vulvodynia and swelling and frequency

[rita45]

I was checked for vulwodynia with that swab test and the gyno said at that time i did not have signs of it or the virus that can cause it.

He did say that the area does not have to be red and some patients he has cant stand any clothing or touching down there.

I already take elavil and elmiron and he gave me a hydrocortisone cream and this lidocane cream which i have not tried yet.

i take ditropan xl and last night took a pyridum plus as i have no vaginal discharge at present but i feel this wetness and sometimes there is wet spot on my underwear.
It is gross as when i get home from work it is dry and caked a little on my underwear
I have had alot of yeast infections and take difulcan too!!
Like many of you i do have vaginal discharge yellowish or white not yeast. i have just had urine and vaginal cultures that were negative as usual/
I think the ic is flared up !

Anyways i have some swelling down there and it is red as usual do you think i should use that lidocane ???

I am at the end of my ropes sometimes as I can be ok for a while and then a flare and it all comes back.

I saw my gynot twice in two weeks and he is trying his best to help .

How long do you have to be on the elavil for it to help this vulwodynia symtons???

Sorry to babble on and on but i am having a pity party today I showered and dont wear underwear the whole day today as that helps a little.

Any suggestions would be helpful. With having the ic, yeast and vulwodynia(possibly my gyno thinks i have a more mild case of it) that tends to come and go i am so confused at times i feel like just giving up!


Hope you are havin good days today !
God bless
rita

[Drama_Queen16]

Unless I am mistaken, vulvodynia is not caused by a virus and there is no 'sure' way that a doctor can tell if you have it or not. Once all other causes for the pain have been eliminated, it is usually considered vulvodynia. Sometimes they will do a swab test and if you have pain on that, then you will be diagnosed. I'm sure all doctors do it differently though.
I also have the discharge but no yeast or bacterial infection. I've had it for years and I still haven't figured out what it is. If you do find out anything new, please post here!
I'm not sure about the Elavil but maybe someone else can help you on that. Good luck!

[debdohairdo]

HI Rita,
I too have the vulva/discharge problem. I asked my uro and his answer is it may be an allergic response with the Ic, which may get better with my using atarax. I havent tried it yet, but I can say that after 2 weeks on Elavil and ditropan xl, I am starting to have relief from some of the aching and spasms. Elavil is starting to help me, and its only been a couple weeks since my diagnosis. I hope you get some relief too, and pain free days! Take care! Warmly, Debbie

[violethillfarm]

Ladies: I've had vulvodynia for a very long time and have been through the gynocological "mill" when it comes to various forms of yeast and bacterial infection, and even trichimoniasis (sp). Well, those were cleared up years ago, and yes I still have some discharge, but my gyno tells me that some women just do...for no reason, although Menopause has helped.
Mine was worse before the removal of very common Nabothian cysts on the cervix, they are totally benign and very common in women who have had children. Mine were removed during a cone biopsy and are not normally removed. Also, yes Vulvodynia is very hard to diagnose and the swab test from what I've read very often comes up negative unless you are having a very active flare up. No one knows what causes it (like IC) and I've never heard it called a virus. Things that help me are avoiding sugar, cotton underwear, very loose clothing, and taking Calcium Citrate to nuetralize oxalates in my diet. The IC cookbook "Taste of the Good Life" has some great diet tips for those of us with IC and Vulvodynia.

Don't get too discouraged, we all have good days and bad days, and you are certainly amongst friends here who understand.

[ICNAsstMgrDiane]

I have been going to a pain management specialist for both IC, Vulvodynia and 3 petruding disks in my neck. I am on heavy narcotics but none of the narcotics have helped the vulvodynia.

My pain specialist specializes in IC and Vulvodynia pain management and decided to start me on a treatment about three months ago for vulvodynia. He had me start taking
over the counter dextromethorphan-30mg(cough medicine)3 x a day. My pharmacist gave me a cough syrup called Delsym. Today when I saw him he told me that it was available in gel capsules called DexAlone.

Well, to my surprise it has been the best treatment that I ever tried for vulvodynia.
In the beginning I was quite leary about this so I decided to do a search on dextromethorphan. I went into PubMed and typed in dextromethorphan and pain management and to my surprise there is massive research backing dextromethorphan and pain managment.

Also, just to let you know, I am going to be included in an IC research study which is starting in January 2002 at the NJ University of Medicine and Denistry Pain Management Clinic. Once I get all the information I will be posting it.

Diane

[Teri]

Thanks Diane~one of the girls and I were just taking about this cough syrup this afternoon....goin' shoppin' in the mornin'