Abnormal vaginal skin bleeding any suggestions? TMI

[Mildez]

I have been so tender down below for a few days and this morning was spotting when wiping. Well now its become heaps of fresh blood and its definately coming from my skin in and around the vagina not the cervix/uterus. What could this be? Can thrush cause this or bacterial vaginosis? I can't go to the Dr at this hour and I'm so sore. I had my bub 6weeks ago but everything felt back to normal before this. Any one have any ideas what it could be?

[emc2]

I haven't had bubs yet.

But just a couple of guesses, one would be I'd be reluctant to use soap there, and two would be I reckon hormones would have an effect on the skin down there after pregnancy. It could be just everything being really dry. Might be an idea to see a GP or just ring a health line, see what they suggest.

[UntoldAngel]

Did you have stitches at all? Can you have a look to see if there is an obvious cause, and avoid wiping as such, but pat dry.
Have you had your post natal check up yet?

[Nai]

Thrush can cause this so it could be the culprit.

[Mildez]

Thank you so much for your replies. I am in agony ouch. It feels like thrush with the irritation sensation but I have absolutely no discharge except for fresh bleeding. I think I smell also. I didn't think thrush would cause bleeding. Its like my skin is so red raw that any touch (like wiping) makes it start bleeding.
Untold Angel I did have some damage but no stitches. And my postnatal check is this week coming.
Can a latex allergy cause thrush? We haven't DTD for a week but we also have never used condoms until now. Could this cause it?
emc I think using soap down there made it start if that makes sense. I did a few days ago and felt sore ever since but this now is just criminal. I've even been upset that its an STI that DH has given me although I would doubt it. He certainly hasn't given me any indication that he has cheated on me and I'm sure he wouldn't but I can't help but think of all the possibilities when this seems so unusual. I just want to go sit in a bath and cry.

Thanks again for your replies.

[alish]

mildez i cant even use soap down there, (or on the rest of my body) i have to use soap free body wash or natural goats milk soap.. if i do use soap i get red raw, itchy and start bleeding.. maybe your body had formed a new reaction to soap??
fwiw i cant use condoms either, does the same thing..

when i do get sore down there i put cocoa butter on it...

[Shanti]

Possible you are allergic to the latex in condoms? You said you dont normally use them?
Sounds very very sore
Can you see a gP today? Or i would even visit the hospital if u are that uncomfortable.

[emc2]

I just joined the dots so to speak, after pregnancy oestrogen levels drop, so that doesn't help, makes things dry.

If you google "Pruritus Vulvae (Vulval Itch)" there's some good suggestions on treating it.

[Mildez]

Thanks for your replies.
Alish it is possible I have developed an intolerance to soap. Since bub was born I have been bathing with her everyday with her baby soap but normally I don't bath that much but shower.
Shanti maybe its a latex allergy. I thought an allergy would be getting better not worse but as it has been a week since there was any action down there (because I've been sore) Certainly wont be any now lol
I'm just waiting for the chemist to open and go get some cream. I'll see if that relieves the symptoms or gives me some relief and if it does I guess I'll put it down to thrush and if not I'll be to the Drs this afternoon. We have a medical centre I can access until 5pm today. I want some inner health plus and that oral tablet also but not sure if its a no no when I am breastfeeding. Please let it be thrush.

[Mildez]

emc will go google now.

[teresa]

oooh that must be painful!

bacterial vaginosis is not just an STI. it is also quite common but the only way to treat it is with antibiotics. i had the same issue as you and my doctor prescribed some cream which you can get over the counter. its called hydrozole. it worked a treat. maybe get some hydrozole until you can get to see your gp.

good luck and let us know how u go

[Mildez]

teresa I think I am proned to bacterial vaginosis. I've had it more then once but its only ever been without symptoms (detected by a papsmear) I don't know how I got it but it definately wasn't from sex. At the time I was single in every meaning of the word lol and had been for a long period of time. Might give hydrozole a go amongst other things. I don't particularly want a discussion with the pharmacist about the topic.

[sarah85]

Oh, you poor thing!

As embarrassing as it is, I would ask the pharmacist if they could step in to a more quiet section of the chemist, and explain to them everything that you're feeling/seeing etc. It would be awful to put the wrong type of cream on and end up in a worse situation.

I hope they find something for you, and that it gives you some relief - quickly!

