Hello, I am suffering from excrutiating discomfort when passing stools. I have been using a cream for fissures which is not helping. Can anyone tell me if it is safe to use betnovate steroid cream, which I am already using on my vulva, on the anal area too? My appointment with the heamarroid Specialist is not for another two weeks and the thought of being frightened to go to the toilet is daunting. Thankyou.
I also have L.S, I’ve had it for years. however, the sort of pain your describing is the same as I had, it turned out to be a prolapse. I had this fixed by operation privately. however, it came back, and had another operation. perhaps you can see if this what you might have?
Mandy
I often have a sore anus and it is always to do with the LS. It grows in a figure of eight around the vulva and the anus area and so you must apply the steroid ointment. I was told by my LS specialist that we do not use enough of the steroid cream and that we should be using about the amount of the first section of your little finger if that makes sense. the LS remains active in a cycle of six weeks and so if you are having a flare up or extreme symptoms then you should apply the steroid ointment for 6-weeks every night and then every other night for 3 weeks and gradually cut it down and use when needed. But i am not a doctor so you should ask about this.
this treatment regime is basically what my gynaecologist said to me.
do not be hesitant to use the steroid cream around your anus. i have the same problem. i am ripped front to back. there is no mercy with this git of a disease. i unfortunately have LS where there is no flare up, mine is utterly continuous and has been for around 10 yrs. i wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy. with your stool passing , try and keep them soft rather than firm. you will know what works for you. if you don’t know what works for you try buying some lactulose which is a stool softener.
feel better x
Hi, my 5 year old daughter has the same problem, and I use her triamcinolone steroid cream everywhere that is affected, and so far it has helped. Not sure about your steroid cream but her gynecologist didn’t really distinguish between the two areas.
Thank you, yes it does look like a figure of eight too!! I worried about putting the steroid cream there as my Gastroenterologist gave me other cream, for fissures and hemmeroids so didnt want to mix them. I am seeing him next week when I can inform him of my Gyne’s diagnosis, he may realise that the fissure he is treating me for is LS and treat differently now. I was not aware of the 6 week cycle but can see now that is how long the initial treatment is recommended. Lots to learn. I wish you could just take an oral dose of steroids to kick it into touch!! Thank you for responding.
Hi, thank you for your reply. Isnt it bloody awful this, I thought dealing with the menopause was enough but now have this to negotiate around my life. Im guessing sex is out of the question now just the thought of it makes me petrified. I am on stool softeners and have cut rubbish from my diet, however any size stool is like passing a lorry just so sore. I will start using the steroid cream in that area from tonight and see if there is some relief. Thank you.
Hi, bless your little girl, how distressing for her. You are right Im not sure where my gyne and gastro specialists start and finish but my gastro guy didnt even notice the whitening of the skin, so Im guessing his knowledge of LS is limited maybe when I point it out he may offer the same treatment as gyne. I do hope they have a breakthrough in the treatment with a cure in the future for your daughter xx
I do think it’s beyond time that different specialist start communicating with each other for the sake of humankind! What are they thinking? How can a gastroenterologist or whoever you are seeing who specializes in hemorrhoids not be aware of diseases that can affect the anal area?
If you do some research online you will see photos of where LS can appear. For whatever reasons it doesn’t affect the inside of the vagina or rectum but around it. I wonder why the doctor who diagnosed you with the LS to begin with didn’t tell you this BASIC information? My doctor had a book with graphic photos of (unfortunately) worst case scenarios which certainly got my attention! She was a gyn who specialized in vulval skin issues but I don’t know why ALL gyns aren’t more aware of this disease.
You should absolutely use the steroid on any area that is painful. I think you will feel an improvement almost immediately. I have since seen a dermatologist who has prescribed Tacrolimus along with the steroid. Interestingly, she said both were to be applied all over the area, not just where the disease was visible. This is the opposite of what the gyn told me. Clearly, gyns and derms are also not communicating. Unfortunately for me I don’t know who is correct. Using that much medication can make me more sore than I was to begin with so I’m left trying to figure this out on my own.
Sorry you had to go through this. We also need to communicate with our doctors when their failure to inform us causes us unnecessary pain and suffering so they will know what is required of them to help the next patient.
