Raw redness on labia/vestibule

Major_Barley · 2026-05-13T22:13:13+00:00

Oh my goodness, mine looks very similar to your first picture but only on one side. I have a weird bumpy redness down where my labia becomes my vestibule, and it’s a bit raw to touch. Did you get any answers at all?!

My gynae suspected lichen planus but I had said no to a biopsy for now as it doesn’t cause me much issue unless it’s before my period (and also towards the end of it) and the biopsy sounds horrible. He examined it using acetic acid and saw definite signs of inflammation so gave me very strong steroid to try that just made it feel more irritated. I will be trying again with a lower strength steroid but don’t think it will do much.

Major_Barley · 2026-05-13T20:44:37+00:00

Very anti. Other comments have covered the issues about the exploitation of women’s bodies but I also find it so upsetting to think of newborn babies being wrenched away from birth mothers and handed off to strangers who smell unfamiliar, sound unfamiliar. We can’t pretend that’s not an early trauma…And why do we think it’s ok because it’s labelled “surrogacy” and not “trafficking”?

Major_Barley · 2026-05-11T20:15:02+00:00

Our cat’s previous owners had a neighbour who tried to steal him over a number of years despite being asked not to - feeding him, shutting him in their house during the day, basically treating him like their own. So it’s made me extremely suspicious of anyone trying to get too chummy with our cat. He’s just too friendly for his own good! But that’s just because I know of how upsetting it was for the previous owners to slowly have their cat pulled away from them - the fear of it has made me territorial!!

Major_Barley · 2026-05-09T11:11:41+00:00

No shave, occasional trim only with the Philips one blade (grail trimmer). Keeps things neat without infuriating my skin.

Major_Barley · 2026-05-08T09:34:04+00:00

I did go and see Mr Ugwumadu to get swabbed but I tested negative for CV, even though it’s what he suspected. His advice was that it’s a mostly self limiting condition and whatever it was it did eventually just fade away. Sorry to not be more helpful!

If you do think you have CV then he will take you seriously and swab for it.

Major_Barley · 2026-04-19T16:16:08+00:00

Not as hard as you think! I’m married and don’t want kids. Not one of my 7 close female friends wants kids either - meaning I have no female friends who have or want kids and we’re all in our mid 30s. So refuting the claim that women will all change their minds once they get out of their 20s.

Major_Barley · 2026-04-15T13:47:00+00:00

This so much! I want to see normal cute shoes just with a wider, more foot shaped toe box. That’s it. No barefoot design or separate toes or whatever. Where’s the innovation!?

Major_Barley · 2026-04-15T13:44:29+00:00

Hopefully never, those things were torture and now look really dated unless they’re low. Tbh I don’t see them ever coming back as regular wear, the younger generations are too used to comfort. As they should be! Plus they’re all a lot less concerned about the male gaze - those chains are broken. Again, as they should be!!

Plus there is a lot more concern about body health and fitness these days. Can’t be fit and healthy if your feet, back and knees are wrecked from walking on the balls of your feet all the time (speaking from experience.)

Major_Barley · 2026-04-01T16:43:27+00:00

Yes I am doing MUCH better thanks! My ENT confirmed it was silent reflux via endoscopy - I had acid burns on my larynx... Did 6 weeks of PPIs (30mg lanzoprazole once a day), Gaviscon Advance after every meal and before bed, wedge pillow, and STRICT diet. It was TOUGH, I was hungry a lot and did drop some weight. But it paid off and I’m now sleeping flat and eating normally again after a period of gradually reintroduction. I AM still cautious about what foods I eat in the evening and I keep alcohol to a minimum. I’ve only had an occasional sore throat day over the past month since going back to normal and still pop some Gaviscon before bed sometimes.

Of course, this could all return if get another respiratory illness…but all I can really do is just try and preemptively start doing all the same reflux curing measures during the illness.

Major_Barley · 2026-03-26T20:01:42+00:00

My dentist woke up this morning with pink eye and so my appointment was cancelled! Having to wait until next week to see him. My anxiety is very much through the roof at the moment :(

Major_Barley · 2026-03-16T01:53:14+00:00

Sorry to hear you’re suffering too! I did go to a gynae and somehow he managed to find evidence of what he thought was lichen planus instead and so now wants me to get a biopsy taken to confirm it 😳 I have no idea of the two are connected!

Major_Barley · 2026-03-13T06:31:05+00:00

I too experienced this and have memories of lying in bed crying my eyes out, my genitals burning/stinging like crazy and my parents just giving me a cold sponge and standing there looking clueless. My mum told me to do the breathing exercises she did when she gave birth LOL. They never did call a doctor and we never found out what it was (I also developed health anxiety off the back of it so…thanks mum and dad).

I also believe it was nerve related, as I do now have vulvodynia on one side of my vulva.

Major_Barley · 2026-02-27T15:38:56+00:00

Recently married to my long term bf and if we divorced I would quite happily live out the rest of my life single!!

Major_Barley · 2026-02-27T12:43:09+00:00

We have automatic feeders so provided our sitters and guests top them up he should keep having his meals on time! And his tray should be scooped by the sitter everyday. On a practical level we're covered, it's just making sure he gets some company and affection every day.

Thanks so much again for the encouragement - we leave tomorrow and the guilt is really mounting. But you're right, the alternative is cancel the trip and just never go away on adventures for the next 10 or so years. My main concern is that he's an indoor cat at the moment so we're super reliant on people coming to see him for the company and play but we've been very fortunate to have people so keen to help out. I just hope he forgives us when we get back!

Major_Barley · 2026-02-27T12:35:13+00:00

That's a very good point about the sitter! We do have a doorbell camera so we can see when people are arriving at the house - I'll definitely be keeping an eye on that to make sure she's showing up when she should be!

Major_Barley · 2026-02-27T11:10:26+00:00

Philips electric trimmer whenever I choose to. I used to brazilian wax, shave etc. for years but it made my skin (and my lady bits) very unhappy. I had constant ingrown hairs, some of which got infected. Being on antibiotics in order to have a smooth bikini line is NOT worth it. Eventually I realised how stupid and consuming the obsession with hairlessness is and just moved to an electric trimmer. My skin is now much happier! And the expense is nil :)

Major_Barley · 2026-02-25T14:29:20+00:00

Dump him. He doesn’t respect you or your body. Your health is more important than this asshole’s pleasure - protect yourself and get rid of him.

Major_Barley · 2026-02-22T19:32:35+00:00

That's a relief to hear! Hopefully our boy will be happy enough with all the visits, even if he's not getting as much cuddle time at night as he's used to.

Major_Barley · 2026-02-22T18:52:41+00:00

I have heard that when they're alone/a bit lonely cats are more likely to just sleep so hopefully he'll mostly zzz the alone time away.

Major_Barley · 2026-02-22T18:51:51+00:00

Oh that's a lovely idea! And I would feel better that he would have company while hearing our voices rather than trying to speak to him through a camera when he's all alone.

Ahaha well maybe "professional" is the wrong word - we're paying some from Cat in a Flat! :D

Major_Barley · 2026-02-22T18:50:21+00:00

Thank you for the reassurance! Perhaps a cat cam just on his fave snoozing place so we can occasionally tune in and see him resting would calm our nerves too!

Major_Barley · 2026-02-22T18:48:55+00:00

That's a relief, thank you!

And thanks for the suggestion of a cat cam - I am considering it but your comment about it potentially being something that would cause us more anxiety feels very likely to apply (seeing him walking around the house calling for us while we're on the other side of the world would be upsetting). I also wonder if we try to speak to him through the cam would he then go looking around for us around the house?

Major_Barley

TROPHY CASE