HI there

My Mum is in her mid 50's and is going through menopause (ever decreasing frequency of periods) but has very few other symptoms (although I would say she has memory loss... but that's another topic!).

One thing she has had though is itchiness around the vagina. She has been checked for thrush and bacterial vaginosis (neither of these) - and also been treated with various antibiotics and steroid creams - but with no luck and it's still driving her crazy. She also isn't that keen on long term steroid cream use.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions to soothe symptoms? (or 'cure' it?). Do you think this is menopause related?

My Mum went through menopause at 55. she is now 66 and 3 yrs ago she was diagnosed with some sort of Gynae problem which is similar to what you are describing with your Mum.
Had different tests done, creams & tablets for thrush which it wasn't. They also thought it might be spasming bladder, which they tried her on tablets for.
Consulted a gynae who said it was due to thinning tissue, due to menopause.
But my Mum is so that she still calls her Vagina her middle and she is so naive sometimes that she reckons that there is no name for her condition and was told that she may have it indefinitely. So trying to get info out of her is non exisistent.
I know she uses Ovestin cream vaginally when she seems to have a flare up, and sometimes sitting for long periods really aggravates her condition. I too question the long term use of the hormone cream, but her GP says it is only a small dose.
Not much help but wonder if it is the same?

I too have had terrible itching for years - not just "down there" but my back and occasionally feet. I've been using mild steriod cream (locoid) but it doesn't really get rid of the itch, just ease it. My Dr was at a loss because I wasn't in menopause or even close (altho I am now in peri-menopause), but it's definitely hormonal because during my pregancy last year the itching completely went!

Now it's back

So - if anyone has a natural remedy I'd LOVE to know of it!

Hmmm... so it sounds like it is a bit of a mystery all round. Interesting to hear you have had itching elsewhere as well Joolee, as Mum has had itchy little bumps on her hands - which I don't think she had associated with the other itching. But maybe they are related.

Sorry to hear yours is back. Must be very annoying! Will see if anyone else has any ideas.

Hi There, Can't help with the vagina itching but I get very itchy bumps on my hands and arms and I have narrowed it down to two types of washing powder and soap, so I avoid them now and have not had itching in ages (except when I stayed in a hotel and there sheets had been washed in powder I could not tolerate - So maybe get her to try diff washing powder - that could explain the vagina itching as her underwear would have residue on them??? Worth a try maybe?

ASk her to try stopping the use of ANY soap 'down there'. Its unnecessary and effects the 'natural flora'. I haven't used soap there for years and don't smell bad, although sometimes I still get the itch! In fact during my last short pregnancy I thought I would have to stop going out in public!!!

Worth a try...

Has anyone come up with a solution yet?

I have this problem as well!!!!! It usually starts just after ovulation until I finish AF then the cycle starts again, it's driving me nuts and is incredibly hard to I am constantly covered in blood due to stratching and it totally hurts when I pee due to scratching the skin off in some patches!!!!

OMG ... I have tried every cream available as well. I see my Nautropath today so will ask her. If there is a natural way, I will let you all know.

I went through this too - before menopause was ever a part of my life. I gave up soaps and I use the plant based laundry powder and I haven't had it since I suspect it's a hormonal thing that makes us more sensitive, or something... but geez it's nice to be itch-free!

Ruby - I have had it for years, nothing helps much. The best thing I have been given is dermovate but my doc doesn't let me have that anymore; she now prescribes locoid which does do the trick. But I have to use it twice/day

It's DEFINITELY hormonal - during my last pg, I never had it at all, then it came back

This topic caught my eye, as I'm not going through menopause, but am pg and have had the same problem. Like Ruby I was scratching so much that I had raw bits.

I had a swab which was all clear for thrush and vaginitis.

I asked a naturopath friend if she thought using tea tree oil around there would be ok. I had read about tea tree oil being used to treat thrush, but had been warned against it in pregnancy.

She thought it sounded like hormone related irritation, and recommended using diluted lavender essential oil.

It really worked! I just bathed the area in about a cup of warm water with about 5 drops of lavender essential oil in it for about a week, and its been fine ever since. I did do a couple of washes with diluted tea tree oil (friend said it was safe, but to make sure its well diluted, as its hard on the skin) as well, but I really think it was the lavender that made the difference.

HTH!

Hi all,

Well my Naturopath suggested Aloe Vera gel. Since I have a plant at home, I whipped out to my garden on Friday night and cut a slice off the plant and applied it to my .... er .... ya know, my bits (mental note to self, you MUST remove the thorny parts!) and whaddayaknow, haven't flaming well scratched since and am all healed up now and haven't used it for a couple of days!!!!

