Vaginal tear/cut

[hans030390]

If this is better suited to L&R, send it that way.

My girlfriend has had a small tear/cut on the bottom area of her vagina (right below the "entrance") for quite some time now. We've waited for a while, no progress in healing or anything. That's not the main issue, as it usually isn't a problem so long as we go slowly/use lube/etc. Her gyno thought it may be herpes (said it looked like an ulcer), but she was tested. Results were clean. She hasn't had a chance to see the gyno again (school, insurance issues, etc.), and that particular gyno sucked (never called her back, is always gone, etc).

The MAIN issue is that it ripped more tonight. Things got a bit...rough...suddenly something really, really hurt. She was bleeding from the tear/cut. She's going to see the gyno as soon as she can, though that may be a couple weeks (or more). For now, she said it doesn't really hurt (and has stopped bleeding). Until she gets an appointment, what would be recommended for her to do to help it along? Obviously not having sex, of course. Maybe applying something? I've heard neosporin...and I've also heard to NOT use it. That's just an example.

 

[ViviTheMage]

If it was my vagina, I would have gone and had that checked out YESTERDAY!

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
If it was my vagina, I would have gone and had that checked out YESTERDAY!

She would have. Thing is, she needs to see a gyno about it (considering it's been there for a while and just now was made worse), but has a really busy school schedule. The nearest place she can go that will cover her insurance is an hour away (and her schedule basically keeps her from that). That, and her parents basically refuse her going to any place that doesn't take their insurance (understandable).

 

[Capt Caveman]

Her schedule is a higher priority than her health?

 

[Titan]

Dude lay off the sex for a bit and let it heal. Sounds like she has a strange outlook if she can put sex before health. Sometimes things like this take a while, so patience and emotional support are needed. Also she needs t be able to tell when she's healed by checking for soreness and tenderness, etc.

I doubt anyone on here is a dermatologist or OBGYN, so wait for their advice which trumps all. Other than that, follow rules for any other wound, keep it clean and take it easy.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Her schedule is a higher priority than her health?

Seriously. If your vagina is tearing, I think school schedule should be the furthest thing from your mind. Have her go see a f*cking doctor, now.

 

[conorvansmack]

Doctor, now. It's not getting any better, which means it's likely going to get worse.

This sounds similar to an episiotomy, which is a tear that can occur OR an incision that can be made during childbirth. Those are obviously repaired with stitches. The number of stitches depends on the degree of the tear/incision (skin, fat, muscle).

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Her schedule is a higher priority than her health?

Like I said, she recently saw a gyno about it. They thought it was an "ulcer" and tested for it. She waited for the results...they never called. She called back a few days after they were supposed to, and, OH, the doctor was on vacation (and never told her). They didn't know what to tell her, but they did say the results were clean and all that. They said the doctor would call her back. She hasn't (she's obviously not going back to that particular one).

This was all pretty recently, so it's not like she hasn't been trying to get medical attention regarding it. When it first happened, we even waited a while to see if it'd heal up on its own. It didn't make a difference (even after around two weeks), but she said sex was fine so long as we were careful. And she's been trying to get it medically figured out since then.

This wouldn't be such a problem if it weren't finals and all that here (plus busy schedule, plus doctors with weird hours, plus insurance stuff, plus having to make an hour trip from here). That, and it can take her up to a week to schedule an appointment (busy doctors, I guess). The gyno was the first thing on her mind, and I've said that. I've also said sex is obviously out of the question for us. She'll get an appointment as soon as possible. Until then, all I'm asking is if anyone knows what she may be able to do to help things along until that point. So far, the only real answer I've gotten to that question is "keep it clean and take it easy".

 

[Titan]

Sorry your doctor sucks. This really isn't your fault though you must be feeling a bit responsible. It was your doctor's job to give good advice. It is your GFs job to listen to her body and figure out what is and isn't ok - for example we can't say if stomping on the pedals from driving causes any strange sensation, that's something for your GF to figure out and talk to a doctor, preferably a different one. There is always the e-room or just calling other doctor's offices telling them you have an emergency (to ask for advice).

None of us can venture a guess as it is an open sore and the vagina. Any advice could go horribly wrong and none of us want to be responsible for that. Best leave it to doctor's advice if you can get any. I would say shower daily, keep it clean without anything painful - maybe rubbing alcohol, maybe salt water, maybe neosporin - try a bit first to see how it reacts. If you don't know what caused it, that is another reason to avoid sex altogether. If you find the cause, obviously fix the problem at its source. This could take months to heal.

 

[Kipper]

There is no student health center where she could at least get the opinion of a professional? Perhaps not an OBGYN but the next best thing, given the situation.

 

[Sust]

I think everyone has told you the proper advice which is to have her go and see another doctor(preferrably an OB/Gyn).
Things you can do in the meantime are the obvious things you've already figured out.
I would not use the neosporin. I think thats only for epidermal lesions and probably not to be used on mucus membranes like the vagina.

The next thing you could possibly do if you are really twiddling your thumbs is to go and have yourself checked out as well. A lot of youngsters are walking around with something and dont even know it. Most people typically have signs and symptoms of STDs, but there are some who have absolutely no symptomatology when infected.
Now doing something like this isnt going to be cheap(or comfortable) and there are few indications for frivolous STD testing, but it's something else you could do for your own peace of mind as well.

Is she really willing to put off that bleeding/ulcerated vaginal lesion because she doesnt want to postpone the test?

 

[hans030390]

Wait, what? I already said STDs weren't the cause. She was just recently tested when she first got it checked. Nothing. I'm also clean, and we've been together for a while.

Also, it wasn't MY doctor. And we won't be doing anything sexual for a while. Just to clarify. Some people seem confused.

