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Genital warts or not?!
Hello, I've been going crazy over this for months and I finally decided to ask your opinion. Here's my story...
I'm 21 years old and have been sleeping with my current boyfriend since September 2010. A few months later I noticed about 3 separate bumps that looked exactly like skin tags on my labia majora. My family doctor said they could be warts but to see a gyno to confirm (they were very small). She gave me aldara in the mean time so I used it and the bumps were gone within about 5 days. By the time I got to the gyno two months later she said there was nothing to be seen that look like warts. She has reassured me about 4 times since then that there aren't any, but the last time I went in two weeks ago I was positive something is up.
Here's where my question comes in: is there glands or something that could account for bumps on the labia majora? It seems as though there are white spots all over, like chicken skin as some people describe, which I have always had. When the skin is not pulled tight everyhting looks completely normal, but when I pull the skin of my labia majora (under my vaginal opening) I can see the white spots, and on one side it seems they are raised in a line. They are under the skin, I cannot grab them in anyway like I could the skin tags (or warts?). Any ideas what this may be?!??! I cannot put my mind at ease that these are normal!
Thank you so much
I'm 21 years old and have been sleeping with my current boyfriend since September 2010. A few months later I noticed about 3 separate bumps that looked exactly like skin tags on my labia majora. My family doctor said they could be warts but to see a gyno to confirm (they were very small). She gave me aldara in the mean time so I used it and the bumps were gone within about 5 days. By the time I got to the gyno two months later she said there was nothing to be seen that look like warts. She has reassured me about 4 times since then that there aren't any, but the last time I went in two weeks ago I was positive something is up.
Here's where my question comes in: is there glands or something that could account for bumps on the labia majora? It seems as though there are white spots all over, like chicken skin as some people describe, which I have always had. When the skin is not pulled tight everyhting looks completely normal, but when I pull the skin of my labia majora (under my vaginal opening) I can see the white spots, and on one side it seems they are raised in a line. They are under the skin, I cannot grab them in anyway like I could the skin tags (or warts?). Any ideas what this may be?!??! I cannot put my mind at ease that these are normal!
Thank you so much
Given my experience I would think they would have either grown or multiplied, but then everyone is different. All you can do is repeat with a doc or accept. :)
I've heard most warts look like skin tags, mine do not at all. I had ones originally that were like skin tags, the ones now are barely raised above my skin but they are only on one side. I hate this so much because I want to be happy with what she said a month ago (I can't remember if they are the exact same as when I went or slightly different) about having no warts but it's impossible. I am getting so anxious over this :( I want them to go away for good.. whatever they are. Can you move them around? Do warts tend to change depending on how the skin is? It looks like normal wrinkly labia when it's relaxed but it's when it's pulled that I can see a few tiny raised bumps.
Ok you have to know your are going to great means to even find these things you think you have so that is one factor. I totally understand what you are saying about how do you know what is normal and not because I have the same issue. There are lots of little bumps and lumps and I have to determine each week if what I am looking at is the same ol stuff that is always there or has it changed in any way. How I knew I def had warts is first I tested positive for low risk HPV. Then I had a small group of what I thought looked like skin tabs on one side that I didn't have on the other. They are in the vaginal opening, basically still the "lip" area and not close enough to normal looking stuff for me to say that is normal. It did take docs three times to find them because it is easy to overlook but then as weeks went by and I was doing treatment there were new warts and the doc could see the changes just as I could. You are not saying you are having changes so that might be another factor. Regardless of how you try to figure this out you can't without the help of a doc. Either go back and force them to do whatever it takes to determine exactly what you have or try to move on without worry about what it is. If they are warts they are either going to grow to the point of being an issue that you have to treat or they will go away on their own.
Also, do they recur in the exact same spots?!
Can I ask you two another question.... how do you distinguish your warts from regular skin?! like, there must be some way to tell right! I still have the same bumps as I did before.. I was over it for a bit and now I'm obsessing again. I can't win!
