only 19, dont know who to ask about vaginal discharge

[ctev]

For a few years now I have been having high levels of vaginal discharge. I have been sexually active for two years and am not sure but I beleive it may have increased at that time. All I can find out is that some discharge is normal and I am not sure if I am just being paranoid or not. The color is usually white or cream and the smell is usually minimal if not detectable. I have no other symptoms such has itching or dryness. But sometimes there will be a lot at once or just constant small discharge all day. Am I normal? I also dont know what kind of test I should get done or request. I do have a family doctor but I don't feel comfortable there. Any advise?

[Jenni6485]

Sometimes it's ovulation discharge.. It's white and milky and a bit gloopy... you'll get that all day long in the middle of your cycle. Some of it can be from being aroused.. maybe your soap is irratating.. if you take baths, that can be a reason to discharge... sometimes certain foods can do the trick.. It could also be spermys from the night before... ?
There are SO MANY reasons why we discharge... and as long as it dosnt smell or comes with pain you're okay. But if it gets really weird you could have contracted an STD or a yeast infection.
Not to get too personal, but there was a time in highschool that I discharged all the time.. I dont know what it was from, but everytime I went to the bathroom I felt like I had to change underwears. There was nothing wrong with me, it was just a stage.. a very LONG stage...
:-)

[oceans3]

i agree w. jenni. when i was in middle school- high school i had a lot of discharge. i was always wiping my underwear and then myself after going to the bathroom. i never really questioned it. i guess it was instinct that it seemed normal. well, now im 37 and feel very dry more often than not. i think as we age hormones change and so dont a lot of other things. guess its all or nothin!

[monkeyflower]

Totally normal.

You know, it's these kinds of posts that led me to talk about vaginal discharge with my own then-11 year old daughter. I'd probably never have even thought about it otherwise, but I'm glad I did. Turned out she was having some discharge and was concerned, but didn't know how to bring it up. And I'm not exactly the kind of parent you have to tiptoe around when it comes to these kinds of things, lol...