Feverish vagina

Hell I'm 41 and 18 months ago,March2006 went in for a reg gyn. check up. She thought my uterus was inlarged so sent me for a utrasound. I was do to start my peroid the next day.The lining of the uterus was 17mm thick.  March2006 Did a biopsy came back benign endocervical. Seems that is where my troubles began...Had a heat sensation from the vaginal area a few times a month after that.In Oct.2006 got pregnant 7 months after the biopsy and had a miscarrage (miscarriage) the last of Nov.2006. Went to a different doctor with the heat problem in Jan. 2007  this one could't see any noticeable problem. Also had a tubleable that same month.The next month Feb.2007, March and a few weeks into Apirl had the heat sensation that stayed and with that my peroids started with a brown discharge and where more striny? In the mid of April2007 went to a 3rd doctor, had a reg pap and std tests done to see if the heat was from that( all neg. )Had a bactererial infection and was treated with metronidazole gel. In May 2007 I asked him to do another utrasound which showed the uterus length 9.94 cm,height 5.97 cm,width 6.35cm ,and endo. thickness 0.42cm he said the heat could be from hormones...But every thing looked normal. The heat went away For a few months but in July it came back with my peroids lasting only 3 days when they where about 6 days long before all of these issuses. I'm so scared that this is cancer. Going to see another doctor this week. To see if they can do another biopsy to rule out cancer.The first one done, that doctor didn't think she got up in  my uterus to far cause my cervix was to closed. My ovaries where lenght 1.96cm,height 1.22cm,width 1.63cm. And the other was lenght 2.59cm, height 2.12cm,widht 2.08. Please can you tell me what you may think is going on?

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

It is always difficult to know what is going on without an exam and certain other information. Here are some thoughts. Your ovaries are normal size so that is good and almost certainly no cancer there. Your uterine lining is thin so almost certain no cancer there. You had "heat" from your vagina which got better with metronidazole so you could have had a vaginal infection. If the doctor does a culture of the vagina that should answer that question. He/she can also look at any vaginal fluid under a microscope. Some common infections include atrophic vaginitis which happens when the ovaries stop making very much estrogen in or near menopause. That can be helped by taking estrogen or using a nonhormone vaginal gel called Replens found in the female section of the drug store. Another common infection is bacterial vaginosis. It is caused by bacteria that are normally in the vagina but "overgrow" when the vagina pH gets more alkaline (less acidic). That can be helped by a product called Rephresh also found in drugstores in the female section. Talk with your doctor about these things when you go in. It sounds like you are doing all the right things.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD