New to the forums!

[Becca]

Hi everyone… I just found this website yesterday and since I found it have been unable to stop reading! I have been struggling with Vaginismus for what feels like forever. My husband and I have been married 6 1/2 years and both were (still are!) virgins when we got married. I always wondered if something was wrong with me as I was not able to get a tampon in as a teenager but I had never heard of anyone physically not being able to have sex, so I never thought much about it. When we were first married and I talked to my doctor about our situation she just told me repeatedly that I needed to relax and we just weren’t comfortable with each other yet – which was untrue. After mentioning it to my doctor a few times and pretty much being ignored I just quit talking to doctors about it. My husband was in the Navy when we got married and in our first year of marriage he left on a 7 month deployment — while he was out I googled my symptoms and diagnosed myself with Vaginismus. A couple of years later I ended up finding a counselor to see who then referred me to a pretty great OBGYN I have been seeing for the last few years. I have been working on dilators for years but we are still unable to get my husband to penetrate at all. 🙁 It has been the most frustrating, disappointing, lonely and burdensome load to carry. When I found this website yesterday I felt this glimmer of hope inside that I haven’t felt in a LONG time. I am so curious to find out more about the procedure (especially the cost!) and hear more from all the ladies who have had success from it. I want to start a family more than anything and truly feel like this could be a long awaited answer to prayer.

[Nakitalab]

Hi Becca, I’m so glad that you found Dr. Pacik’s website and this Forum. I highly, highly encourage you to talk with Dr. Pacik and start taking the steps towards being free from Vaginismus. I am 53 years old and suffered with Vaginismus until I had my procedure in October last year. It was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I honestly didn’t think it would work for me since I had tried everything else and have had it for so many years, but I’m so happy and blessed to say that it did work and I am able to make love to my husband pain free. We are all here for you and will be along side you every step of the way.

[Becca]

Hi Nakitalab – Thank you so much for your response. 🙂 I have been in touch with Janet Pacik and just filled out all my forms today and already started reading the book. I feel like this treatment is my answer to prayers and I am so anxious and excited to get the ball rolling. I am really nervous about what if it doesn’t work, or what the consequences could be to using botox since I don’t know very much about it. I am so exhausted from all the years of suffering silently and feeling so defeated though, this sounds like a dream come true.

[Nakitalab]

Becca, I’m so happy that have been in touch with Janet. When I read the book I couldn’t believe it and felt like it was written specifically for me. I promise you that this treatment will be an answer to your prayers and it will work for you if you follow Dr. Pacik’s plan. I too was so nervous about the procedure but it really was a piece of cake. I remember going to sleep and waking up with amazement that there was a dilator inside of me. I have experienced no side effects or consequences from the botox treatment, only positive results. I can totally understand your exhaustion as Vaginismus is all consuming and cuts to the very core of you. I’m so excited for you, Becca. Happy tears of joy!

[Heather34]

Hi Becca. I just read your post this evening and I am so very sorry for your struggles with vaginismus. What you described about the doctor visits and having them tell you to “just relax” or “you just aren’t comfortable yet” is so incredibly frustrating and exactly what I experienced in the past as well. I am so, so glad you have found Dr. Pacik and this Forum and please know that we are all here to support you. My husband and I tried so many different treatments, from pelvic floor physical therapy to trying to use the dilators and workbook on our own and we just never had success. With each attempt, it felt like he was hitting a wall and it caused burning pain. We, too, prayed and prayed for a cure and I learned about Dr. Pacik through an on-line forum. I was shy and a “lurker” and never ever posted but I read every single post from the other members of this yahoo forum and one member posted about Dr. Pacik and his treatment program. I immediately researched it and had my procedure on 6/27/11. Then, within 7 days, my hubby and I were able to make-love, something that we had tried for so many years unsuccessfully in the past. Now, today, we just returned from a romantic getaway this past weekend where we celebrated our 7-yr wedding anniversary together which was on October 14th. We celebrated with a romantic dinner and making love throughout the weekend, something that was so impossible in the past. This treatment truly was the answer to our years of prayers and it was our cure for vaginismus. Please have hope and know that it WILL work for you and your husband as well. I am here for you 100% and believe in you so much. Now, I will try to answer some of your specific questions:

I am curious to find out more about the procedure (especially the cost).

This is such a good question Becca. Now, thanks to Diane Tremblay, insurance is paying for a larger percentage of the treatment. I researched the Forum and Blogs and found several helpful links that discuss everything about the cost, insurance, new name change that may increase insurance coverage, as well as Care Credit.

http://www.vaginismusmd.com/vaginismus-md-forum/?mingleforumaction=viewtopic&t=125

http://www.vaginismusmd.com/vaginismus-md-forum/?mingleforumaction=viewtopic&t=610

http://www.vaginismusmd.com/vaginismus-md-forum/?mingleforumaction=viewtopic&t=480

http://www.vaginismusmd.com/insurance-coverage-for-the-botox-treatment-for-vaginismus/#sthash.bTWXX5qg.dpuf

What if it doesn’t work?

I was seriously terrified of this Becca and I think so many of us had the exact same fear. I was convinced that I would be the one person that this procedure would not work for. I never thought I would be able to use the dilators at all let alone have successful intercourse with my husband. I remember actually sharing this concern with Dr. Pacik and Ellen in my consult and they couldn’t have been more understanding and truly caring. He listened to my fears so gently as did Ellen and they explained that this is such a common fear but it truly does work and the evidence is in the wonderful success stories of women entering relationships post-procedure and post-vaginismus, getting married, and so importantly, being able to start a family together. For me, it took actually going through the procedure to believe that it was going to work. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of ever using these dilators and it ever working until I actually woke up with the dilator in place and then began practicing removing and re-inserting the dilators of all sizes with my hubby right by my side and even helping. It felt so surreal at the time but was just such an important experience for the two of us.

What the consequences could be to using Botox?

This was another one of my huge fears pre-procedure Becca. I knew absolutely nothing about the use of Botox to treat vaginismus and brought this up as one of my concerns to Dr. Pacik in our consult. He, again, was so understanding of my fears and explained in detail the safety of using Botox. I experienced no side-effects post-procedure at all. Dr. P has also written a wonderful Blog on the safety factor as well. http://www.vaginismusmd.com/botox-for-vaginismus-safety/

I hope this helps and I am so, so excited that you are in touch with Janet, have filled out your forms, and are reading Dr. Pacik’s book. This is so, so wonderful. Please know that I am here for you 100% and I look forward to reading more of your posts. Sending hugs!!!!