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I do want to add that my therapist has helped me SO much. I realized one day not that the symptoms DISAPPEARED overnight, but I did wake up one morning, realizing that I was focused on something else besides the LS. Which I was sure was the end of my womanhood as I knew it. I owe him much! However he reminds me every week, that I did the hard work but not stopping when the symptoms when away. By looking into what sends me over the edge in many aspects of my life, why? What is it connected to, my past, my childhood, and most importantly how it affects my health. It has been an eye opening experience, and I can still go to those dark places, that cause that bad things that flow from the mind, spirit and body. Which I now believe are so intertwined that it is down right scary!

thanks for the inspiration christy. i completely agree that mind body and spirit are intertwined. i sought out recommendation for a therapist recently to tackle what must underlie all the sexual issues I have (LS, vestibulitis, candida... and you BET I associate sex with pain... NOT a good association...)Not to mention my other issues!!! :-)
It can only help.

I want to add that I realize how I must sound to people that are not open to therapy. My father was retired from the Air Force. He was a good man, whining, complaining women were not attractive or allowed in my family. I loved him, but he gave me the view that sometimes you just needed to SUCK IT UP AND GO FORWARD. He would probably laugh at the idea of me spending money to tell someone my problems. But you know, he also died at 74 of his lifestyles. Alcohol, cigarettes, and definately suppressed anger. He almost died in his 50's of stomach problems. Western medicine and homopathic medicine know that those aliments are certainly anxiety induced. I believe woman are held to a standard (as far as sex) that men or not expected to stand up to.. Wow, am I rambling.? The old thing of men, being Microwave ovens, and women are crock pots when it comes to enjoying the sexual acts, hits home more when women have something like LS, that affects are female organs. You can add every known lubricant and if the mind is closed up to the intimacy in our heads, then you might as well be pouring the KY down the sink. Western medicine has long, long way to go when it comes to the connection between mind and body. For those of you who are not married or partnered with someone that is giving you a wide, loving berth then finding outlets to speak of how you feel is almost more important than topical meds.............I promise I am through......Peace. Christy

Hi Shalimar,
How did you get on with the beta glucans? Just doing resarch on it just now and your post came up..
also curious if the homeopath you saw in NY was Dr Y?

Hi, Santalove,
I actually didn't end up getting beta glucans, though I may one day (but I have formulated a program for myself that's pretty pricey, as it is - I am dealing with CFS/ME as well).
Yes, the dr. in NY was Dr. Y.
I have made tremendous progress, though. After the first gyne briskly dismissed my concerns, handing me a cortisone prescription (which I refused to use for almost a year - pharmaceuticals have ALWAYS damaged my body and although I respect anyone’s decision to use them, I prefer to work on the underlying source), I finally capitulated and in 3-5 weeks of using the cream, my condition had advanced faster than it had in the previous 25 years.
I changed to another gyne and she is wonderful. Respecting my preference for as holistic treatment as possible, she prescribed 2 creams, one testosterone and the other estrogen, with a natural base. And she LISTENED with such respect. The itching was stopped in its tracks, the skin returned to a healthy pink hue.
I had to do one other thing for myself. Regarding the mind-body connection, I noticed that the LS could be dormant if my surroundings remained calm, but the man I was seeing was so lacking in understanding and so agitated me that the LS would rage again around him. I had to make the difficult decision (because some things with him were good) to break from him this week and just like clockwork the LS has settled down. As long as I use the creams (and EFT, organic juices, Immunocal, etc.) and manage to maintain peace, I do very, very well.
I also have vitiligo and find sulfur 30X good for my skin conditions as well. Hope this is helpful.

Hi Shalimar,

Thanks for the quick reply.
Very curious how you got on with Dr Y.... I never did a single protocol without f-ing it up and after examining my pattern of self-sabotage decided to stop the treatments. I had taken myself off steroid cream abruptly after my first consultation with him which provoked a flare-up that took ages to settle, so it was very hard to see what results his treatments were giving. Was thinking of seeing someone trained by him in the UK who works a bit differently, so am very interested to hear if it bore fruit for you. My LS is very much under control in terms of symptoms I feel (hardly any) BUT I saw in the last year that my clit has begun fusing and shrinking, and my vag has narrowed. Yikes.

Who is the gynae you're seeing now? And where in the UK does she practie? (although why am i assuming you're in the UK?!)I would love to see a holistic gynae.

