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]

That's what it sounds like -- your skin there has probably just been through a lot!  I'm so happy that that is all that it is!!!

Thank you, I'm happy that I'm okay too!  And that neither of us has herpes!!!  You're the only person who really knows how scary that was to go through!!!

They have no idea how I got MRSA!  So weird.  And ironic because I'm pretty anal about always using antibacterial hand gel and stuff.  The dr said that it probably had nothing to do with the guy.  His best guess was from the gym, if you could believe it!  Apparently it is not that uncommon to pick up from using a machine at the gym, and the most common areas to get it are the groin, armpits, and nose.  Now I'm scared to ever to go the gym again!

I know how annoying it is to have recurring BV and yeast infections -- I've been there!  But at least you can breathe a little easier now that you know it's not anything more serious.  I also have a yeast infection now, and the Diflucan doesn't seem to be working.  I think I'm going to have to go back to the OBGYN to make sure that it isn't BV.  But I don't even care; at least it's not herpes!!!

[TiredOfGirlyProblems]

Me too!! Yes my OBGYN thinks that it's just from all my vaginal problems, my skin is so frail.
Well I'm just happy that you are ok! And I'm happy that it turned out NOT to be herpes!!!!
So how in the world did you get MRSA?? Was it from your encounter with that guy? Or did they tell you how you can get it?

Yeah yeast infections sux but they are just annoying more than anything!
I'm still on antibiotics for BV, the discharge is alot better now and it's only day 3 on the pills! But this itchiness on my skin is still there, and I'm all red!! Ugh... It's an on going thing for me, i can't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet...

[Amy011]

Yaaayyyy!!!!  So happy that it came out negative!!!  I'm really so happy for you :))).  Maybe it's just irritated as a result of all of the other probs (bv, yeast, etc)?

I'm so sorry I worried you by not posting -- I was so out of it for days, and didn't have a computer or anything with me, and didn't even have my charger for my phone.  I just went to the ER in a hurry and didn't bring anything with me.  I am just so happy to hear that you are okay too!!  YAY that neither of us has herpes!!!!  Yay yay YAYYYYY!!!!

Btw, I also got a yeast infection in the midst of all of this too.  I'm on Diflucan right now, so hopefully that will help.  But if that's the worst thing to happen from all of this, I'd be thrilled!!

[TiredOfGirlyProblems]

I commented on your herpes forum post lol!!
But I am soooo happy that you found out it was not herpes!!!! Atleast now you are recovering and will be well soon!!!
Yes I got my results back it was negative!!! Yey!!!!
Altho it's still there, it doesn't Hurt or anything!!

I'm still having girly problems! I'm on more antibiotics, hopefully this time I will be normal!! My skin on the outside of the vagina is still all red itchy and irritated and so far baking soda is the only thing that is really soothing! My OBGYN said that the itching is from the BV leaking out on to my skin, so hopefully when I'm done with the antibiotics I will be normal again!!
I was pretty worried about you when I hadn't heard anything, I'm so happy that you found out what it is and are recovering!!!!

[Amy011]

Hi!!  I'm so so sorry for such a delayed response!  I wound up getting extremely sick on the night of the 15th and went to the ER.  Apparently it was MRSA!  You turned out to be right -- they were blisters and abscesses (filled with MRSA).  It turned out to be a very bad infection because it had been growing for so long, and I was kept in the hospital for 8 days and hooked up to a million IVs.  I have never been as sick as I was then.  It was actually very scary at times.  After finally getting out, after a couple of days, I then got a severe allergic reaction to the antibiotics, which landed me back in the hospital.  I'm finally out, and staying at my parents' house until I'm more fully recovered (I'm still somewhat nauseous, and I still have an itchy/painful rash all over my body from the antibiotics reaction.  And I'm still healing from where they had to lance the blisters and abscess off).  I am just so thankful, though, to finally know what it was and to be on the road to recovery.  Although I'm very weak and just overall still not feeling like myself, I am much, MUCH better than I was.

Anyway, this is the first chance I've had to get to a computer, and my first thing to do was to post here!  I have been thinking of you.  Did you find out what it was?  I really hope that you found out that it was nothing, and that you are doing okay.  Please let me know!!

Hope you're well!!

[Amy011]

Hi!!  I'm so so sorry for such a delayed response!  I wound up getting extremely sick on the night of the 15th and went to the ER.  Apparently it was MRSA!  You turned out to be right -- they were blisters and abscesses (filled with MRSA).  It turned out to be a very bad infection because it had been growing for so long, and I was kept in the hospital for 8 days and hooked up to a million IVs.  I have never been as sick as I was then.  It was actually very scary at times.  After finally getting out, after a couple of days, I then got a severe allergic reaction to the antibiotics, which landed me back in the hospital.  I'm finally out, and staying at my parents' house until I'm more fully recovered (I'm still somewhat nauseous, and I still have an itchy/painful rash all over my body from the antibiotics reaction.  And I'm still healing from where they had to lance the blisters and abscess off).  I am just so thankful, though, to finally know what it was and to be on the road to recovery.  Although I'm very weak and just overall still not feeling like myself, I am much, MUCH better than I was.

Anyway, this is the first chance I've had to get to a computer, and my first thing to do was to post here!  I have been thinking of you.  Did you find out what it was?  I really hope that you found out that it was nothing, and that you are doing okay.  Please let me know!!

Hope you're well!!