Please help... 6 months of symptoms.. is this LS???? TMI pics included

I'm not a doctor but I've had LS since 1991. And it gets more miserable as I'v e aged. I was only 42 when I was diagnosed with it by my gynocologist at the time. He told me it was very rare for a woman of my age and that usually it's much older women like 70. Well I'm 71 now and have suffered with this condition all these years. And it never gets better. It may go into a remission stage but it never lasts as long as the miserable flare ups. Like I said I'm not a doctor, but it looks like it could be LS. Mine is so advanced that yours looks a little different. And I'm very fair skinned also which makes it look a little different. Have you been to a gynocologist for a diagnosis? My doctor took a biopsy and it hurt like hell. Then afterwards it got infected. That was fun. But the doctor I had was very familiar with it and he formulated the medicine that helped me. Over the years they kept changing it and what I have now isn't very effective. Plus it being a formulated medicine, not many pharmacies to that anymore. And it's $50 a month for my copay. Big Pharma and the pharmacies themselves have changed it tremendously.

Hi Katie, well first of all, l'm not a health professional, so I can only share....(not give medical advice) .... my journey with you. Looking at your detailed pics , they do resemble my lady parts.., the shiny opaque, waxy and red areas !!!. I did go see a consultant who made my diagnosis about 7 monthsago now. I actually went with another health concern initoally , which turned out to be Vaginal Atrophy. The condition is because of estrogen deficiency and usually affects post menopausal women like myself ( you may not be In that category?) however, he said in his experience, both conditions (the LS & VA), mainly go hand in hand but not always !. The architecture of your vulva area seems to still look intact from what I can see as it can change dramatically, but as I wish to reiterate, I'm not a doctor!!!. I was prescribed Clobetasol oitment, it's a very potent steroid for the redness/ inflammation etc which apparently helps keep the LS activity symptoms under control and Estriol cream, to be applied via applicator twice weekly to replace and restore the vaginal wall cells etc with the depleted estrogen because of the menopause. Plz do attend your GP to get a diagnosis or a referral to a specialist in order to get a definitive diagnosis incase it is LS.....or not ! If it is, the sooner the condition is managed with the proper meds ....the better, as regrettably, theirs no cure atm, but all the lovely ladies on this forum remain hopeful and positive, and are able to share their experiences, tips, and any helpful advice with anyone who needs it. LS is a truly horrible condition and quite brutal at times, but can be safely and effectively managed with with correct meds and regular check ups., it doesn't mean your life is doomed...although I know it can feel that way at times, especially if you are experiencing a flare up. Many ladies also use moisturiers to help keep the area supple and comfortable, it helps the skin from becoming too dry. and sitz baths of borax....I've not personally felt the need to try this option, but many ladies benefit from it. You could also try coconut / olive oil or many of the other kinds of moisturisers available that suit your body personally.....everyone has a different take on what works for them..... we are all individuals after all !. I personally also use extra virgin olive oil, I find it helps immensely, very soothing !. one thing I would strongly recommend is that you ditch the use of any kind of soap, shower gels etc on that area, they can really irritate the condition, and cause severe flare ups and further discomfort. A good old dousing in the shower of water only, is all you really need to keep the genital area clean. The difference of not using any of the above products for me personally, has made a huge difference in curbing the feeling of irritation. !!! Oh yes, nearly forgot to say.... by not consuming sugary foods/drinks etc, is also a huge help, LS seems to thrive on it. Anyway.....good luck, whatever your outcome, hope I've been of some help to you.......keep up all posted !!! x

i really think you need gynaecologist for sure ive been through hell but went privately to dermatologist who gave me a letter to gp and he prescribed this cream thats not available on nhs clobetasol/propionate/neomycin sulphate/nystatin 0.5mg/100,000 iu /g ointment it took weeks to calm down i use it every other day if it flares i go back to once a day i feel as if i got my life back talk to gp if you can it needs confirming gynaecologist should be able to confirm diagnosis i really feel for you and now is a difficult time try to get diagnosis i suffered agonies but it was dermatologist who confirmed diagnosis

Katie - Hi! If you've got 3 weeks to wait for an appt - if you are in pain I sure wouldn't wait on an official diagnosis. I sure didn't. A couple years ago around the holidays I couldn't get in to see a gynecologist for a month or more. I read up on line and found that there is a strong association between LS, an autoimmune disease and Vitamin D3 deficiency - a worldwide epidemic. I intuited and took 15,000 iu which in fact did calm things down so I didn't cry to go poo. ... then learned a lot more .

you might like to look up my whole nutritional protocol in my discussion list at my profile - just click on my name.

OH, and when I was first on here a few years ago, the ladies posting at that time did mention that to get things under control it is best to eliminate sugar including fruit sugars are about a week and then we can go back to including fruit in our diets just not crazy amounts. Soem of us can do sugar again but mostly not. Some of us discover that they can no longer eat wheat products and others can. it's very individual.

For pain/discomfort there are several good things. Coconut oil is my favorite but I do change it up with vitamin E oil, and aloe vera - aloe is very healing cooling and soothing. Castor oil is also good.

blessings, HOpe you feel better soon.

Hi Katie so sorry you're suffering with this awful condition. Apart from the clob and other creams I always suffer wearing jeans particularly if they are tight and have thick seams. I actually cant wear them anyone and choose jeggings the thinner the better. Same goes for underwear any form of thick seam really is a no go. Do hope you get some relief from this horrible condition soon x

HI Katie - oh, smiles - I have a funny story about that night time thing... Short answer is yes I've seen many comments about the nighttime being worse in the beginning until it's gotten under control... Ha! in fact in retrospect I realized that I had assumed that i must have caught some worms from my dog or something and took a whole bunch of garlic etc. and since it was intermittent for some time I never associated the itch with anything in particular for several years I only realized belatedly.

I hope you feel better real soon. Blesings,