Re: this makes me want to barf

[Guest guest]

Oh Anne, I'm so glad that you cannot fathom how horrible it really is. Women don't talk because they are threatended with their lives and with the lives of their children. My mother had to write notes to excuse me from gym so teacher wouldn't see the marks on my back and body and maybe report it.....that's how afraid she was that someone would confront him.I'll tell you a story you won't believe. When my father died, a neighbor came up to me to express her sympathy. (We have lived in the same place all our lives and thhese are rowhomes/townhomes all connnected together). This neighbor said to me - "he was a strict man.... I remember when you kids were small and we'd all hear you screaming and your mother screaming too... it was awful to listen to". AWFUL TO LISTEN TO??????? NOT ONE - NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON helped us - or sent in the police. NOT ONE., and yet they heard the screams of children ??

You can't understand it unless you live it. You can't escape it because the fear is SOOOOO huge a part of your life. I wish with all my heart that some doctor or teacher had asked me if my father was hurting me. One wonders why they didn't with stomach and duodenal ulcers at 16! I like to think that if someone had expressed sympathy or interest, I would have talked of it and my life could have been very different. In our house, it was 'the secret'. When you are born into it and grow up in it - you become either very timid and accepting of your fate or you go forward on nerves alone and become agressive and pushy yourself. I became agressive and pushy and then began fighting back, hitting him back at great risk to myself. I got out of there into my own apartment when I recognized that I too had potential for battering and I began seeing mental health

specialists.If you save a life, a child's future, a woman's self esteem - it isn't prying. We allow docs to ask a whole host of things in order for them to evaluate us and asking about personal safety issues is a valid question. Many times, this is the only place (a docs office) where a woman can feel safe enough to express her fears. I wish just one person had asked or intervened.No - its not prying. I wish from the bottom of my being someone had pried into our household - long before we became so victimized.Anne Mcgee wrote: Yeah, but statistics also say that like one out of four woman are the victims of some type of sexual abuse in their life time, so it stands to reason that the same percentage(at least) of woman with vulvar issues would be

victims of abuse, so should doctors ask all woman?? Doctors are required to report suspected abuse (at least of children I know of) but to ask about it when/if no signs are present? I do not believe having VV makes one more likely to have been abused and I would not like my doctor to ask me about it, but I do know that here at the university of michigan hospital I have never been in an examination room that did not have a poster or leaflet giving info for woman who have been abused and numbers to call for help...mind and body are linked, but is its my doctors responsibility to pry for information in my personal life?? I'm not sure, and tend to think NO, many abused woman avoid the doctor and examinations, so if a woman is seeking help at the doctor, why not ask for it..granted I have never been in that situation and hopefully never will be, Anne--On Tuesday, May 01, 2007 10:28 PM -0700 Anonymous

wrote:>>>>> The statistics I sent in the websites kinda do bear out that a great> number of women are victims of abuse - be it sexual, verbal , physical or> otherwise.>> I would say that if a woman presented with pelvic pain and had no visible> signs of damage or illness or disease that a doc would be remiss if he> DIDN"T ask about abuse. It would be a very logical question to ask - as> women can be and are raped and beaten and once healed from these events -> the signs are not visible in an exam. So the doc is damned if he does> ask and damned if he doesn't if the reason turns out to be a PTSD related> issue or a sexual or physical abuse issue.>> One of the first questions I was asked after a nervous breakdown was had> I been abused in any way. One of the first questions I was asked at my> very early diagnosis of high blood

pressure was "how are things at home -> are you troubled by your life in any way". Its a very logical question> - for to take control away from a woman in that way (abuse) robs them of> their sense of self, shuts down sensory reaction to everything but fear> reactions and since consensual sex is supposed to be> pleasurable/desirable - it would be fairly logical for a> doc/boyfriend/husband to wonder if some brutal act had robbed a woman of> her ability to enjoy the good things in life.>> We don't know what men are asked when being evaluated by docs for> pelvic/erectile problems because we aren't men. But I'm betting the> talk goes to past abuse, traumas etc. (as in war vets who can no longer> perform due to PTSD).>> I'm responding in support of screening women for abuse and trauma only> because I have been a victim of abuse and I know for certain that many

