had my biopsies on Monday and labia fusion separated, feeling very sore, as expected, and stinging when peeing. I have used Epsom salts in bath which eases for a while and aqueous cream to cleanse with. I have also had Instillagel from the hospital and oramorph if the pain gets too bad.
any other things I could do/use to help with soreness and healing.
We've all been talking about how much 1/3 of a cup of baking soda in the bath helps, or a smidgen of it in a bottle of water as a mini-bidet after bathroom visits. Hanny had a dilation procedure that left her feeling the way you do and she swears by this tried-and-true first aid technique. You'll probably hear from everyone. Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks Morrell, I will get a spray bottle and try this.
is instillagel a barrier cream? You don't want urine on your labia.
I didn't know they would separate the fusion. It won't stop the
LS will it?
O yes, baking soda was my saviour and still is. Hope it will help you too Jan. It helps to prevent infection and cleanses at the same time. If lucky, it may help to keep LS in check. For me it seems LS is 'on retreat' right now.
Nothing stops the LS, but surgery to separate fusion has always been an option. Unfortunately it often re-scars closed. Dr. Goldstein is optimistic that with the 'proper' use of clobetasol, this may not happen. The thing is, some have really aggressive LS. Look how hard a time Hanny's been having keeping her dilated opening from growing shut. She just needs to be able to pee. If you read about the Koebner phenomenon, you'll understand that any cutting or trauma can trigger a major flare-up. So, it really depends on a lot of things. We have had members who have had surgery and resumed sex, so as I say, it's sometimes an option. More in younger women, I think.
Did people in the hospital teach you how to keep the opposite layers separated? I keep using the dilating technique.
Hi Shiela, Instillagel is used to numb the area when you have a Catheter inserted or an internal, it also has antiseptic in it as well. It does help with the pain, but stings when you apply it. Separating the fusion won't stop the LS, and the fusion can re close.
thanks Hanny, so sorry you are suffering too, I will try the Bicarbonate of Soda today. I do not want them to fuse together again, it is so painfull having it separated. Do you put any creams or ointments on it? Are you raw? I have peed this morning and am bleeding, not sure if it is from pee or separation or stitches. I would like to put something on it, but afraid it may make things worse or get infection. I also had a skin tag removed from bottom part of vaginal opening, from previous ops, this has one stitch in it. The two biopsies have a stitch too. Hope the bicarbonate works for me.
they told me nothing, just said they could fuse again. What is the dilating technique? I asked for the Instillagel and oramorph as they helped
me last time, but didn't have fusion then. I am very worried that it could re-fuse. I was starting to have trouble with peeing, it was dribbling after a pee.
anything you can suggest would be greatly appreciated
Hi Jan, Make sure you drink a lot of clear fluids- the urine will be weaker and less stinging. Try peeing in the bath or into slightly saline body heat water - 1 teaspoon salt to 1 pint of water- the same salinity as the human tears, so it shouldnt sting as much a plain water- but you may want to test it out first on a small patch.
With stitches and i would be cautious about too much barrier creams for a few days - you dont want a soggy wound -
If the fusing meant the entrance to the vagina has closed then using a dilator to keep the opening from closing again following a surgical stretching is very helpful- If dilators not available try a dildo - but i would phone up the clinic and ask for advice from the nursing and or medical staff. Phone early before the clinic session starts - then you may get thro faster - but obviously not TOO early before the staff arrive! You may be lucky and catch the medic who performed the procedure
Good luck hope the soreness goes soon
Hi Suedm, The fusing I had was the labia, not the entrance to the vagina, but covering the clitoris and holding back some wee so causing dribbling after urinating. I do have a problem internally, but not sure what is causing this, it is very tight and painful, but the opening hasn't covered over, just the labia fused. I had skin cancer of the vulva some 20 years ago and had it successfully removed, but stitched up too tightly and had to have a Fentons procedure where the cut into the perineum, so I have less distance between front and back passage. I have had subsequent biopsies since and diagnosed with LS some 10 plus years. I'm also diabetic, 3 years and this doesn't help with healing process. I have numerous other medical conditions which make things difficult too.
