(no subject)
That last post was apparently from 4th of July weekend and I never posted it, so I decided to post it today. Nothing exciting.
Update on my vagina issues...
I went to Dr. Pennant (the one who did the biopsies) about three weeks ago for a check up. My condition had not gotten any better and I was really concerned. Both of the biopsy sites were red and irritated and another bump was forming...and I still had no solution. She basically told me the stitches were healing well, but didn't really know what else to do for me and that it must be something inside my body since it wasn't a virus. I suggested changing to a higher dose of birth control b/c maybe it had something to do with estrogen. So she did that and told me to keep using the corticosteroid ointment and soaking in Aveeno and come back in 3 months. I WAS SO ANGRY! How can you just dismiss me like that? Obviously nothing had gotten better in the past three months, and you need to figure out what's wrong with me! And why was I the one to suggest more estrogen? She's the effing doctor making tons of money! I felt really helpless and was upset when I left.
As soon as I got in the car I decided I was going for a second opinion, so I called my old gyno and she gave me an appointment. I called my Mom and talked about it and I told her I researched the steroid ointment and that you're only supposed to use it for 2 weeks initially then only occassionally (like once a month) after that. Side effects can be thinning/irritation of the skin, burning, redness...all of which I had! Dr. Pennant told me to use the ointment everyday and it was just making my condition worse. I also read that birth control can also cause thinning of the skin and reduced levels of estrogen (obviously) so that's why I came up with the suggestion of a higher dose birth control. So anyway. My Mom supported my decision to get a second opinion and she helped me get in at my very first gyno for a third opinion.
So I went to Dr. Horowitz last week and she said she thinks it could be from estrogen. That the bumps are tiny skin tags and the skin under and surrounding them is what is inflamed and painful, not the actual bump. She also said that my skin down there looked dry and red. So she gave me an estrogen cream to help heal the biopsy scars and to soothe and hydrate the skin. She also decided (without my suggestion!!!) to switch me to a higher estrogen pill. She told me she doesn't think I have lichen sclerosus and should've never been using a steroid cream in the first place. So...it was kind of good to hear that she had different suggestions on treatment...but since this has been going on so long, I didn't want to get my hopes up.
But I have to say, one week later, I feel so much better! I haven't even switched pills yet b/c I have to finish the old one first. But I've been using the cream every other day for one week and the relief is amazing. I almost feel 100% better. The scar on my left side is still pretty sensitive, probably because she took the stitches out too early. She let them dissolve on the right side...dumbass. I'm never going to Dr. Pennant again! There's still some soreness, but not anywhere near what it was. Dr. Horowitz said she can freeze the remaining bump off so that it won't get irritated anymore. I go back to her next week for my check up and to get those frozen. I'm kinda nervous because I'm getting my period this week and that can cause more irritation, but we'll see how it goes.
Next week I have my third opinion with Dr. Hammond, so we'll see what she has to say. Hopefully everything will just be resolved by then...but I do want to see what she has to say about the lichen sclerosus because one doctor says yes, the other says no...so I'd like that squared away.
I really need to be 100% better so Aaron and I can start having a normal sex life again. I know sex isn't everything in a relationship, but it does bring a sense of closeness, and the fact that we haven't had sex in 3 months is bringing some sort of stress to the relationship. Nothing horrible, but it's just not normal ya know?
Anyway, everything else is good. Guard is starting and before you know it fall will be here. I'm trying to enjoy the rest of the summer and get more tan. =) Hope everyone else is doing well!
Update on my vagina issues...
I went to Dr. Pennant (the one who did the biopsies) about three weeks ago for a check up. My condition had not gotten any better and I was really concerned. Both of the biopsy sites were red and irritated and another bump was forming...and I still had no solution. She basically told me the stitches were healing well, but didn't really know what else to do for me and that it must be something inside my body since it wasn't a virus. I suggested changing to a higher dose of birth control b/c maybe it had something to do with estrogen. So she did that and told me to keep using the corticosteroid ointment and soaking in Aveeno and come back in 3 months. I WAS SO ANGRY! How can you just dismiss me like that? Obviously nothing had gotten better in the past three months, and you need to figure out what's wrong with me! And why was I the one to suggest more estrogen? She's the effing doctor making tons of money! I felt really helpless and was upset when I left.
As soon as I got in the car I decided I was going for a second opinion, so I called my old gyno and she gave me an appointment. I called my Mom and talked about it and I told her I researched the steroid ointment and that you're only supposed to use it for 2 weeks initially then only occassionally (like once a month) after that. Side effects can be thinning/irritation of the skin, burning, redness...all of which I had! Dr. Pennant told me to use the ointment everyday and it was just making my condition worse. I also read that birth control can also cause thinning of the skin and reduced levels of estrogen (obviously) so that's why I came up with the suggestion of a higher dose birth control. So anyway. My Mom supported my decision to get a second opinion and she helped me get in at my very first gyno for a third opinion.
So I went to Dr. Horowitz last week and she said she thinks it could be from estrogen. That the bumps are tiny skin tags and the skin under and surrounding them is what is inflamed and painful, not the actual bump. She also said that my skin down there looked dry and red. So she gave me an estrogen cream to help heal the biopsy scars and to soothe and hydrate the skin. She also decided (without my suggestion!!!) to switch me to a higher estrogen pill. She told me she doesn't think I have lichen sclerosus and should've never been using a steroid cream in the first place. So...it was kind of good to hear that she had different suggestions on treatment...but since this has been going on so long, I didn't want to get my hopes up.
But I have to say, one week later, I feel so much better! I haven't even switched pills yet b/c I have to finish the old one first. But I've been using the cream every other day for one week and the relief is amazing. I almost feel 100% better. The scar on my left side is still pretty sensitive, probably because she took the stitches out too early. She let them dissolve on the right side...dumbass. I'm never going to Dr. Pennant again! There's still some soreness, but not anywhere near what it was. Dr. Horowitz said she can freeze the remaining bump off so that it won't get irritated anymore. I go back to her next week for my check up and to get those frozen. I'm kinda nervous because I'm getting my period this week and that can cause more irritation, but we'll see how it goes.
Next week I have my third opinion with Dr. Hammond, so we'll see what she has to say. Hopefully everything will just be resolved by then...but I do want to see what she has to say about the lichen sclerosus because one doctor says yes, the other says no...so I'd like that squared away.
I really need to be 100% better so Aaron and I can start having a normal sex life again. I know sex isn't everything in a relationship, but it does bring a sense of closeness, and the fact that we haven't had sex in 3 months is bringing some sort of stress to the relationship. Nothing horrible, but it's just not normal ya know?
Anyway, everything else is good. Guard is starting and before you know it fall will be here. I'm trying to enjoy the rest of the summer and get more tan. =) Hope everyone else is doing well!