You have my heartfelt respect for the difficult decision you made this week with your boyfriend. I agree, I went to bed last night thinking that surely the mind-body connection is No.1 with LS (as with everything), in which case, inner peace is the first priority in anyones treatment programme. I need to take my own advice :-)

If you'd like to correspond privately, my email address is prem underscore sarita at hotmail dot com. I can't see a way to do PMs through this forum.

All the best,
Sarita

OK GIRLS HERE GOES!I was diagnosed with LS about 15 years ago. It got out of control with my 2 pregnancies and has excalated in the last year to the point that I have lost one labia and have a couple of fusions. My sex life has all but disappeared and I have learnt to associate sex with discomfort. Depressing and frustrating given that all the medical profession can give me is a steriod cream that I can barely tolerate as it irritates my skin and it is a constant vicious cycle that seemed to be spiraling out of control.I have never been one to take things lying down though and about 2 weeks ago I decided I had had enough. I have decided that the answer is out there and I am going to find it! Also, I think I might have found a very large piece of the jigsaw, if not the entire cause of this foul condition. In reading lots of forums and info online I have noticed that yeast infections always get a mention, whether ladies have confused symptoms with LS or doctors have said LS sufferers are suseptible to them or ladies get them.Some people have said they think there is a link. I have always battled yeast infections (my gyno told me it was the steriod cream although I got my first one when I was about 8!)and I get subtle dry scaley patches on on my skin that clear up staight away with anti fungal cream but always return.
It is accepted that LS is an auto immune disorder. After some not so extensive research I found that Candida is responsible for (of course not recognised by the medical profession - but then what help have they been?) Lupus and auto immune disorders of the skin, amoung many many other things. The Candida in a fungal form invades our gut and creates holes that dietry proteins pass through into the blood stream. It is these proteins that the body reacts to and the immune system in turn starts to attack our bodies. Candida growth excelerates when people eat a lot of sugar or high processed carbohydrates, alcohol or are exposed to stress amoung many other things. If you have LS ask yourself if a) you eat a lot of sugar and refined carbohydrates b)drink regularly c) exposed to stress. Do you have intolerances to dairy fat in milk and cheese? Apparently this is common too. Anyway, it all rang true with me, I have a sweet tooth, drink wine most nights and have been through a lot of stress in the last 3 years. The steriod creams almost made it worse long term, short term inprovement but worsening long term. Apparently steriods encourage Candida growth I found! So many ladies were saying that their condiiton was worsening despite the creams. OK so this is what I did and IT IS WORKING!!!!! I cut out all sugar from my diet. I found a lactose (milk sugar seems to be ok) sweetner so I did not go mad and found an excellent sugar free chocolate :) I cut out wine too. WITHIN 24 HOURS my skin had stopped hurting and was pain free! I got some PURE Emu Oil - sensational stuff. You must try it! Has to be pure though. This has really helped, My skin looks normal and is plumping out again and is not sore, I even want a roll in the hay for the first time in AGES! Another product to take is concentrated Grape Seed Extract. It is a super anti oxidant and is an anti flam and will help protect you against cancer ... one of the concerns with LS. My improvement mainly was diet though. Getting back to the Candida though. This is NOT a quick fix. I am sorry I did not save the link to the website I found the best, will look later, but do some research, its worth it. People with auto immune problems need nearly 9 months of a change of diet and special probiotices to reverse the damage to the gut and change things permanently. I am a few weeks in but have never felt better! I have to seriously watch what I eat, I get a flare up within half an hour of eating sugar or something with a bit of sugar in it, or a glass of wine. Although I can have a glass of wine ok now but sugar is terrible. You have to vigilent and do it properly but I really feel that this could really be a major factor in LS. It all fits for me and I would love to hear from other woman who have tried this! The best probiotic (and the only ones strong enough for this problem) is called ThreeLac. Apparently it is the most effective anti candida treatment available, but you will need to permanently change your diet and take these for months. Please ladies if you try it let me know how you get on! Bless you all ... we DON'T deserve this!!!!

