Hi everyone,

I have intense itching all around my inner labia and have for over three years. Currently not having any luck with doctors at all. Does anyone have any remedies or OTC meds that could possibly help? I have been using the brand "syren" lidocaine as i am allergic to the good clean love lidocaine. I've also tried a number of other creams like v magic, emu oil, coconut oil, and i feel like any creams just make things more itchy! I've spent so much money on products and at this point i'm just looking for something that works so i can get back to doing some of the things I need to do. Thank you everyone in advance!❤️ Also, I think it may be related to hormones.

I’ve been having burning and irritation down there for almost 5 months. It burns with physical activity like walking and also peeing. I’ve tried estradiol cream that didn’t work, hydrocortisone also didn’t work and clobetasol that was supposed to help with the burning but made it worse. Last week I went to see a specialist and was recommended I do a biopsy since he thinks I might have lichen planus but I don’t have any itching. He also prescribed a different type of clobetasol which is supposed to be more gentle, this one doesn’t burn but I apply it at night and in the morning my skin is bright red. I don’t know what’s going on. Anyone have any suggestions? I’ve also gotten a bunch of text done that come back negative and blood work done that comes back clean.

Hello everyone!
My provider suggested stopping birth control. I have had this suggested before but I am terrified because I have very heavy periods and the birth control keeps it from becoming too much.. Does anyone think it's a good idea to stop and try it out? Do I go back on if I feel like i'm bleeding too much? Any advice is appreciated i'm just not really sure what to do about it. Edited to add my complaint is not pain, the main problem is vulvar itching. thank you!

Hi! I was recently diagnosed with vulvodyna and I’m in a long term relationship. My gyno advised me to steer clear of sex for a while but I would much rather not do that… does anybody have any advice or suggestions to make it the least painful or damaging to my health as possible? I know ph balanced lube can help but that’s about the extent of my knowledge. Thanks to everyone

Does anybody else experience flares before your period. I feel like I get more irritation when I wipe or maybe from my pants, increase in those sharp nerve like pains and just a more overall feeling of discomfort? Then after your period it subsides a bit?

I’ve noticed this with mine and not sure where I should go next with it. Maybe getting tests done with my hormones?

TW (sad/emotion!) Since I heard from Jill Krapf that I may be needing surgery for my unprovoked neuroprolatife vestibulodynia I have been so anxious and literally been researching surgeries and surgeons all day every day. I just make myself crazy and I’m so sad and scared. I really wonder if that’s normal. I am from The Netherlands so the surgery would be completely paid out of pocket and what I’m looking at is 13k+ is what i saw online and im so scared. What if i can’t do that? I don’t know how I manage all of this while not living in the US. I don’t know if i can do this anymore. I’m 22 and im always in pain and I just don’t even know if the surgery will take that away. I don’t know what surgeon to pick. My head is just spinning and I have no one who understands. I’m just always crying. How will I manage all of this. Will I ever be painfree and happy? It’s been so long, 5 years. If I had never used Monistat I would never have this. I actually hate myself and I’m on my phone all day to cope with this, to research and to fix this. But I don’t know how anymore. I can’t stop crying

Hello to everyone here!

I’ve been dealing with this for 6.5 years and I’m honestly at my wit’s end. I’m hoping someone here might have a suggestion or has been through something similar, because the doctors I’ve seen are just as confused as I am.

TL;DR I have a skin issue on my vulva, only redness is visible, I feel constant burning and other symptoms, any kind of lichen and eczema ruled out as well as hormonal issues and all STDs, UTIs and candida. Need advice on what to test next and what could it possibly be???

Now the longer version with all the details u need!

My symptoms: Burning: This has been there from the start
Itching: Started about 1.5 years ago, happens out of nowhere usually
Pain: Sex is painful
Burning: Burns when I pee every single time, sometimes burns out of nowhere, any kind of trigger will cause burning(I will list it below)
Raw/sore feeling: Sometimes it feels raw, almost like I’ve wiped myself with a nail file. I only dab with my toilet paper but it doesn't really make a difference.

My main triggers: Anything touching the skin is an issue. I can’t wear tight clothes or underwear at all. Sitting, especially on hard surfaces causes burning (a donut pillow is a lifesaver). Sweating, exercising, going to the pool, or just tap water (I think the chlorine in my city’s water is too harsh) make it worse. PMS also flares everything up significantly. Stimulation is also a trigger, but two years ago it was possible, it’s gotten worse now and it’s literally impossible to have it. When in an active flare burning will last for 8+ hours sometimes.

