Stabbing pain. Burning. Itching. Glass shards. Every step is torture. Electric shock. Raw, tearing skin. Rose thorns inside me. Extreme tightness.
These are very common ways women describe what having vulvodynia feels like. I have felt: 7/9
Excruciatingly painful intercourse. Can’t sit for long periods of time. Lost my job because of it. Can’t wear underwear or any kind of tighter pants. Absolutely NO tampons. PTSD. Anxiety. Depression. Relationships fall apart.
These are very common experiences women with vulvodynia have. Â My score: 4/9
I’ll never have kids. He’s going to leave me. I’m forever doomed to be alone. I’m so hopeless. My doctors won’t listen to me. No one believes me. I never go out anymore. Nothing is fun anymore. I’m broken and I hate myself.
These are very common thoughts for women with vulvodynia. I have thought: 7/9
And I am absolutely, 100%, not exaggerating. I am in a Facebook group with over 3,000 women with vulvodynia (or other conditions that relate to vaginal pain). These symptoms and effects of vulvodynia are frequently coming up on my feed. So many women receiving so little help. So many women who were told false and insensitive medical advice. So many women hiding in the shadows because they are embarrassed about their condition. So many women getting fired because they took too many “sick days” and they couldn’t find a way to tell their boss or HR representative about their pain. So many women with major anxiety about dating. So many women getting dumped, cheated on, or divorced. So much pain. So, so much pain.
There is no reason for this post, other than to give a snapshot of what approximately 16% of women experience in their lifetime.
Thank you so much for sharing. I connect with this so hard. Reading through the rest of your story now.
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It is a travesty that we go through this stigmatised condition that has such a huge impact on our mental health with so little help 😦
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I agree 100% to everything you wrote about what Vulvodynia feels like every minute with no relief. I remember calling my doctors, crying over the phone in severe pain to get an earlier appointment only to be told there’s nothing they can do. The travesty befalling women in severe horrendous burning vulvar pain is unfathomable to those who have never experienced anything more than slight discomfort. The constant razorblade pain destroys relationships and marriages, womens’ self-esteem and life is downright miserable. I remember wanting to have my painful parts cut off to end the pain. Thank you for writing about this particular pain to bring awareness to the forefront rather than shame.
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