vaginal ulcers

[swee]

I've been suffering from an ulcer on the inside of my vagina wall for about 8 mos. now.  It's very painful during intercourse but otherwise it doesn’t bother me. I've seen 4 doctors so far about this and no one has been able to help me.  I've gotten tested for every STD in the book and they all came back negative.  I've also gotten tested for Bechet's and that was negative. I've used clobetasol to try to heal it along w/pelvic rest for up to 4 weeks at times and it seemed to get better but as soon as I went back to having intercourse it reappeared, turning red and bleeding.  I had my 1st surgery done on it where the dr. diagnosed it as a "cut" or "open wound" that won't heal. So he cut just the edges of the ulcer and stitched it back together hoping it would heal.  It didn't work. So I went to another doctor specializing in vulvar disorders and she diagnosed me as having an aphthous ulcer and decided to excise it.  I got the surgery about a week ago so I'm waiting to see what happens. I have a feeling this isn't going to work and my ulcer will come back.  Does anyone know what I should do?  I'm desperate over here.  Thanks.

[SCARED OF DEATH]

Hello there,

I was talking to a dear friend of mine today and her condition sound identical to your case. Doctors keep telling her that it's "just a cut". Well we believe it's more than just that. Problem is, we can't get a diagnosis. I was just wondering if you figured out what it is. If so please let me know. Maybe I can put an end to her anxiety. Best of luck to you and thanks for your timr. I will be waiting to hear from you!

[swee]

I've see 4 doctor's about my "ulcer" or whatever it is.  The first 2 said it was herpes even though all my hsv test came back neg. And if it were herpes it would of gone away when I took the valtrex they prescribed me.  The 3rd dr. said it was a "cut" that wouldn't heal. So he tried to cut the edges and stitch it back together. That didn't work. The 4th dr., I'm currently seeing, says its an aphthous ulcer. After numerous unsuccessful medicinal treatments she excised it about a week ago and stitched it up. I'm waiting to see what happens. But basically no one really has a concrete idea b/c I don't test positive for any std or the other skin tests i got. It's a mystery. I would have your friend go see a vulver specialist or a vaginal dermotologist.  Gook Luck!

[tsunamigirl]

i have the exact same symptoms.  I got tested for all STDs and everything came out negative (although I knew it would unless my boyfriend was cheating!). The ulcer goes away if I dont' have intercourse for a while, but comes back as soon as I do. Otherwise, I dont' feel any pain or discomfort. I've seen two doctors so far who have been no help, and am going to see a specialist soon. I am so worried! Please let me know if the surgery worked, and if you found out what the problem was?  Thanks so much !!

[concerned4202]

I have pretty much the same symptoms that you all have described, and am also extremely worried about it. A doctor I went to also said she thought it was aphthous ulcers but didn't act like it was a big deal and didn't tell me anything to do about it. Please let me know what you all hear about it as it seems like it is impossible to find information about it!

[inpain69]

Here is my story and I'm hoping one of you can help me. I developed painful ulcers that I suspected were an STD about three weeks ago. Went to the doctor, she looked and thought "chancroid". I have not slept with anyone besides my boyfriend. Turns out, he had slept with another girl in late June but both swear to using condoms. Anyways, my doctor took a tissue sample and also did blood for every STD known to mankind. ALL came back negative. She had put me on Valtrex the first day of the sores (just in case) and I was on three pills a day (figured she would overdo it to be safe). After 10 days of that, the sores have still not cleared up AT ALL. I'm still in major pain and the sores are no different. When I called my doctor back, she told me that first outbreaks of herpes can be much more severe and that maybe she didn't get a good enough tissue sample and that maybe I had recent exposure to it. So today, my bfs tests all came back NEGATIVE for all STDS. He has never had ANY symptoms whatsoever, and I had been tested negative before we started dating a year ago. The clinician he dealt with, heard my condition and said "it is probably Apthous Ulcers" for which she needs steroids. She then gave him a referral to a specialist. My doctor had also treated me with penicillin in case it was strep A (which my labwork revealed but we all have a degree of it in our systems) and had also given me a shot of Cetrifixin which treats chancroid. I am terrified that maybe I still have herpes. So I sit here, still on Valtrex waiting to call a specialist. What tests can they do to determine if it is Apthous ulcers and do these things just heal up on their own? I am not concerned about future problems involving sex, as at this point, I am terrified to even go there. I've never had an STD and all signs point to it not being herpes. These ulcers basically look like someone poured acid on my skin. I could not find any pictures of herpes that even resembled this. It literally looks like my skin is being eaten away. HELP. OUCH. Urinating is excruciating and I have had to take pain pills to cope. :(

