Tammy

[Guest guest]

tammy,

so, you don't feel any pain unless you're having sex? throughout the

rest of the day you're okay? Other than itching, I normally don't

feel any pain throughout the day. I have had pain free sex most of

the time. Well, I guess I should say that I can have sex, but it

doesn't hurt. It's more of a discomfort rather than painful. Do I

have to have painful sex to be considered VV?? I know you're not a

doctor, but I'm so confused about the specific symptoms that lead to

an official diagnosis. I have a doc appointment tomorrow morning

with my regular gyn and will hopefully get a appointment in to see a

specialist soon.

Thanks for your info. It really helped.

Jill

In VulvarDisordersegroups, " Tammy Gumbita " <DGUMBITA@S...> wrote:

> " I guess my biggest question right now is what my actual diagnosis

is. The

> symptoms associated with these

> > disorders are so similar. How do you tell one from the other?? "

> I have been diagnosed with vulvar vestibulitis because I experience

pain

> (not itching) at the entrance of the vagina, the vestibule area. I

only

> experience pain when trying to make love. I recently started

having an

> itching problem along my pubic hairline.

>

> " Did your pain start out at the intensity it is today?

> > Meaning...will this get worse over time? "

> Yes and no. At the beginning it was not that intense. As I tried

more and

> more creams, pills etc. it got worse, but occasionally we could

make love.

> The end of last year it got much worse and we couldn't make love at

all.

> That's when I found this site, and in March I started using Estrace.

>

> " Is that specific to each person? Or

> > is there a consistent number of women that have gotten worse? "

> It seems to me that we all have the same symptoms but at different

degrees

> and intensity.

>

> " Could you explain to me this Estrace stuff. Is it a daily thing?

> Only

> when needed? does it offer relief? any long term side effects? "

> I use Estrace twice a day, morning and night and testosterone cream

at

> night. I just use a little to cover the painful area. What it is

doing is

> strengthening the skin. I have gotten / still get small cuts in the

> vestibule skin. I haven't had any side effects.

>

> " Also, has it been proven whether birth control plays any role in

symptoms?

> I am on it now and don't notice much of a difference between the

symptoms

> before/ after. the only thing I have noticed is that it has really

dried me

> out. I think that's common, though. "

>

> Some of the ladies in this group say that BCs caused their

problems, some

> don't. I'm on them now, and had been off them to see if there was a

> difference a couple of years ago. No difference then.

>

> Tammy G.