Vulval varicose veins :-(

[bramblina]

They are so uncomfortable and sore, and don't seem to be going. I'm only 23 weeks (no.3) and want to know is there anything I can do to help? Reduce? Will they get worse? Maybe ease? Either? Mw said wear support tights, eurghh. Will buy some asap. Have just been to the loo and suffered some constipation....taken some fybogel but am now feeling really low as it's just awful.

I don't mind moaning to people I have morning sickness, spd or whatever but I'm not telling them this! Dh is sympathetic but works away. I have 2 young dcs to entertain so am on my feet a fair amount which just makes me more aware that everything is heading south.

I had these when I was pregnant too. It was horrible, I was worried they would stay like that forever! They disappeared within a week or so of giving birth, thankfully! You have my sympathies though, they were v uncomfortable.

Me too, happy days :-D I am 27 weeks with number 2. Mine don't appear to be too bad just yet, but I feel very swollen and achy down there. I heard witch hazel on a pad or in a shallow bath helps. Worth a try anyway! Take Extra fibre, prunes, whatever helps to stop you straining, and keep legs up wherever possible (fat chance eh?)
I also think I have a small fissure or piles in my bum, am going to have to go to GP and get them to check- oh the glamour! Also have SPD pain. Basically my downstairs region is falling apart and that's before I push out another baby.

Get the support tights ASAP, and put them on as you get out of bed in the morning. I live in France and they prescribe hold-ups here. Two pairs of knickers may help too.
Try and keep your feet up as much as possible - easier said than done, I know. Be sensible about doing things like cooking, when you might spend a lot of time upright - can you chop sitting down? Put things in the oven rather than do them on the hob? Try to avoid queues - maybe talk to customer service at the supermarket before you shop to ask if you can skip the check-out queue (not sure whether this would fly in the UK or not - in France they have tils where pregnant women's can automatically skip to the front). Can you set up games for the kids that keep them in one place, eg paddling pool or drawing (or TV)?
Sleep with a pillow wedged between your legs.
I imagine that a little ice pack would be nice if you've been on your feet a lot in the heat too. or maybe a bath at the end of the day?

Oh thanks all. Feel OK today but I'm still in pjs, at the desk!

I'll take all your advice but yes as you can imagine, feet up doesn't really happen until about 10pm!!

Lauren, did yours cause any extra pain at the birth? I didn't have them last 2 times and just worry that they will pop when I push!!!

Ellen, I'm the same. Have spd too and just feel like everything is giving way....! I always suffer from lax joints too so it just makes the whole problem worse.

Thereis, thanks for all that info, will take it on board. Next time I'm in Marks and Spencer I might just announce how I feel down there and I think everybody will stand clear!!!

I feel your pain bramblina and ellen

I am 25 weeks with no. 5 and have had this delightful problem for the last couple of weeks

I have seen the GP and consultant but nobody seems to be able to offer any useful advice. I've been signed off work for the last 2 weeks as there is no way I could sit all day at my desk currently. I have found that it is just about bearable as long as I spend quite a lot of my time either laid down or sat with my feet up - although that is probably not very helpful if you need to look after other DC! Fortunately I have had quite a bit of help from my mum with the kids, as this would also be impossible for me having 4 DC already! Oh and also a nice long soak in the bath helps too!

I have been looking at the support tights on the internet. Do they definately help? They are quite expensive, and didn't want to shell out for them if they don't make much difference! I was also wondering about the whole birth thing, and whether this is going to make it much worse?! Have had 4 kids and never had this before (thankfully!)

Mine didn't cause any problems or extra pain at the birth. They definatly didn't burst! I only had one small tear that didn't need a stitch but it wasn't near the varices. Also the midwives didn't comment on them at all while I was giving birth. I thought they were pretty bad looking but I guess it's fairly normal for them. Hope you manage to keep your feet up!

Hi, haven't had the exact same problem but have just had the worst case of piles which is generally the same thing. I was prescribed tablets called Daflon...they are for varicose veins and piles. They have worked brilliantly. I'm in France so I'm not sure if they have them in UK but worth asking your doctor.

Oh god this is a depressing thread, isn't it?!?!

4kidsplus, great you've got to no.5 before suffering this!

Funny you mention the mws not commenting on them, Lauren, not quite sure what they would say but it must not look too pretty down there right now!!

Emma, what do the Daflon tablets do, how do they work?

Ha ha, yes I'm sure they are trained not to say "Oh my God! Look at the state of that!" which is what I was thinking when I got a mirror to check what they looked like!

Me too and I've got them in my legs as well .

My legs bother me more as I can't wear skirts or shorts in this hot weather and definitely should (but generally don't) wear my hideously unseasonal thick black compression tights. My vulval ones are really just swelling and sensitivity down there but not sore although they really do puff up after a poo or sex (sorry - I figure any reading this thread can tolerate this level of information).

I'm now anaemic too so on iron tablets which will apparently make me constipated so my situation down there is probably going to get worse.

Because of low blood pressure, anaemia and morning sickness, I've not really been blooming in this pregnancy....except in the vulval department .

Notinmylifetime. Thanks for the advice re Floradix. Will pick that up.

Yikes, I never heard of VV surgery and assumed they would clear up after pg but am definitely going to get my legs done while on maternity leave.

Well I have been back to the docs and they have signed me off work until I start maternity leave in 4 weeks. There is no way I could sit still all day at my desk. So anyone that is working - it is worth going to the docs if you are struggling like I am.

Notinmylife I was really hoping there would be nothing left after the birth - can you still feel it afterwards then? The only thing getting me through at the moment is that it will disappear afterwards

Misspolly fortunately I don't have any on my legs (yet?!) only on my womens bits (if you could call that fortunate?!!) Are you still able to have sex with these things? I haven't been near DH in months, and after my descriptions of this particular problem I think he is staying well away anyway . I also can't imagine how this baby is going to come out and it not hurt like hell...maybe I will be so focused on the labour pains that I won't notice...?!

I had horrid vulva varicose veins last pregnancy, they faded but I still have what looks like two blood blisters on the inside of my labia from my last pregnancy over 3 years ago. I once tried popping one, hoping it would go and I bled so badly I felt faint and had to sit down and apply pressure for 10 minutes to stop it I kept thinking how will I explain this to the paramedics, if this doesn't stop!

Note to self, do not try and investigate after pregnancy, leave it to the experts