Hello-
I (F30) have been in PT since the start of the year for chondromalacia patella/bilateral patella tendonitis.When we try a return to run program (very gradual), no matter how well im handling strength training, they blow up again; currently going on week 4 of inflammation. I got an MRI and showed I have a partial tear in right ACL, I have met with two orthos to confirm that surgery is def not necessary and we need to adapt PT to include more plyometrics.
They are very inflamed and one has developed a bakers cyst. The ortho I saw was an ortho surgeon and doesn't seem like he usually does injections of steroids but when I showed him my cyst and explained many times that I can't walk comfortably and ice/antiinflammatories aren't doing anything, said he could prescribe me prednisone orally to get get the inflammation under control.
Do you think I should wait and go to a more sports medicine oriented ortho to request cortisone SHOTS or is the oral equally effective? It is a 6 day dose. I've read mixed things like localized is more efficient and less likely to cause severe reactions. Thoughts?

This is a long one so I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it and can maybe give me some insight of their own experiences trying to get biologics and if the generic ones are any easier to get insurance to approve/pay for than the name brand.
I've been on Humira for about 5 years now and it's worked wonderfully for me but I'm having an increasingly difficult time getting my meds, to the point that almost one week out of every month I end up having to miss a dose due to issues with insurance or the pharmacy or the financial assistance, it's always something. These constant occurrences of having to miss doses (there's been multiple instances where I was off my meds for months at a time sorting out these types of issues) have caused me to have to increase my dose from every other week to weekly injections because the medicine wasn't working as effectively as it should be.
I'm sure you all know that when you repeatedly go on and off of biologics like this your body starts to build up a resistance and the medication becomes less and less effective at managing the disease.
Anyways, I used to be on the my abbvie assist program and that's how I got my meds for the first 4 years I was on them. I had a lot of issues with that program too, but for the most part, I got my meds on time and they shipped me three months at a time so even if it was late once or twice a year, it wasn't happening every month. Last year at the end of November I submitted a new application for financial assistance (which you have to do every year). It took them an incredibly long time to process the request and they kept telling me I was missing information on the application or that they needed my doctor to fax something over. It took 8 weeks of this back and forth before they finally called and told me that they had changed their program requirements. At this point, I had been off of my meds for two months and had to be put on steroids again to try and control the disease until they approved my application. They told me because my insurance company offers a copay savings card program I was now ineligible to use the my abbvie assist program.
So, I called the copay savings card program and got signed up with them. The first two months were fine (February and March), they shipped me a month's worth of meds each time and I was able to get them on time for $5/month. I thought great, this is working, I'm finally back on my medication. Boy was I wrong. Last month I started having issues again. At first, they told me that I didn't have any refills left, which didn't make sense because I had only refilled twice so I called my doctor and asked her to send in more refills. She called me back and said she had personally talked to the pharmacy and I still had 4 refills left so she wasn't sure why they weren't letting me refill it. So I called the pharmacy back and asked them to refill, saying my doctor confirmed with them and I had refills left. Long story short after about 5 days of calling people and getting sent to dozens of different departments and being given different phone numbers to call (one lady even gave me the phone number of an entirely different company that doesn't even supply my medication, it was absolutely insane how completely mismanaged they were and how much nobody I spoke to knew anything about who I needed to talk to). Eventually, I found out that they had changed the phone number to the specialty pharmacy and the number that I'd been using for the last couple of months to refill my medication now only went to the normal pharmacy, which is why they couldn't find my refills. I finally got my meds but it had been another 2 weeks of being off of them.
This month, I called again to refill my meds last Friday. I was told that my copay savings card was no longer active and if I wanted my meds I had to pay the $1300+ copay out of pocket. Obviously I can't afford that, but the copay savings card line was closed by that point in the evening so I had to wait until Monday this week to call them. I left a message yesterday and finally got someone to talk to me today. They told me that my account had been flagged and I had to call a separate number to complete a "benefits review". Okay, fine. I spent 3 hours on the phone with these people today and this is what I've learned:

• I am apparently using the available funds on the copay card "too quickly" and spending too much at a time on my medication so my account was flagged and insurance is threatening to increase my already very high deductible unless I spend less money on my medication per month (how??? it's not like I get to choose how much they are). They are effectively telling me that I can no longer use the copay card unless I want to deal with serious consequences with my insurance coverage. I've used almost all of the available funds they gave me for the year, and they won't be giving me any more.
  
• There is another savings program that my insurance uses that offers "cost relief" to help cover what the copay card won't so I can still afford my medication. Apparently, even though this is something my insurance covers, my specific plan excludes it as a benefit so I can't use it.
  
• This leaves me with two options. I can either pay $1300 upfront with my own money to get my meds every month and then wait for them to reimburse me, which I can't afford, or I can apply for the abbvie debit card program which works similarly to the copay assistance but is instead a physical card that they send me and I use that to pay the copays so my insurance is happy and then I pay abbvie the $5/month copay directly. I don't fully understand how it works but at this point, I don't care, as long as someone is sending me medication. I said I'd like to use the abbvie debit card, they said great we'll call you in approximately 3 business days to get you the card number. My next dose is in 3 business days. So best case scenario I'm missing another week's dose waiting for the debit card number so I can order the prescription and then waiting for the medication to ship.
  

I am so completely and utterly exhausted by this entire process and I am sick and tired of constantly missing doses of my medication. It's fucking with my body, it's sending me into flare ups, and it's decreasing the effectiveness of this medication that I am fighting so fucking hard to get every single month. I'm losing money having to take time off work to spend hours on the phone with these people. I just can't do this every month for the foreseeable future. It's not sustainable.
I am so close to calling my doctor and asking to switch medications to something that is cheaper or easier to acquire because I simply can't do this every month. But, tbh I don't have much hope that this won't be my experience with any medication I try. I'm also very afraid of possible side effects, Humira has worked wonderfully for me (when I can actually fucking take it) and I haven't had any side effects, switching meds is risky in that I could have a poor reaction to it and it could not work as well at controlling my symptoms. Has anyone out there had an easier time getting generic meds than their name brand counterparts? Is there any hope for getting my meds consistently on time without spending hours and hours of my life every month fighting with these people only for my meds to be late anyways? I'm at the end of my rope here. I desperately want someone to tell me that this isn't the universal experience but I'm also not stupid enough to believe I'll have better luck with any other company. I'm not even really sure what I'm looking for here. Advice? Hope? A place to vent? It just all feels pointless sometimes.
TL;DR - I'm having an incredibly hard time getting my Humira every month and keep getting kicked off of the financial assistance programs. This is causing me to miss a lot of doses and I'm obviously having a bad time as a result of that. Are the generic options any easier to get than the name brands like Humira? Is there any biologic out there that isn't this difficult to get every month?

So some of you may remember me from my post about the horrible “purging” from my Tret and clindamycin combo that I was prescribed. After less than 2 weeks, I had a horrible reaction that left my entire face red, bumpy, and filled with white heads. I went from smooth skin with maybe a couple of pimples and acne marks to severe acne.
Even though this is an ongoing issue, it’s still a long read! I’m so sorry in advance!
About two months ago, I quit spirono due to a bad reaction I had (I wrote an essay in my history if anyone is interested) and haven’t had too much of a problem with acne returning.
My skincare routine was originally spirono (before I quit it), azealic acid and retinol, but my dermatologist said they won’t renew my prescription unless I visit them. I didn’t want to spend the money to visit them because my dermatologist is really expensive ($170 per visit) with really limited availability and always just talks about accutane despite me saying I wasn’t interested, so I decided not to book with them and to instead just go with telehealth to get my prescription renewed. This was such a mistake!
When I talked with the nurse on GoodRx care, she suggested I go on doxycycline and spironolactone- which were both medications I wrote in the notes that I couldn’t go on. I explained again that I couldn’t go on it , so she gave me a list of prescriptions to “choose” from, which I thought was a little strange but I figured that it was normal since I never used telehealth for dermatologist before. I told her I would be willing to try an antibiotic and tretinoin. She prescribed me clindamycin and tretinoin, and told me to read the instructions on how and when to use them. Thinking back at it, it’s strange that she prescribed me such a higher dosage of both (1% clindamycin and 0.05% tretinoin) but I just “trusted the process.”
I explained my routine in the original post if anyone is interested, but it was fairly simple. After just a few days though, my entire face erupted in giant bumps (not cysts, but they looked very similar. They were red inflamed legions with no pus), pimples, and whiteheads. I posted some pictures of the before vs after if anyone is interested, but just know it got so much worse after that.
After visiting my original prescriber, the doctor supervising her (this was all on GoodRx care, so the chat was accessible to everyone) told me to immediately go to urgent care (she never saw pictures of my acne post-treatment, I only described what happened. This is because you can’t send additional pictures via good rx care). I called urgent care and they said they could help with the itching or any pain, but they can’t do much besides that. My face was itchy, constantly inflamed, and in so much pain. I went back to nurse that gave me the routine. The original prescriber told me that she was considering adding me on to an oral antibiotic to help and I agreed, only for her to never send the prescription to the pharmacy. I went back to the chat and asked about the prescription only for the PCA to respond that I needed to pay for another appointment if I wanted another prescription.
So I made another appointment and explained what happened, only for a new nurse to respond and tell me to see a doctor because my acne was too severe and that I already used the treatments that they had available. She said she was unwilling to prescribe anything else due to my reaction to their prescriptions.
At this point, I spent so much money on appointments and medications and I just felt very tired and frustrated. I made an appointment with a primary care physician and explained what happened. He said the reaction was likely due to the 1% clindamycin and to stop using it immediately. I also thought that might be the case because a few days before seeing him I patch tested clindamycin on my chest and noticed that my chest felt itchy the next day, and that I had some red marks on it.
I talked with him about how I believed that I was having a reaction and not normal acne, and after discussion we settled on a steroid course for 10 days and an antibiotic for 30 days. The steroid (a corticosteroid) treats the inflammation and the antibiotic will treat the bacterial aspect. This is all in addition to maintaining the tretinoin in my routine.
Thank you to everyone that gave me advice on that post! Especially to the person that told me to understand the difference between irritation and purging. My case was NOT purging. This was clear because I had acne in areas I’ve never broken out before. I’ve also had acne for years, so I knew the itchy redness was unusual. I kept trying to convince myself that I was overreacting, but after talking to you all, my friends, and that doctor, now I realize that I should be much more careful and observant with my health.
Also, be careful with telehealth, it’s hard to get the same quality of care as an actual doctor. I deeply regret trying to be cheap and fast with my skin. I’m now, quite literally, paying for it (financially and emotionally lol). Also, don’t stay stuck in an echo chamber! I love all the support I got from you all, but it’s important to realize that the answer isn’t always “just be patient and stick with it,” if you think something is up, then talk with a professional!
I just wanted to share this update in case it helps anyone. Again, thank you so so much for all the kindness I received from my last post!