Geeze Gidy*Angel, bet you sure smelt nice!

I might have to try the aloe vera gel or lavender oil.

I just took myself off to the Sexual Health Clinic today to check out this same issue. I'd been seen at my old GPs over a year ago & they said it was probably mild thrush. They gave me Micreme H which did relieve the itching while I was using it but after a week or 2 the itching came back. I was too embarassed to see our new GP about this. I figure they look down there all day at Sexual Health clinics so they'd probably have a better idea what the problem might be. I saw a nurse at the SHC today & she said itching down there is really common and it's usually caused by thrush or dermatitis.

She did a swab for thrush but thinks mine is most likely lichen sclerosus (see http://www.dermnet.org.nz or more specifically http://www.dermnet.org.nz/immune/lichen-sclerosus.html). She has given me hydrocortisone cream to use once or twice a day for the next 3-4 weeks and then I need to see a dr to confirm the diagnosis & see if the hydrocortisone has cleared things up. Apparently the condition doesn't go away but it can be managed well with steroid creams. After the skin returns to normal hydrocortisone cream once a week helps keep the lichen sclerosus at bay. I've been told to only wear cotton underwear, avoid tight clothing down there, only use sensitive laundry powders, avoid soap & stick to aqueous cream or dove.

I am glad to have a diagnosis but I'm still hoping it will turn out not to be a permanent problem. I find out on Monday if it was thrush. If not I'll invest in an aloe vera plant and some lavender oil before my next visit to the SHC and see if it's okay for me to try these to see if they work in place of the hydrocortisone.

Hi all,

KatNik'sMum, pleased a diagnosis has been made and hope that it's NOT a permanent thing.

I choose to do Aloe Vera because I am in to natural remedies. Hate anything that throws off the balance of your body.

I've just been diagnosed with Lichen Sclerosis & my Gynae said i may've got it during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, they don't seem to know how people get it, & there is no cure.....it's an auto-immune disease, i have an over-active immune system & it could be the reason why im now not falling pregnant, we've been trying for 7 months now with no luck, when we 1st starting trying with our DD, we were pregnant the 1st month.....am having a test done on friday to make sure i'm ovulating & we'll go from there, but it's not a nice thing to have, especially when im only early 30's.....the very strong steriod cream im on is working well, haven't itched yet, but can only use for 2 weeks, then onto a weaker one.....just hope like heck it we can get preggy again......also with LS, it can leave you with scar tissue "down there" & i've read on other LS sites that emu oil will restore skin back to normal condition.....

Mine is often around the nipple area. Is this normal?

Although this original post is from 2007, just thought I'd post, even if to help someone through the same.
Having had 5 mths of recurrent vulval thrush, itching and irritation, 2 different thrush creams, 4 lots of Diflucan treatment, locoid cream, OTC creams, plus Ovestin cream (GP thinks I may be peri menopasal) trying Probiotics, and all sorts, my GP finally prescribed Aci Gel.
Not covered by PHARMAC so did cost me $48.
Aci Gel restores the vaginal PH balance.
He also referred me back to my Gynaecologist.

I haven't had thrush now for 3 weeks and on a scale of 1-10 as far as itching & irritation it would be a 1-2.
Gyneacologist says that she doubts low Estrogen would be the cause, but has sent me for blood tests.
Has ruled out lichen sclerosis, eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis
It all started back in December with thrush, but since then I have gotten into a vicious cycle with itching & scratching, which then leads to thrush.
The Aci Gel is definitley working and hopefully before long will go completely.

The main thing is to take precautions to prevent thrush, and to take Diflucan the instant I feel the usual symptoms.
Can't tell you how happy I feel

Gosh I just spotted this too. Mine turned out not to be lichen sclerosis or any other 'condition' either. Possibly was an allergy/autoimmune thing but if it was, it has since come right.

I have always been sensitive to soaps and shampoos and possibly to washing powders so I now stick to aqueous cream for showering and only use shower gel under my arms. I've found a shampoo that I don't react to (yet anyway) and I'm using persil sensitive for our laundry. I also keep shaved 'down below' (apart from a triangle at the front so I don't look pre-pubescent) as I wondered back when I had the itch whether it could be linked to my hair irritating things. The itch disappearing did seem to coincide with keeping things shaved so maybe that has been the answer for me.

Either way I am itch free now and loving it!!! I hope some of you can achieve the same.

I definitely recommend trying shaving and perhaps using aloe vera gel or lavender oil in warm water as others have recommended to see if these things can relieve the problem without relying on long term steroid use or other medications.