r/vulvodynia • u/marystreasure • 3d ago

Chronic YI or vulvodynia?

22 F

FIRST EVER yeast infection. Itching and urgency never subsided. Fluconazole didn't touch symptoms. External swab was positive. Been testing neg on internal swabs. Flares into burning over period, hot weather, running, sexual activity. Varies hour by hour. Itch dominant. Sometimes stabbing pain. Nocturia and frequency. Is this a yeast infection that embedded and so never cleared up or a nerve condition?!???

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u/Old_Bat6894 3d ago

I experienced a similar thing, and here's what worked for me!!

  • daily antihistamines (fexofenadine and famotidine) this DRASTICALLY cut my itching. The success of this medicine suggests MCAS.
  • stopping use of ANY soap on the vulva
  • switching hair products and body wash in the shower to hypoallergenic fragrance free versions bc it washes down onto your vulva. I use cera ve.
  • switching to organic cotton underwear or going commando
  • switching to free and clear laundry detergent. Zero fragrance.
  • switching period products to clean chemical free organic ones
  • rinsing my vulva with a peri bottle after peeing and dabbing dry with bamboo toilet paper. I think that leaving pee residue on my vulva was irritating.

I'm not sure if I ever had an infection or not to begin with, i think my cause may have been the sudden development of a contact allergy or mast cell activation. It may also have been hormonally triggered for me bc my symptoms started very shortly after getting my iud out.

Since you have symptoms that flare with your period, you may also have a hormonal component. I suggest trying estrogen testosterone cream. Get you cream sent to a compounding pharmacy, and request from the pharmacy samples of plain bases before buying a whole tube of medication. Often times people are irritated by the base of their medication, not the medication itself. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2050116115300106?__cf_chl_rt_tk=luUTbyb3Mf8pykPa7y6GWXIkf7skxszOzDB2gxN3iLQ-1779971412-1.0.1.1-KUdVra5kZ8TLAe8tBZYKdq85kUvqiCO1PdhHM3cWsB4

A hypertonic pelvic floor can also cause burning/itching symptoms bc the tight muscles constrict blood flow resulting in a buildup of lactic acid (like when you exercise), and it prevents blood from reaching the tissues so the tissues dont heal as well. I suggest going to a pelvic floor physical therapist to see if this is an issue for you.

It's also possible that you just have a microbiome issue. I suggest ordering a juno/evvy test which gives you a great comprehensive look at what's really going on with your microbiome.

I know i gave you a lot of information so hopefully I didn't overwhelm you. It's definitely possible that most of what I said is irrelevant for you but I just wanted to let you all of your options! Well, there are a ton more treatment options than this but these are the few core most common issues and the best place to start imo

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u/marystreasure 3d ago

I dint use soap on vagina. Anti histamines don't seem to do anything.  I also have urgency.  I only use bamboo no chemical period wear  I think I do have a biome issue because I got the YI from tonnes of broad spec abx. I have a juno test w me

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u/Old_Bat6894 3d ago

Urgency is a common symptom of a hypertonic pelvic floor. Did you mention your age bc you think you shouldn't have hormone issues at this age? Your age has nothing to do with it.

If you have a hypertonic pelvic floor, the tight muscles prevent floodflow from reaching your vulva, which can prevent the hormones in your blood from reaching your vulva. So you can have a local hormone deficiency in your vulva even if your systemic hormone levels are perfectly fine. Either way, the hormone cream is great for tissue strength and quality in anyone, and has such little side effects, it is worth a try!

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u/Old_Bat6894 3d ago

Forgot to ask, do you have a history with hormonal birth control?

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u/marystreasure 2d ago

I've been off birth control for 2 years. Never had the slightest vaginal twinge or pain whatsoever before long term antibiotics and subsequent thrush 

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u/marystreasure 3d ago

But urgency can also be a sign of an inflamed urethra. My urethra burns really badly as I finish urinating. Also I don't really believe in pf stuff for me because I had a chronic uti and once that was treated my urgency issues went away but came back with yeast infection, and urethral irriattion is a symptom of yeast 

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u/Old_Bat6894 3d ago

You may very well be right! The microbiome is not my area of expertise. If you don't get better through other means you can keep these things in your back pocket, they are worth a try :)

I just know that pelvic floor issues are so so common, and can be triggered by infections, and can worsen infections/make you more susceptible bc of the blood flow issue

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u/marystreasure 3d ago

Yeah I'm aware of pf therapy but honesty I have a real. Hunch abt chronic yeast 

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u/marystreasure 3d ago

Also I'm too sore to be putting pressure on vagina in child's pose etc