Warning: embarrassing topic....really....

Can't believe I'm actually posting this, but I'm desperate. Does anyone have problems with symptom 58, pain and irritation of female genitals? Apologize in advance if this is inappropriate question and has to be deleted. Or, if it is okay forum item but offensive to anyone. I am consistently uncomfortable, and the stinging is horrendous when I have to urinate. A lot like yeast infection, but seldom is improved and never stays better. Doctor has tried all standard yeast treatments and a few other things, but none work. Even resorted to cortisone shot once and later a round of the pill pack thingy. My last test results showed absolutely nothing. I am always fastidious about cleanliness and drying well at this point, without exception. Sometimes there will be a few hours with some relief. BTW I've tried Rx creams, OTC creams, powders, corn starch, and a couple of other things that I can't remember right now -- fog or overtired, either, both......
Any suggestions would be so appreciated. I'm from the era that does not talk easily about "such things". I just know that if there are any answers to this, some of you will have it. You are my hold on hope, sanity, and humor. Thanks for being there even if there really are no answers!!! (You'd think that at 66 years, I could figure it out! )
Sorry if some of you guys got on this post, but I tried to warn you!
(((hugs)))
Luv ya
Shash

Sera Smiles is right, check with your dr.

Is is irritation from dryness due to menopause? If that's it, calendula cream helps. If it's yeast, consider cutting sugar from the diet, drinking and douching with kefir. Sounds gross, I know, but it works. Kefir helps to restore the natural balance in the vaginal tissues.

Hope you find the answer soon.

Yes I have that issue, and like bella scarlet it is part of menapause. I also have to deal with another issue that causes that problem. I take AZO which stops the stinging and has really helped when I go thru these episodes. Its over the counter. But you should double check to make sure you don't have a urinary track infection. And of course drink cranberry juice.

I have pain and muscle problems 'down there' as well, and I've been tested for every STD, yeast infections, UTI's everything, the only thing my dr was able to come up with is that it's affected by the fibro as well. I have found some relief through by wearing only 100% white cotton panties if I have to wear them, changing bath soap to Aveeno for babies, drinking lots of water and cranberry juice and using Beaudreax's Buttpaste. My dr also told me to never ever douche, as it pushes any bacteria further into the reproductive tract and may cause infections.

I hope it helps, I know how miserable this can be.

If you are really sensitive to soaps, it is possible that you are having a problem with whatever you are using to wash your underwear and other clothing. Unfortunately, soap and especially fabric softener residue stay in the machine for a long time.

An easy way to test this is to buy some new white cotton underwear. Hand wash them with a dye/fragrance free soap. Hang them outside in the sun to dry. This way, your first layer of clothing does not have any soap residue.

Run your washer empty a few times adding a couple cups of white vinegar when the washer is full. This is supposed to remove most of the soap residue. Wash towels and other clothing items using the same dye/fragrance free soap and line dry if possible. I haven't found any way to remove fabric softener residue from a dryer.

Hey Shash...you know me...I'm not embarrassed by much...I was the one who started a thread on enema bags a while back!  But it so totally cosmic that you brought this subject up today...I woke up in the middle of the night digging away...'down there'.  Oh Crap...I thought.  I haven't had  a yeast infection in twenty years.  But I don't think it's that.  I think when I was out pulling weeds my jeans hiked up and I irritated myself or something.  Don't know.  I'll wait a day or two to see if I need the Gyno-lotromin.  I will tell you that ten years ago I went to FOUR doctors complaining of what you are describing.  None of them found anything and said it was vulvodinia or something like that...it drove me crazy because it hurt, stung AND itched.  I swore they were all missing something.  Doubt that I helped, but know what you are going through.  I am going underwear-less today!  How's that for embarrassing???  Oh...and I have to use hyper-allergenic soap too...talk about sting!