The only visible sign is redness. Everything else looks completely normal. The redness is always around the clitoral hood—above it and on the sides, never on the inner lips. Because of this, it feels more like a skin issue rather than a typical gynecological one.

Medical history & what I’ve tried: My symptoms follow the pattern of Lichen Sclerosus (LS) perfectly, but the skin looks too "normal" (though I know atypical cases exist). I had a biopsy done, but it only showed "deep infiltrated inflammation" without confirming LS or anything else.

I’ve seen so many specialists, and everyone agrees it’s a skin problem but can't name it. I’ve tried pregabalin, amitriptyline, laser therapy, physical therapy, and countless ointments. Will not bother u with all that information bcs it's too fucking long haha.

The only thing that ever gave me real relief was a specific routine: 3 weeks of corticosteroids followed by 1.5 months of tacrolimus. By the last week, I had a HUGE improvement—for the first time in 6.5 years, there was no redness. But then, I had to stop everything for two weeks for the biopsy, and the symptoms just came right back. From natural and protective ointments aquaphor has been a life saver, CBD balsam, sage tea and St. John's wort oil.

What I’ve ruled out:

Blood work (done many times), hormones, STDs, UTIs, candida, ureaplasma – all negative.
Doctors don’t think it’s eczema, any kind of lichen, or an allergy (though I’m planning to get allergy testing done in the fall). I’m planning to check for insulin resistance soon.

I know I have other treatments yet to try, but I want to find out what the fuck is causing all this? I want to find the root problem, not just treat the symptoms with dangerous drugs... I’m exhausted and I don’t know what else to test for. Does anyone have any ideas? What could this possibly be? Any advice on what to look into or ask my doctor about would be highly appreciated!!

I need advice because I don't know what to do with this information, I don't know if it's a fluke, I don't know what doctor I should go to now; infectious disease?

My history; - Got chronic UTIs and chronic BV after a ureaplasma infection now almost 2.5 years ago. - The infections were ecoli, strep, staph, and enterobacter. Whatever could grow down there ultimately also did. - Antibiotics I took just on the FIRST year; doxycycline, azithromycin, eritromicin, ampicillin, SXT, metronidazole, tinidazole, nitrofurantoin/macrobid, fosfomycin... Nothing touched the pain, or only very little - Local antibiotics; nifuratel, neomycin, polymyxin, gentamicine - Other local treatments; every possible probiotic cream and ovule, baking soda, boric acid, hyaluronic acid, coconut oil, countless herbal oils, clotrimazole, Nystatin, bephanten, iodine, Ethacridine lactate, 4% lidocaine gel, zinc cream...

The above either didn't help or helped minimally, the only things that really undeniably helped; betemathasone ointment and potassium permanganate sitz bathz

I have been diagnosed with vulvodynia and vestibulodynia, possible hypertonic pelvc floor issues, and my current treatments were prophylactic macrobid and some type of red light therapy, which stopped aggressive UTIs but did very little for the constant provoked but also unprovoked BURNING i had most days.

Three days ago, I got tonsillitis and needed treatment. I kinda negotiated with my GP to give me cephalexine cuz I never had cephalosporins before and I know they should be better tolerated than other antibiotics for strep.

And within an hour or so from my first pill, my pain was ENTIRELY GONE. It's day three of NO PAIN. I tried provoking it by touching my vulva, straining on the toilet, showering with soap -- no, it's GONE. I got the hubs up for sex and we fucked like rabbits for HOURS and I am NOT EVEN SORE.

I should be HAPPY, but in five days I finish my dose of cephalexine that possibly is keeping whatever is going on at bay and I am scared.

I should also note that I did stool tests, vaginal swabs, urine tests, and even a scotch tape test for bacteria, yeast, parasites, and all other STDs/STIs literally hundreds of times and nothing ever showed up. I've been to dozens of GPs, urologists, dermatologists, and gynecologists.

So, what's my next move? Infectious disease? Who do I share this with? Who should have my care? What should my next step be?

I need a cool head to help me, please!

