A recent study published in The British Medical Journal found that low-dose estrogen plus levonorgestrel birth control pills seem to be the safest in terms of cardiovascular risk. It is important to note that all hormonal birth control pills have the potential to cause vulvodynia. The tissue in the vulvar vestibule has androgen receptors so …
Continue ReadingGetting Help Can Be Scary, But We’re Here To Help
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” – Anaïs Nin If getting help for sexual issues was easy, people would be getting help quicker. It wouldn’t take months, years, and even decades to find solutions and much pain would …
Continue ReadingBeing unavailable: The burden of vaginismus.
Like other types of sexual dysfunction, vaginismus can be like an ugly octopus that has multiple legs extending into various areas of a woman’s life. The effects can be pervasive and show up in her confidence, in her relationships, in her body image, in her sexuality, and her overall sense of well-being. Many patients have …
Continue ReadingThe game isn’t over.
“Yikes, have you seen your vagina lately?” “You have the vagina of a ninety-year old woman.” “Can’t have intercourse? You’d make a great nun!” The above phrases were shared with me by patients and attributed to professionals they had consulted regarding their sexual dysfunction. Needless to say, the endeavors were not only futile in solving …
Continue ReadingA quick guide to IUDs.
An intrauterine device (IUD) is a small contraceptive T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus for an extended period of time. IUDs either contain copper or the hormone levonorgestrel and are the most effective form of reversible birth control. There is one type of copper IUD called ParaGard. ParaGard can remain in the uterus …
Continue ReadingThe crazy things that happen to our patients.
We have this great patient who should really be doing stand-up comedy. Whenever she is in our office she has some new and funny story to share. She was having significant vaginal pain when she came to see us and had been misdiagnosed by her OB/GYN so nothing was helping. Our NP picked up that …
Continue ReadingWoman Code.
I’m reading a fascinating book written by holistic health coach, Alisa Vitti. The title of the book is Woman Code and provides great advice and research on how to regulate menstrual cycles, clear up skin, lose weight, alleviate PMS, improve moods, and have better sex by following a whole-foods program. The idea behind following a whole-foods …
Continue ReadingMinus one.
When a couple faces sexual dysfunction, in one or both partners, it can be a difficult and heartbreaking journey that challenges the foundation of the relationship. But let’s talk about what sexual dysfunction means for a woman who is single. For most women it doesn’t just feel like there is no ‘plus one’ in the …
Continue ReadingGetting back in the game.
“Having sexual dysfunction made me check out from my body. Now that I’m better I realize that I had checked out from life too.” – MCFS Vaginismus Patient (consent obtained for this quote) Sexual satisfaction and self-actualization are very intertwined. Thus, when sexual dysfunction is in the picture, it’s no surprise that many women feel alienated from …
Continue ReadingSex after cancer.
I see many women who are cancer survivors. Most of them feel that their post cancer sexual selves were never addressed. In fact, many were told, “you should be happy to be alive”, insinuating that they should stop focusing on any sexual dysfunction caused by cancer treatment. It is often very upsetting for them to …
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