MY VESTIBULITIS

Picking Shoes

I knew high heels were bad. Bad! But I didn't know that some regular shoes were better than others. Now I evaluate potential shoes mo' better.

I want:

A wide toe-box.
A flexible sole (see my video on youtube.com describing this in more detail.)
Solid lateral support as I will wear the shoe almost all day, everyday; I don't buy shoes for "pronation" or "high arches" even though I have both. I would rather allow my foot to move through its natural gait. I need my natural correction to (at least eventually) come through my body.
a shoe with a removable insole so that I can fit a lift in. On a side note, I have had numerous pairs of orthotics of all different types. I am much happier using my home-made lift that I can adjust up or down as needed rather than any of the 5 types of orthotics I've had. That's not to say don't get them, it's just my experience so far.
a shoe that holds my foot in such as sneakers or Teva-type sandals.

But what about dress up? This is where I have a few options. None are great:

Dansko clogs (their "professional" style) kind of have a bare foot feeling;
Flat boots with a flexible sole; and
Ballerina shoes with a strap (try the Naot brand for super comfy and cute).

And I recently found a store here called "Sole Desire"that links to a website that I will find and post. The shoes are neat and you might see brands you like.

Been a bridesmaid wearing Converse? Yes.

Cleaning the Vulva with Cetaphil Update

My gynecologist gave me instructions on how to clean the vulva in the shower:

Use Cetaphil, a cleanser super-easy to find and super gentle;
Gently apply the cleanser and rinse.

Until she told me this, I had been using no soap to avoid allergies and then washing the hell out of the vulvar labia trying to get "as clean as possible" given I wasn't using soap, and trying to make sure my adhesions would not return by (almost) ripping the skin around my clitoris apart.

Gentle, gentle, gentle.

I still don't feel as clean as I would like to with the Cetaphil, but them's the breaks.

UPDATE
I found something so much better: Johnson's Baby Naturals Head-to-Toe Wash. I use it gently. I find it much better than Cetaphil (which has sodium laureth sulfate which is a skin-irritant) in it. It burns not at all on me and I feel cleanner, too.

Pudendal Nerve Entrapment Synopsis

Here are good synopses of the mechanics of SI pain. Yes, he talks very fast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaePO6wQBtk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iwmcCw4bAw doctor mechanical explanation and review of treatments

Why am I Constipated?

Okay, not a subject generally discussed, but here goes. Constipation is a common occurrence when you have vulvodynia.

My first theory:
Your pelvic muscles are tight and clamp down on the your large intestine. The poop sits there and dries out, forming dark pellets that don't move easily to the rectum. When it does get to the rectum it sits there again, refusing to come out. This is because in both the large intestine and the rectum, peristalsis, smooth muscle movement that propels poop forward, can't work optimally. Your poop gets stuck.

My second theory:
People with vulvodynia can have have up-regulated "fight or flight" nervous systems. This shuts down the gastrointestinal track's normal functioning, including peristalsis. A wiki excerpt on the sympathetic nervous system follows at the end of this blog entry.

Note that my first and second theories can co-exist and both are, in my opinion, viable explanations for why someone with vulvodynia is constipated. So what to do? Here it gets gross. Read the next blog.

From Wikipedia on "Fight or Flight"

Sympathetic nervous system

Main article: Sympathetic nervous system

Promotes a "fight or flight" response, corresponds with arousal and energy generation, and inhibits digestion.

Diverts blood flow away from the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract and skin via vasoconstriction.
Blood flow to skeletal muscles and the lungs is enhanced (by as much as 1200% in the case of skeletal muscles).
Dilates bronchioles of the lung, which allows for greater alveolar oxygen exchange.
Increases heart rate and the contractility of cardiac cells (myocytes), thereby providing a mechanism for the enhanced blood flow to skeletal muscles.
Dilates pupils and relaxes the ciliary muscle to the lens, allowing more light to enter the eye and far vision.
Provides vasodilation for the coronary vessels of the heart.
Constricts all the intestinal sphincters and the urinary sphincter.
Inhibits peristalsis.
Stimulates orgasm.