I posted about this awhile back and did not get much response but I am gaslighting myself and need people who have gone through this or similar to help me be objective.
I will Try to keep this brief but it's a lot.
-long history of stricturing Crohn's of terminal ileum diagnosed in 2006. First resection Sept 2018, Last resection in April 2022. Surgeon told me he found Crohn's high up in small bowel, could not remove safely, hoped new biologic (Stelara) would take care of it.
-6 month delay in starting Stelara due to GI F up (forgot to send preauthorization)
-July 2022 began having severe upper gastric pain (under ribs and belly button) after even the smallest amount of food, followed by severe nausea and often vomiting. Within half hour multiple liquid BM's undigested food and insane amount of fluid. Began to eat less and less, moved to soft diet, and finally to complete liquids in August 2023
-July 2023-Oct 2023- Weight loss of 20 lbs over 3 month period. Many ER visits needed for rehydration and IV anti emetics and pain meds as could not keep down any oral meds. GI did colonoscopy but only found microscopic Crohn's in anastomosis site (he only took 2 biopsies from that area and nowhere else). CT's done in hospital showed thickening of wall of ascending colon, and collapsed bowel, free fluid in peritoneum. GI dismissed as "not reliable". Fecal Cal slightly elevated. Constant low grade anemia. After 4th ER visit in Oct 2023 they did a high res Ultrasound and I was admitted by surgery department. However, as I was urgent but not emergent, there were no beds available. Was given choice of staying in ER and receiving IV steroids, or going home and following up with GI. Chose home and was given Entocort. Entocort slowed down bowel from 30-50 bm's a day to ten. Did not help pain, nausea, vomiting, lack of ability to eat. After several desperate emails where I begged for help, said I wanted to die-GI ordered urgent MRI, would not change meds or give prednisone without "proof".
-November 2023-Began to experience fatigue like never before. Could hardly keep eyes open. This would be followed by severe upper gastric pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea that went on for days, followed by constipation for 1-2 days and severe bloating, only on the left side of belly which would be rock hard and hot to the touch. Then the diarrhea cycle woud begin again. Always pure liquid, sometimes black, always tons of mucous.
-Went to Mexico to visit my parents for the holidays where I usually feel better but still could not eat. Injecting myself with IM Gravol (anti emetic) just to keep fluids down. I lived off of chicken broth with rice. Saw GI in private hospital. Ordered full workup. Blood found in stool. 3 D CT ordered (could not find a vein for IV after 5 nurses, two doctors, and a radiologist with a vein finder so only had oral contrast) showed inflammation in small bowel, thickening of the ascending colon wall 11 mm, and inflammation of ileum. He wanted to send me to special IBD hospital in Mexico City for MRI but it would have cost 2500$ so I decided to wait till I got home to Canada where it would be free. Treated me with antibiotics for IBS (only available in Mexico and Germany) Zero improvement. I lived off of electrolyte drinks.
-Jan 29th 2024 returned to hospital because I could not keep any oral meds in (pills would be in toilet) also pain was 9/10, high fever, vomiting. Admitted again, but no beds. Left AMA with another prescription for Entocort.
-Feb 12 2024- High fever followed by two days of 40 plus liquid BM's, some of them bloody, all of them black. Husband insisted back to ER where I was admitted immediately. Cortisol levels 11 (close to adrenal failure) very low potassium. Doc said if we'd waited I likely would have died from heart event. Spent 8 + weeks in hospital having every kind of test imaginable. NOTHING showed on MRI, inflammation on CT, lower scope clear, upper endoscopy showed inflammation in esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Negative for H Pylori, negative for celiac. Started on 150 mg of hydrocortisone for low cortisol to rescue my organs. MRI of brain showed small tumour on pituitary. Endocrinologist did ACTH test and was unhappy, kept me on 40 mg of hydrocortisone IV. PICC line insertion went awry when they Discovered I had complete stenosis of veins and needed port catheter surgically implanted. Was on TPN for 5 weeks. Needed pain meds and anti emetics every 4 hours or severe vomiting and diarrhea would ensue. 30-50 liquid bm's continued (they made me write down everything I ingested and every time I had a BM. They tested me for everything. No blood, NO CDiff, no parasites, no infection. High fever 104.5 plus delirium and CRP shot up to 50. Continued Anemia, blood work all over the place, even with TPN I needed potassium and sodium boluses 3 times a day.
-Requested pill endoscopy, GI said no Crohn's, no need for test. Suggested psych evaluation for a fucking eating disorder. Endocrinologist disagreed, said starvation and whatever disease process was causing symptoms was causing my cortisol issue. Psych diagnosed medical PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder (no shit) but NO eating disorder. Fired GI and hired IBD specialist from another city. Re ran all tests, CT showed huge diverticulum on duodenum otherwise clear. Was going to be moved to a ward from a private room. Had a panic attack because I could not share a bathroom and was not about to use a commode. Asked to be discharged after nearly 9 weeks. They were so overcrowded and basically did not know what else to do to help me, so they let me go even though I was still on TPN and NPO. Got a 5 minute instruction on how to insert a butterfly catheter for pain meds, and let go.
-Present-3 weeks later, still on liquid diet, (Boost drinks, blended oatmeal, yoghurt and soup) still on sub q and IM meds. Finally got new IBD doc to order capsule endoscopy and is treating me for SIBO (never been tested) plus set me up with nutritionist and psychologist for support. MRI repeated- totally clear.
I FEEL CRAZY. This is the sickest I have ever felt. It's been almost a year since I chewed food. The pain under my ribs just to the left of my belly button is now constant, whether I eat or not, pain meds barely take the edge off. Sometimes it's so intense I can hardly breathe. I keep passing out on the toilet. I projectile vomit daily, even using Gravol and Pantoprozole, the bile acid is awful. I've been doing tons of research and have learned that GDC and Jejunal Crohn's are extremely hard to diagnose. I have every single symptom and fit the criteria. Does this sound familiar to anyone????

Son 8.5 M, 45 lbs has abdominal pain since February. He doesn't go to school and stays in bed most of the time. It happened before but not as severe and went away after a month or so. We realize we need to wait longer for Amitripltyne to work but we are concened that he has rear good days (hours) and in bed most of the time. Normally he is a bright, fun and social boy and now doesn't leave his bed. Could this be something not tested for?
Current Outpatient Medications
famotidine 40 MG/5ML Recon susp - Take 2 mL (16 mg) by mouth at bedtime
gabapentin (Neurontin) 250 MG/5ML Solution Take 3 mL (150 mg) by mouth twice a day

hyoscyamine 0.125 MG Tab - does not help

amitriptyline 10 mg Tab - full dosage started May 2nd, makes him agressive

Medical History Summary:
8.5 years old has been constipating for many years. He has been diagnosed with encopresis in 2021. Ever since he was diagnosed with encopresis He was on MiraLAX .5 to .75 cup twice a day. This helped him to control his constipation. During all this time except for approximately a few weeks he was soiling his pants almost daily. He was also frequently complaining about abdominal pain. Per doctor’s recommendation we were reminding him to sit on the toilet after each meal. Feeding him with homemade meals and we try to limit processed food. We did physical therapy and psychologist therapy. He has a toilet foot stool and seat.
About 1 year ago (January 2023), a bowel cleanup was performed per Max’s pediatrician recommendations. One cupful of MiraLAX was given every 3 hours. (No fasting or clear food diet was recommended)
During that time evacuated lots of poops with diarrhea content. We did not achieve the yellow fluid and stopped after a couple of days. Since this cleanup Max experienced severe abdominal pain for about a month.
Per GI doctor recommendation, we were no longer doing cleanup to avoid severe abdominal pain. Instead, Max was back on his MiraLAX dose .75 cup twice a day with fiber gummies 4mg a day.
He has good apetite most of the time, except after a dose of Exlax. His stool was always help soft over these years.
Notes from GI visit April 22nd - Today he has more guarding, mild distension and tenderness. I can't tell if he has a surgical abdomen (ie volvulus, appendicitis) but it is not associated with vomiting or eating. His most likely diagnosis is abdominal migraines (abdominal pain and headaches) and anxiety at this point, but the pattern has been consistent without as much good days. Activity makes him worse, and we have considered ACNES as well. He has had multiple cleanouts, and the periodic soiling could be from inattentiveness. Perhaps this is from constipation, but should rule out surgical abdomen at this time. We had a long conversation today about abdominal migraines, but upon repeat exam, it is still quite guarded. Pain is daily / off and on. Has had 2 good days in last 3 weeks Appetite is good except when pain is high. No vomiting. Stooling daily with miralax. Sleeping well.
UPPER Endoscopy Diagnosis
A. Duodenum, mucosal biopsy:- Duodenal mucosa with no pathologic change. B. Duodenum, bulb, mucosal biopsy:- Duodenal mucosa with a small lamina propria lymphoid aggregate. C. Stomach, antrum/body, mucosal biopsy: - Antral-and oxyntic-type gastric mucosa with focal features of mild reactive (chemical) gastropathy. D. Esophagus, distal, mucosal biopsy: - Squamous epithelium with rare intraepithelial eosinophils (up to 2 per high-power field). E. Esophagus, proximal, mucosal biopsy:- Squamous epithelium with rare intraepithelial eosinophils (up to 1 per high-power field).
The overall findings are nonspecific. The esophageal findings do not meet threshold numerical criteria for a diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis. Reflux related changes are favored. Clinical correlation is recommended.

