Vulvodynia Support
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» Hope to all my suffering ladies
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptyFri Oct 23, 2020 12:04 am by ringostarr26

» Please tell me this can get better
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptySat Jul 18, 2020 7:38 pm by sammykramer

» By no means cured, but doing much better!
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptyMon Mar 16, 2020 1:26 pm by tinkerbelle2

» How I cured my Vulvodynia!
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptySat Dec 07, 2019 11:54 am by Millie

» 7 months since the diagnosis
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptyWed Aug 14, 2019 2:38 am by agtoronto

» Gabapentin Gel. or other topical creams
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptySat Jun 15, 2019 5:22 pm by mary jane

» IMPORTANT FOR UK SUFFERERS
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptySat Jun 15, 2019 5:21 pm by mary jane

» Help New Diagnosis
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptySat Jun 15, 2019 5:07 pm by mary jane

» 6 days post Vestibulectomy - Is this normal?? please tell me about your postop healing process!
What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. EmptyTue Jun 11, 2019 12:56 am by VVSSufferer

Gabapentin Gel. or other topical creams

Thu May 10, 2018 9:43 am by Rosie21

Hi I have been suffering for some years with this abominable pain. I have tried most of the systemic drugs , I asked specialists and Doctors if I could at least try a topical treatment but because this requires a special prescription have been refused Has anybody had a chance of trying these? Thank you I will try to put a link on to some of the research into Gabapentin Gel. Thanks.

Comments: 2

Putnams 'bony parts' cushion or Putnams 'Dr Huff' cushion - which is best?

Sat Aug 01, 2015 4:17 pm by Fielder

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie.  I live in the UK.  

I'm trying to work out the best cushion to get for my vulvodynia.  I suspect that I could have pudendal nerve involvement (the aching and burning pain is from vagina to clitoris) and I have rectocele and some tailbone pain too.

I have seen some good reports on older threads regarding the Putnams pressure relief cushions....with some ladies …

Comments: 11

An absolute success story- please read!

Fri Mar 08, 2019 10:57 pm by Persevere1990

Dear All,

I posted on here back in March 2017 having just got a diagnosis of vulvodynia after a few months of relentless and acute pain. I was desperate, I was hurting, I was scared I would never know life without pain there again.

I tried creams, acupuncture, numbing gels, frozen pads, baths with various internet recommended concoctions- convinced myself I had lichen sclerosus, herpes, thrush- …

Comments: 0

I'm sorry im rambling

Thu Feb 21, 2019 5:49 am by Jet227

hey, im 19, ive been struggling with this almost a year. The first week I became itchy I went in to check about a yeast infection another week later. I have been to 10 different doctors a total of about 15 appointments for this problem for the past 11 months. I have been tested for everything including having a biopsy. I was first told basically to just go home and use hydrocortazone, then I went …

Comments: 1

New member need advice please

Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:33 pm by PANDORA123

Hello, I have just been diagnosed with unprovoked vulvodynia. Im really scared and worried. It burns a lot and it hurts to sit down. I have been prescribed amitriptyle 10mg. Can anyone give me some hope that I can get better from this condition. Feeling low and depressed.

Thanks

Comments: 5

MonaLisa Touch

Fri Feb 08, 2019 7:35 pm by rl2091

Hi All,

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with the MonaLisa Touch treatment for Vulvodynia? My pain started when I went on HRT(pill) for anxiety mainly and my pain abruntly stopped when I stopped HRT. However, when I started on the HRT patch (at my dr's suggestion), the pain returned and has never left. That was 7 years ago. I found MonaLisa Touch on the internet purely by accident …

Comments: 3

Diagnosed Recently

Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:55 pm by flissyg

Hi All,

I’m so glad I’ve found a place where there are others who understand how I feel!

