Itchy Painful Bumps on Vaginal Lips

[Amy011]

Hi.  I have been very nervous for the past few weeks and think that I may have herpes or HPV (genital warts).  I had skin-to-skin genital contact (no sex, but everything but that -- including him giving me oral) with a guy on Aug. 13th.  On Aug. 22nd, I first started feeling extremely itchy on my vaginal lips and around the entrance to my anus.  This itchiness increased to the point that it was unbearable.  During that time, I tried taking yeast infection meds, but that didn't work.  On Aug. 29th, I noticed 2 large bumps under the skin near my anus.  They were not itching, but were painful only when I pressed on them.  On Aug. 31st, I saw a doctor.  She wasn't sure what it was, but she took a culture for yeast and did a test for STDs.  Both came back negative, BUT the STD test would have been done too soon to detect herpes -- it takes 2-3 months for antibodies to appear in a blood test.  Over the next few days, the itchiness has gotten worse on both my vaginal lips, near my clitoris, and around the entrance to my anus. On September 5th, I noticed several large lumps on my vaginal lips that looked like they were under the skin.  Also, the lips in general looked lumpy and droopy.  Finally, there were also smaller red dots (almost like pimples) that hurt if I pressed down on them.  Also, I noticed 3 or 4 smaller bumps around my anus that could either be hemorrhoids or something else.  I went back to the doctor on September 7th, and she did a culture and found bacterial vaginosis.  She also took a biopsy of one of the bumps to test it for herpes.  Today, September 9th, I noticed that the bumps on my vaginal lips look larger and are now hurting without even pressing on them.  The itching has actually decreased, but now my lips are painful.

I know that I will probably find out in a few days what this is, but I am FREAKING out.  I haven't been able to sleep at all, and I am just so nervous that this is herpes (which I am pretty convinced that it is).  I'm also so upset, because I have never had sex with someone whom I haven't first asked to be tested, and I am generally so careful.  I didn't even have sex this time, we just fooled around.  I mistakenly thought that that was safer than just having sex with a condom.  Now I know that I was wrong.

I really just want a professional medical opinion of what you think this is.  I'm driving myself crazy with constantly Googling pictures of herpes to try to figure out if that is what I have, and I'm getting nowhere (except going nuts).  Thank you very much in advance for your help.

[Amy011]

Oh no, I can't believe you're still dealing with this!  I'm so sorry that it's hurting and is red/swollen again.  Do you think it would be worth it to get a second opinion and see another OBGYN?  Or maybe a dermatologist?

I know what you mean about some days being better than others...I'm trying to force myself not to stress so much too.

YES, the MRSA came back.  I couldn't believe it either.  The dr said that it probably never fully went away because I stopped the antibiotics prematurely.  These antibiotics are supposed to be taken on a completely empty stomach for the best absorption, but the dr said I could take it with a bit of food in order to keep it down.  I did that last night and this morning, and I was nauseous, but I kept it down!!!  No throwing up!!  Yayyy!!!  I've never been so happy not to throw up in my life!

Which antibiotic did you switch from the flagyl to?  The flagyl also gave me stomachaches, but I just forced myself to deal with it.  But if there's an alternative, I'd rather take that next time.

I know, I agree that people really need to be made more informed about herpes.  I'm just thankful that you and I became educated about it before it was too late for us!  I also am petrified of sleeping with anyone now!  Even if someone gets tested, I'd want to wait 6 months before anyone doing anything, and then get tested again before doing anything.  And even then I'd be scared!  I'm so paranoid now, I'll never have a relationship!

I called my OBGYN's office -- the HPV vaccine is usually covered for people under 26 years old.  After that it is $200 for each vaccine, and there are 3 in the series.

  

[TiredOfGirlyProblems]

Well I'm not doing so well, I've been using this over the counter anti yeast stuff and I think that it is making things worst because the front part of my small vaginal lips where it meets the clitoris is all red irritated and hurts quite a bit!! I dont see a cut but it's kind of swollen! So I'm going to stop using it!! Ugh I keel thinking that I'm feeling better then the next day I feel worse!!! And tomorrow is my last day of antibiotics!!
Well there are days when I dont stress about my problems but then when I feel it coming back I start to stress out and think the worse! But I've been getting better about not stressing so much.

Oh no!! The MRSA came back?!?! Oh that's horrible! Yeah eat a little bit of food, it always helps with nausea with me! I'm taking some diff antibiotics it's not flaqyl, the flaqyl gave me stomache aches! But these antibiotics I'm taking is not too bad.
I know how you feel! I want to get better too!! I want to feel 100% better and stay that way!!
Yeah people should be more informed about herpes!!! Honestly they need to make it a part of the STD testing!!! People need to know if they have it or not so that the cycle of passing herpes on accident will end, or atleast be less!!
Yeah i never even thought about hsv1 being passed genitally! I didn't know it was possible until I started researching!! It freaked me out!

