Uhm, EXACTLY.
And why does everyone else in the world with the teeniest tiniest transitoriest pain problem get Vicodin without even asking? Okay, so I know a broken arm isn't teeny tiny, but compared to interminable vulvodynia it kinda looks that way.
UGH. Seriously, this particular issue has been making me want to shoot myself in the head. I am so mad. The urologist also gave me the same kind of response when I told him how bad the pain became when I had to take antibiotics for a UTI---
"In retrospect, I don't know why I didn't go to the ER."
"But the ER can't do anything for it. They'll just give you pain meds."
EXACTLY, GENIUS. I was in so much pain that I COULDN'T STOP SOBBING. Maybe someone in that situation SHOULD get pain meds?
And maybe someone in my situation SHOULD have them?
This issue makes me feel like a piece of trash.
They give vicodin away like candy at the dentists office. They pulled my baby teeth out a few months ago and I got a prescription for some vicodin, which I didn't even really need. I saved it though, and a few days later got scratched on the eyeball by the corner of a book. Yay Vicodin saves the day!
ReplyDeleteI have been getting physical therapy to deal with my mainly muscular-related vagina problems, and a little bit of topical lidocain really helps. I decided not to get a prescription though because it stings really annoyingly, and my pain is managable/negligible with a little (ok, a lot) of preparation before sex. (I can't have quickies. I need to use THREE dildos of increasing size to have sex, and it took me 6 months to get that far).
I know my pain problems aren't as severe as yours seem to be, but I hope you can find a solution. The Camera My Mother Gave Me (by Susanna Kaysen) is a really good book about vulvodynia and the frustration of doctors who don't listen and boyfriends who don't care.
Not feelin' the whole, you being a piece of trash thing so much as, the doctors being crummy.
ReplyDeleteThey're proooobably a little reluctant to give the pain meds on account of the gov't crackdown on frickin' Tylenol for chrissake...
But still, that very crackdown & reluctance to prescribe, makes things a very difficult for patients like you who benefit from pain management.
I'm so sorry none of your doctors will prescribe pain medication. You deserve to be comfortable.
ReplyDeleteHello! It's a PAIN condition! ! ! Might be nice to have some PAIN medicine!
What about the dermatologist specialist you saw? If she understands vulvodynia, maybe she will understand your need for the occasional pain med.
This isn't your fault at all. You are not trash! Your doctors are just ignorant. Most doctors don't understand vulvodynia and the extent of the pain.
I hope you can find a doctor who does.
Hugs.
Hey...I had vulvodynia (It's mostly in remission now-YAY!!!!) and at one point saw a pain management specialist. I got pain meds. I desperately needed them. If you can get to a pain management doctor or clinic GO! Your docs are lame if they aren't giving you pain meds. I hated that whole cycle and will never trust docs again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your comments guys! Just knowing you're going/have gone through this too helps. I'm in the midst of the steroids treatment now and I figure I'll hang in there for a while to see if it works. If it doesn't, pain meds!
ReplyDeleteDothNot, congratulations on your progress, and "lol" (in a way) about the quickies. I read The Camera and thought it was really good.
K & Quinn, thanks!
Anonymous, congrats on remission! That's awesome! And thanks for the suggestion. For some reason I'd never thought of that. ?!?!