11 weeks of vulvar itching after friction injury/rough sex. Thrush treatments haven’t helped. Anyone experienced this?
29F, New Zealand
I’m hoping someone has experienced something similar because I’m feeling pretty lost.
On March 20th I had quite rough (consensual) sex and was very sore afterwards from friction. I then got my period immediately afterwards and started using tampons. The tampons seemed to make the soreness worse and by the next day I was extremely itchy and sore.
I went and got swabs done and I tested positive for thrush, treated it with 3 day internal cream, but the itching never went away.
Since then I’ve tried 3 different thrush treatments plus a long course of fluconazole, while also using Locoid steroid ointment to stop the itch and inflammation.
I have now tested negative for thrush but the itch still persists!
It’s now been 11 weeks of hell.
I’ve switched to fragrance-free detergent, don’t use soaps or scented products on the area, wear cotton underwear, and have tried to eliminate any possible irritants.
I don’t have any other symptoms besides the itch! No unusual discharge or any obvious signs of infection.
My doctor is now considering a vulvar skin condition such as lichen sclerosus or dermatitis and has prescribed a stronger steroid cream to use more regularly, but I’m struggling to understand how something that started immediately after friction could turn into a chronic skin condition.
She has told me to see if this stronger steroid ointment clears is up over the next few weeks and if not then I’ll go back for a biopsy.
Has anyone had persistent itching start after friction, sex, tampon use, or another irritation and eventually found out what it was?
I’d love to hear your experiences.