Another Progress!
I managed to insert the smallest plastic "downtrainer" (pictured above, on the left), all the way into the vagina! For someone who has never been able to touch the vulva without intense pain, let alone inserting whatever, this pretty much feels like a crazy miracle. So how did this happen? Read on.
Between the last post and this one, I moved back to London, and as you can imagine, takes time to get into the health system here, figuring out who to see, how much, and where.
In that time period, I did my best to continue my treatment, having been interrupted for about a month when I was very sick off and on with nasty flu and stomach bug that went around in winter here.
Treatment is as follows:
1. taking Gabapentin at my regular dose (3 times a day, 1 pill in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, 2 at night, 300 mg pills each).
2. Applying the compounded cream of Amytriptyline on Macadamia Oil base that I wrote about in one of the previous posts, using the smallest plastic downtrainer.
By the way my physio doesn't like the term dilators, she said "there's no need to dilate the vagina, you need to downtrain the nervous system", so there you go).
I have been doing those 2 things in conjunction for about 4 months now. The stinging sensation when applying the cream continues, unfortunately. But now we know it's because of the medication inside the cream, so not much we can do about that.
About a month ago, I thought I'd try inserting the smallest downtrainer with the help of some oil-based lubricant, right after an orgasm. Half lying down, half sitting up, it went all the way in. I couldn't believe it!
I then tried using the next size up (Picture above, on the right). No luck. Tried using the smallest size again, no luck. Tried this a couple more times after each orgasm, no luck.
Then suddenly two days ago, I was squatting (this position is when the pelvic floor muscles are at its most relaxed state, apparently), applying the topical cream as usual, and the downtrainer went all the way in.
After this, I have managed to repeat the experience two more times, non-orgasm related, and only when squatting. I have even managed to slide it in-and-out, probing for tight spots inside, and I could indeed feel the muscles resisting here and there. The pain just past the entrance to the vagina remained, but not as intense, for some reason. It's rather interesting, because it seems that the ease with which the downtrainer slides in, is affected by the angle at which it's inserted. And it seems that it differs day by day, hour by hour. Sometimes, it seems the vagina is saying NO WAY! and sometimes it's 'hmm, maybe, how about this? how about that?'.
Anyway. I have my first appointment with the Gynaecology department at Royal Free Hospital in about 3 weeks. Hopefully it will be Wendy Reid, a woman that's been reputed to have a pretty darn high chance of success treating and diagnosing women with vulvodynia. My GP -who firmly says this is a neurological condition (good news) - referred me, it's through the NHS (government health system). So it's going to be free, and am thankful that the wait time isn't 6 months, and I can't wait to discuss this latest development with her/them.