of> my physical problems are directly related to my PTSD. I have seen> mental health specialists for a lot of years and come to understand a> great deal about my actions and reactions and the pain I've caused my> self for such ludicrous things as blaming myself for not protecting> younger sibs or my mother - when I myself was only a child.>> Sandi Sharp wrote:>>> One more thing...it is not that docs insinuate or even just ask about> abuse that upsets me. I said I know a woman who was an incest victim and> she had horrible pain that went away after she had therapy. What gets me> upset is just what said in her latest post..that the medical> community disproportionately focuses on the abuse as a cause when> statistics just don't bear that out!>> No one is arguing with you. Just presenting another view. I totally>

understand the mind body connection.>> Sandi>>>> __________________________________________________> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?> Check out new cars at Yahoo! Autos.>>>>> __________________________________________________> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?> Check out new cars at Yahoo! Autos. **IF REPLYING TO THIS POST, PLEASE REMOVE ORIGINAL POST, Thanks for your cooperation! *****

[Guest guest]

The article does not say they asked only for sexual problems - they asked about a number of traumatic events. That's what I'm trying to tell you. You are a very intelligent lady Sandi and I think you know the answers to your questions below If we live any length of time at all, we'll all get arthritis or bursitis or some joint problem, if we eat incorrectly or have a family history we will get diabetes,and so on and so on. If we get these things there are standard treatments which work for pretty much everyone - more or less. The causes are known - wear and tear on the joints, a pancreas which doesn't work properly and the treatments are known as well. Curing Pelvic pain however has remained very elusive and there is very little uniformity in what works as a standard treatment (and from that standard - variations on the treatment). This would therefore give rise to the theory that there are more

than a few reasons for pelvic pain and a doc, if he's worth his stuff, has to try and find a cause so as to craft a 'cure' for an individual woman (or at least reduce her pain) until research-which isn't done by the docs we see but by researchers in labs who we never- comes up with some answers.There are any number of other medical problems out there that are just beginning to surface and need more research too, pelvic pain isn't the only one. The relatively 'new' disorders have a long way to go in terms of diagnosing and treating and I say again - if only one woman is spared the pain of this disorder by being asked about abuse - and being diagnosed with PTSD and treated, then the questions were worth it.As to your objection to sexual abuse questions, this pain is in the sexual organ of the female - who are so often forced into sexual activity that they don't want and who may well harbor tensions beyond our comprehension because of

it.Sandi Sharp wrote: But why ask only for sexual problems? Why not for migraines or Fibro or arthritis? I am not against doctors asking but then they should ask for all chronic problems...Not just ones that involve sexual organs. There is no link between sexual abuse and vulvar pain ON AVERAGE. Not saying it doesn't happen to certain individuals. My hope is that when you treat your PTSD all your problems will go away. I also hope that research stops focusing on psychological causes for vulvar pain in general. You wouldn't want them to focus on psychological causes for cancer or diabetes. We need research on the physical not the psychological causes. Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car"

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[Guest guest]

Your opinion is very jaded, Arline because it wasn't part of your reality. If you were a victim of that environment,with no way out - too y oung, too poor- whatever and no one was interested.... you could quite simply be one of the unbelievable number of women murdered, or beaten into an oblivion. Asking can save lives - point people in the right direction for help and a way out.You don't live it now, and from what you've written it appears you never have. You can't comprehend what it does to your life, thought processes and ability to function as a capable independent human being.I lived it in a time when it was acceptable to beat your wife and kids, when incest wasn't rape and men ruled the home. You can take my word for it - it was horrible and I'm glad that men and women alike are being asked if they are suffering from fears for their personal safety. Lives will be saved

and others changed for the better.BABB wrote: There are some things that are obvious to me in allthese speculations. It can never be proven that thisis a cause of vulvodynia, it can never be known thatthis is the cure, and a lot of money can be spentunnecessarily if it isn't the cause. So I think weshould think about just why this is such a big thingagain in the life of the physician and supposedresearchers these days and certainly in theirliterature.A whole industry based on people making moneyconvincing women that they were sexually abused butthey don't remember it came to fame in the eightiesand nineties. That in itself is abuse. People wereeven suing their parents for the non remembered sexualabuse. These crazies (supposed therapists who

