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Dark brown fecal smelling vaginal discharge

To be frank when I wipe (don't know if it is a discharge) the vaginal area, it sometimes is dark brown gooey and smells like feces or something like that. I don't have pain, itching or any other symptoms. I do have fibroids and am peri-menopausal. I am married and in a monogomous relationship for sure. I am also on birth control and actually due to a back injury haven't had sex in a long time. Any ideas what this could be. I know it is not HPV or an STD. I had pelvic exam about a year ago. Could peri menopause or fibroids cause a smelly discharge like this? I am going to the doctor in about a month but am nervous and would like your opinion.

thanks in advance
mkh9
Best Answer
219241 tn?1413537765
It could be that you are having the discharge due to the fibroids. Shedding of the endometrium (wall of the uterus) can be held up if a fibroid is on the larger size. It starts to break down and comes out of you quite a long time after it was shed, and you get the brownish discharge.
  I wonder if, though, having said the above, you haven't left a tampon in by accident? This too can rot down and give an awful feacal smell, and brown discharge.
Personally I would go to the doctor sooner than a month.
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Avatar universal
Hi um I’m 14 and I’m really worried about this I’ve had the same sort of thing, a brown discharge that smells like feces. I haven’t done anything sexual or nothing yet this is still showing up idk what’s happening and I don’t use tampons
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Avatar universal
I have had a discharge from my vagina for almost a week which looks like brown gunge and smells like faeces.  Had hysterectomy 30 years ago and now in late 60's.
The mess is awful but there is no pain or discomfort.
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Avatar universal
Just wanted to get back to you about the above problem. I talked to my doctor and he said I don't have a fistula, and he knows I can't have an STD and the symptoms aren't of a BV infection. But I'm to go in and see him in about a couple of weeks and he'll do a pap and pelvic exam. But after talking in more detail about this problem my friend said she thinks I symply have slowed down from sitting too much due to back pain and also almost stopped eating vegies as my husband is cooking!  I tend to go #2 a lot and it is messy and a small amount and I think it was leaking over to the vaginal area. She said to start eating more veggies and try metamucil. Lo and behold I don't have it anymore. It has been a week and a half. I'm going in to the doc to check on it all. But, I'll let him know what happened.
thanks for the info. and support.
mkh9
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Avatar universal
FYI,
I checked this morning and no lost tampon in there. It doesn't feel like anything hurts in there and it was clean inside. So, I don't know.
wish me luck.
mkh9
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Avatar universal
Hi yes I looked up the fistulas and I have never been pregnant or had surgery in that area or at all. I also had a uterine ultrasoud and pelvic exam a year ago and all was normal except the fibroids. I have no pain, itching or the other symptoms. I never find any brown discharge on my undies it is just when I wipe. So, I don't know but i'll find out what if things are normal. I am getting extra night sweats and actually I don't know if it is a fecal smell rather than a chemical smell sort of. So, I 'm not sure. Maybe I should save a sample for the doctor (I'm sure he will appreciate that, ha ha) because things never show up when you go to the doctor. I don't know if these things come up all of a sudden. When the did the uterine ultrasound (don't know if you have had one) they put a probe up your vagina and I would think they would have seen it but if they weren't looking or it came up just in the last two months then they wouldn't have caught it. From what I read it doesn't sound like that though it is suspicious.  I am worried because also, my back pain is starting to get better and if I try to get into that position (the injury is on the upper left buttock near the SI joint) it may cause problems for my back injury. So, I may call them today and see if there is a way to accomdate getting a pelvic exam and pap without hurting my back. Otherwise I would have gone in. It has been one thing after another.
mkh9
Helpful - 0
219241 tn?1413537765
I actually thought of a fistula after I had posted last night, but my computer crashed and I couldn't post! Grrr

Fistulas can be a genetic glitch where the anus and the vagina didn't close up properly. They can be from an aggrevated sexual assault. They can also ( and far more commonly) from a labour where the babies head tears the vaginal wall and anus and it is not stitched or healed correctly.

Often they tend to leak a fair bit, so a person ends up with soiled undies. Not that is true in all cases, just most.

Yes as Perch says do google, but don't be discouraged, and please don't think the worst when you do read stuff on it! BUT education is the best way to know how your body works!
Cheers!
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Avatar universal
It may not be a fistula at all!

The reason it came to mind is that the main symptom of fistuals is the type of discharge you are describing, with fibroids - not  so much. But that dosen't mean that the fibroids aren't causing your symptom. Fibroids can cause unusual discharge, but usually if they are very large. But who knows, maybe it's the cause for you.

Fistuals can cause pain - but not always. I'm pretty sure they can be diagnosed with a pelvic - but maybe also with ultrasound? To be honest I'm not 100% sure.

If it is indeed this - it is very treatable. But remember - I'm just giving you an idea, it may not be that at all.

Only your doc can diagnose you. In the meantime, why dont you google "recto-vaginal fistula symptoms" - and 'fibroid symptoms' and this may give you a  better idea. You could even google "fecal smelling vaginal discharge' and see what comes up.

Try not to get too worried though - sometimes googling symptoms can make you feel like you have something bad when you dont - you may have something quite simple and easily treatable.

Best of luck for your appointment - please post back and let us know how you go!

Perch.
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Avatar universal
Hi again,
Wouldn't there be pain with a fistula?  How do they diagnosis it a pelvic exam?  I hope it is just the fibroids. My fibroids are small so would they cause that type of symptom? I have a back problem and don't know how I'm going to get up on the gurney and scoot down to do the procedure. How serious is the fistula?
thanks,
mkh9
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The first thing that came to mind when I read your post - and is worth getting ruled out by your doctor - is a  recto-vaginal fistula.

It causes fecal matter to come into and pass out of the vagina, they are usually diagnosed by women noticing the same symptom that you are and seeing a doc about it.

Its really important you go to your doctor and get checked out - to get this ruled out and if it's not this getting a diagnosis.

Being peri-menopausal, and having fibroids do not typically cause the symptoms you are describing.

If it is in fact a fistula, it is treatable,  I remember when I was nursing in a gynae ward looking after women that had had recto-vaginal fistulas repaired, it's usually a minor procedure.

But it may not be this at all - so a trip to your doctor is a good idea!

Good Luck!

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