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[Champers101]

Hello from an itchy newbie! Please help if you can as I’m not sure how I can go on not even knowing what’s causing this itch/ burning. It’s hard to concentrate on anything else on a bad day. Have read loads of posts on here but not sure if mine matches any of them properly.

It all started the day I got back from holiday in Sep. Suddenly felt a strong and persistent ****ly itch on both outer labia. Was alarmed and put on a gentle steroid cream to no avail. Ended up going to a gynae who said she couldn’t see anything wrong and took a swab, which came back as thrush. Eureka! Thought all my troubles were over.

Took the canesten treatment and felt better for a few days but it came back. Another swab at the GP came back with thrush, but only faint growth. Am now on a weekly thrush treatment for 6ms. But any improvement from canesten has gone. And the symptoms have only got worse. Sometimes it’s awful ****ly itching all over the outer labia. Sometimes it’s the same around the back package (skin on the sides) - then sometimes it’s an unbearable itch and/ or burning that moves around the outer labia. Sometimes at the top, sometimes the middle, and sometimes low down, either on or around the perineum. Sometimes all at once 

I’m 49 and have been on systemic HRT for a year now. Have been on ovestin cream for about 4 wks now - did the 2 week loading dose internally but have now started putting some on the external lips. There’s no internal itching, although sometimes it’s on the inner sides of the outer labia. The skin does feel quite dry to the touch. No bladder issues at all.

So I’m not sure it fits with VA, eczema (no redness I can see), dermatitis or anything else. Sometimes I wonder how much I bring on through stress as the more I concentrate on it the more it flares and burns. Especially in the middle of the night!  It waxes and wanes (some days hardly there at all) - but I haven’t found a link to why. Don’t use shower gel and only use cotton underwear.

This last week has been particularly bad and it’s led to a vicious cycle of me becoming very despairing, which makes the symptoms worse. I have an appt to see another gynae soon but am losing hope.

Vagisil and Lanacane can help sometimes -and I’ve tried other creams like YES but nothing consistently as they don’t have any immediate effect! I put all my hopes into Ovestin but feel that if it was going to work it would have done so by now.

Apologies for the rant/ saga. Any help at all would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Champers and welcome. I am so sorry to hear of the awful itching and ****ling you have. I have had it to and it really is a total nightmare. It is great you have Ovestin as I suspect your itching is caused by lack of oestrogen. I know the leaflet says to use twice a week after the loading dose but this is often not enough and many members use it daily. I have used Ovestin every single day for two years and I will never reduce it. I would carry on using it daily and you can also apply it to the outer area like you have been doing. With applying it to the outer area it can help to mix it with Yes. You can also apply it to the back passage where it is itching.

Yes and Sylk are great vaginal moisturisers and can be used as often as needed.

VA can be different for each of us. Like you, I get the ****ling and itching sensation. It makes me want to scream. When you say you do not use shower gel, I just want to let you know that washing in water alone causes more drying. I was advised to apply emollient to the vulva, wash it off in the shower and then reapply some to form a barrier. I thought washing in water alone would be gentle but it is too harsh. 

You have used Ovestin for one month and this is very early. It can take a while to see any improvements so please hang on in there.

[CLKD]

Caneston made me burn 

I had thrush twice: after stopping The Pill and again many years later after sudden surgical intervention.  I have found that eating and apply 'live' yoghurt helpful as it cleanses the digestive tract from the top. 

Get yourself some vaginal atrophy treatment, you don't need an appt or exam by a GP.  Many find 'vagifem' internally with 'ovestin' or other moisturisers on the outer labia helps a lot.

[Joaniepat]

I agree with all Flossieteacake has to say, but would just like to add something else. Stress can certainly make you feel more sore. VA and other problems in the genitourinary area can lead to a guarding reaction whereby you tighten the pelvic floor. This in itself can result in vulval pain, soreness and discomfort. A women's health physiotherapist could assess your pelvic floor for hypertonicity and prescribe techniques to relax it. We'll worth considering while you wait for improvement from the local oestrogen treatment.
JP x

[Ayesha]

Your symptoms do sound like VA and it’s always made worse by being stressed. You have been examined so you should feel assured and get started on the treatment.
You might need Vagifem, then Ovestin to use on the outside and a moisturiser, treatment can be trial and error but you will soon find the regime that works for you, eventually!

It can take months for the tissues to plump up, have you had a look down there, are you starting to disappear. It came as a shock to me when I looked down to see what the heck was going on but with a year of treatment I now look like I used to, all plumped up with no horrible VA symptoms.