oftenhaven't even had Psych 101 but have for example donetheir learning in a drug rehab (for example)) actuallyexist and do great damage to people.I think it is abuse to be asked everytime I walk intoa new doctor's office if I have been sexually abused.My sex life now or in the past in the first place Idon't think is any of their business. I believe it isjust one more new fad they like to get on the recordso they can protect themselves from potential fantasylawsuits in the future so they can blame almostanything on it. There is no privacy you know or maybeyou don't know.I hate abuse and know that it exists. What I reallyhate even more are the feather merchants who make aliving off of it and take advantage of it for theirown purposes.If one needs to have some kind of counseling that iswhat one should do as privately as possible with areal qualified psychologist with a

greatrecommendation from somebody without telling yourdarned doctors. I suggest that you don't give yourpsychologist permission to talk to your doctor or totell him anything you said. Often they do this to justto ingratiate themselves with other professionals.Be careful and thoughtful before you buy into theblaming of abuse for your diabetes, (etc.) Think aboutreal physical diseases that show things likeantibodies in good tests.Do as you like.My opinionArline__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I still don't understand. Even after being thrown out of a doctor's office for fictitious sexual abuse and degraded by his comments about "my kind" I do not think it is terrible to be asked about sexual abuse. And I sure wish someone asked you many years ago and intervened. It is the fact that research focuses on the psychological causes of this and does not do so for diabetes or Crohn's or arthritis. My gripe really is with the RESEARCH and the stubborn doctors who didn't believe that I have never been abused. There is no link on average between sexual abuse and vulvar pain. No studies to prove it. But the study we did disproved it. I am not saying it isn't the cause for a specific individual, just that the proportion of women who had been sexually abused who had v pain was the same or actually less than in the general population. That is factual data. As

far as abuse being tied to diseases, I believe the bumps in our road in life are the root of all diseases b/c they affect a physical cause. It is the physical cause(s) for v pain that needs to be investigated. But they don't know the physical cause of diabetes, do they? --- I mean I know it is a problem of insulin production....but why isn't the insulin being produced correctly? Is it b/c the person was abused?? The same thing is true of arthritis...perhaps these people were abused. If we knew the cause of chronic diseases we could better fix them and not just manage them. So, we come from two opposite angles. You were tragically and horribly physically abused and I had a great childhood. One of the lowest moments in my life was when the doctor kicked me out of his office for being 'sexually abused" and told that I am trash. Ironically, the doctor abused me by

accusing my husband of abusing me and throwing us out on the streets to go back to the ER. But the facts are that the docs can ask all they want about abuse. Perhaps in doing so they can help people, women especially. I am all for it. But they need to be tactful and respectful. But RESEARCH FOR V PAIN NEEDS TO FOCUS ON PHYSICAL CAUSES...NOT EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. Because our research shows there is no link between sexual abuse and v pain. That is a fact. We tried really hard to make the questions as nonbiased as possible. It would be great if they did a study on the affects of sexual abuse and physical abuse on all sorts of chronic illnesses. Sandi

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I respect your opinion Sandi, but I'v e been in this world long enough to know that research is overturned daily for lack of proper scientific guidelines. Major, well controlled ghazillion person studies are re studied every day because of flaws found in them. I'm still blown away that you say ressearch focuses on psychological causes, when you in fact researched it yourself. Again, I say to you the docs would be remiss if they didn't consider it. I have seen, I think, maybe 9 docs in my journey with this disorder and not one asked me if I was every abused or traumatized or if I was living in fear for my safety. No one focused on my psychological well being at all. So we each have a different experience. Many women who write to this list mistake the doc prescribing antidpressants for an assumption that he thinks they are imagining their pain - but we know for a fact that antidpressants can suppress

certain kinds of pain.I repeat - if you have Crohns or diabetes, you can be tested- confirmed as a sufferer, and treated with standard treatments. There are few mysteries - its laboratory confirmed and there is a treatment (BTW - you don't know what they ask those sufferers ). BUT, If you are a person (man or woman) presenting with pelvic problems for which all KNOWN testing offers no indications of a physical disease process - then a doc would be failing his patient if he didn't take it the next level and investigate whther or not the pain is from the tensing/guarding and stress of a disorder such as PTSD .Sandi Sharp wrote: I still don't understand. Even after being thrown out of a doctor's office for fictitious sexual abuse and degraded by his comments about "my

kind" I do not think it is terrible to be asked about sexual abuse. And I sure wish someone asked you many years ago and intervened. It is the fact that research focuses on the psychological causes of this and does not do so for diabetes or Crohn's or arthritis. My gripe really is with the RESEARCH and the stubborn doctors who didn't believe that I have never been abused. There is no link on average between sexual abuse and vulvar pain. No studies to prove it. But the study we did disproved it. I am not saying it isn't the cause for a specific individual, just that the proportion of women who had been sexually abused who had v pain was the same or actually less than in the general population. That is factual data. As far as abuse being tied to diseases, I believe the bumps in our road in life are the root of all diseases b/c they affect a physical cause.

