r/myhappyv

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?

Okay but can we normalize how mentally exhausting this is for a second? 😭 Because I had ONE bad BV scare months ago and my brain has literally never recovered. Now I'm checking every single day smell, discharge, appearance like I've become completely hyper-aware of every tiny thing down there and I hate it. The funniest/most frustrating part? Tests keep coming back normal. And instead of that being reassuring it just makes me more paranoid like "okay but what are they missing" lol The Google spiral is so real too. One tiny change and I've convinced myself my pH is permanently ruined or something is seriously wrong. And then every doctor says something slightly different, Reddit has completely opposite advice, and now I'm just… confused and anxious on top of anxious 😭 Does anyone else deal with this or is it just me? Like the actual physical stuff is manageable but the mental hyperawareness that comes after a scare is its own whole thing nobody really warns you about.

Hi, i am a 22 year old female. I am writing to see if anyone can possibly help me out. I am a bigger girl, however i have lost 80 or so pounds in the past 10 months. I have had what i consider a smelly vagina for a pretty long time. No matter how much i shower, use soap, nothing helps. I get waxes regularly, and i am also on the IUD so i don’t get my period. I do take cranberry pills as a supplement. My biggest fear is wanting to hook up with a guy (example: randomly) and i cant because im too embarrassed i smell. Its not a fishy smell, it just doesn’t smell good. I am also clean of any STD's or anything like that, and regularly do laundry and clean myself. The only thing that i can think correlates with this is i have has vaginal itching for about 7 years now, and i have to get a biopsy done as we don’t know what is causing the itching, and cant do anything to make it better. Does anyone have any advise on what i should do? am i the only one that is like this? Please let me know. Thank you in advance, a girl who really needs help

I tested negative for a yeast infection for over 6 months, yet my doctor keeps claiming it’s a chronic yeast infection. I’ve taken yeast infection medications more than six times, as well as used boric acid, but the symptoms keep coming back.

Right now, I don’t have any abnormal discharge — only itching and burning.

She hasn’t explained why she still believes it’s a chronic yeast infection even though I’ve tested negative for over 6 months, including being tested more than three times and having a wet mount test.

Should I look for a second opinion or see another urogynecologist?

okay so i got my iud placed less than a month ago on april 20th. i had recently had a miscarriage at 5 week’s pregnant and my provider told me i should get some sort of birth control to prevent pregnancy while my body healed. to be honest losing my baby was absolutely traumatizing and i didn’t want to risk getting pregnant again and having to go through this all. but anyway she strongly suggested getting the mirena iud and now im here.

having this thing in my body has been HELL!!!
i had it placed on april 20th 2026, and as of posting this it is may 18th. less than a month later. i have gained 35 pounds. i have developed severely painful acne all over my entire body. i dont look or feel like the person i was before i had my iud placed. it’s so painful and im bleeding terribly all the time. i’ve ruined every pair of underwear i own.

because of all of this ive decided to take it out. i would really like to have this done by a professional but i had it done in virgina (where my college is) and now ive had to go home over summer break (florida). im an adult but becuase im currently living in my parents house i cant figure out a way to go to a doctor without them knowing about it and they would be absolutely livid if they knew. i also have absolutely no money to have a doctor remove it.

because of this ive done so much research and ive decided i want to take it out on my own but i wanted to ask what you guys think about my situation, if you have any ideas on how i could possibly have a doctor do it, if anyone knows about any programs of health care providers that don’t require insurance and aren’t terribly expensive. by that i mean it would pretty much have to be free for me to be able to afford it.

if no one has any good advice on that front, i would love tips on how to take it out on my own.

i’m so desperate for any kind of help. i dont even feel or look like myself anymore. please let me know if you have any advice!!!

Okay guys I’m 16 this is my first ever yeast infection and this is worst itch I’ve had in my life I took antibiotics and it gave me a yeast infection it seemed like it was getting better but then it didn’t now I’m down one fluconazole pill I’ve spent way too much money on doctor these past months and I have a bag of ice and a dream someone please help me and tell me what to do until I can get more medication or a doctors visit!!!

ive had a yeast infection since march that keeps coming back. the first time it happened i got tested for all stds, bv, and trich and it came back as yeast. took fluconazole and after a week it was still the same. went back to urgent care two more times and it kept coming back as positive for yeast.

the discharge got clumpier and had a greenish hue which really concerned me but not my providers

i finally went to my gyn and she did another swab which once again came back positive for yeast and negative for bv/trich. i was prescribed 7 day terconazole which seemed to help for about a week after finishing but now it is back again.

my gyn prescribed me another round of fluconazole which i am currently taking and i have an appointment to see her in a few days

i really just dont know what to do anymore. ive tried completely cutting out sugar. ive also been on hormonal birth control for a year but ive never had a yeast infection in my life before march.

any advice is greatly appreciated

Anybody have any explanation? I'm 22 weeks and struggling with persistent thrush.

Firstly did 100mg 6 day course of Clotrimazole pessary. It definitely helped but did not clear & it came back strong.

Then was prescribed 500mg Clotrimazole pessary for 7 days and this finally cleared it and I was symptom free for maybe 8 weeks.

I stupidly started using harsh chemical/scented body wash down there & I think that caused it to return 😭

Now day 4 into another 100mg course and seeing minor improvement, praying it's enough to fully clear it this time and I have vowed to NEVER use anything harsh down there again.

