Vaginal necrosis

Hi Dorset Girl 

Gosh, that sounds a horrible late effect from radiotherapy-I’m sorry to read this. How are you coping with the discharge and soreness?

I didn’t have it myself, and I’ve done a search in the community for any mention of it and drawn a blank I’m afraid. However, you never know who is reading the forums but not posted who may see this and respond.

It does sound like it’s a difficult condition to manage with the high risk of infection, but I wonder if you might get some information if you ask your question to one of the nurses here-

Ask A Nurse

With it being rare, you may not get replies from anyone who has had treatment or surgery. Did your oncologist recommend which course of action may potentially have the better outcome-ie surgery or close monitoring? 

Sarah xx

Hello I'm having this same problem after having brachytherapy to vagina. It started 7 months ago and I had an operation to remove necrosis. But still getting infections and terrible discharge. I'm constantly on antibiotics. Has your problem improved?. Don't know anyone else who's had this. Appreciate any information 

Hi Allie54, I'm sorry you have this too, and your symptoms sound horrible. 

I changed my oncologist as I wasn't happy with the original advice I received, I felt it wasn't taken seriously considering the effects necrosis has on you physically and emotionally. My new oncologist has a special interest in late effects and is very supportive. His management plan is:

Stop using dilatory and internal examination to reduce the risk of tissue trauma 

Twice yearly MRI scans to monitor both recurrence of cancer and to detect fissures and other organ involvement 

Twice weekly vaginal estrogen 

Only consider surgery as a last resort 

I also self referred to the Late Effects service at Bristol Hospital. Zoe, who is the lead radiotherapist, was incredibly helpful. 

She prescribed Flaminal Hydro which is type of internal dressing which sloughs off the necrotic tissue and YES vaginal moisturiser, both of which I now have on prescription from my GP.

She also told me HBOT, hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This is available in Plymouth and Warminster. It may be available elsewhere. 

My symptoms have improved since using the Flaminal, YES and the estrogen. 

I do hope this helps you, it's such an unpleasant late effect which very few professionals seem to know anything about. 

Please let me know how you get on. I'll be thinking of you.

• Hi Dorset girl thank you so much for replying to me. It's such a horrible illness to have. I started with bladder cancer 5 years ago and after radiotherapy and chemotherapy it came back. So I had to have bladder removed and hysterectomy plus other things. Then a year later it had moved to vagina. I had 6 rounds of brachytherapy and was ok for some time until I got the necrosis. My consultant did remove as much as he could. However I keep getting infections and its very sore with discharge. I will mention about the vaginal estrogen cream and Flaminal to my cancer nurse. At the moment I'm taking antibiotics quite often but it still is bad and has horrible smell. I've just had a pet scan and mri. Hope you keep well. Hopefully I will get better also. Many thanks