to think the response to my health issue is an example of how women's issues are just not taken seriously...

[stappit]

...or am I asking too much? I had my child 3 years ago. Recently had sex for the first time since having a baby and noticed it was painful and uncomfortable. Also notice a small amount of leaking when jumping or sneezing. Presumed this was a normal part of having a baby until I saw a post from an angry gynae telling women they do not have to live with this. Prompted me to go to the docs, saw a nurse who told me that the front wall of my vagina is very soft and my bladder is pushing through. Told to google pelvic floor exercises. That's it. No check to see if I'm doing them right, no offer of physio, etc. I had told her I'd been doing pelvic floor exercises already so was clearly doing them wrong or they weren't working. Her answer was to look on the NHS website.

I literally cannot feel my partner during sex (she said it's probably the condom...), I have pain, I feel a bulge in my vagina at the end of the day, I can't hold a tampon in, and the advice is to go on google and do the same exercises I've been doing for years.

In tears at home now. I don't want the vagina of a 20 year old, I just want to feel vaguely normal and taken seriously.

Can anyone help?

I have seen a pelvic physio specialist for around 60 quid. She was lovely and knowledgeable. There are devices you can buy to help with such issues such as Kegel 8 but probably best to see the physio first.

God, don't start down the surgery route! That will cost far more than a women's health physio. If you're southwest I can recommend mine. I had similar symptoms and couldn't sit on a chair for any length of time, it was awful. The physio taught me to do the exercises properly and I was feeling so much better within a month. I also recommend mutu system (online course) for these sort of thing. Look up intra abdominal pressure as so much of our everyday lives can make prolapse worse. It can get better, keep the faith!

I don't know if this suggestion is any use but I saw someone else suggest on a similar thread that you ask your GP to document on your records that they are not able to offer any treatment for your medical condition.

Sorry your GP has not been helpful.
I wonder from your description if you have a cystocoele.

Definitely women's physio would a good next step. Most private physio practices will offer this and it's not too expensive.

Could also try vaginal cones such as these www.healthandcare.co.uk/postpartum-pelvic-floor-exercisers/aquaflex-pelvic-floor-exercise-cones.html
But if you can't hold a tampon in they might not work for you yet until you get a bit more muscle strength.

Then a urogynae referral from GP if no progress with physio.

I had a prolapse and my bladder stopped working properly. I spent months waiting for an appointment to see the ‘specialist ‘
He talked to me for a total of two mins and then declared that I should just be grateful that I don’t have cancer and sent me on my way. I cried for ages after.
I have been to so many different appointments for women’s things over the last 20 years and I have been brushed off by every single person I have seen.
I live with them now as I can’t face the humiliation of asking for help again.

I use the Aquaflex cones linked above and they make a real difference.

Don't waste your energy on the GP, unless you really really can't lay your handa on 40 quid, go straight to a private women's health physio.

I use a pelvitone prescribed by the NHS. It was programmed by a nurse for my failing pelvic floor after birth.

I use it daily for 30 mins. It exercises the voluntary and involuntary muscles and contracts hard every 5 seconds. So it's a good workout.

It's prevented me needing surgery so I say that's a success. I have to use it now for the rest of my life.

I lost faith in the care of women when I went to my GP with vaginal pain during intercourse. I was 6 months pp after a nasty 3rd degree tear and wanted to make sure the pain was normal and not everlasting as we wanted to try for #2.

The FEMALE GP, prescribed me numbing gel and gave a warning that DH should wear a condom as it would also numb his penis.

Funnily enough I never filled that prescription and my Dh couldn't fathom the idea of having sex with someone who couldn't feel a thing.

I've had other instances since but that was my wake up moment to healthcare for women, even from other women. It's appalling.

YANBU

Unacceptable - hope you get it sorted

@MorningStarling

Have you looked into vaginoplasty? It's a pretty routine cosmetic surgery these days. Generally it's not available on the NHS though because it's only quality of life that is affected rather than completely debilitating.

I just checked and you can get viagra (or similar) on the NHS. seems lack of sexual pleasure is debilitating in men but not women.