My boyfriend still has no signs and we are going on 8 months sleeping together so that's a good sign I think. My ex boyfriend also doesn't have any and either does his new girlfriend (I slept with him 7 months ago before my new boyfriend and I moved from just hooking up to dating)... another good sign!
When I'm not looking down there and I feel without the skin stretched tight I can't feel anything. When I look down there I need to stretch it really tight and look in a certain light in order to see them because they blend in with my skin and are barely raised. They are the same texture as my other skin, smooth... and I can't move them at all or pull them off or anything. I've heard warts can bleed and such.. like when you rip them off. I could never rip these off I have tried! It's the fact they are more on one side that is freaking me out... I like symmetry! Maybe they are normal glands. Maybe aggravated from lube that I use. I don't know what they are.. and I don't care I just want to know if they are warts :(
My boyfriend still has no signs and we are going on 8 months sleeping together so that's a good sign I think. My ex boyfriend also doesn't have any and either does his new girlfriend (I slept with him 7 months ago before my new boyfriend and I moved from just hooking up to dating)... another good sign!
When I'm not looking down there and I feel without the skin stretched tight I can't feel anything. When I look down there I need to stretch it really tight and look in a certain light in order to see them because they blend in with my skin and are barely raised. They are the same texture as my other skin, smooth... and I can't move them at all or pull them off or anything. I've heard warts can bleed and such.. like when you rip them off. I could never rip these off I have tried! It's the fact they are more on one side that is freaking me out... I like symmetry! Maybe they are normal glands. Maybe aggravated from lube that I use. I don't know what they are.. and I don't care I just want to know if they are warts :(
Maybe I should pick up a copy! I will check it out for sure thank you. I had another therapy appointment and it definitely helps me rationalize why I have the anxiety I do but I still think in my mind that I have warts. I know that "down there" hasn't changed for about a month now... maybe slightly? but nothing major, especially not since I saw the gynecologist a week ago. I just can't help but think she overlooked it.. I even pointed the area out, but the 'bumps' I can see are very very small and hard to see.. I feel like this is a never-ending cycle!!!!! I'm thankful to have you two to talk to otherwise I would be going crazy! Even though it seems like I am crazy......
You might really like a book called: The anxiety and phobia workbook. It really helps you understand your anxiety. Cumulative stress over time is a biggie for inducing patterns of chronic stress and full blown anxiety. Also, mistaken beliefs about yourself and the self talk that goes along with it are huge factors. You may have simply slipped into a pattern of inner dialogue that is catastrophic thinking and fearful and negative. Good luck with all that.
Also, I would say again that you should operate as if you don't have warts.
Also, I would say again that you should operate as if you don't have warts.
Thanks so much, I always feel so much better after reading your replies. I know I should stop freaking out it's just one of those things that I've convinced myself I have... maybe it's because I couldn't have gotten the other bumps properly diagnosed.. but I guess I should appreciate the victory of having no bumps according to the gyno. I feel like I can't make another appointment when I just went Monday! I know it looks the same as it did then... I'm just wondering if I'm making up these bumps in my head! haha I don't understand how they are causing me such greif but not causing the gyno any. I know that she knows what warts look like and has probably seen them a million times though.. so I keep trying to think of that!
Therapy helped me rationalize all my anxiety and how it's come to be so bad with things I've gone through and how it's manifesting itself in different ways in my life. It's like I always have to be stressing over something! I am going again next friday so hopefully we can start going on the right track. For now she has instructed me to put a stop sign up in my mind for any "what if" thoughts.. because those are all anxiety as they have to do with things that 'may' happen in the future. Sounds like just what I need!
Therapy helped me rationalize all my anxiety and how it's come to be so bad with things I've gone through and how it's manifesting itself in different ways in my life. It's like I always have to be stressing over something! I am going again next friday so hopefully we can start going on the right track. For now she has instructed me to put a stop sign up in my mind for any "what if" thoughts.. because those are all anxiety as they have to do with things that 'may' happen in the future. Sounds like just what I need!
