All about the discharge

[Sandstorm1922]

Background: Exposure last week in December. Oral and virginal sex with condom, which was removed without consent. Stopped without ejaculation.  

Full history history unknown except, history of cold sores, but no visible sores at the time.

Symptoms following exposure: White watery discharge mid January. Itchiness and redness, particularly on labia, discomfort on right side of groin. Itching all over virgina to hair line and sometimes above. Itching on buttocks. Also constipated, but no pain urinating or going toilet.

1st week in February cold sore breakout. Treated with Blistex and blister went within two days, sore healed by day 5.

Also around same time a suspected allergic reaction. Symptoms were whole body itching/ burning and discomfort alongside right eye being very sore. No fever, headache or feeling unwell. I checked out the eye and no Herpes present.

I have had a swab taken which tested negative for thrush, but pus was evident. I took three rounds of thrush treatment before the swab including constant use of external cream.

I eventually worked out that I felt worse after taking the treatments, but the last oral pill seemed to work and itching symptoms decreased. I stopped using the external cream and the itchy labia eased up, but I still have a lot of discharge.

As for my results. The normal option would be to test for other STIs, but I have already done that with negative results. I have now sent off a second set of swabs to be tested. Herpes apparently would produce pus in virginal discharge.

I have been looking daily since January and have had a doctor check me over, so it’s unlike that I could have had an external breakout without noticing, but may well have had internally.

My questions are:

With regard to virginal discharge, I have read that discharge changes, but how so? I have white discharge, does the Herpes virus change the colour of discharge like other infections do? And if so for how long? Change in my own discharge has been for two months.

I have a gyno appointment booked tomorrow, but I have these questions swirling in my head, so I would appreciate any feedback thanks

[TooHip1973]

Did you have any PCR swabs performed? Since it doesn’t sound like you have had a classic outbreak (lesions/sores), what you really want is an IgG test for HSV1 and HSV2, not a combined test. You are just about at 12 weeks, the recommended window period. While a pcr swab can pick up particles of hsv dna, if someone isn’t “shedding” the virus and there isn’t an active sore, it could return with a false negative. Herpes discharge tends to be very watery and clearish...if it’s green or yellow, that’s bacterial. Since these symptoms certainly seem too long lasting for herpes, I would look at other possibilities but test at 12-16 weeks for peace of mind.

[Sandstorm1922]

Thanks for the reply TooHip. I haven’t had a PCR swab preformed, but I’m I have an appointment at the sexual health clinic tomorrow before the gyno. I’ll request the IgG test then, because I’m going a bit mad with it all now. I’ve read so much online that I flip between it deffo is and it’s deffo not. I made a typo above, Herpes does NOT cause pus in discharge, so there is something else going on like you said. It does seem a bit long for symptoms to be going on, hopefully between the sexual health clinic and the gyno, I should get some answers. Fingers crossed.

[TooHip1973]

My fingers are crossed for you, too! If you decide to test, make sure it’s a type specific IgG. Do NOT do an IGM...it’s a crap test and a waste of time. Good luck! I understand the anxiety of it all! You’re going to be okay.

[Sandstorm1922]

Thanks for the good wishes. The gave me a physical exam and said she saw no evidence of any breakout and actually that it all looked healthy, except the discharge. She took a couple samples and looked under the microscope and said she found thrush spores. She’s given me some of the dreaded Canesten to try again. Fingers crossed it’s third time lucky. Still waiting for my test results from the gonorrhoea and chlamydia retests, but I’m hopeful to find a solution at the end of all this. The IGg test will need to be done privately as the health service won’t carry them out. One things for sure, I’ve learned a lot about the process from this little adventure and there is so much to be done for sexual health.

[TooHip1973]

Great news! Except the dreaded yeast! Those can be a pain in the vagina, for real. And trying to treat them is no joke. Up your intake of yogurt or anything else with a good dose of active cultures, as this can help things along too. If your body is on overload from the yeast, every bit can help balance it out. Good luck with your other tests...I am sure everything will be fine! No matter what, you are taking care of your health. No one else is going to, so bravo for being proactive!

[Sandstorm1922]

Thank you so much.  I’m just waiting now for that day my body finally calms down and I stop itching. Will give the Canesten a go tonight and again with the fingers crossed. Very good advice with the yogurt, I have been using for about a week externally. What’s sure is I won’t be taking any baths in bicarbonate or salt, feels like it deffo made things worse for me. I’m fully owning looking after myself physically and especially mentally.  I feel for everyone that goes through the worry whatever the result