Black spot in my labia!!
Black spot in my labia!! Hi there all, you lovely and intelligent ladies…need some input.
going for annual bc check up tomorrow - not overly concerned, except for the swelling in my breast, lymphodoema and will ask for a referral to the clinic, or nurse, if they have one,The bc centre have never mentioned it to me, even after seeing the problems with the swelling in my breast last Nov with problems.
However, 5 days ago, I felt a burning after urinating at the front of the vagina (please look away anyone who finds this a little too personal), but I need help. Thought it could be Bartholin’s abscesses which I had a few times 20 yrs ago, and gynae surgeons refused to operate on, telling me it would ruin my sex life.! That is a distant memory now. This is definitely not a Bartholin’s abscess, which was a big red abscess in the inner recesses,and only resolved when it burst with blood and puss. I have looked at it tonight and there is a half cm black spot just on the top level of the labia. Frightens me somewhat.
I had a hysterectecomy in 1991,for fibroids, long before I got bc, in 2003.but I don’t know if you can get cancer of the libia - think I read it somewhere.
Will mention it to my bc surgeon tomorrow, but guess it is not really his area of expertise.
Has anyone had these problems and any advice?
Sometimes I just despair about my health, having had Crohn’s for some 35 yrs, but am always optimistic and positive. I cannot believe I can have another cancer, but my Gp said a couple of years ago: “Liz, you were dealt a bad hand of cards in DNA when you were born, and we have to deal with it the best we can”. GREAT DOC, BUT HOW DO i COPE?
Okay, will try and bring it to the attention of my bc surgeon tomorrow and hope he can help.
Hi Lizzie I haven’t had this problem, but just wanted to give you a cyberhug for moral support. Do mention it to your bc surgeon tomorrow - even if he doesn’t think it’s linked to bc, he should be able to refer you to the right person for checking.
Try not to worry-tell surgeon tomorrow-he can either have a look or refer you to someone who can sort it for you.Last year l was referred to gynae due to problems with tamoxifen and was very sore ,bleeding despite hysterectom yrs ago-well had biopsy as told had suspisious areas on labia and other bits l dont know names off-proved totally fine-due to vaginal atrophy -old age at 47!well decided to look at offending area in magnifying mirror-my first ever peep-so didnt know what to expect lol-if it helps-only saw reddish raised areas-this is what concerned them-no black areas-hope this is a help.
Have heard of people having moles in areas like this also.
try not too worry .
sharonx
Black spot in nether regions Thanks Gandalf and Sharon for responding.
I saw my bc surgeon this afternoon for annual check-up - gosh,the consultation took less than the time to take my top clothes off. Had a bit of a poke around my neck and breasts, everything fine.
Mentioned the black spot (think it is on the vulva after looking up some basic biology on the net - can’t believe how ignorant I am about that area) and he asked me how long I was on tamoxifen - only two months, and then Onc switched me to Arimidex.I am HER2-, so Herceptin isn’t causing the problem. Sounds as if tamoxifen can cause problems down there, but don’t think so in my case. He said I should ring my GP for an appt tomorrow morning to let him have a look at it, and refer me to a gynae if necessary.
Sharon, I too got out a magnifying mirror to see what was causing the burning and pain when I go to the loo - the skin is very bright red at the top of the vulva, and right in the middle is this black spot, only about 1 cm, but enough to make me concerned. I’ll pursue this with the GP tomorrow. The Onc didn’t even want to take a look - not that I blame him.
Thanks for responding.
Liz.
Well l have this thought going thru my head now of ladies all round place who read this post causing a magnifying mirror shortage in the shops tomorrow!!! ITs awful that until we get something like this we can be so ignorant of our bodies!!! I was a private type before this now will show my bits to anyone who can reassure me!! Had thrush so many times recently and went to ask for another pessary few wks ago and just said-please give me a prescrition quick as the bloody thrushes have given birth in my bits-the practice nurse nearly wet herself!No point being too serious l say.good luck for tomorrow-let us know how you get on
sharonx
Liz had a similar- not really black- and eventually squeezed it- bit of pus-bit of pink- didn’t think it was properly cleaned out but it’s disappearing. Best wishes, dilly
Cornering the market in mirrors! Sharon, you really made me crease up with your reply - made me laugh, and think what a wonderful recipe for life is humour.
Perhaps Superdrug/Boots wil run out of mirrors tomorrow, and like Delia with her unusual ingredients, we can claim a commission!
Does remind me of the Bartholin’s abscess situations - always seemed to get them over a weekend - like a big boil just inside the vulva - only relief I could get was sitting in a warm bath trying to pop it. By the time I got to see a gynae (usually within 2-3 days as we had private medical insurance then) the darn thing had burst, and the gynae wouldn’t operate. Eventually,after at least 4 episodes, I did see my GP on a Monday morning, sent me straight to the local hospital, saw the gynae, arranged to go into a private hospital next morning. The nurse had shaved me down there (didn’t know you could have a Brazilian in those days, so it was a baldy job) and the surgeon walked in to take a look, and it burst! He was outraged that the pus and blood went all over his hand - taught him a lesson not to be so cavalier! Well, he said he couldn’t operate and sent me home, not quite with my tail between my legs, as I think I proved a point - can’t remember now what it was! Ironically, never had another one since. Still don’t know what caused them.