Look Miss1990, take a deep breath and relax. Two things, you are acting exactly like everybody else who comes to this site so there is nothing unique about your panic. Read some of these posts and the first one is almost always a melt down. I personally have lived more freaked out nights about my own journey than you can possibly imagine and you'd be hard pressed to match my anxiety driven hypochondria over the years. HPV has been hell on me. Which leads me to the other thing. Have compassion on yourself. It's okay to be anxious right now and it'll pass. It's all good. Take comfort in the fact that all it is most likely is you just freaking out. Freaking out subsides. Also, for that matter, HPV subsides too. So, if you did have it, which it sounds like you don't, you'd run the gamut of break outs and treatments and then it'd be over and life would go on as if nothing had ever happened.
All that is mostly superfluous however as your problem is acceptance and moving on. It's okay to be in that position, but you just need to change your perspective on it. Instead of freaking out, tell yourself that you know you are just freaking out and you are questioning any little what if or unexplained texture down there. Calmly make an appointment to get those what if's checked out and if you have to, don't rest until all your doubts are covered and cleared up.
I'm the same way, we all are. I just went to the dermatologist last Tuesday for a follow-up even though I haven't had anything in two months. I might start seeing someone so I wanted an expert eye as well as a treatment of this acid stuff they put on the skin to prevent outbreaks. I got the all clear as well as the treatment so I should be flying high right? Wrong, a few days later I realized I'd forgotten to have the doc inspect my mouth and I found a strange patch of skin right on my circumcision scar. Now, it's clearly not a wart and it may be me creating texture out of a scar ridge, but I am having a hard time not dwelling on the fact that it's HPV, or it's in my mouth and I'm gonna kiss it or oral it to someone. These are real fears founded in shreds just like your b.s. I'm just telling you to let you know, join the crowd baby.
Congratulations for waiting until today to check. Have compassion on yourself, laugh it off as best you can. Come here for some love from me and Mags. You are fine, it just might take you a bit of time to internalize that. Good luck in therapy!
All that is mostly superfluous however as your problem is acceptance and moving on. It's okay to be in that position, but you just need to change your perspective on it. Instead of freaking out, tell yourself that you know you are just freaking out and you are questioning any little what if or unexplained texture down there. Calmly make an appointment to get those what if's checked out and if you have to, don't rest until all your doubts are covered and cleared up.
I'm the same way, we all are. I just went to the dermatologist last Tuesday for a follow-up even though I haven't had anything in two months. I might start seeing someone so I wanted an expert eye as well as a treatment of this acid stuff they put on the skin to prevent outbreaks. I got the all clear as well as the treatment so I should be flying high right? Wrong, a few days later I realized I'd forgotten to have the doc inspect my mouth and I found a strange patch of skin right on my circumcision scar. Now, it's clearly not a wart and it may be me creating texture out of a scar ridge, but I am having a hard time not dwelling on the fact that it's HPV, or it's in my mouth and I'm gonna kiss it or oral it to someone. These are real fears founded in shreds just like your b.s. I'm just telling you to let you know, join the crowd baby.
Congratulations for waiting until today to check. Have compassion on yourself, laugh it off as best you can. Come here for some love from me and Mags. You are fine, it just might take you a bit of time to internalize that. Good luck in therapy!
