We never talk about the one thing we girls need to be talking about – vaginal health.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s private. It’s personal.
And it’s important.
I’ve been lucky enough to have not been burdened with many problems I’ve the years. Periods were pretty normal until after my 2nd baby was born. After that, they started getting longer and more painful. Finally (at 32), my ob-gyn told me I had endometriosis and recommended a partial hysterectomy.
After that, I didn’t worry about vaginal health much and didn’t have problems for another 20 years.
Oh I’d get an occasional yeast infection; but it was usually mild and easy to treat at home. So I didn’t worry much about anything “down there”.
A few years ago, I started having more frequent, and more uncomfortable, yeast infections. I even went to the doctor to get checked – she said I had the worst infection she’d ever seen. But we got aggressive with meds and home remedies and it cleared up.
Then I started getting UTI’s. Again, home remedies did the trick. But now I was alternating between yeast infections and UTI’s fairly frequently. It wasn’t as problematic as everything else going on with my health tho so I just kept managing it all with whatever specific care I needed.
A few months ago, however, I started having really bad vaginal pain. I couldn’t sit very long because of the pressure it put on that part of the body. I couldn’t wear pants. I couldn’t sleep through the night.
I have home tests for UTI so I took one and sure enough, it turned the right color. I have all the supplements and did all the things to bring relief.
Nothing was helping. It just got worse.
I went to urgent care. No help there. Initial test showed yes UTI, but when they sent it to the lab, they said it wasn’t. Yeast negative. Everything else negative.
Went to the gynecologist – she was no help. Ultimately she told me I was just fine and not to worry about it.
Maybe I didn’t make myself clear but I was not fine. I was in pain. Debilitating pain.
I began looking into Elmore specialized gynecologists who might be able to help. Most of the ones I found were more surgical in nature. But the information on their websites did start getting me to research terms I hadn’t heard before, like vulvodynia and aerobic vaginitis.
Now I started getting very concerned.
My Lyme doc is the best. But I don’t like talking with anyone about vaginal issues, and men really don’t get it so I didn’t want to have a long discussion with him about it.
I mentioned that I was having some vaginal and abdominal pain and that I was trying to find a better gynecologist.
Well, the next 2 appointments became all about my vagina and urinary tract. Yeah – totally uncomfortable. He was very helpful and with additional research I’ve done on my own, I’ve learned a lot about vaginal health, problems that may surface, and tools for healing.
Specialty testing found that I have multiple infections in both the vaginal and urinary tracts. I found several different things that are helping – but I’m super sensitive so it’s taking longer than I’d hoped. But it is improving.
Whether you’re currently having problems or not, I encourage you to take the time to learn about this very important part of our body.
As we get older, our vaginal lining becomes thinner and doesn’t shed the bad bacteria as well as it should. There are preventative measures you can take to help reduce that issue. Start early and get ahead of it – playing catch up is really no fun.
Links
Below are some links to information and natural remedies that can help:
1.) figure out what’s wrong,
2.) provide relief and
3.) fix problems.
Testing
Microgen (this is what I used)
You can order both vaginal and urinary testing (done at home and shipped). You can have them do the doctor order for it as well.
They also do prostate, animal, dental, hpv and other testing.
EVVY only does vaginal testing – but you can book a consultation with a coach to get more specialized help.
Therapies
Neueve has been great. They send a lot of helpful information and you can email a doctor who will review any test results and provide guidance.
Their products have been really helpful – but it can take a while to recover if you have a more serious problem.
Beta-mannan is an aloe Vera and vitamin E supplement that can heal the body in many ways. You can email the doctor to get specific recommendations for use. He shared a pdf file with me that explains how beta-mannan helps with various vaginal, bladder and urinary tract issues.
Femiwave “uses low-intensity sound waves to restore sensation and natural lubrication and eliminate urinary incontinence.”
This is a non-invasive procedure done in a doctors office. There are typically 4 sessions (one a week). I noticed improvement after the first session.
This involved injecting platelet rich plasma (PRP) to stimulate healing.
HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
As we age, our bodies produce fewer hormones. Recent testing showed I have nearly non-existent progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone (believe it or not, testosterone is just as important for women as it is for men).
Doctors will tell you that’s normal so it’s ok – but here’s the thing – if it makes you feel crummy or worse yet, have pain, then do something about it!
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) boosts your hormone levels. There are several ways to do this – standard hormone meds, bio-identical hormone therapy, natural therapies. I chose bio-identical because they are closest to what our bodies produce naturally.
There are a ton of options so I’m not sharing links. Do some research and find what fits for you.
PhilippiJoy 