Pictures of what i think is a YI

[justforvp.livejournal.com]

okay - so i posted earlier abotu my possible YI but since i started treatment yesterday night i checked my vag and it looks way worse.

What i am most worried about is the white stuff that is all over the inside of my vagina hole, it peals - not like clumps but almost like little sheets of skin - it doesnt come off easy either i have to kinda scratch at it (which worsens the itching!). It seems almos as if the tissue/skin is pealing off.

Since i have so little exp with YI's i wanted to post a picture of my vag in its current condition with what i think is a Yeast Infection and see what all you lovely ladies think:

I am of legal age (23 years old) to post these pictures.
NUDITY These ARE pictures of my VAGINA!:


http://pics.livejournal.com/justforvp/gallery/00001cfk


the itching is about the same if not a lil better - i think the burning is worse becuase i have been spreading the opening to look inside thus kinda irritating it.


EDIT: PLEASE stop sending me msg's that scare me like *GO TO THE DOC/GYNO ASAP!!!!*

I am looking for responses from INFORMED Women with exp. wih Yeast Infections If you have never had a Yeast Infection or are not very informed on what the symptoms are or what they look like you can comment with sympothy or links to information but PLEASE stop freaking me out by saying OMG GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!! Your care and consern are apprecated but dont freak me out please!

ALSO if the symptoms DONT go away by the end (Sunday) of the treatment (monistat 3 cream) i will be going to the doctor Monday or Tuesday



EDIT/UPDATE: 11/6/06
By day two of my YI treatment (3day cream kind) most of the white stuff on the walls of my vag had gone away - the only symptoms were reddness, itching, and soreness/burning.

By today most of the itching and redness is gone - and i have some burning/soreness left. The skin there is still very tender and i did have a small cut appear yesterday (last day of treatment). It bled a lot for such a small cut but over all i think i am better.

I guess it really was just a BAD YI because the meds have made it go away.

However i will be watching closely for a few days/weeks to be sure and to be careful to keep it from comming back.


I wanted to say thanks to all those that responded to my post before. A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE VPers THAT SAID SOMETHING OTHER THAN *go to the Doc.!*

There were some VERY helpful people that responded and a handful of commenters were VERY suportive and comforting.

so THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!

If anything rears up again i will mention it here :)

I LOVE VP! but more than that I LOVE THAT MY VAG IS NORMAL AGAIN!

Comments

[oompaprincess.livejournal.com]

Gyno, asap.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

Hey. :)

Just a friendly reminder -- since we do not know where the OP is from, it may be worth remembering that gynecologists are not necessarily the appropriate medical practitioner to see for a YI or other infection in many areas of the world, and so this advice may not be pertinent to the OP. You can check out this post (http://community.livejournal.com/vaginapagina/8608402.html) for more info. :)

[samisapirate.livejournal.com]

I really don't know what that is, but my very unprofessional diagnosis is PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD SEE A GYNO.

Get better!

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

Hey. :)

Just a friendly reminder -- since we do not know where the OP is from, it may be worth remembering that gynecologists are not necessarily the appropriate medical practitioner to see for a YI or other infection in many areas of the world, and so this advice may not be pertinent to the OP. You can check out this post (http://community.livejournal.com/vaginapagina/8608402.html) for more info. :)

[radiant-bitch.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey. That looks so uncomfortable. Please, please, please make an appointment immediately to see a doc. You will feel much better, I promise.

[skeos.livejournal.com]

Holy crap, if that is a yeast infection--I never want one.

I think I would also have my vagina cut out if it ever did that to me.

I hope you get better SOON! See a doctor!

[radley.livejournal.com]

What a supportive comment.

[frkyjenn.livejournal.com]

have you called to get an appointment with your dr?

I would. I've never had a YI or any other infections in my vagina.. but if it looked like that I'd be high tailing it to the dr.
If it's causing you that much pain and discomfort I think the best thing to do is see a dr

Good luck, i hope you find comfort soon.

[my-pandoras-box.livejournal.com]

I agree with all the other comments. I'd see a doctor.

A warm washcloth might help with the itching/burning in the meantime.

[my-pandoras-box.livejournal.com]

I just saw your edit, and I hope I didn't scare you by my comment. I am sorry you're getting some rather upsetting comments and hope you can find some temporary comfort with a warm washcloth, or the ice pack suggestion further down, until you can see the doctor next week (or hopefully the symptoms go away with the monistat treatment, that would be even better!).

I have had multiple yeast infections, but never really looked at what my vagina looked like when I had one, so I couldn't say for sure whether what you have is one. I image google searched to see examples, but external yeast infection photos is what mainly came up. Sorry I wasn't much help :(

[frkyjenn.livejournal.com]

I google searched vaginal candida (safe search off on images) and came up with a bunch that resemble what your vag looks like.

