Saturday, December 31, 2011
Day 2 After My Vulvar Vestibulectomy
Today is the day after my surgery and it's going well for the most part. I didn't take any pain meds until about an hour ago which wasn't for vaginal pain but rather from back pain. Originally I thought I had slept weird and that was causing some stiffness but then I realized the back ache is probably from the spinal anesthesia. I looked at my back and saw the 2 injection spots which were just dots with no apparent bruising. The back pain started this morning and has gotten worse all day. I took one ibuprofen around 5pm and that has helped some. I hope it feels better by tomorrow. I have done 2 sitz baths so far today: one this morning when I woke up at noon and one around 6pm. I didn't use the bag and tube this time - just the bowl that you sit in and I added warm water from a cup as it cooled off. I noticed some more blood spotting but not much and I have no pain or soreness in the area. I walked around the house today a little and just made sure to take it really easy. I had a bowel movement and tried my best not to push at all. The stool softener definitely helped. Now I'm back in bed just relaxing and doing some reading. Sitting down is awkward but is definitely doable with a doughnut pillow. Since it's not painful, I'm just doing my best not to stretch anything or put any pressure on the area. My legs are still a little shaky but I'm hoping that goes away after a few days too.
Surgery Specifics (Illustration Included)
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| Vulvar Vestibulectomy Surgery Click Here for Image Source Website |
This is similar to the surgery that I had performed. The main difference for me is that the stitches are done individually rather than with one long string so that if one gets caught or pulled the rest aren't compromised. I also have dissolving stitches which don't have to be removed. I also didn't have the skin removed as high up by the urethra as in this image. I did from about 2 O'clock to 10 O'clock rather than 1 O'Clock to 11 O'clock.
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Big Day: Vulvar Vestibulectomy
This morning I was a wreck. I woke up at 5:45am and took a shower with antibacterial soap. I also shaved "down there" because I knew it would be 6 weeks before I would get the chance again. My doctor also said that I had to keep that area dry after surgery so I though it would be easier with no hair. After my shower, I got dressed in my pajama pants and a sweatshirt and my boyfriend and I headed to the hospital. I checked in at the main desk, filled out some paperwork, and sat in the waiting room waiting to go back to pre-op. They called my name pretty quickly and brought me back into a hospital room with curtains along wall that faced an open hallway. Nurses came in and asked me my name and birthday and checked my vitals. Everything looked good and another nurse came in to take a blood sample while someone else prepared my IV. At this point, I was all clammy from my nerves getting the best of me. I hate needles and the IV was freaking my out a little. Mostly I just started asking everyone lots of questions and talking a little faster than normal. Once the nurses left I relaxed for a while until my obgyn (also my surgeon) came in to go through everything. She was cheery and reassured me that everything would go well.
Then, the anesthesiologist came in and discussed my options with me. I mentioned this in an earlier post but I will reiterate anyway.
Option 1: A spinal injection to numb me from the waste down (not an epidural which is what I originally thought). With this option I can choose to either be completely unconscious with medicine in my IV, somewhat conscious (going in and out) but not aware of anything going on and not retaining and memory of being in the OR, or mostly conscious with a little cocktail to stay relaxed.
Option 2: To be completely sedated with an intubation tube down my throat.
I went through the pros and cons of each and the doctor pretty much said that both have about equal risks. I personally didn't want to need assistance to breathe so I chose option 1 with moderate to heavy sedation. I didn't want to be completely unconscious but I didn't want to have any memory of the occurrence. I also asked for a little cocktail to prepare me for the spinal injection because I was nervous that would hurt. I had a spinal trauma a few years ago where I fractured a lower vertebrae but the anesthesiologist said this would not be a problem.
Then my obgyn came in one more time to make sure I was ready and a nice nurse came in to take me to the OR. There was two drugs put in my IV: one to make me more relaxed and comfortable and one to make sure I didn't have any acid reflux which I do get on occasion (and apparently is a big deal when being put under anesthesia). I asked when I would start to feel the meds and the nurse said by the time I got through the second set of double doors. I remember being wheeled in to the OR and asked to sit on the side so my back was in place for the injection. The next thing I know I'm waking up in the recovery room. The room looks exactly the same as my pre-op room and it all felt like a dream. I was completely alert and awake and I quickly checked to make sure I could move my legs. The curtains were open and one of the nurses in the hallway noticed I was waking up. She came over and asked how I was doing. I couldn't believe I didn't even remember the spinal injection or anything after that. I wasn't feeling drowsy or sick to my stomach. The nurse brought me some more warm blankets and a cup of apple juice with Motrin. My boyfriend came in and gave me a big kiss. I was so happy to see him and so happy it was all over. Surprisingly, I wasn't in a lot of pain and my vagina felt normal for the most part. Of course, I hadn't really tried to move at all yet. I asked how long I had been in recovery before I woke up and they said only 15 minutes. My boyfriend said I was in the OR for about an hour and a half.