Good luck.
just a suggestion - the 2 areas r completely different and would check with your doctors office AND the pharmacy before u use ANYTHING!!! otherwise, u will have ANOTHER problem…
just another thought…try and eat as much fiber as u can because it will help if “things” can flow more easily too…
I would check with your doctor because I was told not to use it on the anal region. I was told to use only a small pea size amount in the vulva region while slowly counting to 10. So hard when we get conflicting information from different places. But for sure check with your doctor before applying that to your anal region.
get it on there asap, you will notice the difference very quickly. Try eating 3 prunes every day (they are a superfood) and drink plenty of water, stools will be smoother to pass.
You have LS around your anus and your doctor told you NOT to apply the steroid there? What were you told to do about it? I was told specifically to apply to both areas as both had signs of LS. It cleared right away, but hasn’t completely on the vulva unfortunately. Can’t remember anyone reporting here that they were told not to apply to the anal area.
A hemorrhoid is essentially a distended vein that has popped out. Topical medications for them essentially shrink them. I can’t imagine using the steroid on the surrounding area for such a short time if she is in pain can possibly do harm. Steroids are sold over the counter, after all.
I’m talking about Clobetasol steroid which is a very strong steroid. You have to be careful in using it. The Vulva Clinic where they deal with LS and where I went showed me where to use it and it didn’t include the anus part at all. I also was not told I had LS in that area. I asked about it and was told no not to use it on the anus part. I’m talking about that steroid. So, I would advise someone, if they are using a strong steroid such as Clobetasol, not to use it in that area before speaking to their doctor first. It’s only my opinion of course, but that’s what I would do. I agree with Vickie that they are two different areas. If the doctor’s office can’t be reached perhaps ask a pharmacy. Treating a hemorrhoid is a different matter.
Thank you for encouraging reply, I have put the cream there this morning so can only hope it helps. I will hopefully get some positive info on Tuesday from Gastro specialist and trust he will be aware of this condition once I point it out!! and treat alongside gyne accordingly. It is beyond belief they do not seem to be seeing the same condition, thank you again for your heartfelt response.
Apparently the steriod Betnovate I am using is quite mild, but strong enough I hope to give some relief. So frustrating and daunting that communication is not key amongst these prescribing professionals.
Hope it does give you some relief. Were you having this fissure problem when you were diagnosed with LS? Did that doctor examine the anal area? I must say I wasn’t experiencing any serious discomfort anywhere, but the gyn gave me a very long and thorough exam. When she was done she brought in the books with the photos to explain what I had where to apply the steroid where the LS was visible. As I’ve said the new dermatologist has told me to apply it all over the area, not just where the LS is visible. Clearly different doctors are following different schools of thought. Or they are just making it up!
Using the steroid for two days can’t possibly be harmful IMO. Let us know what this doctor has to say re if it is LS or not.
Try your best to relax and eat easily digested food for the next couple of days. You’ll feel a lot better after being properly diagnosed. If it is LS that is causing the pain the steroid should help quite a bit.
Hi, I thought I had a bad case of hemorrhoids which is what I originally went to the docs with. They diagnosed a fissure on three occasions with three different creams, it was only after my discomfort didn’t respond that they sent me to the gastro specialist. He was unable to examine me with a small camera which felt like a TV camera it was so painful!! and sent me on my way with fybrogel and another cream requesting I see him in 2 months time. At this time I had not seen the white discoloration on my skin and obviously neither did he! It was only during this two month period that I returned to my GP with soreness and itching around my vulva assuming it was yet another bloody menopausal issue, that she noticed the white areas. So it was missed all the other times and I had never heard of LS so wasn’t even looking for symptoms. . She referred me to the gyne where I paid privately coz I was getting very worried. Gyne immediately diagnosed LS even though I am awaiting a biopsy. I still had not put the sore bum down to the LS its only that its become so painful and sore because obviously the cream he has prescribed is for the wrong condition if that all makes sense. So here I am with relief one end and not the other!! So once I point this out to him the treatment should be the same. I will post again after Tuesday. Thank you for your helpful comments xx