CT ABDOMEN PELVIS W CONTRAST

Narrative

IMPRESSION:Normal appendix. No CT evidence of inflammatory changes in the abdomen or pelvis. Moderate stool burden in the colon.NarrativeINDICATION: o appendicitis/abscess - GI requesting CT d/t guarding/distensionEXAMINATION: CT ABDOMEN AND PELVIS WITH CONTRAST - CT Abdomen And Pelvis W/ Contrast InjectionTECHNIQUE: Multiple axial images were obtained of the abdomen and pelvis following IV contrast. A radiation dose optimizationtechnique was used for this scan. DLP: 29.8 , CTDI vol: 0.63IV Contrast dosage and agent: 63 mL of Isovue 300Oral contrast: Administered.COMPARISON: None.____________________________________________FINDINGS:LOWER CHEST: Lung bases are clear without any infiltrate. No pleural effusion noted. There is no cardiomegaly or pericardialeffusion.LIVER: The liver has a homogeneous density. No focal masses noted. There is no intrahepatic biliary ductal dilatation.GALLBLADDER AND BILIARY TREE: No calcified gallstones. No gallbladder distension or wall edema. No intra- or extrahepaticbiliary ductal dilation.PANCREAS: No focal cystic or solid mass. There is no pancreatic ductal dilatation or peripancreatic fluid.SPLEEN: Normal size without focal cystic or solid mass.ADRENAL GLANDS: Normal.KIDNEYS AND URETERS: Both kidneys have a normal enhancement without hydronephrosis, renal cysts, masses or perinephric fluid.There is no hydroureter.PERITONEUM: No ascites or free air. No other fluid collection.BOWEL: No abnormal dilatation of the bowel loops is noted. Contrast is noted in several nondilated small bowel loops and in thecolon up to the splenic flexure. Moderate stool noted in the colon, including the rectum. Terminal ileum is visualized andappears normal. A normal caliber partially contrast filled appendix is seen in the right lower quadrant. A few scattered foci ofair also noted in the appendix. No adjacent inflammatory changes are seen. The appendix is best visualized on axial series #2,images 58-69/139.LYMPH NODES: No enlarged mesenteric or retroperitoneal lymph nodes.VESSELS: Vasculature appears normal. No stenosis or aneurysmal dilatation noted.URINARY BLADDER: Appears normal without wall thickening, mass or trabeculations.REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS: No pelvic masses.ABDOMINAL WALL: No discrete abdominal or pelvic wall hernia.BONES: No lytic or blastic abnormality.
Blood tests - Collection date: April 30, 2024 11:08 AM
Lactase 13.9 Normal value: >=14.0 nmol/min/mg Prot
Sucrase 51.0 Normal value: >=19.0 nmol/min/mg Prot
Maltase 201.3 Normal value: >=70.0 nmol/min/mg Prot
Palatinase 15.8 Normal value: >=6.0 nmol/min/mg Prot
Glucoamylase 24.2 Normal value: >=8.0 nmol/min/mg Prot

Sed Rate 9

Ferritin 24.7

C-Reactive Protein < .5

Lead, Venous, B <.1

White Blood Count 5.98

Hemoglobin 14.7

Mean Cell Volume 81.8

MCHC 34.5

Platelet Count 302

Red Blood Count 5.21

Hematocrit 42.6

MCH 28.2

RDW 12.4

MPV 8.8

Segmented Neutrophils (ABS #) 2.35

Final Absolute Neutrophil Count 2.35

Lymphocytes (ABS #) 3.8

Eosinophils (ABS #) 0.05

Immature Granulocytes (ABS #) 0

Monocytes (ABS #) .47

Basophils (ABS #) .03

Add: he has headaches on the right side and sensativity to light, not sure how often but at least several times a week.

I (24M) was having a really good time February 2023. I passed got my Bachelor's degree, made plans to study Master's abroad, found a really good job there, enjoyed my hobbies and had fun with friends. Then I had a surgery (septoplasty and cysts removed) in March and my whole life collapsed. Started to feel sick and couldn't sleep. Simple daily activities became super difficult because of fatigue, balance issues and headaches. As I had depression and anxiety in the past, my doctor assumed all is psychosomatic and I was prescribed antidepressants and later antipscyhotics. I also went to therapy. They didn't make me feel better even a little bit, so I started investigating what could be wrong. Some doctors were supportive but couldn't figure out what's wrong, some tried to gaslight me that I'm fully healthy and just imagining it. Meanwhile, I developed GI and skin issues and regularly had a temperature for a few days. Despite these, I managed to work part-time and even passed some exams at the uni, but it felt like torture. Not because I didn't find it interesting, but bacause I was constantly feeling like shit.
Got tested for Lyme disease in November, positive. As doctors covered by my insurance had no clue and tried to gaslight me again that it's just a false positive, I went to an expensive specialist and was prescribed antibiotics and supplements. I went on unpaid leave from my work and took a break for this semester from uni. She told me that I will likely feel better by 4-6 months. The thing is, I don't. Now she says some patiens need a longer time to recover, it can be even years.
At the beginning, my parents were kind and supportive, but now they don't understand why I haven't recovered yet. They (mainly my mother) denies that I'm sick and my symptoms are real, doesn't seem to understand the concept of chronic illness and blames me for it: she constantly says things like it must be bacause I don't do enough exercise, stay inside too much and think negatively. Now, she is basically forcing me go back abroad and thinks that forcing myself to be as active as if I would be healthy will somehow cure me. She believes that being able to walk and read means nothing is wrong with me.
I can't deal with this. I have like 20 symtoms, 2 or 3 of them would already be really uncomfortable, but all of them together are debilitating. I can't imagine how I will work every week and study for exams with this much pain and fatigue. If I had a child dealing with a chronic illness, I would tell them it's okay if they are taking a break and having rest until they get better, and definitely wouldn't blame and shame them.
Facing a chronic illness with an uncertain outcome at a young age is depressing enough, but I feel that losing support from my family is the last straw. I will manage to get enough prescription drugs to off myself next month. I will rather do it than suffer alone in pain for nobody knows how long.

I’m on year 7 of my IC journey that started at 15 years old. I’ve had pretty much everything under the sun with multiple specialists, so I thought I would share for people in the same positions I was in during the beggining.
Regular gyno or urologists are oftentimes clueless about IC. Please see a urogyno asap.
Hydroxozine and Benadryl can help with the bladder sensitivity and burning a bit as well as help you sleep.
If you’re looking for something non drowsy Zyrtec may work for you and one of my friends has really good luck with Xyzal (both are otc).
There are some studies about the long term effects of too much Benadryl so I’d be cautious about that.
Some supplements that many people with IC take consistently are D-mannose, aloe tablets, magnesium (for the muscles and sleep), and marshmallow root. I’ve noticed improvement from D-mannose and aloe for the burning but not as much marshmallow root.
The aloe tablets are also great for those with vaginal dryness from their inflammation.
Desert harvest also has an AMAZING cream called relevium you can order over the counter with 4% lidocaine in it as well as aloe and vitamin e that helps repair skin and reduce inflammation. It’s so good for the burning. Do not use it inside (but a little won’t hurt if it gets in there). It’s mainly for urethra irritation and burning.
IC is not simply a bladder disorder originating from inside your bladder. It HEAVILY affects your muscles. Feel inside your vagina and if it’s very tight, banding, or causing painful intercourse you likely have hypertonic pelvic floor issues either causing or exacerbating your IC. There are many stretches you can do to help this as well as pelvic floor therapy. It’s a godsend for many, but don’t get discouraged if it gets a little worse before it gets better with that. It’s part of the process with the lactic acid build up in your muscles.
There are two common kinds of PFT one of which you should be very wary of. The first time I went through this process I saw a team who focused on electrostimulation therapy. This is where a probe is inserted vaginallty and anally and contracts the muscles more and more with each visit. That method also focuses on kegals. Not only does it make most people much worse while they’re in treatment, it’s proven to not be very effective at all and make some people worse. The goal of this method is to essentially wear out your muscles to the point they finally give up and relax. It’s effective for very few people and I would suggest only doing it as a last resort.
I would recommend pelvic floor therapy involving muscle relaxers, stretches, and vaginal massage before that. The way that works is that they essentially cut off blood flow to those tense muscles through massage, hoping that the fresh oxygenated blood flowing in helps the muscles to heal and relax. Once again this may feel worse before it feels better due to the lactic acid buildup.
Do not give up on Pelvic Floor Therapy until you’ve given it 6-12 weeks.
If those muscles are stubborn there are options for pelvic floor Botox injections as well as bladder injections. These can also be done under anasthesia during other procedures like cystoscopy and hydro hydrodistention. I honestly recommend doing that because it is very painful without it and may stress the fuck out of your muscles if you’re awake.
hydrodistention is when they fill your bladder to max capacity. This is done routinely to stretch your bladder and to measure bladder capacity.
There is also the bacterial side of things. Some people with IC have overgrowths of bacteria in their urine. There is a 24 hour urine test you can do to look at how your urine is comprised and how much you’re peeing. There is also a culture where they culture all the bacteria’s in your bladder in one inviroment as they would grow inside you. This is to replicate the environment of your bladder to see if you have any antibiotic resistances, overgrowths, or other things.
Ureaplasma and mycoplasma are another theory that’s kinda controversial and expensive to test for. But some consider it an std. it’s a type of bacteria that can overgrow in your bladder, but also it’s kinda a part of the natural microbiome so I don’t know how much credit I give that.
You may notice that you have other conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and or IBS. These conditions are also inflaming your pelvis and can make your bladder more angry if not under check. However, I DONT suggest going crazy trying to cure other pelvic conditions in order to fix your bladder. That’s what I did and it didn’t work as I’d have hoped. I’d try to find multiple doctors or people recommended by ur urogynocologist to help you manage everything together if that sounds like you.
Hope this helps!

