posted
I just discovered I have what's called a septate hymen. Basically, there is a strip of skin covering my vaginal opening, basically dividing it into two small openings. I can't put more than one finger in my vagina, and while I'm okay putting in a tampon, I can have a hard time removing one. (It HURTS sometimes!) I am just wondering, what can I do about this? Is there anything I can do to get rid of it? I'm queer so I probably won't have sexual intercourse, so it's not like I can just wait for that to break it. (I'm guessing that would hurt quite a bit, too.)
Also... this is weird, but - besides the deformed hymen, I was also born with a bladder malformation which had to be corrected with surgery, and severe kidney reflux which was also corrected with surgery. Do you think I might have some kind of syndrome which causes genitourinary malformations? Do you think I might have more which haven't been detected? (I'm just wondering - it's kind of a weird coincidence I think.)
Edited: Oh yeah, I remeber hearing that when they were doing the bladder/kidney surgery (I was 2 years old at the time) they found that I also had - get this - a third ureter! (The tubes that connect your kidneys to your bladder). So I am definetly starting to think that it's all connected.
posted
Gynecologists perform minor hymenal incisions during routine office visits; all that would be involved is quickly snipping the hymen band with surgical scissors. It sounds painful, but usually isn't; the hymen itself has no nerve endings, just the skin it's attached to.
I'd say with your history of genital problems, it's probably high time to see a GYN anyway, especially if you've begun menstruating. He/she can give you a full physical exam and tell you if they see anything abnormal. Posts: 4636 | From: USA/Northern Europe | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
You aren't alone! I have the same thing. Not the bladder stuff but the septate hymen. The difference with me is that I can't even get a tampon in, so in my almost 7 years of having periods..I've never used one...
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... aaand this is exactly why we advise a full gynecologist exam prior to becoming sexually active. If young women go yearly starting with their first period, issues such as these would get taken care of pretty easily.
So, if it bothers you in any significant way (wanting to use tampons/have intercourse but can't) you have but to go in for a checkup. Posts: 4636 | From: USA/Northern Europe | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Hey, hun. I had a septate hymen too. It was several millimeters thick, so it COULD NOT be broken by ordinary means. I'm bi myself, and even smaller female fingers were kind of a tight fit. I couldn't use dildos at all, and obviously no penetrative sex with guys. It was a real pain.
I explained to my gyno, and the solution was very simple. A quick snip.
Sounds painful, but it's really not. I gave it a few days to heal, and then it was rock-and-roll time!
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One question - if I got that procedure, would my parents have to know? Cause my parents are flamingly conservative and it would be waaayyy awkward if it was like "I'm going to get my hymen snipped so I can have sex!"
Posts: 12 | From: Toronto | Registered: Oct 2007
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Hymen incisions are painlessly and uneventfully done in a simple office visit/yearly pap smear, often so the doctor can do a full pelvic exam. Posts: 4636 | From: USA/Northern Europe | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by SoupChef: Edited: Oh yeah, I remeber hearing that when they were doing the bladder/kidney surgery (I was 2 years old at the time) they found that I also had - get this - a third ureter! (The tubes that connect your kidneys to your bladder).
Oddly enough, my mom also has a third ureter. Her mother has an extra kidney (talk about weird). So we're pretty sure it's some familial deformation or something. It hasn't caused any problems for either of them though.
-------------------- Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.--Monty Python and the Holy Grail Posts: 2726 | From: North America | Registered: Apr 2007
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