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[jessieblue]

Hi everyone, I am looking for some advice as I am really discouraged after getting through the 2 week loading dose of vagifem and now have red blotches itching and burning all over my lady bits!  I had a little discomfort on and off but persisted with the loading dose and managed with multigym and canesten cream.  It seemed to be under control and then today wow!  It hit hard.  I just had a look and it looks horrendous all around the vulva.  Im a bit scared in case its not thrush and something worse, but its certainly not sex related as I don't have sex of any kind at the moment and not sure what else it could be.  I have had thrush a lot recently and I hoped the vagifem would help but I failed with ovestin and estradiol creams as they gave me thrush and even oestrogel seemed to give me irritation down there.  I just gave in and took fluconazole as I got really scared when I saw myself.  In the past I have been unsure whether I had thrush or just inflammation from atrophy of cytolytic vaginitis.  I have severe health anxiety so things like this scare me and I always think I have something sinister.  Im so fed up, I wish I could rip my vagina right off.  I don't know whether to stop vagifem or continue.  How can I control the thrush? and why am I getting it?  Sorry for the long rant. xx

[CLKD]

Take a pain relief tablet, now!   Maybe sit in a cooling bath with bicarbonate of soda in .  Pat the area, don't rub. 

If you have severe thrush you need appropriate treatment.  Canestan burned so badly that I needed to sit in a cool bath for hours.  One shouldn't self diagnose thrush unless it's 'common' occurrence.  Thrush thrives on sugars, which is why the mouth can be affected too. 

Get some LIVE yoghurt.  Greek is very good.  Eaten and applied.  It helps to cleanse the digestive tract from top to bottom - several large spoonfuls daily for 5 days.  Also lay on a large towel and put a good dollop as high into the vagina as possible ...... then doze. A friend uses a tampon coated so that she can ease it high into the vagina.  It worked for me several years ago.  My first attack of thrush was after I had stopped The Pill ........ the 2nd after emergency surgery and I was advised about the LIVE yoghurt trick then.   [Keep the two pots separate though  ]

I would stop the VA treatment, you may be sensitive to fillers/coatings or even the product.  I haven't had problems with it's sister,
Ovestin which is inserted via applicator from a tube so less coatings.  Some ladies find that 'yes' and 'sylc' products R useful.

[Joaniepat]

Jessieblue, have you done anything about getting a diagnosis, like getting a swab to see if it really is thrush? I believe GUM clinics know more about vulvas and vaginas than the average GP, so you could try going down that route, or maybe see a vulval dermatologist? Hard to know what to suggest otherwise, as you need to know if this is an infection or a reaction to a product.

Poor you, it is horrible for you.

JP x

[jessieblue]

Thank you both for your replies.  I will stop the Vagifem now.  Its a shame because I need the help down there but cannot tolerate which I kind of knew.  I have had the vagifem for months but was afraid to try it.....now I have my answer.  I tried to book a GUM appointment today.  What a joke, it was really hard to find a number, the number I found was out of date.  Eventually I found the right number but I was on hold for an hour and then got cut off!  Tried again.....same thing.  So I left a message....not hopeful about callback.  I also found another number for our local health clinic and the lady said there is a problem with their phone line and has been for months!  She was surprised they hadn't fixed it yet!  She said they were usually there on Thursdays but of course, not today!  God knows how long I have to wait for an appointment.  I don't feel as painful today but I am still covered in red raised spots and blotches down there.  Its really worrying me and my anxiety is rising by the minute.  What is wrong with me??  I keep getting these periods of inflammation.  Sometimes thrush treatment makes me worse.  Some swabs have come back negative and some with candida.  No one seems to know whats wrong.  I asked about lichen sclerosus but the doctor said definitely not......but was she right?  Im so confusd and worn down with all my health problems.  Isnt it awful all this suffering for just being a woman who got old?  If I see one more 50 something woman on TV telling me how liberating this time of life is and how they can still be vibrant sexy and have a life with meaning I am literally going to smash my TV!!!  What bullsh*t.  I guess none of them suffer with VA prolapses bladder pain or stomach prolems.