For Tracey Guenthner: DIV Lichen Planus Strep & Discharge

[Guest guest]

Lichen Planus and DIV tend to appear together - If you have DIV you

usually have the other. Lichen Planus of the vulva and vagina causes

increased vaginal discharge sticky heavy and yellowy. There is

redness soreness burning raw areas of vagina and vulva. There can be

bleeding and or pain with intercourse (in most cases intercourse in

no longer a part of our lives) and the other is Scarring which may

cause shortening ionarrowing or closure of the vagina. Symptoms do

vary from mild to severe in women. The actual cause4 is unknown but

an autoimmune theory has been suggested. Now DIV is caused by

excessive growth of bacteria normally living in the vagina.

Desquamative means peeling and DIV with the overgrowth of bacteria

irritates the walls of the vagina and causes them to peel. The vagina

sheds copious quantities of white cells via discharge. For me the

discharge pours out (I'd use 10 - 15 sanitary pads per day when it

was at its worst). Mind you at this point in time I am not

experiencing profuse discharge. No it does not sit at the opening of

the vagina. In fact when I was with my Gyn (two years before I was

diagnosed) and actually had look on a screen at the inside of my

vagina I could see discharge coming through the os (entrance to

uterus)at a great rate. My whole vulva was affected from my clitoris

to the entrance of my vagina and inside and also around my anus. Hope

this gives you a better understand of what we women are living with.

We all can experience different symptoms and post menopausal women do

not have much success in being cured.

Regards

Hi ,

> I just wanted to tell you - I really feel your isolation about

> this. I am 23 years old and have had this for 1.5 years. I don't

> know anyone my age who struggles with these problems. It is a

> horrible condition to have.

> Just wanted to ask you - did the clindamycin reduce the

discharge

> and then the discharge came back again? I am getting reduced

> discharge from it right now, but I know that the relapse rate is

high.

> I have a lot of burning right now too. I never got itching - it

might

> be because I only have DIV and not lichen planus. There is another

> option for you that you may want to let your doctors know about

it. I

> had tried using Anusol steroid suppositories (1% hydrocortisone).

> This cleared up the DIV but when I got off of it, it came back.

There

> are some women who have used it for years - I did not feel

comfortable

> going this route, but you may want to consider it. Another thing -

> have you had your lactobacillus levels checked? I had low

> lactobacillus so I have been using lactobacillus GG suppositories

by

> Culturelle (www.culturelle.com). These have restored the

> lactobacillus to normal which may help fight off your strep. One

> thing I've read about DIV - even when they get rid of the DIV, the

> lacto levels still remain low. I am thinking that we may need to

> attack it by not only using clindamycin or steroids but also by

adding

> in lacto. I have also been using Multi-Gyn gel (www.multi-gyn.com)

to

> try to restore the pH to normal. Women with DIV have elevated pH

> levels.

> I, unfortunately, have not had success with homeopathics. I

don't

> know if it has another name besides Causticum (I think that's the

only

> name - in the UK and India, it is also called that). I was taking

3

> drops 2 times a day. Did nothing for me, unfortunately!! I have

some

> info on Causticum at home - I will send it to you when I get home.

> Also, I have some muscle tension as well that makes us more prone

to

> developing infections such as these. Do you think you may have

this

> as well?

> Please feel free to email me privately if you need to talk

about

> this. It is severely devastating. I know what it's like to go to

the

> mirror and look to see how much discharge you have. Sexual

> intercourse with my boyfriend is impossible as well as functioning

day

> to day. I pray that one day we will find relief from this

condition.

> I think if we support each other on this list, we may together find

an

> answer. I have given up on doctors - I've been to top specialists

who

> tell me use steroids. It's just not the route I want. Thanks for

> posting your message - it's nice to know that there are other women

> who have this as well.

>

> Love,

> Seema

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