Céline M
I have suffered from vulvodynia since summer 2012. It all started with a prolonged yeast infection that would come back over and over again. All the creams and pills for my yeast infection didn’t help, and actually made it worse. My pain was severe at this point. I couldn’t walk for more than a minute without burning knife-like pain and was unable to do many activities. No doctor could help me. I stopped wearing underwear, because that helped a bit, but I still had lots of pain. During four years of suffering, I tried numerous things. Most importantly, I didn’t give up. I’m a fighter and felt that somehow I would get better. And here I am now, almost pain-free and happier than I’ve ever been. My experience was like a big rollercoaster and I’d like to share what helped me with the hope it will help you.
It is very important to find a vulvar specialist who can diagnose you. At a University Hospital, I was finally diagnosed with generalized vulvodynia and my doctors were knowledgeable about treatment options. It really helped to know that I’m not the only one with this condition and that there are many treatment options.
Along the way, I tried several medications. First, I was afraid of the pills, but then I discovered that 50 mg of amitriptyline helped me. It took more than three months to really feel a difference, but now I’ve been taking it for five months and can say that my pain level has dropped dramatically from 8/10 to 2/10 when I walk and 0/10 when I sit or lie down. The last four years have been very challenging and I cried often. There were times when I couldn’t imagine living with such pain, but now I’m happier than ever, because I know what a gift it is to be healthy.
Complementary treatments also were useful. It took a long time, but I learned to be patient and listen to my body. Acupuncture, breathing exercises, coping strategies and, finally, osteopathy, were among the most helpful complementary treatments for relieving pain.
While you’re in pain, it’s important to keep on living your life the best you can. You should talk about your condition with close friends, family and your partner, give yourself enough time to relax, think positively, and keep a pain diary. I really hope that you will feel better soon.