So I lasted until right now without checking down there and now here I am again. I just feel so unsure of everything whenever I check there! I feel like one side looks so much more textured than the other... and I could have sworn it wasn't like that before! It's not even like the gynecologist told me what it was though... she didn't even see anything abnormal! It just boggles my mind. I hate this :( I know I need to stop worrying but it's impossible! I have my first therapy appointment tomorrow, maybe that will help... I just want to feel normal again :(
Thank you both so much! I decided I would not visit any other websites except this one after I saw her... you two have been so helpful and I appreciate it SO much! I think I need to retire my google search bar and stop being so sure that I have this. I will stop checking down there unless I actually feel something by accident like I did the first time in December. I'm so glad that I'm educated on this virus now and can know for the future if I ever end up single again and forming new sexual relationships. I hope you two will keep me updated with your progress! I'm sure I won't be able to stay away from here for long, haha thank you again!!!! Goodluck with everything :)
I agree with Mags370 young lady. The very first thought I had reading your original post was that you had nothing and were over reacting to fears and over self analysis down there. This confirms my gut feeling and now the work is for you to let it go. Now that you've had this moment, the knowledge is in your hands, so, if in the future some time you find yourself no longer in a relationship then taht is the time where this knowledge will come to be important to you. Go forward, you now know that having unprotected sex with someone you don't know can lead to HPV rather easily. If the partner you are with has had unprotected sex with one or more people in the last three to six months then you don't have any idea whether or not he could be exposing you. Even during foreplay you can get exposed even if afterward a condom is used. This I think is where we can most protect ourselves in the future.
For now though, reread Mags post and do what she says, relax and accept you don't have them. Don't what if or fight the doctors prognosis. We both thought you were just freaking anyway. Rejoice it's just a scare.
Cheers
For now though, reread Mags post and do what she says, relax and accept you don't have them. Don't what if or fight the doctors prognosis. We both thought you were just freaking anyway. Rejoice it's just a scare.
Cheers
I would believe her 100%, if she took all those measures to make sure I would be happy with that. The docs missing mine was purely lack of real inspection and ignoring me. I agree there are prob glads you didn't know you have. I have those right next to my warts and had to figure out what they were! lol I also agree with the ones that went away and never came back were not warts if you base what a normal wart experience is based on my own. They are a bit more stubborn than that, just as a wart on your finger is.
So take a deep breath and think that this little fear/panic did two things. It helped you to get on a path of becoming a healthier person and it made you very aware of what you can get if not careful. So take those two lessons and grow them into positives in life. :)
Congrats on the lack of warts! YAY
So take a deep breath and think that this little fear/panic did two things. It helped you to get on a path of becoming a healthier person and it made you very aware of what you can get if not careful. So take those two lessons and grow them into positives in life. :)
Congrats on the lack of warts! YAY
I've heard that from a lot of people actually.. that the first ones are normally stubborn. I'm sure you'll get it gone soon enough :) I just went to the gynecologist and she said there's nothing there. It makes me frustrated she's like I don't want to make you feel crazy or that I'm just brushing this off but I'm looking under a microscope and there's nothing. She put it on this big screen beside my head haha and it didn't look like anything there but I swear I saw stuff this morning! I don't know, I still don't trust it haha but she said whatever I'm seeing, if it's only when I pull the skin really tight and in certain lighting it's probably just glands that I've never noticed before, which does make sense.. because warts are on top of the skin so she said I'd be able to see it regardless of how the skin was. She also said that the 3 little skin tags that I thought were warts at the beginning of December probably weren't because them going away in a week and not returning is very rare. I don't know, this virus is so confusing! There's so much misdiagnosis. I just need to somehow make myself forget about it!!! I am vowing to myself that I'm not going to check for a week... but I think even a few hours will be hard! Oh the joys of hypochondria
Only the first wart I had seems to be the most stubborn, new ones went away with each acid treatment. Of course I seem to get new ones each week but still treating them when they are small is better than letting them get big and it taking more to get rid of them.
BTW 5 times...I am jealous! lol
BTW 5 times...I am jealous! lol
The more I look, the more I am starting to embrace that I might have them... I can only see the skin that basically just looks like it's textured differently in certain light, so hopefully that means they can go away quickly with treatment! I'm starting to think even finding out for sure will be somewhat of a relief (as much as it is going to upset me when it actually happens i'm sure) but just because I won't be constantly guessing and checking down there all the time!
