Thank you all again. How long do people find their flare ups usually last?
I can’t help worrying I’ve suddenly developed vulvodynia!
I've been suffering with the worst and longest flare up in seven years, I've had it since the beginning of May, so 6 weeks. Started when I took Benocol for 3 months and we now think the plant sterols in this caused the imbalance and competed or blocked the local estrogen. Then I used an old box of Vagifem, still in date but 2 years old, maybe degraded in the hot weather last summer at the back of my wardrobe, so it was as if I hadn't taking anything for weeks. To top it all another 2 cases of thrush, treatment didn't clear it first time then I mistook it for another flare up, burning was awful. Had swabs, result positive, took two more Caneston oral tablets plus a pessary to clear it. The pessary made it worse as I couldn't take Vagifem for a few days and I was so dry the Caneston pessary wouldn't melt!! Doctor sent me for a scan as my bladder was burning so bad but no UTI and pelvic scan clear.
I've now started CBT therapy as my health anxiety was off the scale and making my atrophy worse.
This week for the fist time in 6 weeks I'm starting to get through the day on one a day Vagifem again, been taking two some days but that then causes cramping and a weird surge or kind of wave in my stomach.
Anyway, I'm hoping this is the end of it. I had VA so under control so it was a shock, I never thought it would get so bad again after all this time.
The problem is the symptoms of a VA flare up are the same as thrush and lichens so I never know which it is for a while so just have to treat all three just in case.
Once we know the triggers and avoid them it helps but sometimes things like stress can't be avoided. My worst fear every flare up is that it will not get better but it does, it just takes so long...