fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2563 ]

[ SECRET POST #2563 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2563 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

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02.

[ao no exorcist]

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03.

[Leverage]

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04.

[Doctor Who, Sherlock]

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05.

[Star Trek: The Next Generation]

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06.

[Frozen]

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07. http://i.imgur.com/NKDHxDP.png?1?4348
[Big Bang Theory; warning for suicide/depression]

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08.

[Amy Poehler]

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09.

[Deep Space Nine/Babylon 5]

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 035 secrets from Secret Submission Post #366.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hi, guys. This post is going to be very TMI, but I have a bit of a problem, and I kind of want to avoid going to the doctor's for financial reasons, or at least would like to be able to research the problem and know what to bring up if I finally get to see a doctor/gynecologist about this.

EXTREMELY TMI UP AHEAD:

I had a vaginal rash in late November that lasted for a few weeks, and my inner labia got extremely dry and sensitive. Then both problems sudden went away with my period early December, and I thought that it was probably a result of fleas or winter dry-skin irritation and assumed that was the end of it. Then around Christmas it started to come back, except this time the irritation was a bit deeper - while it itched less, my skin started to have microtears, and I was getting spots of blood from (micro?)tears around the outer labia and anus (which the itching only spread to this time, not last time). And now I just got my period, and already the itching seems to be disappearing again.

Can anyone at least suggest what problems I should look at to see if they make sense for my life/condition/environment/etc? Or has this sort of thing happened to anyone else? If so, did you ever find out what the problem was? How did you fix it? I'm managing this with vaginal anti-itch cream, non-scented lotion, and vaseline in various combinations, but that's not a long-term solution or even a real fix.

Sorry again for the TMI, but you guys have really helped people in the past and I could really use some advice on how to deal with this. I'm not even completely sure whether I should see a general doctor or a gynecologist about this problem.

Have you used soap, douches, or any of those 'feminine hygiene' sprays or washes?
Have you taken part in any kind of sexual activity involving your vagina?

Thrush, yeast infections, fungal infections, bacterial infections, hormonal imbalance, and STIs have overlapping symptoms - two of the most common are irritation and vaginal dryness.

I get these questions all the time at the pharmacy I work in, but the only answer I have is that I don't know. The internet doesn't know either. Even your doctor can only tell you what it's likely to be based on your symptoms. The only way to know what's wrong and how to treat it is to go get tested.

It sucks, and depending where you live and what your public health system is like, it can be expensive, but you will feel so much better when you have the right treatment.

I'm sorry I can't give you a magical fix.

No and no. I had a yeast infection as a child, but I don't recall the symptoms being like this. (Back then, peeing burned, but I can pee fine now.)

Thank you for helping

Do you sit around a lot? Like, at the computer without moving much? I found that when I had been spending a lot of time in a sitting position (like hours and hours and HOURS) I tended to end up with labial irritation and even yeast infections. If you suspect yeast infection, definitely go get some of that Monistat 3 or 7 that comes with an external clotrimazole cream.

But I'd still try to go see a doctor if you can. I could be way off base.

I do sit a lot, but usually no more than 2-3 hours at a time, as I tend to get up and walk or pace around a lot.

It sounds like it might be some kind of bacterial or fungal thing if it clears out with each period.

TMI question -- are you sexually active? It could be a mild STD of the superficial variety.

(After my post, nothing is TMI :) ).

Only sexual activity I've had are some (admittedly unprotected) blow-jobs. Nothing vaginal or anal.

The above comments have good advice, but also, do you use tampons or pads during your period? Because if it goes away with each period, and you use pads, you might be sensitive or mildly allergic to something in the underwear you use, which your vagina wouldn't be in contact with during your period if you use pads.

I actually wear panty-liners year round when not on my period. My vagina gives off a lot of discharge, and cleaning the ensuing stains are a pain in the ass. And I did consider that maybe the fact I wore them so often left me with some kind of irritation to the panty-liners themselves, but taking them away left me needing to change my underwear more often, and while the irritation went away for about a day it ultimately came back.

On my period, I use both pads and tampons - just pads during the day, pads and tampons during the night (I bleed a LOT - I usually go through around a dozen maxi pads and half a dozen regular tampons per period).

