NEW AND NEEDING ADVICE, LS OR DERMATITIS?

Hi Kirsten, hope the biopsy went well today, have been thinking of you, how was it?,I like you with the steroid cream learnt the hard way, a different doctor told me it would be ok just to stop but of course it just came straight back again, I have found that even the string of a tampon is making me sore today, I'm sick of this, and know what you mean , your vagina is ruling your life! , speak soon xx

Hi Louise!

Thanks for checking in I had the punch biopsy this morning and although it hurt, it wasn't the worst pain ever. A few ibuprofens and I was ok to go to work. I find out the results in 5-7 days, but my doctor said that he thinks it is either an inflammatory skin disease (treatable) or even possibly a food allergy to dairy or wheat. There is a small chance it is of the lichen family, but fingers crossed it isn't. We will see. I am just so glad that a doctor is doing actual tests instead of throwing yeast creams and antibiotics at me (like the past 2 years). How are you feeling?? Kirsten

Hey Kirsten, well how brave are you having that done, where exactly do they take it from? well lets hope it is just that you may be allergic to something, how can they tell , did they say much about the appearance of the skin?

And I agree with you about giving you treatments for thrush, you just go home and use the cream that has been given to you, I have lost count of the pessaries, cream and tablets the doctors have given me and it took me a while to realise it was just flaring things up again and stinging. So did they give you any cream or will you have to wait until you get your results first?

Well I saw the nurse the other day and she examined me and said it wasn't LS and just to carry on with steroid cream, I have a gyno apt but not until June, things were calming down nicely until the dreaded time of the month started and the tampon string has made me sore again, so used sanitary towels today but that's even worse as it just rubs, then all the progress seems to go backwards again, I hate periods!, lol xxxx

Hi Louise! Hope you are feeling ok today! They took a "punch biopsy" from the red, irritated skin that is right outside the opening of the vagina. They said the whole area looked red, swollen, with welts. GYN said it looks like an inflammatory skin condition, but cannot confirm that it is not LP or LS until a week (when the biopsy comes back). He told me not to put creams down there, even the clobetasol, until the biopsy comes back.

Periods are the worst, as it always seems to flare up right after. You should ask your doctor to do a skin biopsy. There is no way a nurse (I am one) could tell you that it is not LP or LS by looking. Not everyone has the characteristic white patches when they have LS. It should be diagnosed by skin biopsy. I would demand one if I were you. LS can be very disfiguring if left untreated, and there are stem cell lifts that they can do now that can put it in remission entirely.

One thing I am doing (just started yesterday) is cutting out gluten from my diet to see if there is any improvement, which stinks because I love all things grain based. After my OBGYN said that it was a possibility that I had developed a gluten allergy and that he has had patient with my same dilemma), I did some research on the internet. Some gluten allergic women (usually strikes in the mid 30's but can be any age.. I am 37) only get symptoms in the vagina which sound a lot like what we are dealing with. It is actually not that uncommon. Crazy, huh? I feel like I am grasping at straws to find out what is happening down there, but at this point, anything is worth a try. I am going to entirely cut out gluten for 2 weeks and see if it makes a difference

Talk to you soon!

Kirsten

Hi Kirsten, When they do the biopsy do you have an injection to numb the area first? and how quick is it when they actually cut it out?, I am very much a big wimp, lol. How is it now after? is it very sore?

When you say you have welts what do you mean by welts, bumps?

Im keeping my fingers crossed for you that it is an allergy of some sort, thats very interesting what you said about gluten, and we are of a similar age, im 41.

I had a better day yesterday, but im so sick of continuously thinking about down below as you are, sick of putting cream on and sick of going to doctors etc and sick of the worry of what it may be, i suppose when i go to the gyno in June they may suggest a biopsy like you.

Now your not using any cream at the moment , are you in much pain?

Have a good day

Speak soon

xxxx

Hey! The biopsy was really quick, probably about 5 mins in duration. They inject a local numbing solution, lidocaine, into a spot that is no bigger than an eraser on the top of a pencil. The doctor didn't really cut it out, he used something that looked like a hole punch and punched out a small circle from the inflamed skin. It wasn't comfortable, but I honestly didn't think it was any worse than what I go through every day. If you are nervous, maybe the doc would prescribe you a xanax or something and just take it about 45 mins before the procedure? There are just so many things this could be (allergic reaction, food allergy, LS, LP, even Strep B), that there truly is no way to tell without doing a biopsy. 5 mins of the procedure is easy if I can be cured and don't have to live the rest of my life this way. It is no fun.

Welts are like raised red sore patches. The weird thing about them is that they form almost like a ring around the outside of my vagina. The whole area is red and inflamed.

I'm always in pain, but today I would give it on the low-medium scale. Going to stick to the gluten free thing for a few weeks, or at least until I get the biopsy back!

K.

That's really interesting as I am often bloated these days. Never thought about gluten being a cause. Worth trying to go without to see if it is that. My niece is coeliac so I know a few recipes for gluten free foods.

Thank you for describing the biopsy procedure so clearly. I think fear is our worst enemy and we can all be more afraid than we need to be. That doesn't sound half as bad as I thought. I have not had the test as the dermatologist said I obviously had LS. White patches, red inflammation and fusing of skin. So sore at times. I do pity anyone who is still having menstruation as this must be so uncomfortable.

Chrisy

To catch up on the previous thread about bleach free pads I tried the natracare pads. Ouch. They were as described by one persons review on Amazon like having cardboard between your legs. Also not very practical as they folded so accidental leekage went on knickers not pad. Useless .