Help needed tonight for my poor mangled nethers!

[MangledNethers]

I had a hysteroscopy under general anaesthetic today to get biopsies for possible endometrial cancer. I’ve had previous conscious attempts to get a Pipelle biopsy but they can’t get in because I’ve had an ablation in the past.

I’m in agony this evening every time I have a wee, as whatever elephantine speculum they used to get in there has ripped my vulva to shreds by stretching it - all my skin down there is very delicate despite being on HRT and breaks at the drop of a hat, even from wearing pads, which I’ve had to do recently because of this unexpected bleeding.

Anyway, the agony. I have ordered some of the good barrier cream which the nurse gave me a couple of years ago when she tore me doing my smear test, but that won’t be here until, realistically, tomorrow afternoon.

WHAT THE HELL DO I DO UNTIL THEN?

I’ve just had a warm salt bath which made me cry. I am in complete agony weeing, and the massive pads I am having to wear for the bleeding are just making it worse.

Please, wise women, hit me with any and all ideas you have, preferably from experience so you can vouch for them. I am knackered from the GA this morning so too much experimentation is out. DH isn’t supposed to leave me for 24 hours, but could probably do so in the morning - our nearest late pharmacy isn’t really late and is already closed tonight. Obvs am drinking as much as I can stomach to keep my wee dilute, but that doesn’t even seem to be helping!

Thanks, I will try this as have v heavy periods x

I use organic pads for this reason - no nasty chemicals....along with a moon cup (as have heavy periods)

I live in the US, and my Ob/Gyn recommended Aquaphor rather than Vaseline. It looks just like Vaseline, and I seem to remember it’s more healing than regular Vaseline. Google says it’s called Eucerin Aquaphor.

I have nothing helpful to add in addition to PPs, but what a brilliant thread.

Just women helping another woman. This seemed to be a core part of MN years ago, but then it lost its way a bit. Threads like this make me happy.

You can buy it direct from boots /superdrug if you are desperate before your appointment. Hope you feel better soon.

You need this cream:
https://escentual.com/collections/avene?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=68480659&gbraid=0AAAAAD_hW9yW5h3Drwm5uoavSCQMTxA5N&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIivOXoOuPlAMVgDwGAB2-wjLqEAAYASAAEgJ9Y_D_BwE

I had this same thing done and remember the pain. The local anaesthetic they gave me wore off when I was on the bus home and my goodness I can’t forget the pain of every speed bump! But yes going to the loo was the worst. For me it massively improved after 24 hours so I’m hoping yours does too.

Straight after DD was born and I was still feeling tender I was advised to wee in the shower and direct the detachable shower head towards the sore area when weeing. It made it much more comfortable. Obviously, it wouldn't work if you only have a rainfall shower.

Absolutely drown it in estriol cream. Worked for me after each of my gynae ops.

I also needed codeine after hysteroscopy. Look after yourself op. They are brutal.

I second this. Spritz for bits is amazing.

Just sending love and best wishes OP.

Same as PP keep a little jug in the bathroom to pour warm water over as you wee, i had an episiotomy with my first and tore with my second which they didn’t stitch and stung like hell every time, my mum also had vulva cancer so had parts of her vulva removed just after i had my second and used a jug to help with the sting too, made it easier if i visited her or she visited me because we already had a jug in our bathrooms 😂 xx

Are you sure this is the right thread? @MangledNethers had a hysteroscopy and said "I’m in agony this evening every time I have a wee, as whatever elephantine speculum they used to get in there has ripped my vulva to shreds by stretching it "

Pee in the bath and the really thick Kotex pads in the red and black packaging are the only ones I could use. They feel like soft cotton rather than scratchy plastic.

Poor you I’ve been through a lot of gynae surgery, it’s horrible x

Fabric sanitary pads are so much more comfortable, preferably with fleece topping. But for now, a flannel folded diagonally and wrapped in a soft fleece duster will make a good pad that won’t hurt. Or topping a normal pad in a handkerchief so it’s less scratchy.

How are you today @MangledNethers ? Hope you managed to get some rest x

Omg you so need to get the topical oestrogen , pessaries and the cream
Sounds like VA, the skin breaking down is horrifically painful
Do NOT use steroid cream, witch hazel or god forbid eye drops
A little sudocreme and try to sleep, paracetamol to take the edge off

It will take a few weeks to fully rebuild the vaginal/ vulval skin back to pre meno state

Not any help right now but for the future. You need local estrogen. Cream or pills or whatever you have where you live. HRT is sadly not enough.

As a pp advised get some vaginal estriol prescribed and apply outside and inside. Also get a Sitz bath to pop on the loo and soak your poor bits. That way you can get relief whenever you need it without the faff of a bath or shower.

@MangledNethers I’m afraid I don’t have any advice, only sympathy, but ‘elephantine speculum’ is going to be the name of my new punk band 😃

Cavillon is a brilliant barrier cream.

@MangledNethers hope you've managed some sleep and feeling a bit better now. 💐

I'm way past surgical menopause with a slight prolapse causing mild incontinence plus atrophy.
I have on prescription Vagifem pessaries, Estriol cream for outside, Yes VM (if you're too dry inside it can stop the pessaries dissolving properly), Zerobase to cover myself in when I shower.
I use Tena liners, made the mistake of buying scented pads once and it was like acid burn 🔥
Rarely now I'll get a little sore (I've been out hiking, get sweaty and maybe needed a wee in a bush) a little bit of canastan is very soothing.

Lichen Sclerosis notoriously makes vulval skin fragile and painful.. OP said she had problems prior to the hysteroscopy. Steroid cream helps enormously, so if the OP hadn’t been checked for this already it could have made a difference going forward.

I hope you're feeling better today. I also had a hysteroscopy and biopsy yesterday and got the fright of my life when I did my first wee!

Using the advice from my midwife 20 odd years ago I had a luke warm salt water bath which helped a bit, if it hadn't I'd have moved on to standing in the shower to wee. The physio after DD1 was born suggested wrapping a frozen ice pole in a cloth to help reduce pain and swelling and it worked a treat.

Lots of helpful tips from others which I'll be making a note of as unfortunately there was a problem with the scope / camera and the picture wasn't clear enough for the consultant to see what she needed to so I'm likely to be back again for round 2!

I should add that GPs have pathetically little knowledge of it