vaginapagina | yeasty issue

Hello everyone! Longtime watcher, sometime commentor, first time poster... and I need your help!

I am 28, cis-female, and I have had tinea versicolour since my teens. It's basically an overproduction of yeast on the skin which leads to a pretty ugly rash. (weirdly, I've never had a YI). I've always just used topical creams whenever it gets bad, and I have to admit that I am pretty slack at using it (it smells bad and makes me self-conscious during sexy-time w. my partner, although he has always been great about it). I do use prescription anti-dandruff shampoo on my skin in the shower but dislike that as it dries my skin.

I got the TV diagnosis from a dermatologist in the US, I now live in the UK and my GP has never referred me to a dermatologist and does not want to prescribe me antibiotics to treat outbreaks - I got them once from a locum and they cleared the rash within a couple of days and I stayed rash-free for about 2 months, my longest time ever without having to treat.

Anyway, recently the outbreaks have been getting worse and spreading to other parts of my body, and I'm getting concerned... I'm using Pevaryl 1% twice daily on outbreaks, but everytime it clears up in one spot it spreads to a different spot! What's most concerning is that it has now spread to my butt (around the buttcrack), and my mons pubis (I shave so can see the spots). So, my questions:

Does anyone know if Pevaryl 1% is safe to use on my mons pubis? If it isn't, could not treating the TV there lead to a YI?

For you other UK-based VPers, can I demand a referral to a dermatologist, or refer myself, if I don't feel my GP is treating me correctly? With the rash moving about whenever I treat it with the Pevaryl, I am pretty much treating topically every single day, which I don't think you're supposed to do....

TIA for any help, and if this isn't an appropriate post please let me know!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If your GP hasn't already referred you to a dermatologist, demanding a referral won't get you anywhere (I speak from experience with a very dismissive GP).

You do, however, have the right to see another GP for a second opinion. If you're registered at a one-GP practice (somewhat common in more rural areas) you might have to switch surgeries if at all practical, but if there's more than one at your practice, you're golden. If it comes to it, keep switching GPs within your practice until you find one who listens to you. Explain you were diagnosed by your dermatologist in the US and you believe it's in your best interest to see one again as the condition is worsening and becoming harder to treat. Worst comes to worse they say no, however you may find a GP who is willing to refer you, or at the least prescribe antibiotics to control outbreaks as and when they occur.

Good luck!

EDIT: Self-refferal is pretty much impossible on the NHS, for the record. Which can be really bloody annoying when you have a pigheaded GP and no-one else to see.

Edited 2012-03-29 11:09 (UTC)

I don't know if Monostatderm is available in the UK, but it is non-smelly and works fast on tinea versicolour and will help remove all traces from your skin. When I used that, I didn't use the smelly shampoo stuff at all and it went away completely never to be seen or heard again. I hope you can have that too.

Ah, I will look into that - I'll be visiting my parents in the US this year, so if it's not available here I could pick some up then :-)

Hey, Monistat-Derm is miconazole nitrate cream. In the UK, it can be bought OTC as Daktarin Activ cream. It's only licensed for treatment of athlete's foot OTC, but the formulation is the same as the prescription only Daktarin cream which is licensed for all fungal skin infections.

So if you wanted to try it, you could buy it in the UK if you wanted to :) just be aware that it's only licensed for athlete's foot as the counter assistant will probably ask you questions.

I'm no expert, just a third year pharmacy student :)

Thanks! Do you happen to know if it's safe to use on my mons pubis?

I would think so, as I've seen doctors prescribing it for yeast infections before. As long as it's only on the mons pubis and not on any mucous membranes, just to be on the safe side I guess!

I have a suggestion, the pharmacists I work with have a generally have good idea of what the Doctors in the area are like so they could help point you in the direction of a GP who's willing to listen to you.

Thank you, that is all v helpful info! I'm in a 3 GP practice, and have seen them all without finding one who has taken me seriously (the most recent guy, when I enquired as to alternative mental health help when faced with a 6 mo waiting time for CBT, said 'I don't know, look on the Internet)!!

Unfortunately, although I'm in a metropolitan area, none of the other GPs in my postcode are taking on new patients, but maybe I should start looking further afield... Anyway, thanks for the NHS-related advice :-)

I don't have any advice about dermatologists/gp's/prescriptions, BUT have you ever tried using coconut oil to help with the symptoms? I had a yeast infection and used coconut oil instead of going to see the Dr. for a prescription and it was wonderful. You can get versions that don't smell coconut-y if you don't want to smell like a beach 24/7 and it has the wonderful side-effect of making your skin baby soft :) Just an option to tide you over until you find a doctor who will help you!

Ooh I love coconut, so will give that a try, thanks!

just visit you doctor again and ask for what you need. you will wait 6 months at least maybe a year to get seen by a dermatologist on the nhs. 9this is what my gp told me when i asked to see one) if he refuses, do it again til he gives in, this is if there is not another doctor at the surgery to ask to see.

yeasty issue

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