vaginismus

I can sometimes have penetrative sex without pain now! I couldn’t ever before. It’s thanks to pelvic floor physiotherapy. The internal massage makes it possible. After sessions with the physio, I’ve bought a pelvic floor wand and can do release work myself. 60% improvement since when I was untreated. Find one you trust and who takes it very slowly.

#sexlife #Vulvodynia #painduringsex #vaginismus #pelvicfloor #tightpelvicfloor #pelvicfloorphysio #pelvicfloorphysiotherapy #pelvicfloorwand

I've been trying to get answers about what the hell is wrong with me for so long I am starting to lose hope. Growing up my parents thought I was just a hypochondriac. Then when I was able to start going to doctors visits on my own and was diagnosed with #PCOS at the age of 15/16 I finally had proof that some if my symptoms were real.

I was finally diagnosed with #mitral vavle prolapse at the age of 26. Turns out that I've had it my entire life but no one cought it until just recently. In addition to the mitral valve prolapse I was also diagnosed with #CongestiveHeartFailure #rectocele #vaginismus #lymphadenopathy #BipolarDisorder #Hypertension #Sleep apnea and #PelvicFloorDysfunction .

I also fit the criteria for a lot of other conditions but I'm having a hard time getting clear answers from my doctors as to wether I do or do not have these other conditions.

Does anyone else find it difficult to actually get a diagnosis from their doctors? Even when you meet all of the criteria for such diagnosis?

My current issue is that I'm trying to get in to see a geneticists to get tested for #EhlersDanlosSyndrome and other connective tissue disorders. In order to do so you have to provide a lot of documentation showing why you should be tested for genetic conditions. Part of this documentation would include the conditions that you've been diagnosed with. But since I have not gotten an official diagnosis for many of the conditions I suffer from I don't have a way to include them in the documentation to send to the geneticist and I have been denied an appointment twice now.

It's like a puzzle. I need my doctors to help identify the missing pieces so that I can go to the geneticist and have them complete the puzzle but I am so tired of having to push and push and push to try and find doctors that are willing to run the tests and not just give up before the missing process are identified.

Why is the process so difficult? On top of it all I have suffered from #Undiagnosed #ChronicFatigue for the past 8 years and I just don't have the energy to continue fighting. But if I don't continue fighting then I'm only going to continue to decline. It's a never ending loop.

Hi, I would like to preface this post with the acknowledgment that fertility and pregnancy can be a very sensitive topic - I am just very confused in some of my views and was wondering if it was something any other possible child-breaking person has experienced.

I am only 21 years old (f) and have been with my partner (m) for 2 years now with the goal of going long term and hopefully one day marrying. From the outset of the relationship, both of us have been in agreement that children isn't something we really want. we don't have good reactions to being around children and often find them too much to cope with (we both have our respective mental health issues) and we would prefer to have animals one day after traveling and spending our life together.

Recently, however, I have been diagnosed with secondary #vaginismus and my partner has been having sever testicular pain which we think may be epididymitis which may need to be treated with surgery that will reduce his #Fertility . Now, despite always saying that I don't want children and still believing in that path for myself, being faced with these two issues almost makes it feel like our option to possibly change our mind might be taken away - even though we are both pretty dead set on remaining childless.

Is this #Conflict ever affected anyone else? it just seems very confusing that this possible loss of fertility is affecting me negatively when really it should be something that is aiding in my decision to not fall pregnant.

TW: sexual assault mention
Dealing with #Sexism in medicine has been so exhausting and frustrating, especially as someone with multiple chronic and mental illnesses. It devastates me that it’s become so hard to find a doctor who listens and is actually trying to help me and doesn’t try to convince me my severe pain/other physical symptoms are due to “stress” or a need for counseling when I’ve recieved therapy/psychiatric meds for years.
Almost a year ago I had a gynecologist, after an extremely painful pelvic exam (#vaginismus likely), who told me to work on controlling my facial expressions because “you’re acting like I’m raping you”. A few months later I was vomiting constantly and got an endoscopy to find out I had esophogitis/gastritis, and after my amazing mom asked if my psychiatric meds (#cymbalta and #lithium ) could be contributors he said “yeah we see that a lot”, when I already asked my psychiatrist to see if these meds could be cause for my #bladderpain and was told these meds could be helping me and to stay on them. To try and work on these problems (and other symptoms) I’ve seen several specialists, most of whom have said my symptoms were all due to stress and there was nothing they can do (and actually suggested increasing cymbalta), or they said “all medications have side effects”. My female practicioners have been just as disappointing, with many telling me I just “needed to wear more tampons” or have sex to help my vaginismus and pelvic pain.