The nurse had me go to the bathroom and collect some urine in a pan so that she could make sure everything looked normal. It worked out great because I really had to go to the bathroom after all the fluid that was pumped into my system. I was also given a little squirt bottle that I could use to rinse off after urinating that I can take home with me. Everything felt normal except I could not stop shivering even though i wasn't that cold. Eventually I relaxed and the shivering stopped. I put my coat on and sat in a wheelchair on top of a blow up doughnut pillow to keep the pressure off of my vagina. I was wheeled out to the car and headed home.
Overall a very good experience and I highly recommend the type of anesthesia I chose. I was told it leaves your system really quickly as opposed to other drugs. It also doesn't make you nauseous like laughing gas can. I haven't felt any side affects from it yet, although I was told to lookout for a headache that is sometimes caused by spinal injections which hasn't occurred yet.
As far as medications from here on out, I was prescribed Oxycodone for the pain but I decided I would only take it if I absolutely need it. I have never taken strong pain killers like that and I know they can cause constipation which is something I need to avoid because it can put tension on the area. Other than that I was told to take 2 ibuprofen every 4 hours and 2 extra strength tylenol every 4-6 hours as needed.
I've been home now since 1pm and I've been feeling great. I took a 2.5 hour nap and had some vegetable soup and a few cookies. I also took a Ducolax stool softener just in case. At around 5pm I did a Sitz bath which is such a pain. I didn't make the water warm enough and it cooled off so quickly. The water in the bag wasn't warm enough either. The little hose kept flipping up and squirting me in the thigh and making a mess. I ended up just using a cup and pouring warm water into the sitz bath as it cooled off. The seat is also unbelievable uncomfortable and I feel like I'm going to break it because it's a little small for my toilet seat. Someone needs to invent a better one because this is not going to be fun to do for 20 minutes 3x a day for the next week and 2x a day for the following month. I used a hairdryer on cool to dry the area afterwards and am using chlorine free organic cotton pads in my underwear to catch any blood.
At 7pm I took 2 ibuprophen and I think that is plenty to keep me comfortable. I don't think I have a particularly high pain tolerance but so far, no oxycodone is necessary. I haven't even needed the tylenol yet.
More updates soon!
Comments and questions are welcome - and if you are in New England and are looking for a doctor to perform this surgery you can send me an email at mylifewithvvs@gmail.com to get more information.
Then, the anesthesiologist came in and discussed my options with me. I mentioned this in an earlier post but I will reiterate anyway.
Option 1: A spinal injection to numb me from the waste down (not an epidural which is what I originally thought). With this option I can choose to either be completely unconscious with medicine in my IV, somewhat conscious (going in and out) but not aware of anything going on and not retaining and memory of being in the OR, or mostly conscious with a little cocktail to stay relaxed.
Option 2: To be completely sedated with an intubation tube down my throat.
I went through the pros and cons of each and the doctor pretty much said that both have about equal risks. I personally didn't want to need assistance to breathe so I chose option 1 with moderate to heavy sedation. I didn't want to be completely unconscious but I didn't want to have any memory of the occurrence. I also asked for a little cocktail to prepare me for the spinal injection because I was nervous that would hurt. I had a spinal trauma a few years ago where I fractured a lower vertebrae but the anesthesiologist said this would not be a problem.
Then my obgyn came in one more time to make sure I was ready and a nice nurse came in to take me to the OR. There was two drugs put in my IV: one to make me more relaxed and comfortable and one to make sure I didn't have any acid reflux which I do get on occasion (and apparently is a big deal when being put under anesthesia). I asked when I would start to feel the meds and the nurse said by the time I got through the second set of double doors. I remember being wheeled in to the OR and asked to sit on the side so my back was in place for the injection. The next thing I know I'm waking up in the recovery room. The room looks exactly the same as my pre-op room and it all felt like a dream. I was completely alert and awake and I quickly checked to make sure I could move my legs. The curtains were open and one of the nurses in the hallway noticed I was waking up. She came over and asked how I was doing. I couldn't believe I didn't even remember the spinal injection or anything after that. I wasn't feeling drowsy or sick to my stomach. The nurse brought me some more warm blankets and a cup of apple juice with Motrin. My boyfriend came in and gave me a big kiss. I was so happy to see him and so happy it was all over. Surprisingly, I wasn't in a lot of pain and my vagina felt normal for the most part. Of course, I hadn't really tried to move at all yet. I asked how long I had been in recovery before I woke up and they said only 15 minutes. My boyfriend said I was in the OR for about an hour and a half.
