Re: please help! my story

[Guest guest]

I have vulvar vestibulitis, which is characterized by pain only on

contact, like with intercourse or tampon insertion. It's

inflammation of the vestibule or opening to the vagina, usually at

the 'bottom' near the anus (or in the 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock region

if noon is toward the clitoris). I was correctly diagnosed with

vestibulitis but somehow ended up being treated for vaginismus first,

with dilators and psychotherapy. That wasn't right. So my situation

is somewhat like yours. Anyway, I have been helped a little by low-

dose anti-depressants (I used Desipramine) and also by stopping the

birth control pill (a mixed bag, since now I have painful

menstruation.) I am now seeing a doctor who is supervising treatment

with Estrace topically - but only during the last two weeks of my

period - and also, strangely, peroxide gel (which is usually used on

gums and can be found in the drug store by the dental stuff).

Peroxide gel twice a day right in the area you are talking about and

Estrace once a day during the last two weeks of the monthly cycle.

I've been too distraught to stick to the regimen but it seems

promising. Tried lidocaine to numb the area but that was awful - it

burns going on and you end up causing yourself pain you don't know

about till afterwards... ugh.

Don't feel bad if you're not suffering as much as some - most

people here would be glad about that. And anyway, any problem at all

with female stuff affects your sense of self in some way. If women

whose problems 'aren't so bad' start recognizing them and demanding

treatment, doctors will HAVE to realize that this affects a large

segment of the population and maybe we will get more help!

[Guest guest]

Hi, ! It sounds like you have pain at that

" wonderful " six o'clock position of the vestibule that

so many of us have (six o'clock is the bottom of the

opening to the vagina). Has anyone done an exam to

check to see if you have vestibulitis? Has anyone

done a Q-Tip test to check to see where your

vestibule's sensitive areas are? I'm not saying you

have vestibulitis for sure, but it's *one* possibility

for pain at 6 o'clock.

I have vestibulitis and had pain and constant burning

at the 6 o'clock position. I was helped significantly

by the topical application of Estrace (estradiol)

cream, and I know some other women on this list have

been helped by it, too, so that's one possible avenue

of treatment for you. But the most important thing is

for you to be checked out by a vulvar specialist. I

hope the other women on this list can give you the

names of some specialist(s) in the Los Angeles area

(I'm from the Philadelphia area.)

One thing I've found helps make sex easier is to have

my husband enter me from behind. Something about the

6 o'clock area being in a different position seems to

help. I know that won't work for all women, but

perhaps you can experiment with different positions to

make that pain on penetration less?

Take care, and please stay in touch.

Suzy

--- juliejolie

wrote:

> hi, I am new to this group, so it is kind of hard to

> follow the posts

> over time, so I am going to ask my questions anyway,

> and will be

> immensely grateful to whomever wishes to answer.

> Here's my story: I

> have always had trouble with penetration during

> intercourse. I was

> first told that I had vaginismus, which was true,

> but the reason I

> had this was that there was something else, which I

> discovered once I

> was able to control the muscles. There is a spot at

> the bottom of the

> entrance of my vagina which is so sensitive that the

> lightest touch

> feels like a burn; it almost feels as if the flesh

> were raw, with no

> skin on it. I discovered yesterday that this is not

> normal - I had

> started to think that it might be normal to

> experience some

> discomfort during penetration. I know alot of you

> seem to have

> conditions much more serious than this - hell, I can

> have sex and

> enjoy it once i've been penetrated, as long as the

> penis is not too

> large...

> Can anybody relate to this? I have gone to several

> doctors, which

> said I appeared perfectly normal and healthy. I will

> be going to Los

> Angeles in a few days, to work. Is there any clinic

> or doctor that

> anybody can recommend? What are the possible

> treatments?

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Well, I'm glad you found out it's not normal. I have the same

problem, except it burns all the way around. Just had my 2nd

surgery. Mine started off like yours, but after 4 yrs of ignoring it

and still having sex, it got unbearable. Please get help or it will

probably get worse. How long has it been like this?

Love,

Ruth

> hi, I am new to this group, so it is kind of hard to follow the

posts

> over time, so I am going to ask my questions anyway, and will be

> immensely grateful to whomever wishes to answer. Here's my story: I

> have always had trouble with penetration during intercourse. I was

> first told that I had vaginismus, which was true, but the reason I

> had this was that there was something else, which I discovered once

I

> was able to control the muscles. There is a spot at the bottom of

the

> entrance of my vagina which is so sensitive that the lightest touch

> feels like a burn; it almost feels as if the flesh were raw, with

no

> skin on it. I discovered yesterday that this is not normal - I had

> started to think that it might be normal to experience some

> discomfort during penetration. I know alot of you seem to have

> conditions much more serious than this - hell, I can have sex and

> enjoy it once i've been penetrated, as long as the penis is not too

> large...

> Can anybody relate to this? I have gone to several doctors, which

> said I appeared perfectly normal and healthy. I will be going to

Los

> Angeles in a few days, to work. Is there any clinic or doctor that

> anybody can recommend? What are the possible treatments?