What is causing the soreness down there?

[youandyou]

I had a baby 18 months ago and it was a nasty birth, ventouse, lots of painful stitches and I did have to wear pads for a while even after bleeding stopped because my pelvic floor was a bit temperamental for a few months but after physio I managed to build the muscle back up.
However I had what I thought was contact dermatitis from the constant pads which made sense but even months after I stopped wearing them I am still red raw,
itchy and swollen.
It seems to be sorest where the stitches were and they took a long time to heal.
I’m also 42 and worried it’s the peri itch? I am using YES gel.
I have tried various itch relief creams and nothing helps.
It’s keeping me awake at night, first the itch then the sore and stinging from scratching.
I know not to scratch but it’s such a sudden sharp stingy itch that it’s a reflex to scratch because it’s not something you can ignore and I itch it my sleep.

Theres no unusual discharge and no smells it’s just so swollen and red all around.
I just don’t understand why if it was the pads, it’s still so swollen after all this time and has got worse in the last few days I can barely sit down and need paracetamol to get by, I feel like ripping my trousers off because it hurts to walk which feels like sharp prickles rubbing.
Sorry for the graphic details but if anyone has experienced this before or knows what it is please let me know as all the things I’ve googled don’t quite fit the criteria such as no smelly or unusual discharge and it doesn’t affect the vagina just the inside of the outer lips, labia and clit is all swollen.

That sounds really awful. Definitely go back to the doctors and hopefully get a hospital referral! I clicked the thread as I thought it might be something I'd had, but mine wasn't after childbirth - one unlikely-to-harm-thing is to stop using any bubble bath type products and switch instead to Oilatum, which will just soften and soothe the skin. You might well need more than that but I found it helped. If it IS peri related then prescription oestrogen cream should sort it out.
Hope you get better soon 💐

Sorry you are feeling so sore. It could be lichen sclerosis. Have a google and see what you think. You need a very strong steroid to stop the itch. In the meantime try sudocrem as it can be soothing. Definitely go and see your GP.

Sudocrem is my go to for soreness "down there" which can result from IBS flare up (diarrhea or constipation) as the skin in that area is very sensitive. Its important to keep it scrupulously clean and dry which may involve having several "bum showers" a day and then applying the cream.

Thank you I have been using sudo cream but it’s not helped and E45 itch relief but again nothing, I tried Eurex and nearly screamed as it stung to apply.
I haven’t seen a doctor yet because the physio just said it was common with pads especially after prolonged use so I haven’t used them for over 6 months and it is worsening so I don’t even know if it was that.
Even people are noticing I’m in pain, walking, sitting uncomfortably.
It’s so awkward to hide that it hurts and I’ve been married over 10 years so I don’t think it’s a sexually transmitted infection.
Although saying that I did have abnormal cells with the presence of HPV which was treated by laser over 10 years ago now but never showed symptoms.
The only other thing I can think is I had strep b (gbs) with my first child, I wasn’t tested with this pregnancy because treatment was automatic following that but I’ve never had any symptoms and didn’t think there were any.

I just don’t feel I’ve been quite the same after this birth, lots of mild uti that go after a paracetamol so don’t actually need treatment, bladder issues which are now resolved but I still need to go often and very little but that could be because of the swelling, although I can hold it.

Hair loss on my arms and legs since the birth although my head hair has stopped shredding now but I put that down to losing the baby weight quite quickly and natural telogen evfluffian after pregnancy.
Also very heavy periods that seem to only last a couple of days instead of my previous week of lighter periods.