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Maybe finally learning

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g30rg313
g30rg313

Well, I was first diagnosed with thrush, dermatitis then thrush again and eventually after a year of going from pillar to post with these different diagnosis I was finally told LS. Then I was given derogate and an appointment was booked to see a dermatologist for a biopsy. I changed my washing habits and made sure to use my derogate cream and everything seemed to calm down. Roll on six months and after results from biopsy dermatologist decides I do not have LS but just dermatitis and referred me back to GP and put me on a lower dose of the steroid cream to use only oce a fortnight instead of once a week. Anyway, every month without fail, whenever I have a period I get a bad flare. The past two months I have also ended up with cold sores down there on top of suffering with the LS flare too. I have been to the doctors and they gave me aciclovir medication to combat the cold sores. This last time it happened the doctor prescribed the aciclovir and advised me to go to a GUM clinic to confirm that it was herpes down there. When I got in to see the doc at the clinic, no sooner had he sat down to examine my bits than he was saying "you have Lichen Slerosus". He was disgusted that I was referred back to GP after being told that I don't have LS and only have dermatitis. Well I have been doing a bit of research the past couple of days and found that apparently if you have LS then it is best NOT to use the Always brand of sanitary towels which were the ones I normally used in the past if I used any brand. I also started drinking coconut water a couple of months back and this was a week or two before I got cold sores down there for the first time and I have learned that if a person already has the herpes virus in their body like I do (I get cold sores on my mouth regularly) then foods that are high in arginine will encourage a flare up of cold sores. Well I discovered that coconut water is high in arginine. Guess what I won't be drinking again! Lol. I think that the combination of the always sanitary towels increase the irritation to worsen the glare and whilst my body is trying to fight that the high arginine from the coconut water that induced the cold sores was just too much for my body to cope with. Now I'm just trying to find a chemical free washing powder or liquid to wash my underwear in. I have found recipes to make my own but they all seem to require sodium cocoa which is coconut derivative so needless to say I'm worried about trying that.

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  • j02359
    j02359 g30rg313

    Posted

    If anyone does know or finds out which incontinence pads are LS-friendly would you share the info?  The discussion within this thread has made me think for the first time how important it is to prepare information now about best management of LS as I get older and frailer and if I (and others) have to manage similar difficulties.  Best wishes.
  • carol64367
    carol64367 g30rg313

    Posted

    I agree! My mums LS is obviously being worsened by her incontenace as basically she wees into the pad that she then is sitting in or lying in overnight. As she has vascular dementia and is in the later stages of this she isn't aware, or able to clean herself properly. Dad has to do this for her. I worry also that the pads she has been prescribed by the incontenance nurse may be making the problem worse , as it seems some sanitary towels, toilet tissue etc., do make the condition more inflamed and worsen it.I know myself I have to be scrupulously clean and wash always after  going to toilet & never use any scented soap or shower gels etc.,I use a prescibed cream for washing all over my body. So I wonder if professionals know or have a list of incontinance pads that are OK for LS sufferers. This is information that we may all need to know as we get older & certainly if we end up with dementia, like my mum !
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