[simplyme77]

I am experiencing the same problem taken the same measures and gotten the same results. Nothing. Is anyones ulcers like raw spots with some bumps? It just feels raw

[JCglutengirl]

I've been diagnosed with ultra-painful vaginal apthous ulcers as well (after being tested for all STD's and coming up negative for them all).  I have a gluten allergy and I find the ulcers flair up when I accidentally ingest gluten.  Also, it flairs up when I'm stressed out.  All I can guess is that it's auto-immune related and you should figure out your "triggers".  Also, read about mucosal disorders (such as Chrone's disease). Doctors are totally worthless with this issue.  I'm actually the "boss" when I go into the doc's office, because I tell them what to prescribe for me.  Lidocain is good for treating the pain but it doesn't make it go away.  Anyway, hope this helps, and I'm willing to bet we all have the same thing (NOT STD's) but no one knows what it is.

[Just_Visiting]

This may sound really weird, but whenever I have an "invasive dental procedure" (Crown prep, involving lasering of the gum, etc) I get an apthous ulcer at the injection site. A day or two later, I may (not always) get an apthous ulcer on my labia on the "same Side" as the  dental procedure. They both last about a week. I too, had it checked out and there were no STD related issues. I have to agree that it is stress related.Our bodies are much smarter that we are.   : )

[swee]

So back in Jan I posted saying that I had the surgery to remove my ulcer and I was waiting to see the results, well they weren't good.  Not only was it still there after 8 weeks of abstinance but it got bigger.  So I've been pouring on the lidocaine to ease the pain during sex.  I just don't know what to do.  I've seen the best of the best in Boston, MA, a vaginal dermotologist.  She said it was an apthous ulcer so I got all different kinds of cortisone shots in that area and nothing has worked.  So I guess for now I just have to live with it and rely on lidocaine.  In another blog someone suggested putting peroxide on it but that sounds PAINFUL, but she said it worked.  If I get the nerve to try it I'll let you girls know how it works out.  I'm sorry you are suffereing with this terrible mystery ulcer like me, but I'm glad I have people to talk about it with.

[Sad_1]

Yes, i have same symptons really sore, 5-6 years now, no one seems to care. Been tested for STD more than once too and I have only ever had one partner. Nurse said Doctors could never see the real ulcers if they dont use a clear spectrum as the ulcers are on my left side. Real patient husband sex is just a no go area.

[CCDior]

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP--Friday night (june 6th), I came down with a terrible fever and chills along with painful open sores and bumps on my vagina. The next day I went to the doctor and was "diagnosed" with Vulvar Aphthous Ulcers. Doctors are completely useless  and all they tell me to do is "wait it out for a week" and the internet does not give me any clear definition of what this condition is. My week has been up and the only thing that has gone away is the awful swelling. Everyone's medical opinion has been the same as you ladies--HERPES. But its nothing like herpes and they hurt so bad that walking is almost impossible. Urinating is like a liquid fire that no ice, cold water, clobertasol, or acyclovir can put out. I don't know how old you ladies are but I'm only 19 and I've heard this happening in girls as young as 13 with no sexual experience at all. SO I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY A BIG HELL NO TO THE QUESTION "IS IT HERPES". What should be my next move????

[unknown420]

I have been trying to figure out my problem just as everyone else has.  Only mine have begun within the past 5 months and I am curently in 2 days with a steroidal topical cream.  My doctor says that if this doesn't work we can try actual steroids.  I also have ulcers in my mouth as well as acid reflux.  Yogurt really helps my oral ulcers, because it has live active cultures, acidolphilous, (I have now clue how to spell that word).  But this doesn't help the ulcers down below, go figure. The first thing that the doctor was suspect to is called BECHET'S.  I'd suggest that you look this one up, symptoms can occur rapidly and can affect things you wouldn't put together to make this one disease.  I have also had all the blood work and a biopsy.  The blood work is negative of STD's of any sort and the lab workers decided that it does and doesn't look like Bechet's.  I live in the middle of nowhere but we have extremely good doctors, but still wiling to see a specialist.  These guys are hard to find.  I'm traveling to a couple of large cities here soon and like to get in to see a specialist, so if anyone can help on fiding these specialist people please tells us how.  I don't believe it's herpes either.  It has to be a type of autoimune disease.

[104510]

I came across this forum in search of info on pain possibly due to cervical erosions, and thought I might suggest something I've recently found as a treatment.

Sea buckthorn oil is a natural oil you can buy that is very good at healing ulcers and lesions - with no known adverse effects.  For cervical erosions/ulcers, you can soak a tampon in the oil and leave it in overnight for 5-12 nights depending on the severity.

