Questions for May and June 2014 Patients

[Hopeful57]

On my way to Boston and then Manchester. Look forward to meeting some of you!!

[sandy]

Quote:

Quote from laura57 on April 30, 2014, 23:47
Hello, all. I am a May patient. My procedure is just in a few days. May 5th to be precise. I am traveling from Pensacola, Florida to Manchester and will be happy to escape the extreme rain for a few days!
Like you, I am a mixture of excitement and fear. I have a great deal of anxiety about the pre-op exams, the findings during the procedure, and the post-op exams. I truly believe that God has lead me to this. Are there any others out there who will be having their procedure on the same day that I will?

Laura, I will be coming in on May 5th too! It is nice to meet you (=
Like you, I am very anxious. For other reasons.. but still very anxious! I am very concerned about dilating and hope that I will be able to insert dilators in me. I have never been able to insert anything so far. It’s a good thing for you that you’re actually looking forward to this!
I do understand your fear and can totally relate to it though and since I’m in the same boat as you are, I don’t really have any suggestions on how to feel better about it. But hopefully, we’ll be knocked out and won’t even realize what happened 🙂
One thing that is helping me a lot right now though is keeping myself very busy! I only end up feeling low and worried if I’m free and I think of all sorts of what-if scenarios. So it’s best to just keep myself occupied instead! The plus side to this is I have a really clean house right now 😀
Look forward to meeting you on Monday!

[sandy]

Quote:

Quote from KatieG07 on April 30, 2014, 20:50
Good luck Sandy! Keep us posted on how everything goes…Excited for you!

Thank you Katie! I’ll keep you posted. Good luck to you too for your treatment in June!

[Hopeful57]

Thank you, Sandy. I very much look forward to meeting you!

[Hanna]

@Heather34 Thanks so much for your reply – the experiences from yourself and the other ladies on the forum have really helped to calm my nerves, reading all the first hand stories of the whole process, struggles, victories etc have been so helpful, and also to realise that everything I feel leading up to the procedure is quite normal! I am really looking forward to being able to post a success story too!

[Hanna]

@sandy @hopeful57 – Wishing you all the best for Monday! Look forward to hearing how it all goes.

[Heather34]

Quote:

Quote from Hanna on May 2, 2014, 14:27
@Heather34 Thanks so much for your reply – the experiences from yourself and the other ladies on the forum have really helped to calm my nerves, reading all the first hand stories of the whole process, struggles, victories etc have been so helpful, and also to realise that everything I feel leading up to the procedure is quite normal! I am really looking forward to being able to post a success story too!

Hi Hanna! I just know that everything is going to go so, so well for you and all of the upcoming ladies who will have their procedures soon. Please know that I am here for you all. I also think that your trip to NY and Boston will be so wonderful as well. I just recently visited NYC for a bachelorette party and had an incredible time. Even if you are in NYC for a short time, it is a fun place to see. Sending you and all of the other girls huge hugs!!!

[Heather34]

Quote:

Quote from Hopeful57 on April 30, 2014, 23:47
Hello, all. I am a May patient. My procedure is just in a few days. May 5th to be precise.
Like you, I am a mixture of excitement and fear. I have a great deal of anxiety about the pre-op exams, the findings during the procedure, and the post-op exams. I truly believe that God has lead me to this. Are there any others out there who will be having their procedure on the same day that I will?