Any advice/experience welcome please!!!!! Just want to feel normal again 😭

I am 45 f, 5’5” 220 lb. Many health issues including EDS, MCAS, POTS, thyroid disease, long covid, PCOS, and more. About a week ago I got a few small tears in my perineum/labia area (confirmed at Dr). during intercourse due to excess friction. I’ve had it be sore before, but nothing like this. It always went away in a day or two. Two days after this, the pain intensified. Now there are a few other small fissures and all the skin around that area is raw and red and a bit swollen. It appears to be spreading, as now my anal area is raw as well. It hurts so bad to urinate… like makes me shake and get lightheaded. I can barely pat it dry. I’m worried some bacteria might have gotten in the tears and is causing problems. Went to urgent care yesterday and she did some testing. It’s not yeast, not BV, and not bacterial STD. They tested for herpes as well (results aren’t in yet), but there was only one tiny spot, and not blisters or any other sores. I am doubtful it is that because I have a very limited sexual history with two long term partners who did not have STD’s. Any area of the skin down there (not just the fissures) that even gets brushed with toilet paper or my finger or even just walking or sitting is extremely painful and takes several minutes to calm down. Her only other idea was perhaps cellulitis, but she didn’t culture for any bacteria besides STDs and BV. I should mention that about 4.5 years ago I had major pelvic surgery due to all my pelvic organs being prolapsed. Hysterectomy, bladder and rectal prolapse repair, bladder sling, and rebuilding of the pelvic floor. About a month or so ago my body started expelling the permanent sutures and I am having some issues with incontinence again and some intermittent cramping. I’m not sure if that’s relevant, but just something else that’s going on down there. Any ideas?
Thanks!

LADIES! We woman go though a lot. Please if you are sexually active, read my advice.

Ill start off by saying that I was diagnosed with genital warts (HPV) from SA. I had a herpes scare and did so much research on STD's while waiting for my results.

Please get tested after every partner! Even if you don't have physical lesions. Before getting with a new partner, please make sure you both go to the clinic together to get tested. HSV is not on the standardized STD panel. It is possible that your partner can have it and lie/not tell you about it. My friend got HSV-2 from their partner when they were asymptomatic and they went through a horrible outbreak. Make sure your partner gets blood tested for HSV along with the other STD's.

This is the tricky part. Men don't get tested for HPV. They can have asymptomatic warts and still transfer it to you. It can be transferred with just skin to skin contact.

Please just get tested together before having sex. A few hours isn't worth catching something. And make sure you know and trust the person. Before my diagnosis, I had no idea about any of this information. I never hooked up but I also wasn't as cautious as I should've been. What happened to me was traumatizing and terrible, but it taught me a valuable lesson. Thankfully I didn't contract HSV or any other STD. (I don't follow the stigmatism of HIV or HSV. I would still date someone who has those diagnosis)

Ever since I hit puberty, (now 20,) I’ve had issues. I was celibate until 17, so that’s not the reason. I would have so much discharge at first and I smelled like onions. If I used boric acid, it would go away. Well now it’s just an odor and dryness. I also have a copper IUD since last February. I’m so uneducated on this. I begged my mom to take me to the gynecologist because something has been off. She never did and gaslit me. I live in a small town and I booked an appointment but it’s gonna take a while. I just wanna know if anyone has any knowledge on what this could be and why. Like I feel like my body is broken. I didn’t do anything wrong as a kid and had issues since then. It’s exhausting

i’ve been using boric acid for 3 weeks now and i was wondering for those who used it longer term, what was the timeline like? did you clear up within a few weeks and did you continue to use it to make sure the infection was gone or did it take a longer period of time to clear completely? i’m still experiencing itching a few times a day and using prebiotic gels to manage it but my discharge is watery and clear. just wondering if i should continue using it for a longer period or if i should give up and try something else. i’m having no side affects to the boric acid at all but i’m doubting myself because i’m now on my period (day 1, i didn’t use BA overnight as my period had started a little) and i see a little white discharge on the pad while the itching has gone.

I went through a yeast and bacterial vaginosis cycle, but it finally subsided. However, I’ve been experiencing severe irritation for almost a month now. Yesterday, I noticed white discharge all over my vulva. It doesn’t resemble yeast; instead, it’s white, slimy, and odorless. The discharge is present in my vulva folds and throughout my vulva. Additionally, I’ve started experiencing random itching, pain, and heightened sensitivity.

On Monday, I took a test to check for mycoplasma, STIs, yeast, and bacterial vaginosis. The results were negative for all these conditions. However, they did detect cervicitis, and I was prescribed azithromycin for a single dose. I took the medication yesterday. Despite taking the medication, I still feel off. I have an itchy sensation on the external vulva and between my lips, and I’m also sensitive to my clitoris. I’m sensitive to hot and cold water. It burns to touch it and when pee touched it.

Hello, I F28 have recently noticed some peeling of the skin on my clitoris, leaving some sore patches and some harder skin down the middle.

I have time to see my GP in a couple weeks, but I was wondering if anyone else had this at all? I'm wondering if maybe it's soap? I started recently being more thorough with cleaning with soap there, I use Pears body wash which I think is PH neutral? I'm also concerned about lichen sclerosis, but that seems to be white shiny patches whereas this is just like peely skin.

I'm going to just go back to using water to wash, and maybe get a emollient for the future but if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears. Thank you!