Google it for more info..and there's info on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_buckthorn_oil

[bettina82]

I had the same EXACT thing happen to me...9 years ago.  The ulcers only lasted for about two weeks...but I never got an accurate diagnosis and for whatever reason, it still terrifies me to this day.  I felt a weird tingly pressure in my lower vagina and then they came. They started as blisters and then became large, painful ulcers.  I had to urinate in the bathtub because doing it the "regular" way was excrutiating.  I saw infectious disease specialists, regular doctors, gynocologists, you name it.  All of them suspected herpes.  All tests were negative. Luckily, mine went away and have never returned.  Have had so many negative std tests, I can't even count.  If any of you figure out what you have/had let me know.  I'd love to finally get some peace about it.

Take Care!

[lara88]

The same thing has happened to me.. I'm from the UK (guessing majority of you are from the US?) I had an ulcer type lump come up a few months ago, it looked like a cut and went away after about a week.

Yesterday I felt that it was quite sore after going to the toilet and looked to find 2 ulcers - nightmare!!!! They are swollen and both on the right side of the vagina. I'm 10 years old, and haven't had sex since March! I called NHS Direct and spoke to a nurse, she was very helpful in carming me down but said she obviously couldn't diagnose me over the phone. I also have an appointment with my doctor 5pm Monday. Am just worried that it's an STD that I have had since the beginning of the year!

Obviously reading what everyone has written here, I'm feeling hopeful that it isn't this, but if not - then what it is?? Once I have been to see my GP, if there is any diagnosis I can report back if anyone is interested, I have just been worrying myself that I was all alone with something 'down there' with no one to talk to until Monday..

[lara88]

**Attention**

Just read what I posted - I am not 10 years old, I am 20 years old.. Sorry for the terrible typo!!

[abbywain]

Hi Lara,

My symptoms are almost identical - Last Tuesday I had sex with my boyfriend, and in the morning it felt like I'd ripped a little. There was a little blood so I used a tampon (hindsight, a pad would have been better?!) and the applicator scratched (VERY painfully) the lower parts of my labia as I was inserting it (I was in a rush and not being careful how I was doing it!). Anyway, the next two days were agony to pee, as the amonia stung the cuts - but when I checked again on Friday, the cuts had become small ulcers! I went to my GP yesterday who said he didn't suspect herpes (no other symptoms and have had 'vaginal trauma' as he described it!) but just him saying the word has frightened me....he gave me some antibiotic cream but the ulcers are worse today not better so I'm getting scared. Boyf and I are both STI free (as far as I am aware anyway!) but I keep reading you can only test positive for herpes if the virus is active, so previous herpes tests would be negative anyway as I've never had symptoms of this before????

I have made myself feel worse as all I have done is look on the internet, read all the symptoms, and convince myself I've got them all.........argghhh!!!

What did your GP say?

[justme97]

I am having the same issues it happened after I had sex with my boyfriend of 11 years. I am interested in finding the sea buckthorn oil. Can someone tell me where you can buy it or do you have to order it online?

[bk666]

I am 22 years  old since i was 14 or the last i can remember I have been having ulcers, they are mostly in my mouth.. its hard to explain them they look like craters that are pus filled.. and very painful to touch or anything. I get them in my mouth daily sometimes 1 to 4 or 5.this is very painful it got so bad sometimes i couldnt eat which would lead to me losing weight and made me feel very fatigue. I thought that was hell.. well then i started getting ulcers in my vagina of course the doctors assumed is was herpes when i  tested it came out positive for herpes 1 but not 2 which cause genitial ulcers.. so this left me confused... since then it has only gotten worse. I have been tested for everything well all std and they have all came out  negative. IM very confused and lost and feel alone. The uclers in my vagina can vary from small to larger like the size of a quarter.. and are covered with a coat looks pus filled i usually only get one but depending on my body and how i feel determines how bad they are. For instance with in these last two weeks i have been getting sick like cold flu like symtoms.. running nose nasal congestion cough.. and i got an ulcer down there and is got as big as a quarter and that hasnt happened in months atleast 4 or 5 that i can recall. and the previous week to that i had a really uncomfortable ucler in between the vagina and the anus .. and my anus started breaking out . . and currently im recovering from all this .. my anus is still hurting and the big ulcer which is located on the inner lip of my vagina is still there .. the doctor saw it and basically said it was a large ulcer  ... no ****... well he tested me for herpes and trich.. bacteria vaginosis.. yeast.. and syphilis which ive been tested for before and i know it cant be that.. but i give up these are all very painful sometimes i cant walk and its hard not to get depressed ..ive been using the cream to numb the pain so i can atlease urinate .. which is hard to do every 20 sec.. does ANYONE i mean ANYONE have any advice... please