[justforvp.livejournal.com]

thank you - i checked them out - they do seem similar.

its nice to finally get a comment that doesnt just scare me half to death by saying *GO TO THE DOCTOR ASAP!!!*

[poppleshatesyou.livejournal.com]

Looks like a pretty bad YI to me (but i'm not doctor), it also looks very uncomfortable as well! ouch! Especially because you say you have not had much experiance with YI's, go to a doctor! so they can diagnose you properly and give you something to help this go away.

As a side note, i sometimes find that putting an ice pack or a frozen bag of vegetables (conforms to body easier then an ice pack) wrapped up in a towel on the vulva can help the itching/burning cease for a little while. Good luck!

[justforvp.livejournal.com]

thank you - a bit reasuring

if the cream i am using doesnt end the YI i will be going to a Doc. Monday or Tuesday.

[malantha.livejournal.com]

Take this with an entire shaker of salt, but the peeling bit sounds like when my sister had chlamydia. I didn't see it, but she described it the same way you did. Is there any chance of that?

[justforvp.livejournal.com]

http://www.cdc.gov/std/Chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm#symptoms

"Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.

In women, the bacteria initially infect the cervix and the urethra (urine canal). Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), some women still have no signs or symptoms; others have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Chlamydial infection of the cervix can spread to the rectum."


doenst seem quite right.. they dont mention itching or anything.

[xdreamsofdramax.livejournal.com]

I've had MANY YIs, and they have never looked like that before. I don't think it is a YI. I would reccomend getting to the doctor on Monday if possible to have them test for STIs and such if that is a possibility, and if it's not, then I would ask what they think it might be. If it is a YI, it's a REALLY bad one, and I think the OTC creams probably won't fully cure it, so even if the cream is helping I'd reccomend getting to a doctor. You will probably need something prescription strength either way.

My Experienced but Not Medically Certified 2 Cents

[facemcgee.livejournal.com]

Not a doctor, but I've had 48203 yeast infections AND bv (bacterial vaginosis).

I'm thinking it might be bv, since bv is just a general *bacterial infection* title. So I'm assuming there is more than one strain of bacteria that would give someone the title of "having bv." While my vagina hasn't had the same look yours does, perhaps that's because you have a different bacteria messing with you.

That said, yeah - I echo the "go to the doc" sentiments, because you may be using yeast infection medicine on something that isn't a yeast infection.

[fightsactualfoo.livejournal.com]

Hi. I'm sorry about the initial comments you got; they seem insensitive at best. They do reflectsome genuine good advice, and I hope you will followup with a doctor.

As for whether or not it's a yeast infection, I can't say for sure. I've only had one. It itched like hell, but I had zero discharge (which I understand is not the "norm" for a YI). You might want to dry a gentle warm-water rinse to ease your discomfort until you follow up on Monday (get one of those squirty water bottles you take to the gym, fill it with warm water, and squirt while you're on the toilet.Squirt very gently, though -- you risk pushing the infection further up otherwise).

Good luck.

[nymphae.livejournal.com]

Hi there .. my husband is in the medical field so I emailed him the link to your pictures to see what he thinks. He's currently deployed so it might be a day before I get a response but he's SO VERY SMART!! so maybe I can help you out :D I've never had a YI or anything so I can't say from personal experience. I'll get back to you once I hear back from my husband. Hope you find some relief soon.

[justforvp.livejournal.com]

thats really REALLY sweet of you! Thank you!

i think i am going to go a head and make an apt for a Doc. but i would still like to hear back from what your hub. says.

[smallstar.livejournal.com]

I agree that you need to see a doc (nobody can diagnose a vaginal problem via pictures on the internet, no matter how awesome they are). But I'd just like to inject a little bit of sanity into the discussion here. Yeast infections may be horribly uncomfortable, and anything making your vagina act like it has a yeast infection is something that should probably get checked out, if it has never happened before. But having a yeast infection is not a medical emergency. Seriously. Nobody ever died from having a bad vaginal yeast infection. You're going to be fine, and there is no reason for panic or any sort of freaking out here. :)

Good luck with the monistat. Hopefully it gives you some relief! Here's a page with some more self-care tips that you might find helpful:
http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/health/selfcare/page8808.html

[justforvp.livejournal.com]

i love you.

i know it sounds dumb but your comment did comfort me some.

thanks for the link.

[jackiecloud.livejournal.com]

although i'm not 100% sure that is what my YI's look like, i could say that's what they feel like (bad lighting means i never really get a good look.

i didn't read through everyones comments but if the monistat doesn't work and the doctor's advice isn't sufficient then try boric acid. it keeps mine under control and in the earlier stages gets rid of it.

hope it heals soon!

[with-redribbons.livejournal.com]

As everyone else has said, I cannot tellyou for sure what it is. I have had many yeast infrections due to antibiotics I have had to take in the past. This website is helpful: http://www.msu.edu/~eisthen/yeast/

I honestly wish you the best and I hope you will keep us updated. I have also found the the over-the-counter meds don't help much at all. There are some helpful tips in the website I posted, so take a look at those and again I wish you luck.

