Help please - personal problem (thrush/bv/UTI)

[wishingwell6]

Name changed for privacy reasons. Not a troll or a new member, I’m an existing poster. I don’t know if this is a UTI, thrush, BV or any or all of the above. It started about 6 weeks ago after sex (it’s not an STD, I know that for absolutely sure) with UTI symptoms (burning pain + always feeling like I need to go to the toilet again, even straight after just going) however I was working and couldn’t get a doctors appointment or phone call. I just hoped it would go away in its own as when I googled it, it said a lot of UTIs are self resolving. A few days later I started getting a lot of discharge down there (usually white or clear but sometimes mixed with blood, but it wasn’t my period) and it’s just not gotten better since then. I just kept hoping it would self resolve, whatever it was, and I used tampons or pads for the discharge and bleeding. I can’t get a doctors appointment as no routine appointments at the moment besides work makes it difficult to take a call as it’s not at a fixed time like an appointment. I have no idea at this point if it’s thrush, bv, or anything else as it seems to match some of the symptoms for everything. (Sorry)it’s hard to explain without being disgusting but sometimes the discharge is yellow or white or clear, almost like mucus, and then other times it’s like water and I’m not sure if it’s actually urine. I had to change clothes 3 times today as it was obvious through my work trousers and I don’t want to keep using tampons in case it’s an bacterial infection and there’s all the horror stories about TCC etc. I have no idea what it could be as it matches some symptoms of UTIs but then other symptoms of thrush and BV but then it doesn’t match some of the other symptoms, is it possible it could be all of them at the same time? I’ve tried canniston and pharmacy treatments already and as I said before I’m scared to keep using tampons when I’m not actually on my period, but I can’t have a situation like today happen everyday. At this point I would usually get a GP appointment but that’s not possible now because the appointments are only allocated for serious things atm and besides I can’t take a phone call during the day at work. I’m worried and embarrassed and have no idea what to do or what treatments to try if canniston didn’t work. The burning/constant need to wee is gone and it’s not itchy or painful anymore, it’s just the other symptoms that won’t go away and I’m worried sick about going to work tomorrow in case it happens again as badly as it did today.

That is a horrifically long worded block of text sorry I should have reread it all before posting

Consider this a serious thing and book a GP appointment.
Are there any walk-in GUM clinics in your area? They can test for common STIs and advise also.
You have the right to get this looked into.

I’m a bit confused because if you know for sure it’s not an STI then you must already have been seen by a medic and had some tests - did they not follow up when it was all negative, to help work out the problem?

If for some reason your GP isn’t helping now (and this sounds like something which would certainly warrant an appointment) then get yourself to a GUM clinic. Something is clearly pretty wrong if you are bleeding between periods and leaking fluid through clothes. Bleeding between periods can be a sign of bigger problems so I think your doctor will take this seriously.

Please stop using tampons outside your period too - you’re right that this isn’t a good idea.

Good luck getting to the bottom of it - but make sure you get someone to see you sooner rather than later. It’s clearly not clearing upon its own.

If you're having to change your clothes that often, it's serious enough to get a GP appt.

Have you done a pregnancy test? I remember right before I got my BFP I had UTI symptoms & a dot of bright pink in watery discharge. Then I had quite a bit of discharge for the first few weeks after that.

Bleeding between periods alone is serious and needs seeing to. Book an emergency appointment with the GP and take the day off of work if necessary.

I assume you know it’s not an STI because of no change in partner/no sex but some things can lay dormant for a long time (including Chlamydia which can present in some weird ways) so I wouldn’t discount an STI out of hand. As such if you can get into a GUM clinic before a GP appointment then do that.

Good luck!

sorry I know I explained it really badly, I just didn’t want to be too open about the whole sex thing in case it wasn’t appropriate
When I said in my OP that this started after sex it was after masturbation, that’s the only reason I know it’s definitely not an STD or pregnancy. I’ve done it a couple of times before and i didn’t get any symptoms like this previously. I don’t know if I’ve caused an infection or injured myself but I shower twice a day and I don’t think I injured myself as there wasn’t any pain or blood at the time, I only noticed something wasn’t right the day after and this is when the symptoms started. I don’t have any close female family members I could ask for advice and it’s too embarrassing to ask my friends about

I’m 23 and I’ve been single for a few years and definitely haven’t picked up an STD ever in the past

Sorry I hope this wasn’t a drip feed, I just didn’t want to be too graphical or personal in case it was inappropriate

I hadn’t actually thought of a sexual health clinic but that’s a good idea thanks. Are they able to diagnose non STD things like thrush or BV or UTIs too?

