Question
I have a question about side effects and just started treatment?
19 May 2013. Related: All topics, Side effects.
I just started Odimune last night, when I wake up during night I was feeling dizzely and my vagina outside lips burning. vagina lips are still burning, I only have this problem just have after taking Odimune.
Answer
We get lots of questions similar to this.
In general, if you have any symptoms this is something to talk to your doctor about.
i-Base can provide information but we can’t diagnose symptoms.
Although some symptoms can be side effects, sometimes they are related to other things.
Odimune includes an ARV called efavirenz, and this can make you more anxious and worried. This link has more information on efavirenz:
https://i-base.info/guides/side/cns-side-effects
No ARVs have side effects that include vagina pain so this sounds like something to ask your doctor about.
Links to other common side effects questions are here:
https://i-base.info/guides/side
Hi Crystal, as mentioned in the main stem as we are not doctors we cannot determine the cause of your symptoms.
There is currently no evidence that supports the link between PrEP and vaginal pain. It is not recognised as a side effect.
If you are thinking PrEP is the cause are you able to stop and use other methods to prevent HIV transmission e.g., condom?
You can then continue to report this side effect to your doctor/health clinic to help prompt investigation.
There is most definitely a link between some woman and prep. This is my second time taking prep and my entire vagina and anus are on fire . Like someone stuck a Serrano up my vagina and rubbed the seeds all over my lips . It’s horrible . My doctor suggested I keep taking it to see if it goes away .
Hi Trudy, when did this itching/burning first start? and this an experience you have felt before?
This symptom is not associated with PrEP. What is the name of the drug you have taken?
Have you noticed any other symptoms e.g., fever, white tongue, vaginal discharge etc…?
If the burning continues please speak with your doctor and they can manage these symptoms. If you find that after stopping PrEP the symptoms resolve, you can also report this to your doctor to have it identified as a potential side effect.
Hi I started prep yesterday and I’m 3 months pragnant. Now my private part it itching and burning.
Hi Queenie, thanks but this is something for a doctor or clinic.
I’m having the same problem what do I do to stop this burning? I even went to the hospital they said there is nothing they can do about the burning it’s horrible please help.
Hi Nolwazi, please speak to your doctor/pharmacist. As this pain is preventing you from sitting this needs to be medically managed and treated appropriately.
I used prep yesterday and my virginia is on fire. I’m dying even now feels like there’s chillies down there and inner thighs. What can I do. The pain is too much, I can’t even sit
Hi Pamela, though there have been other women also recording that they experience vaginal pain, there still remains no proven link between PrEP and vaginal pain. Currently this remains only a correlation and no cause and effect has been seen. For this reason PrEP is still not considered a cause for vaginal pain.
Vaginal pain is not an uncommon symptom and there can be other shared traits you have with the other women experiencing this pain. The type of sex you are having before noticing this pain, age and possible infections. Have you noticed any other symptoms e.g., rashes, fevers or urinary problems?
Hi, I’m a healthy 54 year old married woman who started Prep (Truvada) so my husband and I could go to a sex party (using condoms) and I would have a reduced risk of contracting HIV. The first time I started (about a month ago) I experience an intense burning sensation in my entire vagina up to my uterus — felt like my entire vaginal canal was on fire. At the time my husband I and thought this was actually an effect from using a vibrator too much the night before. I continued on the Truvada for and the sensation went away after 3 days. I discontinued the Truvada after the sex party.
Yesterday we decided to try a sex party again (weeks in the future), so I restarted the Truvada (took it at approximately 1 am). The next day (today) by 7 am, my entire vagina again feels like it’s on fire. Very painful. There are no extenuating circumstances this time — no sex toy play in the days prior, nothing. This is very clearly a side effect of the Truvada. I will have to discontinue. The pain is bad.
I see on this forum many similar comments, but the response keeps coming back that this is not a side effect of Truvada. Seems to me that it clearly is, albeit perhaps rare.
Thoughts?