No worries, I got the notification! I’m not currently on birth control (I used to be on it continuously so I wouldn’t get my period), and I haven’t noticed much of a difference with or without it. I think it gets slightly worse towards the end of my period, though. It’s so weird that your issues were also directly on…

I know. I’m just freaked out that one day it will no longer be legal to get them. I don’t understand why we should be punished when other people use their medication irresponsibly. The idea is that taking away opiates will save lives. It ignores all the people with chronic pain who have no better alternative.

That’s so wonderful! I’m still waiting for the day that it up and disappears. Then again, I’d also be terrified it might come back.

Mine started when I was around 21 probably. Tampons were ok, but I could never have PiV sex (I was ~18 when I first tried). It always hurt, and I also just figured it was normal. My poor first boyfriend. I probably scarred him for life. After that I only dated women and avoided penetration, so my vagina issues were…

Yes. All the damn time.

I know how your cousin feels. The first doctor I saw about my pain told me to go to a psychiatrist. PEOPLE ARE THE WORST. Also, doctors who deny the existence of PCOS are generally assholes.

My physical therapist mostly did myofascial release in the area around and inside my vagina and rectum. I would sob like a three year old child through the whole treatment, and afterwards I was always covered in bruises. Not one of my fondest memories! What kind of stretches do you do? I’ve tried the topical estrogen…

That’s true! I’m sure when I’m really ready to be a mother, I’ll be willing to risk the (inevitable) pain. Because, hey, at least I’ll get a baby out of it. I have no idea how long ago you had your daughter, but (belated) congratulations, and YES, you are incredibly brave!

Yup, I had that even before my vulvodynia started. Pelvic exams have always been just the WORST. I’ve tried dilators and got as far as the second smallest size before I just gave up. I honestly don’t think they help all that much, and the pain is excruciating. Who knows, though, it may work for you! Optimism is all we…

I honestly haven’t mentioned to my doctors that I prefer women, so that’s kind of my bad. My obgyn (she specializes in vulvodynia) understands that intercourse is pretty much impossible for me, so she never asks or insists on doing pap smears or STD testing (something another doctor I had wanted to do EVERY time I…

I know, I was sobbing. The tears were contagious. That’s so cool that he was your coach!!

Oh god, I cringed so hard. Some people are just really oblivious. I had a student start making horrible racist comments in the middle of class during a lesson about evolution. He thought he was being hilarious and couldn’t understand why I was upset. That was a fun call home (let’s just say the apple doesn’t fall far…

That’s definitely what I suspected was going on. Thank you for your insight!

This is SO AWESOME. Just yesterday I was wondering about the lack of black swimmers in the Olympics, and an acquaintance (who I plan to avoid from now on) explained to me that black people just can’t swim well, because like body proportions yada yada bullshit. She GENUINELY believes this. OH GOD THE RAGE FIT I HAD.…

I developed it spontaneously a year after I graduated college. To this day, I have no idea why. Other people in my family have it, so I was probably genetically predisposed.

It can be really hard for women to talk about their pelvic pain. I think that’s why it has taken so long for it to become a recognized medical condition seen as worthy of treatment (and not an instant ticket to a psychiatrist). Physical therapy helps a lot of people, but I think it works best if the therapist can…

Yeah, I don’t know that I’d even risk it. So many people, my mother included, got pelvic pain after childbirth. Mine would probably just get worse. You are a much braver person than I am!

Oh my god, again, SAME. This resonated so much with me. I’m queer as well (though mostly attracted to women), and I’ve pretty much given up hope of ever dating straight cis men. It’s like outside of intercourse, no other sex is “real” sex to them. My ex-girlfriend was similarly bummed by being unable to reciprocate.…

SAME. I could hardly sit before I started taking morphine. I know opiates are frowned upon (by oblivious people without chronic pain), but it’s seriously the ONLY thing that has helped me. If you want to commiserate, I rarely get to talk to people about this! We can be pelvic pain pals.

Well, one doctor explained that she had one patient get better after giving birth. The other one was just an idiot. I think there are technically people researching this,but vaginas and pain syndromes tend not to get a lot of funding. So vaginal pain syndromes are basically screwed.