Hi just thought I’d post on here as haven’t for sometime. I was diognosed with vin 3 on my vulva which is pre cancerous cells. I know there is vin 1,vin 2,and vin 3, vin 3 which is the worst as it means that my pre cancerous cells are deep within the layers of skin of my vulva. It was a bit of a shock when I was told my results,after a ten and half weeks wait,I was told by a nurse after trying to contact the relevant hospital department for weeks on end,with no one answering, I was very worried during this time,as I’d also found another lump,in my right breast where I’d had cancer,and a lumpectomy and all lympth nodes removed. I had a six week wait,for that to be looked at but thankfully it turned out to be just a very small cyst,so didn’t need any treatment . I’ve been seen by the gynecologist, about my vin 3 ( which is a very small area) and he said he just wants to moniter it and not treat it,I’ve had a 3 mth wait,saw him again he just looked at it and said ill see you in 4 mths time,the appointment came through and it’s actualy 6mths time ,not four as it was the only appointment available, which will be on the 17th August 2022 . Inbetween these check ups my gp had written to my gynecologist to ask him I’d he would be ok with her prescribing me a cream called imiquimod cream,which is a treatment for vin3. He wouldn’t agree to this,but didn’t really give the reasons why,just said " he doesn’t like to use it".
So then I get a call from hospital saying my gp had refferd me to a dermatologist, I had no clue as to why and asked the caller why,and was it about my vin 3 on my vulva?. She looked it up ,and said yes it was to see the dermatologist about that. Anyway I have 3 dats ago seen this dermatologist, and she was helpfully,she had a look and said " I think you should start to use the imiquimod cream myself,as to be honest yes it is only a small area,but how long is your gynecologist going to moniter it for", I said" I didn’t want my gynecologist to be angry that my gp had sent me to see her ,and I was concerned that he’d be annoyed I was using the cream as he was adamant that he didn’t want me to use it,otherwise he would of prescribed it when my gp had asked him too,and my gp had called me to say she couldn’t prescribe the cream as she didn’t want to tread on his toes so to speak,". The dermatologist said no he will be ok with you using the cream, we do work together,and I’ll explain if he asks why I’ve prescribed it to you,tge reason being that you have had breast cancer you’ve had to have half your bowel taken away because of pre cancerous cells,there is a lot of cancer in your family,and I think by using the cream,if it gets rid of your vin 3 it’s worth it,and it will be less stressful, less of a worry for you,and an underlying worry that it could break through your membranes and turn into cancer ,is not good for you. I feel that doing something about it,is better than just monitering it. So of course I was confused as to why ,one wants to treat the vin3,and the other doesn’t. Its totaly confused me,so I spoke to the pharmacist, who was great, he advised me to start to use the cream ,he said yes it may make you sore and that it fors ghst whrn tge cream is actualy working he said ’ at the end if the day its your body ,and if it gets rid if the vin 3 ,then thats a weight of off mt mind, plus he said " the dermatologist has only prescribed me to use it three times a day for 2 weeks so by the yine you see your gynecologist it would hopefully helped, even got rid of ghe condition hopefully, ( as it doesnt work for some people,but does have a good success rate for msny).Then I remember The dermatologist said " as I had another area on the other side that had become red and itchy,that she would do a biobsy on that side,to see what it is. So have just had the appointment come through for ghe 9th August 2022. So last night I started the cream,I was very nervous ,but was given a cream to wash with, before I applied tge cream,I was also advised to put vasalene on the parts I didnt want the cream to touch,before I started to use the cream. It did sting a bit,but I sopose that’s good, shows it may be working. Today I have to apply it 3 more times,its a 3.5% cream so a weaker strengh than the 5% one you can get.
I do hope it works and doesn’t get to sore or u bearable,as I know it can get red,itchy,blister ,bleed and crust over,the more I use it. I have been told if it gets too much I can stop using it. But I also have to be vigilant whilst using it incase I get an jnfection.
Has anyone on here had vin 3 ,and used the imiquimod cream,and if so how did you get on using it,and was it successful for you. I know there may not be many people on here with vin 1,2, or 3 like me,as ive been told it isn’t a common problem and quite rare as not a lot of people are diognosed with it.