The nurse had me go to the bathroom and collect some urine in a pan so that she could make sure everything looked normal. It worked out great because I really had to go to the bathroom after all the fluid that was pumped into my system. I was also given a little squirt bottle that I could use to rinse off after urinating that I can take home with me. Everything felt normal except I could not stop shivering even though i wasn't that cold. Eventually I relaxed and the shivering stopped. I put my coat on and sat in a wheelchair on top of a blow up doughnut pillow to keep the pressure off of my vagina. I was wheeled out to the car and headed home.
Overall a very good experience and I highly recommend the type of anesthesia I chose. I was told it leaves your system really quickly as opposed to other drugs. It also doesn't make you nauseous like laughing gas can. I haven't felt any side affects from it yet, although I was told to lookout for a headache that is sometimes caused by spinal injections which hasn't occurred yet.
As far as medications from here on out, I was prescribed Oxycodone for the pain but I decided I would only take it if I absolutely need it. I have never taken strong pain killers like that and I know they can cause constipation which is something I need to avoid because it can put tension on the area. Other than that I was told to take 2 ibuprofen every 4 hours and 2 extra strength tylenol every 4-6 hours as needed.
I've been home now since 1pm and I've been feeling great. I took a 2.5 hour nap and had some vegetable soup and a few cookies. I also took a Ducolax stool softener just in case. At around 5pm I did a Sitz bath which is such a pain. I didn't make the water warm enough and it cooled off so quickly. The water in the bag wasn't warm enough either. The little hose kept flipping up and squirting me in the thigh and making a mess. I ended up just using a cup and pouring warm water into the sitz bath as it cooled off. The seat is also unbelievable uncomfortable and I feel like I'm going to break it because it's a little small for my toilet seat. Someone needs to invent a better one because this is not going to be fun to do for 20 minutes 3x a day for the next week and 2x a day for the following month. I used a hairdryer on cool to dry the area afterwards and am using chlorine free organic cotton pads in my underwear to catch any blood.
At 7pm I took 2 ibuprophen and I think that is plenty to keep me comfortable. I don't think I have a particularly high pain tolerance but so far, no oxycodone is necessary. I haven't even needed the tylenol yet.
More updates soon!
Comments and questions are welcome - and if you are in New England and are looking for a doctor to perform this surgery you can send me an email at mylifewithvvs@gmail.com to get more information.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Getting ready for my Vulvar Vestibulectomy
Tomorrow is the big day. I am really nervous for the surgery itself and even more nervous that I'll do something to screw up the recovery. I haven't taken any medicine or vitamins all week and im going to clean my entire house this evening so that I can rest easy. I want to go to bed early so I'm well rested but I also want to eat t 11:30 pm because that's the last time I'll have a chance until tomorrow around 2pm. I usually get naucious when I don't eat but I'm hoping that's not the case tomorrow. My boyfriend will be at the hospital with me the entire time and I'm so glad he's there although he's only allowed to see me for 10 minutes during the 2 hours I sit in a recovery room directly after surgery. I bought a sitz bath and a big round doughnut pillow to use when I have to sit down. I'll post again tomorrow night after I get home or Saturday. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Pre-op appointment - part 2
How long should the surgery take?
It's scheduled to take 1 hour and 15 mins but it should take less time than that.
How will I be sedated?
I can choose between a spinal where I can either be fully awake and numbed from the waste down or slightly drugged through an IV so I don't know what's going on while I'm numb from the waste down. My second option is to have a tube in my throat and be completely under anesthesia. My doctor recommended the spinal since I am young and healthy. I can decide the morning of the surgery when I speak to the anesthesiologist. The vestibule area will be numbed with a local anesthetic regardless.
How do I prepare for surgery?
I can't eat after 11:30pm the night before and I can only drink clear liquids until 4 hours before the surgery. I have to get to the hospital 2 hours before surgery is scheduled.
How long is recovery?
It should take a full 6 weeks before any stimulus should be applied to the area. At that point I will start going to the pelvic floor physical therapist weekly and gently massaging the area to stretch the skin.
What does the recovery process involve?