[elizabeth82]

I had a break out of vaginal ulcers a little over a week now. When it first came up, I booked an appointment with my Dr. and before I could see my Dr. I developed a fever so I went to the ER and the Dr. that I saw said it was herpes. I told her I don’t cheat and as far as I know my husband does not ether. She said that I need to be tested anyway to make sure cause that is what it looks like and sent me home on acyclovir and vicodin. Urinating was so painful I had to sit in water just to go and even then I was screaming and crying. Three days later the test came back inconclusive. I saw my ob. she said the same thing herpes and she retested and im waiting on the results of that test. If it comes back positive im getting a devoice if its negative I guess I just boarded a boat with a lot of other women suffering from whatever this is. I found photos of herpes online and it does not look like the photos I saw but who knows. I have been taking the meds they gave me and I also started taking vitamin c, iron, lysine, zinc, and I have been applying oil of oregano if you try the oil of oregano make sure it is the real deal and only put one drop into four tablespoons of vegi oil and apply directly to ulcers it stings a little but really helps you can also get empty gel tab pills and put it in those and take it orally I am also taking a multivitamin all of this is to boost my immune system to help fight whatever this is. So far it is helping. my ob told me to used dermoplast it is a spray on over the counter pain reliever and it works great I use it about every two to three hours and I put it on about twenty minutes before I go to the bathroom and I can now pee pain free and I will never take peeing pain free for granted again my ob also told me to take four quarts of water and boil four chamomile tea bags and pour it in to the tub and add two cups of baking soda to help with discomfort she said it will also clean the area and to NOT use soap cause it could cause an infection and further irritation. I hope this info is helpful. If  anyone does actually have herpes I looked up some research on line and Duke university is working on a cure and hope to have it ready to clinical trials in five years and I herd they have begun some test in the UK. For now I am praying for a good outcome.

[diansimmons1]

My daughter had her 1st case of genital ulcers at 12 during a case of stomach flu/sore throat--basically very painful genital canker sores. Doctor of course prescribes herpes medicines--didn't work--but it spontaneously cleared in a week. Four years later she had the flu and laryngitis and it happened again. This time for 2 years she had a relapse 3 times a year-- when she was stressed and developed high fevers. She had all kinds of diagnostic tests--tested negative for everything--except that her IgA for autoimmune disease was high. When she is stressed and near her period she gets canker sores in her mouth (we thought it might be bechets), followed by a high fever due to some respiratory illness. Within hrs to days she develops small pinpricks of blood in her genital area which become multiple genital ulcers--sometimes they fuse into large ones. Excruciatingly painful to walk or urinate or sit. She too has had to sit in a tub of water to pee--still the screams of pain broke your heart. Pieces of labia have fallen off so she has ended up with scarring. One time the damage was so extensive that her healing labia fused together--she had to have surgery but that was no where as painful as the ulcers! She has had another 4 yrs without a case until today--shes 23. Again she has the flu, high fever and lots of stress (college) but we know better how to handle this. Her malady is called Lipschutz Ulcer or Ulcus vulvae acutum. The symptoms are handled with lidocaine gel and painkillers (prescription strength at times) along with steroids or steroid creams (clobetasol propronate). Also they may prescribe antibiotics and antibiotic creams and recommend disinfectants and sitz baths.Course with treatment will run 1 to 3 weeks depending on severity. We have found that taking omega 3 (1800mg EPA minimum ) everyday along with good nutrition (lowfat meats & vegetables & fruits--high fat & sugar/carbs bad for inflammation)/nutritional supplements are important to help to keep this at bay--also managing stress that triggers this autoimmune ailment. Here is a link to a site with pics and much more info:http: //www1.mf.uni-lj.si/acta-apa/acta-apa-07-4/7.pdf  Hope this helps someone....

[meal803]

Hello, I am experiencing similar problems.  My first vaginal ulcer was the weekend of my senior prom in high school.  Went to the gyno and he put me on some strong antibiotics.   After a lot of pain and nasty pus, it finally went away.  The doctor suspected that the ulcer came about because I had been wearing a pad on a hot summers day and friction irritated me. A year later I worked as a waitress running up and down flights of steps in hot temperatures, that's when the second ulcer came about, much less painful than the first, thank god.  I basically just waited for it to go away.  Now, I feel a little bump outside of the labia and am scared an ulcer is forming on the labia.  Every time I go to the gyno he says everything is normal and find and to avoid getting too sweaty "down there".  Not sure of what to do for pain relief or how to prevent sweating!  I'm just really confused.

