How we are all doing

I've meditated today so have gone from gazing at the bridge at the back of the house this morning to a new level of calm this afternoon.

I'd like to know how we are all doing. I know when this all kicked off for me I couldn't see the tunnel let alone the light at the end of it (I will stop this soon). There's no doubt I've made progress. I'll start but I'd love to see how people are progressing on their healing journey and what things have made a difference.

My V. started with constant arousal. This is a particularly cruel condition and possibly hard to understand when sex drive is the first thing to pack it's bags. Let's just say it's a level of discomfort that is comparable to excruciating pain. Don't anyone say it's a lucky thing because it's F$&*#N awful. Then the pain kicked in and peaked around 8/10, would taper off to 4-5 and then amp up again. The arousal would make a wee show of itself and switching from one to the other was torture.

As this is a positive post here are the things that have made a huge difference - in no particular order

1. Therapy - I would be in a corner rocking if I hadn't found a way to cope
2. The love and support of the women on this forum
3. Diet change - it's hard to believe but cutting out sugar really worked - curse that Easter bunny!
4. Physio - unlocking my pelvic floor was key to healing
5. Meditation - ahhhh the constant chatter in my head
6. I'm a bit embarrassed writing this down but what Dr Glazer advised Sebby to do to improve bloodflow-hmm self loving
7. Less coffee more water
8. Face time with favourite people and furry animals
9. A good sleep pattern
10. Finding a Dr who didn't think I was crazy

I haven't included medication in my list because I'm not a great candidate. I became a blathering idiot.

My pain is now around 2/10 most days. I have fluctuations and some of the weird sensations we all know about but generally it's a tamer beast.

How about you?

My pain is around 2/10 these past 5 days but last week was bad for me 5/10 I also had pelvic pain/bladder pain that has vanished overnight :s this pelvic pain has started since coming off the pill, I hope once my cycles normalize I wont have this pain.

Things that have helped my IC/V:

Meditation
Yoga
Warm Baths - even when I am burning down there the burning just melts away
Friends
My beautiful puppy
Masturbation ( I know, weird right)
Physio!!! (my muscles are now almost perfect! - pain is no longer proportionate to muscle tension, it's still hanging around)
Tummy breathing
The cushion i made for myself for work
Vit E oil, - seems to be stopping that awful rawness.
IC Diet (low acid, preservative free, very bland really)
Hubby

Claire

So over all a terrible week

I sometimes feel sort of like I don't belong here, or like I shouldn't be talking to you guys about my pain because it's so much less than yours. I don't have constant pain like you guys, and I can't imagine how awful that must be.

However, my pain really gets me down sometimes, and it can feel like the end of the world. Last night I was watching a movie and there was a really romantic sex scene. And I completely broke down. I cried for an hour, I couldn't stop. When I see sex in movies, it makes me feel so upset and angry, because that's not something I can do. And I feel like no man will ever want to be with me because I'm defective and can't have sex.

But when I snap myself out of it, I realise that that's a load of horseshit. I can have sex, it just takes time and effort. And I know that when I meet the right person that won't matter, and that there will be an end to my pain one day.

So on the whole, I'm doing pretty good. The gabapentin hasn't kicked in yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing what it does for me. And if I meet someone and we want to be intimate, I know that I have the lidocaine gel to fall back on. The most important thing for me at the moment is to get myself booked in for physio, because my complete lack of control in the pelvic floor area is something that really really needs fixing.

Anyway, I'm fairly content right now, I just have the occasional bad moment, like last night. I hope everyone else is doing well.

I can't add much to this post because I'm doing badly right now and haven't made any further progress with my wappy pelvic floor or pain. Hope there's alot of positive stories to come though.....

well ive been rubbish and not been on the forum for ages (tend to stick with the facebook group) here goes my list...

thing that have helped...
1. being open to all of my friends and family.....talking about it openly and let them know my emotions.
2. head doctor...weekly session seriously sorts out the craziest moods
3. my physical symptoms are no less than they were before (BOOOOOOOOOO ) but mentally i am coping better.
4. finding a boy who i was honest with from the start. We've not had 'traditional' sex from the start but wanks on tap, loads of hugs and kisses, bumlove oh err missus! (baby oil and plenty of it).
5. massage....physical contact with my bloke
6. chatting to you lovely ladies online
7. TIME....coming to terms with this crap condition. 3years ago i was distraught with this crap, in denial, then anger, personal hell that turned into a breakdown....lose job, ex boyfriend, life in general. Gradually I became used to the idea of this all and became a stronger, better person (yes, still with a retarded fanny but mentally a lot clearer and happier).
8. gawwwwd im waffling crap