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Herpes or Vulvodynia?
I was diagnosed with vulvodynia almost 2 years ago due to overall burning and discomfort in my genitals as well as sharp pain when touched. This happened after sex with a new partner. I cleaned my inner labia with Noxema, put tea tree lavender cream on it daily, and went to my gyno several weeks later. The gyno did a biopsy on my inner labia and found a little bit of yeast. She said she thought I may have had a horrible yeast infection made worse by dry sex, and that I knocked out most of the infection with the regular tea tree use. She gave me Diflucan tabs.
In January 2009, I tested positive for HSV-1 and negative for HSV-2. The doctor said not to worry about the HSV-1,that most people pick it up as children. I never have cold sores.
About 2 1/2 weeks ago I had oral sex with someone new--both given and received. There was some penetration but not much because he was impotent due to surgery. There was a lot of fingering that hurt me. I was very dry and uncomfortable the whole time. Afterward I experienced a lot of discomfort and burning. It felt like I'd been scraped in my vagina. There was no itchy feeling.
A week later I got a paper cut in the corner of my mouth and it reddened around that area. It looks a LOT like angular cheilitis. I put tea tree on it and it has dried up and flaked, though remains reddened in the surrounding facial skin.
I used natural boric acid suppositories in my vagina. I took a Diflucan tab. This helped for inside my vagina.
I put tea tree oil ointment on my inner labia. Despite the initial burn, I put undiluted tea tree oil on a cotton ball and put it in my inner labia all day and all night for two days.
Soon thereafter, I saw two sore spots side by side--one on the shaft that goes up to the clitoris and one right beside it on my inner labia. They were barely detectable and I could only see them if I stretched the skin and stared awhile. They looked like flat, skinny oval shapes. The one on the shaft was vertical, tiny, and definitely skinny oval. The one on the right inner labia was bigger and felt a little lumpy underneath the skin, though the lumpiness has subsided.
The sores became more visible but no blister, no raised area, no ulcer with pus in it. It looks like a cross between a very flat blister and a chanchroid, except not white and barely indented. I have had them a few days and the skin has not broken. It blends in with surrounding skin but the skin on them seems thinner, though.
Yesterday I put Neosporin on them, and it really soothed the area. Now they are going away. I'm not going to put anything else on there because I want my gyno to have something left to scrape and culture when I see her tomorrow for a biopsy and blood test.
I am wondering if:
1. The sores are from an undiluted tea tree oil burn, since it's right where I left the cotton ball;
2. If it's possible that I picked up a fungal or bacterial infection from my last sexual encounter. That would explain the angular cheilitis on the corner of my mouth. Also, I know that yeast can aggravate vulvodynia, and cause sores. I also read that yeast doesn't always cause a discharge (I haven't noticed any discharge).
I know I will need another blood test in about 3 months because HSV-2 antibodies may take that long to be detectable in the body.
What do y'all think???
In January 2009, I tested positive for HSV-1 and negative for HSV-2. The doctor said not to worry about the HSV-1,that most people pick it up as children. I never have cold sores.
About 2 1/2 weeks ago I had oral sex with someone new--both given and received. There was some penetration but not much because he was impotent due to surgery. There was a lot of fingering that hurt me. I was very dry and uncomfortable the whole time. Afterward I experienced a lot of discomfort and burning. It felt like I'd been scraped in my vagina. There was no itchy feeling.
A week later I got a paper cut in the corner of my mouth and it reddened around that area. It looks a LOT like angular cheilitis. I put tea tree on it and it has dried up and flaked, though remains reddened in the surrounding facial skin.
I used natural boric acid suppositories in my vagina. I took a Diflucan tab. This helped for inside my vagina.
I put tea tree oil ointment on my inner labia. Despite the initial burn, I put undiluted tea tree oil on a cotton ball and put it in my inner labia all day and all night for two days.
Soon thereafter, I saw two sore spots side by side--one on the shaft that goes up to the clitoris and one right beside it on my inner labia. They were barely detectable and I could only see them if I stretched the skin and stared awhile. They looked like flat, skinny oval shapes. The one on the shaft was vertical, tiny, and definitely skinny oval. The one on the right inner labia was bigger and felt a little lumpy underneath the skin, though the lumpiness has subsided.
The sores became more visible but no blister, no raised area, no ulcer with pus in it. It looks like a cross between a very flat blister and a chanchroid, except not white and barely indented. I have had them a few days and the skin has not broken. It blends in with surrounding skin but the skin on them seems thinner, though.
