Reply To: Question about risk — discordant couple

[anxietymaven]

Thanks so much for your reply, Terri.

I have another question: I have been very prone to yeast infections and small vaginal tears for the last 10 years or so. The skin on my vagina has generally become quite prone to irritation. For the past little while (not sure how long…months?), I have been getting irritation on the right side of my outer labia. It mostly feels itchy, looks red, and feels a bit swollen (not sure if it actually is). I had assumed it was either yeast and/or irritation from cycling (I spend a lot of time in the bike saddle). When I looked today, I pulled the skin taut and saw what looked like a lot of little bumps. I saw something very small that could have been fluid filled perhaps? The fluid was neither white nor yellow — more skin color. And the whole length of the outer labia looked irritated. Labia skin is so irregular and weird anyway, so it’s hard to know what I’m seeing, especially because I’m anxious. When this has happened in the past, it usually just goes away in a couple days. I’ve never noticed sores that have healed, but I also haven’t been checking the area. I know I could go to a walk-in clinic to have the area swabbed, but there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to indulge my OCD/anxiety. I know you can’t say for sure, but does this sound herpetic to you?

Also, do you still offer one-on-one consultations by phone and would you still be able to arrange for me to have another Western Blot if I decided to go that route?

Thanks!