3 years ago I had just gotten off birth control and with finishing BC came a TON of acne. My doctor prescribed me spironolactone which I took for about a year before developing what I thought was the worst UTI I had ever had. For years I would go see my doctor, gynos, urologists, etc and no infection would come up, minus the odd yeast infection or a low level UTI. No antibiotic treatment or yeast treatment would remotely touch the burning pain with urination or the pressure in my bladder. After 3 years I finally decided to go to CVVD (I live in Canada so it was a bit of a commitment both in travel and in cost) and was diagnosed with vestibulodynia and hypertonic pelvic floor. I have been doing pelvic PT and taking Intrarosa inserted internally + compounded testosterone + estrogen cream applied externally to vestibule area. While my tissue has come around and isn't as red as before, it's been about 3 months of daily use and my burning with urination HAS NOT gone away, nor has my bladder pain and pressure. We truly have ruled out so many things and I'm just at a total loss for what to do........ Its starting to feel like maybe this isn't the treatment I am meant to be on. I have an extremely high SHBG and my T + E are extremely low on bloodwork.... I see so many people have such success after a couple of months of hormonal treatment, and I just don't see the improvements I want to be seeing. This started at 26 and I am about to be 30 in a month.

Does anyone have ANY bladder advice or literally anything that could remotely help? Maybe an avenue I haven't explored? Is it normal for hormonal therapy to take this long?..... :(

Hello … been having burning in my vagina for over 2-3 years. Have gone to numerous drs, gynecologists and urologist. Have done many blood test and none can’t seem to know why I’m burning in my vagina. Pls I’m begging you, if u have or had experienced this symptom , pls tell me what it is ? Why I’m burning. What helped you. I’m so depressed not sure what to do next.

Hi everyone,

I used a clotrimazole vaginal suppository for a suspected yeast infection, and ever since then I’ve been experiencing burning, irritation, and soreness in the vaginal area.

The thing is, I didn’t have this kind of pain or burning before using it — it only started after I took it.

It’s especially worse during sex. The area feels very sensitive, irritated, and painful.

I’m not sure if this is a normal side effect…

Has anyone experienced this?

How long did it last, and did anything help relieve it?

Any advice would really help 🙏

I’ve been struggling with what I believe is vulvodynia or vestibulodynia for close to 14 years now. I’ve seen regular gynocologists for years and none of them ever diagnose me with anything, and just give me birth control as a bandaid. I’m finally looking into specialists now, but none of them seem to accept insurance. Why? At this point, I may as well fly to Europe or China and at least get a vacation out of it if I’m going to be spending that much money. If anyone has found a specialist in the DC area (Maryland/Virginia also) please let me know.

Hello everyone.

I'm posting on behalf of my mom who is 60 years old and has been dealing with severe pain down there (vagina) for about 10 years now. I'm trying to figure out if what she's experiencing could be vulvodynia or something related, because doctors keep missing it, and haven't been able to properly diagnose what the cause of her pain in the vaginal area is.

Here's what she experiences:

• Intense burning, like something is eating her vagina inside
• The pain comes and goes, used to be monthly but now happens almost every week, sometimes 3 times a week
• When it comes, she literally cannot sit down normally. She has to lean back and can't put weight on her buttocks
• She also urinates very frequently during these episodes
• When a doctor tried to insert a speculum during an exam, she said the pain was worse than childbirth
• She is HIV positive and has been on ARVs for over 10 years

Doctors have not been able to find anything after all these years. The pain is getting worse and more frequent over time, not better.

Can anyone relate to this? Does this sound like vulvodynia to you based on your own experience? And if so, what finally helped you get a proper diagnosis? Any advice on what kind of specialist actually helped you would mean a lot.

I wanna help my Mom. She truly needs help.

Thank you so much.

Okay so on here I saw that someone said their doctor said that vulvodynia was a life long condition for everyone but my doctor said that it depends on what’s causing it and that’s not the case for everyone.. and as someone with a lot of anxiety Ive been balling my eyes out all night. Can someone clarify for me please

Is it possible to have painless intercourse. Has anyone with vulvodynia managed to reach this goal through treatment? I’ve never had sex but I have a feeling I have vulvodynia as whenever I touch the opening to my vagina it stings. I also get random stings down there. Even when I was little it used to hurt if I wore something a little too tight. I went to the doctor for a checkup for a yeast infection and while she touch this area I was squinting in pain.

I am a practising individual in religion. And we don’t have sex before marriage. This is a personal choice that I am happy with. However, one day I do want to get married and now I am afraid I’ll never will because of this. I am also disheartened by the fact that intimacy will be difficult for me as I want to experience that with my partner. Will I truly have painful sex forever? Will I struggle forever? Is this truly my reality?