Can't express enough Flossieteacake's advice regarding washing, a very important part of your new regime. Good luck 

[Minusminnie]

It waxes and wanes (some days hardly there at all) - but I haven’t found a link to why. Don’t use shower gel and only use cotton underwear.

You could try cutting out coffee, tea, spicy food, tomatoes to avoid tannins and acids coming out in urine and irritating. 

I used vagifem for a long time and it didn't touch the vulva pain i hope that the Ovestin will eventually help.

Did you go somewhere hot on holiday ? as you mention that it all started after that and that it can be worse at night.  I ditched pyjamas for nighties.

[Champers101]

Thanks so much for all the comments/ advice.

Because I have severe health anxiety it really complicates things! I’m convinced this will never be solved and the torment will never end like it does for so many others.

I’m glad to hear ovestin can take longer to work - a lot of posts on here say that it can work miracles after the initial loading dose. I can’t see any withering or disappearing of bits, which is confusing, as is the fact that almost all the itching is on the outside labia. How does VA affect that area?!

I will definitely take the advice re showering/ washing very seriously, thank you.

I did go on holiday to a very hot country, and had a very unhealthy diet while there! I don’t drink tea or coffee, don’t eat tomatoes so that shouldn’t be a problem.

So hard to understand why some days can be almost symptom free, followed by a couple of horrendous days. I’ve had so many ‘false dawns’ since this began, really thinking an end was in sight, that I find it hard to be hopeful anymore.

It was strange on Xmas day - some itching started and then everyone arrived for lunch and the symptom disappeared for the rest of the day. Or it was just that my focus was elsewhere!

[Flossieteacake]

You have used ovestin for just one month. I have not heard of anybody whose symptoms cleared up so soon. Please do not think it will not improve for you as it is still so early for you. I understand how distressing it is. My symptoms worsen in summer so I can understand if you went to a hot country that yours flared.

VA affects the vulva and can affect the anus too. It is a bit of a confusing name calling it 'vaginal atrophy' but it does affect the other areas too.

Stress can make VA worse and perhaps on Christmas you were so focused that you did not notice any symptoms. You get good and bad days with VA.

It is great your skin looks healthy and there is no shrinking.

[CLKD]

Because hormones are up and down the vaginal walls will be affected, which is where VA treatment helps.  Slow uptake of your regime should improve after 3-4 weeks, of nightly use the necessary.  Many ladies cannot cope with anything less although some are able to revert to a 3rd and 5/6th evening application. 

When I get the need2P I take 2 nurofen 3 times a daily to ease that nip as the urine flow shuts off (like today  ) 

[Champers101]

Thank you again for the newer comments. It’s SUCH a relief to hear that the Ovestin may take longer to work. What I desperately need right now is light at the end of the tunnel.

Isn’t it strange that VA would affect the anal area? I’m hoping and praying that it’s all intertwined 

It really doesn’t help that the GP only gave  me a tiny 15g tube of Ovestin…

As for wastage of my bits - I never really checked before so have no idea how things may have changed, but I’m guessing I would notice anything dramatic!

Thank you so much again for taking the time to try and reassure me

[Minusminnie]

Found this article on thrush https://www.healthline.com/health/yeast-infection-won-t-go-away

[Dierdre]

Stress and anxiety will always start my flare ups without fail. Although you have been on full HRT for a year doesn't mean it has reached the vulva area, most people on HRT need local estrogen also to control atrophy and as everyone said it's not a quick fix and hopefully you will start to improve very soon.

However, if you don't get any relief after a few weeks I would suggest asking to be referred to a vulva specialist or a dermatologist as the constant itching is also a symptom of Lichen Sclerosis, you don't always have the tell tale white patches with this. I had traces of this a few years ago and the vulva consultant said it was inactive at the time but gave me a course of hydrocortisone ointment with steroids called Dermovate. This stuff sorts me out within a couple of weeks and I have it on repeat if needed, I've only needed it twice in the last 7 years, both times brought on by a lot of stress. The consultant said I may never get a flare up again or it could happen during times I'm stressed or run down, either way it's manageable with the ointment and Ovestin is also part of this maintenance.  I sometimes use Demovate when very sore after a VA flare up too.

[sheila99]

Are you on oral treatment for thrush or just the cream? I had persistent thrush some years ago and gp said it can get into the bloodstream and will keep coming back until treated properly (I had it for a week or two before a period and OK the rest of the time. You can buy fluconazole cheaply from the Internet, a generic one is much cheaper than caneston. Can't remember the details but I think it was to take 3 a fortnight apart.

[CLKD]

Minusminnie - Link wouldn't open 

Good idea to ask for a referral. 

[Dierdre]

I always used the oral one dose Caneston tablet when thrush was suspected and it works very well.