(24f)So tomorrow will be my first time going into pain management. I have muscoloskeletal pain in my neck and low back from multiple horse back riding accidents and being rear ended at a stop by someone going 83mph. I have a herniated disc in my L4-5 with nerve root impingement but with out leg pain. I also have endometriosis and migraines. My Pcp has been wonderful in trying to help me and has sent me through PT twice where we tried acupuncture, dry needling, trigger point massage, muscle scrapping, exercises, and sent me home with a tens unit which i still use.When that didn't work she tried various meds including muscle relaxers like flexeril and robaxin , nerve medications like gaba and lyrica, NSAIDs, naproxen, and various lidocaine cremes. She even send me to a spine specialist and we tried a epidural steroid injection that unfortunately didn't work. For awhile she was prescribing me 10mg hydrocodone/ 325 acetaminophen with the robaxin and the combination works fantastic at allowing me to function through out the day. She unfortunately was not comfortable continuing to prescribe it and took me off of the combo two weeks ago stating she didn't want me on it if she couldn't guarantee pain management would continue to prescribe it. She told me to go to the ER for flareups and I've gone once because of endo, a migraine, and back muscle spasms happening all at once leaving me unable to leave bed. They gave me a migraine cocktail which surprisingly helped alot.
Yesterday i (stupidly) thought it was a good idea to get on a family horse after not riding since 2018 and got thrown again. I went to the ER just to make sure i didn't have a concussion or break anything. I at first declined any meds as i didnt think id need them at first, but once i came out of shock and the pain set in i finally agreed. It definitely aggravated my back and neck issues and the ER dr was kind enough to give me hydrocodone 5mg/ 325 acetaminophen for two days along with along exercises to help relax the muscles spasms in my neck and back until i see pain management. He warned me that PM might be irritated with me for going to the ER instead of waiting for my appointment.
My main question is how do i best prepare for my appointment tomorrow? Im open to trying new things but im afraid they will retry methods we have already ruled out or i will be told its because i have mental illness ( I've been in therapy for over a decade and been treated with a good med combo for the past 2-3 years. I've been doing so well we are going to take me off of my rescue ativan as i haven't needed it. I am on adderall for adhd and only started a few weeks ago) my Pcp has been focusing on my back pain as its the primary issue i have but id also like to address my migraines and endo pain since the migraines can leave me bed ridden for 2-4 days and the endo pain has gotten as bad as labor contractions. I'm open to a multi faceted approach as i don't want to be on opiates forever. Ideally it'd be like with my anxiety treatment where once we finally built up a good treatment plan id be at a point where i don't find my self needing them and can say hey lets stop this and continue on with the other treatment. I just don't really know how to approach that and don't want to be flagged as soon as i walk through the door. Im young and often get told im too young to be in so much pain despite having a long paper trail of traumatic injuries, endo surgeries, etc. I've always been compliant and optimistic about trying new treatments. What should i expect to deal with? What question have you found to be important to ask? Any advice welcomed!

I've had Meniere's for about 9 years now. It was pretty bad in the first few years, but slowly was much more manageable as I made more and more life changes. For roughly the last 2 years, I've had almost no symptoms, which has been incredible – until a couple weeks ago.
I posted on here in another thread about my sudden series of attacks. High stress, alcohol, and a particularly potent allergy season (I think) caused my worst flair-up yet.
I spent about 2.5 weeks with disabling tinnitus, ear pressure, fullness, and of course vertigo. I had attacks every other day, which turned into every day. Some lasted 4+ hours, some 3, most 1-2. By the end, I was so full of meclizine and diazepam that I could barely recognize reality anymore. I spent so much time just trying to calm myself down while lying as still as possible in bed. It was really weighing on me and I was starting to feel this was all there was going to be to life.
But in the midst of all that, you all were amazingly supportive as I shared pieces of this story and asked questions. It really helped to hear your stories and get your ideas on how I can better handle the symptoms.
I'm thrilled to say that finally about 4 days ago the vertigo relented, my ear little by little released, and the tinnitus faded away. There's still a super faint ringing in my ear, but most of the time I don't notice it. I'm also left with slight hearing loss on the low end of the sound spectrum. But otherwise, I feel normal. And that's a brilliant feeling.
I made multiple doctor visits, including a steroid ear injection and a full vestibular test. Here's what I learned from the doc (most of which will not be news to many of you):
Valium / Diazepam usage - I shouldn't fear taking this every day. No harm. No real risk of addiction. Long before that happens, it'll just make me too sleepy to even take more. 5mg daily is not a problem.
Ear - Even after all I went through, my ear drum looks intact and fully healed, with no sign of BPPV. Given that I have no physiological issues, he said my attacks will be worse than if I did have issues. He likened it to if I was sitting on a tall stool and he suddenly pulled it out from under me – the fall would really hurt. But if I was sitting on a short stool and he did that, the fall would hurt a lot less, if at all. Basically, if my ear was damaged, the Meniere's symptoms would not be as dramatic. But since my ear is healthy, it's a big difference causing major vertigo.
Allergies - Some docs yes it's related, others say no. I take Zyrtec daily and he said I could try Claritin or Allegra easily, but doesn't believe switching would do anything.
Cannabis gummies - He said these could take the edge off an attack, if diazepam doesn't feel like a good option. Since stress is a huge factor, this could help me chill out, taken responsibly.
Next flair up: Recommends at the first earliest sign I take steroid pills he prescribed, plus Meclizine, and diazepam all at once. He said that might stop it from evolving too far.
Maybe some of the above will help someone else here.
Regardless – Thank you all for helping me through this!

1. Drones The strangest and most benign form of the zombie, although thankfully not the most rare, is the drone. Some people are defined by their jobs and metaphorically do not have a life outside of it , and in undeath this can become literal. The drone continues to perform the job it did in life to the best of its ability to the exclusion of all else. They retain their intelligence, but their minds become…limited and they lose creativity and imagination. A drone will not lift a finger to save someone getting ripped apart in front of them unless they’re a client, a customer, or in their custody or under their protection.
   
2. Screaming Speedies It’s runs fast and it screams when it spots prey, alerting other zombies. Not complicated.
   
3. Vegheads Zombies that eat plants instead of meat. Not benign. A horde can devour an entire orchard or field in a couple of hours. Famine on foot.
   
4. The diffusion Aiming for the head doesn’t work. You’ll have to hack it to pieces to kill it.
   
5. Glowies Zombies dipped in nuclear waste. They’ll kill you with radiation as well as their bites but they’re literally glowing so they’re easier to avoid.
   
6. Bloated Ticks These are not actually giant bloated undead bloodsucking ticks. This is the only thing about them that’s not disgusting. They’re hideously bloated decaying corpses that explode when they attack. Hard enough to do damage. They’re destroyed when they do this but that’s cold comfort when their spine just went through your skull.
   
7. Lovechunks The lovechunks is slightly more clever than the typical zombie and has am IQ about room temperature. They also don’t eat people. This does not render them harmless. Lovechunks want to “spread the love” and infect humans with whatever is causing the zombie outbreak. They’ll bite if they must but their preferred method is to vomit chunky bile into human mouths . They prefer to wait until people are asleep but they may wrestle a victim or beat them into unconsciousness if they can’t catch them that way.
   
8. Mercies Constantly crying zombies that have just enough selfawareness to realise what they are doing. They still need to feed but tend to kill as painlessly as they can. Suicidal survivors often seek them out.
   
9. Bagpipes Bloated with decomposition, multiple slits in their throat, these corpulant gas bags can inflate and then release a harsh air through their slit as a disonant and disorientingly loud chord.
   
10. Masterminds A rare strains who retained most of their sapience, boasting unnatural intelligence, and even being able to converse. They are picky eaters who prefer to feed on high INT creatures and are clever and sadistic enough to manipulate situations, other zombies and even survivors so they can feed their refined pallettes.
    
11. Preta usually formed from turned looters, these poor souls had their mind warped by the curse of undead gluttony and their own greed that they have a compulsion to consume currency and especially shiny gemstones. Their stomachs bloated and jingling with their haul.
    
12. Franks Their bodies act as capacitors and electricity literally courses through their veins. They still feed on humans, their tazer like attacks make feeding easier, but they are also drawn to sources of electricity to recharge. Like shelter generators.
    
13. Hydras Some bonds transcend even death. When a group of people turn, they may seek familiar arms for comfort. There they will lay, rotting and fusing not unlike the rat king, until the call of hunger gets strong enough and this shambling mound prowls through the night, moaning through multiple mouths.
    
14. Virophage Illness is a lesser brought up issue for survival but imagine being ill for all of your unlife. These pathetic, constantly sniffling wretches were turned while sick and their wracked bodies became the perfect breeding ground for a particularly strong airborne virus thats being called ZomFlu. They can disperse this virus in an area the size of a small neighborhood.
    
15. Spellcarved A necromancer has added glowing runes to this zombie's skin. When slain a spell will trigger. Stinking cloud and fireball are popular picks.
    
16. The Colossus A giant of a zombie. Built like a body builder on steroids. Their muscles have muscles.
    
17. The mannequin These zombies are ambush predators. They find mannequins and stand in among them. They wait for people to get close before they pounce on them.
    
18. Memorials The type of zombies from iZombie. They retain their whole personality and most of their appearance so long as they eat brains but are always at risk of going feral if they starve. Named them "Memorials" because of how they get the memories from the Brains they eat, so they serve as a remembrance to not just their former selves, but all the people they've eaten.
    
19. Kitbashes Not all deaths leave tidy corpses, and an infection (or whatever wild magic that may be causing zombies) can't be expected to know what a person was supposed to look like. Whether it's a single corpse or multiple fused together, the zombie phenomenon has fashioned this flesh into something that can move and infect, but could never pass as whatever species it was before undeath. Maybe what once was an arm is used as a leg, Ribs used as teeth, (dog) heads used as pincers.
    
20. Sleepers. These Zombies retain enough intelligence and appearance to pass as survivors, but have no long term memory. Usually they'll passively infect people with coughs, shared equipment, kisses; if found out, they're still capable of infecting with the more traditional bites once their Zombie Instincts kick in. They'll always forget what happens to the groups of survivors that took them in before; they don't know they're zombies, so they don't have to lie to the next group when they ask to be adopted. Zombies ignore them which is the easiest way to discover their condition apart from a cursory health exam.
    
21. The Lost These creatures are technically not zombies anymore, as they've been cured, but they've been zombies for so long that their minds are still like that. Zombies ignore them, they can’t be reinfected, and they can follow simple commands, but they’re about as bright as a particularly stupid dog and aren’t good for much more than carrying your stuff
    
22. The Grind These zombies are essentially aloof to anyone, stuck inhabiting the motions of their former lives, before they ultimately decay. You see them going about elements of their life, stuck in a cycle. Sometimes they're standing in front of a sink mimicking doing the dishes. Others walk around their yards in lawnmowing patterns. Others are seen walking the aisles of supermarkets, inspecting empty shelves. Still others are seen camped out on couches and in lounge chairs, watching static or broken tvs, while others sit at empty dining tables almost as if in conversation.
    
23. Regenerators Rare zombies gain the ability to steadily incorporate biological flesh into their own forms, instead of simply converting the life energy they contain into necrotic energy, they instinctively twist the consumed flesh into becoming part of themselves, in a parody of living, biological consumption.
    
24. The Screamers (Regenerator) Like Regenerators, these can shape their forms by consuming flesh. These gain flesh and hunt their prey by stunning them using highly focused necrotically-infused sonic screech-beams. Their rotting flesh warps to resemble that of a frog, sacs inflate on their neck before an attack.
    
