About to find out if sex is a problem

[Breezy1218]

Sex has been painful at times for me in the past, but my general pain level has increased greatly in the last several months (hence the testing and IC diagnosis, etc, I've told that part of the story already ). Anyway, my BF is overseas in the military and will be home on leave in a few days, he has not had leave since October, so sex should be interesting! I am hoping that it is not too painful, but will be cautious...

[tigger_gal]

I would like to invite you to join Jill's forum called www.whensexhurts.com

[leelee88]

Thats a great suggestion Tig... You can get alot of good ideas from the site

[ihurttoo]

I hope that you wont have any problems with it hurting. But, you might want to get a r/x of Lidocaine to have on hand, just in case. Before I had my vulvar vestibulectomy for intractable vulvar vestibulitis, sex was very painful for me. (Fortunately, the surgery was successful for me for the vaginal pain, but I do still have the occasional Bladder related post-sex pain...though it is rare for me now.) Anway, Lidocaine usually helped me alot with the vagianal during sex and post sex pain. I used to mix it with Astroglide, b/c the Lidocaine by itself wasnt quite slippery enough, and dried too soon. So, the Astroglide helped with the consisitancy of it. (Of course, if you do this, make sure he wears a condom, so he doesnt get numb too!)

Also, if you ever cheat occasionlly on the IC Diet, make sure you dont on the days you have sex. For me, if I cheated on my IC Diet and then had sex, if the sex was going to make me flare, whatever I ate that was bad would make it alot worse than a "normal" sex flare.

Just in case you end up with a sex related flare, you might want to want to fill a condom about 1/4 of the way with rubbing alcohol and the rest of the way with water and freeze it. (The alcohol keeps it from freezing all the way.) Then, if you have vaginal pain after sex, it helps to insert the condom for as long as you can stand it. (I always did this when I had vaginal pain after sex and it helped alot.) The only thing is I couldnt take it for more than a minute or two, so I'd have to keep taking it out and putting it back in for a few minutes.

I am sure you probobly already know this, but just in case I will repeat it here: If you want to be extra safe, it helps to wash your vaginal area very well before sex and also to try to urinate before and after sex. (Making sure you are very clean before can help prevent bacteria from being pushed in during sex.)

I also agree that it would be a great idea to visit the "When Sex Hurts" site. I am sure there are probobly some great ideas there.

Crossing my fingers for you that sex wont be painful or send you into a flare.

Hugs,
Amy

[Breezy1218]

Thanks for the advice, ladies. I will check out the site.

Unfortunately, I can't use condoms. I am allergic to latex, and the polyurethane kind are too small for him and very uncomfortable. Maybe the lidocaine would help though LOL (sorry).