Am fairly new to all this so am still trying to find my way. I haven't had thrush for many many years and have now had it twice in a short space of time. I read that its associated with LS Is that right? For me the LS was just around the anal area. Now am really sore all around the vulva. Dont know if this is due to the thrush or the LS spreading. Everything is all red, sore and inflamed. I don't know how much longer i can cope with this pain. It's agony. Also, how long does dermovate take to work? Is 2 weeks too short a timespan to say? The dermatologist said it should have worked by now but based on past experiences, i don't have much faith in the medical profession. Thanks for any replies. Feeling desperate.
HI Joanne , so sorry for your flare problems. I can't speak to dermovate personally though I agree with the doc most people on here have mentioned that ti works sooner than 2 wks.
My experience with LS also started at the anus... and then found its way to the vulva and perineum. I have been ever so grateful for learning about vitamin D3 on here and then I went on to study upon all the cofactors of D that are needed to rebalance our biochemistry etc.
For you now, I'd like to suggest what i learned from one of my healthfood store brilliant people who IS a oral LS sufferer. He told me about Aloe Vera Gel some months ago that I shared on here. 2 tablespoons with 4 -5 drops of tumeric essential oil- Really helps my bottom. Tony the health store nutritionist said that he uses the liquid version of Aloe Vera for his mouth swishing about 15 minutes a day.
DON't forget you can always take an Ibuprofen! smiles - it didn't occur to me for months before it dawned on me... ahhhhhh relief...
Feel for you Joanne. I think thrush is linked with LS but that treatment is different as its a fungal infection. And when i first used steroid (Betnovate) it took 4 weeks to see results altho my main issue was fusing. I had no pain, just irritation. Are you using other creams for moisturizing? They are essential for me, but i should imagine best not to use them whilst you have thrush. I hope everything settles, remember LS can go into remission and thrush can be cured - best of luck.
Thanks Nancy. Will try
Ive not found the dermatologist to be that helpful so no idea what to use or whens the best time to use stuff. I'd bedn using the dermavate twice a day for 2 weeks so couldn't really put moisturiser with that. Or do you moisturise first and then apply steroid? Whats the best moisturiser? I've now been switched over to protopic but it burns and so i daren't use it on the really raw patches which are causing me the most pain. It hurts to walk and to sit and i just want to get it under control. Now got the thrush too. Its never ending
Hi. If its thrush you need to be using a steroidal anti fungal asap. I was given Daktacort cream, worked within a few days. For the LS I have Elocon...Mometasone Fuorate. Not as strong as Dermovate, so not as much of an irritant and worked within 48 hours. I use Vaseline as a moisturising barrier and find this regime works for me. Good luck. F
joanne, were you tested for thrush or assuming it is because of symptoms? All of us with LS seem to experience it differently. In my case I didn't know I had it. Saw a gyn re a fleeting vag infection. Initially I thought it may be yeast, then BV because of sometimes odor. Gyn detected no infection, just the LS and atrophy. (Knew I had atrophy; was diagnosed several years prior, but had decided not to use hormones at that time.) Very surprised by LS diagnosis. Was prescribed a steroid cream for it and hormone cream for the AV. (Gyn said my LS was caused by lack of estrogen.) Using the hormone cream has reversed the atrophy, but it does not affect the LS. The steroid cream worked well & quickly for the LS according to gyn, but I still have very small areas so am continuing with steroid. (Triamcinolone , not dermovate.) Almost 6 months into this the infection symptoms have lessened, but have not gone entirely. Gyn had me mix Nystatin with the hormone cream, but that did nothing. May even have caused soreness. Took a round of flagyl pills which immediately stopped the vag itch, but it returned shortly after. Wanted to try metrogel, but the cost was too high.
Some women think the internal itch is caused by LS, but as the flagyl stopped my itch I think it is bacterial. As it is mild & fleeting I just rinse with slightly salted water which alleviates most discomfort. Sorry yours is causing you so much discomfort. Do you see a gynecologist as well? Mine has been very helpful. Have not seen a dermatologist. Some women swear by baking soda and or borax. I tried the BS but I found it very drying. Everyone is different. Have you read previous posts on LS? You will find different theories, but steroids are the most effective according to everything I have read. Hope you find relief soon.