You do sound as if you have had a tough time. One of the others on this forum has had a similar sounding problem and some one else suggested a vagi wav- look it up you may find it of some help to you...depending on the cause of course. Hanny had obstruction to her urethra and had the op recently as an emergency - check out her thread too
Good luck
Sue
Thanks Suedm, will look into this, will try anything once.
I had my biopsy done yesterday so l am very interested to see what advice everyone has , l was given some instillagel but no pain killers but you have had much more done to you than me so l expect thats why you got painkillers . l tried paracetomol as thats the only one l can take due to other drugs l take and it didn,t even dent the pain. l have got about a quarter of an inch of instillagel left and l am trying to save that for tonight. l washed this morning using only water although the consultant said l could use aqueous cream , maybe tomorrow l will try that. She said l could use vaseline after 3 days but only in desperation. l just hope healing does not take too long , and hopefully some relief from the symtoms of LS . l hope all turns out well for you , at least we are not alone , which is some comfort.
Hi Winifred, so,sorry you have to be here, but thanks for your reply. I would ring your GP and ask for a prescription for more Instillagel. I use Epsom salts in the bath, other advice on here suggest Bicarb in bath and as Hanny suggested a small amount in a spray bottle of warm water to spay after the toilet. Today I had a shower and used aqueous cream to wash and it was soothing I washed it off with shower head on warm, not hot, dried with hair drier on cool and applied some Vaseline as I found one of the stitches were pulling and stinging when weeing, this has helped a lot. As you only had this yesterday, I would stick to the Instillagel for a few days more and then try some of the suggestions. I hope you recover quickly and get some comfort from this forum. You could also try ice, covered in a cloth or flannel, this will help with swelling and also numb the area.
Hope this has helped insome way and you get better soon.
jan
Hi Jan,
Some blood coming at first is normal. No baths, I was told, till the bleeding stops. And unfortunately at first it is painful to pee. Not wanting any infections I started using baking soda (three pinches or more) with the warm water in the spray bottle that was supplied. (the baking soda was an old remedie my mother used) This I still do after every bathroom visit. I noticed that it helped in more than one way. For some reason the LS stopt being so vicious. Which was helpful with the healing process. With that I used some oil, trial and error. The most successful I was with coconut oil, although it stings a bit at first, it seems a good combination with the baking soda. That one stitch will eventually dissolve, but will also give discomfort for a while.
First some healing has to happen before you can go to the next step. Keep observing the area closely. My specialist explained how I could make myself a simple dilation tool - small candle with a condom over it. The advantage is that the condom already has some lubrication. Since at first the opening was so small I could not use anything bigger than a birthday candle at first. Most important in this is that the layers heal separately. A task and a half, since at first I was doing this at least six times a day. Three weeks later now, I have been able to reduce this to three times a day.
Since I was running out of candles the right size, I have, via Amazon,ordered a dilator set. Using the smaller sizes. To my amazement I read on the instruction sheet that this dilator set is also used for people with LS. Who would know.
So far so good. I'm three weeks in now and I can pee like any ordinary person and that is sheer delight.
Next to all this I still do the hormone replacement (not Premarin since I was swelling up from this and that closed my small opening one day, brrr. ) I use Bi-Est. And I use still a small amount of the clobetasol ointment. The tiniest amount.
I'm not sure I have told all in the best way, so someone else can understand. If you have questions, feel free to ask.
Thank you Hanny for explaining all that you have gone through, I feel that I may have a similar problem, as I am unable to have sex and cannot have a smear test without a lot of pain or they can't do it at all. I will certainly try the Bicarb treatment, I remember my mother using this years ago for something, can't remember what.
I hope that you continue to improve and get some relief from all that you are doing.
jan
GREAT TIPS hanny! so there is a dilation set....makes sense.
hope you get some relief jan. best wishes
It's what I hope for you too Jan. With all this I also took a lot of rest.