Painful genital bumps

[Can_U_Help]

I have had painful bumps around my vagina and thighs for several years. About 4 years ago I went to the local Health Department for my annual check up and I talked to the nurse practitioner about it. She said that they were probably hair follicles and that I should leave them alone. The only problem is they are very painful. They do not rupture. I have to squeeze them to release the puss, which is usually white or just blood. If I don’t squeeze them they are excruciatingly painful so much so that I can barely walk. I asked the nurse if she thought they looked like herpes and she said no. There is no rash or blisters like the pictures I have seen online of herpes. Where are lymph nods in your legs? I also get hard knots in the tops of my legs at my inner thigh, which is very painful. Is that lymph nods? I noticed some comments online that the lymph nods in the top of your legs get swollen. The nurse did not culture the bump. Is a culture of an outbreak the only way to test for the herpes virus or is there a blood test for if you don’t have an outbreak at the time of your appointment? I have read a few articles online that genital ulcers are commonly misdiagnosed. I am calling the health department tomorrow and scheduling an appointment. It is time for my annual check up anyway and I will talk to the nurse about it but any thoughts would be greatly appreciated and I would kind of like to know if I should be adamant about testing for the herpes virus if they try to blow me off again. This is about to worry me to death. I am not a promiscuous person. I have been married for 20 years and have only had 4 partners. My husband was my first and only for 10 years then I found out he was cheating and I left. We were separated for about 3 years and got back together. I was only sexually active with 3 partners while we were separated and 2 were one-night stands. My husband and I have been back together for 6 years now and I have been with no one but him. If I had been infected with an STD during our separation wouldn’t I have had symptoms within 2 to 3 years?

[Can_U_Help]

I did read about MRSA pneumonia and how the bacteria could affect internal organs. I have been worrying about that too. If this actually goes back to that first sore that appeared 5 or 6 years ago who knows if it has been infecting something internaly. I don't know what to do I got enough money to go back to the doctor and if she wants to run any tests I can request she send me back to the hospital lab were I can get help with the labs through medassist. But does the health departments usually help or treat for staph infections? I would think that each helth department would be different and I guess the best thing to do would be to call the health department first but I want to ask a huge favor and I don't want to sound silly but how do I say it to them? Do I just ask if they have treatments and testing for MRSA? Would it be better if I just paid the $65 for the office visit and went back to my doctor about this rather then the health department? My husband had a head cold last week so I was pushing this off on catching a cold from him. It's not really bad yet but I've just been having symptoms for a couple days. I have been worried though that even if it is just a cold it could turn to pneumonia easily since my immune system has got to be down from this staph infection. I'm going to go get it checked out as soon as I can, hopefully tomorrow if I can get my work caught up. But do you think this is something for the doctor or the health department?

[auntiejessi]

I don't think it matters, but you need to get seen somewhere.

I don't have health insurance and flipped down the stairs last week, thinking I broke my ankle.  I didn't want to go to the doctor, but my sister made me.  Turns out it is severely sprained, but I say this because I get the worry about the money, I really do.

However, this is serious enough that you need to be seen someplace, and ask the health dept about assistance programs, like medicaid, etc.  Its time.  I'm sure the health dept is well aware of MRSA and treating it.  But since you are being treated by your doctor, you might want to call her and ask about your symptoms, at least.

Since you have the MRSA diagnosis, your husband should also be checked since he is having some symptoms.  

I'm sorry its not easier for you.  It shouldn't be this hard to get care when just because you don't have insurance.

Please keep me posted.

Aj

[Can_U_Help]

I know what you mean about the insurance. My husband and I both work and he can get insurance through work but it is very expensive like 70 a paycheck and even if we got it it at the next enrollment which is not until October or November it wouldn't cover anything to do with the MRSA because it would be preexisting. We have 3 children still at home and I get a medical card for them thank goodness but between bills grocery and gas to work we can't afford 240 a month for insurance. We just don't make that much. I know there are programs out there to help but finding them is the problem. I have been blowed off so many times and asked well do you want to just take a chance and treat your symptoms by a shot in the dark since you don't have insurance comments that I get very discouraged. I will get this checked out though. How do they test you for pneumonia do you know? Is it a blood test or what?

[auntiejessi]

Its totally discouraging - I get that.  I ended up quibbling about the cost of crutches, which is sad.

They will probably do a test that swabs the inside of your nose, and a chest x-ray.

If your kids qualify for medical cards, you probably should too.

Aj

[Can_U_Help]

I think what probably knocks me out of it is that we don't pay mortgage or rent. We bought this place from my brother about 4 years ago and it's nothing fancy just an old mobile home and we added another mobile home behind it. We call it our redneck doublewide (LOL). But I would not trade this place for a 3 story brand new house if I had to make a payment on it. If it means paying a mortgage or rent to get medical assistance then I will just stay here in my red-neck doublewide and work out the money I need to go to the doctor every once in a while. Only problem is if something big comes up with me or my husband (like this MRSA thing has the potential too) we might be in serious trouble. But I got assistance with the culture so I'm sure there are programs out there to help me I just have to find them. I'm a little concerned about the health care I have been provided. I'm a backwards person and I don't talk much about personal issues like bumps on my thighs and stuff so when I go to get something checked out that is concerning me and pretty much get a blow off like just leave them alone or do you just want to treat it for staph and hope we're doing the right antibiotic usually rubs me the wrong way and I kind of crawl back in my shell thinking I blew things all out of proportion. I don't know. Lord knows I sure am tired of dealing with this and can't understand for the life of me how this could be normal for 5+ years. I had very irregular periods for many many years. I would go for 4 or 5 months without a period and they would tell me at the health department that some women were like that and not to be concerned unless I wasn't having at least 4 a year. I was like WOW. I thought it was normal to have a period every month not have one for 4 months and then be regular for 2 or three and skip 3 or 4 again. I've always got tried to stay caught up on my annuals but I got a little behind this time since I haven't had one since December 06 but I always stayed pretty regular with them. I never had an irregular pap except once and I had to go back in for a pelvic exam over that one and they said everything seemed fine so it may have just been an infection that my body cleared up on its own. That was about 8 or 9 years ago and I know I have at least 6 paps since then and never an abnormal one again. So maybe they were right but it just seems that everything that doesn't make sense to me is normal to them. I try to talk to them and understand it but I always feel like I'm being blown off because I get the ‘it's just normal with some women’ comments and that's it. I sure don't want to obsess over it so I just let it go and trust they are the professionals and know what they are talking about. But I'm sure there are programs out there I can get help if something major comes up. I will just have to put some effort into finding them if I need to but I pray I don't. I want nothing more than for all their seemingly blow off comments to be accurate and this all be normal. But it just doesn't seem right. WOW...I've just jabbered away here so I will hush now...LOL. My husband always tells me I don't talk much but when I do I don't shut up for hours. : ) I'll keep you posted.
Talk to you soon. Have a good night!

[Can_U_Help]

Sorry about that but I forgot to tell you how sorry I am to hear about your ankle. Hope it gets better for you real soon. Sometimes bad sprains hurt as bad as breaks so they say. Knock on wood, I've never had a broken bone but lots of sprains so I know how that hurts.
Talk to you soon.