His and Her Health

I believe I have primary VVS as I never had any pain until my first attempt at intercourse and only experience pain during intercourse - right at the entry and have been diagnosed with the little Q-tip test. As you have stated that surgery is really the best and only option for primary VVS - I want the surgery!!! I just need to find out where and how to go about getting it done by a professional so I don't create further pain or damage. Please help me.
Aimee

Hi Aimee,

I just posted a question for Dr. Goldstein about vestibulectomy for VVS and he said that the correct surgery to get is a "vulvar vestibulectomy with vaginal advancement". I'm ready for surgery too, and am willing to travel anywhere to get the procedure done by an expert, so please post any information that you might have...

Thanks,
Jesse19

I went to a doctor in Phoenix for my surgery - Dr. Gordon Davis. i had it done in December. He's very well known and he's good. i am not completely healed yet though, so i don't know if the surgery has worked for me.

Thank you both so much for responding. I have felt so alone with this whole thing - not exactly something you share with others. Honeyblue - do you mind if I ask you some questions regarding your surgery and recovery etc.?

Sundance - no problem. i am happy to answer any questions. Ask away. I didn't get a total "vulvar vestibulectomy with vaginal advancement." He did a hymenectomy and i guess a partial vestibulectomy. i feel totally alone too and frustrated, so can relate. My recover, as i mentioned earlier, isn't complete. i don't know what to make of this - if i will get better and it's just taking time or what. but i have read other posts on this board from ppl who have seen "a specialist in phoenix", who i assume is Dr. Davis, and have said they were completely healed, so i feel comfortable recommending him. That, and he and his staff are amazing - really really nice.

Hi,

I just got some names of MDs who specilize in vestibulectomy from the NVA:
Dr. Martha Goetsch in Portland, OR
Dr. Hope Haefner U of Michigan
Dr. Andrew Goldstein DC
Dr. David Foster U of Rochester

Also from looking around on the web it sounds like there are MD's at the Mayo Clinic & Johns Hopkins as well...

Jesse19

Jesse19 Thank you!! I really feel like I can move forward now and do something about the pain. Now it is just researching the docs and cost etc. Does anyone know about how much it costs? Or how long you have stay where you had the surgery before you can go home?
Sundance13

I had to stay in the area for about 7-10 days. The doctor's fees were about $2000 but the hospital cost more. One thing to keep in mind - i don't know how many doctors will do the surgery right off the bat if you haven't tried other methods. I went to see my doctor a few times over the course of three months before we went through with the surgery. The other things he tried worked, but just not well enough to cure me. When I first found out I had VV, all i wanted was the surgery because i wanted to get it over with and was really impatient. But it def. wasn't an easy surgery - it can be kinda traumatic to be cut up down there - so i'm glad i tried other things and waited a few months.

Good luck with your decision. Hope it all works out one way or another

Sundance, I had a partial vestibulectomy done by a doctor in Tucson (Dr. Kenneth Hatch--I live in Phoenix, but my insurance only covered him as far as specialists go). He really knows what he's doing and has performed the surgery many times, but he's a busy doctor, so I didn't get to talk to him much. I've switched insurance now, so I really can't talk to him (talk about expensive!). My surgery was outpatient--I was in the hospital for about 6 hours total (from signing in to walking out), and cost me about $650, including the $250 deductible. My insurance paid 90%. (Fortunately, I'm still pyaing these expenses and Discover card is giving 5% cash back on medical purchases--I made $15 on the doctor bill...) I live about 2 hours outside of Tucson and was able to go home right after the surgery. I don't know if the doctor would be less likely to let you leave if it were a longer trip. Let me know if you have any questions.

I was diagnosed 5 years ago and tried a few things but stopped after my doc was no longer covered by our insurance. I tried a few other doctors but they didn't know what you could do for vvs if they even knew what it was at all. But I can once again return to my old doc to see what she can do to help but from my understanding of the research I have done, the real solution for primary vvs is surgery. Am I wrong?

No. I don't think you are wrong at all, and totally didn't mean to imply that. I have primary vv as well, and went to my doc thinking i would need the surgery as well. I just meant that if you see a specialist, he/she might want to try other things while you are directly under their care. But, i am sure there are plenty of docs who will give you the surgery.

i went to a couple of docs as well, and dr davis wanted me to go off my pill and try estrogen before he went ahead with the surgery. both things helped a little, but not nearly enough. Another doc said i needed a full vestibulectomy with vaginal advancement, and dr davis gave me a partial vestibulectomy. In the end, i think i am going to be just fine with the partial.

I also didn't mean to imply that you hadn't thought about it - just sharing my own experience that the surgery was hard, both phsyically and emotionally.

One thing i found really confusing is that EVERYONE has their own opinion and even specialists disagree. Some docs think full vestibulectomy is the answer and others think its better to do a more conservative surgery. I'm not an expert by any means - i just followed my instinct. You're doing the right thing by following yours and looking for a doctor who can give you the surgery.

Sundance - if you would like to contact me directly, to ask about my recovery or whatever, let me know and i will give you my email address or phone. I know how overwhelming primary vv can be.

Honeyblue - it would be great to talk with someone who actually knows what I am talking about!! Email would probably be best as I have two little ones that make phone conversation difficult. But yes, I would love to talk and get more information from someone who has been there.

Sorry honeyblue email addresses cannot be posted on the bulletin board. You can put your email address in your profile for people to reach you.

sundance - if u click on the house icon, you can see my email.