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,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

From what you described, I would say your symptoms sound a lot like Lichen Sclerosis and not Lichen Planus. Seeing a vulvovaginal specialist is the thing that you need to do. It definately does not sound like vulvodynia. I was given the diagnosis of "vulvodynia" for months and then I finally saw a vulvovaginal specialist and I actually have lichen planus. LS and LP are very similar in symptoms and treatment, but from the symptoms that you described, it is very likely that it is LS. Getting bacterial and yeast ruled out is great and just keep in mind that you can have those things along with LP or LS. I have LP and I get recurrent yeast and I have also had BV in the past. It just seems like you are more prone to bacterial and yeast inf. when you have something like LS/LP. I also had symptoms for years, but with my pregnancies and nursing I just did not really have the time to further investigate it until it was bad enough that I had rawness and pain and burning and itching all of the time. I self-treated with OTC anti-yeast meds for YEARS. It took a lot of tests and a lot of doctors to finally get to a vulvovaginal specialist who could accurately diagnose and treat me. I would skip all of the regular gyn's and get to a specialist.

Mindy > 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,> >

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

From what you described, I would say your symptoms sound a lot like Lichen Sclerosis and not Lichen Planus. Seeing a vulvovaginal specialist is the thing that you need to do. It definately does not sound like vulvodynia. I was given the diagnosis of "vulvodynia" for months and then I finally saw a vulvovaginal specialist and I actually have lichen planus. LS and LP are very similar in symptoms and treatment, but from the symptoms that you described, it is very likely that it is LS. Getting bacterial and yeast ruled out is great and just keep in mind that you can have those things along with LP or LS. I have LP and I get recurrent yeast and I have also had BV in the past. It just seems like you are more prone to bacterial and yeast inf. when you have something like LS/LP. I also had symptoms for years, but with my pregnancies and nursing I just did not really have the time to further investigate it until it was bad enough that I had rawness and pain and burning and itching all of the time. I self-treated with OTC anti-yeast meds for YEARS. It took a lot of tests and a lot of doctors to finally get to a vulvovaginal specialist who could accurately diagnose and treat me. I would skip all of the regular gyn's and get to a specialist.

Mindy > 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,> >