Thank you Xhally!
I really appreciate you outlining how systemic candida leads to autoimmune conditions such as LS, I hadn't connected the dots.
You know last year a friend sent me something on Candida (which I've had for ages),from Dr Mercola
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/0....
and I listened to the interview and thought, Wow, it's not that I have a mysterious collection of different diseases (candida, fibromyalgia,LS,parasites,vulvar vestibulitis, eczema, plantar fasciitis, myofascial pain syndrome... )I JUST have candida which has run way out of control and created all these other syndromes.
Now... getting rid of candida is a hell of a thing I have to say. It does involve a completely different way of eating.
From what I've read, ALL sugars, including milk sugars and fruit sugars, feed candida - it makes no distinction between them; it's all food for it... See what your research tells you.
I went a bit crazy on a 'low GI, sugar-free' chocolate I found and got lots of symptoms after a while! I also discovered that low GI is a bit of an irrelevance with candida, as fructose isn't measured on the GI scale yet that feeds candida alot too (and stresses the liver). So, agave syrup is not so cool... etc.
Stevia is the only sweetener that candida doesn't seem to feed from (even xylitol is meant to cause problems).
Mercury is also thought to be linked to candida, by the way... I used to see a homeopath who believed you had to kill candida REALLY slowly to avoid releasing lots of mercury into the system, as he said it bound with candida. I don't know any more!!
Thanks for the inspiration to re-focus on candida.. my diet is FULL of toast and natural yoghurt these days as I will sneakily fulfill my sugar cravings in any way I can!
(and you may well be able to get away with milk sugar where I can't - I end up with a belly swollen like I'm 6 months pregnant, no exaggeration).
Good luck and thanks again,
Sarita

Hi, yes you have the idea but probably have not taken it far enough. Yes I don't eat fruit either, occasionally the odd banana, fruit juice is dynamite! Yes I am also Laxtose tolerant so Splenda works for me and seem to cope with 1 bar of sugarfree choc without repercussions! I have done some research on sweetners though and there is one that is actually GOOD for you! Its called Just Like Sugar and you can buy it online. Made from a fibre that is actually additive to your diet. I am permanaently changing my diet because once I get this Candida under control I want it to stay that way but I do understand that once it is sorted I will beable to occasionaly have 'bad foods' with no problems as long as i continue to take probiotics, and extra when travelling or times of stress. 80% of people have Candida problem and most don't know it apparently! Amazing huh! Diet is one thing but the probiotics are what I beleive will sort it.
I soooo bleive this is it.. i look back over my life and it all adds up. I had a stressful childhood and mysterious abdonimal complaints that no doctor could work out. I was diagnosed with LS and When I was 30 I cut out milk fat and the pain disappeared instantly. I have had a very very stressful last 3 years and my LS got out of control and the steriods were making it worse and I was getting heaps of yeast infections. I had to cut out cheese and yogurt from my diet as that was flaring up my LS worse. I go on a anti candida diet and emu oil and it all but disappears overnight! And I had given up ever having a sex life EVER again, and used to get SO upset about it.... well surfice to say ... it SURE hasn't gone now! What a RELIEF! And I have to say...you absolutely must get EMU OIL ... It is the best thing I have ever used and will rebuild your skin and I think my fusions are improving too. Anyway, I really want to underline that the Candida problem does require several months of Three Lac and a long term concerted effort. It is permeated all through our skin and gut and takes a long time to sort out permanently. Please everyone keep in touch! :)

I had originally posted a while back about the link between candida & LS, as well as using Beta Glucan, ThreeLac, and Tea Tree Oil. This is the protocol I had used including a healthy diet with lots of green veggies, detox once a quarter and VitaMineral Greens Powder. Great results!

I would like to add Cocount Oil as a possible beneficial adjunct. I have been using (Coco Oil) externally & internally (1 tbsp in am/1tbsp in early afternoon). It is an antibacterial/antifungal agent with immense healing properties.

I am a psychotherapist and recommend a therapy called Lifespan Integration (LifespanIntegration + dot + com) to anyone who has had a history of trauma or issues that may be triggering LS. There is evidence that your body holds memory patterns, which may be activated during periods of stress. ie: marriage, pregnancy, new home, divorce, other life changes.

I hope this info helps. Best wishes!

Thanks Belstudio!

What kind of great results have you had?

I have very few symptoms that I can feel on my protocol of emu oil & tea tree and a bit of a lapsed candida diet (no sugar or alcohol but a big high on carbs these days); I did a lot of alkaline cleansing and diet previously (Dr Young); a big improvement on weeping wounds and agonising itching - BUT - there has been creeping fusion which I didn't notice.

Has anyone managed to undo fusion?
A homoeopath told me recently that homeopathy works when the fusion is caught in its very early stages (which mine is not).
She also said you had to stop using tea tree oil for 6 months prior to homeopathy as it is the worst blocker available. She said she knows of several cases were the results were not only lost when clients used tea tree, but future homeopathy stopped working. I put this out there as this is a homoepathy forum and from what she said, she has had good results with her patients - worth pursuing if you're not a tea tree user!

