in a vicious circle as l have an under active thyroid which mixed with lichen sclerosus means my immune system os weak. I wondered if anyone else as this problem and as any advice l take antibotics every night but they dont work as well as they did, cnnot change them as l am allergic to all the others used for treating UTI,s 

I am under loads of stress so the lichen sclerosus is raging

I am 63