Vaginal dermatitis or not?

[lilsmitty]

I have a vaginal infection. I have had this problem for approx 20 years.  A nurse diagnosed me about 11 years ago and prescribed a topical .05% cream i put on it. I never had to apply the cream twice. It always worked the first time.
the symptoms are: severe itching. My labia cracks open and my mucous membrane is raw.  I have to get in the shower to urinate.
The stinging is unbearable.
It is not dermatitis. it is not lichen, it is not anything normally listed under female gynological problems. I lost the cream in a move. I have tried to get my records from my insurance who I no longer have, and they have been archived.
Can someone help me? it is ruining my life. it seems to me that the topical ointment was a steroid of somekind. I found it once on a Rx company website. its nothing normally prescribed for any female problems. Trust me I have tried the ALL.  
The nurse wsa the only person that ever helped me with this.  She took one look and told me what it was and prescribed the cream. I was so happy I cried. Now, I am back to square one.  
Help please, if someone knows what I have let me know. Also from what I remember, it's something I would have to live with for the rest of my life, but it was controlled by the cream she gave me. She told me when I had a slight problem, put it on. or if I felt it coming on with the itching, use the cream. She was right on.

[trac777]

I wanted to tell you the reason I don't have an offical Behcet's Syndrome diagnosis yet is because I have yet to have any serious organ damage documented, which can actually be really hard to do. Not everyone has to wait as long as I have been waiting. A lot of the time small damage from tissue and blood vessel inflammation can not be seen by any tests. Often, surgery is required for them to find vasculitis. That is how they found vasculitis in me during surgery looking for endometriosis. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't still be waiting to start treatment. I am lucky because my symptoms have not been as serious as some, but it has also been a big problem because I have been suffering greatly and not gotten the help I needed many times. Most of my symptoms cannot be seen and it's been very hard to prove that something is wrong.  I have had to fight back against people thinking this was all in my mind. I have had to find a medical cause for my symptoms on my own and a lot of time was wasted because it came on over a long period of time. Only one of the hundreds of doctors I've seen had ever even heard of Behcet's Syndrome, he was a GI doctor. They do not look for it. One doctor, my Rheumatologist, told me he didn't even believe it existed. This disease is very real. It's treated all over the world, but most American doctors no nothing about it. They do not know the symptoms or how to treat it. They rely on old information and still think it only happens to people in the middle east even though research has shown it happens because something has damaged the immune system and not because of your genes. It does not run in families and it is not always a text book case. You would think it would show up on MRI's, but often with Behcet't it's the very smallest blood vessels involved, and those don't show up most of the time. It takes a big incident for them to see it and prove that you have it . American doctors don't want to be liable for treating anything until they have enough medical proof to be sure that you require the treatment. It is not easy to get that far. For us, it is more important to get the treatment before something bad happens, not afterwards. I have all the symptoms and I am being treated with immune suppressants and I have had several doctors diagnosis my symptoms as Behcet's Syndrome, but with this disease the ultimate decision is up to the Rheumatologist. My rheumatologist says it shouldn't matter if I have an official diagnosis as long as it is being treated. He says he is more concerned right now that I will lose my ability to qualify for insurance once I have a diagnosis. One thing to look for as far as tests are concern would be a a slighly high white blood cell count...your nerophils mainly, but others white cells also. It could mean just that you aren't feeling well at the time to have it be a little high, but if you can gather your records and show that you have an on going problem with a high white blood cell count, that would be a first step in showing your doctors something is not normal.

