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

[Raayo]

Thanks BamaMom25. I had a reoccurrence with fever and flu symptoms and then the grey filled sores started. I used witch hazel after I used the toilet and just dabbed and rubbed as much of it in to the ulcers as I could. It stings a little at first but it provides a lot of relief. I've noticed that it takes the "gray" out of the ulcers because of it's drying properties. This really helps!

[confused_43]

Very relieved to have found this website and to read all of the other comments knowing I am not the only one looking for answers to this horrible reoccurring condition.  At the age of about 19 I broke out in a bunch of lesions in my vaginal area.  They were raised and hurt like crazy.  I could barely walk or go to the bathroom.  Wearing pants was unbearable also.  I went to planned parenthood and was told it was herpes. Naturally I freaked out.  I went to two other gynecologists for other opinions.  One did a biopsy (from what I remember) and both came back negative for herpes.  One of them said it was an allergic reaction but he couldn't say from what and I forget what the other one said, but I was just happy that it wasn't an STD.  Fast forward 22 years and at the age of 41 while traveling for work I had some vaginal discomfort and after checking in the mirror I noticed I had what looked like a white head pimple on the inner part of my vaginal lip. It was extremely painful to pee. I checked on the sore 8 hours later and saw that it had grown to about the size of a pencil eraser and was pure white, like it had a pus covering over it.  The next afternoon I had checked on it again and it had turned into what looked like a canker sore and was about the same size. A day later it was gone.  This was 2 years ago and in the past 2 years I have experienced about 8 of these episodes and they are all basically the same.  I start to feel an itch or discomfort in my vaginal area, I check the area, it starts out as small white head looking pimples (most times I have one of them but have had 3 at the most) they grow in size to about the size of pencil erasers, they turn white at first, then lose the white color and look raw and exactly like mouth ulcers (which I have suffered from my whole life) and then go away usually they last from 3 to 7 days.  It is very frustrating that the 3 gynecologists I've seen said they have no idea what it is.  Unfortunately by the time I get an appointment the lesion has disappeared but I do have scarring at the site.  I currently have another breakout and this is the first time that they have turned red raw and are bleeding slightly.  I have used peroxide but I think it only makes it feel temporarily better but makes them worse in the long run.  I'm currently taking lysine for this latest bout as they seem to be lasting longer than usual.  I have been under a tremendous amount of stress in the last two years and have previously taken YAZ.  Actually YAZ was prescribed for me by my gyno by mistake and after having heart palpitations while on it, I stopped using it and it was about the time I stopped using it that the outbreaks started.  Not sure if it's related or not.  I just started a new job and can't take the time to see a doctor right now, but I am worried after reading some of the above posts that the lesions could get bigger or I could lose some of my skin.  One other side note and I'm not sure if it's relevant, but as a teenager I had to give a urine sample when I was having abdominal pain and the ER doctor told me that I had an unusually high amount of bacteria in my urine, but didn't say it was a concern or anything.  Not sure if I could have a personal problem with bacteria.  Although it is a scary situation and very painful, I am just grateful to know that I am not the only one suffering with this and am hopeful that more doctors will get experience with it so we can all get a proper diagnosis.  I am going to take a lot of the info I read on here and look into treatments and doctors for diagnosis.

[hollyj67]

Have you ever heard of Pemphigus? It's an auto immune disease where you can have blisters on different parts of the body. I know someone who has it. Look it up, maybe that's what it is.

[Brdh]

Relief for urination-
I have had vaginal aphthous ulcer for about a week now. Last time it happened was 10 years ago an I remember it being so painful, this time I have managed to avoid most of the pain. I am a hygienist so as soon as this one came on I started using Lidex Ointment (fluocinonide .05%) this is a prescription corticosteroid sometimes given for oral aphthous ulcers. I noticed that it did not hurt to pee. I was feeling so good I didn't reapply and it hurt so bad to pee I thought I was going to pass out. That's when I realized that the ointment acts a water repellent. As long as there is enough ointment on the ulcer is no pain. If you don't have a doctor to give you a prescription then try vasoline (petroleum jelly), neosporin may also help (they now make one with pain relief) apply a thin layer of ointment whenever there is discomfort. The ointment also keeps you from rubbing and eases pain throughout the day. Also the running shorts that have the underwear built in from Old Navy are so comfortable as soon I get home I change into a pair.
Anyway, ointment works for me and it is easy to take a small tube with me to the bathroom, I use q-tips to apply.
I thought if this could help anyone else it was worth posting.
Also, I went to see my gynecologist  and she took one look at me and told me she thought it looked like Bechets, she has only had one other case of vaginal ulcers and said that the cause of the other case was mononucleosis. She referred me to another gynecologist that has more experience with Bechets.

[lynn6189]

hi there...I have an autoimmune disease...BEHCETS...very rare disease...1 in 10,000 Americans and 1 in 20,000 Canadians can get this illness it is so rare..more popular in the Mid-East and China therefore physicians in our countries are not familiar with it and cannot diagnose it..It took 2 yrs to diagnose and a Rheumologist is the Dr who will diagnose it...ulcers in the mouth, tongue, throat, lesions on the head raw red bumps, skin lesions in general on other parts of the body but mostly genital or mouth ulcers. I have had it 10 yrs but apparently it is in your system for 25 yrs before it rears its ugly head due to a trauma or stress..well recently I had a major stress and usually I just have small ulcers in the genital area...this time I have huge...9 ulcers on both sides of the labia...swollen inflammed and I can hardly sit or walk. Just spent 6 hrs in Emerg yesterday and they gave me an rx for prednisone even tho I was on it a month ago and it didn't work. I am hoping to see a rheumologist within a week that the hospital is setting up as I was only able to get an appt with one by my family Dr. for Jan 2013...ahhhhh the Canadian Medical System...broken..ya gotta love it...meanwhile Canadian bodies are breaking and dying everyday due to the system. I have to have a colonoscopy as they see another surgery coming (I've had 9 surgeries) but the waiting period is 1 year..Unbelievable...but please check out Behcets disease for mouth and genital ulcers..That will be your answer for these painful ulcers..and your Dr will not know anything about it...only a Rhumologist...

[lynn6189]

Please check my post..the last one on here dated Aug. 10 2012 and see if your symptoms are related to my disease Behcets. Because it is unknown by most Drs and rare in that many many have never seen it before...it is silk road disease..China and mid East disease but has crossed borders to US and Canada....and I've had it 10 yrs now and you're right..even at the hospital yesterday and NOBODY CARES..Even my husband of 43 yrs left me because of being disabled by this disease....please look at my post...lynn6189