So this is my story:-

I’m 36,  and 4 months ago, whilst innocently sitting in bed reading I experienced a very sharp stabbing pain in my clitoris. It last only a few minutes and then subsided as quickly as it came on. It put it down to “one of those things”.  The following morning I woke up …

Comments: 4

New and need advice and help

Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:26 pm by Cin124

Hi everyone,

About three months ago, I started having vaginal and vulval itching. Then, about two months ago, my vulva started to feel painful and look swollen, so I went to the doctor. I was tested for herpes, chlamydia, and gonorrhea which all came back negative. I also had to do a vaginal swab test and the only thing that came back positive was yeast infection. I was prescribed hydrozole …

Comments: 6

New here would very much appreciate advice at the end of my rope

Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:09 pm by Jma990o

This might be a little long but it's been such a long time I've even been able to talk about my problems openly thank you in advance for any helpful advice.
So ok I'm 24 I've been having this problem for over two years seen quite a few doctors and obgyns alike and nobody will take me seriously I have had a few utis and yeast infections and even bv once and this all started after one of the utis …

Comments: 3


What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience.

5 posters

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What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience. Empty What treatments have you tried? Please add your experience.

Post  Tyger Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:51 am

Hello all and I apologise if there's a current topic like this - I searched and couldn't find one.

I am struggling a lot with which path to take in terms of treatment for my provoked vestibulodynia. I have been handballed around by a lot of doctors and specialists. I noticed this thread http://www.vulvodyniasupportforum.com/t590-curiosity-in-reguards-to-vulvodynia and thought the one-stop-post was a great idea, so thought I'd do something similar but in terms of treatments, so we can all get a good idea of treatments to try, to discuss with our doctors, and why, and how effective they were for other women.

So here's the questions.

1. Is your pain provoked localized (with touch/penetration) or generalized (all the time)?
2. How long have you suffered from this condition?
3. How old are you? (or if you wouldn't like to say, just answer pre-menopausal, menopausal, post-menopausal)
4. What do you think triggered the onset?
5. How can you best describe your pain and individual symptoms?
6. Have you ever found relief for any period of time, or been cured?
7. Do you have or suspect any accompanying conditions ie. bladder conditions, bowel/anal conditions, fibromyalgia
8. Have you ever been on, or are you currently on any hormonal birth control?
9. What treatments have you tried?
Please list the treatment, the desired outcome (science behind the treatment - why were you trying this method?), the length of time trailed, and the outcome of the treatment.
List all that you've tried, including holistic therapies, psycho-therapy, anything.
Please list the treatments in chronological order, if possible. Be as specific as possible about what helped and what didn't.

Thanks so much and I know you'll all be of great help to me in my efforts to try different treatments. If you think of any better questions that should be added, please do add them.

I will answer these questions myself in my next post.

Tyger.



Last edited by Tyger on Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:25 pm; edited 2 times in total

Tyger

Posts : 11
Join date : 2011-05-05
Location : Melbourne, Australia

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Post  Tyger Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:08 am

My answers.

1. Provoked - pain with penetration
2. 9 years
3. 28
4. A yeast infection that was treated unsuccessfully with over-the-counter yeast medications. Possibly use of the birth control pill
5. Pain type: stinging pain not just in the vestibule but in the vagina also. Burning and rawness in deepest. Pain all throughout intercourse, from penetration and up until 24 hours afterwards. A strange "pulling" sensation in deep, perhaps due to muscle tightness from so many years of pain. Not much generalized (constant) pain, except slightly irritated.
6. No, although as mine is mainly provoked, so when I'm not having sex I don't notice it as much. But the pain has been there since 2003.
7. None that I know of. I do pee an awful lot, and feel I don't empty my bladder properly - I assume due to pelvic floor issues associated with the pain.
8. Birth control pill since a couple of months prior to onset. Levlen, then Yasmin. I stopped taking the pill this year.
9.
Over-the-counter yeast medications.
Desired outcome: cure yeast infection
Length of time: one week
Outcome: possibly caused onset. Every subsequent time they have made me worse - avoid like the plague now.

Nizoral (ketaconazole)
Desired outcome: a long-term antifungal to cure chronic yeast infection
Length of time: 2 months
Outcome: I was eventually declared yeast free, but the pain remained.

Amytriptiline - working up to 70mg daily
Desired outcome: apparently to help with nerve pain in the vestibule area
Length of time: 4 months
Outcome: no affect whatsoever on pain. Made me feel drowsy and horrendous.

Acupuncture
Desired outcome: to fix misfiring pain signals to the brain
Length of time: 2 months, weekly appointments
Outcome: no effect on pain levels.

Biofeedback/pelvic floor physiotherapy
Desired outcome: started this just recently - it's been 8 years since initial treatments. After my second appointment I was told I had too much inflammation in the vulvar area to continue, and that I should seek other treatments to identify what is wrong with the area. I am testing negative for yeast, and everything else, so very confused what to do next.
Length of time: 2 months so far - 2 appointments
Outcome: so far no effect.