25. Proto-Ghouls (Regenerator) They tend to consume fast-movers, zombies so fresh they haven't rotted away to shuffling mindlessness yet (and thus able to move fast and furiously), in addition to consuming their normal prey (the still-living). Because of the infusion of fresh necrotic energy from the fast-movers, live meat from normal prey, they develop beyond even fast-movers, their limbs often stretching into longer, sharper versions, and their necks extending and gaining great flexibility to both swallow their prey whole, and whip around to snatch it and prevent fleeing.
    
26. Tongue-Lashers (Regenerator) To facilitate prey-entrapment, these bloated parodies of toads transform much of their consumed flesh into massive, long, sticky tongues covered in nasty backward-facing, keratin-based spines. Tongues go out to about 30 feet at maximum extension. A single lick can seriously wound a living victim, infecting them, if they manage to escape, but more likely trapping them, as the tongue-spines grip strongly. They tend to not move fast, instead waiting for victims to come to them, and sit bloated upon the corpses they consume, digesting them slowly.
    
27. Rust-Tongues (Regenerator, Advanced Tongue-Lasher). Those Tongue-lashers that grow powerful and have consumed armored foes, metal weapons, or other metal objects begin to incorporate metal into their bodies, making them even more dangerous and difficult to destroy, and increasing threat range to 60 feet. It usually seems to imprint the metal on the tongue-spines, giving it a chain-saw like effect, and. The more metal, the slower they move, however.
    
28. Armored Rust-Tongue (Regenerator, Boss Tongue-Lasher) Having consumed massive quantities of metal-infused prey, their entire body has hardened and been reinforced by metal, making them slow, but giving them a massive 120 foot threat range on their tongues, as well as greatly increasing their natural armor. They even gain the abilities of rust-monsters as Legendary Actions.
    
29. Flesh Maiden Flat and mostly soft pieces of rotten flesh that move like ooze where the bones now serve as spikes, can grapple with the its former intestines and encase prey in a spiky ball. Can squeeze thought small places like grates.
    
30. Dau'das Blind but a great climber, navigates through superb sense of smell and hearing.
    
31. False vampire Decomposition has made this type look like a nosferatu, they weight very little and can sometimes soar downwards with wing-like skin under arms and legs.
    
32. Dusters (Elemental Dust) These dessicated zombies actively seek water and living creatures that consume water, and then explode in a cloud of noxious, stinking, contagion-laden spore-dust, as per the spell Stinking Cloud. They are vulnerable to Fire damage, but immune to Water based attacks, including Holy Water. Additionally, they bear the following ability: Death Burst: "The duster explodes when it drops to 0 hit points. Each creature within 20 feet of it must succeed on a Moderate DC Constitution saving throw or take (moderate) necrotic damage and become infected with a disease on a failed save. Creatures immune to the poisoned condition are immune to this disease. Spores invade an infected creature's system, giving them an unquenchable thirst (which takes effect within 1d6 hours of infection), making them vulnerable to fire-damage (within 1d6 hours of infection), and killing the creature in a number of days equal to 1d6 + the creature's Constitution score, unless the disease is removed. In half that time, the creature becomes poisoned for the rest of the duration. After the creature dies, it rises into a Duster, unless submerged in water, within 1d6 days.
    

first of all i apologies as this might not be the right community to post this. but i just feel hopeless and i just want peoples answers from literally anywhere. people with vaginas or experiences like this. anything really. :( like really really hopeless and lost. and its draining me mentally.
it all started on early feb. i (24F) had inner left labia pain 2-3 days after sex w my bf (25M) of 2 years (no sexual history prior). went to multiple drs and now none of them are helping me. some were’nt even being serious with me.
my symptoms were left inner labia pain, theres red patch near vagina entrance, slight discharge at the time. went to the pharmacy to get otc clotrimazole cream and i applied it on the area 2-3 times a day for almost a month. but just a few days of using the cream i noticed it didnt help so i visited a dr the same week symptoms appeared. 1st dr (government) gave me clotrimazole suppository 500mg. a week later period came, so i thought, oh maybe my period affected the healing process. so i went to visit another dr (gov) gave me the exact same suppository.
a week later, still havent improved. visited a new dr (gov). took gonorrhea swab test, dr told me i have yellowish discharge (inserted a speculum). and results taken in a gov hosp takes a month to be released. yeah it sucks waiting. so during that visit i was prescribed metronidazole and doxycycline. after i finished the medicines, of course i didnt improve. went to the same dr i visited last time. she examined my area again and told me i have “ulcers”. visually diagnosed me with herpes. now this is already early march. a month after initial symptoms appeared. took blood test and again the waiting game began.
that dr gave me acyclovir tablets. and me being paranoid i went to a private clinic to get tested for hsv. and it came out negative. i was also tested for syphilis, chlamydia and hiv, also negative.
at this point i feel like my pain was unbearable, there was some slight itching, on and off yellow discharge. ulcers still being there and near my vagina entrance hurt. the ulcers are located on my small labia. and the vagina entrance doesnt have ulcers but it hurt. all this located on left. sometimes my clit hood looks red and hurt.
after finishing acyclovir i wasnt healed. my period also ended when i finished the pills, so i went to the pharmacy again to get treated myself since drs treatments werent helping. i got myself otc metronidazole + miconazole combo suppository. and i got myself vaginal probiotics. i also used zinc oxide cream on the affected area.
after that treatment was done i was still not okay. visited the gov clinic to see my results, (which took a month) now its early april, dr told me i was positive gonorrhea. and other results was negative. so i got injected with ceftriaxone, and given doxycycline again. told my bf about my diagnosis, and told him to get tested. our relationship got rocky cuz of this. i didnt cheated and he claims he didnt too. we were kinda accusing each other. so he got tested and his results were negative. shocked of course, so he says i cheated. being in so much distress it affected my mental health so bad. even with hsv diagnosis i didnt eat a few day, woke up crying everyday, and couldnt focus on work where i had to take leaves.
so i went to the gov dr to get explanation and my symptoms have yet to heal after treatment (2 weeks after). surprisingly another dr attended to me at that same gov clinic (for some reason the other times only one same dr attended me) this new dr told me im actually negative gonorrhea and says maybe that other dr treated me empirically. but i swear that other dr told me i was positive and i even asked multiple times to be sure. this new dr told me the results show gonorrhea not detected but pus cell was seen. new dr believes i still have hsv and gave me lidocaine gel.
used the gel, didnt help much. after so many dr visits i felt hopeless and decided to just spend my money doing tests at private clinics rather than taking medicines blindly. so i did an std test for myco, urea and trich, chlamydia and gono, all negative.
then did a high vaginal swab to check my bacteria culture such as yeast and bv, strep. all negative and my vagina flora is normal. but during this test, dr also told me during this test she saw greenish/yellowish discharge (using speculum to get sample). i also did a hsv test again, still negative.
after this i smelled my discharge and it smelled sour. unsure if its normal or not. now end of april, i do still have yellowish discharge, some drs say its normal some says its not. i dont even know. but one of the days the red patch area hurt alot and was so irritated.
visited the gov dr again and she says she cant help me. by this time i wrote all my symptoms in a note on my phone inc pics of my vagina, test results, discharge and all. explaining all in detail and she just laughed at me saying im so extreme for writing everything in detail especially when i said i smelled my discharge and it was sour. she then just refered me to a gov derm.
visited the derm the same day. dr told me it doesnt look like ulcers more like lesions. just given me steroid pills and gel. i also wanted to show the dr my notes but she said its too long to read. i am quite positive and sure that this is not some skin problem that steroids could help. :( i feel like theyre just trying to make me take whatever hoping it gets better.
i then visited a private GYNO the same day. she tried helping. but she couldnt. she read all my notes and seen the pics. she says its weird i tested negative and believes i do or did have an infection going on. she advised me not to take the steroid pills as it could make an infection worse if i do still have one. so i just used the gel instead twice a day. gyno also told me to do a pap smear.
so i did, results came out 2 days ago and i was negative. nothing detected. since everything is for sure clear now, i started taking the steroid pills 2 days ago. today i still have pain on the red patch, the “ulcers” doesnt seem to be healing. but hurt only when touched. sometimes sitting on certain position makes me feel sore. but pain level not as bad as a month or two months ago. but i still have pain. i have been using the steroid gel a week now. i think im going crazy. idk what i have. nobody is able to help me. i know the pain is not just in my brain.
literally the red patch is very red today. ulcers still there. idk if i should stop using the steroid gel. i know i cant stop taking the pills suddenly or id get withdrawal symptoms. the pills are prednisonole. and its taken for 14 days decreasing dosage weekly. maybe ill apply steroid gel once a day now? is that okay tho.
my next appointmnt with the derm is this friday. but i really dont think its a SKIN PROBLEM. :(( i got symptoms 2-3 days after sex. the red patch pain has been there since day one, which is actually where it first started before ulcers popped up. never had outbreaks elsewhere up until now. so im sure its not hsv.
its been 4 months now, its already mid may. im not 100% better. ulcers/lesions have yet to heal since early march. what problem do i have? does anybody have similar experiences? what should i do?
edit: the same timing i tried smelling my discharge, i started noticing my pee smells off? idk if its normal pee smell but i think its musty? or soury? idk how to describe it tbh. but yea, its not like i smell my pee everytime. so im unsure how it smelled before this problem started. it might just be normal and im being paranoid now.