It is the physical cause(s) for v pain that needs to be investigated. But they don't know the physical cause of diabetes, do they? --- I mean I know it is a problem of insulin production....but why isn't the insulin being produced correctly? Is it b/c the person was abused?? The same thing is true of arthritis...perhaps these people were abused. If we knew the cause of chronic diseases we could better fix them and not just manage them. So, we come from two opposite angles. You were tragically and horribly physically abused and I had a great childhood. One of the lowest moments in my life was when the doctor kicked me out of his office for being 'sexually abused" and told that I am trash. Ironically, the doctor abused me by accusing my husband of abusing me and throwing us out on the streets to go back to the ER. But the facts are that

the docs can ask all they want about abuse. Perhaps in doing so they can help people, women especially. I am all for it. But they need to be tactful and respectful. But RESEARCH FOR V PAIN NEEDS TO FOCUS ON PHYSICAL CAUSES...NOT EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. Because our research shows there is no link between sexual abuse and v pain. That is a fact. We tried really hard to make the questions as nonbiased as possible. It would be great if they did a study on the affects of sexual abuse and physical abuse on all sorts of chronic illnesses. Sandi Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out new cars

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[Guest guest]

I do not understand why anyone would get upset with an article investigating sexual abuse and pelvic issues. Of course trauma to a woman's genitle area could be a cause to pelvic/vulvar issues. The article does NOT state that every woman with pelvic/vulvar problems has been sexually abused. I have been reading these posts on this and really have been just sitting back and not posting, but my heart goes out to anyone that has put sexually abuse (or abused in any way) and if I was abused and I was at my doctor's office complaining of pelvic problems or vulvar issues or whatever and they asked me personal ?s to determine if I was abused or not, I would be glad that someone stepped in to help me!!! I am sure that there are lots of women out there with significant mental and physical problems relating to sexual trauma and I think anyone that is willing to help them is a positive step in the right direction. I think that everyone that is upset over this one article should take a step back and think about the women/girls out there that are being abused right now and maybe it will be them in that doctor's office being ?'d about sexual trauma and it might actually help them live better lives.

Sandi, I know that you are upset regarding this and I have read your posts regarding that moron doc that acused you of being abused and your husband of abusing you, but not all docs are like that. Unfortunately, you were subjected to the negative aspect of this issue---being disrespect--and I am sorry for that. I also think that the majority of docs trying to figure out if a woman was abused or not are not doing it for their own self-gain, they are doing it to help that person.

Maybe we should change the topic and just leave this one alone. We are all here for the same reason---we want to get well and help and support eachother!!!

Mindy---hugs to everyone

I still don't understand. Even after being thrown out of a doctor's office for fictitious sexual abuse and degraded by his comments about "my kind" I do not think it is terrible to be asked about sexual abuse. And I sure wish someone asked you many years ago and intervened. It is the fact that research focuses on the psychological causes of this and does not do so for diabetes or Crohn's or arthritis. My gripe really is with the RESEARCH and the stubborn doctors who didn't believe that I have never been abused.> > There is no link on average between sexual abuse and vulvar pain. No studies to prove it. But the study we did disproved it. I am not saying it isn't the cause for a specific individual, just that the proportion of women who had been sexually abused who had v pain was the same or actually less than in the general population. That is factual data.> > As far as abuse being tied to diseases, I believe the bumps in our road in life are the root of all diseases b/c they affect a physical cause. It is the physical cause(s) for v pain that needs to be investigated. But they don't know the physical cause of diabetes, do they? --- I mean I know it is a problem of insulin production....but why isn't the insulin being produced correctly? Is it b/c the person was abused?? The same thing is true of arthritis...perhaps these people were abused. If we knew the cause of chronic diseases we could better fix them and not just manage them. > > So, we come from two opposite angles. You were tragically and horribly physically abused and I had a great childhood. One of the lowest moments in my life was when the doctor kicked me out of his office for being 'sexually abused" and told that I am trash. Ironically, the doctor abused me by accusing my husband of abusing me and throwing us out on the streets to go back to the ER. > > But the facts are that the docs can ask all they want about abuse. Perhaps in doing so they can help people, women especially. I am all for it. But they need to be tactful and respectful. But RESEARCH FOR V PAIN NEEDS TO FOCUS ON PHYSICAL CAUSES...NOT EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. Because our research shows there is no link between sexual abuse and v pain. That is a fact. We tried really hard to make the questions as nonbiased as possible. It would be great if they did a study on the affects of sexual abuse and physical abuse on all sorts of chronic illnesses. > > Sandi > > > > > > ---------------------------------> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?> Check out new cars at Yahoo! Autos. > > > ---------------------------------> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?> Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.>

