Questions for July and August 2014 Patients

[Heather34]

Hi ladies. For those of you who have your procedure coming up in July and August, please feel free to ask any questions at all that you may have pre-procedure. It can be anything at all from what it is like to do the dilating to what fun things there are to do in New Hampshire, Boston, and the whole New England area while you are here. I live right outside of Boston and would be happy to share. I look forward to reading your posts.

[KatieG07]

I’m from Manchester had my procedure 6-9 so I’d like to help anyone coming up!

[hereisnowhy]

I’m with Heather34 and KatieG07 – I also live locally and would love to offer advice, support and fun places to go to anyone who needs it! <3

[klove]

My procedure is in 19 days on July 21st. I am so nervous! I think my biggest fear is that I will be told I do not have Vaginismus and botox injections will not help me and I will be where I am now. I also am scared I will fail and the treatment will not work. I am trying very hard to be positive as my husband is a great supporter and he is feeling positive. I have been down so many avenues to fix this and they all failed or I gave up, feeling I could live like this. But, I am working on that. Also, I am scheduled to have my menstrual cycle 2 days after the procedure. Will this affect my results? Would I still need to dilate during my period? I am so happy this forum exists as I am not alone. I was going to go to a different medical group in NYC that has botox treatments every few months. But, I found Dr Pacik’s website and ever since, your office has been so helpful and personable as the other practice was not as personable and didnt seem to care about me as a person. My husband and I are coming from Syracuse, NY.

[lauxo]

Hi everyone!
I am scheduled for 4 August and would love to get to know whoever is going to be getting their procedure on that day as well.
I am not necessarily nervous, but I don’t get nervous very easily unless it’s something like being put on the spot. I guess the closest I’d say I am to being nervous is I’m just a little worried, like klove, that I will be told there is nothing wrong and I’ll be sent on my way. I guess we will see 🙂

[Dr. Pacik]

The concern of many women with vaginismus is as you said “I will be told there is nothing wrong and I’ll be sent on my way.” Apart from a diagnosis of imperforate hymen, which requires surgery and is very rare (1 patient in 300 of my patients) my patients are treated because something is wrong. They have vaginismus which often is severe as noted by the many failed treatments. The inability to tolerate penetration is in of itself something wrong.

The other common concern is that almost every patient is convinced that they will be the one failure. This too could not be further from the truth.

The best approach is to look forward to the treatment which is likely to be successful and will release you from the bondage of vaginismus. I would love to hear what the others have to say. How worried were you and was all this concern really necessary?

I look forward to working with my July/August patients. It will be memorable and enlightening.

[jessbee]

hello everyone! my procedure is coming up on August 11th. I have put this off for almost a year, and I am so ready to get it done. The waiting part is what makes me anxious. i haven’t really thought about it too much (which is good) but i know as the date gets closer I will be a nervous wreck. I am afraid that I will tense up all over and just want out before anything ever happens. However, with the help of antidepressants and such it is unlikely that will happen (fingers crossed). I’ve come too far to back out now. I am currently on zoloft, klonopin,and a thyroid hormone replacement. do any of those drugs interact with the anesthesia? I am very nervous about being sedated…is it simply just an IV or will i also have a breathing tube as well?

[hereisnowhy]

Klove, Lauxo and Jessbee, you are all going to do amazing, I PROMISE!

I just had my procedure done on June 16th and everything went according to plan, even more so than I was expecting! Everyone in the office is so nice and they keep you very relaxed while you are waiting for the procedure.

Beforehand, I wasn’t really nervous, I was just ready to get it done! I did not have a fear that Dr. Pacik would tell me I don’t have vaginismus, but was a little concerned that maybe the treatment wouldn’t be very effective. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around something so quick and relatively simple being the beginning of my cure. I too went through lots of different types of treatment with little to no results. I can tell you though, 2.5 weeks after my treatment, I am already successfully dilating to #6 glass with just lubricant (not a mix of lube and lidocaine numbing gel)! Within a couple of days I was dilating to #6 with the mix of lube and lidocaine, and just a few days ago I went to straight lube, and I am doing just fine, honestly hardly ANY pain at all! Will be trying “tip only” penetration with my boyfriend soon, as I know I am more than ready for it, but the mental barrier is still there (as I am sure you can all relate to) and it is hard to get that physical intimacy back! This forum has been a life saver to help me feel less secluded and get lots of questions answered and feelings validated!

Klove, having your period won’t matter, it will just make dilating messier. Dr. Pacik has told us we can skip dilating while on our period or dilate, it’s up to us. I am on a birth control pill so I chose to skip my period last month and probably will this month as well, so I can get some good dilating in right away (I don’t think I will feel comfortable dilating on my period).

