What to do if you regress following vaginismus treatment?

[Heather34]

Hi all. Dr. Pacik wrote an excellent new Blog exploring what to do if you regress following vaginismus treatment.

//mazewomenshealth.com/blog/2016/10/11/vaginismus-treatment-fails-successful-vaginismus-treatment/

Excerpts include:
“During the many years I treated Vaginismus I have also supported a number of women who regressed after successful vaginismus treatment…

Before reaching for the phone to schedule retreatment there are certain things that can be done to overcome vaginismus once again:
1. I recommend maintaining a simple dilation schedule of about 15-30 minutes a day. Continued dilation makes everything much easier, especially when you don’t have to play “catch up”. It is usually no longer necessary to sleep with a dilator after the first two months or so during the initial treatment.
2. Lack of sexual interest, low libido, lack of natural lubrication and difficulty with orgasm are actually common problems that many women experience especially after childbirth and advancing age. Getting evaluated by a medical professional who has knowledge treating vaginismus (such as Maze Women’s Health) can be very helpful. Repeat Botox treatment is less helpful in these situations.
3. Disgust with bodily fluids such as semen requires the help of a psychologist who has experience treating “disgust issues”. This is a more difficult situation to overcome and requires intervention by a skilled therapist.”

I encourage you to read and welcome your comments and feedback here.

[Rachel Hercman, LCSW]

Really important topic.

Regressing can be really unsettling and for some, bring on a tailspin of fear, shame, sadness, and pessimism for the future. And the sting is even worse coming after what may have been a positive chapter of feeling relieved and ready move onto the next chapter of life.

Whenever I discuss post-vaginismus treatment with patients we try to talk about this journey as a road with many curves, as opposed to a straight line. We live in a culture where we are used to seeing neat “before and after” photos, but the reality is that change is often messy. It’s not simple, it doesn’t happen overnight, there are setbacks, disappointments, and times where you are just sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

In the 12 Step Recovery community, the flight of eagles is sometimes used as a metaphor for change. Eagles fly in upward spirals. So even though they may be moving in circles, they are actually going up. Vaginismus treatment can be the same way; feeling you’re just back where you started, but in actuality be moving upwards to clearer and sunnier skies.