first of all i apologies as this might not be the right community to post this. but i just feel hopeless and i just want peoples answers from literally anywhere. people with vaginas or experiences like this. anything really. :( like really really hopeless and lost. and its draining me mentally.
it all started on early feb. i (24F) had inner left labia pain 2-3 days after sex w my bf (25M) of 2 years (no sexual history prior). went to multiple drs and now none of them are helping me. some were’nt even being serious with me.
my symptoms were left inner labia pain, theres red patch near vagina entrance, slight discharge at the time. went to the pharmacy to get otc clotrimazole cream and i applied it on the area 2-3 times a day for almost a month. but just a few days of using the cream i noticed it didnt help so i visited a dr the same week symptoms appeared. 1st dr (government) gave me clotrimazole suppository 500mg. a week later period came, so i thought, oh maybe my period affected the healing process. so i went to visit another dr (gov) gave me the exact same suppository.
a week later, still havent improved. visited a new dr (gov). took gonorrhea swab test, dr told me i have yellowish discharge (inserted a speculum). and results taken in a gov hosp takes a month to be released. yeah it sucks waiting. so during that visit i was prescribed metronidazole and doxycycline. after i finished the medicines, of course i didnt improve. went to the same dr i visited last time. she examined my area again and told me i have “ulcers”. visually diagnosed me with herpes. now this is already early march. a month after initial symptoms appeared. took blood test and again the waiting game began.
that dr gave me acyclovir tablets. and me being paranoid i went to a private clinic to get tested for hsv. and it came out negative. i was also tested for syphilis, chlamydia and hiv, also negative.
at this point i feel like my pain was unbearable, there was some slight itching, on and off yellow discharge. ulcers still being there and near my vagina entrance hurt. the ulcers are located on my small labia. and the vagina entrance doesnt have ulcers but it hurt. all this located on left. sometimes my clit hood looks red and hurt.
after finishing acyclovir i wasnt healed. my period also ended when i finished the pills, so i went to the pharmacy again to get treated myself since drs treatments werent helping. i got myself otc metronidazole + miconazole combo suppository. and i got myself vaginal probiotics. i also used zinc oxide cream on the affected area.
after that treatment was done i was still not okay. visited the gov clinic to see my results, (which took a month) now its early april, dr told me i was positive gonorrhea. and other results was negative. so i got injected with ceftriaxone, and given doxycycline again. told my bf about my diagnosis, and told him to get tested. our relationship got rocky cuz of this. i didnt cheated and he claims he didnt too. we were kinda accusing each other. so he got tested and his results were negative. shocked of course, so he says i cheated. being in so much distress it affected my mental health so bad. even with hsv diagnosis i didnt eat a few day, woke up crying everyday, and couldnt focus on work where i had to take leaves.
so i went to the gov dr to get explanation and my symptoms have yet to heal after treatment (2 weeks after). surprisingly another dr attended to me at that same gov clinic (for some reason the other times only one same dr attended me) this new dr told me im actually negative gonorrhea and says maybe that other dr treated me empirically. but i swear that other dr told me i was positive and i even asked multiple times to be sure. this new dr told me the results show gonorrhea not detected but pus cell was seen. new dr believes i still have hsv and gave me lidocaine gel.
used the gel, didnt help much. after so many dr visits i felt hopeless and decided to just spend my money doing tests at private clinics rather than taking medicines blindly. so i did an std test for myco, urea and trich, chlamydia and gono, all negative.
then did a high vaginal swab to check my bacteria culture such as yeast and bv, strep. all negative and my vagina flora is normal. but during this test, dr also told me during this test she saw greenish/yellowish discharge (using speculum to get sample). i also did a hsv test again, still negative.
after this i smelled my discharge and it smelled sour. unsure if its normal or not. now end of april, i do still have yellowish discharge, some drs say its normal some says its not. i dont even know. but one of the days the red patch area hurt alot and was so irritated.
visited the gov dr again and she says she cant help me. by this time i wrote all my symptoms in a note on my phone inc pics of my vagina, test results, discharge and all. explaining all in detail and she just laughed at me saying im so extreme for writing everything in detail especially when i said i smelled my discharge and it was sour. she then just refered me to a gov derm.
visited the derm the same day. dr told me it doesnt look like ulcers more like lesions. just given me steroid pills and gel. i also wanted to show the dr my notes but she said its too long to read. i am quite positive and sure that this is not some skin problem that steroids could help. :( i feel like theyre just trying to make me take whatever hoping it gets better.
i then visited a private GYNO the same day. she tried helping. but she couldnt. she read all my notes and seen the pics. she says its weird i tested negative and believes i do or did have an infection going on. she advised me not to take the steroid pills as it could make an infection worse if i do still have one. so i just used the gel instead twice a day. gyno also told me to do a pap smear.
so i did, results came out 2 days ago and i was negative. nothing detected. since everything is for sure clear now, i started taking the steroid pills 2 days ago. today i still have pain on the red patch, the “ulcers” doesnt seem to be healing. but hurt only when touched. sometimes sitting on certain position makes me feel sore. but pain level not as bad as a month or two months ago. but i still have pain. i have been using the steroid gel a week now. i think im going crazy. idk what i have. nobody is able to help me. i know the pain is not just in my brain.
literally the red patch is very red today. ulcers still there. idk if i should stop using the steroid gel. i know i cant stop taking the pills suddenly or id get withdrawal symptoms. the pills are prednisonole. and its taken for 14 days decreasing dosage weekly. maybe ill apply steroid gel once a day now? is that okay tho.
my next appointmnt with the derm is this friday. but i really dont think its a SKIN PROBLEM. :(( i got symptoms 2-3 days after sex. the red patch pain has been there since day one, which is actually where it first started before ulcers popped up. never had outbreaks elsewhere up until now. so im sure its not hsv.
its been 4 months now, its already mid may. im not 100% better. ulcers/lesions have yet to heal since early march. what problem do i have? does anybody have similar experiences? what should i do?
edit: the same timing i tried smelling my discharge, i started noticing my pee smells off? idk if its normal pee smell but i think its musty? or soury? idk how to describe it tbh. but yea, its not like i smell my pee everytime. so im unsure how it smelled before this problem started. it might just be normal and im being paranoid now.

it all started on early feb. i (24F) had inner left labia pain 2-3 days after sex w my bf (25M) of 2 years (no sexual history prior). went to multiple drs and now none of them are helping me. some were’nt even being serious with me.
my symptoms were left inner labia pain, theres red patch near vagina entrance, slight discharge at the time. went to the pharmacy to get otc clotrimazole cream and i applied it on the area 2-3 times a day for almost a month. but just a few days of using the cream i noticed it didnt help so i visited a dr the same week symptoms appeared. 1st dr (government) gave me clotrimazole suppository 500mg. a week later period came, so i thought, oh maybe my period affected the healing process. so i went to visit another dr (gov) gave me the exact same suppository.
a week later, still havent improved. visited a new dr (gov). took gonorrhea swab test, dr told me i have yellowish discharge (inserted a speculum). and results taken in a gov hosp takes a month to be released. yeah it sucks waiting. so during that visit i was prescribed metronidazole and doxycycline. after i finished the medicines, of course i didnt improve. went to the same dr i visited last time. she examined my area again and told me i have “ulcers”. visually diagnosed me with herpes. now this is already early march. a month after initial symptoms appeared. took blood test and again the waiting game began.
that dr gave me acyclovir tablets. and me being paranoid i went to a private clinic to get tested for hsv. and it came out negative. i was also tested for syphilis, chlamydia and hiv, also negative.
at this point i feel like my pain was unbearable, there was some slight itching, on and off yellow discharge. ulcers still being there and near my vagina entrance hurt. the ulcers are located on my small labia. and the vagina entrance doesnt have ulcers but it hurt. all this located on left. sometimes my clit hood looks red and hurt.
after finishing acyclovir i wasnt healed. my period also ended when i finished the pills, so i went to the pharmacy again to get treated myself since drs treatments werent helping. i got myself otc metronidazole + miconazole combo suppository. and i got myself vaginal probiotics. i also used zinc oxide cream on the affected area.
after that treatment was done i was still not okay. visited the gov clinic to see my results, (which took a month) now its early april, dr told me i was positive gonorrhea. and other results was negative. so i got injected with ceftriaxone, and given doxycycline again. told my bf about my diagnosis, and told him to get tested. our relationship got rocky cuz of this. i didnt cheated and he claims he didnt too. we were kinda accusing each other. so he got tested and his results were negative. shocked of course, so he says i cheated. being in so much distress it affected my mental health so bad. even with hsv diagnosis i didnt eat a few day, woke up crying everyday, and couldnt focus on work where i had to take leaves.
so i went to the gov dr to get explanation and my symptoms have yet to heal after treatment (2 weeks after). surprisingly another dr attended to me at that same gov clinic (for some reason the other times only one same dr attended me) this new dr told me im actually negative gonorrhea and says maybe that other dr treated me empirically. but i swear that other dr told me i was positive and i even asked multiple times to be sure. this new dr told me the results show gonorrhea not detected but pus cell was seen. new dr believes i still have hsv and gave me lidocaine gel.
used the gel, didnt help much. after so many dr visits i felt hopeless and decided to just spend my money doing tests at private clinics rather than taking medicines blindly. so i did an std test for myco, urea and trich, chlamydia and gono, all negative.
then did a high vaginal swab to check my bacteria culture such as yeast and bv, strep. all negative and my vagina flora is normal. but during this test, dr also told me during this test she saw greenish/yellowish discharge (using speculum to get sample). i also did a hsv test again, still negative.
after this i smelled my discharge and it smelled sour. unsure if its normal or not. now end of april, i do still have yellowish discharge, some drs say its normal some says its not. i dont even know. but one of the days the red patch area hurt alot and was so irritated.
visited the gov dr again and she says she cant help me. by this time i wrote all my symptoms in a note on my phone inc pics of my vagina, test results, discharge and all. explaining all in detail and she just laughed at me saying im so extreme for writing everything in detail especially when i said i smelled my discharge and it was sour. she then just refered me to a gov derm.
visited the derm the same day. dr told me it doesnt look like ulcers more like lesions. just given me steroid pills and gel. i also wanted to show the dr my notes but she said its too long to read. i am quite positive and sure that this is not some skin problem that steroids could help. :( i feel like theyre just trying to make me take whatever hoping it gets better.
i then visited a private GYNO the same day. she tried helping. but she couldnt. she read all my notes and seen the pics. she says its weird i tested negative and believes i do or did have an infection going on. she advised me not to take the steroid pills as it could make an infection worse if i do still have one. so i just used the gel instead twice a day. gyno also told me to do a pap smear.
so i did, results came out 2 days ago and i was negative. nothing detected. since everything is for sure clear now, i started taking the steroid pills 2 days ago. today i still have pain on the red patch, the “ulcers” doesnt seem to be healing. but hurt only when touched. sometimes sitting on certain position makes me feel sore. but pain level not as bad as a month or two months ago. but i still have pain. i have been using the steroid gel a week now. i think im going crazy. idk what i have. nobody is able to help me. i know the pain is not just in my brain.
literally the red patch is very red today. ulcers still there. idk if i should stop using the steroid gel. i know i cant stop taking the pills suddenly or id get withdrawal symptoms. the pills are prednisonole. and its taken for 14 days decreasing dosage weekly. maybe ill apply steroid gel once a day now? is that okay tho.
my next appointmnt with the derm is this friday. but i really dont think its a SKIN PROBLEM. :(( i got symptoms 2-3 days after sex. the red patch pain has been there since day one, which is actually where it first started before ulcers popped up. never had outbreaks elsewhere up until now. so im sure its not hsv.
its been 4 months now, its already mid may. im not 100% better. ulcers/lesions have yet to heal since early march. what problem do i have? does anybody have similar experiences? what should i do?
edit: the same timing i tried smelling my discharge, i started noticing my pee smells off? idk if its normal pee smell but i think its musty? or soury? idk how to describe it tbh. but yea, its not like i smell my pee everytime. so im unsure how it smelled before this problem started. it might just be normal and im being paranoid now.