I couldn't agree with you more! I have the high risk also, I went in a month ago and they put the dye on my cervix to show the abnormal cells but apparently nothing showed up. They did a biopsy anyway by scraping some cells and everything came back normal... Of course I would be more concerned about the low risk visible virus than the high risk that causes cancer... maybe it's the 1% of people who actually develop cervical cancer that is comforting.. because we caught it early I am sure that we will beat it, my gyno has been very positive about it since my first appointment. I am anxious to see her tomorrow but I know it's necessary. To be honest at this point whether or not I have warts isn't a major deal... I have been sleeping with my boyfriend unprotected for so long, we had sex like 5 times since last night (sorry too much information!) but it's always amazing and I never think about it when I'm with him. I know he wouldn't care, but he would definitely assume it was from him and I don't want him facing that kind of guilt for two strains that have only affected me. This is all confusing, and to be honest I have no idea if I have warts but if I do they are virtually invisible and he would never notice.. because I can barely notice! I think I just need to roll with the punches at this point. This will definitely pass if we stay positive :)
I had a big freakout last Oct. and started looking around the internet and that literally had me in bed for a week. I lost 6 lbs in 4 days. I cried all day and went for my first STD testing ever. It was awful and the two week wait was even worse. I knew I had to go back at the 3 month mark and do it all over again so even when I got all negatives I wasn't able to feel happy about them. Right on the dot I went back in Jan. and again it was awful going to a clinic. It is gross, I felt gross and sure I was leaving more germy than when I got there. At the same time I had made my yearly GYN exam which was not due til now, end of March. I asked the doc to test for herpes and HPV because I have never had testing for either and the clinic didn't. So I was going through the 2 week hell wait again and it was about as bad as the first time. The last few days before I got the result were very emotional because I knew that if I was going to have a positive it would be with these results. Thank goodness all was negative, so was the herpes test. Which I didn't think I had. Then I got the positive HPV, the nurse said I had high and low with dyplasia. I wasn't shocked and I didn't know much about HPV so of course I googled and cried for a week again. I was so upset I caused cramping and discharge. I had found this site with my Oct. freakout and it was the only sanity in my deep dark hole I dug thinking I had HIV (lol). HIV was my focus because of course I would think I have the worse and that I am dying. Anyway, I went back to this site and slowly got past the fear based info on HPV and into educating myself and now others when I can. It took me 3 visits for the docs to see the warts I knew I have. I have done 4 acid treatment and now will start the rx tomorrow. My cell changes are the mildest of the mild and I know I will be fine. I am not surprised I have HPV now that I understand it. Considering what else there is out there HPV isn't such a bad thing!
Thanks so much, I feel that talking to you has helped me feel better already! I decided not to check 'down there' today like I usually do a million times.. I have a special night with my boyfriend coming up and didn't want to ruin it with stress. Care to tell me your stories?! I like to listen as well, and it makes me feel less alone to know what others are going through!
I'm very anxious about the gynecologist appointment but if that's what it is I need to get it figured out and treated. My boyfriend is lucky he has never shown symptoms if that's what it is. Although mine are barely noticeable to the naked eye and can't even be felt! I hope it's normal anatomy, but I think at this point I have mentally prepared myself for the worst. This wouldn't be the first time I was told it's probably warts from my family doctor, but then being told that it sounds like I never had them from my gyno has thrown me for a loop. I just wish there was some way to know! It's crazy how many people have this and how under the radar it is.. I didn't even know about it until December thanks to googling my symptoms!
I'm very anxious about the gynecologist appointment but if that's what it is I need to get it figured out and treated. My boyfriend is lucky he has never shown symptoms if that's what it is. Although mine are barely noticeable to the naked eye and can't even be felt! I hope it's normal anatomy, but I think at this point I have mentally prepared myself for the worst. This wouldn't be the first time I was told it's probably warts from my family doctor, but then being told that it sounds like I never had them from my gyno has thrown me for a loop. I just wish there was some way to know! It's crazy how many people have this and how under the radar it is.. I didn't even know about it until December thanks to googling my symptoms!
