Physical Therapy Update for Vestibulodynia

So I started physical therapy in week 8 and it was really encouraging. I was about 70-80% better with the q-tip test and my PT said this is totally normal because it should take 3 months to full heal. After she palpated the area I recognized some internal pain that I had not really felt before because it was masked by the much more sensitive external area before surgery. I felt a burning sensation and some pain in response to pressure. She told me that this is what muscle pain in this area feels like. It manifests itself as tightness but also burning in some situations too.

I used the sensor to test my muscles ability to contract and relax and did fairly well (much better than when I first went last spring). I bought a small+ dilator to start and am going to work my way up to a larger one.  You start by putting lubricant on the dilator (I found surgilube worked really well because is doesn't burn at all) and insert it into the vagina past where it starts to hurt and so that you feel a slight stretching or burning and leave it in for 10 minutes (I suggest using a pillow and a towel to keep it in so you don't have to hold it.) Then just relax your muscles and read a magazine or watch tv while you sit there with it inside. I am trying to do this 3-4 times a week in between my PT appointments which are once or twice a week.

6 to 8 Weeks Post Vulvar Vestibulectomy

It has now been almost 8 weeks since surgery. I had my 6 week check up about 10 days ago and everything is looking good. The 6 o clock area is still not full healed so my doctor told me to hold off on any stimulation to the area so I don't aggravate it. This means no sex... although the doctor did say oral sex was okay just nothing internal.  I don't have another scheduled appointment with my obgyn so now it's just a waiting game. I've been putting some calendula oil and aloe on the area to aid in healing. I don't have any discomfort doing normal every day activities. I do still have some swelling though; I notice it more when I wear tight pants and it is kind of like a bump on the outer labia that goes away after a while. I still soak in a sitz bath maybe once a week. I have an appointment with my pelvic floor physical therapist next week so hopefully that goes well. I'm a little nervous that the surgery hasn't full fixed my issue. I haven't been able to truly test the tenderness of the area yet but I will update again soon.

Thanks for reading as always!

Vestibulitis: Things I've Tried and Some Great Resources

Now that I am waiting to see if I am "cured" after having a vulvar vestibulectomy, I figured I'd work backwards and share my experiences with past treatments that I have tried. Obviously nothing has really had any lasting or overly positive impact or I would not be in this position today. But, since vestibulodynia can be different for everyone, I thought some of you reading this blog might get some new ideas if you are feeling like you've hit a wall and your only option is surgery.

Subscribe to my blog to follow my story...

I will be posting about the different treatments I've tried every week until I've told you about them all. By that time hopefully I will have a success story to share with you too!

For now here are some great resources:

His and Her Health on Vulvar Vestibulectomys
This is a great forum that I recently found. It does have a lot of negative comments from people who have had vulvar vestibulectomys that didn't help them or made their condition worse but it is important to remember that some surgeries are much more invasive then others (even though they have the same name) and some of the people with this condition also have issues like prudential neuralgia or fibromyalgia that can make things much worse. Always do your research before getting surgery and as your doctor to describe the surgery to you in detail as well as talk about the experience he or she has had with this surgery in the past. It is also important to make sure you don't have an underlying condition that could be causing this issue because in that case, surgery might not be the best option.

VulvarVestibulitisRelief.com
Sign up for this site and create a case study to share your story. You can look at other case studies to get ideas for new treatment options or just read some of the articles that are posted there for more information.

MTV True Life: I Can't Have Sex
This is a video MTV did a while ago that just shows that this condition (or ones like it; ie. vaginismus) are more common than you think!

More resources and information soon!

One Week Post Surgery: Recovery and Walking

It's been just over a week since surgery and I'm doing really well. I'm so happy my period is over and I can finally go commando (recommended by my doctor) wearing comfy sweat pants when I'm around the house. This lets the area dry out to reduce the risk of infection. I'm still doing Sitz baths three times a day and using a blow dryer on low to dry the area after soaking. I have also been using the little squirt bottle the doctor gave me to rinse the area after going to the bathroom. The last few days have been totally pain free, although I haven't really had any real pain since the beginning. I can describe it more as being uncomfortable at times (or just kind of weird feeling). I've been going for walks, driving, and doing chores around the house with no issues. I still sit on a doughnut pillow when I do sit just to avoid putting any extra stress on the area. I also am really careful when bending down or getting in and out of the car so that I don't break open the stitches. The doctor said the stitches might cause a pokey feeling when I sit but I haven't really felt that. Maybe a little in the beginning when I was sitting down but not lately at all. I have my first post operation appointment this coming friday and I can't wait to tell my doctor how easy it's been. For anyone considering getting this surgery I would definitely recommend taking a week off afterwards where you can relax and let yourself heal but after that, as long as you have a doughnut pillow, things should be relatively normal. I am definitely not ready to go skiing, or biking, or even jogging necessarily, but I feel great.

Also, please remember that there are varying types of vulvar vestibulectomy's and depending on how much tissue was removed, there would be varying levels of pain. Some people have the vestibular glands removed and some do not. My particular surgery just removed the affected tissue on the surface and no glands were involved. I had the most pain at the 6pm spot of the vaginal opening but strong pain from the 2pm to the 10pm section.

More updates soon!

Day 4 Update: an unexpected pain...

Today was day 4 since my vulvar vestibulectomy. Yesterday was probably the worst day so far... I got my period and the cramps were unbearable. I took 2 ibuprofen at 8am and 2 midol at noon. This was more pain killers than I have taken for the surgery. It was also 10 times more painful, easily. I just sat in bed all day for the most part and did 3 sitz baths throughout the day.

Today was much better. The cramps were pretty much gone I just got a headache from my hormones acting up. I felt totally normal today. I still haven't really looked at the area because I'm too scared I'll tear the stitches. I also went for a walk today; going slow and taking it easy. It was nice to get out of the house and I had absolutely no pain. I used a doughnut pillow for the car ride but walking feels almost 100% normal; sometimes I feel the stitches poking into me though.

More updates soon :) comments or questions welcome.

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.