Jessbee the anesthesia was just an IV, and they give you an oxygen mask but no breathing tube! At least for me they didn’t, but everyone could be different. Now that I think of it, that “oxygen mask” may have been some sort of relaxation gas (haha)? Either way, they do a great job at keeping you calm in the OR before you go under. It is a little overwhelming but also really interesting, everyone in the OR is just focused on YOU and you know you are in good hands. I just felt SO excited to be getting the procedure done! Having my boyfriend in the OR helped me tremendously, too.

Best of luck to all of you and to all the women who have their procedures in July and August! If I can be of any help please let me know!! 🙂

[jessbee]

i’m getting really excited reading about everyone’s positive experiences. As usual though, the anxiety gets the best of me. I am such a control freak that I don’t know how I will handle being in such a vulnerable position with everyone just looking at me. it makes me even more nervous just watching everyone watching me! i can’t even drink alcohol because i can not handle the least bit being out of control. are there any other control freaks in here? i hope i’m not the only one.

[Dr. Pacik]

Thanks Jessbee for your thoughts. Most women with vaginismus are “control freaks”, it is the only way they can avoid having pain. This is exactly why I encourage the partners to help with dilation, it is a small moment of giving up control. For those who have been through the vaginismus treatment program I would love to hear a follow up how it works out having your partner help you with dilation.

As far as meds are concerned there are very few meds that would interfere with anesthesia. The ones you listed are safe and should be continued.

You are not alone. Just about every patient is wound up with nerves. You will see it is not a big deal. I would expect that in a short period of time after treatment you will be much more relaxed. It is our mission!

[Heather34]

Hi klove, lauxo, and jessbee! Please, please know that everything is going to go so, so, so well with your upcoming procedures. I seriously felt so many of the same feelings you describe and was convinced that the procedure would not work for me. My husband was super supportive and encouraging and believed in me plus believed that it would work so this helped me in an indescribable way. I had never even been able to insert a q-tip prior this procedure so I feared, again, that it would not work and I would never be able to dilate. I had the procedure and woke up with the largest dilator inside of me. I had to go to the bathroom; removed it; and inserted it back in. This was a huge moment for me as was waking up with it in place as I knew that something was able to be inside of me (for the first time) and it did not cause pain. It feels a little weird but not in a painful way. Then, we practiced removing and reinserting the different sized dilators. I did it and then had my husband place his hand on mine and we did it together. I was shy about this idea at first, but, by allowing him to do this, he could see that I wasn’t in pain for the first time and it helped him mentally to know this and helped me to trust him that much more. The more we practiced and I let down my walls, it felt so much better and like we were a team. And, speaking of walls, we both felt that this physical wall/blocked/resistance feeling that both of us had always felt when trying to insert anything was now gone which allowed the dilators to go in and later him. We saw so many physical as well as emotional changes from the procedure and, within 7 days, on JULY 4TH, we were able to make love for the first time in our entire 11year relationship!!! Today, we celebrate our sexversary together!!!!

klove, I am so, so, so excited for you to have your upcoming 7/21 procedure. Regarding your question about having your period, and dilating, just as hereisnowhy mentioned, it will not be an issue but may just make it a little messier. One previously treated patient who got her period while there, wrote: “I started my period anyway. It really shouldn’t interfere with anything, it’s just a bit messy. They will have stuff at the office for you, and if you need any feminine products, there’s a drugstore nearby and in general pads/tampons are readily available in most stores.” And, Dr. Pacik has written: “The anxiety of the treatment sometimes causes a woman to have an unexpectedly early period and we have had patients who started their period during the Botox treatment. This has not been a problem.” Concerning dilating after the procedure with your period, Dr. Pacik has written about this as well “It depends on how heavy the cycle is. For lighter cycles some dilation is possible, for heavier cycles skip the first few days. Even 5-10 minutes is valuable.” Dr. Pacik and the team will come up with a personalized plan for your dilation with you post-procedure and this will be factored into it. You are in such incredible care with Dr. Pacik as well as Janet Pacik and Ellen and Cynthia and all of the amazing staff. I think it’s wonderful that you are coming up from Syracuse, NY. One of my best friends went to SU and her husband is stationed at Ft. Drum in Watertown up there. Beautiful, beautiful area.

lauxo, I am so, so, so excited for you to have your upcoming 8/4 procedure. I felt so, so many of the same feelings as you describe. I was very scared that I would be told there is nothing wrong. I think, for me, this feeling came from doctors telling me in the past to “just relax” and “its all in your head” when it truly wasn’t. Dr. Pacik understands this so well and I can’t wait for you to meet him and his wife Janet and all of the staff. When meeting him and even talking to him on the phone prior to my procedure, I felt so comfortable and like I had finally found a doctor who cared and truly understood everything about vaginismus.

