Post Punk Kitchen Forum

It is being weird and I am confused and uncomfortable!

I have never had a yeast infection, so it honestly might just be a YI. However, from what I understand, YIs tend to come with things like discharge and smell, which is not the case for me. I'm feeling a little itchy, but not SUPER itchy, more... dry. Like I am not getting ANY discharge so everything is tender and cotton pantaloons feel rough.

What have I done to myself? How do I solve it?!

Hmm... I have never had a YI either, but I've had bacterial vaginitis. There wasn't much discharge, but lots of itchy. You're going to need to see a doctor if you suspect BV because you'll need antibiotics.

Otherwise, have you switched birth control recently? HBC can dry you up. Have you been taking decongestants? What dries up one mucous membrane can dry 'em all up. The only other thing I can think of is contact dermatitis. Have you switched laundry detergent or soap? Maybe you're allergic.

It could be a yeast infection in the beginning stage. I've had them and it tends to start with itching and no discharge. Go to the doctor! I hope it gets better soon. Itching is no fun.

I've only had one YI and there was no discharge or smell at all. Just an extreme itch and burning for a few days. It could be a YI that is just coming on like katiejayne said.

Vaginitis is another possibility.

Or is it possible that your partner gave you some vag burn from their stubble? Are you red and irritated at all?

Also, I used to get horribly itchy from ovulating. Every month when I ovulated I would get extra discharge and it made my whole area super itchy. It was beyond annoying and the gyno said that there wasn't much I could do except go back on BC pills. So I did, and now it is much better.

Have you tried turning it off and back on again?

I saw the title of this thread and thought, "Only on the PPK"...

Are you taking any decongestants or antihistamines at the moment? They can mess with mucous membranes all over your body.

Adding a little moisture may help relieve the discomfort in the short term. Paladin nappy rash lotion is great for vulval discomfort. Coconut oil can help a great deal too.

I love this thread title.

That's how YIs always start with me.

Awesome, thanks guys! I will look into YI remedies and see how that goes. I took some acidophilus this morning and it seems to have helped a bit, so maybe it is just a yeastie beastie.

I know it's not BC as I'm not on anything, I have no partner to irritate me with stubble rash, and I'm not decongestants... so that seems the most likely. You all are the best!

I think there's an otc test kit you can do to give you a reasonable idea of whether it's a YI or BV.

yes!
xo
kittee

New detergent? I had a burning vag that turned out to be really irritated by a new detergent. Washed my undies again in the old stuff, and everything was fine.

You realize that a doctor should be consulted, yes? There are many, many things that it could be but only a doctor can tell you for sure. If you don't have insurance, call your local Planned Parenthood.

Try shaking it.

I have a hard time telling the difference between a YI and a BV. I have extra tubes of BV treatment from the doctor so I try that for 2 days and if it doesn't feel better I go to the dr for the YI pill. It's worth making sure you treat the right thing.

Or shove some garlic up there. That's what I did when I was under-insured and it solved the problem (I think it was a YI that time, but it was years ago).

Really the only way to tell with certainty is to have a doctor look at vaginal fluid under a microscope. Yeast and BV can and frequently do coexist. Better to get checked out if you're unsure.

Hopefully you're not still suffering from this, but if you are...

Is the itchiness more internal or external (like on the outer labia, around the clitoris etc)? If it's more external another possibility is eczema, especially if you've suffered from a similar skin condition elsewhere on your body. 8ball suggested nappy rash cream to help reduce external itch and irritation (a common brand in the U.S. is Desitin, generic zinc oxide) and that definitely works. And as helbury said using a new detergent (or soap or lotion or even maxipad or whatever) can cause irritation, so if you've started using something new recently then stop it! If it's more internal it's more likely a YI or BV and you should see a doc if you're not sure. For what it's worth I had a YI once with pretty much no discharge/odor but a heinous amount of itch and an OTC remedy cured it.

Please go and see a doctor. There are a number of serious things that could cause vaginal discomfort. If you have never experienced this sort of thing before, it's unwise to internet-diagnose yourself.

I hope you're feeling better. Please definitely hit up a doctor. I know going to the doctor sucks, especially when you need your lady parts checked out, but I'd hate for it to be something serious that you're trying to treat on your own.

Especially when some kinds of infections can lead to serious problems. You always want to check out those sorts of things to make certain it's nothing, um, contagious.