For those with vulval varicosities...

[crikeybadger]

(Everyone else may like to avert their eyes)

Ok, so having just read some of the 'Things I'm not going to miss about being pregnant thread, I know some of you are fellow sufferers of the dreaded vulval varicosities.

I'm already wearing compression stockings for terrible veins in legs, but wondered what else can be done to relieve the VV's.

Anyone got any good tips? I had read that piles cream works well on them, or how about some sort of support belt for down there?

All suggestions gratefully received.

Bumping

hi crikeybadger im gutted no one suggested anything as it's dc3 for me and im only 14 wks and already suffering from my "usual" VV but in a place that im not sure anyone has ever had?! sorry for this but mine is right on the side of my lady bit so at the end of the day when i'd walked a lot, i can barely move as it's just hurting so much with every step and feel the blood just pumping in there :(. spoke to mw before as i suffered from this during my second preg but only around the end so really don't understand why so early???

Thanks for the reply.
I think everything just happens so much earlier the more pregnancies you have. I know exactly what you mean though, by the end of the day I feel like everything is about to drop out from down there!

I have read that you can put piles cream on them and the GP I asked said that it may help soothe them but won't reduce the swelling. She did say that it should go away after delivery thank goodness. I've also heard that wearing a maternity pad can provide some extra support.

Hope yours doesn't get much worse.

Thanks Darcy- I have seen a sort of 'underwear cradle' but my mw didn't think it would do much as it's the internal pressure from the baby's head that causes them apparently. It might make things a bit more comfortable though, VPL and all.

thanks for that ladies. i was told by my midwife there is no much i can do about it it's just a pain that it started so early on this time. don't know how im going to cope running around 2 toddlers like that. it is true that it goes away straight after birth so i guess until then it's the seriouis VPL

An ice pack and elevation can relieve the discomfort, and apparently resting with your hips above the level your heart will help to make sure it doesn't get worse... but I didn't find any silver bullet other than delivery

My MW said a support band/belt thing might help take some of the weight off your pelvis. Also suggested a few drops of witch hazel on a panty liner. But then she also said there's nothing that really helps all that much......

Someone suggested keeping the panty liners in the freezer, but I'm not convinced. Tight undies probably a good thing if possible. Sympathy to everyone x

at the thought of putting panty liners in the freezer- just need to make sure they don't get muddled up with the pitta bread!

thanks for that. the thing is its even difficult to find tight pants as even if they are tight when u put them on in about half an hr they roll down. the only kind of thing i can imagine would help, is something that keeps your pants being pulled up and tight. anyway it only gets bad by around 3-4 pm by then we r usually at home so can sit down. must look very silly limping as i havent even told people im pregnant keeping the pantyliner in the freezer sounds good tho

I used to wear a huge sanitary towel which helped to support eberything down there and would spend every evening sat on a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a teatowel. Aloe Vera (I think?) gel kept in the fridge and put on the pad helped too.
God - I don't envy you - they were the bain of last pregnancy