[m_marie]

For the past few years, I've noticed that each time I am sick (cold, flu, bug, etc) I also get vaginal bumps or irritations. At first I thought it was herpes or an STD, so I started going to the gyno each time. I've had samples taken, blood tests and urinary tests, and all come back negative for all STDs.
Sometimes the bumps are open, sometimes they're just swollen bumps. I've been doing a lot of research each time, and found out that sometimes taking medications or drugs can bring this out - especially ibuprofen, so I've stopped taking that completely.
Yesterday I was sick with a 24 hour flu bug, didn't take any ibuprofen, just Tylenol, but woke up today with really painful red swollen bumps around my vaginal opening -- again!
Each time I'm sick, have a high fever, or take medications for a few doses this happens to me!
Do you think this could be the same ulcers you guys are experiencing? Sometimes they last a day or two, sometimes about a week.
Doctors don't seem to take it seriously at all, instead just treat it like herpes every single time, despite me testing negative several times. They've even put me on herpes medication to see if it would help, but it didn't.
When I explained to one doctor that it was painful to pee, it burns, they suggested peeing through a small cup, so the urine wouldn't touch my skin. How does that help? Am I supposed to carry a cup around everywhere?
Sometimes when I get to the doctor, the bumps have already disappeared and they seem confused when I try to explain it to them. I just don't understand why it falls on my shoulders to keep going to the doctor multiple times and taking tests to prove I don't have STDs. Shouldn't they be trying to get to the bottom of this and find a solution for their patient? It sounds like we're all in the same boat with the same feelings from doctors. They just want to write it off as an STD and not get to the bottom of it and really help us out. In the meantime, we're living with the symptoms and pain.

[m_marie]

What I, and others on this page have described, has absolutely nothing to do with syphilis. Every single one of us wrote that we've been tested multiple times for STDs and the tests came back negative.

http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm#symptoms

Yes, there may be a bump at the beginning of syphilis, but it is painless. What we are describing is not painless. We also don't have rashes on our hands and feet, and other symptoms listed on the provided website.

What about the woman whose daughter was 12 when this first started happening? I also had my first ulcer when I was 17 or 18 and was not sexually active yet. Those can't be explained away as syphilis, even if the symptoms matched - which they DON'T.

If you can't provide us with help, then you have no business commenting here and giving poor information and possibly scaring somebody who is looking for legitimate answers.

[Jewelryboxx]

Hello there,  I am soooo glad to be reading everyone's comments because the majority of your stories sound just like mine, and I'm scared to death as well.  Here's my story.  On Saturday morning, I woke up feeling sick with flu like symptoms (cough, soar throat, fever, the whole sha-bang).  And the funny thing is that I never ever get sick, so I was devastated.  Later in the day I realized that I had some pain in my vaginal area.  It kind of felt like a little pinch at first.  Then the next day, my sickness got worse and so did my the pain in my vaginal area.  So finally when Monday came along, I looked down there and saw two sores on the inner walls of the lower opening part of my vagina.  The sores were right across from each other.  It scared me!  And it became pretty painful at that point.  So I was able to go to the doctor on Tuesday and she immediately thought the same as all of your doctors.....herpes. I was mortified because I have been faithful to my husband of 7 1/2 years and so has he been to me.  The doctor told me that if I have oral cold sores (which is also herpes but oral herpes), then I can pass it to myself down there as well.  This scared me!  I told my doctor that that is a horrible way to get herpes!  So she did the herpes test and I'm still waiting for the results on this. (this waiting is horrible, but that is why I'm frantically searching for things on the internet to help me figure it out.)  The thing is, that my sores do not look anything like the pictures of herpes on the internet.  They look exactly like mouth canker sores (they are red with grey-green inside that kind of resembles puss).  Just like how you girls described vaginal aphthous ulcers.  {sigh}  So anyway, I'll keep you all posted on what my results are and what the doc says after that.  It is just weird that I get these little vaginal sores/ulcers the same time I get sick.  Maybe stress related, like some of you suggested?  I just moved to a different state, so that is a possibility.  Thanks girls.

[m_marie]

Good luck! It does sound exactly like the other comments, so hopefully your tests will all come back negative - it sounds like they will!

[xel180]

Hi all!  So i got what i thought was a cold on sunday.  The last two times i got sick, (once, almost 2 years ago, and the second time 5 months ago)  i ended up with these "sores".  I thought this time was different, my fever wasnt that bad, it only lasted three days; the last 2 times i had a fever of 104.