huggies

Donna

Thanks so much for all the great information! I could hardly wait to get back on the forum, but we had terrible storms last night -- not much wind or hail, but the lightning kept flickering our electricity off and on. No way to use the computer.
I knew there would be response, but you were fantastic. I'll try to give you a short, relatively speaking, post to let you know where I am with this. After nearly four months of only minor, intermittent improvement, I am hopeful that I can get better. I do believe this is vulvodynia. I've been checked for yeast, UTI, and a couple of other things -- negative. I do wear white cotton undies with cotton crotch. Not tight, but think I'll get larger size to try anyway, 'cause when I went sans undies at night, things seemed a bit less painful the next day. Can't wear anything tight -- even shed my bra when I'm at home -- maybe even an old lady like me should go undie-less at home sometimes as well. I'll try. I can't get up and down in the tub anymore, so I only shower. Vinegar makes sense to me, though, so may try a really mild solution in shower. I do drink cranberry juice - the light has less sugar and calories, but tastes great. Went through menopause years ago. Hadn't thought about bath soap or laundry soap as I've used same ones for years -- will try something milder for a while. Haven't heard about some of the things that were suggested, but will work through them -- don't want to make too many changes or I won't know what actually worked!!! And, I'm really optimistic that something will help!!!
Thanks again, guys, you are the best! I feel so much better -- really!!! And, hopeful....
(((hugs)))
Luv ya
Shash

Hi Shash

I have vulvodynia too but it sounds different from what you have. A doctor told me once that taking baths with salt (from the kitchen) helps and also drinking cranberry juice. You can also get tablets from the pharmacy with high quantities of cranberry, it`s supposed to help with the acid levels or something if I remember correctly.

Hope things improve.
Di

Eating yogurt helps....even putting it on the infected area..but not internally can ease burning/itching

cotton panties...If you wear pantyhose cut the crotch part out so you can breath down there..no tight pants....

These were all doctors recommendations

ABSOLUTELY NO DOUCHING! It is very bad for you as it pushes the bacteria further up into the vagina....many doctors have said this to me thincking that could be aggraviating it...I never have douche! :)

I have found eating more complex carbs can bring it on too.

Christie

we use 1/2 to 1 cup vinegar in our laundry and do not include fabric softener. Also, use non-scented and non-softened toilet paper. Epsom salts + vinegar and black tea (use a couple tea bags) in a bath tub help. since starting this, no more UTI's, yeast infections, or other itching. And, sporadic excema (which was my problem) has gone away. Also, use Cetaphil soap, castile soap, or a glycerin soap made locally.

As for using the same detergent - the manufacturers can change ingredients and not necessarily label it. Found out the "hive" way on that one!

