Failure. Yep, sorry about the last thread that I did not return to. I have just been FRUSTRATED due to LACK OF RESULTS. I keep thinking more and more that I do truly have true BXO(which makes me want to slit my wrists - - hehe, joking!!) and that circumcision is the only means to solve this problem. Stretching just is not working for me. I can not COME EVEN CLOSE to retracting even while flacid, and obviously not all when erect. I can barely see my glans.

ANYHOW, I went back to the walk in clinic today, and the doctor just would not prescribe me the 0.05 betamethasone. He really wanted me to go see the specialist that he suggested, but I was hellbent on this cream, so he said to go try the OTC 0.05 hydrocortisone.

SO, if I were to try this and it did does nothing, would I have no problem then trying the betamethasone? Any idea on how effective the hydrocortisone is? Anything else I should know?


And finally, if neither of these work, should I give the glansie a try? Does this thing actually work? This would have to be my last resort(other than maybe trying the stretching again) should the ointment not work...


P.S.

What are the chances that I have TRUE BXO? Has anyone else had this problem from this forum? Has anyone never been able to solve the problem without getting the knife?


Bye.

We have indeed had at least one fellow who had true LS (Lichen Sclerosis - the term "BXO" as well as "LSA" is considered spurious in contemporary dermatological practice, or so the local specialist tells me) and went on to circumcision.

The problem is that we could never get much detail from him regarding just whether he was getting, or had been offered adequate and competent treatment for the condition, or was "compliant" with such treatment (which is to say, was actually using such treatment properly).

The treatment for that condition, is the correct "high-potency" steroid ointment, of which betamethasone 0.1% is one option. People are often confused by spurious "warnings" on the Product Information supplied, that it should "not be used for too long". In fact, it is critical for the treatment of LS, that it be used without (significant) interruption until the condition completely settles.

Could your condition be LS? Well, it could, but nothing you have mentioned so far - as best I recall - suggests it. The "classic" story of LS is that the fellow had a readily retractile foreskin which progressively tightened, associated with some irritation and whitening (scarring) of the tight part, which may have cracked or split on forcible attempt to retract or stretch.

Coincidentally, this is almost exactly the same presentation as for chronic Candida infection, except perhaps that for that, itch and whitish discharge is prominent.

I am curious to know what you made of my most recent suggestions in the previous thread, particularly the "balloon experiment". I would also like to know exactly - and I do mean exactly - what it is that you are doing to try and stretch the tight part of the opening.

Now, your options. If the doctor "just would not prescribe you the 0.05% betamethasone", then clearly he is about as useless as the proverbial "tits on a bull". That tells you he knows nothing about this condition, or how to treat it. Don't get too sad about this, he can't be expected to know everything. Just don't waste your time with someone who doesn't have the knowledge. And if the specialist to whom he wanted to refer you was a urologist - forget that, that is the wrong specialist to treat skin conditions.

I've said this innumerable times - Hydrocortisone is deliberately prescribed when you do not want the very effects that would be useful in stretching your foreskin. It will work only to the extent that you simultaneously discover an effective method to actually stretch the tight region of your foreskin.

No matter how many times you or anyone else asks the question, the answer will always remain the same. There is no strict harm in trying the hydrocortisone except the strong likelihood that it will indeed, fail and you may then incorrectly conclude that the proper steroid ointment will not "work" for you. Unless as I say, it happens that in applying the ointment, you manage to discover an effective stretching manoeuvre.

Would the "Glansie" help? Well, again, we have dealt with this here. It might; your references to "can barely see my glans" suggest that on the stretch, you can see an opening of three or four millimetres. That is the calibre at which the "Glansie" may help, but if you can according to my previous suggestions, get a finger through the tight part so that it slides aside the glans (with a spot of lubrication for comfort), then the "Glansie" is probably too rough.

If you are prepared to go and find an instrument to do the stretching, then I think you would be better to look for a "nasal speculum" through a proper surgical supplier - or EBay - a short-bladed (not veterinary!) Killian or Cottle with the screw would appear to be much more useful than the "Glansie" and considerably cheaper. Only one "downside" - the nasal speculum will tend to slip out unless you hold it in place, but I think that could be accommodated.