Good luck as well, keep in mind that after the initial start-up energy the real work begins. You've had an epiphany of sorts and so the activation energy needed to stay strong and on target is reduced right now. In time it may fade a bit and your resolve may flag. Be in touch with this and face it head on. The therapy will help a lot and if it is warts living a healthy lifestyle boosts your immune system and alleviates stress as well. Take it from me/us. You can do it.
Keep us posted so if it's you just being a hypo we can all laugh and brow beat you some. Otherwise you'll get another rational pep talk.
Keep us posted so if it's you just being a hypo we can all laugh and brow beat you some. Otherwise you'll get another rational pep talk.
Its not gross, it is just another part of being human and the things we do to ourselves when we don't know how to love and care for our own self. So glad you are planning to see a therapist.
I have made some great changes because of HPV. I take lots of vit's daily and floss my teeth. That may seem silly but it is very important to health.
Good luck with all your changes and moving forward to a healthier you!
I have made some great changes because of HPV. I take lots of vit's daily and floss my teeth. That may seem silly but it is very important to health.
Good luck with all your changes and moving forward to a healthier you!
You two are amazing! honestly, I am SUCH a hypochondriac, I have been my whole life. And this has only made it worse! Mags I totally thought I had herpes because I had a yeast infection and I read on google that "recurrent yeast infections might actually be herpes". I feel like google is my worst enemy! I also read 1 in 5 people have it and some people have no symptoms and freaked.... I seriously have a major psychological problems. I'm going to my first therapy appointment on April 1st!
I hope that the gynecologist helps, at this point I just want to know what is going on.. even if they were warts I've been sleeping with my boyfriend (who I am SO in love with) since September unprotected and he doesn't have any so like you said, it's just a skin condition that will pass! I had an eating disorder (bulimia) for almost 2 full years until I found the "warts" in December or whatever they were... and I realized I needed to get my body healthy and I have not thrown up since! It is SUCH a drastic change in my life I cant even believe I overcame it! I'm sorry if that is gross for you, but honestly it totally changed my life. I hate being stressed about HPV but I might have killed myself otherwise with my eating disorder with which I was throwing up about ten times a day at one point. Everything happens for a reason right?! I think I am going to get, "And in time this too shall pass" tattooed on me... I feel it is relevant to a lot of me!
Thank you so much again guys!
xo A
I hope that the gynecologist helps, at this point I just want to know what is going on.. even if they were warts I've been sleeping with my boyfriend (who I am SO in love with) since September unprotected and he doesn't have any so like you said, it's just a skin condition that will pass! I had an eating disorder (bulimia) for almost 2 full years until I found the "warts" in December or whatever they were... and I realized I needed to get my body healthy and I have not thrown up since! It is SUCH a drastic change in my life I cant even believe I overcame it! I'm sorry if that is gross for you, but honestly it totally changed my life. I hate being stressed about HPV but I might have killed myself otherwise with my eating disorder with which I was throwing up about ten times a day at one point. Everything happens for a reason right?! I think I am going to get, "And in time this too shall pass" tattooed on me... I feel it is relevant to a lot of me!
Thank you so much again guys!
xo A
When my father passed away I was so stressed the corners of my mouth split open from fever blisters. I was convinced I had mouth herpes on top of everything else. That sucked. The mind is a cruel thing sometimes.
I had a cold that made my lips itch and I found the white bumps in mine, then totally freaked I had herpes! Not fun, all red eyed, totally sick with a bad cold, up late looking in a mirror. Thank goodness I too found what they really are on the internet! Looking at anything skin related will put you in a deep hole of gross pics but in the end you figure out what you don't ever want to have and feel lucky with the common not so bad stuff you do have!
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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.
