Throbbing in Vagina...Cause for Concern?

Cara03 · September 2012

I have a history of IC & preterm labor. I've had a dull, achy type of throbbing in my vagina since mid last night (while laying down trying to sleep, not active) and it's continued as I've gotten up this morning. I have a preventative cerclage and am on 17p shots.

I'm currently at the point this pregnancy when my complications started happening last pregnancy (23 weeks) and it's freaking me out. Anyone have experience/advice?

I plan to call my doctor when the open this morning. I'm really hoping everything is ok. I'm an emotional mess right now.

Cara03 · September 2012

I did talk to my OB's nurse. She wanted me to come in and get my cervix checked right away which I did. Luckily my cervix and cerclage still look good and I'm back home. I wish there was some more clear cut way of knowing if you were having cervical changes. We should really come with a warning light or something. I know I should be thankful for all the good I've experienced but right now I'm just so ticked and tired of being high risk. Hoping I can sleep off this bad mood.

chicky1231 · September 2012

I get weird feelings with my cerclage too and it drives me nuts b/c I never know what is ok and what isn't....I get random jolts like lightening which I know I had last pregnancy but I always wonder what is ok with a cerclage.

My Dr told me I will feel little tugs or pressure which is normal but that doesn't make me feel better b/c I know I'll still freak when feeling that

ETA: I wish they gave you a list of things that are normal with a cerclage...I mean I assume I will randomly feel little things since the baby is getting bigger and heavier and there is a stitch there. It's just trying to guess what is ok

Cara03 · September 2012

I completely agree, chicky. I asked my doc what would be cause for concern and her response was "more" of anything. If i get an increase in trobbing/pain, or discharge, or any blood, ... I love my doc, but I hate the grey, non descript guidelines for what isok and what isn't. I've been told be her and by her nurse practitioner that basically anytime I call they will tell me to come in to get checked, given my history, so I kind of feel like it's my decision which I don't like. I guess it seems like there just is no clear cut answer for what's ok regarding our cervixes, and that sure doesn't help ease the worry. Good luck to you.

chicky1231 · September 2012

Yeah "more" doesn't help much since it is normal to get more discharge and pains later in pregnancy. I feel the same way with feeling like it is up to me on how worried I am but I worry and want to call for everything yet don't want to be at the Dr's twice a week. I know I have to trust the cerclage and trust that it is doing its job and that if anything were really happening that I would know it. It is just hard not to look at every pregnancy symptoms and wonder if it means something different for us.

Thank you and good luck to you also!

javagrl · September 2012

I've been there too! And I also have a preventative cerclage and 17p shots. I am so scared of every little thing. I've been to L and D for watery discharge, increase in thicker discharge (even thought I lost my mucus plug once), abdominal cramping, etc and have called for throbbing in vagina, peeing all the time and feeling like i can't empty my bladder and a number of other things. My cervix is still over 4 cm, closed, cerclage doing it's job, and I haven't had so much as a UTI (knock on wood that it stays that way!). It sucks. I wish I knew if something was changing too. I am pretty lucky because I am getting cervical checks every week right now. My doc has basically said the same thing as yours- a "change" can be bad (but so far for me none of them have). They said the "worst" things that can happen are bleeding or a huge gush of fluid like water breaking, but even those can be normal- just need to get checked immediately. The throbbing in the vagina, which I have had too, they think is just a little irritation from long strings in my cerclage (so that it can come out easier) or just from more blood flow to the area and they said I can feel it more due to the cerclage. I can't wait to get a few more weeks in- then maybe I can at least relax a little bit. At least we know we are not alone!

Cara03 · September 2012

chicky1231:
Yeah "more" doesn't help much since it is normal to get more discharge and pains later in pregnancy. I feel the same way with feeling like it is up to me on how worried I am but I worry and want to call for everything yet don't want to be at the Dr's twice a week. I know I have to trust the cerclage and trust that it is doing its job and that if anything were really happening that I would know it. It is just hard not to look at every pregnancy symptoms and wonder if it means something different for us. Thank you and good luck to you also!

I feel the same way on wanting to trust that I would really know if anything serious were happening, but then I remember that with my first pregnancy, I had absolutely no sign of anything wrong until all of a sudden I was dilated and bleeding. I wish we could have caught it earlier. Hoping intuition could catch serious, non-symptomatic changes this time I suppose.

Cara03 · September 2012

javagrl:
I've been there too! And I also have a preventative cerclage and 17p shots. I am so scared of every little thing. I've been to L and D for watery discharge, increase in thicker discharge (even thought I lost my mucus plug once), abdominal cramping, etc and have called for throbbing in vagina, peeing all the time and feeling like i can't empty my bladder and a number of other things. My cervix is still over 4 cm, closed, cerclage doing it's job, and I haven't had so much as a UTI (knock on wood that it stays that way!). It sucks. I wish I knew if something was changing too. I am pretty lucky because I am getting cervical checks every week right now. My doc has basically said the same thing as yours- a "change" can be bad (but so far for me none of them have). They said the "worst" things that can happen are bleeding or a huge gush of fluid like water breaking, but even those can be normal- just need to get checked immediately. The throbbing in the vagina, which I have had too, they think is just a little irritation from long strings in my cerclage (so that it can come out easier) or just from more blood flow to the area and they said I can feel it more due to the cerclage. I can't wait to get a few more weeks in- then maybe I can at least relax a little bit. At least we know we are not alone!

Thanks for posting your experience so far. It was really helpful to read what your doctor told you about changes and possible causes for the throbbing. I love my doc, but sometimes I'd like a little more explanation and of course don't think to ask until I'm already long out of her office.

Yes, it really is comforting to know we're not alone, though I hate that other people have to deal with the worry and stress, too.

nuttycoconut · September 2012

My doctor mentioned he could put a pessary in if I continue to feel the pressure of my baby girl's head in my vagina. I also have a cerclage and history of IC/ptl. Is this a possibility for you?

javagrl · September 2012

Cara03:
javagrl:
I've been there too! And I also have a preventative cerclage and 17p shots. I am so scared of every little thing. I've been to L and D for watery discharge, increase in thicker discharge (even thought I lost my mucus plug once), abdominal cramping, etc and have called for throbbing in vagina, peeing all the time and feeling like i can't empty my bladder and a number of other things. My cervix is still over 4 cm, closed, cerclage doing it's job, and I haven't had so much as a UTI (knock on wood that it stays that way!). It sucks. I wish I knew if something was changing too. I am pretty lucky because I am getting cervical checks every week right now. My doc has basically said the same thing as yours- a "change" can be bad (but so far for me none of them have). They said the "worst" things that can happen are bleeding or a huge gush of fluid like water breaking, but even those can be normal- just need to get checked immediately. The throbbing in the vagina, which I have had too, they think is just a little irritation from long strings in my cerclage (so that it can come out easier) or just from more blood flow to the area and they said I can feel it more due to the cerclage. I can't wait to get a few more weeks in- then maybe I can at least relax a little bit. At least we know we are not alone!
Thanks for posting your experience so far. It was really helpful to read what your doctor told you about changes and possible causes for the throbbing. I love my doc, but sometimes I'd like a little more explanation and of course don't think to ask until I'm already long out of her office.
Yes, it really is comforting to know we're not alone, though I hate that other people have to deal with the worry and stress, too.

Yeah, I have amazing doctors....they make a world of difference for me. They will sit and talk to me as long as I want each week. I couldn't ask to be in a better place.

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