DA

The pantyliners might not be helping. I know it's a little granola, but you might try either making/buying some of those flannel menstrual pads on etsy or something. They don't sound like they'd hold up to heavy bleeding, but for day to day discharge it'll likely be easier on your genitals and allow more air circulation.

OP, I know this message is very late, and you probably won't see this - but you mentioned that you bleed a lot, and that makes me concerned.

I had a similar issue, and I thought it was totally normal that I'd bleed like a stuck pig, and it would go on for over a month without stopping.
I was constantly exhausted, and no matter how much I slept, it didn't go away.

It was only when I got some blood tests done that they found my iron levels were dangerously low, and it turned out I had anaemia, caused by a genetic blood disorder.

If you're bleeding a LOT, then please get it checked out. Seriously, it could save your life!

When I say I bleed a lot, I just mean that I lose a lot of blood during my periods. They do last a little long (my period average is about 5-8 days), and I go through more pads and tampons than most women apparently do. I did bring it up with a doctor in the past, and it isn't strictly normal but it's not exactly abnormal either, and while I do need to try to eat more iron-heavy foods, I'm otherwise fine.

That said, thank you for the suggestion. :)

I was going to make a separate comment about this but I wore pantyliners as a matter of course since I was twelve, for the same reasons as you.

In my early twenties out of literally nowhere my lady parts got so itchy and irritated that I had to have a coating of desitin on them all the time -- which was another reason to use pantiliners. In the end I desperately ditched the liners (and desitin) entirely and it cleared up within a week. I can still wear liners around my period, but I'm not risking longer that a few days at a time.

My assumption is I either spontaneously developed an allergy to something in the liners, or the manufacturer changed something in the liners. I was fine with them for ten years, and then it all went to hell.
(My liners are kotex longs, btw.)

Oh, I should add that it was always better around my period too.

I am not a doctor, and this sounds like something for which you should probably spring for a gynecologist visit. But... the itching and the fact that it comes and goes with your period suggests it might be something like a yeast infection. Usually the vagina's pH rises and falls depending on where you are in your cycle. A period can reset things, but they don't work all the time when the yeast infection is a more serious one.

I'd avoid soaps, douches and perfumes. I'd probably ditch the lotion and vaseline, tbh. Try and greatly minimize (or cut out entirely) sugar from your diet and cut WAY back on carbs as well. Dry thoroughly after showering, wear cotton underwear (or some women find it preferable to go commando) and maybe see if a yeast infection treatment helps. Go for one of the 7-day creams. The 3-day treatment sounds tempting because it's shorter, but IME sometimes doing it for the full week makes the difference.

But seriously, go to a gyno. You don't have to research anything to figure out what it might be, because that's their job to figure out. All you have to do is note down and tell them your symptoms just like you've told us. They might want to do a swab of your cervix to see if it's a yeast infection, and if it is, you can probably just treat it with OTC creams but really, in cases like this it's good to know for sure.

It may be something else like an STI, in which case you'll need antiobiotics. Try and see if there's a Planned Parenthood near you if money's an issue. Good luck, OP!

I know some people who had issues with having problems that their doctors missed purely because said doctors haven't heard of it or don't run into it much or whatever, so I like to do a little advanced research to at least run some suggestions by them. And it's not so much the visit itself so much as the fact the only place I know will accept my insurance charges a ton for even basic medical tests. I'd go to Planned Parenthood but they require social security numbers, so they'd eventually find out I still live with my father and charged based on my family's 'household income' than the fact I don't have a job and can't use my insurance with them.

And I'll definitely look into an OTC yeast treatment. Thank you for all the tips. :)

Something similar happened to me a few years ago - it ended up being a combination of a lot of small irritants adding up to a big pile of itchy vag. The culprits, in no particular order, were artificial fragrances in my "whites" detergent (I used to wash sheets/towels/underwear with stronger stuff than my regular clothes), poorly made cheapo-brand pads, a yeast infection, chronic dehydration (because apparently that's a thing), and some minor hormonal trouble.

It's really unlikely you're in the same combo of circumstances, but keep in mind it could be a problem with more than one cause.

How much is it going to cost you to see a gynaecologist? I can Paypal you something to help defray the costs a bit if you need it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2563 ]

You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?

Re: You guys seem to be pretty good at diagnosing things. Help me out?