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vulva hot, stinging and burning
Hi,
I'm posting here because I really am at my wits end and hope maybe peple will have some suggestions as to what is going on with me! For the past year, I have been experiencing burning and stinging in my vulva (which is NOT made worse by peeing), which comes and goes but can last for over a month and is extremely uncomfortable. The area looks normal, and there is no unusual discharge. The last time I had these symptoms was in March - they came on suddenly with a stinging sensation, and lasted for 6 weeks. During this time, I was tested for all STDs (all negative), tested for bacterial infections (negative) and treated repeatedly for thrush (even though all lab tests came back negative). Eventually, the symptoms eased on their own. I dont use chemical irritants etc so dont think thats the problem. My symptoms returned 5 weeks ago - again, all tests are negative, I was treated again for thrush (no relief, and lab test came back negative).
Could the repeated topical thrush treatment have made things worse? Also, I've heard of conditions called lactobacilliosis and cytolytic vaginosis (overgrowth of lactobacilli). My symptoms do not appear to be related to my menstrual cycle - there is no particular pattern - but could overgrowth of lactobacilli still be my problem? I would like to hear from anyone who has suffered from lactobacilli overgrowth.
Sorry for the long post but I really would appreciate some advice!
I'm posting here because I really am at my wits end and hope maybe peple will have some suggestions as to what is going on with me! For the past year, I have been experiencing burning and stinging in my vulva (which is NOT made worse by peeing), which comes and goes but can last for over a month and is extremely uncomfortable. The area looks normal, and there is no unusual discharge. The last time I had these symptoms was in March - they came on suddenly with a stinging sensation, and lasted for 6 weeks. During this time, I was tested for all STDs (all negative), tested for bacterial infections (negative) and treated repeatedly for thrush (even though all lab tests came back negative). Eventually, the symptoms eased on their own. I dont use chemical irritants etc so dont think thats the problem. My symptoms returned 5 weeks ago - again, all tests are negative, I was treated again for thrush (no relief, and lab test came back negative).
Could the repeated topical thrush treatment have made things worse? Also, I've heard of conditions called lactobacilliosis and cytolytic vaginosis (overgrowth of lactobacilli). My symptoms do not appear to be related to my menstrual cycle - there is no particular pattern - but could overgrowth of lactobacilli still be my problem? I would like to hear from anyone who has suffered from lactobacilli overgrowth.
Sorry for the long post but I really would appreciate some advice!
Olive oil has helped, the burning has subsided. Also I stopped drinking cranberry juice and lemon juice because one of the ladies here mentioned that citric juices brings on this irritation. Another lady said she uses coconut oil and it helps her, yet another one said she uses yoghurt twice a day.
I massaged the extra v. olive oil into the vulva for a few seconds each time I felt the burning. Try olive oil, it doesn't have side effects and it's natural. Make sure you wash down there after going to the bathroom before applying the oil. I don't use soap there since I got this problem and I use odourless pantyshields to avoid contact with the detergent in my panty. It is better to use natural things than creams etc. as long as it's not a bacterial infection or yeast. I shall pray for all of you. Hope this helps.
I massaged the extra v. olive oil into the vulva for a few seconds each time I felt the burning. Try olive oil, it doesn't have side effects and it's natural. Make sure you wash down there after going to the bathroom before applying the oil. I don't use soap there since I got this problem and I use odourless pantyshields to avoid contact with the detergent in my panty. It is better to use natural things than creams etc. as long as it's not a bacterial infection or yeast. I shall pray for all of you. Hope this helps.
I hope the olive oil works for you. The alcohol treatment sounds awful. Keep us posted.
One other thing that seemed to help was marshmallow root. Buy the root in bulk at a natural food store (it's cheap) and put a heaping tablespoon in a tea ball in a quart of cold water in your fridge over night. Drink a glass or two of this during the day (or make a pot of it hot if you prefer). It's VERY soothing for the urinary tract and related tissues.
