Treated for 3 months with steroid cream and emollient as recommended and felt great. 2 months later and felt things weren't quite right so started using steroid cream for 3 days, times 2 as instructed. Now 2 weeks after that I feel almost back to where I started. Anal fissure, cystitis today and intercourse was painful. I read somewhere that I should use the steroid cream 1 x a day for a week. Any advice anyone? How often should I use steroid, looking at my vulval area apart from bruising and some puckering of skin it doesn't look as bad as it used to. I'm finding it hard to know when to use the steroid!
I was told to use the cream every day for a month, every other day for a month, then once or twice a week for a month - then had to revisit my dermatologist. Whilst this worked for the outer areas it hasn't worked so well for the inner areas which have the bruising and puckering etc. I've just been back and been told to start again daily, alternate days etc etc. Flipping fed up with it now!
Hi Kep, Since I put the message on I am feeling a bit more positive. Spoke to GP, who reassured me that I wasn't using that much steroid. He told me to use it for another week. I have decided to use it on how things feel rather than look. That is, if I feel uncomfortable and the skin feels dry and soreI shall use the cream for a few days twice a day then continue once a day for a week then every other day for a week. Another GP told me there was no harm in using it for a week every 6 weeks if I needed to. If the skin gets too red I wean off it sooner. I've also signed up for sexual counselling via relate which seems to have cheered up my husband. Haven't even been yet! I think this condition probably comes and goes and that's what will give us ups and downs. Hope you feel a bit better soon. Fiz
Hi Fiz Glad you are feeling more positive. The steroid cream I use comes in gel and cream formula. The cream is easier to spread than the gel. I've been prescribed both over the last year, but haven't used more than about half of each tube in 12 months, so I guess I'm not using much either.
I've never been told to use it twice a day but it does sound as if you are being responsible in your whole approach to the condition. I've decided to try precision applications and am now using a cotton bud to be more accurate with where it is applied. This way I can avoid the slightly damaged areas...
Good luck with the counselling. I don't want to go into detail here, but I applaud you for taking this step - it is a good thing for you to do. It just isn't fair the knock-on effect of the condition but we just have to get on with it eh?
Take care.
K