Vulvodynia

I have suffered with Vulodynia for some 7yrs now! It took 4 yrs and the internet to help my GP realise what it was! Before then I was constantly treated for yeast infection, even though my swabs came back negative!

I have had all the tests under the sun, patch testing, STD testing! All very embarrasing and all very hard to explain to friends and family! I mean how do you tell your partner of 10 yrs that you need to go to an STD check up? I have been stupid enough to suffer it alone for the first 4 yrs, thinking it must be in my head if they can't find it, and then when it finally got so bad that I would be happy to jump out of a window than spend another day pretending all was ok, when I was burning below... I finally told my sister, and what a sister she has been, if not for her and the love of my partner, I would have given in along time ago. My pain is very real, my life was once fun and full of life, I was normal, happy nothing wrong with me, and then one morning I woke with this! I worry that the lack of knowledge and care will end me with cancer. Doctors don't seem to know about the condition and those who may have heard of it tend to treat you as though it is all in the head. I am 34 now, still suffering, oh I have a good day, I think its all ok I can go out and get my job back, but the moment I try.... the pain hits hard to remind me it's always there! I am lonely, I don't want people knowing what is wrong with me.... sometimes I think it would be better if I did have a well know illness, I find this embarrassing to mention, and you will be suprised of how many people do not know what a vulva is! So for those of you suffering as I do, the cool \\baths still help, aqueos cream is a saver... cake it on, and cover yourself in a long skirt, forget pants! Gabapentine was good, but I got up to 3000mg a day and it started to cause other problems! I don't know if you are like me, but I get dressed, rush out to get everything done, so that I can come home, jump in a bath, cake my cream on and put my cotton over large pj's on. Then hope no-one comes to the door to see me ready for bed at 2pm! It's no life anymore is it! But we keep getting our hopes up looking and sites like these. :cry:

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