I appreciate the tip about Lifespan Integration - I am sure my mental emotional 'traumas' have played into the havoc that now shows up on the physical level.

To answer your question, Saritalove, I had a lot of discomfort and fusion in the early stages that was progressing quickly. I stopped using the steroid creams and started treating the candida and immune aspects, instead.

From my research, I believe that part of the immune system is not responding properly while other parts increase activity to compensate, creating an overactive immune response. The immune system is complex with many parts. Unfortunately, the medical community treats it as it is only one entity and try to suppress the whole system instead of working with the specific parts individually. I started taking Beta Glucan to stimulate the under-active response of the immune system. I believe it triggers to immune function of the parts that aren't functioning properly and don't have an impact on the aspects that are working. Theory is: if the under-active parts start doing their job, the overactive parts can return to normal function. I believe that emotional wounds can trigger this immune response, as well.

A bit part of the puzzle for me was that I had a mold infestation in my home that I was not aware of. I have used Chinese herbs and other holistic therapies to clean out the toxins and heal, which has made a huge difference.

I can only say that I listen to my body and let it guide me. I would go crazy if I listened to all the practitioners I have seen! I All I know is that when I am having a tingling sensation, which usually means a flareup is starting, I use tea tree topically and it stops immediately. (Research shows that Tea Tree also kills candida, bacteria & fungus with pofound healing for abrasions/skin trauma). Then, I add coconut oil and Beta Glucan to my regime with Vitamin C, COQ10, Alpha Lipoic Acid + a healthy diet, with no flareups for several years now. I have also found that hot yoga & sauna therapy is amazing for removing toxicity. I have found the less toxins, the better I feel. (Candida causes a wasteland of toxins!) And I agree that alkaline diets help immensely, just not the whole picture.

I am experimenting with Coco oil regarding the fusion repair. So far, I am impressed with the results. Definitely, no increased damage and Again, I an using it internally & topically. I'll keep you posted!

p.s. You ca find an LI psychotherapist in your area on the website. It is a body-mind therapy.

I have found Emu Oil seems to be reversing some of most recent fusions, but I have only been using it for 2 weeks so early days. It has to be absolutely pure though.

Hi,
I'm really appreciating this dialogue with you guys.
Just googled 'Just Like Sugar' (chicory inulin) and came across this link

Candida/Conque.." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.life-enthusiast.com/index/Concerns/Candida/Conque....

I was amazed to learn that candida MAKES beta glucan as a byproduct! eh?!*

Anyway, he has some interesting advice and products, well worth a read.

I wanted to say that I'm also taking Omega 7 (yes, 7) oil, also known as Sea Buckthorn Oil, as it helps specifically with keeping vaginal tissue lubricated, and one of the things I've been a bit taken aback by is how slowly lubrication happens for me these days (I'm 40).

I wanted to ask - have you guys had or overcome painful/over sensitive clit through LS? A couple of years ago my clit started to hurt when stimulated / be madly over-sensitive, AND also become numb in places. If you've reversed this, I'm really interested...

Belustudio, how did you come to realise you had a mould infestation?
I'm taking your mention of it as a cosmic nudge to buy the Airfree air purifier I've been dithering over buying... not cheap... but by all accounts an awesome product with kills ALL mould, bacteria, viruses & dust mite allergens as well as reducing ozone, by heating them- without heating the room at all.
They have pictures of a strawberry rotting over days, and another one staying fresh in a room with an Airfree purifier. Ever tried to grow basil in your kitchen and had it go mouldy? I sure have...

all the best
Sarita

Sarita,

Thanks for your post and forwarding the article. I think it is important to remember that although there is a plethora of info on the internet, much of it is based on opinion and some can be misconstrued due to minor details.

While the article is interesting, it says Beta Glucan is a bi-product of bad bacteria. There are many types of yeast in your bowels that are all important, it is simply being out of balance that is an issue. Keeping things in balance is the key. Candida, when imbalanced, is known to produce alcohol and toxicity.

Also, there are many types of Beta Glucan, and the type produced from candida can cause toxic mycosis. The immune boosting Beta Glucan is typically manufactured from brewer's yeast and certain types of fungi, specifically mushrooms, grains & seaweed.

Check out the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-glucan

I have found the level of sensitivity is related to immune function and healing. Only when my body is off, do I experience sensitivity. Regarding the mold issues, I had visible mold growth. However, before the visible mold, I did notice my orchids dying from mold on the roots and fruits would become molded quickly.... and I have had basil go moldy (definitely a bad sign!) I also had a purifier that killed mold, but there was a very severe problem. I would recommend the moisture crystals as a preventive measure.