Ok, so are you saying that even if worse come to worse and I actually have BXO, it's still possibly curable bye the 0.01?

I have never been able to retract, not even close, and at the tip of my foreskin, I guess you could say there is a bit of whiteness when I try and retract, but it's slight, and hard to describe.

I just tried the balloon experiment twice. Both times I got paranoid as it was filling up, and chickened out. I'll try it again. What is the purpose of it(curious)?

As for my small opening, I cannot fit any fingers inside the tight part. Way too small. How the hell do my fingers get in there? I have tried twice, once with lubrication, and once in the shower, and just cannot come close to fitting a finger in there. Maybe the glansie would be good for this? I think they have a money back guarantee, and if it can help solve the problem, then it's money well spent.

And this nasal speculum, is there an easy place to obtain one locally, like in the city I live in? I definitely have no problem ordering a glansie though, so what do you think?

Also, many of the studies involving the 0.05 betamethasone have involved childred/teens, generally from 5-16ish, showing a very good success rate. Does my being 20 now change things, making a possible success rate less likely?

The balloon exercise will determine any adhesions. It won't hurt you.

What city are you in?

Your present age should pose no problems.

I might just point out that I am very precise in describing the name, form, and strength of drugs when I specify them (after all, I have to be every day ) so whatever I wrote before, is what I absolutely mean.

The potent steroid is the standard cure for LS (which is by the way, rather more common in women).

As Jim has explained, the "balloon" exercise is to demonstrate both to us, and to yourself, that there are no adhesions complicating matters between the glans and the foreskin, other than the frænulum along the underneath.

Given that the opening is too small to get a fingertip through - even your little finger (just one will do to start with), then it would seem you need some other object - we have made clear suggestions in the past as to what may or may not be suitable for this. The Glansie is designed for this situation, but to my mind becomes rapidly less useful if you were to continue to use it for stretching once you get the opening larger.

I am suggesting that a (short) nasal speculum is likely to prove suitable not only to start with, but also as you progress to a larger opening. It should be as easy to obtain - can be ordered from any surgical supplier including by mail order, though there is some slight possibility they may query your identity - and should actually be much cheaper for what I suspect to be a higher quality device. Note which types I specified.

There is little or nothing related to age that should affect the effectiveness of the steroid ointment. In general, I would expect it to be more effective toward adulthood, given that adults are more likely to understand the critical importance of and implement the actual stretching itself. Of course, sometimes children are more enthusiastic than adults!

Ok, I still may buy that nasal speculum, but as of the last few days, I've been stretching the opening using the rubber end of my glasses(the past that goes over both my ears). It's pretty much the perfect size to get under the foreskin, and not that hard or sharp or anything. It took me a while to figure out how to get it under, but now I'm confident I am on the right track....I think.

When it is under the opening, it is slightly painful at first though, but it goes away. The only problem is that it is very hard to keep it under for long, or it slips out. Also, if I try and increase the stretch of the opening, it becomes to painful, which is disappointing...

And finally, I wonder just how effective a stretch is being applied to the opening. Seems a bit hard to tell, but it is definitely a stretch.


And as to that balloon experiment, I am still having a hard time actually performing it, keep wimping out when the urine builds a bit. I actually performed this experiment unknowingly years ago a few times, just because it was sort of fun, but for no specific reason did I attempt it.

Comments?

Gents,

as I mentioned previously, go to GFS.platigo.com and have a look. This is used around the world.

If you are really really tight - you shoudl use this with the betamethasone cream for best results.

I used it and now i am so very pleased. My foreskin does not bother me anymore.

The time I wasted on all the other advice I could have gone on a holiday.

Hope it helps, for what it worth to you.

I have been unable to verify from the "Platigo" site (yet), of what material the balloons are made. If Silicon, they should be compatible with an ointment, if however, they are plain rubber, the ointment - or indeed cream, will cause them to rot and break very prematurely. Needs to be sorted out.