Advice? Possibly Symptoms? Long -sorry!

[tmspitz]

Hi,

I have been a long-time lurker, but wanted to get some of your

collective advice and wisdom, because clearly the doctors do not seem

to know, and I thought some of you might shed some light....

I'll give you a short history. A little over 6 years ago, I had what

the drs thought was bronchitis (turned out to be cough variant

asthma), and I was given several rounds of different antibiotics.

During this I started to have a lot of itching, that didn't go away

with OTC yeast med. My regular dr. gave me 1 pill of diflucan. It

didn't really help, but I was in the process of getting married,

changing jobs (and insurance) going on my honeymoon etc, and it

subsided a bit, so I didn't' do much about. After that I was in

graduate school and went to the student health center (thought it was

bacterial, UTI, etc) and finally referred me to a new gyn who thought

maybe it was herpes (no, tests came back negative)...

Somewhere in there I started having a lot of pain with intercourse,

but not at other times.

In between i have been to other gyns, a dermatologist, had a

miscarriage, then got pregnant and had a baby (now almost 2), so I

haven't been really too diligent about trying to solve this....Now, my

son is done nursing, I have a stable job, and I am really trying to

get some improvement.

I have most recently been going to a gyn specialist.

He has treated the pain and the itching separately. The pain I

have been using a lidocaine cream. I was using it about 4-6 times per

day. Now I only use it right before sex. It has been extremely

helpful, and I am basically in good shape on the pain portion of it

now. That leaves me with the itching.

Earlier this spring the dr. did a biopsy. It came back negative for

everything he tested. I have tried many topical treatments with no

success, as well as an injection. The latest thing is that he put me on hydroxyzine. It is an antihistamine. It is helping, not completely, but significantly. However, it makes me drowsy. Since its working he thinks that there is an allergy component, or at least a systemic, internal

inflammation. ..to the best of my understanding.

I am having a flare up now, or the last couple of weeks. I went in

and saw the nurse practitioner. She says I may have yeast, although

not conclusively. She said I have some symptoms, but not exactly.

she is sending a culture, but said that yeast doesn't always culture

well, so it is mostly a formality.

Ok, symptoms that I have with the itching....

- redness

- itching very localized to 2 or 3 spots, depending on the severity of

the flare up

- sometimes (particularly when there are flares) white sort of film

over the labia skin and whole area, sometimes white sort of clumpy

(but very small - not really cottage cheese like) discharge in the same area.

- one area that is always the worst, never goes away is right in the fold.

I already use unscented detergent, mild soaps, diva cup, cotton

underwear, no underwear to sleep....etc. ...

I am wondering about some type of chronic yeast (although the dr's

keep saying no, and cultures come back negative). Maybe a low level

amount, but chronic, or a rare form? I'm also trying to think what

else I could be allergic to...maybe some type of food allergy? What

would be systemic like that? My son has several food allergies and i

was already off of milk, nuts, eggs, soy, when i was nursing him.

A gluten allergy was suggested to me by a friend. If I were to go off of gluten, how long would I need to go off of it for? Any other thoughts? Any other things to try? I do have MANY environmental allergies (just had that testing re-done about a month ago), but no other known food allergies.

I apologize that this is so long. I want to give some history, and see

if anyone can offer any suggestions or thoughts. I am ready to try

some alternative routes. the drs obviously don't really know what is

wrong.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Tara Spitzer-List

[ShayFL]

I am not certain that it is Celiac, but you might do well to try the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) as it will rid you of yeast and rebalance your system. It excludes gluten.

You might also consider a product called Betamannon.

Open Original Shared Link

I do not sell it and am not affiliated with it in any way, but it really helped me and my immune system years ago with female issues such as yours. You take it internally and intravaginally.

Wishing you well!