Yesterday I put Neosporin on them, and it really soothed the area. Now they are going away. I'm not going to put anything else on there because I want my gyno to have something left to scrape and culture when I see her tomorrow for a biopsy and blood test.
I am wondering if:
1. The sores are from an undiluted tea tree oil burn, since it's right where I left the cotton ball;
2. If it's possible that I picked up a fungal or bacterial infection from my last sexual encounter. That would explain the angular cheilitis on the corner of my mouth. Also, I know that yeast can aggravate vulvodynia, and cause sores. I also read that yeast doesn't always cause a discharge (I haven't noticed any discharge).
I know I will need another blood test in about 3 months because HSV-2 antibodies may take that long to be detectable in the body.
What do y'all think???
Oh, I see what you are saying now. I just assumed the vulvodynia was caused by the undetected HSV, but you have a good point. It very well could be two separate issues. Thanks.
no I really did mean hsv1 genitally as in see if some of the various issues you've been having that led to you being diagnosed as having vulvodynia were actually hsv1 genitally.
"you can swab it and if it's also hsv1 genitally"
Did you mean "also hsv2 genitally"?
I believe it's type 1 only because I've had 2 blood tests, both negative for type 2. The last blood test was several months after my last sexual partner and was negative for hsv2. And this last culture is negative for hsv2. But there may be a piece of information I am missing?
The gyno gave me a prescription for Acyclovir. I felt much relief after only a day and a half of taking it.
Did you mean "also hsv2 genitally"?
I believe it's type 1 only because I've had 2 blood tests, both negative for type 2. The last blood test was several months after my last sexual partner and was negative for hsv2. And this last culture is negative for hsv2. But there may be a piece of information I am missing?
The gyno gave me a prescription for Acyclovir. I felt much relief after only a day and a half of taking it.
well certainly not the news you were expecting but at least now you know at least 1 location for your hsv1. Did they give you oral antivirals to keep on hand?
Even though typically hsv1 genitally doesn't reoccur very often, it can in a small percentage of people. considering all the the issues you've had in general down yonder, you might want to consider having the supplies at home to do home pcr swabbing and if the next time you get symptoms similar to this, you can swab it and if it's also hsv1 genitally, perhaps discuss daily suppressive therapy to see if you can get your genital issues down to a dull roar in general.
grace
Even though typically hsv1 genitally doesn't reoccur very often, it can in a small percentage of people. considering all the the issues you've had in general down yonder, you might want to consider having the supplies at home to do home pcr swabbing and if the next time you get symptoms similar to this, you can swab it and if it's also hsv1 genitally, perhaps discuss daily suppressive therapy to see if you can get your genital issues down to a dull roar in general.
grace
I want to update this thread. Bad news. :-(
Earlier this month, I started getting sore in that same spot I felt sore in back in August (to the left of my vaginal opening). I immediately called my gyno to get it cultured. She couldn't see me, but another gyno did.
She swabbed the teeny, tiny break in my skin (like a paper cut). It was barely visible. She said she thought it was a blocked moisture gland and she'd be "very surprised" if it were herpes.
BUT...results came back from the culture as positive for HSV-1.
I thought I should update this thread to make people aware that HSV-1 genital can be very, very difficult to confirm!! It took a lot of persistence on my part to confirm it. Doctors and nurses kept telling me they didn't think it was herpes. After my negative culture, I was told to put the idea of herpes to rest. I didn't listen, and now I have discovered I have HSV-1 genital. :-(
Earlier this month, I started getting sore in that same spot I felt sore in back in August (to the left of my vaginal opening). I immediately called my gyno to get it cultured. She couldn't see me, but another gyno did.
She swabbed the teeny, tiny break in my skin (like a paper cut). It was barely visible. She said she thought it was a blocked moisture gland and she'd be "very surprised" if it were herpes.
BUT...results came back from the culture as positive for HSV-1.
I thought I should update this thread to make people aware that HSV-1 genital can be very, very difficult to confirm!! It took a lot of persistence on my part to confirm it. Doctors and nurses kept telling me they didn't think it was herpes. After my negative culture, I was told to put the idea of herpes to rest. I didn't listen, and now I have discovered I have HSV-1 genital. :-(
I said I'd come back and post results.
I tested for HSV 1 and HSV 2 last week of December.
I'm positive for HSV 1 and still negative for HSV 2.
I think I can put this to rest now.
I tested for HSV 1 and HSV 2 last week of December.
I'm positive for HSV 1 and still negative for HSV 2.
I think I can put this to rest now.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
