Another newbie - looking for the next step

[Guest guest]

Hi there - WOW - finding this group and reading through your archive

of posts has been unbelievable for me! Your support for one another

is really outstanding.

I was diagnosed with " vestibulitis " in 1999. Am I correct in my

assumption that the name has been changed to " Vulvodynia " or is that

a more general term? Anyway I am sure that I developed it from a

series of frequent yeast infections over a period of a year for

which I used Monistat & Canesten and they are just so harsh. I

began to have serious pain from sex, inserting tampons, or any

rubbing or pressure in the vaginal entrance. Went to a NUMBER of

different doctors for opinions (I live in Canada, thank God for free

health care!), all of whom diagnosed me with vestibulitis and my

treatment options varied from " There is nothing you can do, maybe

see a psychologist " , to the usual " don't use harsh soaps " , to

the " Long-term steroid cream " approach.

I have tried a number of steroid creams and they don't work - I see

that opinion shared on this board! I gave up a couple of years ago

and have just been living with it. Overall, I am not as sore as I

used to be, and the pain is just during sex or inserting tampons and

in the days afterward. I would like to try something else but

reading through the archive of posts I am really overwhelmed with

the number of different potential attempts to treat this and know

that some of the potential treatments may be for cases more serious

than mine. I am more prone to use more " natural-based " cures if

possible. After steroid creams, what would be the next step to

treating this naturally?

Thank you in advance.

-ne

[Guest guest]

ne - are you now free from yeast infections? If so, perhaps you could begin with estrogen cream applied to the area. This won't help you overnight - in fact it appears that it can take up to several months to help in some people - so you must perservere. If you choose such a route (as topical appplications) apply only to a tiny area at first. Stick to that same tiny area and if there are no adverse effects that cause you great grief, then after about 5 or 6 days, make the area of application a little larger...continue with the larger area for about 4 or more days and than enlarge the area again. By applying this way - if there are negative effects, you will only be dealing with a small area of aggravation.

Another thing to rule out is allergy. Patch test your arm with your own personal care products. Smear some of your own products onto a bandaid - and place the bandaid on your upper arm (you can have your husband/partner put it on your upper back, between shoulder blades if preferable). Do not allow these to get wet for three days - at the end of the 3 days, remove the bandaids and run your finger over the previously bandaged spot searching for raised area which may or may not be red. For the next two days continue to check the area - as there can be a delayed reaction also. It is best to mark the spots with ink so that you know where to search - and if you test more than one product at a time , number them so that you know which number is which product. Doing this will tell you what to avoid in your home care products - like bar soaps, shampoos, conditioners, skin creams, OTC antibiotics and it even works fairly well on pills you take for medical reasons. If you find that you react to any items, you might want to get a good allergist to work with you.

Good luck

Dusty

-----Original Message-----From: sharkleberry2000 Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 10:03 AMTo: VulvarDisorders Subject: Another newbie - looking for the next stepHi there - WOW - finding this group and reading through your archive of posts has been unbelievable for me! Your support for one another is really outstanding. I was diagnosed with "vestibulitis" in 1999. Am I correct in my assumption that the name has been changed to "Vulvodynia" or is that a more general term? Anyway I am sure that I developed it from a series of frequent yeast infections over a period of a year for which I used Monistat & Canesten and they are just so harsh. I began to have serious pain from sex, inserting tampons, or any rubbing or pressure in the vaginal entrance. Went to a NUMBER of different doctors for opinions (I live in Canada, thank God for free health care!), all of whom diagnosed me with vestibulitis and my treatment options varied from "There is nothing you can do, maybe see a psychologist", to the usual "don't use harsh soaps", to the "Long-term steroid cream" approach. I have tried a number of steroid creams and they don't work - I see that opinion shared on this board! I gave up a couple of years ago and have just been living with it. Overall, I am not as sore as I used to be, and the pain is just during sex or inserting tampons and in the days afterward. I would like to try something else but reading through the archive of posts I am really overwhelmed with the number of different potential attempts to treat this and know that some of the potential treatments may be for cases more serious than mine. I am more prone to use more "natural-based" cures if possible. After steroid creams, what would be the next step to treating this naturally? Thank you in advance.-ne*****END OF MESSAGE/REMOVE WHEN REPLYING*****http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VulvarDisordersto search our archive or view our files.***

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/29/04 10:11:50 AM, VulvarDisorders

writes:

<< Like you, totally overwhelmed by the site. I'm sure

the others will write more technical stuff but from my

understanding, vulva vestibultis is the precurser for

vulvodynia. >>

No, wrong understanding.

Debbie

Tiger

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/28/04 10:53:01 AM, VulvarDisorders

writes:

<< I was diagnosed with " vestibulitis " in 1999. Am I correct in my

assumption that the name has been changed to " Vulvodynia " or is that

a more general term? >>

Two different conditions. Vestibulitis (vvs) falls under Vulvodynia (vv),

but is not Vulvodynia. There are other Vulvodynia subsets too.

<<Anyway I am sure that I developed it from a

series of frequent yeast infections over a period of a year for

which I used Monistat & Canesten and they are just so harsh.>>

Monistat seems to be a leading cause of vvs.

<<I am more prone to use more " natural-based " cures if

possible.>>

Then try a gluten free diet. The archives has information.

<<After steroid creams, what would be the next step to

treating this naturally? >>

Topically, Atropine cream and/or the Lidocaine Cotton Ball treatment. You

can find information in the archives of this list and other yahoo lists. If you

want to take pills, Neurontin or Elavil.

Debbie

Tiger

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/28/04 10:53:01 AM, VulvarDisorders

writes:

<< I was diagnosed with " vestibulitis " in 1999. Am I correct in my

assumption that the name has been changed to " Vulvodynia " or is that

a more general term? >>

Two different conditions. Vestibulitis (vvs) falls under Vulvodynia (vv),

but is not Vulvodynia. There are other Vulvodynia subsets too.

<<Anyway I am sure that I developed it from a

series of frequent yeast infections over a period of a year for

which I used Monistat & Canesten and they are just so harsh.>>

Monistat seems to be a leading cause of vvs.

<<I am more prone to use more " natural-based " cures if

possible.>>

Then try a gluten free diet. The archives has information.

<<After steroid creams, what would be the next step to

treating this naturally? >>

Topically, Atropine cream and/or the Lidocaine Cotton Ball treatment. You

can find information in the archives of this list and other yahoo lists. If you

want to take pills, Neurontin or Elavil.

Debbie

Tiger