Laura

Dont worry, it doesn't offend me. I am 44, and have had the same problem for the past year. Doctor thought it was Bacterial Vaginitis/Yeast. However, even after taking fluconazole monthly, as well as metronidazole, nothing helped the stinging/itching/burning. After some research, I read an article about green tea causing irritation in the area of the vulva. As a type II diabetic, I drank diet green tea all day long. I cut the green tea out, and then the symptoms went away. I started drinking diet green tea again, and they came back. For me, it was the green tea. I guess it changed my Ph balance in some way. It could be something you are drinking, something too acidic? Also, you might have a UTI. As soon as I turned 40-ish, my skin changed. I am very sensitive to cleaners, soaps, etc. I can't use any form of bath soap because they are so creamy and leave terrible residue behind. I find that I can use an organic, coconut-based chemical free soap, or Dr. Bronner's liquid soap - diluted. Also, to be honest, I stopped using soap in my genital area every day. I do shower every day, but only use a small amount of the above soaps every-other day. In between I use a wash cloth and rinse with warm water and organic apple cider vinegar, that has the mother in it - as a genital rinse. For a long time, the skin in the vulva area was blistered and peeled. It was incredibly painful for me. I could not even urinate without agony. Thankfully, I realized it was the green tea, and once my body was rid of the green tea, it began to heal, and now I have no pain or blistering. I think when we wash too much, and use harsh soaps that strip our body's natural oils, we can develop problems. I find that, for me, the more simple and chemical free, the better. And also, skipping the soap every other day in my genital area helps. I have no bad or fishy smell (i asked my husband to please tell me if he noticed a smell while I was adjusting to the new bathing routine), and I am very clean. Also, no douching. Finally, I have almost cut back 100% on all form of carbs (i.e., all grains, sugary fruits, breads, pastas, rice, etc.). My meals consist of proteins, good fats, and lots of veggies (non-starch), and some limited fruits (mostly cherries, berries, low sugar fruits). As a diabetic, I can tell you that my dietician freaked out on me when she saw I was eating bacon, beef, and cutting out all the above. However, I am now 58 pounds lighter, sugars are under control, and I don't have the yeast/vaginitis issue. I also drink mostly water. For me that was the hardest. I am a shameless soda addict. Even diet sodas. I love the carbonation. But, I needed to see what I could do to help myself. I am on enough medications as it is, and want to see if I can cut back on them if possible. The one and only lingering problem I have, and can barely control, is oral thrush. Its always there, and if I even taste something sweet, or starchy, it comes back with a big wham within an hour. Balancing a good diet is the key. Even eating too much protein can cause sugar spikes in diabetics. The proteins have to be balanced with fat so that the body can absorb them properly. I also only wear cotton panties. I eat plain, sugar free Kefir, and greek yogurt with very small drizzle of honey (my one sweet allowance). Check your laundry detergent. I stopped using fabric softener on my underclothes, wash cloths, and towels, and use vinegar in the rinse. I hope you can find relief.

Hi Marrit - Yes, she took cultures and sent to a lab. It came back negative, but she still had me take the fluconazole for yeast (Negative) and metronidazole for BV (also negative). After taking these for many months, nearly a year, I researched other possible causes for the pain and itching. The one thing I did notice was that upon stopping diet green tea, the symptoms cleared up and went away in less than a week. As for using soap, I never really thought about that. I guess that's just how I was raised? I am now free of pain/irritation/blisters/itching. I agree that soap is not needed to cleanse the genital area. I like using the warm water/vinegar.

Hmmm interesting topic, I'm dealing with a rash that i can't seem to figure out what triggers it or where it came from.  It's kind of in the general private area.  I don't think its yeast infection related.  It will flare up terribly and burn and be so bothersome for a day or two then that part goes away.  The inflamation will hang on for a few days.  I had a colonoscopy because my family doctor thought maybe there was something going on enternally that was causing the rash.  The GI doctor didn't find anything.  He suggested i go to my dermatologist with it.  I have an appointment for about a month from now and i'm on the cancellation list if anyone cancels.  The thing is, it comes and goes and I wanted the dermatologist to see it while it was flared up.  My luck my appointment will come around and the rash won't be there.  It never fully goes away, but it can be so irritating.  Needless to say it has really put a damper on my sex life with hubby:( he's being very patient but I'm frustrated to death.  I have other skin issues so their's no telling what it is.  I've tried everything from gold bond lotion, to curel lotion, to hydrocortizone cream which does nothing.  I use an olive oil based soap very mild.  I've gone to using tide sensetive detergante and dryer sheets.  I can't figure it out.  I hate it.  I've had problems in the past with yeast infections and the occasional UTI but this doesn't seem to have any other symptoms that make me think its yeast related.  Like i said it flares up looking almost burned very red and irritated uncomfortable to sit for a long time when its flared up like that.  I usually use the gold bond lotion on it fragrance free of course for dry sensitive skin.  I'm sick of dealing with it.  I'm sick of having skin issues.  I have eczema on my legs and roscasea(sp)?? so, i hope someone cancels their appointment I need to see my dermatologist.  I just wish it wasn't in such a personal area.  Oh well if she can help me I'll take a few moments of embarassment.