Hello everyone. I know the pain because I am suffering from it for over 22 years. Nothing has helped me, nothing, until I discovered the effects of Sodium Ascorbate= buffered vitamin C on my very sensitive body. I was paralyzed from the pain I had when it would flare up, and constant pain in my daily living. Why it works? Vitamin C, the buffered version, breaks histamine and reduces the activity of mast cells which fire up and irritate my nerve endings (that’s why Dr. Prescribe medications for nerves pain) and cause me excruciating pain.

I buy the Sodium Ascorbate from iherb because it’s pure sodium ascorbate and nothing added unlike Amazon or health food stores I went to, plus it’s the cheapest I found.

If someone has kidney stones they should be cautious and see how their body reacts to it or if it is advised at all for them to use it. I am not a doctor, and I’m not diagnosing anything, just sharing my journey.

How I use it? In the beginning when I had flair ups I would mix 1 gram of the powder in 1 big glass of water. I could feel the pain subside within maybe 30 minutes. In my daily living I am mixing 1 gram per 1 liter per day in my 2 liter water bottle and I sip it during the day.

I have built tolerance for it. Vitamin C is water soluble which means if you take too much it comes out in urine and stool, you can not overdose on it like with fat soluble vitamins such as K, D, A, E which the body stores. So I take roughly 6 grams per day for the past 8 years.

I really hope this can help any of you because I was very very very devastated and lost and no doctor/ homeopath/ pelvic therapist/ hypnosis/ meds could help me fix it or even tell me why this is happening. I have high sensitivity with foods, acidic foods trigger me, but I counter act it with Vitamin C, which allows me to eat histamine releasing foods.

If you have any questions I’m more than happy to answer. Once again, I am not a doctor, I’m just a sensitive individual with a big heart.

Are my doctors right about this? Several of them believe that my vulvodynia is strongly connected to my CPTSD and anxiety. Even the neurologists told me that neuropathic pain is common in people with depression, anxiety, or trauma-related conditions.

I’m still unsure — could this actually be the case? Does anyone else feel like their vulvodynia might be linked to their mental health or trauma?

Hii all! I'm trying ketotifen to see if it helps with my neuroprolatife vestibulodynia. I was wondering if any of you have tried it and have any experience with it? I'd love to know what to expect. Thank you !

I had a confirmed yeast infection back in feb and reconfirmed in March. I had 8 diflucan, 1 day OTC and 7 day OTC. BV meds and steroid cream. 3 PCR and STI tests came back negative. And all these medical professionals have refused to do anymore testing on me. PCR over and over again...like its the only thing that could be wrong. Also UTI culture came back negative. I had Mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas testing and they came back negative.

They recommended me to find a vulvadynia specialist for the pain I'm in but im having a hard time finding one with my insurance. Its going to be 3 months of this soon and I honestly have no idea how people are living like this.

Im in a lot of pain. Can't work out, walk around, I feel like quitting my job because the amount of sitting is excruciating. Everything swells up, becomes discolored, burns, urinary frequency, and slight itchy occasionally. it hurts inside too, pain and burning.

Why aren't doctors testing me more or taking my pain seriously? I told them I had bad thoughts because of this and all they did was another PCR test. I feel hopeless...

Edit: The only time I feel relatively "normal" is if I'm laying down, not moving and have cold air blowing on the area.

Can these cause broad unprovoked vulvodynia, or is the pain more localized to the clitoris itself? I've never been very comfortable touching my clitoris directly and several years ago began to suspect I have an adhesion. Could this be contributing to widespread pain in the entire genital region? Side note, I also have endometriosis and IC so there's a lot going on in my pelvic region.

I’m in the US and I’m self treating for estrogen flares that make me itchy. I’m perimenopausal / have an IUD / and don’t use topical estrogen because I’m allergic to it and / or the bases.

MCAS treatment protocol helped me. Here is it from AI. Please - if burning and irritation are your symptoms - MCAS treatment protocol helped me.

*start of AI info*

Dealing with both MCAS and vulvodynia can feel like your body is in a state of constant, unexplained "alarm." Because these conditions involve the immune system, nerves, and local tissue, they often require a multi-layered approach.

Since you are seeking a plan for someone **outside the US**, this response focuses on medications and lifestyle strategies generally available in the UK, EU, Canada, and Australia.

