Help with diagnosis

[chris1215]

On November 26 I began experiencing severe vaginal burning.  The next day it was combined with vaginal itching and extreme redness.  I treated myself for a yeast infection with an ovule and with cream.  That evening I also took my best friend's Diflucan.  On December 1 I still had similar symptoms including red areas on my vagina and even slight bleeding which I though were from scratching.  On December 1 I went to my health care provider and she performed a vaginal exam and asked if I had ever had herpes.  Upon examination she discovered vaginal discharge which appeared like cottage cheese and said that she was confident I had a yeast infection.  She gave me another dose of Diflucan.  She did a culture and 2 days later those results came back negative.  She reexamined me on December 3 and said it was still red but the discharge was minimal.  She said if she had to bet her life on it she did not think it was herpes but could not explain why my results for yeast were negative.  In the meantime I talked to my partner who confessed he had a one night stand with a woman on November 11.  They had unprotected sex and he exhibited no symptoms of herpes.  He had a blood test done and it came back negative but it's only 3 weeks post exposure.  I also came back negative on blood test (but again it's only 3 weeks post possible exposure).  The symptoms are still there (although I do not itch or burn nearly as bad).  I do not have any lesions or blisters inside my vagina but I do have one sore on the lip (way on the outside) that does not itch or burn and looks like an ingrown hair.  Should I still be freaking out?  My partner confronted the woman he was with and she denies ever having any symptoms.

[chris1215]

I got my herpes culture back today and it was negative but I fully expected that since I didn't have any lesions.  I'm still concerned that my yeast culture was negative (twice) even though the doctor said that she saw a lot of white, cottage cheese discharge on my vaginal bulb.  After 14 days I still have discharge and slight burning at the vaginal opening (in the patch of skin where I'm raw, irritated).  I've taken 3 doses of diflucan now, used the one day ovule, and used monistat cream for 10 days.  I tried to get back into the dr but she can't see me until next week.  I'm going to need to get something to help me sleep because this uncertainty is killing me!

[chris1215]

Ok thanks.  After 14 days I finally feel better.  I did a visual inspecation today and only have one tiny area of redness and that area looks slightly raw but I never had a blister or scabbing in that area.  Simply irritation and bleeding/rawness from being so irritated.  We will both re test in January.  Thanks so much for your advice!

[gracefromHHP]

that's for sure!

follow up with the gyn for your own issues as needed until things are back to normal.

Your partner needs to wait for syphilis, hiv and herpes testing from his other partner.

[chris1215]

Thanks....I did get a full STD screening and insisted he did too.  We both came out negative for everything.  I guess everything happens for a reason so maybe this is a blessing in disguise...I learn about his true behavior now instead of after we were married!

[gracefromHHP]

at this point I recommend going back to the gyn again for a full exam again. if you haven't been tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea too, ask for that testing too.  You'll need to wait 3 months for a type specific herpes igg blood test to be done again. your bf should also repeat his testing too at that time. did he also get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia?  if you were, I'd considered repeating the testing since the otc yeast treatment could've interfered with the testing , depending on how your provider tested you.

you taking otc yeast treatment along with diflucan could've caused a false negative on the yeast test too. the otc 1 day treatment is also very irritating and could've been adding to your issues too.  

not quick answers I know but at this point not much you can do since you self treated instead of being seen promptly to make it more likely you would've gotten properly diagnosed earlier into things.  Women only correctly self diagnose vaginal yeast infections 1/3 of the time so it's well worth going to be seen when you think you have one. You never know when something else is going on. I bet your partner would've never 'fessed up to his infidelity if you hadn't had these issues and you could've been walking around with chlamydia and risked your future fertility or something.  

grace