Lichen sclerosus and vaginal thrush...

[Twitchen]

I am really hurting down below. I was diagnosed with LS years ago, but it is very well controlled by using Locoid cream as and when needed.

However, about a week ago for no apparent reason I started to get really sore and itchy around the vagina and clitoris (well what little is left of it), plus some discharge. Filled in an online GP request form as it got so bad. Got phoned back eventually by a nurse who interrogated me before finally agreeing to prescribe one Flucanazole tablet and a tube of external thrush cream.

It is now over 48 hours since I took the tablet, but I am still really sore and itchy - how long will it take? I had to stop using the cream because it made the soreness and burning far worse, so have gone back to the Locoid, but even that seems to burn now, it wakes me up at night.

It is so difficult because for some reason nobody will sell Flucanazole tablets to anyone over 60, which seems ridiculous if you are suffering.

Just so fed up with this constant discomfort.

[CockeyMoor]

I have been wondering if I have Lichen Sclerosus and trying to find out how to get anybody to look. GPs seem terrified nowadays.

Fluconazole 150mg capsule should work within 24 hours. If it hasn’t you could ask for a course of 7 days of 50mg instead.

They will not sell Thrush treatments to ladies over 60 because it can be an indicator of uncontrolled Diabetes . I agree it is very hard work trying to get help. The Locoid cream could be changed to Locoid Lipocream which is nicer. Also the Thrush cream should be 2%. They do a 10% for internal use but it does no harm to use it externally. It does sound that you are so very inflamed that these creams are burning. Would Sudocrem in between calm the problem or good old Zinc & Castor oil cream .

[Twitchen in reply to CockeyMoor]

I know, it is so difficult to even get an appointment with a GP, never mind getting them to examine you. I would say that internet images of LS are pretty awful and scary, so don't think that everyone ends up like that. Unless you have a good GP who is clued up on LS, you really need a gynae to diagnose it properly.

Just checked and it is Locoid Lipocream that I have and this morning I think it is working its magic, so will use it for every day for a while.

Hope you get to see a doctor soon and find out one way or the other.

[Hidden]

you can buy fluconazole online...you just have to change your DOB if asked. I buy it over the counter and when asked my age I say 59..... I'm 62. I have mild lichen sclerosus and vaginal atrophy and not able to use thrush cream or anything else much due to burning. The skin must be very delicate. I even switchedfrom vagifem pesseries to ovestin cream because I kept getting thrush....Unfortunately the ovestin hrt cream just burns.... So atm I'm not using any localized hrt....

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

i should have said.... I've taken fluconazole tablet every 72 hours for 3 days and while it helped a hit it didnt fully eradicate the Thrush.... it took a couple of weeks after treatment...😊

[Twitchen]

I would say that my Lichen Sclerosus is mild, but unfortunately despite seeing the GP about pain down below on quite a few occasions, all he did was take a swab and said everything seemed fine. He didn't tell me that all of my 'bits' (clitoris and labia) had just about vanished 😢 I eventually saw a gynaecologist privately and he diagnosed LS just by looking. I never had the white patches though, just soreness and itching.

I just can't work out why this Thrush has hit me out of the blue. I thought it was caused by taking antibiotics, but I haven't had any for ages. That was the cause when I last had it, but it wasn't anything like as bad as this time, there was no discharge at all, just some itching and the tablet worked quite quickly.

Also you would think that the Thrush cream would soothe the outside area, but it has definitely made it far worse, so have stopped using it. Last night just bathed the area with warm water and then applied Locoid and after a couple of hours the burning started to ease and I did manage to sleep far better. So will do that again this evening as I think the Thrush may have made the LS worse again.

I also use Vagifem pessaries and Oestrogel.

Honestly what we women go through; as if coping with periods for decades isn't enough, you don't even get any respite post-menopause, which brings even more problems. I hadn't suffered with Thrush until after the menopause, now I have had it three times.

I have ordered some more Fluconazole from Amazon, just to have it in the cupboard if needed and thankfully age wasn't even mentioned, so I didn't have to fib. I know that I am not diabetic as I have had blood tests very recently and they were all fine.

So what exactly are women over 60 supposed to do if they are in pain with Thrush? Is there some other magic treatment apart from the tablet?

[Hidden in reply to Twitchen]

Ttotally with you on all the above... I've bought fluconazole online....I'm 62.... no age was asked for. I've even had it prescribed via my gp. I suppose the 60 cut off age is just precautionary.... It seems that even though my lichensclerosus is mild anything irritates the vaginal lining inside and out... even the localised hrt..🙄currently on amitriptyline for pain management....!

[lindyloo2018 in reply to Twitchen]

Hi, I use vagifem pessaries - they help, but also I use YES products for moisture - they are great - organic with no nasties- see yesyesyes.org. some of their products are available on prescription in the uk.

I use yes VM but have a look at the products. also for v thrush look at insertable probiotics.

when I was younger I used to soak a tampon in natural live yogurt and put it in overnight .

do the same for 5 nights with new tampon. it replaces the lost good bacteria in the V which fights off the thrush. canestan also do sell V probiotic pesseries which are supposed to do the same.

[Twitchen]

The tablet seems to have done its work, but still feeling some soreness and itching. Does it take longer for that to completely clear?