2 dark brown lumps on vulva

[SaDandelion]

Please help!  

Approximately 3 to 4 months ago I discovered 2 little dark brown lumps on each side of my vaginal opening.  The best way to describe what they look like is like dark brown moles.  I initially thought that they were ingrown hairs as I regularly wax down there but they do not seem to be going away.  I went to see my gynaecologist who had a look at them and couldn't make out what they were exactly.  She indicated that she didn't feel that they were warts because of the dark brown colour of the bumps but couldn't tell me either what they were exactly.  She she asked me if I wanted to try and see what would happen if we tried some freezing treatment.  I have currently undertaken one freezing treatment and am scheduled for another one this week.  

My fear is that these two dark brown bumps on each side of my vaginal opening are warts.  I have been married for six years and have been with my husband for 11 years.  In 1998, we broke up for 9 months and I had a sexual relationship with someone however there were no signs of any warts or lesions of any sort that I could see.  Besides the relations with my husband and the one in 1998, I have had no other sexual relationships.  I am also currently 15 weeks pregnant with our first child.

All I have been thinking about are those 2 bumps.  I am freaking out and I really need your help.  Does this sound like warts to you?  How quickly do warts take to appear at?  What else could it possibly be?  I am now avoiding any relations with my husband which is causing some strain on our relationship.  Please help!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I wish I could help, but I really can't.  If a gynecologist can't tell what you have by personal examination, I certainly cannot tell what it might be.  It doesn't really sound like warts or any other STD, but that's only a guess.

Sorry--  HHH, MD

[SaDandelion]

Thanks for the quick reply.  Is there anything that you can suggest that I do to find out exactly what it is before I stress out completely.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

First, mellow out. The chance this is something dangerous is about 1 in a million.  Second, if not satisfied with your ObG's advice that nothing serious is going on, get a second opinion, perhaps from a dermatologist, or your local health department family planning or STD clinic, or Planned Parenthood.

HHH, MD

[SaDandelion]

Thanks again.  I suppose I am worried about the repercussions that something like this could have on my marriage.  I have been told that genital warts are very common these days to the extent that my gyneacologist emphasised that 4 in 5 women carried the virus.  She too told me not to stress out for the babies sake.

I also wanted to let you know that yesterday evening when I went home, as I usually do I checked the bumps and one of them had gone (I couldnt see it anyway) and the other was very faint.  When I woke up this morning I also couldnt see the other one.  This is only from one freezing treatment.  I am due back tomorrow for another round.  Also, on my underwear there were what appeared to be 2 very tiny spots of blood where the bumps had been.  There has been nothing further since except that I am feeling a little sore where the bumps were  most probably from the freezing treatment as I didnt have any pain associated with the bumps.

With the bumps virtually gone can I still go and get a second opinion?  Is there a blood test that can identify what these bumps were?  Is there anything that I can do going forward to stop bumps reappearing e.g. any further hygiene rituals besides washing etc?  Thanks.