Botox Cured My Vaginismus: Recent Success Story

[Heather34]

Hi all. I came across an absolutely awesome thread on Reddit that describes a women’s success story of overcoming vaginismus this past December with the Botox treatment program at Maze Women’s Sexual Health. It’s such a great thread to read:

https://www.reddit.com/r/vaginismus/comments/4dzjjm/botox_cured_my_vaginismus/

Excerpts include:

“For me, the experience was AMAZING! I wish I had done it earlier, but at the same time, I did it when I was ready, so I have no regrets. I went to a place in NY state, I’ll post the link below, and they were so kind and easy to talk to. It’s a day procedure, I live out of state so I stayed at a hotel the night before. The day of, we went to the place where they do the procedure, it’s like any basic medical thing, they get you ready, give you a gown, you pee in a cup, etc. The anesthesiologist comes in and gives you an IV, and then they put you under. While you’re under (about 30 minutes or so), they numb the area, give you a pap exam, and inject Botox into the muscles. Even though you’re under, they can see the muscles spasm or tighten and also if you have a hymen, they will cut it (this causes a small amount of bleeding, like you wear a pad for a couple of days, but no pain). For me, I woke up and the largest dilator from the Pure Romance set was inside of me. This was a huge thing because I hadn’t even been able to get the smallest one in on my own before. I was numb down there, so while they taught me to insert it in and out and all that, I couldn’t feel any discomfort. They did have to cut my hymen and there was some blood, nothing scary and no pain at all. They sent me home soon after with #4 inside. They want you to keep #4 in as much as possible, even sleep with it in that night. The numbness wore off around 8:00 that night, but it was still super easy to get the dilator in and out. It took me some time to find exactly the way to guide it in, the best way to sit or lay while doing that, but once I could do it, it was in within seconds and then I was fine. I went in the next day for a follow up, they do a basic exam, no inserting anything, just looking at the area and then talk more about dilation. They gave me a prescription for lube that has lidocaine in it, but I’ve barely used it. They give you a paper with info about dilation at home, they recommend trying to do it 30 minutes a day, I would do about 15 minutes with one size, then change to the next size up. Within 2 weeks I was using the largest dilator on it’s own without the need for a “warm up” and there was no pain, no resistance, that feeling of hitting a wall was completely gone.”

[rcurtis00001]

Hi! I’m new to this forum and really want to know everything there is to know about the Botox treatment! I have been to a therapy center where I was put through a VERY rigorous dilating schedule and in the end was able to use a large dilator with smaller amounts of pain. I have yet to have pain free sex with my husband of 5 years but I desire it more than anything in the world! I feel like since going through therapy 3 years ago, I’ve almost become more nervous with anything being close to my vagina! Just recently my husband has started saying things about how “I can do it” (have intercourse) but I know I can’t! He’s never mean about it or trying to hurt me but it does! I feel like such a HUGE failure!!! In the moment when we are doing non intercourse things, the desire is there for me to have intercourse so I know it is there for him too, which is why he says things like that! I just want to be normal, I’m SO TIRED of hearing all about how amazing other peoples sex lives are and how other women just crave sex and I can barely even tolerate the thought of it! Vaginismus is the hardest thing to go through and just reading some of these success stories and being around a group of other women that understand is just HUGE for me!!! Thank you all for being so open and honest, I love reading about how it’s no longer painful! The therapy center I went to, not a single women in the support group ever used the words “pain free”! I now understand why, it just wasn’t for me but I really want to get better! Maze….HERE I COME!!!!!!

[mazemelissa]

Hi RCurtis00001,

Welcome to the forum! First I want to say that you are not a Failure! You were able to dilate and have intercourse, which is a huge success in itself for anyone with vaginismus. But I hear your frustration, and discouragement, with being unable to be “pain free”. That is for sure our goal for all women who visit our center at Maze. It is possible that your muscles, despite being able to accommodate a penis, or large dilator, are still a little too tight, and if you continue to have pain and fear, the muscles will continue to tighten, and therefore cause more pain. This is where the botox procedure is so wonderful because the botox will freeze the tight muscles, and make your dilation program even more successful. Once the muscles can’t spasm back into a tight state, you can continue to dilate and lengthen and elongate the vaginal muscles, which will make the opening to the vagina less painful, and penetration will not feel like a brick wall.

I’d love to discuss with you more details about our procedure. Please feel free to give me a call for a free 10 minute phone consultation.

