QuestionQUESTION: I had a surgical abortion on 5/23, 9 days ago. I have not been bleeding very
much, actually hardly at all. Today my labia started itching and when I went
to the bathroom I could see whitish brown discharge in my panties.
I am very concerned as I don't want to risk becoming infertile.
It doesn't itch too bad, I have also recently started taking acidophilus and
folic acid, so could the discharge be normal?
Also it feels, like an itch inside, and mild pinching cramps, like inside, I guess
around the cervix.
Is it too soon to go for a check up and ask the ob/gyn to kinda look around. I
don't have insurance and had the procedure at the Womens Health Clinic and
am not sure about going back there for the check-up. They told me to go
after 6 weeks had passed for a check up.
I cannot stress how much I am scared this is a sign of infection and possible
sterility.
ANSWER: Hi, Debra,
I don't blame you for not wanting to go back to the Women's Health Clinic.
Even though you don't have insurance, you should have this checked out right away. The six weeks would be assuming everything seems to be normal. You need to rule out the possibility that you have an STD, or an infection from the abortion itself. The abortion might make you more vulnerable, and it's possible you could pick it up from the clinic, because some of them are very careless. Even though you don't have insurance, please go to a decent doctor and have it checked out, because some of these can be very serious. To me, white discharge is a sign of infection. And yes, this can affect your fertility.
I won't be able to give you specific information about your body over the internet, and neither would anyone else.
Acidophilus and folic acid should not cause you to have white discharge. Acidophilus will restore your intestinal flora, and folic acid is just a B vitamin. You could be taking too much, of course, but I still don't think that would cause it. As far as I know, neither would start a detoxification in your body, and normally, your body probably wouldn't use that as a route for detoxification anyway.
Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks, I am going to find a good Dr tomm. My lower back has been hurting
quite bad and I haven't felt hungry once yet today. I didn't realize how much
my back hurt, I guess I kinda got used to it.
I was thinking/hoping/praying it was a mild yeast infection, because of the
hormonal shifts. My system has been in shock, just judging from the
changes in my breast size. I just finished 7 days of Doxycycline...either way I
am not going to risk it.
I was tested right before the ab father so I have no way of knowing if he gave
me chlamydia or something horrible. He was a very old ex boyfriend and we
were only together one night (this go around)
Hoping everything is ok and just a hormonal out of balance thing. I also got
a new tattoo this weekend, I am wondering if it was just too much on my
system. Things are kinda whacked right now for me emotionally...I know
depression can also make your body hurt more...
Thanks for the response, sorry for the ramble. I will go to Dr. tomm =>
AnswerDebra,
Thanks very much for the additional details. Also, you are right that depression can cause all kinds of problems. I'm sure the tattoo didn't help, just because of the stress on your body. And you have to be careful about the tattoo parlor, too, because some of them are also not very careful.
I won't claim that I can help you with your emotional issues, but I will be here to listen, and if I have any good insights, I will try to share them, in hopes they will be helpful.
It's important for you to try to take care of yourself. I realize under the circumstances, this will be hard. If you would like some counseling from someone who has been more extensively trained than I, this is available. Let me know, and I can help you find someone.
Let me know what you find out. If you want to keep this conversation private, start a new discussion and make sure it's private. Stay safe!