This current problem is quite different - the black spot is not enlarged, just kind of sits there, sending out evil vibes, and if it wasn’t for the burning on urinating, I would never have thought to look. It is painful to even wipe myself afterwards. Does look like a black mole. Funnily enough my GP (only him and a part-time female, whom I intensely dislike, in a little local practice) doesn’t like dealing with “women’s wet problems” as my local nurse once told me, but perhaps he will have to take a look tomorrow. One of the advantages (and there aren’t too many!) of living in an isolated place in Cornwall is that I can get an appt the day I ring up. Perhaps the bottle of whisky for him, and chocolates to all the receptionists at Christmas makes a difference. Knowing him, he will probably send me straight off to a gynae rather than even take a look. He spends most of the session talking about his two sons.
Thanks Dilly for your response - don’t think this black thing is poppable and I hesitate to get my hands right up there in case I do some damage.
Will let you know how I get on.
Frightened myself silly this morning looking up “vulva problems” on the net, so shall go and watch a nice movie with hubby.
Love to all,
Liz.
This just gets worse! Hi - just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, found some blood on the loo paper this morning after a wee - yes, a Bartholin’s abscess had burst - no wonder it was painful down there. Black spot has gotten larger - whew, in only a few days and I am really stressed out. Can’t think the two problems are related as I never got black spots when I had Bartholin’s abscesses before.
Got onto the internet again and found some interesting facts - vulval cancer can be caused by breast cancer (new one on me), and steroids and immuno-suppressant drugs. Just my luck that I have taken steroids (prednisone and prednisolone) for 30 years for Crohn’s, and methotrexate for some 6 years, with a break for FEC chemo, but was on another steroid, dexamethasone, daily for the 4 months of chemo to try and alleviate the faecal incontinence - I won’t even go there! If you thought talking to family and friends about bc was bad enough, Crohn’s is a hundred times worse - few people have heard of it, and once I explain it is an auto-immune disease that affects the intestines, their faces go blank and they certainly don’t want to know the details. It I feel as if I have the bubonic plague at times.
What is it about one’s DNA? I seem to get some unusual health problems, like Mondor’s disease after bc dx; leishmaniasis when I lived in Spain, from an abandoned dog I fed who had the canine variety Leishmaniosis and a rare skin condition called Erysipelas, twice, which I nearly died from, etc.
I feel I am dropping into a black well of despair. I would just like to wake up one bright sunny morning with no health problems and enjoy my life - which would be wonderful if I didn’t have medical problems. Sometimes I don’t even want to wake up.
Sorry to do a rant - just feels good to share my problems with people who understand and care.
Earliest appt I can get with my GP is Friday, but must concentrate on tomorrow when I go with my husband to see a vascular surgeon about his numb and blue feet and inability to walk. Hubby is very sympathetic and caring, but he has enough problems of his own, so I don’t like to burden him with mine. I do tell him of my symptoms, but he doesn’t have much to say - like most men. I do know he is as worried as I am.
Just a thought - does anyone have any idea what a black mole like spot at the top of the vulva can be caused by? Only other thought is that I had a number of blood transfusions for Crohn’s problems, and wonder if I have HIV? HIV can cause vulvar problems. Blood was not tested for HIV when I had the transfusions. Just grasping at straws now.
Off to bed with a silly book to try and calm down.
Liz.
You are having a scary time at the moment-shall l bring my gun round-was planning on using on myself after my down below problem- described by nurse yesterday as like a piece of raw bleeding beef!!!
Have since decided to become a veggie!!! However after 3 lots cream its easier so could loan gun to you.
You have to STOP looking on net etc as you will just terrify yourself-or thats what l do-and its easy to fit your symptoms to the dignosis when you are worried which will make things so much worse.
thinking of you-will be away visiting my daughter in North Wales from tomorrow to tues so good luck and l will check how you are doing when l get back.
take care-and stop looking !!
love sharon xx
Hi Sharon
thanks so much for your response - seeing the GP tomorrow - black lump still there! Worried it was my imagination, but the mirror does not lie!
Had a long day at the hospital today with my lovely hubby - vascular surgeon is now going to do a CT scan on his pelvic region in case there is a blocked or narrowed artery. Said he just needs to rule it out and is referring him to a neurologist. If it is a neurology problem he said there is very little they can do. Gosh, sometimes you want to just give up, but I an the eternal optimist
Hope you have a wonderful weekend with your daughter.Will check in next week.
Liz.
Panic over Thought I would just update you after GP’s visit today. As I expected he doesn’t care for “women’s wet problems” and handed me over to the practice nurse with the excuse that she has better lighting in her room! Turned out it was black dried blood which the nurse swabbed off. She said the whole area is very inflamed and got the doc to give me a prescription for hydro cortisone cream. No idea where it came from, but she had a feel and said there is no underlying lump. Feeling very relieved, just got to keep an eye on it.
Thanks to all who responded in my moments of panic.
Liz.
great news So pleased you have sorted out your bits and all is well!must be such a relief for you.Its amazing the fear we can put ourselves through. Hope your husband is doing ok.It never rains does it.take care.
hugs sharon x
Put the mirror away now, what are we like???
I remember using the mirror but that was for piles and i am not going into that i immediately thought i had cancer i always was a panicker then i got the bloomin thing huh!!!
Hope it sorts itself out.
Worried me about tamoxifen and all the side affects.
Ruthx