Basically, I have found it is a holistic mind-body approach to healing. It is important to address environment, but also internal aspects. Hope that helps....

Best of luck in your healing!

Hi,
actually to clarify things... Candida in its good form is a yeast (everyone needs it and has it) but when Candida grows and gets out of control it becomes a fungal infection. There is a big difference.
Diets to control Candida recommend you don't go anywhere near fungi (mushrooms etc), fermented products (alcohol and cheese etc) highly processed carbos and all types of sugars. I have heard good things about Beta glucan but have not used it and have experienced a cessation of my quite serious symtoms with diet and Emu Oil, Grape seed Extract, Omegas and Three Lac (really interesting about the Omega 7 - I am 40 too!) Technically speaking if we focus on the cause rather than treating the symptoms (homeopaths will love that!)we should be able to completely sort the problem. I am focussing totally on the Candida, it has taken probably 20 years of eating all the wrong stuff and stress etc to get me here and it sure isn't going to be an overnight fix back to health,especially since it requires a complete revamp of diet and most people don't have the will power to stick to it consistantly enough to get results. I don't think we focus enough on dealing with the candida properly and focus on stuff to make us more comfortable in the short term.

I have not had breakouts lately, but am not yet cured. I want to share some things I've been through lately. First of all, I took myself off of Simvastatin. I've had no breakouts since then, and am not 100 percent sure that Simvastatin was a cause, maybe an irritant. I am seeing a lipid specialist to find a replacement for the Simvastatin. The specialist found that I am severely deficient in Vitamin D, so am on a 6 week regimen of very high dosages of Vitamin D. I've also been taking fish oil (Omega 3) and Vitamin C. Right now, my skin is sensitive but manageable.

I have discovered that my body does not tolerate eggs or milk anymore, after having eaten them for over 55 years. So some of the conditions posted on this board could affect me as well. I'll look into the systemic candida connection after dealing with the Vitamin D. Please research that because deficiency is linked to many of my health problems: fibromyalgia, diabetes, overweight, high blood pressure, and a multitude of other conditions. I practically have no Vitamin D in my system and have not gone out in the sun for years. It's one vitamin that is not readily available in the foods we eat.

I am happier but would still like to rid this disease from my body. I am working on it one step at a time. Getting my blood sugar under control is posing a major challenge. Glipizide has been changed to Januvia and my blood sugar is out of control.

Sometimes I wish eating was not a must in order to live! Oh, and I started to exercise but my knees became swollen. An MRI showed degenerative changes to cartilage and the lateral meniscus. So exercise is out for a while, but I am trying to do things in the pool that don't involve stressing my knees.

One day at a time, one change at a time.

That is really interesting! One of the things they say about chronic Candida cases is that they often can't eat milk or dairy products because we can't process milk fat properly. That defiantely happened to me over time. I work outside all the time and have good bloods so I think I should be ok for the vitamin D. High cholersterol and blood sugar problems are lifestyle issues though so diet may well be a factor for you. Considering 80% of the population has Candida overgrowth, if you have challenges in these areas its a pretty safe bet that is an issue too. Good luck I hope you try the anti candida diet, its a win win on any level!

Hi WannaBWell,
Congratulations on all the progress you've made.
You know cholesterol is something that can be reduced dramatically with diet and natural supplements? If you don't want to go the trad. medicine route again? so great you came off statins. My dad was on simvastatin 80mg and was given permission to stop it yesterday. He has aches and pains all over and I'm sure that was the cause- it's notorious apparently for that.
Vitamin D has been in the papers here in the UK a lot recently. Deficiency is highly correlated to cancer and even the cancer charities are telling people to get out in the MIDDAY sun!! for short times, 20-30 mins, not enough to burn. but its the midday sun that's best for getting Vit D. As you say, it's really hard to get enough from dietary sources.
I wanted to let you know about 2 supplements - the first is a massively absorbable form of Vit C by Livon Labs. it's a real breakthrough, you can get very high levels in your blood without reaching bowel tolerance. Google livon labs C.
The other is something recommended by my osteopath for cartilage (I am hypermobile so its an issue for me too) called Cortaflex. Again, it's a patented forumlation of glucosamine sulphate and chondroitin sulphate with (optional~) hyaluronic acid. One of those is normally badly absorbed in the body, but this supplement, originally formulated by animals, is incredibly effective.
Blood sugar wise, are you taking things like chromium picinolate, cinnamon, zinc, and salacia oblonga (which is also great for lowering chloresterol - see
http://www.salaciaoblongacapsules.com/)
Here are a couple of articles you might like ifi you're interested in supplements for blood sugar:

http://www.battlediabetes.com/natural-foods-to-reduce-blood-....


http://www.bodyandfitness.com/Information/Health/diabetes2.h....

