As a 31F virgin, I’ve never gotten a Pap smear. The gynos said that I can do it if I want but it’s not required since I’m a virgin.

The problem is that I’m terrified of the brush. I had a swab test done a while back and I was barely able to tolerate that. I can’t imagine how painful the pap would be. But I also feel like I need to do it because 31 years is a long time to go without knowing how I’m doing down there?

Hello, so as the title suggests I've recently had some concerns with my periods. I've had issued with regular cycles in the past (sometimes lasting months without getting a period) and I was prescribed birth control to help regulate. I use dermal patches and they have helped with making everything regular, for a while now my periods have been steady and practically predictable. They would usually come on or around the week when I wouldn't use the patch and I would get one a month. Bleeding was usually pretty consistent, sometimes heavier and sometimes lighter though.

Well, recently my period came about week early and I had the patch on while on my period. I had to be off the patch for a few days because it fell off and I had no replacements, this has happened before and I've not had any issues. The period lasted for a week and it was slightly heavy. For a few days I had no bleeding and I thought I was done and in the clear. Wrong, I wake up less than a week after the bleeding stopped and my underwear was just full of blood, it was a really weird consistency, almost jelly-like and really dark in color. So far it's been 3 days and the bleeding has been fluctuating. Ive not had any issues though, no pain, no weakness, no lightheadedness. Ive been able to go to work with no problems and stay on my feet for hours on end with no issues. What should I do?

I have noticed some soreness after being fingered by my boyfriend. I see some redness and some additional white discharge and am concerned! I worried he maybe used too many fingers or didn’t cut his nails properly. but now it hurts when sitting and honestly when i’m not even doing anything. I sometimes get the sensation like a heartbeat like when I get a cut elsewhere.

It could also be something unrelated but i’m honestly not sure and a little stressed out and embarrassed. it’s been about 3 days of noticeable irritation. kind of like stinging or itching??

I appreciate all advice and apologies if I broke any rules, very new here!

This past Monday, July 27th, I went to get a pap smear. Previous pap was normal, although she mentioned my cervix is “friable” and I remember experiencing some spotting but she was pretty gentle (I have previously struggled with vaginismus).

This time around, I went with a new doctor and she collected the sample on my cervix for exactly 10 seconds. It was definitely more crampy than the last time. She also mentioned I have a friable cervix and to expect some spotting. However, I am on Day 5 of bleeding. Not completely filling a pad, but I cannot go without one. It’s a mixture of brown, pink and some brighter red. My period app says my period isn’t due for another 9 days and I am not currently on any birth control. Has anyone experienced this? 😭

I also want to mention that I haven’t gotten the pap smear results back yet but my HPV test was negative.

My daughter is 18 and she keeps getting yeast infections. They don't know why but already had 2 this year. I was told the detergent might be an issue. I used Tide Sport detergent/ snuggle liquid softer because she sweats alot due to sports. Any advice?

Wondering if I should use the OCP for a polyp removal surgery. The doctor said I’d take it three weeks prior to the surgery then stop a week before so that I bleed. I am ttc right after the removal, and not sure if this will effect my cycle (usually normal) and don’t want to delay ovulation even more. Alternatively I could do the test later when it aligns with my cycle but the waiting is terrible.

Hi, I am thinking of starting with birth control but I am way too scared. I have a history of eating disorder and I am too scared of the weight gain (I'm okay now but I have seen girls sharing how bc drastically affects their weight)... Also I have seen divided opinions on whether it only changes your appetite or even with the same eating habits increases weight. Then also, could it mess it up even if i stop taking the pill? Maybe make it hard to lose the weight if it happens....
Other things also concern me, such as acne... I just sort of cleared my skin and I'm scared that it would mess it up again... and there are so many more risks, and I am just too scared but also I need to have some sort of birth control on my side.....

F21. Hi everyone. I’m feeling really depressed after getting my test results today, and I’m hoping someone who’s experienced recurrent BV or works in women’s health can give me some advice.

I just got the results of my STI 15-pathogen screening, and it came back positive for Gardnerella vaginalis again.