I’m not anti-medical establishment, I’m willing to try new treatments/do what doctors say, and I do everything I can to be as assertive as possible, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Luckily I’m working with my wonderful GP to withdraw from cymbalta, someone who actually listens to me and recognizes I should have a say over my own healthcare. But I’m still so tired of feeling alone and frustrated by this pervasive sexism and dismissal by so many medical professionals. What hurts more is this sexism has existed for many, many years, and it doesn’t feel like I can do much beyond “be more assertive”. It’s also hard to find much support and mainstream coversge for these experiences.
I understand much more needs to be done to educate medical professionals about unlearning sexist practices, and there is an apalling lack of research on women’s health/gender differences in treatments, but I really think doctors can do WAY better than they have been. I care about my health, I’m a willing and informed patient, but women deserve so much more than what we’ve had to deal with since the beginning of medicine.

I have vaginismus so severe I've never been able to successfully have penetrative sex. Despite my successfull journey (still continuing!) through depression, anxiety and bpd, I'm struggling to progress with my vaginismus. I am seeing a sexologist every 6 - 8 weeks.
#vaginismus #Depression #bpdsymptoms

I am highly avoidant of intimacy because of the pain I experience during sex. I was raised Catholic, and my mom did a lot of slut shaming. While I was getting these messages about the sinful nature of sex, I was also being sexually abused. As an adult, sex is incredibly painful, and it has been a barrier to having a fulfilling relationship. #SexualTrauma #Trauma #SexualAssault #vaginismus #SexualAbuse #WomensHealth

I have had localized vulvular pain around my vaginal opening for as long as I can remember. I am starting physical therapy for it soon, but of course I have anxiety about it. I can insert a tampon and my finger with pain, but I can’t imagine anything more than that. Anyone have experience with pelvic floor pt?

I am sick. I have chronic illnesses. I am in pain everyday. You probably can't tell. I smile and laugh and live my life. But sometimes it's too much. Depression and anxiety tie me to my bed. My insides are ripping themselves apart. My mind is fuzzy, my vision blurry. Standing up causes the world to spin rapidly on it's axis. I am exhausted. Not in the I didn't sleep well last night sort of tired, but the bone deep weariness, feel it in my soul, I wish I wasn't alive sort of tired. I can't go to class. I can't go to work. I probably haven't eaten. I spend a day in bed, and then I pull my broken pieces together and get back to work the next day. It still hurts, but the day of rest is usually enough to get me back and moving again. But I'm accused of being dramatic, I'm told to "just push through". I see people roll their eyes when they think I'm not looking, whispered conversations about how I don't deserve to be accommodated, I'm taking advantage, I'm a bad friend. My classmates, my friends, they don't understand. They don't see how hard I'm trying. They don't see me cry myself to sleep, spider-work lace tear stains made of mascara on my face. They don’t see the ice packs pressed against my skin or the bottles of pills on my nightstand. They can't see me. They can't see that I'm doing my best. That's all I've got. My best. I'm just trying to survive. Pain makes it so much harder not to listen to the demons that hold me tight in bastardized lovers embraces: “you’re weak, a failure, no one loves you. Why would they? You’re not thin enough or pretty enough. No one wants the misfit toy. I’m all you’ve got.” My demons might be cruel, but they’re there when I’m alone, holding me tight when no one else does. They’re demons through and through, but they’re mine. #Endometriosis #vaginismus #Anxiety #Depression #EatingDisorders #ArtTherapy

Anyone else experienced this? Just got my diagnosis yesterday and my doc says it should resolve on its own as I age. Definitely stressed out to get the news!

#ChronicIllness #MentalHealth #Anxiety