Generalized V and Vulvar Vestibulitis?

Hey all,

Is there anybody (other than myself) who has both generalized vulvodynia AND vulvar vestibulitis? My VV is much more severe than my generalized, but both have been problems for me. The pain associated with both conditions are so different that it seems like they're not related, but I'm sure they are.

I have both, I started with mild VVS which wasn't troubling me a great deal which then flared up into agonising VVS and lots of inflammation and over the next few months that spread into generalised V so it just continued to get worse while I was wasting time waiting for the doctors to help me. I still have both now and find medication is more useful for the generalised V than the VVS, I've yet to find anything that really helps with that pain which is of course now constant.

I was officially diagnosed with VVS but have other kinds of pain that I assume are part of generalized, which is also how my gyno seems to be treating me. I find the VVS feels like sharp, stabbing, burning pain, and obviously only through direct contact. But when I'm wearing tight pants or sitting too long I get this generalized kind of dull achey/pressure feeling down there and I also get what feels like a rash irritation all over the vulva, and labia kind of randomly - these last two I figure have to be generalized. It all feels completely different, it's so true, although must all involve similar nerve endings.

From what I have read, it is not uncommon to have an overlap of symptoms. I was diagnosed with provoked vestibulodynia, even though I told the gyno that I had constant pain / discomfort. I think his diagnosis was based on the fact that I had red marks in the vestibule area, but I think I also have generalised vulvodynia, though the level of pain varies considerably. The other thing is that my provoked pain can sometimes last for weeks. Wearing trousers, sitting down and standing up can all trigger pain (lying down is usually OK :-) . I don't know whether you have come across any of Andrew Goldstein's work. He and others wrote a book called "When Sex Hurts", in which they discuss various types and causes of vulval pain. Having read this, I suspect that my diagnosis might not have been all that accurate, though how much difference it makes to my treatment, I am not quite sure. It seems that most people have a struggle to find out what works best for them. Good luck.

It started with vvs and then over a very short period (I'm talking 2 weeks) progressed to constant pain. Physio seems to have helpt the vvs but not generalised pain. I have minimal or no pain with sex and tampons now, jeans and sitting however are a different story! work that one out! most find physio helps for generalised pain but penetration is still horrible. I guess I am just a bit backwards?!