Poll Dancin'

I'd like to give a quick mention to the people at http://www.sexualtherapy.com who are being especially helpful in furnishing information on their vaginimus-related tape. I will have a few review soon.

In other news, the reason this post is so small, and entitled "Poll Dancin'", is because it was supposed to be a post devoted to the poll it would have had on it. Unfortunately, blogger does not appreaciate my javascript friends at this time. After four days of frustation and three different polling services I...well, I'm not gonna give up. Because that would set a bad example to my many many admirers, suffering from Vaginismus, who should not, will not, cannot give up in their own personal frustrtating quest! I WILL GET A POLL ON THIS DAMN SITE! AND WE WILL ALL BE CURED!

Well, I mean, not because of the poll. It's just a symbol I'm using to represent perseverance. What kind of blogger would I be if I promised you a poll could make you all better? Jeesum.

Find a Sex Therapist

This section of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists website can help you locate a Sex Therapist or Counselor in your state. It should be explained that this will take you to a map where the pictures of the states are links, but if your state picture doesn't work as a link, you can find a drop-down menu below that you can pick your state from. Most of the states seem to have at least one or two professionals listed.

This site also has a few. While fewer states are covered, I noticed there was someone listed under Maine on this site that isn't listed under the first one, a nurse in Bangor. This trend continues in Arizona, an arbitrary pick to test the theory (I'm a Mainer, myself.) Also, they have a place to order some vaginismus and dyspaurenia-related merchandise, for instance a tape and the famous Ditza Katz book, which is difficult to find anywhere else. Not much information provided on the tape, however, so I will e-mail them in an attempt to find out what it's all about. Also on the site, a sex test that supposedly helps with diagnoses. The cost to take it is about $10.

Sexology.org is the site of a company called Sex Therapy Online. From what I can ascertain, this a group of therapists and "sexologists" (whatever that is) that endeavor to help people with their sexual issues in an online format, for instance via e-mail. It's not a free service, but they claim that it's less expensive than seeking professional help (though they admit that it is not a substitute.) I warn you to use at your own risk, but it seems at the very least they might be able to provide a referral to a live therapist in your area, or maybe get you started if you've got some reservations about seeing someone in real life.

More online sex therapy (which, I might add, seems surprisingly prevalent):
Personal-relationships.com, featuring Dr. Pamela Moncur (who is based in England and bills in Pounds)

I found a lot of these links on this site, and there are a lot more there for therapists in specific areas, for instance the promising-sounding Dr. Dean Dauw in Chicago, Illinois. Makes me wish I lived there.

Then, it has to be said, there is always the Women's Therapy Center in Plainview, New York. Former patients swear by this place, and many a heated battle have been fought on the Vaginismus egroups about them. If I was supposed to be fair and balanced in reporting, I would say that it's told to be a highly effective treatment center with almost a 100% rate of success, which is counterbalanced in virtue by it's high price. However, this is technically my blog, not the New York Times, so I'm gonna 86th the "fair and balanced"-- The word on the street is that they don't have any special equipment, or techniques, it's just that they're experts. So the cost of overhead can't be so high that they have to charge the 8,000 dollars that they do for a two-week program, which doesn't include food or boarding. In my opinion, they take advantage of a problem that they claim to be very sensitive in, so until they start offering lower prices or some sort of scholarship program, they very strongly do not have the endorsement of the one blog on the internet devoted to vaginismus! TAKE THAT, WTC!! *Ahem*

However, it seems that if you live in the Long Island area, this might be a much more affordable option for you, and a very effective one at that. And if you've gotten to the point where money is no object, of course The Vagina Monoblogs will not begrudge you a healthy and happy sex life, wherever you seek treatment.

And if all else fails, you can always Ask Dr. Venus!

Because Radio Space-sluts know all.

So, let's get down to business...

Okay, so...lots of things to get around talking about and linking to.

Pretty soon, I am going to post a poll about which of my visitors has vag., which think they might, which used to, and which are outsiders and thusly envious of our clearly superior status. But, for now, I don't have any visitors, as I feel I should have some information, links, or something of value before I get so bold as to actually send people here. So why don't we get started with that.

Let's Talk about Sex, baby.