[Guest guest]

Hi Dusty, You said that studies are constantly overturned. You are right! But I spent thousands of hours to do a study which was as unbiased as possible. It cost me thousands of dollars ( if going by my old billabble rate!) and was NOT funded by any pharmaceutical firm. It asked all sorts of questions on demographics and symptoms. Google my name and you will see the study ( poorly written b/c I had to hand it over per orders from my psychiatrist who had severely misdiagnosed me). You say you are blown away by the fact that I researched psychological causes!!! Why? The survey had well over 50 questions. When the docs kicked my husband and I out b/c he doesn't treat scum like me he said it was b/c I've been sexually abused. That was totally made up on his part, but I thought I'd find out just what

the correllation was between sexual abuse and this pain. There was absolutely no correlation. This was a comprehensive survey. What I object to is when people who should be developing a cure use the NIH grant to study psychological causes or even treatment. Yale got an NIH grant to study behavior mod. I expect more from Yale. Right now Dusty you have data from my impartial survey that shows no correllation between sexual abuse and v pain. This received no outside funds and therefore no financial bias. A study that looked at sexual and physical abuse would have to define them carefully. There is such a gray line between physical abuse and verbal abuse... normal spankings, words from a class bully, if you include those things we all have been abused. This seems like a really important issue to

you. You could always do your own study? It has been my experience in working with several psychs that they have seen plenty of abused women with no pain. Sandi

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Mindy, I never said that doctors shouldn't ask. I said that research should look at physical causes. I am also saying that a credible survey showed no link between sexual abuse and vulvar pain. You are mixing up my posts. Of course, I want to help any person who suffers from abuse. I am a statistician and I am pointing out how difficult it would be to assess abuse in general b/c it is such a personal issue with MANY degrees. That is all!Sandi

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[Guest guest]

The heck with the "studies"

"us" abused women on the boards know how this has affected our lives.....See what's free at AOL.com.

[Guest guest]

SOrry, I didn't realize my automatic signature wasn't working. Guess I'll have to figure that out again. Yes, its me Dusty. I was physically abused my entire life (born to an alcoholic who was an abuser), even after I left my parents home - even as a 32 year old adult I was punched in the face by my father when he was drunk. That's why its important to me for docs to cover all the bases. You need to believe me when I say that if you had been beaten or sexually assauted or verbally abused for years, you too would have a similar opinion.I am blown away that you should ask about psych. implications in a disease because you are so obviously (in alll the posts to date) against docs even considering it as a potetential cause. ly - no offense to you - but if the Women's Health Initiative can now be re thinking their results and their study parameters,( as well as other large studies continually backpeddling too, yourscan also be

inaccurate.You can have asked any kind of questions in your survey - women typically don't tell the truth about this. This kind of trauma to a person is humiliating, degrading and does all sorts of other things to the sense of self- especially when non abused people say silly things like, well- why didn't you just leave, or turn him in or whatever. You don't speak of it to anyone because you are too terrified You should know this... as I remember your posts about how you felt abused etc when the minister at your church said/did something that was terribly offensive (I can't remember what that was now- think it was a healing). But, anyway you take that experience and you multiply it by a lifetime of abuse of ANY sort - physical, sexual, verbal- WHATEVER and you have a very, very timid and cowed individual. Fact is Sandi, it wouldn't surprise me one bit that a person who hadn't gotten psych help wouldn't even be

