His and Her Health

I recently visited my gyno to have a follow up ultrasound done on my ovary. (In January I had a very very very large cyst, almost 10 pounds, along with my right ovary removed so they are trying to watch the other one to make sure it doesn't re-occur.) Apparently I have a very tight vigina so the nurse was unable to get the probe thing they use for ovarian ultrasounds in. After I was practically crying the nurse handed the "wand," as she called it, over to the doctor and he proceeded to try as well. Finally after about 10 minutes of excruciating pain he stopped and said "No wonder, I can't even get my little finger in there." (Note, I am still a virgin and no, never used tampons.) I relize that I am tight but I didn't think it was that bad...I never had a problem when I was by myself. After that, the doctor said something about having to have it stretched so that I will be able to have sex in the future. So on to the question...I was wondering if anyone has had that kind of procedure done, and what they do, how long it takes, etc. Or if I even need to have it done or if there is something I can do on my own. I'm 18 now and in a serious relationship that I would like to include sex sometime in the near future, so I'd like to try and figure out what I should do about this. Thanks for reading all of this and any of your responses. I greatly appreciate it.

Blj,<P>I am certain you have a condition called vaginismus. A vaginismus sufferer myself, the very best advice I can give you is to join the Yahoo vaginismus support group (do a "vaginismus support group" internet search and you will easily find it)where you will get the best info and guidance available on how to stretch and train those vaginal muscles (and no, it's not your hymen). I wish you well in your recovery. If I can be of further assistance to you, please ask.

I have been trying to have intercourse for the past six months with no success because of the same problem. I really didn't think anyone else had this condition. I feel so much better knowing I'm not the only one and that there is help. Thank you!

Hanasu,<P>I can relate so well to your feeling that you are the only person in the world with this condition. For your information, the vaginismus support group I mentioned has, currently, 750 members! I read somewhere that perhaps one in every 250 women may have vaginismus, but I suspect it may be rarer than this. Someone needs to get out there and try and get more accurate figures. I am amazed at the lack of information about this very distressing condition among the medical profession. I am so sorry that you have had to suffer in silence for so long due to the appaling lack of information about vaginismus.Please join the support group: it's possibly the best recovery tool you have available to you.<BR>I wish you a full and speedy restoration of your sex life.

After reading your post, I, too, think you have vaginismus. I don't know whether I have it or not, but I do know I started developing it about a year ago but it never got severe. I kind of wonder if my "worsened arousal disorder" is just a very mild form of this disease. For me, it just got to the point where, I was so used to sex being painful (from an undiagnosed bladder infection I had for at least 10 months) that I started tightening up with the mere thought of it. I also had severe pain when went to the gynecologist, and subsequent to the bladder infection I have experienced pain because my vagina won't dialate or will begin to constrict during intercourse. I don't know if I'm losing the arousal or experiencing very mild vaginismus. It will be something to bring up when I finally check these issues out with a doctor. I also have pain sometimes with super plus and sometimes with super tampons, though the regular do not bother me. I use O.B. applicator free ones, and the little ones are about the size of your little finger. It's the larger ones, though...very uncomfortable at times but my flow is too heavy for the regulars every day.