Skin sticking (inside) am I normal?

Angie

You are certainly not asking too much, there is nothing they haven't heard before.

I didn't have that problem with my vagina sticking together, but there are quite a few on here who did and it could be really painful if the skin knitted together - the downsides of radiotherapy.  I am hoping someone will pick up on this and advise you how they dealt with this.  Fortunately, I don't think anyone actually closed up although stenosis (narrowing of the vagina and the back passage) following radiotherapy is common.  I was given vaginal dilators which I used, but subsequently found extreme pain on attempting intercourse with my husband, after the second fruitless attempt I scuttled off to the bathroom with a mirror, and the source of the problem was the skin splitting in the perineum. I am working on that!

In addition to Oramorph, I was given slow release morphine tablets, all of which helped dull the pain (didn't eliminate it I'm afraid).  But I stopped completely three weeks after treatment ended as I couldn't get the balance right between the opioid drugs and constipation, which was just awful.

Sending a gentle hug

Irene xx 

Hey Irene thank you for answering - I have spoken to one of the cancer care line team and she mentioned slow release morphine and I am trying for today - double so 10ml Oramorph 2 hourly to see if rhat gets on top of the pain - she said to keep putting cream on - whatever I have been using and she will ask a colleague in Gyne for guidance also check in with me later to see how the 10ml has worked xxx 

just off for a sleep as got so upset earlier x 

love to all x Angie xxxx 

Hi Angie, oh I remember this happening very well. When I started treatment I used a gel barrier called StrataXRT which kept my external skin intact but there was a phase where I had the internal area of the vagina stick with green pus which wasn’t an infection and was skin healing cells. It was the labia minora which is the thin lips just inside your external labia that was affected. I had to tear them open all the time and they would bleed and I tried sleeping with my fingers stuck between my legs to keep them apart but obviously it was impossible. I remember getting some kind of burn gauze like jelonet which doesn’t stick to put in that area but it is very sensitive there so I wasn’t always very comfortable. When I told my oncologist she just nodded her head and said I just have to do it or it will heal together. Also gels and creams can result in it being too wet. I also tried a powder called domeboro which helps soothe burns, hives  This problem arose was when treatment stopped and it was during the 2/4 week post treatment phrase. I do have part of my inner labia missing as the very thin skin just tore away but it’s okay and not a part of the anatomy we really see anyway. It didn’t last too long and hope the same goes for you and the pain relief given is sufficient to help.

Julie

Thank you Julie - I have been recommended to use Vagisil or any cream to keep it open xx thanks will report if anyone give me any info x Angie x 

My labia has definitely changed since treatment finished .. more squashy / soft .. not sure it it’s the e45 or the radiotherapy !!! Lol? 
Chrissie xx