---

## 1. Understanding MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome)

Mast cells are "sentinel" cells in your immune system. Their job is to release chemicals (mediators) like histamine to fight off perceived threats. In MCAS, these cells become hyper-reactive. They "fire" inappropriately, causing symptoms across multiple organ systems (skin, gut, brain, and genitals).

### The Link to Vulvodynia

Recent research (2025–2026) suggests that some women with vulvodynia have a significantly higher density of mast cells in the vulvar vestibule. When these mast cells release histamine and other inflammatory markers, they:

* **Irritate local nerve endings**, causing burning pain.

* **Promote "nerve sprouting,"** where more pain-sensing nerves grow in the area (neuroproliferative vulvodynia).

* **Create a cycle of inflammation** that makes the tissue hypersensitive to even light touch.

---

## 2. International Treatment Plan

*Note: This is for educational purposes. Please consult a local gynecologist or immunologist before starting new medications.*

### Phase 1: Calm the System (The MCAS Approach)

The goal is to stop the mast cells from "firing" and to block the histamine they’ve already released.

| Medication Type | Common International Names | Purpose |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **H1 Blockers** | Cetirizine (Zyrtec), Loratadine (Claritin), Fexofenadine (Telfast/Allegra) | Blocks the "itch/burn" receptors. Often taken twice daily in MCAS protocols. |

| **H2 Blockers** | Famotidine (Pepcid), Cimetidine | Originally for stomach acid, these block histamine receptors found in the skin and vulvar tissue. |

| **Stabilizers** | **Ketotifen** (Zaditen), Sodium Cromoglicate (Nalcrom) | Prevents the mast cell from bursting open. Ketotifen is a "gold standard" available in Europe/Canada. |

| **Natural Stabilizers** | Quercetin, Vitamin C | Plant-based flavonoids that help stabilize cell membranes. |

---

### Phase 2: Topical & Nerve-Specific (The Vulvodynia Approach)

Since the nerves in the vulva are likely hypersensitive, we use "bottom-up" treatments.

* **Compounded Topical Creams:** If your pharmacy can compound medications, a "Mast Cell Cream" (e.g., **2% Cromolyn** or **Ketotifen** mixed into a hypoallergenic base) applied directly to the vestibule can be very effective.

* **Nerve Calmers:** Low-dose **Amitriptyline** or **Gabapentin** (oral or topical) is standard in the UK (NICE guidelines) and EU to "turn down the volume" of the pain signals.

* **Local Anesthetics:** **5% Lidocaine ointment** applied 20 minutes before activity or as needed for "flares."

---

### Phase 3: Lifestyle & Trigger Management

Mast cells are triggered by stress, certain foods, and friction.

* **Low-Histamine Diet:** Temporarily reducing high-histamine foods (aged cheeses, wine, fermented foods, tomatoes) can lower the "bucket" of inflammation in your body.

* **Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy:** Essential for "down-training" the muscles that often clench in response to chronic pain.

* **Clothing:** Stick to 100% white cotton underwear. Avoid synthetic dyes and "stretchy" fabrics that don't breathe.

* **Water Only:** Use only lukewarm water for the vulva. Avoid all soaps, even "pH balanced" or "feminine" washes, which can trigger mast cell degranulation.

---

## Next Steps

To get started, you might ask your doctor:

> *"I suspect my vulvar pain is mediated by mast cells. Could we trial a combination of an H1/H2 blocker and a mast cell stabilizer like Ketotifen to see if my symptoms improve?"*

**Would you like me to help you draft a specific list of questions for your doctor, or perhaps find the names of specialists in your specific country?**

hello everyone,

I am writing this in the hope of maybe getting an idea of something else i still could try or to see if anyone here has similair symptoms. i dont know if my pain could be vulvodynia or not, as i sometimes also have visible irritated/red skin. if anyone would take the time to read this i would be very grateful.

The weirdest part is my symptoms keep changing it up.

It started 2 years ago with ureaplasma and then cytolytic vaginosis. I managed to teat both and was pain free for 6 months. May 2024 my pain started again. randomly. But this time no ureaplasma, still lots of lactobacillus, but unlike the first time the pain wasnt cyclical and treatment for cytolytic vaginosis did not help. But back then the symptoms came and went and i could ignore them sometimes. It got really bad when i got ureaplasma again in August 2024 and several yeast infections.