One more thing....I've seen over twenty GYN's as well as other doctors and I did my own research on the possible causes for the inflammation and for the cuts some people with Behcet's Syndrome get. I can tell you from what I have learned  that these symptoms are not caused by any type of HPV. They also would not be caused by Herpes 1 in people with no other apparent serious health problems like HIV. Bacterial Vaginosis and Yeast Infections may cause inflammation and small cracks in the folds of the skin, they do not cause cuts in center areas of the skin, and they heal without reoccurance once the infection is treated. An anal fissure can sometimes occur in the center area of the pernium (between the front and back) because of straining or constipation. Unless you have developed more than one cut at a time at some point, or have developed cuts in different areas of the genitals other than the pernium, a pernium cut may just be a fissure. An anal fissure would be a single cut that keeps happening in the same place over and over again on in the center of the pernium. An anal fissure is caused by repeatedly tearing open the thin skin in that area from straining. Not like the small cuts that just happen for no reason the way they happen with the Herpes Simplex Virus and Behcet's Syndrome. I have one cut the comes back over and over again on my pernium area, but I also get cuts in other areas from time to time aswell along with severe inflammation. All of my hormone levels are normal. Those are the only things I've found that could be the possible causes for these symptoms. Just having the inflammation is a symptom, not everyone get's the little cuts. Not everyone get's full blown Behcet's either. If you take good care of yourself, you can do really well.

[girlwithlupus]

I came hoping to find a little info here and I can't believe  what I've just read. I am pretty darn sure this is what is wrong with me. I see my doc on wed's and I am really glad I came here first . Thank you, everyone for your knowledge.Wow, I already have Lupus, now possible this... Well, I guess what's one more autoimmune disease . My doctor is really going to get an ear full...lol

[adiajean]

Vaginitis: At age 19 to maybe 22 I had frequent bacterial vaginitis and yeast infections. They always responded to treatment but frequently recurred. My doctor at the time referred me to Dr. Sobel at Wayne State. It was recommended that I avoid anything that may produce an allergy. What worked for years was avoiding spermacide and only using J&J baby soap.
In 2006 I had a yeast infection for about 3 months. My doctor was Julie Masters of SJMO. What I figured out was that Tampax Pearl was the cause because I noticed cotton pieces shedding. I stopped those tampons and the infection went away.
Now…I’ve had vaginits for most of 2008. There has been only 3 short periods of time that I have been symptom free. I have tried to avoid anything that might cause an allergy. The first infection started with generic soap. I came to the doctor after approx 2 months of symptoms and was symptom free for only 2 weeks after taking diflucan and doxycycline.  The second infection was a quick recurrence and I think KY might have been the offending agent because the infection was bad a few days after KY.  This infection did not get better until I ended up taking 3 antibiotics in a row (doxy, zithro, and flagyl) and diflucan. While I took the flagyl and one week after I took it I had n/v/d and then developed abdominal pain so I went into WB-Troy to make sure nothing was wrong. All of my labs and stools were negative as far as I know, but the cat scan showed a 6mm nodule in the LLL. One week later I ended up with a UTI and took bactrim and diflucan actually 2 days apart times three and that worked. After that I was symptom free for 6 weeks. When I came back to the doctor after a month of symptoms that would react to and calm down a little bit with weekly diflucan I ended up with BV and yeast again. Since I had a bad experience with Flagyl the last time I insisted on another option. I took Clinda for a week it did nothing. Came back in and Dr. Stark told me to try Replense I had a horrible reaction. Next I ended up on 3 weeks of Flagyl. During that time I took diflucan once, repeated in 3 days repeated in one week and the next week I came back into the doctor cuz the infection did not get better. So then I tried a week of boric acid and ended up noticing oral thrush a week after the flagyl was done. Since then I’ve taken weekly diflucan. After the boric acid the odor went away but I was still draining. All of my symptoms soon returned, I started smelling quite offensive, back to the doctor and the latest was 3 weeks of boric acid. I stopped the weekly diflucan during that time and started it right after. I was symptom free for 2 weeks. Now I have a very uncomfortable infection  and discharge again… My appt with Dr. Sokel is not until January. It is not right that I should have to wait another 2 months. This is really distressing me. I feel like I’m begging for help and just getting band-aids. I have a boyfriend now that is really nice about all of this but I am completely embarrassed and ashamed even though I’m doing everything I can. Please help. This all makes me cry.
I visited the obgyn again Wednesday. He gave me the idea to test for celiac at an allergist. I really think that if I take diflucan every week and I don’t get better a yeast infection is not my problem it’s my symptom. So what is really wrong. I’ll test for anything.
I went to the allergist today and we talked about this and my plan is to try a new soap and avoid condoms and tampons. we'll see.

