Re: does this sound like LP?

[Guest guest]

>

> Hello,

>

> I have struggled with undiagnosed vulvar pain for about 8 years now. I

went through the (familiar to many, I am sure) horrid experience of many

wrong diagnoses and eventually just gave up and decided to live with it.

>

> I am currently experiencing my first flare since before my pregnancy

w/ my 14 month old (pregnancy and breastfeeding brought a VERY welcome

break) and I am feeling motivated once again. I have a fantastic primary

care giver who mentioned vulvodynia to ME -- I was thrilled.

>

> She's running some extended swabs for yeast and bacterial vaginosis,

but if those don't come up with anything, she wants me to see a

specialist. I'm in the Atlanta area and have done a search to see who

was recommended -- came up with a few names, but I'd love any other

recommendations anyone has to offer.

>

> My pain began when I started on the birth control pill. My symptoms

are raw skin -- the top layer of my skin actually turns white and

flakes/peels off during a flare, burning, fissures in my skin. I think

there may be itching as well, but it is less of a traditional itch I

suppose -- probably because of the state the skin is in during a flare.

This flare started in the clitoral region and spread south -- I am now

seeing a bit of vaginal discharge with what I believe to be skin cells

from internally as well.

>

> I am " lucky " enough now to have my flares be much further apart (even

pre-pregnancy) than they were at the start, but I am still in an awful

lot of pain.

>

> I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone with similar symptoms

so I have better questions to walk into the specialist's office with..

>

> Thanks so much,

>

It sounds more like Lichen Sclerosis to me as well. I have LP and mine

is red and purpilish when I have an episode, no white of flaking of the

skin. Mine is in the inner labia and the clitoris.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for all of the replies.

I was thinking LP instead of LS because I do not have the whiteness or paleness

of the skin during a flare (or not during a flare) -- the whiteness that occurs

is just the dead skin as the skin peels off -- like the whiteness you get from a

sunburn as you peel. The skin underneath present during 99% of the flare is

bright bright red and raw.

Either way I guess it is 6 of one and half a dozen of another..

Thanks very much. Specialist appt soon!

[Guest guest]

can one have lp without itching?

>

> Thanks so much for all of the replies.

>

> I was thinking LP instead of LS because I do not have the whiteness

or paleness of the skin during a flare (or not during a flare) -- the

whiteness that occurs is just the dead skin as the skin peels off --

like the whiteness you get from a sunburn as you peel. The skin

underneath present during 99% of the flare is bright bright red and raw.

>

> Either way I guess it is 6 of one and half a dozen of another..

>

> Thanks very much. Specialist appt soon!

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm certainly not the one to answer that, but over the last few days I

have discovered that I DO have itching. It was originally a sort of

prickle, probably because of the rawness, but now it is a definite

itch. I think the itching just felt different than a standard itch at

first because of the state the skin is in...

I realize it is a bit strange I didn't remember if it itched, but it

has been 2 years since a flare (thanks pregnancy and nursing!) and

maybe a part of me had hoped it was gone forever...

Thanks,

>

> can one have lp without itching?

>

[Guest guest]

I have very severe vulvar LP with no itching (except when they put me on

clobetasol and the

side effects were worse than the LP, it made me itch and burn).

Melinda

[Guest guest]

Hi , I havnt been on the board in quite a few months, thanks to Dr. Lane Mercer at Advanced Gynocology at the Florida Hospital in Orlando FL. I actaully now have my life back. When I went to see him a few months ago I was hopeless and feeling much like a freak. After he confirmed what I had, which I thought was LP, I started on his regiem of medacine, which to my suprise was nothing I had ever heard of in my research that I had done for two months. I am THRILLED to say I am almost cured. I know their isnt a cure for LP, but I feel like what Dr. Mercer did for me is a cure. In five days my symptoms and horrific pain stopped. I am still going to PT once a week and have recently had a flare up of muscle spasms but thats about all. He didnt have to do a skin byopsy of the vaginal wall. He said from his experience, 35 years, he knows what it is. Yellow discharge, showing parabasil cells, and

smooth/ shinny vaginal walls (loss of rugae) is LP. My last check-up went well and he doesnt feel I will need to see him again. Hope I have helped you and others. I must say, it is great to be 100% pain free and to be able to go on with my life. I wish that for all sufferers. Email me direct if you or any others on the board would like at doll_fin1977@... Best wishes for a happy and healthy cookie!! ( thats my code word for it) Killick wrote: Hello,I have struggled with undiagnosed vulvar pain for about 8 years now. I went through the (familiar to many, I am sure) horrid experience of many wrong diagnoses and eventually just gave up and decided to live with it.I am currently experiencing my first flare since before my pregnancy w/ my 14 month old (pregnancy and breastfeeding brought a VERY welcome break) and I am feeling motivated once again. I have a fantastic primary care giver who mentioned vulvodynia to ME -- I was thrilled. She's running some extended swabs for yeast and bacterial vaginosis, but if those don't come up with anything, she wants me to see a specialist. I'm in the Atlanta area and have done a search to see who was recommended -- came up with a few names, but I'd love any other recommendations anyone has to offer.My pain began when I started on the birth control pill. My symptoms

are raw skin -- the top layer of my skin actually turns white and flakes/peels off during a flare, burning, fissures in my skin. I think there may be itching as well, but it is less of a traditional itch I suppose -- probably because of the state the skin is in during a flare. This flare started in the clitoral region and spread south -- I am now seeing a bit of vaginal discharge with what I believe to be skin cells from internally as well.I am "lucky" enough now to have my flares be much further apart (even pre-pregnancy) than they were at the start, but I am still in an awful lot of pain.I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone with similar symptoms so I have better questions to walk into the specialist's office with..Thanks so much,

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