I just realized it's been nearly a month since my last post! I'm sorry I haven't been more active. My life continues to be crazy. I'm two days into my final week at my job. Scary. Goodbye paychecks, hello debt!
I spent last week at the beach with my husband's family. It was a nice vacation. The best part was the fact that I got to rest my pudendal nerve. My flare is finally over. I'm still being very careful. I spent the six hour car ride to and from the beach lying across the backseat, just like the doctor ordered. I felt stupid and high maintenance, but it was a necessary precaution. Fortunately for me, my husband prefers to drive, so he wasn't put out by the arrangement.
I have so many loose ends to tie up at work, which is forcing me to sit at my desk instead of stand. It only takes a few hours for the pain to build up, even sitting on the cushion. I wanted to go to the gym tonight, but my pudendal neuralgia had other plans.
I'm so busy right now, I don't even have time to freak out about going to school. Wait and see how I'm doing this weekend...
August 10, 2010
July 18, 2010
The Block Wore Off
I am still so impressed by the success of my pudendal nerve block. It really helped and seemed to reduce the pain. But all good things must come to an end. I had the block last Friday and by Monday it started to come back.
I worked from home as much as I could. As the week went on the pain got worse. It wasn't as bad as it was before the block, but it was bad. I was getting the shot of pain with every step I took. I called my doctor to see what I could do. The answer was disheartening. Nothing.
I can't get another block for three to four weeks. All I can do is go up on my Neurontin, take pain meds as needed and rest. I shed a few tears after I hung up the phone. I felt helpless. There's nothing proactive that I can do.
I worked from home as much as I could. As the week went on the pain got worse. It wasn't as bad as it was before the block, but it was bad. I was getting the shot of pain with every step I took. I called my doctor to see what I could do. The answer was disheartening. Nothing.
I can't get another block for three to four weeks. All I can do is go up on my Neurontin, take pain meds as needed and rest. I shed a few tears after I hung up the phone. I felt helpless. There's nothing proactive that I can do.
July 15, 2010
Successful Pudendal Nerve Block
I thought the heat and the bathing suites were going to do me in, but in the end it was the actual trip that caused me pain. It took us more than four hours to get to and from the beach. Even though I was sitting on my cushion, my pudendal nerve flared.
I started to feel pain in the second hour in the car. I tried to shift around and find a comfortable position without much luck. I had intermittent pudendal nerve pain during the holiday weekend, but I wasn't too worried.
After I returned to work, I realized I was in a flare. Every day it got worse. The pain was constant. There was no position I could get into the brought me relief. By Thursday, every step I took caused a shock of pain. I've never had that before. The pain was concentrated around the opening of my urethra. The area was burning.
After a trip the gym on Thursday, I knew I was in trouble. The pain got so much worse after I did a series of sit ups.
The next day I saw my doctor who suggested a nerve block. He said it could really help with an acute flare. He performed an extremely painful vaginal nerve block. I couldn't help but cry as he located the nerve canal and performed the injections.
Within a few hours, the tears were worth it, because the area was completely numb. I wasn't in pain. I continued to walk gingerly for the next few days, but the nerve block really seemed to knock out the flare.
I started to feel pain in the second hour in the car. I tried to shift around and find a comfortable position without much luck. I had intermittent pudendal nerve pain during the holiday weekend, but I wasn't too worried.
After I returned to work, I realized I was in a flare. Every day it got worse. The pain was constant. There was no position I could get into the brought me relief. By Thursday, every step I took caused a shock of pain. I've never had that before. The pain was concentrated around the opening of my urethra. The area was burning.
After a trip the gym on Thursday, I knew I was in trouble. The pain got so much worse after I did a series of sit ups.
The next day I saw my doctor who suggested a nerve block. He said it could really help with an acute flare. He performed an extremely painful vaginal nerve block. I couldn't help but cry as he located the nerve canal and performed the injections.
Within a few hours, the tears were worth it, because the area was completely numb. I wasn't in pain. I continued to walk gingerly for the next few days, but the nerve block really seemed to knock out the flare.
July 2, 2010
Warm Weather Blues
I'm enjoying the 4th of July weekend at the beach, but summer weather presents a lot of problems for someone living with vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia. There are even more accommodations to make to stay comfortable.
I typically can't wear panties. The pressure of even flimsy cotton panties again my clit causes a great deal of irritation. If I have to wear panties, I can only wear them for a limited period of time. In the summer, the desire to wear panties increases a great deal because of sweating. I know, totally gross, but I want to be honest here. Naturally if it's hot and humid, areas of your body that overlap are going to perspire. This makes panties really appealing.
On a really hot day I'll wear panties and powder my thighs. I usually can't go a few hours without having to take them off. Other days if my love button is especially cranky, I'll just powder my thighs and hope for the best. I keep a pair of panties in a sunglasses case in my purse just in case I can't stand it.