jessbeee, I am so, so, so excited for you to have your upcoming 8/11 procedure. We’ve chatted on here in the past and, yes, I have felt just so, so, so many of these same emotions as you describe. I was such a control freak prior to my procedure. I researched it to death practically, read Dr. Pacik’s book so many times, and asked so many questions but I was still terrified. Thank God, I was able to share these feelings and work with a great psychotherapist during this time. Also, my husband was so calm and so, so supportive. Still, though, I almost asked him to turn around on our drive up the office on my procedure day. He gently reminded me that he would be there, it was going to go fine, and of how much we both trusted and liked Dr. Pacik. I reluctantly listened to him and THANK GOD I did. Please, please, please know you are in excellent hands with Dr. Pacik, Janet Pacik, Ellen, Cynthia and everyone in the office. If you are extremely nervous once you arrive, I would ask for IV Verced. I was given this and it helped so much to take away all of the physical symptoms of anxiety that I was experiencing and that had prevented me from getting help in the past (i.e. rapid heartbeat, feeling like running away, sweating, crying, nausea, etc.). Once I had this, I felt ready and remember holding my hubby’s hand and the next thing I remember is waking up from the procedure with the dilator in place. Thereafter, I worked privately 1:1 with a nurse and my hubby by my side helping me. There were some tears at first because I was shy and also the emotions from all of the anxiety that I had built up but they were also happy tears that I had done it and it was over. Then, the more time passed, the more comfortable I became dilating and having my hubby help me. Dr. Pacik would pop in during this time and was so gentle and so incredibly and indescribably supportive. He wants you to succeed and cares just so, so, so much.

Please, please know that you ladies are not alone with any of what you are feeling and your upcoming procedures are all going to go so, so well!!! Sending you huge hugs and support!!!!!

[jessbee]

thank you so much heather and dr. pacik for easing my anxiety and fears. this is a huge huge step for anyone who is an absolute control freak..giving up all control in order to get cured. Perhaps, like you mentioned, heather this may help me to let go and not feel like i HAVE to be in control all the time. my husband is very supportive and i know w\he will do whatever it takes to make me feel comfortable. he reassures me that we are in this together. so together we will go and get this done!

[mayra]

Hello everyone,

My procedure is coming up in a little over a week on July 14th. I will be traveling all the way from Arizona. I am happy that this may finally help me. But at the same time I have many worries. I worry that I don’t actually have vaginismus and that it really is all in my head. That the doctor will say that I am completely normal and just making it up. On the other hand I worry that my case is the worst ever and that my muscle will not react to the botox. That I will wake up with my muscle the same which would mean that I am so broken there is no way to fix me. I am even worried that the anesthesia wont work and and I will jump off the table that second I fee anything touch me. I know that this all sounds crazy but at this point I am just very anxious for the day to come so I can finally get thought it.

[galaxygal]

klove, I have the same exact feelings as you do! My procedure if coming up on July 14th and I am getting nervous, not for the actual procedure, but because I am afraid I am going to go through all of this and it isn’t going to work in the long run. I am nervous about getting my hopes up that this is going to work because I have tried so many other things to try and fix this. I have vaginismus and vulvodynia and I know that this procedure will help the vaginismus, so many women have had success that I feel like I should too but I am hoping it also helps my vulvodynia. I want both of these conditions to go away so badly. I am so tired of dealing with them, I just want that part of my life back and I am willing to try anything at this point. So I am trying to keep an open mind and reduce any anxiety or fear I have. I am glad my husband will be there with me the whole time, he is my strength during things like this. I wish everyone having their procedures in July and August the best, I will be thinking of you!

[hereisnowhy]

Mayra and galaxygal, you both are going to do just fine! Dr. Pacik and his team WILL be able to help you and you WILL be amazed with yourself when you wake up with a #6 inside of you and when you dilate by yourself with little to no pain. Dr. Pacik has worked with some incredibly severe patients and even they have achieved pain free intercourse, so I know you can, too. And believe me, the anesthesia will knock you right out! 😉 I had my procedure on June 16th and have been able to successfully dilate to a #6 each time, and will be trying intercourse soon. I do not know much about vulvodynia, galaxygal, but I know Dr. Pacik does and he will be able to help you! Mayra, I used to live in Arizona for 7 years and just moved back to my home state of New Hampshire 2 years ago. I loved Arizona! I was in the Tempe area. Best of luck to both of you!!!