The first few days will be spent in bed or just walking around the house. After that I should take it easy for about a month with no strenuous exercise. Starting the evening I get home from surgery, I need to do a sitz bath 3x daily for up to a month. This involves soaking the affected area in luke warm water (with no soap) for about 30 minutes and then using a blow dryer with cool air to dry the area.
What is the risk of a recovery setback?
50% of patients break open the stitches which delays the healing process because the area now needs to close and heal on its own. This could push the recovery period back a few weeks. Straining when going to the bathroom or too much exercise can cause this as well.
It's scheduled to take 1 hour and 15 mins but it should take less time than that.
How will I be sedated?
I can choose between a spinal where I can either be fully awake and numbed from the waste down or slightly drugged through an IV so I don't know what's going on while I'm numb from the waste down. My second option is to have a tube in my throat and be completely under anesthesia. My doctor recommended the spinal since I am young and healthy. I can decide the morning of the surgery when I speak to the anesthesiologist. The vestibule area will be numbed with a local anesthetic regardless.
How do I prepare for surgery?
I can't eat after 11:30pm the night before and I can only drink clear liquids until 4 hours before the surgery. I have to get to the hospital 2 hours before surgery is scheduled.
How long is recovery?
It should take a full 6 weeks before any stimulus should be applied to the area. At that point I will start going to the pelvic floor physical therapist weekly and gently massaging the area to stretch the skin.
What does the recovery process involve?
The first few days will be spent in bed or just walking around the house. After that I should take it easy for about a month with no strenuous exercise. Starting the evening I get home from surgery, I need to do a sitz bath 3x daily for up to a month. This involves soaking the affected area in luke warm water (with no soap) for about 30 minutes and then using a blow dryer with cool air to dry the area.
What is the risk of a recovery setback?
50% of patients break open the stitches which delays the healing process because the area now needs to close and heal on its own. This could push the recovery period back a few weeks. Straining when going to the bathroom or too much exercise can cause this as well.
Pre-op appointment today - part 1
Today was my Pre-operation appointment with my obgyn to discuss all the surgery details. The surgery is called a vulvar vestibulectomy and involved removing the painful skin tissue and a little bit of the area surrounding it. My doctor used a qtip to touch the sensitive area to determine what area needed to be removed. For me, it consists of the area 2pm to 8pm of the vestibule area. The vestibular glands will not be removed. Although my obgyn has only done 5-8 of this specific surgery (with all success) she is a very highly demanded surgeon at the hospital which I am going to. She says that she considers this a minor surgery with minimal risks but that all surgeries have some level of risk regardless. In my next post (hopefully tomorrow) I'll go into detail about the surgery protocol and the estimated recovery time.
Comments and questions welcome!
Comments and questions welcome!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Why Me?
That is what I asked myself when I was finally diagnosed with Vulvar Vestibulitis about 3 years ago. I had been to 4 different doctors before getting a diagnosis and every since then, it has been an uphill battle (still far from being won). I found out something was wrong ‘down there’ when I had sex for the first time at age 17. The first time was painful, but it is for everyone, right? The only difference is for me, it didn’t get better; in fact it got worse as time went on once the psychological effects of associating sex with pain set in. Anyway, more about this later. For now I just want to give an introduction to my condition and share my story with other suffering from the same thing.
What I’ve Tried (in order for the most part):
- Amitriptolene
- Topical Lidocaine
- Premarin Estrogen cream
- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
- Topical Gabapentin
- Cotten sanitary pads
- Natural soap and shampoos
- Estrogen/Projesterone cream
- Estrogen/Testosterone cream
- Sea Berry Buckthorn Oil
- Calendula cream
- Calcium Citrate supplement
- Chiropractic
- Accupuncture (Just started)
- Surgery (scheduled for the end of December!)
- Topical Lidocaine
- Premarin Estrogen cream
- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
- Topical Gabapentin
- Cotten sanitary pads
- Natural soap and shampoos
- Estrogen/Projesterone cream
- Estrogen/Testosterone cream
- Sea Berry Buckthorn Oil
- Calendula cream
- Calcium Citrate supplement
- Chiropractic
- Accupuncture (Just started)
- Surgery (scheduled for the end of December!)
Hopefully I didn’t forget anything… Obviously I haven’t had much luck since I have surgery scheduled for the end of the month. Feel free to comment with any questions or suggestions. I would love your input! I will work backwards in this blog and tell my story from the beginning while keeping you updated on my current progress. If you have any specific topics you want me to write about let me know!
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