Two years ago i felt pain in my vaginal area while i was sleeping, i assumed my panties were pulling into me too tight, and went back to sleep.  About five pm the next day, i looked, and noticed a few solid purple grey spots.  I went to the ER that night; they tested me for every std in the book, and ended up prescribing valtrex to me.  I ended up in the ER again a week or so later because the infection had grown and eaten into my tissue so much i was bleeding.  After showing off my vagina to half a dozen people (while a nurse held gauze on my vulva) one doctor finally decided i had a skin infection, and prescribed lidocane and an antobiotic for skin infections.  Over the course of a those weeks my purple dots grew to large ***** infected "ulcers" which merged and took over about half of my vulva.

Last November, sick again.  Same pain in the middle of the night.  Went to the ER as soon as i woke up.  This time the doctors took more immediate interest in my condition.  They actually looked for answers, prescribed a stronger antibiotic and gave me lidocaine with steroids.  Peeing, walking, and moving was still excruciating, the swelling was still to the point where i had to waddle rather than walk, and i was essential immobile for a week and a half if not longer.

This morning in the shower, i felt them.  i have two in identical places, one on each side, which touch when i close my legs.  Im going to the doctors in a few hours.

Here's my hypothesis.  When i was younger i got ulcers in my mouth every other week, i have HSV1.  When i was 16 i stopped getting them completely.  When i turned 18 i had my first vaginal break out.  I believe the virus spread from my mouth to my vagina.  When i get sick, and my immune system is weak, i get these wonderful break outs.  Possibly due to the spread of bacteria, possibly because my body can't focus on keeping the virus under control and curing my other illness too.

What i have learned:  as soon as i start to feel sick, even just a swollen gland, start taking vitamins regularly.  thoroughly clean and exam vagina twice a day when sick to see if any spots arise.  make the doctors understand its not herpes, and if they insist on valtrex, insist on a skin infection antibiotic too, "just incase".  make yourself heard at the doctors.

I thought i was the only one with this disease until today...

[Jewelryboxx]

Hi all I got my test results back!!  (See my story I posted on March 11, 2009).  And guess what the results were??  You guessed it!  My herpes test came back negative!  So that's a relief, but still.....now I really just want to know what the deal is with those ulcer sores.  After the 9th day from the ulcers appeared, they finally cleared up (pretty much the same time I got better from my sickness.)  So today, I feel so much better because my ulcers are gone.  However, I just thought that I would share with you that while I still had the ulcers, I started my period!  ug!!  That was a nightmare.  Of course I could only use pads.  But luckily the blood didn't burn my ulcers otherwise I would have been in trouble.  

[gmb888]

I am in the exact same boat as all of you.  This is my SECOND time with this **** happening to me.  the first time was a year and a half ago...

I am 18 now, but when I was 16 in November 2007, my relationship with my boyfriend had just ended (stress? i handled he break up well so i do not know how stressed I really was) the day before my chaos started. (Let's just say I had a very rough week.) My throat became sore and I had a terrible headache and fatigue. At school while sitting, I had pain near my vagina. So i got home and looked at it. I had sores on my labia. I freaked out. I told my mom and we went to the family doctor. He used a speculum which was the most pain I have ever been in, considering I had a bunch of sores on my labia. He took some swabs for various STDs and also Herpes. He told us that he was pretty sure it was Herpes, and prescribed Valtrex for me. I was flabbergasted and scared. How could I have herpes? I had never been sexually active at all!  All the tests came out NEGATIVE.  (I still am not sexually active)

I went to the gynecologist for an appointment asap, which was a week later (the sores were healing by then). She had just had a similar case and it turned out to be mono. I was given a blood test. Turns out, there were traces of mono in my blood. It was never herpes. The sores went away after a few days. I was veryyyyy happy.

Here's where it gets bad again: Last Friday, I got the first Gardasil shot. Saturday, canker sores formed under my tongue. It is now the 7th day of these canker sores. On monday, I got a sore throat that I still have now. Wednesday, I had a terrible headache and fatigue. I also found the vaginal sores AGAIN. I went to the same doctor today. He took a look at it, and he STILL THOUGHT IT WAS HERPES!!!!!!  So of course, he swabbed for herpes again, making sure he got a nice big swab which I could tell because of how painful it was.  I also had some blood taken to be tested.  He said that all of this has nothing to do with the Gardasil shot.  But I believe that the shot did SOMETHING to my immune system and caused this all to happen again, which i never wanted to go through again. (When I found the sores again, I started to hyperventilate.  traumatic? yes.)