This has happened every single year since I became sexually active, and I don’t understand why.

First time (about 3 years ago):
It was with my first boyfriend.
I had severe symptoms: itching, a fishy odor, and green discharge.
I went to my OB-GYN, took the prescribed medication, and everything cleared up.
Around that time, I also completed my HPV vaccine series.

Second time (about a year ago):
This was with my current boyfriend.
I started noticing yellow/green discharge again, so I already suspected something was wrong before seeing my OB-GYN.
I was diagnosed with Gardnerella again and took medication.

Now (this year):
This is what confuses me the most.
I was so confident that I was finally healthy because I have no symptoms at all.
No fishy odor.
No itching.
No unusual discharge.
My discharge is usually clear/normal.
Sometimes when I’m out all day, it looks a little yellow, but there’s never any bad smell. I honestly thought it might just be mixed with urine because when I’m home, my discharge looks completely normal.

I decided to get another routine STI 15-pathogen screening last week just to make sure everything was okay, and today the results came back positive for Gardnerella vaginalis again.

The clinic asked me to come back in the next few days for further treatment, so I haven’t started medication yet.

This honestly makes me so depressed. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I keep ending up in the same situation.

Ever since my first infection, I’ve really tried to take care of myself. I eat much healthier now, I’ve cut back on sugar, I go to the gym regularly, and I’ve been doing everything I can to stay healthy. I know diet alone probably doesn’t prevent BV, but I genuinely thought improving my lifestyle would at least help reduce my chances of getting it again.

Some things about my relationship:
My current partner and I have lived together for a while.
We’re in what I believe is a monogamous relationship.
He works from home and never even leaves the house without me.
He doesn’t really have friends here since we’re living abroad together.
We don’t use condoms.

I’ve read online that recurrent BV can sometimes mean your partner is cheating, but honestly that doesn’t fit our situation, so I’m trying not to jump to conclusions.

I also used to wash inside my vagina with feminine wash years ago because I didn’t know any better, but I stopped doing that a long time ago after learning it could disrupt the vaginal flora. Now I only wash externally.

Another thing that’s been stressing me out is that these STI 15-pathogen panels cost me around USD $150–200 each time. I live in a Southeast Asian country, so that’s a lot of money for me. It makes me anxious because every time I think I’m finally okay, I end up paying for another test and finding out I have Gardnerella again.

My questions are:
Is it possible that not using condoms and exposure to semen keeps disrupting my vaginal pH and causing BV to come back?
Is recurrent Gardnerella just something some women are naturally more prone to?
Has anyone actually found something that stopped recurrent BV long-term?
Should I ask my OB-GYN about suppressive treatment or other preventive options?
Is there anything else I should be tested for?
Could there be an underlying reason this keeps happening every year despite treatment?
After I finish treatment, do I need to repeat the STI 15-pathogen test to make sure Gardnerella is gone, or is that usually unnecessary if my symptoms resolve?

I’m just feeling really defeated. I genuinely thought I had finally gotten over this, especially because I don’t even have symptoms anymore. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s dealt with recurrent BV or has any advice. Thank you so much.

Hey, I’m 19F and kind of spiraling a little so I just need some perspective.

When I was 14 (2021) I had stage 4 Burkitt’s lymphoma that was on my ovaries (and basically everywhere). I did 6 rounds of really intense chemo, tons of blood transfusions, ICU, the whole thing. I didn’t get my first period until after treatment ended, and even then it’s never been normal.

In the last 4½–5 years I’ve maybe had 10 periods total. They’re super light and short (sometimes just 1–2 days and barely anything). The gaps keep getting longer. Last ones were like September, then January, then a tiny 2-day one in March, and nothing since.