[creativexangst.livejournal.com]

Ugh, Im the queen of yeast infections. Ive gotten them since i was 6.

Step one: no alcohol of an sort, or bread products for that matter

step two: bath water up to hips with enough white vinegar that you can smell it

step three (your going to hate this step): Go to the doctor.

High five for using monistat 3. I love that stuff. But i have to say, like i said, lots of experience with yeast infections, and i have NEVER had it look like that. In fact, I've never seen it look like that with any yeast infections. Once more, your going to hate me for this, but gonorrhea can look a lot like that. Fortently, thats totally treatable and you'll be fine. And you've probably caught it in time so not long term damage would've had a chance to happen. See, it sucks, because guys can be carrying it, and you'll never know because they lack the symptoms because pesky STDS like to play a game of hide go seek with the carrier.

Dont freak out to much!! And the go to the doctor posts are good advice!! Stay calm, and if its still there sunday, your going to the doc anyway. Dont worry too much, whatever you have, its treatable.

[vaguereply.livejournal.com]

I have actually had it look like that before. And trust me, I know it's no fun.

But my experience is to always go for the longer Monistat. They seem to work better. And ALWAYS follow through with treatment. It may not look better on the first day, which is why you need to keep doing them. And it may even look clear and symptom free after the 3rd day. But ALWAYS keep doing it. No matter what! I would REALLY recommend getting a 7 day monistat treatment.

But of course, going to a doctor is recommended. Even if it does clear up.

[kaelstra.livejournal.com]

Honey, these "go see a doctor" comments are not meant to scare you-we cannot diagnose what's wrong, and it looks uncomfortable and serious. Only a doctor/medical professional can tell you whats wrong.

Women are supposed to see a doctor the first time they think they have a YI anyway to be SURE it's a YI and not something more sinister.

I've had some Yeast infections in my time and they never looked like that. Please go get checked out by a professional as soon as you can.

[camille-a-lily.livejournal.com]

i just thought of this after replying earlier up.

have you changed anything that would come in contact w/ your vagina? tampons, soap, detergent, clothing etc? maybe something you used either offset everything or if it was a person, you got the infection from them?

im not saying this is what happened, just a thought that might help you figure out where it came from/how it got started.

[riot-gurl-86.livejournal.com]

Someone mentioned vinegar baths above, and here's another suggestion (one that I know works quite well):
put about a tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar into a cup of warm water, and either pour/spray over your bits, or soak a washcloth in it, and wipe (gently, gently now...hahhaa) over the area. It seems to help with the itching and whatnot.

Hope you feel better *hug*

[sparkle-lite.livejournal.com]

I have never had white chunky discharge with a yeast infection. I get what you are discribing. (the picture is not showing up for me...) The skin just peels/rolls off when I scratch it and it feels like I am just tearing my vagina off. I got them severely when my diabetes was uncontrolled. The gyno can give you a cream that is a bit of a stronger dose than you can get over the counter, but a 3, 5, or 7 day cream is what you want. A one day treatment may no be enough to knock out the infection. It may be good to go to the gyno, they checked me out when these symptoms killed me during my period, and they can help you figure out why you got this in the first place, but since that can be expensive, get a cream and just don't expect it to be gone over night.

[sparkle-lite.livejournal.com]

p.s.
My doctor told me to treat it like I had a diaper rash also...keep yourself dry and use a thin layer of the thick, gooey diaper rash cream Desitin. It is very soothing for the itch, and helps to heal the peeling and cracking.

[kuni-bob.livejournal.com]

From my experience, it looks like a bad yeast infection. You might find that you'll need a prescriptioned antifungal to clear that up (I did for my first one, which was similar), but trying Monistat first & going to the doc if it doesn't work seems like an appropriate course of action to me.

I see absolutely no reason to freak out. Take a deep breath, pamper yourself a little while you're waiting to see if the Monistat kicks in, and relax. :) I'm guessing that a lot of people are freaking out because they never used a mirror to look down below in the middle of a yeast infection.

(BTW, posting a pic here was a great idea; had you not, I probably wouldn't have recognized the symptoms as similar to something I once had. Some things are difficult to describe in words.)

[kiteless.livejournal.com]

Your poor vag! Here's to hoping it gets fixed soon!

[10yroldwhizkid.livejournal.com]

Aww, don't freak out. But try not to scratch. Looks yeasty to me, though I've never had the peeling.

You should get it checked out just to make sure it's not chlamydia or gonorrhea (both are easily treatable). I had BV and yeast at the same time once. The symptoms masked each other so I was just like "HOLY SHIT, WHAT IS GOING ON" so again, I am all about the doctor.

Good luck!!