914-328-3700
Melissa

[Heather34]

Hi rcurtis! As Melissa said, you are so not a failure! I am so, so, so glad you found this Forum and have found Maze. I had the Botox treatment program with Dr. Pacik in 2011 (he trained Maze using this program). It was seriously the best decision of my entire life and the reason we have a beautiful 16 month old today. Without it, this never would’ve been possible. I could not insert a thing prior to my treatment. I will try so hard not to write a book but I will tell you what it was like for me. I went to the office with my husband and underwent the procedure. I woke up with the largest dilator inside and was in complete awe that it had worked and something was able to be inside of me for the first time without pain. My husband couldn’t believe it either. I then took the dilator out standing up and used the bathroom. I then was able to re-insert it right back in (another complete surprise for the both of us). I then practiced removing and reinserting the varying sized dilators with my husband by my side. This, again, was unbelievable for the both of us as nothing was able to go in before without me saying “ow, ow, ow” and screaming out in pain. The wall of resistance that had always made insertion impossible went away because of the Botox. With this gone, I was able to insert the dilators in and later my husband. We returned home after the procedure and practiced with the dilators. Again, this was now possible to insert them because the wall of resistance was completely gone. I had my procedure on 6/27 and on 7/4, I dilated for about 1 hour prior and then my husband removed the dilator and inserted himself in! This was the first time in our 11year relationship, 5 year marriage that this was possible! Thereafter, we eventually went from using the dilators prior to intercourse to using a vibrator as part of our foreplay prior to intercourse. This made me feel less nervous (similar to the dilating) and also made it feel less clinical. Today, 9/15/16, we are continuing to have pain-free intercourse and as I wrote above, we were able to conceive and I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on 5/7/15. If you have any specific questions about the Botox treatment or anything at all, please, please write back and please know that I am here for you 100%!!!!

[maryelle]

Hi there! I am just reading some testimonials and came across this one, and I am in tears to find that others relate to the vaginismus symptoms I am having. I would really love to know anything and everything there is to know about this procedure because I am unable to insert even a finger, and it is so unbelievable painful. I have gone through physical therapy, psycho-pain therapy, and everything I can possibly think of until I came across this site. I am so tired of doctors telling me to relax and just practice because it has not gotten better, and I am now 21 years old. I never feel normal and constantly feel like I will never be able to insert a tampon. I sent a message earlier today on the free consultation forum, but I am wondering if there are any recommendations for something like this on the West Coast because I am located in California.

[mazemelissa]

Hi Maryelle,

Unfortunately I don’t know of any provider on the west coast who performs the botox procedure under anesthesia with vaginal dilation the same way we do at Maze.

There are other practitioners on the west coast that use botox injections for hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction, but often these are in office procedures and it doesn’t include the vaginal dilation. http://www.sandiegosexualmedicine.com/ is a good resource, but again does not do the same protocol that we have at Maze.

We often have women fly in from the west coast for our specific protocol because it is so unique. I am glad you reached out about a free 10 min phone consultation, you should get a call back within a few days from either a clinician or therapist.

Melissa

[recessivegenequeen]

Hi Maryelle, I know the feeling you mean! It’s shocking sometimes to read other people’s stories and feel as though it’s something you could have written word for word about yourself. There’s definitely a comfort in knowing that other people can understand the pain you’re feeling.

I did the botox during the time I was living in New York City, near where the clinic is (I’ve since moved away) but I can say that it would have been completely worth traveling to White Plains for the procedure from where I live now. Melissa is right in that the procedure is extremely effective (I was able to have sex 20 days after receiving the botox treatment) and the way they do it just makes it incredibly effective to go for the one time and then continue self-dilation at home. I know it’s an expense to travel and to get the procedure, but the huge advantage is in being able to receive this treatment that then lets you do the rest of the work yourself and that takes away this problem that plagues so many of us for so long. It’s a decision every individual has to make for themselves, but I can’t recommend it highly enough for the peace of mind and the results it garners.

[Sks823]

Maryelle,

So glad you feel less alone after finding this website & these forums. I felt the same way when I googled around and found Maze. I also lived in NYC and was able to do the consultation and go in person (I didn’t do botox but did dilator therapy).

Now that you’ve found this community, I really hope that you are able to find a provider that can help you overcome vaginismus, whether through surgery, dilators, PT, whatever! This website & forum should prove that no matter the circumstances and how severe your vaginismus is (mine was pretty severe!!) you WILL be able to overcome vaginismus through hard work, time, and NOT GIVING UP.

Good luck and definitely let us know if you have any questions! <3