I have really bad burning in my vulvar area that gets worse when wearing jeans or sitting longer. sometimes for a few days it is only on the outside, so inbetween my inner and outer labia. sometimes it includes my vestibule and clitoris. for a while also my anus felt very raw. sometimes it also feels itchy. something just feels very wrong and i cannot figure out my problem. it feels like the skin is sunburned. Some doctors said it all looks normal, others said my skin looks irritaed and red, like an allergic reaction. i have been to dermatologists, they ruled smth like exzema or lichen out.

in December I had another yeast infection. The treatment didnt seem to help, as my symptoms continued, but the yeast was gone at some point (confirmed by multiple doctors). Then my doctor saw clue cells under the microscope which we treated, but my microbome test came back with 99 percent crispatus. Then for 2 months symptoms continued, no one saw yeast or clue cells or whatever. just last week my doctor did see yeast under the microscope from a skin swab on my vulva so i am treating it why nyastin creme.

but now i feel exactly as i did three months ago with the yeast infection. After treatment my skin hurts even more. the whole area cant be touched because it burns so bad. I dont know if my yeast is now followed by a bacterial infection or if I am irritated by the cream or what the f… is going on :((

I cant stop crying. My doctors dont know what to do with me and have no idea what my issue could be. i just dont know what to do anymore.

Can anyone here maybe help me? Does this sound like a skin issue? Is it vulvodynia? What can I do?

Hello, I had already made a post about having tried around 90% of all possible methods and treatments for my vulvodynia/vestibulodynia after 6y.

4 months after following your advices (hormonal vulvodynia? -> estrogen cream; other creams -> topical amitriptyline, etc), nothing has changed.

I finished my photobiomodulation sessions and I’m the only patient who didn’t see any improvement in terms of pain. It did help me a lot with tissue health and lubrication, which really improved the vaginismus side of my vulvodynia/vestibulodynia.

I went to see my head gynecologist at the hospital and she told me she no longer knows what to do for me. She said she doesn’t understand why I still feel pain at the vestibule, in front (up 12am) of the urethral opening (?) and deep inside the vagina. The pain at the bottom (fork area?6pm) and the vaginismus/ muscle part have improved according to her. She said it probably comes from my overall nervous system being too sensitive to pain , that the issue is deep into my cortex.

Like... I already knew that, which is why I’ve been doing EMDR, yoga, therapy etc to try to desensitize my whole nervous system... but still nothing changes. She told me I could try full-body LED therapy to help

She looked at me with compassion and pity... I didn't expect much from this appointment and I was right, everyone lost hope in me

That’s where I’m at...

Sorry for my English :)

Thank you

Edit : When I say everything I truly mean everything here my previous post from months ago : https://www.reddit.com/r/vulvodynia/s/YJCpJTBSya

Hello, everyone! I joined this Reddit per my therapist’s suggestion haha. Just some background - I’ve always been afraid of any kind of penetration including tampons and just always avoided it until about a year ago. I got a boyfriend and now all of these issues I’ve been putting off have become the forefront of our intimacy issues. I’m deathly afraid of sex even when I think I want to have it. I went to the gyno a couple of months ago and the attempted Pap smear was so painful that I was sobbing. It was super uncomfortable which I know is normal but it also burned in there so bad I couldn’t do it anymore. Luckily she didn’t pressure me at all and said I might have vulvodynia. So she prescribed me amytriptyline and a numbing ointment. The pill has had not great side effects and my therapist told me not to stay on the pill cause it’s not great. I tried to do the dilators too but I just broke down sobbing and shaking before I could actually insert it.

The problem is, this fear is so intense that I think it’s probably causing the pain but I have no clue what to do. I don’t have sexual trauma so there’s no reason that I can think of that I react so emotionally and physically. I really don’t know what to do cause I don’t think I can get myself to do the dilators and I don’t know how to fix this problem psychologically either. I think my therapist is even stumped. I thought about doing some psilocybin to discover whatever is going on in my brain.

Thoughts?

I have had vulvodynia for around 10 years now. It has been okay in periods before, but since I started taking the pill a few years back, it has been awful. I have to take COC as a preventative measure for ovarian cancer, so getting off the pill is not an option for me.

I am constantly dry and I feel like the skin inside is all red, itchy and irritated. I tried topical estrogen down there but it made me extremely nauseous.

The doctor just tells me to moisturise with a gentle cream/oil but I am not able to do that on the inside.

I am wondering if anyone has any tips on how to keep things moist (external or dietary intervention). Or any other tips/information on this.

I would be very grateful!

/ feeling hopeless :(