u/Exact-Philosopher-53

Sorry to keep coming back with questions lol, I've been doing some exercises my new PT recommended, and it's been very informative but also meant more things to wonder about.

I've been making a pain map of my vulva to see if there are any other issues, and it's helped me verbalise an issue of mine - the bottom of the inner labia where the two parts meet is called the frenulum, and it's kind of like the membrane between your fingers. Makes sense right? However, my vaginal opening is small and partially behind the frenulum instead of above it in the middle of the vestibule. Never mind insertion, even trying to get near the entrance is really painful bc anything larger than a q-tip is too big and stretches the frenulum. And it's a stretchy membrane but if you pull at the one between your fingers you get how it can only stretch so much (and in the frenulum's case yank at the rest of your vulva!).

I'm glad I have this info to talk over with her when I see her in a few months, but I'm concerned because even outside of vaginismus or vestibulodynia I'm not really sure how anyone gets around that, and haven't seen anyone with their opening in the same place. Anyone else in the same boat?

My case is considered so extreme I was discharged from physical therapy with no improvement, so I've been trying to explore every possible alternative. Dilators can't get near the vaginal opening at all and just hurt so bad I can hardly walk if I try, and medication's been useless. The only similar experiences I've read about that seem to match mine are people who turned out to have microperforate hymens.

Everything about my vulva looks normal and healthy to me and the doctors who've seen it, with the only noticeable thing being the vestibule/vaginal opening is tiny to the point holding up a q-tip covers it completely (so I can never see how close it is to the vaginal opening lol). That's also the only thing that can insert even if there's still some internal pain. I'm wondering if it might be a hymen issue, so can they still look "normal?" Any feedback really appreciated

Been stuck trying to figure out for a while now if I have a nerve problem or just really extreme vaginismus. The only thing I can insert is a q-tip, and even then that can kind of sting inside. Anything else like a finger causes this burning/stinging problem that usually feels like really violent twisting inside even if there's no movement. What makes it unclear is my vestibule's really small so nothing can get through it to the vaginal entrance without stretching it, which is where the pain comes from. Does this sound familiar to anyone with nerve problems?

I went to a private physio recently who walked me through some belly breathing exercises to start with, but it looks I might be having some problems and you're not meant to feel pressure on the diaphragm when you do that.

I was doing the stretches in the video she sent me and it felt kind of worse - it's hard to hold the breath in my stomach area (but I don't get how you're meant to when you do stuff like hold your knee to your chest and there's a whole leg pressing down on your stomach?), and it felt like there was a paperweight on my diaphragm when I was doing it. I'm worried this might be why I just ended up with a lot of hip and vaginal pain from stretching because I'm pretty flexible and don't really have a problem with the positions themselves.

I'm not sure if this is just from being really unpractised or not, so has anyone got any tips on how they approached their breathing exercises or things they had to correct?

EDIT: forgot to mention I've tried inserting a large q-tip before using breathing techniques and the only thing that worked was HOLDING my breath which I obviously can't keep up lol. So as can you imagine I'm a little confused?

Went to a private physio (sourced after some help here!) after the NHS discharged me as untreatable. She was asking questions about what I've tried previously and I mentioned my last physio recommended sitting on a bag of ice for about 10 minutes or so to numb the entrance.

Her face was the reason I gave this the tag I did. I've never seen a medical professional bluescreen like that.

I was already kind of questioning it because a few appointments after that I brought up lidocaine to the NHS physio and she was fully aware of it, explained its uses and agreed I should give it a try. But only because I brought it up? Ma'am why was I putting ICE up my COOCHIE

Anyway, sharing because I'm still kind of reeling. I have been advised since that cold tenses the muscles while heat is better at helping you relax, and this new physio has already felt like she's taken a much more in-depth approach. Keep your coochies cozy everybody!

So I've been described as a "severe" case and even attempting to put the regular smallest dilator (from the Amelie set for reference) at the vaginal entrance leaves me in pain long after. Doesn't help that my vestibule is really small which I know isn't a problem under normal circumstances, but it means I can't really get at the vaginal entrance because it's kind of like trying to put your finger into your belly button where you have to force/twist it a little?

Anyway, the only thing I've managed to dilate with are q-tips. I've been using ones with slightly broader heads, which I can insert when aroused but it still takes about an hour to insert, and I have to move it really carefully because it still hurts on the inside. They're also not an ideal material. I've tried to see if there are any like, micro-dilators, but the only things I've seen are cervical ones, which look to be mostly metal? It looks like they're not impossible to get but don't seem to be intended for casual use, so I'm a bit intimidated. Anyone know any more about whether this would be a really good or really bad idea?