Vagina feels engorged - and not in a Jamie Dornan way.

[TheSwallowingHandmaiden]

I'm 24 wks pregnant and have SPD (buttock area, not hips or back). Recently my vaginal area feels engorged, 'heavy' and achey. Anyone know what that's all about and how I can relieve the discomfiting sensation?

It could be a prolapse. Have you taken a look? Stick a mirror between your legs and cough!

If it looks normal it's likely it's just engorged as you say- there is waaay more blood down there than usual. Try lyi g on your side with pillows under your hips to help it back where it belongs.

I think it's normal for things to get rather "puffed up" down there. Not sure it should be uncomfortable though. Check with your midwife/GP.

Thrush?

Thanks, all. Would you believe I haven't taken a look? I asked dh last night but he said 'er...what am I looking for again?' I said, 'my car keys'.

Deffo not thrush but I'm scared of a prolapse now. I'm off to look at my vadge and that link, thanks, Pet.

I was going to suggest thrush too. I've had it recently (I'm 41+2) and the extremely swollen and heavy chuff was my only symptom. I used the tablet pessary (don't use the applicator) and the cream on the off chance that thats what it was and it cleared up virtually straight away.

Thrush made mine puff up and feel tender. Also more watery

Blimey, thanks.

Dh and I just took a look and he attests to my actual vagina (inside) looking the same as always but agrees that the right side of my vulva is very swollen, squishy and looks raw in its redness (it is entirely unpainful).

I can see that my whole pereneum, too, looks swollen. I suspect it's thrush or vulval varices, so my question is: who can confirm this for me? Can a gp make a better diagnosis than a midwife?

Thanks for advising.

Ditto Every1KnowsJeff, I had exactly the same, sat on a freezer bag of frozen peas. That worked nicely! For me it was thrush so a pessary worked too. But the peas! Such relief.

Mine is the same and I'm 36 weeks pregnant but it's been like it for weeks. No pain though so I am presuming it's just the extra pressure from the baby. X

I have the same at the moment too. Was going to try and get in to the GP tomorrow. Can it be a pharmacy job though?

You can buy the canestan from supermarkets off the shelf. Or a pharmacy. Its about £10 ish. (Dh had to get it for me at 5:30 on a saturday morning!)

Oddly enough handmaiden mine was prominently swollen on the right side too.

I just did it on the off chance figuring it would either clear it or not, I didnt bother with the gp or midwife. I figuted it wasnt going to do any harm.

Also meant to say that I thought it was varicose veins too to begin with.

Thanks again, especially for sharing, as I don't feel so very Elephant Man around my nethers now.

I've decided to go and get a good fingering from my GP tomorrow as it's been a while so that any unguents required can be prescribed for free.

I'll come back and let you know how it went. I'm very grateful to you all for your help

Do update

Imagine being Jamie Dornan, googling yourself, and stumbling upon this thread

Urgh you poor thing. Sounds like varicose veins to me... I have this delightful symptom along with SPD too.... Fanjo and vulva like a rock by the end of the day. No advice except to stay off your feet as much as possible. Don't let the GP or midwives fob you off with 'extra blood down there'. They need diagnosing and managing during labour if they're very large.
Good luck

Thanks mama, I resolutely refuse to be fobbed off in any aspect of life and especially love trampling all over health professionals who attempt it.

I wish dearly I could put my feet up but I have an 18-month-old baby

Me too (a nearly 2 yr old). There's a lot of Peppa on around here these days!

I felt like this and can only add that it went away as soon as I'd had the baby, so it's not permanent!