We have doctors on campus here, but once again, her parents tell her not to go because of insurance reasons. Don't ask me. Right now, she says the tear is slightly irritating. It stopped bleeding soon after the initial accident last night. I've read of this happening to a number of women, and some say to just give it time. I don't think, in her case, it's something that is absolutely required to get looked at right now (especially during finals, which, you know, you CAN'T miss and have to study for).

It just seems like everyone has conflicting ideas about what to do with this (all over the internet) except for keeping it clean and taking it very easy. I guess we'll just stick with that since there doesn't seem to be one thing that may help. Don't want to make things worse, that's for sure.

 

[Kipper]

Originally posted by: hans030390
We have doctors on campus here, but once again, her parents tell her not to go because of insurance reasons. Don't ask me.

I hate to belabor the point, but in the majority of cases student health center services are included in your tuition as part of the fees (like using the gym or computer labs). It's usually restricted for use by only students and offers very, very basic health clinic type services, but they are usually free or very low cost ($5-10) for a visit. With perhaps the exception of a community college or technical school, every single school will have one (like every elementary/middle/high school has a Nurse's office).

I'm NOT talking about visiting a physician at an affiliated university hospital. In the SHC case insurance would not be an issue because you have technically already paid for the service. Her parents may not be aware of this availability, may hear the word "doctor" and automatically assume the visit won't be covered. It costs very little to call your student health center and ask.

 

[Sust]

Sorry, just trying to help.
Didnt mean to offend you or suggest anything against you or your significant other.

In life there is such a thing as a "false negative" and all tests suffer from it. Did they test for herpes through IgM antigens or did they actually try PCR because each method of testing has their pros/cons and price differences that reflect accordingly.
Not knowing what the Ob/Gyn did, it would be hard to know if they ruled out everything. For example, did they test for chancroid caused by haemophilus ducreyi? Did they even bother testing for any of the other STDs beyond HSV?

Again, not saying that either of you are infected, but you always look for common things first and try to eliminate those before moving to something more exotic and rare like Behcet's disease or atrophic vaginitis.
I'm also not looking for you to pour out your and her STD history to strangers on the internet, but I am throwing the idea out there for something else you could be doing to help the situation other than sitting around. Feel free to ignore.

Your story is interesting in that you mention a chronic course for her vaginal lesion, but yet there's not as much concern that a young supposedly healthy female has had a non-healing ulcer that hasnt improved and has recently gotten worse instead.
I'm no doctor, but I wonder whats going on there once repeated trauma is ruled out.
Good luck.

 

[hans030390]

She's been tested twice since we've been together. I don't know how, or if tests were specific...but everything has been clean (I think at least one was a "general" test). It's really hard to figure things out and move forward when doctors suck, though.

I don't know why it hasn't been given more attention either...

Tears can happen with or without something already being there. Like I said...things got "rough" during sex...and I think perhaps I went out a bit too far, probably didn't exactly make the entrance on my way back in. Things probably weren't lubricated enough, etc. It probably would have happened whether or not there was something there already or not.

 

[interchange]

Originally posted by: Sust
Sorry, just trying to help.
Didnt mean to offend you or suggest anything against you or your significant other.

In life there is such a thing as a "false negative" and all tests suffer from it. Did they test for herpes through IgM antigens or did they actually try PCR because each method of testing has their pros/cons and price differences that reflect accordingly.
Not knowing what the Ob/Gyn did, it would be hard to know if they ruled out everything. For example, did they test for chancroid caused by haemophilus ducreyi? Did they even bother testing for any of the other STDs beyond HSV?

Again, not saying that either of you are infected, but you always look for common things first and try to eliminate those before moving to something more exotic and rare like Behcet's disease or atrophic vaginitis.
I'm also not looking for you to pour out your and her STD history to strangers on the internet, but I am throwing the idea out there for something else you could be doing to help the situation other than sitting around. Feel free to ignore.

Your story is interesting in that you mention a chronic course for her vaginal lesion, but yet there's not as much concern that a young supposedly healthy female has had a non-healing ulcer that hasnt improved and has recently gotten worse instead.
I'm no doctor, but I wonder whats going on there once repeated trauma is ruled out.
Good luck.

I'm sure they didn't use PCR.

To be clear, the lesion is on the vulva and not in the vagina. You're not likely to get any info here that would surpass that of a GYN. You may have to bit the bullet on the $$$, but it sounds that important.

 

[TheVrolok]

No offense, but it's pretty absurd that you're delaying care on such a sensitive area. Get that treated immediately, cost be damned. Last thing she needs is to have it become infected.

 

[CKent]

This gives a whole new meaning to "tearing that ass up". Is your nickname Tripod by any chance?

Anyway, while I may not fully understand your situation, I think it's a bit strange that you both haven't held off for awhile until it heals up, and that she hasn't made an effort to see another doctor.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: CKent
This gives a whole new meaning to "tearing that ass up". Is your nickname Tripod by any chance?

Anyway, while I may not fully understand your situation, I think it's a bit strange that you both haven't held off for awhile until it heals up, and that she hasn't made an effort to see another doctor.

1. We have tried holding off before. Never made a difference, and she said it didn't bother her assuming things were properly lubricated. And, until now, it hasn't gotten worse.

2. She's been to the doctor recently about it and has been waiting for them to contact her back. I'll admit, she needs to take more initiative and call back herself, but that doctor sucked.

3. She's getting an appointment as soon as she can. She's taking care of the cut and we're not doing anything sexual (involving the vagina) until the doctor says it's good to go.

I think I've said all this maybe 3 times already. All I asked is what she should do until then to either help it along or not make it worse. Just thought I'd try my luck. If no one knows, then so be it.