Mom was forced to “shave” part of her clitoris after doctors said vulvar cancer was thrush

A mother had to undergo surgery to “shave” part of her clitoris after developing vulvar cancer, which doctors have repeatedly described as just “thrush.”

Toni Williams said she first developed a “raw red” and “itchy” vagina and vulva in 2018.

However, he claims that during several visits to the doctor, he was misdiagnosed as a yeast infection.

Eventually the 54-year-old, who hasn’t been able to have sex for years, was seen by a sympathetic family doctor who said it looked like the area might be cancerous.

Soon after, Toni, from Devon, had to undergo surgery to “shave” part of her clitoris and remove the bumps on her perineum.

More than two years after her agonizing surgery, Toni is now cancer free.

However, she is now battling an incurable skin disease suspected of being lichen sclerosus (LS), which causes itchy white patches on her genitals.

“I’ve never shown my husband how he is there, I just can’t,” says Toni.

“We’ve been married for nearly eight years and haven’t been able to have sex for four.

“There is really no way. It is too painful.

“My cancer is gone. Most of my clitoris was shaved off and other bleeding parts removed as well.

The current state of Toni’s skin now means she has to battle excruciating pain and discomfort on a daily basis.

“It’s a horrible condition, I can’t explain to anyone what it is about on a daily basis,” he says.

“I’ve never felt pain like this. You have constant pain in the clitoral hood and it itches like crazy.

“It’s constant, it doesn’t go away. I take a cream that helps a little, but it burns. I can remove 10 pence of skin, so it’s an open wound. “

“Going to the bathroom is agony. It won’t go away and there are times when it’s worse than ever. “

Toni’s condition began with what she believed to be common thrush more than four years ago. He says he took antibiotics, but he never got better.

He explained: “I had about 18 months where every time I went to the GP it was like, ‘Yeah, it’s just thrush. And there you have it.

“I took everything I could and it didn’t work. I believed everything I was told. “

However, things changed for Mom when she finally found a family doctor who listened to her concerns and examined her properly.

“I couldn’t insert the tampon because it was so painful. I was literally bright red, “says Toni.

“She looked at herself and said, ‘I think it’s all over now, I think you have cancer.’ It got a lot worse. ‘

Toni’s first surgery was to take biopsies, diagnose and remove the masses.

However, she was later told that she would have to have her clitoris removed completely or “shave off” as she had 0.8mm of cancer.

“I asked him to take it all off because he didn’t want it to come back, but he shaved it off,” said Toni.

“His words were that he left enough for ‘sexual purposes’, but trust me, this is the last thing you want.”

The surgeon also had to remove part of Toni’s urethra to remove all of the cancer.

However, since then, Toni has been constantly suffering from her mysterious skin condition which is yet to be fully diagnosed. She is still waiting to see a specialist.

Since undergoing the operation, Toni says she has been forced to quit her job as a chef and struggles every day to cope with the pain.

“During the first year, I couldn’t wear panties. I was sitting in my nightgown, “she said.

She hopes that by sharing her deeply personal story, she will encourage other women to fend for themselves during their doctor’s appointments.

Clare Baumhauer, founder of UK Vulvar Cancer Awareness, said: “You should check your vulva once a month to find out what’s normal for you.”

“If you have persistent vulvar itching, bumps or ulcers that don’t heal, see a doctor.”

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