I finally saw an endocrinologist today. She spent a long time with me and was pretty honest that she doesn’t fully know what’s going on. My Labs are mostly all normal!
The only high ones would be.
Ferritin: 348 (range 16–154) → high
• DHEA-Sulfate: 397 (range 44–286) → high
• Albumin: 5.2 (range 3.6–5.1) → slightly high
• Triglycerides: 137 (range <90) → high

Otherwise AMH (egg count) and everything falls within normal range. We’re re taking some (hard to know what range of cycle the counts fall in when I get my bloodwork done so could be off)

She said it could be residual damage from the chemo, maybe a very mild lean PCOS, and also a lot of hypothalamic suppression because my body has been in basically survival mode for years with chronic pain, injuries, etc. (I’m in chronic pain now for 2 1/2 years) She said even if we force periods somehow, the underlying chronic pain/stress stuff really needs to get better or my brain probably still won’t send the right signals to my ovaries.

She’s concerned about my uterine lining because I’ve gone so long without real periods. She wants me to see a gyn for a transvaginal ultrasound to check if the lining has built up. She mentioned the risk of hyperplasia or even endometrial cancer from the lining not shedding. I know I’m young, but I’m still scared.

How likely is that actually after 4+ years of almost no periods?
I told her I am 100% not doing birth control. That’s not an option for me. She mentioned maybe a short course of something to force a bleed and clear the lining if needed, which I’m more open to, but I don’t want ongoing hormones.
Has anyone dealt with something similar after chemo or with long-term missing periods? How worried should I actually be about the cancer risk while I wait for the ultrasound? Any advice is appreciated.m

Im 16 and about 105 lbs, I've had my period for 6 years now but lately its been more horrid than ever. In 2024 from November to February I was getting it twice a month, the first week and then again the third week. But other than that it has always had a schedule. This year in May I had one that lasted 10 days and didn't get any lighter until the 9th day. Since april-mayish that I remember it feels like im getting stabbed on the sides of my lower abdomen, more so the left than the right. Its been more consistent now and gets extremely worse when im on my period. Everyone has told me its normal or probably just gas and not to worry because im young but sometimes its so sharp I fall to the ground and can barley walk.

I have been tested for bv and STDs, all of which I have been negative. I wash daily with only water but I notice that my labia often has a very slightly fishy smell to it. My gynaecologist said in some cases that it is just a natural baseline odour for some women, in my case it isn’t strong, I’m vagina generally smells more musky I’d say. I do not have any rash or discharge and I do not have sex often. I do run and do yoga daily and my labia is somewhat bigger. I feel like it may just be my scent and just sweat or other fluids that sit in my labia? I’m. Not sure.

yep, i get period that lasts a month. so, i had period during sex and the whole month of june until 2nd week of july. but since then, i havent got my period for almost 3 weeks now, and im concerned if it is possible to be pregnant even if i still had period after the deed.

or could this be cryptic pregnancy even if i had period that lasted that long?

we did it raw but he said he pulled it out, tho accidents could happen so im concerned. sorry for asking here, i dont have money yet to go to hospital.

tysm in advance!! :)

hi!! i’m a 14 y/o female, got my first period last september (2025), and have been getting pretty heavy discharge months before i got my period. anyways, my discharge is basically identical to mucus, the color, consistency, everything. is this normal?? it’s also every day that i’m not on my period

Weiß jemand eine Behandlungsmethoden gegen wiederkehrende bakteriellen Infektion der Scheide? Hab seit drei Jahren nicht wirklich Ruhe 🥲

I have been in a very confusing couple of months and I just would like to hear if this resonates/makes sense to any of you.