it all started on early feb. i (24F) had inner left labia pain 2-3 days after sex w my bf (25M) of 2 years (no sexual history prior). went to multiple drs and now none of them are helping me. some were’nt even being serious with me.
my symptoms were left inner labia pain, theres red patch near vagina entrance, slight discharge at the time. went to the pharmacy to get otc clotrimazole cream and i applied it on the area 2-3 times a day for almost a month. but just a few days of using the cream i noticed it didnt help so i visited a dr the same week symptoms appeared. 1st dr (government) gave me clotrimazole suppository 500mg. a week later period came, so i thought, oh maybe my period affected the healing process. so i went to visit another dr (gov) gave me the exact same suppository.
a week later, still havent improved. visited a new dr (gov). took gonorrhea swab test, dr told me i have yellowish discharge (inserted a speculum). and results taken in a gov hosp takes a month to be released. yeah it sucks waiting. so during that visit i was prescribed metronidazole and doxycycline. after i finished the medicines, of course i didnt improve. went to the same dr i visited last time. she examined my area again and told me i have “ulcers”. visually diagnosed me with herpes. now this is already early march. a month after initial symptoms appeared. took blood test and again the waiting game began.
that dr gave me acyclovir tablets. and me being paranoid i went to a private clinic to get tested for hsv. and it came out negative. i was also tested for syphilis, chlamydia and hiv, also negative.
at this point i feel like my pain was unbearable, there was some slight itching, on and off yellow discharge. ulcers still being there and near my vagina entrance hurt. the ulcers are located on my small labia. and the vagina entrance doesnt have ulcers but it hurt. all this located on left. sometimes my clit hood looks red and hurt.
after finishing acyclovir i wasnt healed. my period also ended when i finished the pills, so i went to the pharmacy again to get treated myself since drs treatments werent helping. i got myself otc metronidazole + miconazole combo suppository. and i got myself vaginal probiotics. i also used zinc oxide cream on the affected area.
after that treatment was done i was still not okay. visited the gov clinic to see my results, (which took a month) now its early april, dr told me i was positive gonorrhea. and other results was negative. so i got injected with ceftriaxone, and given doxycycline again. told my bf about my diagnosis, and told him to get tested. our relationship got rocky cuz of this. i didnt cheated and he claims he didnt too. we were kinda accusing each other. so he got tested and his results were negative. shocked of course, so he says i cheated. being in so much distress it affected my mental health so bad. even with hsv diagnosis i didnt eat a few day, woke up crying everyday, and couldnt focus on work where i had to take leaves.
so i went to the gov dr to get explanation and my symptoms have yet to heal after treatment (2 weeks after). surprisingly another dr attended to me at that same gov clinic (for some reason the other times only one same dr attended me) this new dr told me im actually negative gonorrhea and says maybe that other dr treated me empirically. but i swear that other dr told me i was positive and i even asked multiple times to be sure. this new dr told me the results show gonorrhea not detected but pus cell was seen. new dr believes i still have hsv and gave me lidocaine gel.
used the gel, didnt help much. after so many dr visits i felt hopeless and decided to just spend my money doing tests at private clinics rather than taking medicines blindly. so i did an std test for myco, urea and trich, chlamydia and gono, all negative.
then did a high vaginal swab to check my bacteria culture such as yeast and bv, strep. all negative and my vagina flora is normal. but during this test, dr also told me during this test she saw greenish/yellowish discharge (using speculum to get sample). i also did a hsv test again, still negative.
after this i smelled my discharge and it smelled sour. unsure if its normal or not. now end of april, i do still have yellowish discharge, some drs say its normal some says its not. i dont even know. but one of the days the red patch area hurt alot and was so irritated.
visited the gov dr again and she says she cant help me. by this time i wrote all my symptoms in a note on my phone inc pics of my vagina, test results, discharge and all. explaining all in detail and she just laughed at me saying im so extreme for writing everything in detail especially when i said i smelled my discharge and it was sour. she then just refered me to a gov derm.
visited the derm the same day. dr told me it doesnt look like ulcers more like lesions. just given me steroid pills and gel. i also wanted to show the dr my notes but she said its too long to read. i am quite positive and sure that this is not some skin problem that steroids could help. :( i feel like theyre just trying to make me take whatever hoping it gets better.
i then visited a private GYNO the same day. she tried helping. but she couldnt. she read all my notes and seen the pics. she says its weird i tested negative and believes i do or did have an infection going on. she advised me not to take the steroid pills as it could make an infection worse if i do still have one. so i just used the gel instead twice a day. gyno also told me to do a pap smear.
so i did, results came out 2 days ago and i was negative. nothing detected. since everything is for sure clear now, i started taking the steroid pills 2 days ago. today i still have pain on the red patch, the “ulcers” doesnt seem to be healing. but hurt only when touched. sometimes sitting on certain position makes me feel sore. but pain level not as bad as a month or two months ago. but i still have pain. i have been using the steroid gel a week now. i think im going crazy. idk what i have. nobody is able to help me. i know the pain is not just in my brain.
literally the red patch is very red today. ulcers still there. idk if i should stop using the steroid gel. i know i cant stop taking the pills suddenly or id get withdrawal symptoms. the pills are prednisonole. and its taken for 14 days decreasing dosage weekly. maybe ill apply steroid gel once a day now? is that okay tho.
my next appointmnt with the derm is this friday. but i really dont think its a SKIN PROBLEM. :(( i got symptoms 2-3 days after sex. the red patch pain has been there since day one, which is actually where it first started before ulcers popped up. never had outbreaks elsewhere up until now. so im sure its not hsv.
its been 4 months now, its already mid may. im not 100% better. ulcers/lesions have yet to heal since early march. what problem do i have? does anybody have similar experiences? what should i do?
edit: the same timing i tried smelling my discharge, i started noticing my pee smells off? idk if its normal pee smell but i think its musty? or soury? idk how to describe it tbh. but yea, its not like i smell my pee everytime. so im unsure how it smelled before this problem started. it might just be normal and im being paranoid now.

Welcome, all. This will be a rather long post explaining my journey. To get it out of the way, I am not cured and still looking for help, but we'll get there.
It all began on my birthday last year (ironically). Approximately 8 months ago. I noticed some redness on the penis head and foreskin. I thought nothing of it and thought it would go away. It didn't. I scowered the internet for answers and tried everything. I tried changing detergents, soaps/body washes, having my foreskin pulled down (uncircumsized btw) in my breifs, tried boxers (always been a boxer man tbh), the list goes on; i tried being rough with cleaning it, i tried just letting water rinse it off, and drying after urination and showering. Nothing helped...
I finally went to go see Doctor #1. Doctor #1 is a younger doctor, maybe 30 years old, but well versed in the field as he's overseen by a doctor with 25+ years of experience. I trusted him. I never showed him my piece but explicitely explained what it looked like. He prescribed me Viaderm KC cream.
*** Before I continue, all i ever had was a rash/redness all over the penis head and foreskin. It wasn't it's usually skin colour (foreskin) and purple colour (penis head). No itchiness, no nothing. I did have a sexual interaction and forgot that I was cutting onions beforehand and not washing my hands but that's irrelevant ***
Viaderm KC Cream. It worked wonders. It made my penis look back to normal if not better. It was amazing, I thought this miracle cream would fix my issues forever. Given that this was a few months ago, I forget exactly how often i used it, but lets say once every 2-3 days, whenever I had flare-ups. Note: back then and even now, ANY TYPE OF FRICTION, pisses off me penis and it goes straight to red. Even getting a boner in the morning (without touching it) causes it go to really red. Obviously, I'm talking about masterbation and sex included.
The viaderm CREAM eventually ran out. I used about 30ml in a month or two and the problem still wasn't resolved. It was at this time i learned that it's a steroidal cream... I went back to the doctor and essentially asked if he could give me more, but in ointment form so it "lasts" or "holds" onto my penis longer. He understood my concerns and prescribed it. From that moment (again, months ago), I've only used it maybe 5 times in very desperate times where it seemed like my penis is just getting worse.
Enter Doctor #2. Around winter break of last year, I realized this cream isn't solving the issue, but just covering up the symptoms. I went to another doctor. Doctor #2 had over 35 years if not 40 of experience of being a family practioner. He has seen some shit. I figured not to hide anything/be straight up with him and actually showed him photos of my penis (note: I can link them with exactly when it looked like this, and why it looked like this). His eyes lit up and I didn't know why. He noticed red patches near the base of the penis head (still on the penis head) and I was confused. It turns out he had the same thing for years and years; and it wasn't balantitis..., it was genital psoraisis. I never googled photos of it until yesterday, the various of photos from what I saw on google to my penis, is quite different. But yet again, I believed him. Keep in mind my penis was the worst it ever has been, so I wanted to try anything. He prescribed me Protopic. I heard about this cream before and was wishing i could get a prescription because it sounded like it would solve all my problems. Then Doctor #2 fell into my laps somehow and truthfully I think I shed a tear because i had a doctor who had the same thing as me, looking out for me, helping me, and finally curing me.
The first 10 days of Protopic was brutal. Each day it looked different. Each day it looked weirder and weirder (worse before it got better). There was even a point where I would retract the foreskin and I have blisters on it that were bleeding..... I wanted to cry but ironically they went away a day after.
I used protopic for a few weeks, twice a week (Mon, Thu) specifically and it worked for the first few weeks. My penis wasn't entirely back to normal but the irritation and inflammation went away. Ocassionally, let's say every other week, it wouldn't really do anything. It just had no effect. I still had sex and would kinda hide my penis as much as possible because i was embarrased of girlfriend noticing it looked slightly different. When I was prescribed Protopic, I told her most of the details but brushing it off as if it was a cream that "turns my penis back to normal after sex bc it gets EVER SO SLIGHTLY red". That was a lie obviously, it was red maybe 50% of the time on protopic, especially after sexy time.
Fast forward to now. Protopic just doesn't work anymore. I tried different things like applying it a day before sexy time, day of, even after sexy time, (running my own trials) and it doesn't help at all. It sucks because it did at the beginning. The reason i'm writing this is because I really thought i would just apply this cream twice a week for the rest of life so my dick works. But here we are.
------------------ BREAK TIME, go get a snack, take a break, i warned you it's a long one ------------------
Or maybe hop on the computer to write me a lengthly response, Really looking for any help (as everyone on this subreddit)
Thank you for staying with me this entire time. I can assure you we're almost done here. Back to protopic not working. I reached out to Doctor #1's BOSS and explained to him that I've been using both creams for months and no results; maybe antibiotics is the way to go? I can't tell you the name right now but their basically antifungal or antibacterial ones used for STI's (I've only had sex with 4 woman in my life, 2 one night stands, and 2 long long long term relationships. It's 2000% confirmed it's not the woman's fault or causing it. In my mind, antibiotics would teach my body how to reach to this problem and fix it for life. I had an issue with my toe once and antibiotics for 2 weeks solved it, no problems every since. The antibiotics for the toe was 6 months prior to my mystery balantitis condition. Nonetheless, Doctor #1's BOSS shut me down faster than ever insinuating that I'm stupid and need to go see a dermatologist. And now we get to the present moment. I think I have no other choice. I am strongly against getting circumsized and to be honest I don't it would solve the issue. The issue is definitely fungal and not bacterial (I work in construction, shower every day, and maintain proper hygiene). Which brings me to diet, is there a possibility that coincidentally on my birthday my body just flipped a switch and caused these problems because of what i eat? I'm not a stupid person, I know that diet plays a part, and to be honest with you, I don't have the best diet
I'm constantly stressed, living paycheque to paycheque trying to convince my girlfriend that I can support both of us without a sweat. That is obviously not true. I started explaining to her more about my financial situation and luckily she understands so she's a keeper. I have my own car (mid sized SUV), i pay my own insurance, i pay my own gas, i pay my own rent (in canada so you know it's expensive here), i pay for everything by myself. I make decent money, enough to support myself, but sometimes I would rather buy myself a cool tool instead of groceries for the week which sucks, but I don't know why I'm like this and I can't change. On top of that, because of this stress, i vape constantly and drink heavily. You'd be surprised... I can drink 14 beers (500ml) and get up at noon, or 9x 500ml beers and still get up at 7am to be at the job for 8am. In retrospect it's a terrible diet and beers or alcohol contain...... you guessed it..... YEAST..... guess what feeds fungals...... YEAST. I know that drinking DEFINITELY doesn't help my situation but i am not convinced that it is the root cause of my problem. I drink heavily now because of this problem, but when it first started, I was only drinking on weekends. Riddle me that one.
In conclusion, I've had this close to a year and saw many professionals regarding this. Still no answer. I can bang the Mrs sure, no issues doing the act, but self confidence has plummeted, hard. I'm afraid it's gonna start affecting my relationship because in all honesty I want to marry this woman.
Any advice or help is much appreciated. Looking forward to your responses
EDIT: I will upload a gallery of photos in the next few days.
Is it genital psoraisis? I don't think so.
Balanoposthitis? Most likely, in my opinion (a 2-in-1)

