Vaginismus and TTC

[ComebackQueen]

Hello All

I posted in the fertility board but I realised that was the wrong area.

To cut a long story short, I’ve been married just shy of ten years and have been unable to have full vaginal penetrative sex.

I had a very unsympathetic GP up until I moved and had to change my GP surgery.

The former GP thought there wasn’t anything wrong and needed to relax, have a glass of wine and as I had a smear (under GA might I add) she said there was nothing physically wrong and said if I wanted to get pregnant I had to do so naturally.

My new GP, who I only recently plucked up the courage to speak to, was phenomenal. Based on me having exhausted psychosexual therapy, acupuncture and other things such as dilating all largely at my own cost, given I am nearing 40, she asked the husband to do a semen analysis (next week) and will then order my blood work and send off the referral to a fertility clinic.

I’ve been informed by someone on the other board pre covid the referral was at least 9 months from GP sending referral.

Ideally, I want to start IUI as opposed to IVF but understand it may not be a choice to delay IVF.

I just wanted to know if anyone has got pregnant via fertility intervention and how to manage vaginismus treatment adjacent to this?

On the weekend I will start a gluten free and dairy free diet whilst restart acupuncture but what about psychosexual therapy again? I didn’t like the first time I did this for almost two years.

How can I over come this in time for pregnancy scans and child birth?

I know I’m not even pregnant yet but this is now making me so anxious.

Especially as the wait is so long.

I’m sorry I have no knowledge of advice on this but didn’t want to read and go. Have you considered at home self insemination? There was a thread I saw recently with a lady who had the same as you but her husband also has erectile dysfunction and I believe she got pregnant.

If your husbands spent comes back fine and your blood shows you ovulate and your hormones are fine it might be worth a go?

Here is the thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/3796521-Self-insemination-Any-success-stories

@Chica1990 thank you so much for replying, wonderful, I will check that thread out. I do have very irregular periods but I presume I do ovulate when I have them. I’ll wait for what the doctor says regarding sperm and my blood work and if it’s all good, I’ll be sure to try that because 9months is a very long time to wait.

I have no knowledge either of sorry but I was curious why you are changing your diet for this? It can be very hard for your body to reintroduce these things and if you are having a baby esp dairy carries vital nutrients unless you understand how to substitute extremely well.

@Morechocmorechoc

My acupuncturist told me I should go GFDF to get pregnant.

I’m not pregnant yet but I so desperately wish I was.

I have irregular periods and I remember when I was 20 years so nearly 20 years ago I did a blood test which indicated PCOS so that’s why acupuncturist wants be to go low carb and GFDF.

I’m willing to try anything!

The book ‘it all begins with an egg’ explains a lot about diet and egg quality. Most of these do suggest cutting gluten. I also cut out sugar and refined carbs early June and turns out I conceived late August but sadly it was ectopic, but I do think diet plays into everything.

Wishing us luck!

I'd echo a PP and try self insemination if you're able to (sorry, I'm not sure about the limitations so appreciate this may not be possible).

Somebody I know used a syringe (without a needle!) and then put a mooncup in afterwards and it worked first time. I think they did monitor ovulation too.

Good luck!

@ComebackQueen Hi. I have this too although a much less severe case. I'm booked in to see a gynecologist end of Nov to discuss with them so happy to feedback their suggestions? As I say, mine is much less extreme but still very painful at times...

@Chica1990 i will order that off amazon tonight.

Yes, wishing us luck and lots and lots of baby dust.

@bellinique thank you, definitely think it’s worth trying, I’ll have to dilate like mad first but at my peak I could get the smaller tampon in for about 1/2Mins so definitely I could tolerate a very slim syringe long enough to release the swimmer.

@AMS19 ah wonderful if you could, I still think no one really understand how mentally and physically this affects us.
Hoping all goes well with your appointment next month.

Fair enough re gluten but imo you shouldn't cut the dairy. I've had to due to breast feeding an allergic baby and can't get back to it. I've got great substitutes but yet nails and health is not as good. Now I'm allergic as I've cut it out for so long.

@Morechocmorechoc ok so the consensus is gluten can go but diary is fine. Coincidentally, I saw milk was listed on one of those fertility diet food groups, ill discuss with my acupuncturist again but I’ll run this by my GP for a more scientific backed answer too.

Thank you

Anything you give up for long periods is hard. I had to ditch gluten too for 6 months. Terrible bloating for a year after reintroducing. Lost loads of weight though! I dont know the food link to pregnancy issues, just nutrients in dairy is important esp when breastfeeding. Also giving up gluten is hard so be sure its needed!!