Hmmmm....I'm glad to read about all your experiences. I have been dealing with this since February. I'm 55 and "in menopause." Went to doc for what I thought was a UTI, but no bacteria (second time this happened), so she gave me Estrace cream for vaginal dryness. Used that for a while, but didn't see much difference, and I didn't really like the idea of using an estrogen cream with the threat of endometrial cancer it carries.
What I have been doing is wearing skirts and loose pants (no more jeans with that hard seam that runs through my tender places), washing with either just a stream of warm water or neem soap (even mild castile soap created burning and itching) and not sitting as much. I found if I sat too long on my office chair, the symptoms were much worse, but were either greatly reduced or absent if I sat in other chairs or if I stand for part of my workday. The other thing I've been using is ALOE VERA GEL inside and out. It is cooling and soothing, and keeps my insides moist. Get the kind that says you can use it for vaginal dryness - some of them are for external use only.
All these things have not totally eliminated the problem, just reduced it greatly to somewhat, depending on the day. I like the idea of the baking soda treatments -- I'm going to try the sitz bath. I hate the idea of not eating leafy greens -- they are so good for us in so many ways. Maybe some calcium supplements might provide a balance.
The opening to my vagina and curve of the labia beneath my vagina are often very raw and red looking. I have not attempted intercourse in a few months (but the last time - before using the aloe vera gel regularly and just using lube during intercourse, it was painful inside. Hoping this will be better now after daily inner moisturizing, but I'm a bit afraid to try so as to not trigger more pain - though some comments here say sex HELPS. Oy!). Sometimes I have no pain during the day, and sometimes some stinging or burning. It's so weird.
I DO regularly take Gr8dophilus, which is 8 different strains of probiotic. Never thought this would cause a problem, but now I am starting to wonder.
I want to go to the gyno, but don't want to get on the merry-go-round of meds that - from what I read - don't help and actually create more pain and problem. So, baking soda is my next thing to try (and maybe cutting back on the probiotic....though I have heard that is a HELPFUL thing for IC). I seem to remember my grandmother used to put baking soda in her bath water....maybe it's a hereditary thing.
Thanks for all your comments!
What I have been doing is wearing skirts and loose pants (no more jeans with that hard seam that runs through my tender places), washing with either just a stream of warm water or neem soap (even mild castile soap created burning and itching) and not sitting as much. I found if I sat too long on my office chair, the symptoms were much worse, but were either greatly reduced or absent if I sat in other chairs or if I stand for part of my workday. The other thing I've been using is ALOE VERA GEL inside and out. It is cooling and soothing, and keeps my insides moist. Get the kind that says you can use it for vaginal dryness - some of them are for external use only.
All these things have not totally eliminated the problem, just reduced it greatly to somewhat, depending on the day. I like the idea of the baking soda treatments -- I'm going to try the sitz bath. I hate the idea of not eating leafy greens -- they are so good for us in so many ways. Maybe some calcium supplements might provide a balance.
The opening to my vagina and curve of the labia beneath my vagina are often very raw and red looking. I have not attempted intercourse in a few months (but the last time - before using the aloe vera gel regularly and just using lube during intercourse, it was painful inside. Hoping this will be better now after daily inner moisturizing, but I'm a bit afraid to try so as to not trigger more pain - though some comments here say sex HELPS. Oy!). Sometimes I have no pain during the day, and sometimes some stinging or burning. It's so weird.
I DO regularly take Gr8dophilus, which is 8 different strains of probiotic. Never thought this would cause a problem, but now I am starting to wonder.
I want to go to the gyno, but don't want to get on the merry-go-round of meds that - from what I read - don't help and actually create more pain and problem. So, baking soda is my next thing to try (and maybe cutting back on the probiotic....though I have heard that is a HELPFUL thing for IC). I seem to remember my grandmother used to put baking soda in her bath water....maybe it's a hereditary thing.
Thanks for all your comments!
Hi, Thank you for sharing your story, but I can't understand after so many tests everything came back negative until the skin biopsy? how did that happen? Now I'm concern because I had all the lab work (all negative), and I still feel the symptoms of burning and watering white discharge (very acid) , no smell, no pain with intercourse or bleeding and the dr keep saying it is only an hormonal issue.. I don't know what to think.
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