HELP!!! Months of vaginal swelling and itchiness 😩
I’ve been dealing with vulvar irritation/swelling for months and wanted to see if anyone has gone through something similar because this has been a really long confusing process.
It originally started with gradual itching, swelling, burning/irritation mostly around my outer lips and vestibule/opening area. I also had periods of yellow discharge, so at first doctors thought it might be infectious or related to vaginal imbalance.
Early on, one doctor briefly looked at the area and diagnosed me with cervicitis and prescribed doxycycline without doing much further evaluation. Later, because I was still having symptyeast symptoms after antibiotics, I was also given multiple doses of fluconazole. I then started trying things like boric acid suppositories and HylaFem/pH balancing inserts because testing showed I had very low or absent “good” lactobacillus bacteria. I also started taking oral probiotics and eating yogurt daily to try to help restore my vaginal flora.
I have also been tested for basically EVERYTHING multiple times (STDs/STIs, yeast, BV, infections, etc.) and everything kept coming back negative, which made the whole situation even more confusing and stressful.
At one point I was using triamcinolone steroid ointment because my doctors thought inflammation/contact dermatitis/irritation might be contributing to my symptoms. The steroid actually helped the swelling and irritation a lot, but the symptoms still kept fluctuating.
The confusing part was:
- some days I felt almost normal
- other days underwear, discharge, friction, moisture, or even products touching the area would suddenly make me feel irritated again
- I feel SO uncomfortable in underwear now, even loose underwear
- when I go commando I feel significantly better and more normal, but still not fully 100%
- I consistently feel best in loose maxi dresses with airflow
I recently saw a top vulvar specialist in Dallas and she told me she does NOT think this is contact dermatitis or a major infection anymore. She diagnosed vulvar edema/inflamed swollen tissue and told me to stop using the steroid cream and instead focus on reducing irritation and protecting the tissue. She recommended things like Aquaphor/Aquaphor Baby Healing Paste, but honestly my skin seems so reactive that sometimes even ointments bother me.
The BIGGEST realization: I think baby wipes may have been one of the main triggers this whole time. I was using them mainly on my butt area, not directly on my vulva, but once I completely stopped using them:
- my anal itching improved
- my vulvar itching improved dramatically
- my swelling started finally going down
- I started feeling about 80% better overall
Now the main lingering issue is:
- sensitivity at the opening/vestibule area
- discomfort when discharge/moisture sits on the tissue
- underwear/friction sensitivity
- mild remaining swelling
- lingering nerve-like sensitivity/reactivity
I’m finally improving, but I’m scared my nerves/tissue sensitivity won’t fully go back to normal after being inflamed for so long.
Has anyone else experienced lingering vulvar edema/sensitivity after removing an irritant? How long did it take for the tissue/friction tolerance to feel normal again?