Swollen, burning, red, inflammed vulva & clitoris/hood -

IC is often misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection. Patients can go years without a correct diagnosis. On average, there is about a 4-year delay between the time the first symptoms occur and the diagnosis is made.

The condition is most common around ages 30 to 40, although it has been reported in younger people. Women are 10 times more likely to have IC than men.

He gave me antibiotics to help get rid of the infection in the bladder and it did, but did tell me that it can come back anytime because IC can not be cured.  Right now I am suffering from it again and I have to call my doctor tomorrow to see what he can give me.  

I hope that I have answered some of your posts.  I know how frustrating this can be to not know what is wrong with you and feeling so darn crappy.  

Here is a link that will explain a little more what IC is and tells you the right diets to be on for it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/pmh0001508/

I really hope that this helps all of you and is the answer to your problems.  Please let me know :)

Guest wrote:

5 weeks ago I began to get a shooting pain from what seems like my clitoris or clitoral hood. It was intensified by walking, sitting, moving around, etc. After a week of it getting worse, I went to 2 different doctors (different days) - had 2 swabs and urine samples taken, both came back negative for a yeast infection and bladder infection.

Over the next week, the shooting pain gradually subsided and was replaced by a VERY swollen clitoris/hood (about 2-3x its normal size and swollen labia lips.

Over the next week, the shooting pain disappeared altogether, the swelling went down, and I got a brand new set of symptoms - burning in my vulva, labia lips, around the clitoral hood, etc. Went to visit doctor #3 and she said the area did look irritated, but she saw no signs of infection and suggested I change my soap incase I was having an allergic reaction.

Over the last week and a half, I cut out the soap entirely, and the burning became VERY bothersome and now my vulva and the area surrounding my clitoris/hood is VERY red and irritated. Went to doctor #4 who gave me a prescription for a cream mixture for hyderm (anti-inflammatory incase its an allergy reaction) and clotrimaderm (anti-fungal incase its a yeast, even though both my yeast tests came back negative). So far the prescription has done nothing to improve my situation and I'm at my wits end.

Any ideas what could be causing this? I'm in pain and frustrated.

I had the same problem. I became quite depressed and very teary as it hurt a lot! So I decided to do my own remedy. I had two baths daily. Epsom salt but I had heaps of sea salt so I added heaps to the bath. I would only use goat milk soap as I was already sensitive. I let myself dry naturally. Then I applied savlon cream and mixed it with sterod cream I used tritone. It worked a treat. It took five days to notice a great difference but all Ican say its great to feel normal. I had a wonderful husband who was extremely supportive.

I find that bi-carbonate of soda in a shallow bath help, as does diluted vinegar 1 part vinegar to 19 parts water, or salt, I hope that helps someone with the burning. If you have a discharge, then consult a doctor, and keep trying Dr's until you find a decent one. I know! how do you find a decent Dr these days with mass production, but thanks for all your above inputs, as it has helped me to know that I am not the only one. Also I have realised sometimes that I not been drinking enough water, so my urine has become stonger and thus burning my vulva, plus my husband has a high body temperature at night, so I think that between the not drinking and becoming over heated at night, that I am getting heat rash. & if I may add, always make sure that your partner is hygenic before being intimate, as lack of hygiene does cause bugs. Hugs :-D

This happened to me . . it was bc there was a tiny thin hair wedged in my clit and irritated it.

iyooo i have been through this, after i had my baby like 6 years ago and i went to countless doctors who would not even come up with a helping solution untill one suggested they extract my womb, i decliend and stayed home till the problem stopped on its own its been one and a half year since i've had this but now over the past two weeks it has returned with a bang, i have a boyfriend of 3 months now,  who i recently discovered has multiple partners and never uses protection with any of them. the pain feels worse than the first time,  this time im not confident enough to go to consult a doc coz of  the expectation of being told i'm infected with STI and HIV.

i dont think ill cope but i cant stand the pain either iyoooo what can i do?

I have had this for many years and was diagnosed with Lichen Planus.  No cure but you can be made comfortable.  Ask your GYN.