Tyger

Posts : 11
Join date : 2011-05-05
Location : Melbourne, Australia

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Post  GrannyM Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:54 pm

Just to add my experience:
1.Pain always in same area on line of old episiotomy scar, but intensity varies.
2. More than 15 years
3.69
4. Post menapausal and I've always had a very sensitive skin, allergies etc. but not in that area.
5. Raw burning sensation like a wound.
7.At strat I had fybroids and posterial prolapse(misdiagnosed as of bladder)
8. briefly in my 30s
9 a) Came off HRT b)Fenton's proceedure(gynoc. thought seam tight) c) Repair of prolapse d)Excision of scar tissue.(so 3 ops in sensitive area) d)Oestrogen cream or pseearies(used long term) May help a bit. f0 Replens rehydration cream. Clots not sure it helps.g) Injections to numb nerve. Complete failure. h) antidepresants and anti epilepsy medication.Supposed to block pain receptors. Several months. Horrible side effects slight benefit. h)Self prescribed aloe vera, pomegranate ol, footcream. Latter leaves area tingling which is better than the pain but short lived.
10.
Nothing really help, apart from the antobiotic pessaries given once years ago.Drs. happy to prescribe drugs that effect all body systems but not a locally applied atibiotic in absence of evidence of infecton.
Condition worstened by bowel motions, gardening is crouched at all, carrying weights,sitting, wearing trousers, sitting.
Sex a thing of the past(not throgh choice). Operations have worstened as pain now spreads into back of thigh.
Any research or suggestions would be welcome as sometimes I feel like jumping off a cliff. Not life threatening but chronic nature is very demoralizing.
Best wishes and good luck to other sufferers.

GrannyM

Posts : 2
Join date : 2012-12-15

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Post  justme47 Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:08 pm

I have discovered lately that it is very helpful to wear loose breathable cotton panties at night to absorb perpiration. It really cuts down on irritation during the night and next morning. Also stay away from strongly perfumed detergents and fabric softeners. I also take a tricyclic and Lyrica (expensive, though, helps to have extended medical).

justme47

Posts : 2
Join date : 2013-01-04

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Post  jen007 Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:52 am

1. My pain is provoked with penetration, I have PVD according to my doctors.
2. 5 years
3. 20
4. I'm not really sure what triggered it Neutral At first I thought I injured it from a fall I had when I was 13. I also was kicked down there at 15 right around the time I noticed the pain. I was having chronic yeast infections until I switched to 100% cotton underwear. My doctor ruled out the above and said I was born with PVD from doing what I call the belly button test.
5. With penetration it felt like someone was shoving a hot knife made of sand paper into my vagina. On a daily basis though nothing really. Sometimes wearing jeans would be a problem, but then I started to wear jeggings which helped a lot.
6. All of the treatments I have undergone had not been successful. I had some relief with amitriptyline, but I had to stop using it.
7. I don't have any of the conditions you listed above (#7), but I do have panic disorder which I think might have something to do with it. I've seen from other forums and here as well that many women who have vulvodynia also have stress conditions or an anxiety disorder.
8. I've never been on birth control.
9.

Monistat
Desired outcome: Stopping chronic yeast infections.
Length of time: On and off for about 2 to 3 years.
Outcome: Would work for about a week or 2 at a time, the infection always came back up until I switched to 100% cotton underwear.

Amitriptyline- went up to 80 mg daily
Desired outcome: Stop the pain down there, making it bearable for penetration.
Length of time: Around 6 months
Outcome: It helped with the daily pains I had been feeling, but I had to stop taking it because It caused me to loose 15 lbs. in a short amount of time. This concerned me since I was only 120 to begin with. I haven't been over 105 lbs since then. It's weird because I was told it would make me gain weight, but it had the opposite effect on my.

Gabapentin- Compounded
Desired outcome: Stop the pain down there, making it bearable for penetration.
Length of time: 2 months
Outcome: Nothing changed

Gabapentin- Oral
Desired outcome: Stop the pain down there, making it bearable for penetration.
Length of time: 2 months
Outcome: Nothing changed

Lidocaine- 5% on cotton ball over night
Desired outcome: To numb out the area completely.
Length of time: Still currently using
Outcome: It worked for about 5 minutes then the pain would come back.