The other day my bean was raw and angry. I went to the freezer for some ice and discovered a small blue ice pack that was just the right size. It felt good to have the extreme cold on my angry folds.
Take all these issues and put them on the beach and what do you get? A problem. If you want to wear a bathing suite, you're just asking for trouble. I just spent the afternoon on the beach and my kitty is not happy with me. I try to create a little space between the bathing suite fabric and my lady bits. It helps a little bit.
Despite the discomfort, I'd rather have a weekend on the beach with an angry kitty.
I typically can't wear panties. The pressure of even flimsy cotton panties again my clit causes a great deal of irritation. If I have to wear panties, I can only wear them for a limited period of time. In the summer, the desire to wear panties increases a great deal because of sweating. I know, totally gross, but I want to be honest here. Naturally if it's hot and humid, areas of your body that overlap are going to perspire. This makes panties really appealing.
On a really hot day I'll wear panties and powder my thighs. I usually can't go a few hours without having to take them off. Other days if my love button is especially cranky, I'll just powder my thighs and hope for the best. I keep a pair of panties in a sunglasses case in my purse just in case I can't stand it.
The other day my bean was raw and angry. I went to the freezer for some ice and discovered a small blue ice pack that was just the right size. It felt good to have the extreme cold on my angry folds.
Despite the discomfort, I'd rather have a weekend on the beach with an angry kitty.
May 14, 2010
I'm Not Good With Change
The closer I get to nursing school, the more fear and doubt I have. I'm scared that I won't make it through school. I'm scared that I'll have anxiety attacks at the sight of blood. I'm scared of completely changing careers. Once I start this program, there's no turning back.
Over the past week, I've received a few emails from readers here that reminded me why I've come this far. There are so many women who need help and I want to be able to help in a professional capacity. The only way that's going to happen is if I get through nursing school and get two more degrees under my belt.
Over the past week, I've received a few emails from readers here that reminded me why I've come this far. There are so many women who need help and I want to be able to help in a professional capacity. The only way that's going to happen is if I get through nursing school and get two more degrees under my belt.
April 30, 2010
All Quiet on the Vagina Front
My vulvodynia and pudendal neuralgia have been under control the last couple weeks. I've been able to get through an entire day at work without pain! I think it's because I'm splitting my time between sitting on my cushion and standing.
I still have pain when I do strenuous work or go to the gym. Last weekend, my husband used his favorite wedding gift, a chain saw, on some branches that have been cluttering our yard for a year. I carried the smaller logs and put them in a pile in the corner of the yard. I also scavenged the yard for sticks, creating a separate pile for them. The repetitive motion of bending and lifting caused my pudendal nerve to flare. I had to stop that activity and I haven't gone back.
When my body starts talking, I drop what I'm doing and listen. It's just not worth it to push myself to do that extra five minutes on the elliptical or pick up that last log in the yard. The price is just too high. I've found a good routine that allows me to live a pretty normal life and avoid causing myself pain as much as possible. There's always some pain with sex, but it's manageable. With the compound back in my system, there is less burning pain after sex.
I'm content with my holding pattern. We'll see how long it lasts.
I still have pain when I do strenuous work or go to the gym. Last weekend, my husband used his favorite wedding gift, a chain saw, on some branches that have been cluttering our yard for a year. I carried the smaller logs and put them in a pile in the corner of the yard. I also scavenged the yard for sticks, creating a separate pile for them. The repetitive motion of bending and lifting caused my pudendal nerve to flare. I had to stop that activity and I haven't gone back.
When my body starts talking, I drop what I'm doing and listen. It's just not worth it to push myself to do that extra five minutes on the elliptical or pick up that last log in the yard. The price is just too high. I've found a good routine that allows me to live a pretty normal life and avoid causing myself pain as much as possible. There's always some pain with sex, but it's manageable. With the compound back in my system, there is less burning pain after sex.
I'm content with my holding pattern. We'll see how long it lasts.
April 20, 2010
Crowded
Well the idea of living with my parents while we try to sell our house and while I'm in school seemed like a good idea when they were on vacation, but they've been back for a week now and I have one major problem: SEX!
We can't have sex! Our bedrooms share a wall and I have a feeling my husband isn't cool enough to creep down to the living room late at night for a little fun. He's a prude. To make matters worse, they're retired, so at least one of them is home all the time.
Honestly, it's only a minor complaint. We can always have rendezvouses at our house. We'll see.
We can't have sex! Our bedrooms share a wall and I have a feeling my husband isn't cool enough to creep down to the living room late at night for a little fun. He's a prude. To make matters worse, they're retired, so at least one of them is home all the time.
Honestly, it's only a minor complaint. We can always have rendezvouses at our house. We'll see.
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