Thanks Frances. Will see if i can get some Daktacort tomorrow. Is that better than canestan treatments? Will ask my dermatologist about getting the different steroid.
Hi Beverly,
Was tested the first time for thrush and now its the same again. The LS has been a massive shock. I have herpes and was at my GU clinic and they told me that what i thought were herpes sores was actually the LS. The consultant swabbed the area to make sure but came back negative. I've had it swabbed a couple of times just to make sure. He gave me the dermavate. At that point wasn't really in pain so didnt use the steroid. Then things got worse so started it but no improvement. Thats when i found a dermatologist. He said it was either lichen sclerosis, planus or simplex. He thought more than likely L S based on what id said but couldnt be sure without a biopsy. Thats out of the question for me due to other health problems. Hes put me on protopic but it burns on the red skin so darent use it on the raw patches. Am so depressed. Am not getting anywhere. I've never seen a gynae.Is stress a big trigger cos my stress levels have been sky high but impossible to get them down. Ive read some of the posts in here. There's so much to take in, am feeling abit overwhelmed. I just thought the steroids would work.
Yes. Daktacort has hydrocortisone in it.
joanne, I am no expert, but the fact that the steroid has done nothing seems odd. If you are able to see a gyn I'd go. Are you menopausal or postmenopausal? If so try to see a gyn who specializes in menopausal problems. Wonder if an antihistamine would calm things down. Have you tried that? I have had rashes in the past that went wild or extreme reactions to insect bites and had antihistamine injections that brought the reaction right down. You could try over the counter. When you say you were tested for thrush do you mean it was positive? If so can't you take Diflucan instead of using cream?
Joanne - as you've said you didn't use the dermovate straight away, could it have been an old tube? My GP tells me to discard steroid ointment after 4 - 6 weeks as it loses it's potency and no longer works. Definitely try borax soaks or swab with a solution of it - it is very soothing. Also I would say definitely ask to see a gynae or dermatologist.
Once again, it sounds as though you are not getting the advice you need. so many of us end up confused by what doctors say. I've just written a reply further on in this thread about using borax which might help soothe both thrush and LS symptoms. My GP told me to apply moisturiser before applying steroid, in case of spreading the steroid into wrong areas by doing it the other way around. However, when I use steroid, I apply it on it's own overnight. The rest of the time I moisturise regularly and vary the creams. Have you tried emuaid?
I'm peri menopausal. Yes, i tested positive for thrush. Definitely got it again now too but am really concerned at how much worse the redness is. Its spread from the anal area to the vulva. Unfortunately i can't take any oral meds or even vitamins due to 2 stomach problems so I'll have to use a cream for the thrush.
I didn't know that about discarding after 4 to 6 weeks. The tube i've been using was definitely older than that. I really hope that's the reason its not worked. Don't know anything about borax. Where do you get it from?
sarb, I wasn't told that either. I use such a small amount I have more than 1/2 a tube left after 6 months. When I told the doc I had a tube left over from having poison ivy she didn't mention it would no longer be effective. Wonder what a pharmacist would advise.
Hi Sarb, I'm not sure that is correct as I see my Gyno yearly and receive a new tube of the steroid cream then. For some people the steroid cream (depending on where they live) is very expensive and they simply wouldnt be able to replace it every 4/6 weeks.
As an aside I am not receiving any new posts or posts that I am following..I am trying to rectify that problem with the moderator.
Hi Joanne, honestly, the cream wont get rid of the thrush, which is why it is re occurring, plus, for some people thrush and LS go hand in hand and so if you are not dealing with it correctly it will continue to re occur and cause your LS to become worse.
The main treatment is Diflucan and sometimes oral Nystatin. Candida left to run wild will make you very ill and can become systemic (which I've experienced) and I actually believe causes your body to almost shut down.
I actually believe that Candida is the root of many auto immune diseases.
I got my borax on Amazon. Make sure it's sodium tetraborate.
Hi Guppy, I can only go by what my GP has said. I am in the UK and can get a new tube of betnovate on prescription every 6 weeks, which I do as GP has advised this.
I wasn't receiving posts either for a time and it seemed the website had me down as a professional, which I certainly am not and had never said I was. They emailed to ask me and once I had put them right the posts started coming through again.