Hi all, I am very concerned about some symptoms I have and have employed Doctor Google 
I have also seen my GP almost a year ago who didn't see anything urgent but referred me for a routine gynaecology appt but the huge waiting lists mean I haven't seen anyone. My only real symptom is incessant vaginal itching and some mild discomfort during sex. The vaginal itching went on for a very long time before I finally went to the doctor. I believed it was lichen sclerosis but steroid cream didn't have any effective. I also now have anal itching which is leading to a panic about anal and vaginal cancers. Why do our brains do that to us?! Especially at 3am!! I have another appt with my GP on 2nd Jan where I am hoping she will make the referral urgent. Does anyone know of any conditions that might have these kind of symptoms? I am concerned I guess because the symptoms have been with me for so long that if it is cancer, that will not be good. I am 43 with 3 boys 
Hi CW_80 and welcome to the group.
I can appreciate that you are concerned about your itching, but would strongly recommend you sack Dr Google! Any symptom you find there can be matched to a cancer if you’re searching, but it cannot diagnose you and typically just increases anxiety.
The gp has certain guidelines to follow in terms of making an urgent referral-ie one on the 2 week cancer pathway-so it should be reassuring that they did not find anything which warranted this on your last visit. It may change when you have you appointment next week, but equally it may not, if the gp does not believe there are factors which make it necessary.
On this forum, we are only cancer patients or carers, so we can’t give medical advice or suggest what other conditions this might be, but you may want to ask a question of our nurses. If you click on this link I have created, it will direct you to where you can ask your question, although they also cannot diagnose you
You haven’t mentioned pain, other than some mild discomfort during sex, or bleeding which is a positive sign. I hope your gp appointment can bring some reassurance that your symptoms do not indicate any type of cancer, and that you’ll let us know how you get on.
Sarah xx
It is natural, but as you say it’s unhelpful! The time to worry for me is when I have something to worry about, although more than 5 years since my first cancer diagnosis this is a tough one to actually follow through on. Our minds tend to race when we have something that concerns us but we don’t know what it is, that’s definitely the case.
At least you have a gp appointment soon, so certainly raise your worries about potential cancer with them. Let’s hope it’s something much less serious for you.
Sarah xx
