vaginal burning

[picklesnrudy]

I am having burning on the outside of the vaginal area. Is that what people mean about burning or are the talking about burning inside the vagina? Does burning outside the pubic area a sign of ic? Thanks

[waterflow]

I have burning all around down in that area but only on the outside. It does burn on the inside of the lobia (think that isn't spelled right). I don't have any burning inside the vagina. Not sure if having burning down there means you have IC.

[sami4]

Burning around the vagina or in the vagina can mean a number of things: You have a yeast infection, you are low estrogen, you have some form of vulvar disorder (VV), you are allergic to something such as soap, which is causing a contact problem. Only an evaluation by a competent physician can pin this down. No, I dont think it means necessarily that you have IC, but a lot of IC sufferers also have VV.
Sammi

[andrea1]

I'm currently having the same problem. It's been weeks and things aren't changing at all. How does a dr. diagnose/treat something like that?

[sami4]

First rule out a vaginal or yeast infection by going to the Gyno and having them do a smear. While you are on the table, also ask him to do an evaluation of the estrogen levels of the vaginal walls. If all those things are fine, then the next suspicion would be a pelvic floor disorder or vulvar disorder. At that point you could see a vulvar specialist who most likely will give you a RX for Elavil, and possible refer you to a physical therapist who can evaluate the pelvic floor problems.
Nerve pain is usually burning, stiniging, spasms, throbbing. Elavil works well for this. Sometimes pelvic problems are coming from lower back problems as all the nerves run through the lower back.
Sometimes medications can effect the vulva area, such as progesterones or estrogens in birth control pills, dyes and fillers in pills and environmental contacts, soap, materials next to skin and so on.
It takes a orderly elimination of possibilities, and a vigillance about what you wear, what you eat, and what medications you take and how your vulva reacts after.
Sammi

[eveslilith]

I use to have the worst vaginal burning just on the outside of my vagina. My OBGYN wouldnt see anything except a little reddness so would tell me to change my soaps and treat me for a yeast infection anyways. These treatments never worked and after a while I felt embarrassed by the looks I stared to get so I stopped talking about it.

A few months ago out of desperation I saught out one of the MD's listed on this site (Kahn in San Diego). Turns out vulvodynia (which can go hand in hand with IC) NOT yeast infections were my problem. He put me on vistaril 25mg at bedtime and within a week the burning was gone. I did initially feel some drowsiness but it went away after a week or two. Its been three months now and the burning hasnt returned.

When I think of all those years I suffered needlessly and all of the MD's that just looked at me like I was desperate for attention I get mad. It took over 20 years of flairs before I stumbled upon the answer by doing internet searches and seeing multiple MD's before I found out I had IC and could seek appropiate tx. Why should vulvodynia be any different?


Michele

[Tip and IBS]

I use to have the worst vaginal burning just on the outside of my vagina. My OBGYN wouldnt see anything except a little reddness so would tell me to change my soaps and treat me for a yeast infection anyways. These treatments never worked and after a while I felt embarrassed by the looks I stared to get so I stopped talking about it.

A few months ago out of desperation I saught out one of the MD's listed on this site (Kahn in San Diego). Turns out vulvodynia (which can go hand in hand with IC) NOT yeast infections were my problem. He put me on vistaril 25mg at bedtime and within a week the burning was gone. I did initially feel some drowsiness but it went away after a week or two. Its been three months now and the burning hasnt returned.

When I think of all those years I suffered needlessly and all of the MD's that just looked at me like I was desperate for attention I get mad. It took over 20 years of flairs before I stumbled upon the answer by doing internet searches and seeing multiple MD's before I found out I had IC and could seek appropiate tx. Why should vulvodynia be any different?


Michele

Wow!I'm really impress by your improvement honesty.

I was researching (anti)Histamine reactions recently and i have been told to try them.Do you still take them?

I may try it.

[sami4]

Best idea if you are having the redness and burning pain associated with the vulva is to see a physician who is a vulvar specialist. Either look on line or ask for a referral. It is well worth the money.
Next best is to get a RX for one of the medications that work on the nerve endings such as Elavil, Valium, and so on. These meds are great at stopping the nerve loops that effect vulvar pain. If you can get a referral to a physical therapist to evaluate pelvic floor problems, that helps also.
First thing, as I said before is have your Gyno rule out yeast and low vaginal estrogen as the problems. A lot of VV starts after repeated yeast infections which damage nerve endings.
This can be helped and sometimes stopped when you find the primary triggers. Simple hormone fluctuations like before your period are a big trigger.
Sammi

[Katrina]

I agree with the others I would look into yeast, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD), and VV,

[eveslilith]

Vistaril:hydroxyzine:atarax are all the same drug. It has antihistamine and anticholinergic properties.

