Okay, so I went swimming in a river twice over the summer, and both time I've felt like I've had bacteria down there right after. The first time, I took monistat for a yeast infection, but it never really went away.

Now, (2 months later) I've had painful urination. And last week, I randomly bled, like it was part of a period, but I'm on birth control and never have periods. I was looking it up online, and it looks like it could be gonorrhea, but I haven't been unsafe with sex. Could this be a stubborn uti? I've been assuming that this is a UTI for a few weeks now.

Luckily I have a doctors appointment next week, but I wanted to see what answers I'd get here first.

Most rivers are hot beds of bacteria growth, especially in the summer. There is so much effluent discharge into our river systems that I would never recommend going swimming in any of them anymore.

The most common problem that patients present with is "swimmers ear" because the bacteria laden water gets caught in the warm, damp confines of the ear canal and go crazy. a vagina is much the same environment, as is a urethra.

Without lab work, it's a guess, but I'd venture that you have a common bacterial infection of any one of several strains. Staph has been detected on several California beaches and is becoming endemic near our water ways. hopefully your problem is nothing as difficult to treat as staph. Usually a week or two of an inexpensive antibiotic will take care of your condition.

If you swim in that river again, shower as soon as possible, and put a few drops of a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and apple cider in your ears. The alcohol breaks the surface tension of the water, allowing it to drain out, and kills germs. The apple cider buffers the PH of the alcohol so it doesn't burn when you use it. Wash the other places on your body as best you can. You can only do so much in that area.

Meanwhile, try not to worry about this. It is very common and generally very easily cleared up. You can't quit having fun just because of a few germs now and then!