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Do you think I have vulvodynia?

By January 27, 2015 - 4:29am
 
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It started approximately 3 years ago. i recently begun dating my boyfriend and started my first depo shot. I had previously been on the pill before and decided to try the shot instead. One night I wake up in terrible vaginal pain. (I.e. Hurts to pee) My mom runs to the cvs to get cranberry juice and over the counter uti meds. Relief did not come right away but after I couple of days, I was back to normal. Probably about a month later it started again. The pain would be so bad I would be woken up from my sleep and be up for hours in pain. At first, the pain would be periodically. Over the next year, it got worse, for longer periods of time, over weeks. It got to the point where the pain was almost constant. I wouldn't have relief but just some days were the pain was a quiet 1-2 instead of a 10. Another weird symptom that I haven't seen so much is sometime I get an ammonia smell. During this time I went to my gyno multiple times. She gave me the usual advice - stay away from scented laundry detergent, cotton undies, etc. nothing seemed to help. She also gave me a Vaseline type product to try with little relief. On my own I decided that since my symptoms started at the time I started my depo shot to switch back to the pill. (My gyno said it was impossible that the shot could be the reason but I tried anyway) Stopping the shot didn't help. I stopped birth control completely and eventually I found a vaginal gel for ph imbalance which would bring temporary relief. I gave up on the gyno Bc she was no help. This past summer I have felt the best I have in a long time. I stopped wearing underwear 90% of the time. I also wore lose clothes (skirts and dresses). Now the winter is here and skirts and dresses aren't a option but the symptoms werent full blown like before. That was until tonight. I woke up in pain just like the old times. Sex irritates it but not always to the point where I can't have it. This pain has killed my sex drive. I'm 23 years old and I have sex maybe once a month. But, I'm not sure if I have vulvodynia BC of some of my symptoms seem different and I don't get pain everytime something touches my vagina. I'm going to try a different dr soon but I would like thoughts until then: also, sorry if this doesn't make lots of sense it's bc I've been up since 3 am. Thanks in advanxed

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Thank you for taking the time to respond. This helped me a lot. Now I can go to my gyno more informed. And also thank you for for letting my tell my story. It helped mentally to explain what's happening and I'm nr imagining things. Thanks again!!!

January 28, 2015 - 7:04pm
Guide

Hello Mp1992,

Welcome to the EmpowHER community and thank you for sharing your experience with us. I am sorry to hear that you have been dealing with these symptoms for three years and have not gotten a diagnosis or relief.

Vulvodynia is chronic vulvar pain without an identifiable cause. There are two types:

Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS) is characterized by pain limited to the vestibule, the area surrounding the opening of the vagina. It occurs during or after pressure is applied to the vestibule, as with sexual intercourse, tampon insertion, a gynecologic examination, prolonged sitting and/or wearing fitted pants.

Generalized vulvodynia (GV), is characterized by pain that occurs spontaneously and is relatively constant, but there can be some periods of symptom relief. Activities that apply pressure to the vulva, such as prolonged sitting or simply wearing pants, typically exacerbate symptoms.

Seeing another gynecologist sounds like a good idea.

Regards,
Maryann

January 27, 2015 - 11:08am
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