Welcome New Members!

[Heather34]

Hi ladies! WELCOME all new members to the forum! You will love it. I remember the feeling that I had when I first joined a forum and saw women actually talking openly about the same issue that I had. It was awesome! Feel free to post whenever you have a question or concern and of course, when you have successes, which you WILL have! I know that you’ll find this forum very encouraging, both in seeing the progress of the other members and also in having your questions and concerns addressed. I look forward to hearing from all of you.

[Heather34]

Hi ladies! For all who posted and introduced themselves and shared stories, thank you so, so, so much. I truly loved reading them. I would encourage each and every one of you to please introduce yourself, ask questions, share stories, provide encouragement, and seek support. I’m looking so forward to meeting more of you and reading your posts! All the Best!

[Heather34]

@ Stephanie, welcome to the forum again. I love reading your posts. I think it’s so wonderful that the Cosmo article reached you and you were able to learn about vaginismus and the procedure. This is truly so inspiring for ALL of us to keep advocating and spreading the word to reach even more women with this condition. I’m also very excited that you will be having the procedure done in the future. Please, please feel free to ask any more questions that you have about the procedure itself, vaginismus, or anything at all. Also, please review the Category: Tips for Future Patients as it will have a tremendous amount of useful information pre-procedure. I look forward to reading your posts.

[Heather34]

@ Enc, welcome to the forum again and I love reading your posts. I especially loved the part “I got the procedure done in July and have had successful pain-free intercourse ever since I first attempted in August…If this is something you are truly suffering through, I can’t stress enough how much it can change your life.” Congratulations on your success. This is so amazing! Also, this inspires so much confidence. You also wrote “I know how frustrating and isolating vaginismus can be.” This is so, so true and through this forum, we are taking one more step to make it less isolating so that women no longer have to suffer alone and in silence with this condition. For future patients who may be reading this, we know exactly what you are going through with vaginismus as we have all been there and I encourage you all to post, as so many of the other women have, and share your story, ask questions, and receive support. Excellent and inspiring post Enc!!! As you have successfully transitioned to intercourse, I would encourage you to provide any advice, tips, and suggestions under the Daily Questions 2 topic (Daily Questions Category) and I look forward to reading your posts.

[Heather34]

@ Versha, welcome to the forum again and I love reading your posts. You wrote “I went through many uninformed doctors who told me just relax, it’s all in your head, and have a drink.” I’m so sorry that this happened to you and it’s very frustrating. By talking openly about vaginismus here and through research, we can all work together to educate doctors and clinicians so no women has to go through this. I’m also very excited that you will be having the procedure done in March. Please, please feel free to ask any more questions that you have about the procedure itself, vaginismus, or anything at all. Also, please review the Category: Tips for Future Patients as it will have a tremendous amount of useful information pre-procedure. I look forward to reading your posts.

[Heather34]

@ Amanda, welcome to the forum again and I love reading your posts. Thank you so, so much for sharing your story with us and congratulations on your tremendous success! As I wrote in my reply under “Success Stories”, its stories like yours that make me just want to tell every other women in the world who is struggling with this all about vaginismus and that there is a real treatment program out there that works. I entirely agree with you too that Dr. P and every one of his staff members make you feel welcome and never ever treat you like an “outcast” or freak as so many other clinicians who don’t understand vaginismus do. I love your statement “If you are struggling with this, you are not alone … speak up and don’t be afraid … there are people out there to help you.” Vaginismus itself can make you feel so, so isolated and you really do suffer with this condition in silence, often hiding it from even your closest family and friends. It’s so, so important to know that you are not alone with this and there really are people out there who CARE and will help you to overcome. Excellent and inspiring post Amanda!!! As you have successfully transitioned to intercourse, I would encourage you to provide any advice, tips, and suggestions under the Daily Questions 2 topic (Daily Questions Category) and I look forward to reading your posts.

[Heather34]

@ Lou, welcome to the forum again and I love reading your posts. You will have tremendous success with Dr. Pacik’s program and we are ALL here for you every step of the way. I also have spoken to several international patients who have flown over from the UK and Ireland and each one of them has spoken about the truly life-changing experience they had. Please keep us all posted every step of the way and feel free to ask any more questions at all that you may have. One of the best medicines in the world for pre-procedure anxiety is talking to all of us and receiving support and encouragement as we have all been EXACTLY where you are right now! You are going to do GREAT!!!

[Heather34]

@ Tabia, welcome to the forum and I loved reading your post. It was so, so encouraging and supportive. I especially loved the part “trust me, after suffering for 22 years, I began operating like I have been having sex for years after 2 weeks.” Congratulations on your success. This is so amazing! Also, this inspires so much confidence. Vaginismus can take a very serious toll on your self-confidence. Receiving treatment and overcoming it can significantly boost your confidence and you really do go from a place of suffering for so many years to being able to confidently have sex. Excellent and inspiring post Tabia!!! As you have successfully transitioned to intercourse, I would encourage you to provide any advice, tips, and suggestions under the Daily Questions 2 topic (Daily Questions Category) and I look forward to reading your posts.