As I sit here, I sit with pain.  I have found a new way to pee this time around, so i do not have to sit in a bathtub.  For all of you that would like to know, I spread apart my vaginal area (with my fingers) and lean forward so the pee cannot run down to the soars.  It just comes straight out, because this way, the labia is not all stuck together, blocking the urethra opening or whatever.

The earliest appt. for the gyno that I could get was monday, and it will probably be healing by then.  I could really care less about the appt. because I just want it to heal as fast as possible.  But I also really want answers and since women seem to be having problems with this, doctors should spend time on this and not put it off to be herpes.  What are we paying them for???

[m_marie]

Good luck w/ your appointment, and sorry to hear they keep thinking it's herpes.

I read an article in US News World Report (an issue about 2 or 3 months ago) about vaccines and their side effects. Gaurdasil had the MOST side affects of any of the vaccines. There are young girls and women who have had non-stop headaches, blurred vision, and other symptoms since receiving their shots.

Maybe you might want to hold off on the last 2 Guardasil shots? If you are not sexually active and plan on practicing safe sex, you aren't at a risk for HPV - which is an STD. Yes, this STD can cause cervical disease and cancer - but so can other STDs.. and the best way to protect yourself is abstinence, monotony, and safe sex.

It's not a required vaccination, and when I was asked about it the last time I was at the doctor, I was told insurance doesn't even cover it. It's 100% your choice if you want to receive it or not. It sounds like your system doesn't handle it well.

[gmb888]

Yeah I am not going to get the next 2 shots. My friends had gotten it and had no problem.  And every time I've been to the doctor this year, he asks me if I want to get it.  So I finally said yes.  Now, I wish that I hadn't...

I've read very horrifying stories about the Gardasil shot this week.  I started to get scared once all of this started happening to me again.  But nothing new has happened, so I think I'm safe.  For now.

Whatever this is, it must be some kind of virus or something, because this is the second time it has happened to me with all the same symptoms.  I believe the mono weakened my immune system and so did the Gardasil shot, and caused this to happen both times.  The doctors don't seem to care.

[debliv191]

My daughter is 16. She has had 2 of the 3 Gardisil shots. 1 last May 2nd last August. Last Oct. she ended up in the hosp. with 104 fever and herpe like sores soooo painful she could not urinate. The dr's tried to tell me that it was herpes. The tests came back neg over a dozen times. She was sick again last month now she is sick again. I am positve that it was the Gardisil vaccine that has comprimised her immune and left her with somthing they have now labeled Lipshcutz disease, no cure no treatment. How many of you with these symtoms have had 1 or more of the shots. It is my intent to prove my theory. Please e-mail me with your story. I want Gardisil to find a cure for what they have caused. Maybe if we can prove it. We could get a lawyer!!!! Lets help each other. My e-mail is ***@****

[Jewelryboxx]

Hi there, I posted a few VERY similar stories to yours above, and I wanted to let you know what helped my sores heal.  I've always known to take lysine for my canker sores in my mouth because it helps send oxygen to the sores which means they heal so much faster.  So then I got the idea of taking lysine (which is just an herbal supplement you can get at your grocery store) for the sores on my vagina since they looked just like the canker sores that I have gotten in my mouth.  I took about 6 lysine pills right before I went to bed (it's okay to take that many because it is just herbal and you pee out what your body doesn't need) and the next morning my vagina ulcers were healed about 50 percent!!  So of course I took a ton more lysine that day and that night and by the next day my sores were gone.  So although I too am still searching for an answer on what caused my vagina sores, I do know that if it happens to me again I will have the lysine ready because it did help.  I just wanted to pass the word to everyone.  Oh and I have never had a Gardisil shot before.  I do think that possibly it was stress related for me.  So maybe the Gardisil was stress on your body's system and thus came the vagina sores?  I hope this helps others that suffered like me.

[adaz7930]

Ok girls, I have the same problem, but I didn't feel sick or anything.  I've had a breakout with cankersores lately like 3 to 4 of them at a time.  I've always since I was a little girl have had this problem. Just the other day I felt a good amount of pain near the back of my vagina on the inner right lip a day or so after having innercourse with my husband where we used some warming lubricant.  I took my mirror and looked and had what I describe as a cankersore there.  It is very painful.  I went to the doctor yesterday and the fist thing he said was herpes.  I've been with my husband for nine years now and have never had anything like this.  And like everyone else I looked at the pictures on the net and read everything I could on it and it just doesn't sound or look like that.  It looks like what I get in my mouth.  The doctor put me on an anti viral drug and took a painful culture and blood to test for antibodies.  My husband had a cow and is now thinking that I haven't been faithful and I'm really freaked out myself.  I am waiting for the results from my tests which could be sometime next week.  It's starting to feel a little better now so I think I'm on the healing side of it.  But I know that it is not herpes. I had no blisters no fever or any of the other symptoms they say.  Just one day it was there.  Just like it happens in my mouth.  Just to let you know, I know I probably shouldn't but I've been using the same stuff I use on my mouth and it helps the pain.  It contains benzocain.  Thanks for listening.  Let you know the results  

