8 days post hysterectomy: Itching (normal or allergic reaction?)

8 days post op and the anal and vaginal itching is driving me crazy at times. After having liquidy BM's for a couple days I started to itch intensely around the anus. I first used Aquaphor to treat, then Vaseline, then Cortizone 10, then Vagasil when I started having external vaginal itching as well. Nothing seemed to help, I think I made it worse out of desperation, so I moved to baby powder, which worked for about a day. My husband stepped in and said stop putting products on it seems like your allergic to something. I changed to just water and mild baby soap, then I use the blow dryer to make sure all the wetness is gone. It's feeling better overall but has by far been the worst part of recovery. I also am taking 1 Benadryl daily to help with any allergic reaction. I haven't noticed any posts about this so wondering if I'm extremely sensitive or it's something others have faced?

I'm also running a very low grade temp (99.4) so I'm concerned I might have some kind of bladder infection or UTI. I had a catheter at home for 3 days after my surgery. They put me on antibiotics for 5 days. I plan to call my Dr. Monday when she's back in the office.

It's possible that your ovaries have temporarily shut down, because their main blood supply - the uterine artery - has been severed, and they may take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to establish a new supply; the resultant estrogen withdrawal can cause vaginal dryness. It's also possible that you may have an infection down there, especially because you had a catheter for 3 days, and you've been taking antibiotics, which may have upset the normal balance of bacteria in there. I would therefore recommend seeing your doctor, who can determine what's causing the itching, and recommend an appropriate treatment. If it is an infection, then I would recommend a probiotic supplement, or regular servings of live culture yogurt, in addition to what he prescribes, to restore balance. Best wishes for your continued recovery!

Thanks for the info! I wasn't aware of this possibility so I'll definitely get in to see my Dr. tomorrow.

Turns out I had a yeast infection. I was given a topical cream to help with the itching, and Diflucan - 2 pills total taken 7 days apart. Tomorrow I take the 2nd pill. I can tell the infection isn't totally cleared up but it's a night & day difference from before. Who knew a yeast infection would cause my bum to itch! Wow, so glad I finally figured out what was wrong, I was literally going crazy for a few days.