But now we are both informed of the risks! And we can make smart decisions to lower our risk of contracting herpes! I'm almost to the point where I just want to marry my bf and never sleep with another man in my life, I know he's clean and I'm clean and I want it to stay that way! I would be afraid of sleeping with anyone if we broke up.
Yeah I heard about the vaccine! It's suppose to help with the HPV that causes cancer. From what I saw though it's like a couple hundred to get the vaccine.

[Amy011]

Btw, do you know anything about the HPV vaccine?  After the herpes scare, I'm totally freaked out about STDs.  After I'm better from this MRSA infection, I think I'm going to look into it...

[Amy011]

Hi!  How are you?  How is the yeast?  And BV?  Hopefully they are both doing better, and that you are feeling less stressed about it all.

Unfortunately, my weekend was not great.  I noticed on Saturday that the infection looked like it had returned.  I was SO upset.  This thing is never ending!!  The doctor put me back on a different antibiotic, but then I had a reaction to that one also -- extreme nausea -- and threw it up.  So she tried to switch me to a different antibiotic, but my insurance doesn't cover that one, and it was over $2,000!!!  So now I have to try to force down the antibiotic that made me nauseous, and just pray that I don't throw it up again.  I'm going to take the dose in an hour, and I'm scared!  The medication is most effective on an empty stomach, but I'm going to try to take it with a little food because it may help with the nausea.  I hope it works!!!  I need to take some antibiotic for at least 10 days to get rid of this infection once and for all.  I hate that my body keeps getting allergic reactions to all of them!!!!  I am SO frustrated and upset with all of this.  I just want to be healthy and move past this already :(((.

YES, it is very prevalent in gyms!!!  The doctor I saw today said that she has been seeing a LOT of MRSA lately.  It is easy to get in gyms, but also even just out and about -- like on public transportation, from a chair in a restaurant, from sitting somewhere in the mall.  Just anywhere where there are a lot of people touching the same thing.  She said that it is a very good idea to use Clorox or Lysol wipes to wipe down every machine in the gym, etc before using it.  And to carry the wipes around with you to other places as well.  Also, try to use those antibacterial gels (like Purell) after touching things like door knobs that other people have touched, and especially before touching your mouth, eyes, nose, etc.  It is very scary how easy it is to get it!  I am going to be SO anal from now on!!!

I know, you're so right how crazy it is that people are just not informed about herpes until it's too late.  It's horrible.  Honestly, I really didn't know much about it before I thought I had it.  And it could have very easily been too late for me too!  I had NO idea that you could get HSV1 through oral sex -- you are so right that no one ever talks about that!  And I didn't even know that you could get it from someone who isn't having an outbreak, and even if you haven't actually had sex with the person!  Now I feel so dumb for not knowing, but I'm realizing that many, many people are just not informed!  It's also horrible that herpes is not a part of regular STD testing.  I wish we could do something about this to inform people!!!

[TiredOfGirlyProblems]

i know!!!! we both have been through physical and emotional stress!!! its just such a relief that its not herpes!!!

wow thats crazy!!! i didnt know that you can get it from the gym!! now im bringing clorox wipes with me when i go to the gym!!

yup the yeast came back! since im on antibiotics for BV!! ugh, it feels like its never ending!!!!! but the dilfucan didnt work for me either!! it looked like i was working but after the 7th day it got worse! i dont like that pill!!! its better just to use the vagina inserts!! right now im using some tea tree oil suppositories i found at a health food store. it helps.

wow!! see its crazy how many people have herpes!! people just dont talk about it!!! i swear herpes testing should really be apart of the regular STD testing!!!!!! and you never hear about the risk of HSV1 being transmitted though oral sex!!!! people should really be informed about these things! before its too late you know?

[Amy011]

Btw, I told one of my friends that I had originally thought that the MRSA was herpes, and that I was so scared for weeks that that was what it was.  And then she confessed to me that she has HSV2!  I couldn't believe it, I think she's only slept with 2 people in her life.  Apparently, her ex-boyfriend got tested before they had sex, but the typical STD panel test doesn't include herpes (and my friend wasn't aware of that).  So, about 2 weeks after they had sex for the first time, my friend suddenly saw small bumps appear.  She went to the OBGYN and found out that she had herpes.  She asked her ex-boyfriend if he ever had an outbreak, and he denied ever having one.  She still doesn't know if that's true, but either way, she said that she would give anything if she could have known that HSV isn't included in STD tests unless you ask for it.  I feel so bad for her, she tried to be careful -- asking him to get tested before and even looking at the test results printout herself -- but she didn't know that it doesn't test for HSV.  And now she's stuck with it for life.