Hi Hopeful57! I am so, so excited for you to have your procedure coming up on Monday and I know everything is going to go so, so, so well for you!!! Please know that you are not alone at all with your feelings and I felt so very similar prior to my own procedure a few years ago. I had never in my life been able to undergo a GYN exam – I tried so many times but it simply was not possible due to the pain that I felt with any attempt. Because of my past experiences with these exams, I arrived in NH with my husband and was incredibly nervous. I met with Ellen and then Dr. Pacik who were both indescribably sweet and they immediately knew how nervous I was and provided me with IV Verced which took away all of my physical symptoms of anxiety (i.e. shaking, feeling like I was going to pass out, wanting to run out of the office and drive home, etc.). Following this, I remember being very, very relaxed and entering the procedure room and then talking to the anesthesiologist. The next thing I remember is waking up from the procedure in the recovery room with my hubby holding my hand. I, too, truly believe that God works in wonderful ways and led my husband and I to finding Dr. Pacik and this procedure as well. I searched so long for a cure and tried PT and dilating solo using the vag.com kit and nothing worked as we could not get past the wall to allow insertion. As Dr. P has described it, the spasm was like a tightly closed fist which made inserting anything (i.e. dilators, my hubby, even a q-tip) impossible. I believe so many aspects of this program made it work when the others didn’t including treating the physical spasm (i.e. the wall) which allowed me to then insert dilators and later my husband without the normal resistance and inability. Please know you are in absolutely wonderful care with Dr. Pacik and Janet Pacik and all of the amazing staff. They are so incredibly caring and supportive and they all understand what we have gone through and experienced with the condition of vaginismus. Please know I am here for you and all of the other girls and I absolutely KNOW that everything is going to go so, so well for you! Sending huge hugs!!!

[Heather34]

To Sandy and Hopeful57, wishing you both the best for your procedures tomorrow and please know everything will go well. Sending hugs!!!!

I also wanted to share with you some writings from Dr. Pacik:

“There are a thousand worries that the average patient has as the day of treatment approaches. “What ifs” tend to be all consuming. There comes a point that it helps to simply allow the flow to take you along its course. I often tell (my worried surgical patients) that they should think of their surgery or treatment as a ride in the car. They put their seat belts on (these are the many safety monitors we have throughout the operating and recovery room) and I’ll take them for a safe ride. I know the route and I am a safe driver. For my vaginismus patients where the treatment has a high level of safety, but anxiety rears its ugly head, the same can be true to help stem the normal anxiety that takes place. There is not much more anyone can say. The day comes and goes, much like any other day. Now you are on one side, then you have stepped across and you are on the other side.”

[Alice14]

It is so wonderful to hear about all of the ladies preparing to have treatment in the next few days and weeks. Best wishes to all those having their treatments in May!! I can’t wait to hear how it goes for all of you! I am less than a month away from my 6/2 treatment and I am starting to get really excited! My thoughts and prayers go out to all you ladies! Glad we are all in this together 🙂

[sandy]

Hi everyone!
I had my procedure today. FYI for future patients- you won’t feel a thing during the procedure. So don’t worry about it =)
I actually passed out when they put the IV in, thanks to my fear of needles and probably dehydration. Once the IV was in, Dr. Pacik gave me IV Verced, which helped with the anxiety. During the procedure itself, I remember Dr. Pacik doing the cotton swab test. Next thing I know, I was up with the biggest (blue) dilator in me! Unfortunately, due to the tightness of my vagina, I wasn’t able to insert the pink dilator (#5) in me. But I’ve had #4 in me since I removed the blue dilator and trying to make myself comfortable with it.. So far, so good!
Hopeful57 also had her procedure today, and she did great!

[KatieG07]

Yay so exciting!!! I figure we build up all this anxiety and stress over the procedure and when it’s here it’s a piece of cake. Can’t wait for my 6/9 procedure. Anyone her going 6/9 too??

[Becca]

So happy for all of you ladies having your procedure!! 🙂 I had mine in February and I remember feeling all these same
emotions. 🙂 🙂

Sandy, I’m so glad to hear things went well for you!! 🙂

[heather123]

I am a June 9th patient… while sitting in my new job orientation today, I had a free moment to space out and then I got to thinking about June plans…and the BIG plan/trip to NH for the ;procedure crossed my mind….and I tensed up and grimaced. Yes I’m excited for a solution to our 4 years no-sex issue, but man, I am terrified to pull anything OUT. I feel like the dilator will get stuck and rip me some more…I’m sure things will be just fine and smooth when I get there. Just thoughts scaring me as usual.

I think the long flight from Oregon is was makes me a tad nervous because on top of the no-sex issue, I have vertigo and slight rib cage inflammation, so just the thought of more pain is cringeful thinking… but I just gotta troop through it like anyone else here…..

[KatieG07]

Yay another June 9th patient!!!!