[Heather34]

@ Alyx, welcome to the forum and I loved reading your post. Thank you so, so much for sharing your story with us. You have gone through so much and deserve sincere congratulations on your tremendous success! You wrote “I’ve been through 1 primary care, 1 gyn, 2 physical therapists, craniosacral therapy, 2 talk therapists, 1 psychologist, and 2 marriage counselors … I truly felt as though having this procedure was my last stand, so to speak.” Alyx, this was such a powerful statement to read and just inspires me so much to keep spreading the word about vaginismus. Like you and so many other women in this forum and women who have vaginismus in general, we have gone to countless doctors and clinicians who don’t understand the condition. I can’t speak enough about how refreshing and wonderful it was to meet Dr. P, a doctor who “got it” and really did understand everything about vaginismus and the anxiety that goes along with it. By talking openly about it and through research, we can all work together to educate doctors and clinicians so no women has to go through this. You also wrote “I’m currently working on transitioning with my hubby.” Have faith that you will get there Alyx and I encourage you to read Dr. P’s blog yesterday about the transition from dilators to intercourse. Also, in Daily Questions, I provided some tips on my transition from dilators to intercourse. Ladies, do you have any specific suggestions? What worked for you? Please post some of your ideas and suggestions in Daily Questions#2. Thank you so much for writing Alyx and I look forward to reading your posts.

[coffee]

Hello, I am new to the forum,

I have suffered with this condition for some time now, I have been married almost 15 years and have never had intercourse with my husband, not being able to insert anything, I have been in physical therapy for the last 3 years, haven’t been able to progress beyond the 1st dilator, when i had a pap smear which is the only one I have had since i have been married they had to put me under anesthesia. It was very frustrating and embarrassing. I have a appointment coming up in September with Dr. Pacick office, I am very nervous and afraid that this might not work, at this point i am desperate, I feel and believe that I am a #5 level!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am already getting nervous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I also feel like that were treating me as a 1 or 2 level. My therapist is very understanding!!!!

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I am new on the forum. I had the procedure on the 7th of August. I am wondering if there is anyone who has had the procedure and is having difficulty getting past the purple dialator, even though the pink (the one larger than than) was fine a couple days in a row but then all of a sudden is not going in without pain. And….will my pain level decrease soon (day 4 days post procedure) Wondering if and when the botox will work,
and to what degree. I welcome any feedback.

[sherrie87]

Nice to know there are other people out there having the same problem I thought I was alone

[Nakitalab]

Hi Sherrie, you are definitely not alone. The Forum has many women who are either currently going through some or all of the same things that you are going through or who have gone through them and are now healed. We are all here for each other and this Forum is a wonderful format to share your ups and your downs, ask questions, share your experiences, thoughts and feelings. You are not alone anymore, Sherrie. We are all right here along side of you. Sending you a big hug!

[janemurphy]

Hi Ladies,

Just wanted to offer a quick introduction. My name is Jane and I struggled for three years treating vaginismus. I’ve been able to have painful sex for about a year now. I documented my story to share with others at http://www.myvaginismusstory.com. I was contacted by Dr. Pacik, who introduced me to this forum and encouraged me to participate.

I’m looking forward to connecting with everyone and hopefully learn from you all and share what I can to help you as well.

Jane

[Heather34]

Hi Jane. Welcome to the Forum and thank you so much for your post. I commend you so much on your website and for being such a strong advocate for women who continue to struggle with vaginismus. I struggled with the condition for my entire 11-year relationship/marriage and was cured in 2011 within a week of having Dr. Pacik’s Botox procedure. I tried so many other treatments in the past but kept failing as I could not even insert a q-tip without the pain/burning feeling. Once I had this procedure and woke up with the largest dilator inside of me, I both mentally and physically knew that something could be inside of me and that it did not cause any pain and my husband and I were both so amazed with this. Thereafter, we were able to transition within a short time frame based on our experience in the office and because the usual resistance that I had always experienced in the past when trying to insert anything had disappeared. Now, I’d love to do everything I can to spread the word about both the condition of vaginismus and this treatment program. While suffering with vaginismus, I had to research my symptoms on-line to even know what I had. Thereafter, I tried to explain them to a doctor who immediately diagnosed me with vulvodynia, which I never had. At the time that I was going through this, I would’ve loved for any of the doctors to know about vaginismus. In addition to the struggle with nobody knowing about vaginismus, it also took me so many years to find out about Dr. Pacik and this treatment. The only way I learned of it was through a yahoo forum (ttcwithvag) in which one of the members posted about her success. Prior to this, I felt so hopeless and like I would have this forever and never be able to find a cure. One of the most difficult aspects of the whole thing was it is a condition that women often suffer in complete silence with. For me, just my husband and I and the few doctors that we spoke to knew of my vaginismus and it felt so isolating. Now, again, it is my hope and prayer to be able to spread the word about the condition of vaginismus as well as this treatment. The Forum is also such a wonderful creation of Dr. Pacik and is a place where no woman has to feel isolation and alone anymore with her condition. It is a wonderful community of support. I’m so glad you are a part of it and can’t wait to read your posts. :):):)