Treatment Options-- Vaginismus is a serious problem, but by no means an insurmountable one. In fact, somewhere in the 90th percentile of people treated are eventually cured, according to various sources. Realizing this, it's difficult to understand how so many of us find ourselves suffering for years and years, with various treatments going unsuccessful. To my mind, the trick is to identify what plan of attack fits you best. Common means of treatment are as follows:

*Consulting a Sex Therapist to work out emotional issues. It's also likely that they will use or recommend any number of other treatments, including.
*Dilators. For those of you who have never heard of dilators, these hateful little things tend to be the backbone of any Vaginismus treatment regiment. A series of...well, dildos, basically, that start small and then gradually increase in size, the idea behind them is that they "train" the vagina to accept objects without going into spasm. The problem with them is that, so often, without other forms of treatment, they are useless-- one often needs a professional to demonstrate how to use them, or a coach to assist in the emotional side of using them, or, like in my case, one may need a great deal of other treatment before they could get to the point where they could use them at all.
*Hypnotherapy is often used, though, to be honest, I've never heard of anyone getting cured via this method. And I don't have a lot of information available yet. Will let you know when I come across some. And please let me and others know via comments if you've got any, as well.
*Physical Therapy. This one actually came as a shock to me, but it was the one I was the most comfortable with the idea of, and it's the one I'm using today. There are physical therapists out there who specialize in pelvic floor dysfunction, and they can be one of the biggest helps. I found my physical therapist, the awesome Karen L., through the 'find a provider' section of the International Pelvic Pain Soceity Website. Yes, you heard that right. Pelvic Pain has it's own international soceity. How'd you like to crash one of their swinging parties?
*Etc. Etc. is a great means of treatment. In this category, you will find things like audio tapes such as the ones you can find at vaginismuscure.com (see mini-review below), herbal medications and pills to help relax, and good ol' masturbation therapy. I don't know too much about that one, either, but I'm willing to learn. Also, when all you think you need to get started is a healthy dose of support and vodka, check out online support groups, or your local liquor store. Yahoo's Egroups host more than a 10 (by which I mean "11") groups dedicated to, or at least vaguely related to, the subject. I personally belong to Vaginismus, 1Vaginismus and, my personal favorite, Primary Vaginismus.


And now for one last obligatory shout-out: Hi, Mom!


I think I'll let this post rest on it's laurels for the time being, while I dig up so more groovy info and links. Leave me a message if you see this, and, oh, Merry Christmas. You know, Again.

Welcome to The Vagina Monoblogs: Your one-stop source for Vaginismus-related Fun!

Okay, for those of you who don't know, there is no such thing as "Vaginismus-related fun". Traditionally, anyway. I guess maybe that's what this blog is supposed to be about. Everything Vaginismus. Information, resources, support, and, maybe, just maybe I can add something to smile about.

So, a brief introduction. My name, or as close as many of you will ever come, is SuedeCaramel. This is one of way to many blogs that I run, the most flashy and in-depth of which is located at SuedeCaramel.Blogspot.com. Everything you ever wanted to know about a whiny twenty-something suffering from Vaginismus can be found there...but really, what would you ever want to know? Just the basics, is what I'm guessing, so here they are: I'm twenty, I've been married for about a year and a half, and, thanks to my condition, it's been a celebate marriage thus far. I like to write, and many consider me good at it, and sometime last night I figured that between having talent at writing and having Vaginismus, why, gosh-oh-golly, I should be the first one to ever start a blog dedicated to it. Voila! C'est magnifique, n'est-ce pas?

Another basic: I don't actually speak french.

There's a hefty sum of you out there right now-- yes, that's right, right at this very second!-- that have no idea what Vaginismus is. And knowledge is power, so let's break down that wall right now.

--
Vaginismus, the official Vagina Monoblogs definition (for the sexually impaired-impaired.):

Vaginismus is a sexual dysfunction triggered by a wide variety of causes that makes intercourse or penetration painful or in many cases impossible by triggering unconscious spasms of the surrounding muscles.
--

In the coming months, I intend to supply links to as many sources of information on the in's-and-out's (more out's than in's) of Vaginismus, but for now, I will link simply to the place where I first found a definition, Scarleteen.

For the time being, I'm afraid, it's Christmas Eve (if you hadn't noticed), and while I wanted to get the ball rolling on my great big Christmas Present to the vaginismus community, I'm going to continue celebrating in non-sexual-dysfunction-related ways.

Till next time, Merry Christmas from SuedeCaramel, and her finicky Vagina.