What I shared was my personal experience with how my body reacted to a medication my IC/VV specialist perscribed. Without an assessment by a professional it is anyones guess as to whats going on with your body.
Dont give up on finding an answer.

[charmedx3]

I have burning on both inside & outside of vagina. when it gets bad the pain just consumes me. lidocaine ointment helps. sometimes I feel like I have been dragged across cement and all I want to do is sit on ice!

[eveslilith]

Yikes! Have U tried cool packs or a water bottle spritz in the bathroom? Been evaluated? Ruled out infection? Had a pap smear in the past year?

I remember how the burning use to keep me awake at nights. Some things in addition to my new meds that use to help are the cool pack and water bottle I mentioned but I also stopped washing my panties with detergents that had perfumes or dyes, I would double rinse them and not use fabric softener in the dryer, I stopped using soap to wash my labia, definetly stopped douching, my husband and I stopped using condoms with spermacide and tried non-latex condoms, caffinated drinks would make it worse so I just drank cool filtered water, spicy foods made it worse, accupuncture also helped but it took a few visits.

What really helped me was the vistaril.

A book that I cant recommend highly enough is "The V book:A doctors guide to complete vulvovaginal health." by Elizabeth G Stewart, MD.

Good luck in your search!

[Tip and IBS]

eveslilith,how long it takes to feel improvement in the burning?

Thanks :hi:

[eveslilith]

For me, I felt an improvement after the first week until eventually it went away all together.

I still have occassional flares from my IC especially when I eat or drink my trigger foods or am too rough on my bladder by having sex with my husband more than a few days in a row or do too many "core" exercises..... Over-all I am VERY happy with how my IC/VV is controlled right now.

These past few years have been rough! There were so many nights that I just felt hopeless and helpless. I armed myself with knowledge and faught to understand and be heard. I think the hardest part was coming to terms with the fact that I had a medical condition that though controllable was not curable.

[KristiV]

Is hydroxzine the same as vistaril? My uro prescribed me hydroxzine that I have been taking and that is all that it says on the bottle. My gyno not paying attention to the meds I am already on prescribed me vistaril, which it also says on the bottle is hydroxzine. Is it the same medicine? Is it a different form?

[eveslilith]

Vistaril:hydroxyzine:atarax are all the same drug. It has antihistamine and anticholinergic properties.

Are you being seen by multiple MD's? Whenever I see someone other than my primary I have them fax over the visit notes.

Unfortunately I have found that if I dont keep on top of whats going on stuff will get missed or lost. I have Kaiser and my primary does not communicate with my gyno or urologist or VV specialist.

[KristiV]

I am seeing my gyno and uro. I have not gone in to my primary for this reason. I just put a call into my uro today to see if he will write me a script for Elavil since I have constant burning near my vagina and urethra. I also am going to ask him about MSM gel. Do you know if I will have to go off of hydroxzine if I am on Elavil?

[eveslilith]

To be honest with you I dont know but I would love to hear what you find out. My VV did offer to start me on elavil or vistaril as an initial treatment. I chose the vistaril because it was a drug I was more familiar with and luckily for me it did the trick so we never talked about it again.

I do know that elavil also called amitriptyline is an anti-depressant that is also used in smaller doses to treat chronic pain syndromes. Its one big contraindication is for people with glaucoma and people taking MAO inhibitors....Hhmmmm...It can take 2-6 weeks to reach its full therapeutic effect and can cause drowsiness at start of therapy. Oh you should also periodically have your blood pressure checked because one of tha potential side effect is lowered blood pressure.

[KristiV]

Thanks for the info. I am still waiting for my doc to return my phone call from yesterday. Does your urologist get back to you quickly, or do you have to wait forever for a phone call to be returned?

[eveslilith]

Usually I'll hear back from my MD or his nurse within 24 hours. It depends on the MD's office staff and if he/she's in surgery or on vacation.

A few years back I had a MD who I could never get in touch with so I dropped her and found someone more accessable.