The blood is on and off but it’s never that much really, it’s occasionally mixed with the discharge but usually it’s spotting when I wipe after weeing and that happens maybe 1/2 times a week.
Usually the discharge is like clear or yellow mucus or it’s white. Sometimes it’s more like urine (it definitely isnt) it’s just more like a watery discharge but whatever it was it was enough to go through my work trousers 3 times today and while it’s stopped tonight I’m worried sick about work tomorrow in case it happens again

yeah I was worried about using a tampon outside my period, I’ve read horror stories in magazines about TSS and I know it’s rare but I didn’t want to risk it especially when I’m unsure if I have BV

Being a girl is rubbish sometimes

I hadn’t actually thought of a sexual health clinic but that’s a good idea thanks. Are they able to diagnose non STD things like thrush or BV or UTIs too?

Yes.

Sexual health clinics are great, they solved a case of thrush I had that wouldn't get lost despite GP treatment!
They can swab, send off samples etc and sometimes there's a drop in clinic too and usually much easier to get an appointment than the GP

Hi you can buy tests from boots or other pharmacies to tell the difference between thrush or bv, it’s just a strip that you put up there to measure the ph. Then you can at least try and treat the right one with pessarys from the pharmacy. Hope that helps if you really can’t get to the gp.

Ah sorry you are having a rough time OP.

Can you wear a pad/panty liner in work to help with the discharge rather than a tampon just for a short term fox till you get to the GUM clinic?

They can test for everything including BV and Thrush alongside STI's.

It is absolutely possible to give yourself a UTI through sex and masturbation, even if done so during/right after a shower etc. All it takes is for bacteria making it in to your urethra, and everything down there is pretty close together. Google honeymoon cystitis, it made so much sense to me as i've had it a few times. Weeing immediately after can help with prevention as the urine stream will hopefully clear any bacteria out of the urethra before it gets to the bladder to cause an infection.
UTI's can clear by themselves, but a 3 day course of nitrofurantoin or trimethoprim is probably a good idea, as you're still having symptoms that aren't typical for you, and you don't want to risk letting an infection get to your kidneys. Also, while the typical signs (burning, frequent need, urgency etc) have passed, it doesn't mean an infection isn't still present.

I'd honestly advise calling 111, which is open 24/7, in the evening after work and talking to an out of hours doctor, they could prescribe either of the above antibiotics for you.
You might also want to look into something called D manose, its a supplement many frequent UTI suffers claim to have been really helpful in reducing frequency of UTI's, i've tried it myself and im not sure if it is just a placebo effect or not, but it does possibly help.

Also, some chemists can prescribe for UTI's, so if you have one on your way to/close to work, you could maybe pop in on a lunch break, at the very least they will be able to provide advice.

All the replies have been so helpful. The same thing happened again today at work unfortunately and I honestly don’t know if it was urine or discharge so I decided enough is enough and I went to the pharmacy after work and got an oral thrush treatment which will hopefully help. Thank you all for the information and helpful advice!

Very liquid discharge is not a symptom of thrush. Please go to a GUM clinic.

If you use pads or liners before you get to a clinic or GP, make ultra certain that they aren't scented in any way - they'll make it worse.

I had similarish problems that went on for about five months last year, and was referred to a community gynaecology service - but fortunately a very good GP practice & no problems getting appointments. Antibiotics sorted it in the end - but at one stage GP was talking about oncology services, so do keep pushing to get seen.

& if its a sudden rush of watery discharge, try incontinence pads or liners rather than ones for periods. The Tena ones described as 'for sensitive skin' are unscented.

I had this same story each 3 times I was prh I know you said it at not be that but have you at all had any sex within a 4-8 week period. I would be taking a test to be sure. Masturbation during early pregnancy can cause this as the cervical mucas is thinner and there's a shit ton more of it. I would 100% be testing anyway

@wishingwell6

All the replies have been so helpful. The same thing happened again today at work unfortunately and I honestly don’t know if it was urine or discharge so I decided enough is enough and I went to the pharmacy after work and got an oral thrush treatment which will hopefully help. Thank you all for the information and helpful advice!

If the replies have been helpful, why on earth haven’t you followed their advice and gone to see a medic? None of your symptoms match a thrush diagnosis. You need someone to examine you and investigate. Either a GP or preferably a GUM clinic.

FFS, you're really risking your health here. See a bloody doctor!

If it's so seriously its causing you to wee yourself, you need urgent treatment. Phone your GP, say its urgent and you want to speak to someone today, however you clearly need to be seen for a pelvic examination.

Tell your work you have an urgent GP phone call that you have to take or take a day off.

Martyring yourself could make a wholly treatable condition into something much more serious.

OP it doesn't sound like a UTI and I echo everyone else regarding going to GUM. However for the future you don't need a doctors appointment for a UTI, you should be able to drop a urine sample in at reception who will normally get the practice nurse to dip it, if there's an infection they will send a prescription to the pharmacy without seeing you.