Oh, and an ice-pack wrapped in a light cloth in your knickers might give some relief from the pain.

[Charlotte91]

mildez i cant even use soap down there, (or on the rest of my body) i have to use soap free body wash or natural goats milk soap.. if i do use soap i get red raw, itchy and start bleeding.. maybe your body had formed a new reaction to soap??
fwiw i cant use condoms either, does the same thing..

when i do get sore down there i put cocoa butter on it...

I have the same issues if I use soap. Exactly the same! Same with condom's either, but I've found that latex-free condoms are heaps better.

[alish]

i havent used latex free!
even with lots of lube they rip me in half! thank goodness those days are over!
i actually had to use them with dh last year after my ectopic so i wouldnt get pregnant for a while (doctors orders) i used them twice then whoops i was pregnant again!

[Marley&Me]

teresa I think I am proned to bacterial vaginosis. I've had it more then once but its only ever been without symptoms (detected by a papsmear) I don't know how I got it but it definately wasn't from sex. At the time I was single in every meaning of the word lol and had been for a long period of time.

Mildez, i just saw this old post and was wondering how you treated it? I have recently had it a few times and it always comes back after the antibiotics are finished. And it's not an STI, it's kinda like thrush, it just "happens". Only thing is BD may make it worse because sperm is very alkaline so it disrupts the ph level down there. So no good if you are TTC like me

[Mildez]

Its aweful isn't it Tasha. After I wrote this post things got worse. I was in agony. I ended up on a vaginal antibiotic as I am BF and couldn't have the oral one but that only cleared it up briefly. I'm so over it. I bleed almost every time we DTD. The blood is more of an Orange colour and varies in amount from lots to just a few spots. Condoms are an absolute no no as the friction of them even with heaps of lube makes it so much worse. The cream for thrush makes it much better. My Dr said some women are prone to it and its very hard to treat as although treatment works its usually only a few weeks or months and it returns. Thats exactly where I am at. Fortunately I am comfortable most of the time. I learnt how to deal with it most of the time.

What I didn't know years ago was I had it regularly. A little bit of itching here and there. Used thrush cream on/off which helped. I have thought I had a yucky odour and every time I went to the Dr it was dismissed. They did STD checks multiple times thinking it was something like that) although I was only DTD with DH. Anyway it has been going on for years and what I recently found out was that its what caused me to get pelvic inflammatory disease which is what caused my ectopic pregnancies and tubal damage which led to my fertility problems.

I'm hoping when my cycle returns things down below will improve. AF (which I haven't had since this time last year) seems to sooth the soreness I get and right now as I have no cycle I am quite dry so I seem to constantly have it. Hopefully when AF returns I get some relief. It saddnes me that this stupid condition did effect my fertility and I can't even shake it so if I was going to ttc again their would be even more damage to my one remaining damaged tube them before.

So if you are one of the women who are prone to it like me (I have it more then I don't) then perhaps see a nutritionalist or naturopath, herbalist. I want to see one but am completely broke. I've heard of herbal tampons and a variety of other natural methods to keep it at bay. Have you tried a pro-biotic? My GP told me that the thrush treatment helps (the vaginal cream that is) The antobiotics cream helps but as soon as I finish it its straight back again. I'm going to go see my gynea soon and see what he suggests but according to my GP there is not much that can be done to prevent its return.

Have you had a HSG or lap and dye?

[Marley&Me]

Yes, it's awful! I don't have any symptoms except the yucky odour. Sorry you have been through all of this, people should be more aware of BV. Doctors tend to shrug it off as no big deal, but it can be, as you have proven I got it for the first time at the start of the year, and have since had it twice. After the first time it didn't come back until last month. I took metronizadole tablets, but they leave the most disgusting taste in your mouth all day! But half way through the course of antibiotics, I found out I was pregnant so I stopped the tablets, then a week later I m/c. When I finally stopped bleeding the BV just came back
So I am NOT taking those horrid tablets again. Instead I have been soaking in a tea tree bath and today I started taking Inner Health Plus tablets (because of the live cultures) I hope it works, apparently it is more common than yeast infection and really hard to cure once you get it
It sucks because DH and I really want to use this super fertile time to try again, but BD is out of the question as semen will make it worse.

No I have not had HSG, what is it? And no lap or dye, should I? Dye is for checking tube blockages isn't it? Sorry if I sound stupid!