Embarrassing...Varicose Vulva.

[0FrillyKnickers0]

Feeling low and crappy so please don't be disgusted, or if you are then don't tell me!

I think I've got varicose vulva...basically varicose veins in my vulva. It hurts when I sit on the loo for too long and that area is generally swollen and heavy.

Has anyone else had this? If so, is there anything I can do to help it? Or do I need to worry?

Thanks.
28 weeks

Yes I have had it with both pregnancies. My right leg was badly affected too. Nothing can be done sadly as all the therapies will harm the foetus. If your legs are affected then you can ask for a referral to get support tights - involves a trip to the hospital and they provide special ones that adjust to accommodate your bump. I wish I had known that first time around as I spent a fortune on very uncomfortable support tights that I had to cut to get my huge stomach into and then they kept falling down. Try to elevate your legs whenever you can as this eases the pressure and sleep on your left side as it is the weight of the baby on the ovarian vein that causes the problem. The good news is that after the birth you will probably go back to how you were. Mine were really bad (the London specialist tactfully told me he hadn't seen any that bad in 30 years - he may as well have yelled Freak and called all his mates in for a laugh) and unfortunately I still have them but I am in a minority. They get worse as the pregnancy progresses and with subsequent pregnancies. There are possible implications for the delivery depending on how much they progress, however I managed an assisted birth with episiotomy and a natural birth with tearing (both over 9lb babies) and none of them burst. I think that the hospital needs to be aware of them before you go into labour as they need to ensure that there would be appropriate emergency care should things go wrong. I am not trying to scare you, I wish I had all the info and someone to talk to when I went through it, but had no-one. Some people find that wearing big knickers and a thick pad helps to apply pressure on the area and lessen the swelling, I just found it irritated mine. There is a device called a V-brace available but it looks like a load of nonsense. I hope this helps.

Thanks Code. It doesn't sound like its going to harm the baby from what you said, so I am less worried!!

Just been super tired and everything seems unbearable/scary then!

I would say at the worst it is unsexy and uncomfortable. It doesn't harm you and it definitely doesn't harm the baby. I was terrified when mine popped out one morning, I had absolutely no idea what it was and neither did the doctor initially - was diagnosed with an allergy/inflammation! At least you have been spared that. As with all things pregnancy and child rearing - you only hear the half of it from friends and family, and this is one thing no-one talks about so you feel like the only one. You aren't. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy and I hope you are able to enjoy what is left of it.

My sympathies.
You could try putting a damp sanitary towel in the freezer and apply when it throbs.
Lie on floor and put legs on a chair/seat?Don't know how easy it would be but idea is that it helps ease the congestion.
Don't have hot baths or showers as heat causes veins to swell:)