[jeannewave]

Just read above comments posted from 2/07 to present. My 15 yr old daughter has recently experienced severe, similar symptoms described above.  First presented with migraine-like severe headaches over past year. Starting about 6/11/09 additional symptoms included nausea, temp of 104.7 lasting days, 3 trips to ER, morphine IV's for severe pain, Major vaginal lesions, ulcers, extreme labia swelling, unable to walk, urination extremely painful.

She has now seen over 24 different drs in gyn, internal med,  infectious diseases, opthalmology and just yesterday finally Rheumatoid specialist.  

Diagnois of Behcet's -- Usually autoimmune is triggered by something and system doesn't shut off properly.  In this case I think the possible trigger (after reading many posts and having this suspicion early on) IS GARDASIL VACCINE -- additionally stress.

Behcet's is unknown cause/cure - possible genetic, however cannot find any genetic criteria she might meet within family.

She has been on 10 different meds since this started in June, Prednisone seems to be reducing her symptoms significantly - She was previously in bed for 3 weeks as it was EXTREMELY PAINFUL for her to walk and urinate.

With exception of Rheumatoid specialist, NONE of these doctors had seen anything like her Vaginal Ulcers -- Most all thot first Herpes, all STD tests were negative, her anti-body tests however came back positive.

This has been excruciating to watch my daughter experience, it's amazing to see how almost overnite these ulcers developed.

She will now require monthly visits for the time being to Rheumatoid specialist, re-checks every 4 months with Opthalmology, and very, very careful monitoring in many others areas.

I would highly recommend to any of you in above posts with similar situations to think about seeing a Rheumatoid specialist.

I sincerely wish you all the best in getting help - in the meantime I am going to make sure the FDA is alerted to possible Guardasil reaction.

[ljr8]

I know someone who is dealing with this painful situation. It's frustrating because there isn't a "reason" or a cure for this. She has seen a specialist and he can't tell her anything. She is using Lidocaine, but it doesn't really mask the pain that much. She can barely walk, and urinating is so painful she dreads going to the bathroom. She has also used peroxide and this did nothing. I am glad I found this site and all the helpful information.
I am surprised/relieved to find that she is not alone because I haven't heard of anything like this before. I hope you all find remedies. If I learn of anything I will post.

[help56766]

I am so glad that I found this forum. After looking at pictures of symptoms that didn't quite fit I had literally worried myself sick until I saw this. I am still worried, though. Does anyone have any advice?
I have only had sex with one boy in the last year, once in jan and once in march. My last pap smear was over a year ago, though.
  I get chronic yeast infections so irritation and itching in my vaginal area is typical, but earlier this week I came down with a fever and soar/itchy throat, and little bit of a cough.  I went to the health clinic to confirm for mom that it wasn't swine flu, and it wasn't. The dr perscribed a z pack and i'm on the last day of it and it pretty much cured my fever/sore throat. A few days ago though, I had some pain down there when using the bathroom and didn't think much of it until the next day when it was worse.
That's when I noticed something i'd never seen before and got worried. I had about three white filled ulcers around the outside of my vagina. They hurt, I stayed up till 4 worrying. The next morning I looked at them again and they had ruptured and there was some white fluid. I took a shower and looked at them at the end of the day, they are now flat, but still white in the middle (like a canker soar but in the vag) I am worried though : ( I am hoping to call the gyno tomorrow (monday) to ask if I can come in and get checked out. Just wanted to share this to see if anyone else has experienced the white color blister/ulcer type soar down there, I know some people were talking about purple/grey but that's not what I have. I don't think it's an std, but am still worried! very relieved to find this forum though! Please help!!

[help56766]

To respond to the gardisil vaccine cases; I am not sure if this is related, but after taking Gardisil I got bumps on both labias and pelvic area, not near the inside of the vagina, though- the dr said I contracted them from anywhere from sharing a bathing suit to razors. They were treatable and she said it wasn't a virus, but I wondered if they were a small side affect of the HPV vaccine (because they looked like warts and were treated like them.) But I'm not sure, I didn't get the last shot after I got these. It could be unrelated to Gardisil, but they appeared after my first vaccination shot. It could be that I got them through contact, like my Dr said is the way to get them.