Good Luck!

PS - a note to all - I found a product from an ad on this site that looks good... its an organic cotton liner that you stick to the crotch of jeans etc allowing you to not wear panties - I just bought some - great to be able to go commando without having the seam rub...

http://www.gocommandos.com/store/product.php?id=27

hi im new on here just found you by chance. ive LS for 15 yrs, im 40yrs old. mine seemed to disappear in my last to pregnancies,the last one just a year ago, but has reared its ugly head again,to the point where its fusing my skin together. i have very little feeling down there so my sex life is practically non existent.im terrified its going to seal completely,my DR just said i could have an operation to open it back up. anyone else experiencing this, im so scared.also my husband keeps getting thrush after the odd time we do manage sex,so do you think he could be getting it from me? would be grateful for any feedback. lisaxxx

Hi there lisaloo,
have a read back over the last few entries. Thrush IS Candida..there is a definate correlation. Good luck!

Hey Lisaloo,
I wrote a couple of long answers on Candida on Yahoo Answers last week in the womens' health section...
Look for questions on 'Yeast Infection' if you're interested.
I really suggest you have a swab to see if you do have candida.. have you tried treating for it? If you have, and it's failed, then you're probably resistant to that treatment(eg, canesten cream would be a typical UK prescription) and need to get another medicine or go the alternative route (eg, tea tree oil - see more at Yahoo) and get your boyfriend to do the same - if the strain you have is resistant now, his will be too and he needs to use the same cream as you. men often have it without symptoms.
If you have it then also hot iron the crutches of your panties, and his too, or sterlise them in some way.
If you DON'T have it you are confusing thrush symptoms with LS, which is easily done - I did for years. Itching is a LS symptom - I'm sure you know that though.
Emu oil is said to be good for fusion - I'm no expert though, I have developed clit fusion and vag narrowing. I think dilators are the answer for narrowing and surgery prob the only route now for fusion if its advanced.
Good luck!
Love and strength,
Sarita

PS as you said 'thrush', sounds like you're in the UK too... there's another forum which is good, just for LS - it's run by a geat women called Fabia who runs a part time telephone helpline too - see
www.lichensclerosus.org
Don't get scared by all the horror stories though, look for the success stories too!!

Hi Lisaloo, I take it you have already been diagnosed with LS because you say you have it for 15 years. The reason why your boyfriend is getting thrush from you is because you have a systemic chronic case of Candida which I am certain is the actual cause of LS. Unfortunately you can't stop the fusions until you stop the LS because they creep. I got a creeping fusion around the time I had my first baby and the midwife managed to unfuse it for me because it was new, and it did not matter what I did it fused back because the skin was reactive. I recently ahd another creeping fusion but when I cleared up my symptoms (I am now symptom free for the first time since diagnosis) the creeping fusion stopped. Clear up the candida properly and permanently and you will sort your LS out I am convinced of it. If you read back you will see how LS is an autoimmune problem from years of CAndida overgrowth. Good luck

I finally got diagnosed with LS after about 10 years of discomfort, heartache and some medical dismissal. I've used the steroid cream reluctantly and it did help enormously - until I stop using it and then LS just re-emerged to my utter despair. I also tried the vitamins suggested and emu oil (which felt nice, but that's about it) with no success. I then stumbled across Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and ladies, I have complete success - 2 months free of LS and I keep thanking my lucky stars. Find out about it because it works. I had to spend quite a bit of time trying to think what the underlying emotiional cause might be (over a month since learning EFT) but once I had it, bingo. NO more dreadful LS!. Good luck to all you sufferers.....

Thank you al2000, I really appreciate the tip. I would also really appreciate any detail you can give on the severity of your LS and the kind of symptoms that disappeared. (itching? lesions? fusion? clit sensitivity?)
If you're willing, I'd also love to hear more about the underlying causes/beliefs that you discovered- it might broaden my mind for what to look for for EFT. I've had a few sessions with an EFT Master and didn't achieve great results, but it was on a very charged issue some years ago.
How did you learn it?
For other readers I'll mention that it can be learnt for free at emofree dot com.
Thanks again,
Sarita