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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 1/9/2012 1:06 PM (GMT 0)
Ok so ive had this problem for about 3 years now and ive seen 3 different doctors all many times and none of them know how to help me. Im now on a waiting list to see a dermatologist which is about a 1 year wait.
I thought id ask on here in case it had anything to do with crohns and i just havent heard of it before. The problem is my left labia is swallon and is starting to crack like big 1cm cracks around the edges with pimple like bumps forming on it as well. It itchs like crazy and hurts. The only time it clears up is when im on a high dose of steroids but as soon as they start to lower me down it comes back. I have had test for stds and also changed soaps i dont have a yeast infection and ive tried all sorts of creams ointments oils and even a few natural remedies i also changed my birth control method and nothing seems to work. It is so painful and itchy and looks sooo bad. I just want it to go away but no one seems to know how to fix it so i just get bumped off to the next doctor once they have run out of ideas.
Like i dont have enough problems with my crohns i had to get this too. If anyone has had this please help i just dont want to be like this any more :(
Posted 1/9/2012 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
I have a condition called lichen sclerosis. I don't get the bumps, but it itches like crazy when it is active. It is another auto immune issue. My gynecologist gave me a high dose steroid cream along with a small amount of testosterone in it (it is supposed to thicken the skin) It worked really well for me. Google lichen sclerosis...you should be able to read about it and see if you think this is it. If you can't get into a doc right away, you can maybe try Cortaid or topical steroid over the counter cream and see it it helps. It kind of makes sense, since when you take steroids it seems to clear up. I hope this helps.
Posted 1/9/2012 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
and your GI is sure it isn't a fistula through the labia?

I'm so sorry you're struggling with this.
Posted 1/9/2012 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry you are going through this.

Someone here recently had a similar issue in the same area, and I believe she found that a Steroid/Antibiotic cream worked better than just a steroid cream.
Maybe try Fucidin H, steroid WITH antibiotic cream.

Otherwise, plenty of sitz baths with salts. If you can get dead sea salt it works so well.

Also, if it were me, I would be tempted to mix a drop of oil of oregano with olive oil and applying a teeny teeny amount. O of O is a powerful antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and might sting a little bit, but it might be worth a try.

I hope you get some relief asap, and let us know how you make out.


I found the thread of the other lady with similar issues:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=2280966
Posted 1/9/2012 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for being so brave to talk about this. I have Crohns and have been itchy..... Down there,lol. I did not think it had anything to do with my Crohns but with this information, it makes sense.
Posted 1/10/2012 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
I have had simmilar issues with the swelling, redness and it extends all the way to the perianal area. I also get a lot of stabbing pains 'inside' the vagina and I notice that when I'm having a bad Crohn's issue it's the worse! My GI thinks it's related to the Crohn's because:

1) The inflammation showed up on the CT when they were actually looking for inflammation in my colon(they did find rectal inflammation which supports his theory)

2) I had to get a 'clean catch' urine sample done a few months ago with a catheter and I was so swolllen 'down there' that it took 4 different nurses to get it in....That was...horrid.


I got a rash down there recently but it was from the Remicade. Do you think that maybe a medicine your taking has irritated it?

I've been using hydrocortisone gel(it's clear and doesn't mess up your underwear like the creams) and it has lidocaine in it so it feels relieving when you put it on! My GI prescribed it & it helps!

(((HUGS))) Hope it dissapears soon!
Posted 1/12/2012 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
thanks everyone for your help. ive been back to the doctor again ive been told i dont have lichen sclerosis or a fistula but the baths are helping to settle the itching though which is nice. I have another appointment on monday so ill see how i go then. Thanks again for your help
Posted 1/14/2012 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
@gfkak: I read your last post and hope you're doing better now. I know how uncomfortable it is to be itching down there or to have pain because it's so sensitive. Hope you figure out what's wrong and get help for it.



@gumby: Now that you bring up Lichen Sclerosis, I remember looking it up when I was flaring and it looked like I had it. It itched like crazy and the skin was white and wouldn't go away no matter how much I tried to wash it. I remember telling a gyno and he just told me I had a yeast infection but then again he did think my fistulas down there was just a yeast infection too. Now that I'm taking humira and imuran it's gone away. Does that mean it's completely gone? Can that happen if it was lichen sclerosis? Just asking you because this is the first time I've heard of it since then.
Posted 1/14/2012 6:59 AM (GMT 0)
thanks lovely its still bad still cant work out whats wrong the antibiotics im on for something else have cleared up the redness abit but its still itchy and cracked. Ive got 2 doctors appointments on tuesday one with my gp and one with my specialists so i better get some answers from them. I have been told i dont have lichen sclerosis which is one thing i guess its not white but has alot of similar symptoms. ill let you know how i go :)
Posted 1/14/2012 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
I had Hives about a year ago and saw an Allergist and he did an allergy test on my skin, then with a blood test determined I had low immunity. Anyway I took Claritin and a bunch of vitamin d. Cleaned up my Hives quite well. Also have a little psoriasis and was told to take a skin health vitamin, use cetaphil soap, and bathe with bath oil. Still have psoriasis but as long as I do that it keeps it very controlled. Anyways hope this helps and good luck.
Posted 1/14/2012 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
In answer to Lovely's question, the lichen scleorsis is a fairly new diagnosis for me, so I don't know a lot about it. Interestingly, the lichen scleorsis symptoms started just prior to my crohn's flare. Since I have been on Prednisone. I have no labia itching or symptoms. I'll see what happens once I'm off the steroids. I think it's all connected somehow, but I don't know for sure.
Posted 1/24/2012 5:55 AM (GMT 0)
thanks im still looking into it i got a couple of types of antibiotics for different things the other day and the cracks actually started to scab up and heal which was amazing but unfortunetly i got a UTI which was really bad and then it pissed off my crohns so now im back in hospital :( im on steroids again which in the past have help so i might never know if the antibiotics would have fixed it. Ill speak to my gp i think when i get out. Thanks everyone your hints and tips it means alot to me xxx
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