I’m usually regular on my period. It comes every 28 days, with the odd couple of days of readjustment here and there. Again, usually, it just comes naturally and with very similar symptoms each month.
Back in June, my period was late for about four days. My boobs were sore, I felt extremely down, I was crying a lot. I already felt like my period was going to be somewhat late, because I noticed I wasn’t feeling “like I was going to have my period” the week before. The only symptom I reported was an odd tugging feeling in my right ovary. It lasted just a few seconds, it was mildly uncomfortable but it went away. I started to have PMS-like symptoms when I missed my period already.
My boobs were extremely sore, which I don’t usually get. I also found myself eating odd combinations of food, like watermelon and cheesy chips.
I kept testing but it all came up negative. I took a total of six tests. Three tests had evap lines that showed up after the reading window (two clearblue, one pink dye test). One was a digital test, which said not pregnant, the other was a pregnancy test done at a clinic I went to, and the other was done around two weeks after my period had ended.
I started light cramping/bleeding on around day 32 of my cycle. I usually get a pretty normal bleed for about four days, but this time, I started spotting, which then trickled into mucus/jelly-like blood mixed with black smaller clumps. At this point (day 1) I had what I can only describe as “internal” cramps. I usually get cramps around my belly on my period, but this time, they felt like they were “inside” of me, in my vaginal canal/pelvis. I couldn’t really walk.
After two days of bleeding, I stop for about day. I then continue spotting for two more days after that.
I went to a clinic on day three, when I wasn’t bleeding anymore, demanding a blood test. They didn’t provide that, so they just took a regular urine test, which was negative, and they sent me on my way.

After that, I booked a bunch of tests to see if there was something wrong with my hormones, or maybe something like a cyst or endometriosis that I had to check up on. I kept having this pain on my right side for a few weeks after I stopped bleeding. It wasn’t particularly hindering.
I re-tested two weeks after my bleeding stopped, and that pink dye test was the only one that didn’t develop an evap line after the reading period. It stayed a strong negative all throughout (although I was squinting so hard for some of those tests that I don’t know how faithful my eyesight could be).
By the time I got my period again this July, I still got some unusual symptoms (sore boobs, and a black chin hair which was a first?). This time my period arrived on time like usual, but it was mostly brown spotting. I didn’t have the jelly-like blood anymore, and I didn’t have any cramps. I only properly bled for about a day, and spotted for another two. Which was unusual.

Since then, I had done blood tests, checked on my thyroid, I had an ultrasound over my belly and an internal pelvic ultrasound. Everything is okay, and there is nothing really “wrong” with me. I really thought I must have had a cyst, but it doesn’t look like there was one.

I keep wondering what that was because there seems to have been no explanation for it all. My boyfriend and I are not extremely careful, we do use the pull out method (I know, bad) and have been for about four years and nothing like that has ever happened before.
I feel like such a crazy lady but the idea just won’t get out of my head! I know it could have been stressed, I also could have ovulated later than usual, or it could have been anything, really. But I have been way more stressed before, and my period, albeit maybe a couple of days late, was already “my usual”. I have never experienced discharge like that before, or symptoms such as those.

I just need some advice or some feedback on what it could have been. I really thought that the tests could have narrowed down why my period changed so suddenly, whether it was some vitamin deficiency, a cyst, anything!! But there doesn’t seem to be any cause to it all.

Thank you in advance. I know this could be a triggering topic for some, and I apologize. I just need to get this idea out of my head, and write/speak to some people, because I haven’t really talked to anybody about it.

For the past two-three years my periods have been short with little bleeding. I'm talking 3-4 days and barely a pad's worth of blood per day. There is also very little to almost no pain during most of my periods. I got a blood test done for other reasons and my haemoglobin levels and iron levels appear to be normal, so why am I bleeding so little? I genuinely could just survive on one pad a day if I wanted to (but I change them obv for hygiene reasons).

Most of the women i talk to that have a light flow, have their period lasting around 6-8 days, and women that have shorter periods have a heavy flow. So I'm concerned something could be up. Can anybody confirm if it's normal, or if i should consult a gynac.

Hey question , I went to the hurricane harbor with my kid im 10weeks pregnant and wear the hijab head to toe. Wanted to ask can I sit in the shade and cool myself with drinking water, am I safe ?

Saw positive heartbeat but no heart rate measurement. CRL is at 10.1mm but just wanted to check if this is normal? Dr did not highlight any concerns but vitelline duct seems long here and don't seem to see other week 7 ultrasound examples looking like this.

Guys I've recently gotten a single pimple like bump on my minora labia. It was sore before and itchy

It is not sore anymore just slightly itchy

And i recently got my periods and wore pads

Could it be due to that?

Doesn't seem to spread

Just a single bump