[Ezmarelda14]

Im 22 and pregnant with my first which is due in 7wks. For the last 4years I have been fighting constant BV and Thrush which I was able to manage with creams and fluconazole however since I have been pregnant my symptoms have become extreme. I am in a lot of pain all the time with excessive discharge and itching. None of the creams seem to help anymore and to make matters worse nothing will show up in swabs. It wasnt untill my sister in law said her mother had dermatitis and had always thought it was thrush. I enquired with my doctor who thinks that could be what Iv had all along but he cant treat it with anything untill after my baby is born. I would like to know why during my repeated trips to the gynacologyst this condition was never mentioned as a possibility.

[Christy1955]

WOW! I was very impressed with the very informative message you posted. One of my specialists suggested I had Behcet's Disease. She is treating me for Fibromyalgia ("diagnosed" a year ago).  I have been so uncomfortable in the vaginal area for 6 months now. At times it feels like sand paper was rubbed all over my Labia! I also notice pimple like sores as well. Everything you described is what I am experiencing. Before that I suffered (still do) from painful oral sores on my tongue, gums, and checks. At the request of my Neurologist, I saw my Gyno three days ago and she too suggested I may have Behcet's. She also called it Vaginal Dermititis. She prescribed an ointment (RX only), Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream - 0.1%. I have been using it these last three days and it does help. On top of all that, I have Interstitial Cystits (diagnosed 4
years ago). I have all female doctors who know one another and work together on my various problems. Oh, I also had a hysterectomy 8 years ago due to Cervial Dysplacia. It has been suggested that I inherited my father's autoimmune problems. He passed away 11 years ago from complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Scheladerma (a horrible autoimmune disease that literally causes your organs to attack one another and thus slowly stop functioning all together.
I will see my Fibro doc next week and I plan to discuss what I read on this site. I continue to love life and live it to the fullest! I teach elementary school and love every minute of it. I am also enjoying my two precious grandchildren. I am too young (54 yrs.) to give up. I do what I need to and have to in order to cherish each moment all day long!
I will continue to visit this website for updates, help, etc.
Have a wonderful day and week!

[dawngifts]

I broke out with this condition a few months ago and tried almost everything!
The doctor's knew nothing & treated it as a yeast infection which it was not, they gave me a perscription creme with canesten & hydrocort but said not to use it too much because it will thin your skin. Fluconazole helped but the infection just came right back.
So I suggested could it be diaper rash because it looked the same- blisters, red resh & cracking. They told me to use penatin diaper rash creme.
Witchazel only burns & stings, aloe vera jel doesn't really help.

What does help me is rinsing a few times a day with 10-20% apple cider vinegar in water ( use a squirt bottle or water bottle with the close top squirt lids). If it burns when you pee, use the squirt bottle at the same time to immediately wash off the urine. Then dry on cool with blowdryer. I use (AVEENO fragrance free diaper rash cream) which does wonders with healing up those blisters & cracking fast! You may want to wear pantyliners so you don't stick to your undies. I highly suggest trying this product, it must be the oat kernal extract with the other ingredients that does the trick!
Don't wear underwear to bed, you want to air it out at night. If you are at home a lot, try not to wear undies, again it needs to air out just like when parents let their kids go with no diapers to air out their rashes.
Don't use scented laundry soap, use unscented or for sensitive skin types. Or use just plain water in the machine. I was warned against using (no name) cheap brand maxi's too. Stick with unscented name brands you trust, just like with diapers on baby's.
Shaving can also cause you to break out! It could be the gel strips they added to razors nowadays. Personal shavers may also cause a breakout if you get too close to the skin.
Any scented or tingling lubricants can also cause irritations.
It seems to me this could be a new developed allergy from what I have been researching.
I also have Fibromyalgia & Rheumatoid arthritis, so there could be a connection.
Still have yet to find a way to get rid of this, but in the meantime I am using the above mentioned to keep outbreaks under control and want to get an allergy test done.
All these steps I am taking are a pain but it really helps a lot!
I hope this info helps all of you too.