For the past few days I have been experiencing some vaginal itching. As a child I had very bad allergic vaginitis, which I grew out of. I was also very prone to yeast infections. However, there is no odorous discharge (no discharge at all!). So I don't think it's a yeast infection. The itching seems to only be in one area, mostly near the lips. I always clean myself very well, I am very careful to wipe from front to back, and I take a shower and wash down there every night with a fragrance free, mild body wash. (I've been using it for years and never had a problem.) I also experience some burning after urination, more intensely on that same spot where it is itchy, but also all over. But the other thing is that I'm also getting the urge to urinate more frequently, even when I don't have to. That would tell me that maybe I have a bladder infection. But I don't recall ever having gotten vaginal itching with a bladder infection. I'm also on a new birth control pill (loestrin) and was wondering if that could possibly be causing this. I'm due for my period any day now, but haven't been as diligent with the pill as I should have been, and naturally that has made my period late. (I did start to stain a tiny bit today.)
My last OB/GYN exam was approximately 6 months ago, and aside from some minimal vaginal dryness, everything was normal. Had she not told me that I was a little dry, I never would have known because I felt completely normal, and have up until the last few days.
What does this sound like? (could it be allergic vaginitis again?) Does it sound like this is from vaginal dryness? When do I need to see my OB/GYN?
You could have a yeast infection with no discharge yet or the vaginitis. You can see your regular doc to get this checked out. Your regular doc can handle all of you medical needs including your GYN concerns.
No, my regular doc doesn't do gyn exams. None of them around here do. I have asked him and he just tells me to go to the gynecologist. He doesn't have stirrups on the tables in his exam rooms or anything like that.
I have had yeast infections with no discharge. Your doctor doesn't need fancy equipment to do tests. All he has to do is insert a swab into your vagina and then the pathology people come and collect the swab, then culture it over a couple of days to see how it grows and what develops. They then send the results to your doctor. Starting BC pills often can give women yeast infections too.
As for frequent need to urinate and the burning feeling you get, it does sound like a urinary type infection, but i've never had one and can't advise you there.
Audrey and mlgable, thanks for the advice. I will most likely make an appointment with my OB/GYN. You know, when you said to just go to my regular doctor and have him do it, at first I thought it was very odd..... every woman that I know here goes to an OB/GYN when she has a problem, even something that could probably be treated by a primary care practicioner. My PCP has never performed a gynecological exam on me.... in fact, when he's doing a physical on me, he always asks me if I have an OB/GYN and tells me that if not he'll refer me to somebody so I can get a pap smear.
So like I said, when you both told me to go to my regular doc for this, I thought it was very odd indeed! But now I'm thinking that it seems that women in other parts of the country do go to their regular doc for gyn exams, so maybe this is just a NY thing! LOL! All kidding aside though, for as long as I can remember my mom and all of the other women that I have ever come into contact with have always taught me that when you need a gyn exam, you go to a gynecologist no matter what. My insurance company doesn't seem to have a problem paying for gyn visits, so I never thought about it. Gyn exams are just about the only thing that I don't go to my regular doc for (and eye exams). He does everything else for me. I'm sure he can do them just fine, but I've just never even thought to go to him for one!
Boy, I'm still totally taken aback at the thought of going to my regular doc for a gyn exam.... wow! LOL!
Anyway, my symptoms do seem to be a little bit better today, so I'm going to give it one more day and see what happens. If I do feel like it is just a urinary infection, then I can go to my regular dr and give him a urine specimen (he does that for me all the time). He just doesn't do exams!
You will be even more suprised to know that the only time I have every seen a GYN doc is when I had an abnormal pap smear. From the time I was 18 and making my own appointments a regular doc has handled all of my medical needs including my yearly pap/pelvic exam. Right now I generally see a physicians assistant and she handles every single one of my medical needs and only refers me to a specialist when it is "out of her league" so to speak. When my son was born he managed to turn my uterus inside out. My doc told me later that this is very dangerous because if they don't get it turned back right away you would end up needing a hysterectomy. My primary doc did a wonderful job of taking care of that little problem and I can't imagine anyone else being so on top it during the interesting little emergency.
Normally I see the nurse practicioner in my doctors office, but since I had gallbladder surgery back in may, and I've been having worse GI problems since then, I've been seeing the doctor monthly. (he's an internist but also specializes in GI and he took care of me while I was in the hospital.)
I guess I also feel more comfortable going to the OB/GYN for gynecological problems because she's a woman. I know it doesn't really matter, that a doctor is a doctor, but I'm more comfortable with a woman doing my gyn exams.
Right now I am only feeling discomfort when I wipe, so I am thinking that maybe I just had some sort of irritation. But you know, over the past few months I've been experiencing more itching than usual, so maybe I'll go anyway. Good lord, I hope this doesn't mean that the chronic yeast infections and allergic vaginitis that I had as a child are coming back. I had such horrible memories of that, I don't even want to think about it. Imagine being 5 years old (and even younger) and having to get a gyn exam. (my pediatrician used to do those.)
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 07-29-2003).]
I had the same problem a few years ago. Finally, what happened was that I was allergic to the fabric softener/dryer sheets I was using when I laundered my underwear. I went to the perfume-free detergent and softeners and it solved the problem immediately. You could try using pantyliners in the meantime just to see if the barrier between you and your panties helps.
[This message has been edited by Dianek (edited 07-29-2003).]
The pill causes a bit more itchiness down around the vagina in my opinion. It has also been proven to cause more yeast infections, especially if you are prone to them.
You should ask your Dr. to test you for a urinary tract infection. It's different from a bladder infection but can lead into that. It sounds like that might be it. I had them when I was pregnant. Of course you don't have to be preg. to have them.
Yeah, I am seeing the doctor next week for something totally unrelated, but I'll bring this up anyway. Right now I seem to be feeling much better. No more itching or burning. But the weird thing is that when I lay down at night to go to sleep, I keep feeling like I have to urinate. But there's no more pain or anything like that.
I'm thinking that as far as the vaginal itching goes, I just irritated myself when wiping or something like that. You know, last week I did notice a tiny bit of blood on the toilet paper, but I thought I was staining because I am due for my period. But since the blood never came back after that, I'm thinking that it was probably from an irritation. I'm definitely going to ask my doctor to test me for a UTI when I go next week though. If it gets any worse before my appointment, I'll have him fax the lab a slip.
Hey,
my vagina has been itching me for a couple of months now, and I scratch it sometimes and it gets red and sometimes it bleeds a little, so I went to a pharmacist and bought “Vagisil” and it helped but not much, and lately I have noticed a brownish discharge, and usually that happens a day or two when I finish my period, so im getting worried, what can this be?
vaginal itching 
All kidding aside though, for as long as I can remember my mom and all of the other women that I have ever come into contact with have always taught me that when you need a gyn exam, you go to a gynecologist no matter what. My insurance company doesn't seem to have a problem paying for gyn visits, so I never thought about it. Gyn exams are just about the only thing that I don't go to my regular doc for (and eye exams). He does everything else for me. I'm sure he can do them just fine, but I've just never even thought to go to him for one!
