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[MrsMitch]

So I had my appointment with the GP today for my smear test. She was going to use local anaesthetic as I've had a bad flare up of VA and she had a very long vial of it waiting for me. But we had a good talk through what's been going on with my bits and she said she'd have a look at the external bits first. I didn't tell her I've been using 2 estradiol pessaries each night for a week for obvious reasons.
Apparently my labia and some other bits at the entrance to my vagina I've never heard of,  were very pale and shiny. So I suggested she try to have a look internally without anaesthetic first and low and behold, no pain! She said the walls of my vagina look really good and no sign of atrophy, so she said the estradiol is obviously working well for me. She also did the smear which made my cervix bleed slightly but I wasn't bothered,  just chuffed not to have pain!
She's also taken a swab to see if I have any trace of BV but that may have gone as I've treated it for 7 days now. She suggested that sometimes a course of antibiotics can 'reset' that and keep it at bay for a long time.
She's prescribed steroid cream for Lichen sclerosis. I saw her about 10 years ago and had forgotten how lovely she is. So I'll see if the cream gets rid of the remaining discomfort at the entrance to my vagina and the itching that's started in the last couple of days.
Bit naffed off I do potentially have another condition,  but glad a flare up of VA can be treated with an increase of estradiol short term.

[CLKD]

How do U feel?

Using VA treatment is essential to keep symptoms at ease. 

Did the GP explain the effects and long term treatment that LS requires?  There are several threads about it on the Forum.  How long did she suggest using the steroid cream for and do U have a follow up appt with her?

[Northerngirl]

Hi MrsMitch,  sounds like you've had an eventful day.  Really pleased you managed to have your smear test and without the local anaesthetic and no pain, that must've been a relief for you. Mine is due and I'm not looking forward to it ....I will go of course but my previous 2 have made my cervix bleed like you today.
Hope your BV has gone and the LS is treated quickly
Really pleased you seem to be getting things under control.....slowly but surely xx

[MrsMitch]

Hi Northerngirl 👋👋 how are you? I hope you get on OK with your smear, I've only got one more to go before I don't need them (according to the surgery I think). But yes, glad they managed it.
CLKD: I have been using both ovestin cream and estradiol pessaries daily for almost 12 months and still had a horrendous flare up, hence doubling up on the pessaries for a week, so there isn't any more I could have done to avoid it tbh. I don't know how long to use the cream for yet and I have no idea about  the condition long term, so I will be reading here, for sure. She's going to call me once my swab results are back so I will be making any relevant notes in case I heed to find out more about it when I speak to her. The wording of your post about effects of Lichen are making me think 'oh dear, what am I going to find'!

[CLKD]

MayB put LS into the search box on here ......... there's been discussion over the years about diagnosis and treatment etc..

[MrsMitch]

Yep, just had a pretty quick read on here and Google about it. After reading the symptoms, and I know I'm always saying it and I know none of you mind, but sorry tmi again : I've had an itchy bottom for about 30 years! My dad had the same and could never get a diagnosis. I wonder if it's possible that I've had LS for that long but it spread to my other bits around 14 years ago when my VA began?
Just thinking out loud, ladies because you're all such good listeners 

[fiftyplus]

Hi MrsMitch, I am glad that you had a pain free smear today and what sounds likes a positive experience with your GP who actually listens to you, in fact does more than listen, she sounds like a keeper and she even suggested using anaesthetic to help your smear test  along (I didn't know that was even possible - thanks for sharing, so it is a possibility for any procedures "up there").  Hopefully now you have a diagnosis, you can get successfully treated and find improvement from now on.

Northerngirl, even just putting pessaries "up there" for 2 weeks before your smear would help you, that is what I did and I think it prevented it being painful for me

[MrsMitch]

Thank you fiftyplus, I agree re pessaries as no way was anything getting up there prior to 2 per day for 7 days. The difference was incredible. I ordered Gina from Boots because it would have left me short for the rest of the month otherwise. One of the ladies on another thread kindly told me she uses extra for a few days during flare-ups.
The local is apparently what they use to catheterise people and it was in a big syringe. I've got to the stage now where I refuse anything in that area without pain relief. I've had triage Dr's wanting to do an internal and test for sti's (unexplained bleeding) in spite of me telling them I'm married and sex is impossible. When he tried to insist,  I told him I would only agree if he let me shove a cheese grater up his back side first, so he could understand the pain. He no longer insisted.
It seems it is possible to give us pain relief but they just like to cut corners in the hope you don't know.

[Jane_w]

https://vulvalpainsociety.org/about-vulval-pain/vulval-pain-conditions/lichen-sclerosus/

I highly recommend the Vulval Pain Society website. Lots of good information and links to helpful resources. Quite a bit about Lichen Sclerosus.

[Northerngirl]

Hi Northerngirl 👋👋 how are you? I hope you get on OK with your smear, I've only got one more to go before I don't need them (according to the surgery I think). But yes, glad they managed it.
CLKD: I have been using both ovestin cream and estradiol pessaries daily for almost 12 months and still had a horrendous flare up, hence doubling up on the pessaries for a week, so there isn't any more I could have done to avoid it tbh. I don't know how long to use the cream for yet and I have no idea about  the condition long term, so I will be reading here, for sure. She's going to call me once my swab results are back so I will be making any relevant notes in case I heed to find out more about it when I speak to her. The wording of your post about effects of Lichen are making me think 'oh dear, what am I going to find'!

I'm good thanks MrsMitch. Struggling a bit at present but nothing compared to you and many other ladies. I think I've got 2 more smears(this one and 1 more) I'm 56.....don't know why we don't have smears after 60....do we not have a cervix then😂. Take care MrsM x

[Northerngirl]

Hi MrsMitch, I am glad that you had a pain free smear today and what sounds likes a positive experience with your GP who actually listens to you, in fact does more than listen, she sounds like a keeper and she even suggested using anaesthetic to help your smear test  along (I didn't know that was even possible - thanks for sharing, so it is a possibility for any procedures "up there").  Hopefully now you have a diagnosis, you can get successfully treated and find improvement from now on.

Northerngirl, even just putting pessaries "up there" for 2 weeks before your smear would help you, that is what I did and I think it prevented it being painful for me

Thanks for the advice fiftyplus x

[CLKD]

We have to request mammograms too 

Itchy bottom = worms.   Or dryness.  My GP recommended Anusol. 

[MrsMitch]

CLKD : worms, you do make me laugh 😆😆
I've tried anusol and it never worked, although it is meant to shrink eye bags! But thank you.

[CLKD]

Good old baby appropriate lotion applied every hour until symptoms are eased?

Yep - bottom itching = worms. 

[MrsMitch]

I've slapped everything on that bad boy for years and nothing has worked! Stop it with the worms 😆 if I start scooting across the carpet like the dog, I'll take some of his wormer 😁