Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: shrimpette on January 08, 2017, 11:08:04 PM
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Hello, had terrible virus recently which co-incided itchy vagina and watery discharge for about a week and now find tonight this has turned to light pink, watery bleed. Last period at 48 and now 52. Eek....somewhat worried as I have lichen sclerosis too. One thing after another...
Any thoughts ladies. :(
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Hi shrimpette. Sorry to hear that you have this worry. Are your smear tests up to date? I would be inclined to have a word with your GP as any bleeding - however slight - needs to be investigated if you have had at least a year without a period. It's probably something to do with the itch and the lichen sclerosis but better to be safe.
Taz x :hug:
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Thanks Taz, smears are up to date. Will check out with GP tomorrow. I've never had a bleed with LS but you never know. What about the watery discharge? Could be fibroids? it felt like thrush at the beginning but discharge isn't odorous or foul smelling...Night ladies, xx
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I went see GP and had a uterine swab and urine analysis. She thought I had a urinary infection but sample came back from lab ok. The vaginal swab however has come back with a step A infection. I have a period like sensation but no more spotting. Can a step A infection cause pelvic pain and spotting? Going back to GP next week for a pelvic exam. I've been given antibiotics for a week!
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Sorry strepeccocous ... should I take antibiotics?
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If you have a strep infection you need to take the antibiotics as directed. Infections can cause pelvic pain and bleeding and discharge so need clearing up.
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Absolutely! Take the antibiotics as prescribed.
I hope it all works well for you!
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Thanks both, read another post about vaginal infection and the recommendation was not to take the AB as they interfere with the gut flora making you more susceptible to infections! :(
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Hi again,
I don't know what thread you are referring to but this is NOT your case! Streptococcus A is a serious infection and needs to be treated ASAP. During and after your antibiotics course you can take probiotics to help keeping your gut flora. Be safe!
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Thank you memomale, I am duly reassured this is the best course of action. I too was concerned about my gut flora. Can anyone recommend a good probiotic? I'm still going to the toilet lots despite the no urinary infection result! :(
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Hey shimpette,
Are you going to the toilet because of urgency to pee or is it your bowels?
I'm afraid I can't recommend you any probiotics because I'm not in the UK... but make sure you have the ones that contain one of the best bacteria for restoring the gut flora such as L. rhamnosus GG, S. boulardii, B. lactis and S. thermophilus. You should be able to read these names on the bottle or package insert.
Sending you my best wishes!
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You def need those antibiotics and make sure you take the full course even if the symptoms improve as strep a can be nasty.
As to probiotics, the best ones need to be kept in the fridge after opening. Or you can eat plenty of natural yoghurt ( no additives at all) as nat yog is good for gut flora.
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Thanks for the advice on probiotics. Menomale, the need to urinate frequently is the problem, small amounts. I told my GP about this months ago and she said just meno but it has got worse. :o
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I'd say that a Streptococcus A infection would be enough to cause you urinary urgency to say the least because of all the itching and discharge irritating the area. Here is a link to the abstract of an article addressing this
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21336834
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It's unusual apparently for a Strep A vaginal infection to occur in adult women but when it does then it seems that any sexual partners also have to be treated to prevent re-infection? Strep B is the one most likely to affect the vagina. I would definitely use the antibiotics.
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/44/5/e43.full Scroll down to "discussion" if you don't want to read all of it - it is rather lengthy!
Taz x
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Thanks for the articles. Puzzled why I should develop this. As I have lichen sclerosis I use a lot of creams and emollients, so maybe I need to be extra careful with my regime? Thanks again.
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Hi again,
I didn't know a thing about lichen sclerosus but thanks to you (sorry!) I have read something and oh boy! another postmenopausal joy?!!
Have you ever used cortisone to treat it? Sometimes it can be one of the ingredients of creams, emolients. If so maybe your immune response has decreased (locally) and that could have opened the way for the Streptococcus to reproduce.
Anyway, as Taz2 pointed out, your partner has to be treated as well. I'm assuming that the swab test has detected Strep A and not B, is that right?
Another article (more recent) http://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(14)01611-7/fulltext
In the Discussion you can see that in absence of HRT and low oestrogen levels postmenopausal women are more susceptible to have recurrent Strep A infections, so MAYBE your lichen sclerosus is actually a complication from vaginal atrophy and if so you could use local oestrogens rather than other types of cream, emolients?
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Thanks for those detailed articles! Menomale - unfortunately I have had LS since I was 37, so no conclusions to be drawn regarding menopause in my case. LS is not understood and I have small patches on my body now too. It is considered to be an autoimmune disease.
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Oh, I had no idea, sorry to hear that! Are you taking any sort/route of cortisone to control it?
I guess there's the possibility that both vaginal atrophy from menopause and LS could have a role here. But the antibiotics will do their job sooner or later (sometimes another course of a different antibiotic may be needed) and you will have to be more careful and pay more attention to any new symptoms down there...
Sending you good vibrations and hugs
xxx