rvi newcastle

Posted , 4 users are following.

read Hazels post and you mention you go to the rvi in newcastle. I was  wondering is your dermatologist frmale? I am a 75yr old, and would only want to see a female ( to embarassed to see a male) I have  had LS since I was 70, and have only seen my gp for this horrible condition twice. I have not seen a dermatologist because she has never sent me. I went to see her for the second time last week and she was decribing the condition to a young understudy as she was examining me. After she finished she said I must be one of those people who had to use the steroid s daily, and that she has seen worse. That does not help the pain I am in, at best I only get 4 days pain free. At this present time I am red raw,burning and it has gone into my groins and beyond. I cant wear underwear at all. betnavate is what she has me on, didnt even show me where to put it. I believe my LS started when I was 69 and had my last smear, the nurse had to try 3 times and it was very traumatic. If there is a female dermatologist at the rvi I will ask to see her. thanks for listening to an elderly sufferer.

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8 Replies

  • Posted

    Hello Margaret.

    I am hundreds of miles away from you. I am 69 and my GP diagnosed LS when I was 68. She has seen many patients with LS, thankfully.

    I thought I would go into the details of my treatment because it may help you to think of questions to ask at your next appointment.

    Her treatment for me was Daktacort (which is a combined fungal cream with mild hydrocortisone) for a week. Although the leaflet said use sparingly she told me to slather it on. She said we would deal with any skin thinning later, but the real steroid treatment for managing LS should not be done in the presence of any fungal infection.

    The Daktakort calmed down all the itching and soreness within the week.

    She then started me on the higher potency steroid called Dermovate (which is Clobetasol Proprionate). This is higher potency steroid than your Betnovate. I used that, in tiny amounts, under her supervision daily for a couple of weeks, then tailing off over several months to once per week.

    Once I started to tail it off the Dermovate, she added in Oestrogen used topically. She intially prescribed Vagifem tablets to be inserted into my vagina but I had an issue with the side effects. So we switched to Gynest cream (also Oestrogen), which officially is to be used in the vagina, but with her agreement I use it on my vulva and groin.

    It is pretty magical at counteracting the skin-thinning side effect of the Dermovate and at plumping up my flaccid labia majora to their previous state. It even repaired the skin cracking at the top of my natal cleft, which I have had for many, many years.

    I've had one bad flare up since then where I got another fungal infection in my groin-leg creases. That was really painful, sore, itchy, bleeding. So back to the Daktacort for a week, then Dermovate a bit more frequently than just before the flare and now tailing off to once per week interspersed with the Gynest cream.

    The only real worrying part of all this is my biopsies showed that I have Lichen Planus as well as Lichen Sclerosus, so that makes me qualify for management by the vulva clinic at the main hospital. This is because it is a trickier condition, which can travel up inside the vagina, unlike LS.

    Good luck with your treatment. I hope it gets more effective.

    • Posted

      I want to thank tomsbestfriend for the information you have given to me, I am going to try and get an appointment with another doctor in the practice. I will let her read your most appreciated reply. sorry to hear about the lichen planus. I too was precribed with Gynest and was told to insert once weekly,I wonder if it would be better to use it on my groins and vulva other than inside the vagina. Thank you once again and you never know one day there might be a cure for us all. I hope so anyway.
    • Posted

      Hi Margaret

      Thanks for your reply. I hope all goes well with you. If you are interested in thoughts of a way to find a "cure" then have a glance at my post "New ideas - prolonged fasting". I've now finished the second of three four-day fasts.

      All the best

      tbf

  • Posted

    Hi Margaret,

     

    Sorry to hear you are suffering so badly with this awful condition. I have been going to the RVI for a number of years now and have only ever seen female Doctors. I either see the Consultant Dermatologist who is female  Or one of her under studies who have all been female.

    She prescribed me Dermovate Ointment and advised during a flare up to use every day on all effected areas, once things settle down to use it twice a week. She also prescribed me Hydromol to wash with. I get this on prescription 500 ml at a time so it lasts quite a while. 

    You may also have read on this forum that urine is caustic so use some we toilet paper after you have pee'd to wipe off then dry yourself and apply something to moisturise, I either use a little of the Hydromol or Coconut oil which I buy from Sainsbury (Lucy Bee's) it is very soothing and can be used liberally as often as you want. I know others use pure aloe Vera or emu oil.

    hope you get things sorted.

    best wishes,

    Hazel

    • Posted

      Hi Hazel

       thank you for your reply, and the helpful info you gave me. I do have hydromol and lucy bee's coconut oil. i have got every moisturiser available, but when its really bad anything I use stings. Thanks for the comforting info that it is female dermatologist you have seen that gives me confidence to ask to be referred.  thanks again.

  • Posted

    I have successfully used and am still using Manuka Honey.  It comes in different strenghts and I use the strongest I can get.  I smear 1 pearl size amount each night into the area where the LS was two years ago.  It has completely cleared it and remains clear. 
    • Posted

      Hi Dee

      thanks for your reply, I have heared before about the healing properties of manuka honey.  I will be trying this too when I go shopping tomorrow it is my intention to buy some.I hope I get the same results as you. and it clears up. Glad you are still clear, that would be like winning the lottery to me.

      thanks again

  • Posted

    Just remembered the consultant I see is Dr Janet McLelland. Couldn't think of her name earlier. 

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