searching for answers on the net or in a survey - they simply accept their fate because they have no fire left in them to fight and fear rules their lives.For the record (for about the 6th time now) I never said that ALL women who suffer abuse suffer pain. I have clearly and repeatedly said that the docs would be remiss if they have a patient suffering from PTSD symptoms and they DON'T ask these questions that may lead the patient to recovery. Never once said ALL abused individuals have pain.....ALso for the record, there are NO gray lines where physical abuse and sexual abuse are concerned. Being beaten (not just once - but week after week, year after year) with a fist, a two by four, a limb from a tree until you bleed can leave little doubt. Rape and overt fondling of sexual organs is not questionable I think. If you are a victim of it - you damn well know it. If you think you are a victim of

sexual HARrASSMENT - well that - as you say is subjective in some cases. I'm glad you can't really understand this - that means you've never known this kind of fear. And for that, for you and for others like you who are free from fear and dread, I am grateful. Jealous, but grateful.DustySandi Sharp wrote: Hi Dusty, You said that studies are constantly overturned. You are right! But I spent thousands of hours to do a study which was as unbiased as possible. It cost me thousands of dollars ( if going by my old billabble rate!) and was NOT funded by any pharmaceutical firm. It asked all sorts of questions on demographics and symptoms. Google my name and

you will see the study ( poorly written b/c I had to hand it over per orders from my psychiatrist who had severely misdiagnosed me). You say you are blown away by the fact that I researched psychological causes!!! Why? The survey had well over 50 questions. When the docs kicked my husband and I out b/c he doesn't treat scum like me he said it was b/c I've been sexually abused. That was totally made up on his part, but I thought I'd find out just what the correllation was between sexual abuse and this pain. There was absolutely no correlation. This was a comprehensive survey. What I object to is when people who should be developing a cure use the NIH grant to study psychological causes or even treatment. Yale got an NIH grant to study behavior mod. I expect more from Yale. Right now Dusty you

have data from my impartial survey that shows no correllation between sexual abuse and v pain. This received no outside funds and therefore no financial bias. A study that looked at sexual and physical abuse would have to define them carefully. There is such a gray line between physical abuse and verbal abuse... normal spankings, words from a class bully, if you include those things we all have been abused.

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You have twisted everything I have said. It's not worth stating my point any more. I wish so badly that you were never abused. May you find peace. Sandi

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testing

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > In a message dated 5/2/2007 1:28:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

> > mslatrobe@... writes:

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > The statistics I sent in the websites kinda do bear out that a

great

> > number of women are victims of abuse - be it sexual, verbal ,

physical or

> > otherwise.

> >

> > I would say that if a woman presented with pelvic pain and had

no visible

> > signs of damage or illness or disease that a doc would be remiss

if he

> > DIDN " T ask about abuse. It would be a very logical question to

ask - as

> > women can be and are raped and beaten and once healed from these

events -

> > the signs are not visible in an exam. So the doc is damned if

he does

> > ask and damned if he doesn't if the reason turns out to be a

PTSD related

> > issue or a sexual or physical abuse issue.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > I think it's interesting that, after literally over a hundred

health care

> > practitioners

> > that i've seen over the last several decades, it was only about

two years

> > ago

> > that i was asked for the first and only time if i had ever dealt

with

> > sexual

> > abuse. The question was asked by a nurse doing an intake before

the ob/

> > gyn entered the room. When i told her that -- and that i

thought it was

> > great

> > that she was screening for this -- she said something which i

had never

> > considered: that, for an abused woman whose abuser is

constantly keeping

> > tabs on her, the examination room of her ob/gyn's office could

well be

> > one

> > of the very few times that she could be alone and speak freely.

Good

> > point.

> >

> > I agree that coupling a history of sexual abuse with a diagnosis

of

> > vulvar

> > pain problems, end of story, does a great disservice to getting

to root

> > of

> > the myriad underlying causes of vulvar pain and DOES stigmatize

the whole

> > issue. Yet, i also know that the statistics on sexual, physical,

> > emtional,

> > and verbal abuse are appalling. I think that screening should

be done by

> > all doctors, regardless of their specialty. It makes the most

sense,

> > really,

> > if family practitioners were in the forefront of this, since

their

> > speciality

> > is the closest we now have to the old family doctor and they see

people

> > for health problems most frequently.

> >

> > My family practitioner has never brought up the subject. I'll

have to

> > ask him about this the next time i see him.

> >

> > Hollis

> >

> >

>