Heavy feeling in vagina during period

[Rollypollygoo]

I have 3 DC. The youngest is 18months old. I've noticed during my last 2 or 3 periods that I'm feeling a "heavy" sensation in my vagina when I'm standing up at the end of the day. I'm exhausted this month and have also been under a great deal of stress. No sex so it's not that. I'm wondering how normal this is.

The sensation has been troublesome enough for me to have to sit down sooner than I would normally (in the evenings) and this month is much worse than the previous. It's not bad enough for me to describe it as painful. More "uncomfortable" and it's starting to interfere in my normal routine at the end of the day.
Dr Google says it's fibroids. My mum had a long history of fibroids. I worried I had a prolapse after the birth of DC1 7 years ago but have been reassured that wasn't the case. I'm due a smear test but Covid keeps delaying this.

It's quite common to feel bruised and heavy down there as it all swells up with the hormones. I find this on the first two days of my period. It's almost like being saddle sore

I sometimes get this too OP. Havent looked into though..

Sounds like prolapse potentially as that’s how mine feels too. It’s very common and you have had 3 dc so even if you didn’t have a prolapse after the first one it doesn’t mean you couldn’t have one now. Have you had a feel with your fingers to see if you can feel a bulge at all? I don’t know anything about fibroids though I’m afraid. If it IS a prolapse you can have physio to help.

I've booked in my smear test so will have answers soon enough.
Thank you for replying.

I get this - also since having three kids. I don’t have a prolapse but do have a slight rectocele (think it’s called that - wall of poo passage a bit weak and bulges sometimes)
I have one or two days where I hate standing for too long during my period. Think it’s very normal from conversations with other mothers

It could be pain from veins in this area as the hormones / increased blood flow during your period / pregnancy can cause this. You can get vulval varicose veins ( you can’t always see them) and there is a major vein that runs from the top, right down your right leg. (I’m no medical expert as you can tell!)

It’s just I suffered from this when pregnant (I was one of the unlucky ones) but now find on the first few days of my period I get this constant heavy achy feeling that gets worse as you described. Can be very uncomfortable. Some months worse than others. I spoke to the doctor and she agreed it was due to the veins in this area. Try resting and raising your pelvis and legs higher than the rest of your body and see if it helps. She suggested using something to cool the area too.

@twolittleboysonetiredmum a rectocele is a prolapse! Not trying to be picky but just letting you know. I have a rectocele and cystocele. There are different types of prolapse and a rectocele is one of them. There’s also a huge variation in how bad it can be, from very mild to quite severe. Obviously they can get worse over time though so worth reading up on ways to improve it / prevent worsening.

I get this but I hadn’t really looked into it. I thought it was normal tbh, it’s only for a small bit of my period. I’m worried there is something wrong now. I don’t think I have a prolapse but could be something going on inside I guess.

Would they notice and mention things like that when you had a smear?

I get this on the first few days of my period since having children I thought it was normal and nothing to worry about!

Don’t worry NC866 I know it is - I explained myself badly! It’s very mild so the doctor said it wasn’t really one and described it as a slight one. So I don’t view it as one if that makes sense. Maybe I should 🤔

OP if you’re worried I’d go but it is a fairly normal sensation amongst my female friends. Periods just seem to be crapper since having kids really! But it’s only a day or two for me then gone and I manage it by trying to sit down at work more and taking it easy that day