Amy Staw Shares Her Story About Life With Vulvodynia
Amy Staw has been diagnosed with vulvodynia, but she explains how those affected by the disease can still live a normal life by searching for answers and managing the condition.
An estimated 40 million American women suffer from a painful condition that affects many aspects of life, including sexual functioning, emotional health and self-esteem. Amy Staw is one of them.
Amy Staw: I was diagnosed when I was 32 and I was absolutely devastated. I wasn’t sure if my at the time fiancé was going to love me and see me through this. I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be able to have children.
Woman: Like many other women, it took Amy several doctors’ visits to obtain a correct diagnosis. In the end she learned she suffers from a vulvar pain disorder called vulvodynia.
Amy Staw: When you have vulvodynia it’s an everyday ordeal. You are uncomfortable walking, sitting. You never feel okay.
Woman: Dr. Andrew Goldstein, an obstetrician and gynecologist, is one of the foremost experts in vulvodynia. He has authored numerous medical textbooks on the subject, as well as “When Sex Hurts,” which is a woman’s guide to banishing sexual pain. He is also the Director of the Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Washington, DC and New York City.
Dr. Goldstein: Vulvodynia is pain of the vulva, which is the external genitals of women, without a known cause. So it’s not an infection. It’s not a skin disease.
Women with vulvodynia often have burning. They feel raw, they feel irritated. Often they will feel like they have a yeast infection or a bacterial infection, but they don’t.
Amy Staw: Aside from dealing with that everyday pain you have the emotional baggage of being in a relationship or not being in a relationship and having the potential for one, how will your partner deal with this.
Dr. Goldstein: Vulvodynia affects a woman’s life in many different ways. Of course there’s the pain but it affects the relationships, the way they feel about themselves. It also often causes anxiety because they can’t figure out what the problem is, and the many physicians that they go to, can’t figure out what their problem is.
Woman: Dr. Goldstein says women in the US have a new option to help alleviate the pain associated with this chronic condition.
Neogyn is a non-medicated skincare product to help soothe and relieve vulvar discomfort. It is formulated with cutaneous lysate, a proprietary growth factor and cytokine blend rooted in wound healing research conducted in Switzerland. The non-greasy cream is free of potential irritants, including parabens and fragrances, and can help restore well-being and comfort with twice daily use.
Dr. Goldstein: Small clinical trials have shown that Neogyn does decrease pain with sex in women with vulvodynia.
Amy Staw: I have tried everything. If it exists, then I tried it. To find out that something is coming out on the market that is just for this and can bring legitimate relief because it was made for this. It’s just huge.
Woman: Amy hopes sharing her story will encourage other women to speak with their doctors about their discomfort.
Amy Staw: It’s hard for me when I see ads all the time on TV for erectile dysfunction and there are so many drugs out there to fix these problems that aren’t painful problems. They are just sexual dysfunction problems for men.
And then we have a condition like vulvodynia which affects every aspect of everyday day life for women and it’s almost like we are not allowed to talk about it.
Dr. Goldstein: It’s absolutely essential to be an advocate for yourself if you have vulvar pain. If your first physician or your first healthcare provider doesn’t give you an answer, please go searching for someone who will. There are answers out there but it may be a little more difficult to find than some other medical conditions.
Woman: Despite her diagnosis Amy recently celebrated her three-year wedding anniversary and became a mom.
Amy Staw: While there’s no magic potion that will make this go away, you can manage the problem and communication is part of the medication. You can have a fabulous relationship and you can have a fabulous life if you just learn to manage the condition, and there ate products out there that can help.
Woman: For more information visit Neogyn.us.
Add a Comment1 Comments
Menopausal women can have these symptoms too & if you have vulvodynia it's likely the symptoms will worsen.
February 25, 2012 - 11:01amThis Comment