Surgery- Full Vestibulectomy
Desired outcome: To somewhat cure my PVD (Provoked Vestibuledynia)
Length of time: Surgery took about 45 minutes, recovery till I could walk again 2 months, and 8 months to a year to be fully healed (still in progress)
Outcome: I'd say I'm 95% pain free now. I do still have some painful areas, but nothing like I used to be. I'm able to have sex as long as I dilate everyday for 10 minutes with the largest dilator in my set and lots of lube! I also use the lidocaine gel before sex. The only problem is I'm not able to...finish or get any pleasure out of sex. I think it's because of lack of experience and just getting used to the fact that I can have sex with out it being painful. It's kind of hard to think about it not hurting. I'm hoping eventually it'll get better with some future pt and some practice.

Hope I was able to help out :]
-Jen


Last edited by jen007 on Sun Jan 06, 2013 3:01 pm; edited 1 time in total

jen007

Posts : 152
Join date : 2012-11-05
Age : 31
Location : U.S.A

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Post  cba321 Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:21 am

1. My pain is provoked
2. How long have you suffered from this condition? 8 years, since first sexual experience, however have never been able to insert a tampon so that would make it 13 years
3. How old are you? 27
4. What do you think triggered the onset? Not really sure, only significant thing that happened was a fall between my legs at age 6 years or so, no major infections in the area
5. How can you best describe your pain and individual symptoms? extremely tight muscles producing significant muscular and neuropathic pain with any penetration of the vagina. Burning, stabbing stretching type pain
6. Have you ever found relief for any period of time, or been cured? Botox and stretches have helped to relax the muscles, however I am still under the influence of Botox so whether the effect will continue after this has worn off remains to be seen.
7. Do you have or suspect any accompanying conditions ie. bladder conditions, bowel/anal conditions, fibromyalgia - I have always had digestion issues which my Physio believes is related to the tight pelvic floor muscles
8. Have you ever been on, or are you currently on any hormonal birth control? I started using birth control well after my first sexual experience. I have not been on the pill for 9 months now and have found no difference whether I am on the pill or off it. As I had not touched the pill before my symptoms appeared they could not have caused it.
9. What treatments have you tried?

1. Botox treatment in conjunction with physio and daily stretches to the pelvic floor muscles
Desired outcome
Lengthened pelvic floor muscle, with the botox giving me a chance to stretch the muscle out which was not previously possible
Botox injection on the 4/7/12, which should last for around 6 months. Currently the botox is still working so I am not sure if my ability to use the largest dialator will continue when the botox wears off.

2. Endep
Desired outcome
Decrease neuropathic skin sensitivity pain, tried on 2 occasions for about 4-6 months, on a max dose of 20mg
Outcome
Took the edge of the nerve type pain affecting the outside of the vagina, stopped due to the very adverse side effects, depression, excess sweating

3. Montelykast
Desired outcome
Stop inflammatory response from mast cells. Trialed this for one packet (a month), Gyno said there would be a response very quickly if there was going to be one
Outcome
no change at all

4. Biofreedback
Desired outcome
Train muscles to relax more by use of a meter to show me when the muscle is most relaxed
Outcome
Gave me a good understanding of how to relax my muscle which is completely different to any other muscle in my body, however did not give any significant change however my muscles were extremely tight, almost like bone. If your muscles are not so much in spasm this may assist more.

5.Psycho therapy and hypnosis/mindfulness
Desired outcome
To be able to deal with this disease better and live a healthy balanced life. Mindfulness to allow me to distinguish between pain that I have made in memory and pain which is an actual sensory experience. Hypnosis to access deeper emotions about the condition and life and deal with it better
outcome
A must for anyone with this condition. Having someone to talk to about your darkest thoughts regarding this beast is very important as it is not a good idea to constantly tell a loved one. Have just started hypnosis and mindfulness but can see how they can help

6. Large doses of antibiotics and antifungals despite negative test results
No change at all

7. Chiropractor
Desired outcome
Align my spine snd pelvis so that when my muscle re-engage post botox, my skeletal system is in the best possible position. Help with neuropathic pain
Outcome
Some neuropathic pain relief but have only had 4 sessions

Wendy

cba321

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