What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects about 6 to 12 percent of women and can lead to a variety of symptoms. Women with PCOS often experience irregular periods, signs of high male hormones like acne and excess body hair, and might see their ovaries filled with small cysts on an ultrasound. It's common for women with PCOS to be overweight or obese, and they face a higher risk of conditions like sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and depression. For those looking to become pregnant, fertility treatments may be necessary to help with ovulation.
Why does PCOS cause hirsutism?
Hirsutism is when women grow thick, dark hair in areas where it usually doesn't appear, such as the chest, face, lower abdomen, upper legs, and back. This indicates higher than normal levels of male hormones, known as androgens. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of this condition; it involves the ovaries producing excessive androgens, which can lead to problems like too much hair growth, irregular menstrual cycles, and fertility issues.
How do you remove excessive hair?
Laser hair removal (including IPL) and electrolysis can permanently remove hair for those with PCOS. Keeping your hormone and insulin levels in check is crucial for the best results. Managing these levels through appropriate treatments can help prevent new hair growth, making these hair removal methods more effective.
1.IPL hair removal:
Does IPL hair removal work for hirsutism in PCOS? Many women see a 30-40% reduction after 4-6 treatments, with further improvement after more sessions.

• How it works

IPL hair removal uses Intense Pulsed Light to focus on the melanin in hair follicles. Once the light energy penetrates the skin, it transforms into heat, damaging the hair follicles and disrupting the hair growth cycle, preventing the hair from growing further.

• Why it's a great option for PCOS

- Long-lasting results: IPL Laser treatments target and damage hair follicles, greatly lowering the chances of hair growing back. While you may need a touch-up session every 12 to 24 months, the effects are almost permanent.
- Minimal hair visibility between sessions: IPL hair removal differs from Waxing because it requires you to shave beforehand, not grow your hair. This means you can keep your hair short and less visible between sessions. Actually, you need to shave before each treatment to prepare for the IPL.
- Less painful: IPL hair removal is generally less painful than other hair removal methods. Depending on the person and the device used, the sensation can range from no pain at all to a snap like a rubber band.
- Safe: At-home IPL hair removal devices like the Naisigoo The Shiner are generally safe when used properly. It is important to follow the instructions carefully, and it's reassuring to know that this device is certified safe and verified by dermatologists.

• Potential drawbacks

- Hormone management: Effective IPL treatments require managing your PCOS with medication. Without controlling hormones through contraceptives or drugs like metformin, results may be limited.
- Hair and skin type: These treatments are less effective for light hair or very dark skin, as the laser struggles to target the follicles. However, alternative options are available.
*Expected maintenance: 4-6 initial sessions
*Average session length: 15-60 minutes
*Long-term results: Yes
*Pain level: low
2.Electrolysis:
This method uses a small needle and an electric shock to individually target and destroy each hair root. It's not ideal for large areas since every hair follicle needs attention. Side effects may include slight skin discoloration (red, purple, or brown), temporary dark spots, and a sharp sting.
*Expected maintenance: 10-14 total treatments
*Average session length: 15-60 minutes
*Long-term results: Yes
*Pain level: high
3.Laser hair removal:
It offers a long-lasting solution for unwanted hair, performed in a clinic by professionals. This method targets dark hair follicles with laser precision, unlike broader IPL treatments suitable for home use. It's effective for PCOS hair but costly, requiring multiple sessions that can total hundreds of dollars each. If you're prepared for the expense and clinic visits, it provides excellent results.
*Expected maintenance: 6-8 initial sessions
*Average session length: 15-60 minutes
*Long-term results: Yes
*Pain level: moderate
Other hair removal methods for PCOS:

• Weight loss

Losing weight is often the first step in treating hirsutism. Losing just 5% of your body weight can help lower male hormone levels and reduce excessive hair growth.

• Shaving

It's the most common way to remove hair. It's quick and straightforward, but you need to shave frequently to keep stubble at bay. Watch out for possible cuts and ingrown hairs.
*Expected maintenance: 2 times/week
*Average session length: 15 minutes
*Long-term results: No
*Pain level: low

• Waxing

Waxing is a widely used method to remove PCOS hair by pulling it out from the roots with sticky wax. You can opt for professional services or use DIY wax strips for small areas. Remember that Waxing requires regular sessions and can be painful, especially on sensitive skin. The results, however, can keep your skin smooth for several weeks.
*Expected maintenance: every 3-6 weeks
*Average session length: 10-30 minutes
*Long-term results: No
*Pain level: moderate

• Tweezing

If you're precise and have spare time, tweezing might suit you. It involves plucking hairs individually, which is ideal for small areas but less practical for extensive facial hair due to PCOS. Tweezing works well for eyebrows or catching missed hairs, although it's not the best for sensitive skin. The effects can last a few weeks.
*Expected maintenance: weekly
*Average session length: 5-15 minutes
*Long-term results: No
*Pain level: low

• Hair removal creams

Quick and convenient, hair removal creams can easily tackle PCOS facial hair: just spread on, wait a bit, and wash away the hair. They work on surface hair, and regrowth can happen quickly, often in a day. Be mindful of the skin irritation they may cause and opt for creams designed for facial use.
*Expected maintenance: 2 times/week
*Average session length: 5-10 minutes
*Long-term results: No
*Pain level: low

• Epilating

Epilating offers a handy at-home solution for managing PCOS facial hair. It's a small device that plucks hair out. It can sting as it pulls hair from the roots, but the smoothness lasts weeks, which is longer than shaving. Just wait for the hair to grow a bit before reusing it.
*Expected maintenance: every 3 to 4 weeks
*Average session length: 15 to 30 minutes
*Long-term results: No
*Pain level: moderate

• Threading

Threading is a traditional method to temporarily manage PCOS facial hair, using cotton threads to pull hairs from the roots. It's best done by a professional due to its tricky technique. This quick and affordable method is less painful than others, with smooth results lasting several weeks.
*Expected maintenance: every 2 to 4 weeks
*Average session length: 5 to 15 minutes
*Long-term results: No
*Pain level: low

• Medications

If you're experiencing hirsutism from PCOS, treatments like medication can help reduce androgen levels and manage symptoms. Options include birth control, androgen blockers, and low-dose steroids. These won't eliminate facial hair completely but can reduce and improve other PCOS symptoms. Discuss with your doctor whether medication is suitable for you.

As I sit down to write this, I can feel the weight of every word pressing against my chest. It's a story I never imagined I'd have to tell, a journey I never thought I'd embark upon at the tender age of twenty. Yet here I am, grappling with the realities of macular edema, facing the terrifying possibility of losing my sight, at least partially.
I was always a healthy kid, never got sick, never needed a doctor for anything, my father affectionately called me his "strong girl". As the eldest child, I shouldered the burden of expectations, striving for perfection in every facet of my life, be it academics, social interactions, or physical well-being. And for the most part, I excelled, I stayed out of trouble, did well at school and was pursuing a degree in STEM, until it all came crashing down.
It was a scorching Sunday morning, and I was knee-deep in end-of-semester exams. As I buried my nose in books and screens, a sneaky blurriness started creeping into my vision. I attributed it to fatigue or staring at screens for too long. But that innocent blurriness turned into distorted vision by the end of the day. I knew something wasn't right. I told my parents and as health conscious beings they took me to the doctor the very next day. As he conducted a series of tests, including an OCT (Optical coherence tomography test) my mind raced with a million different possibilities, each one more terrifying than the last. Maybe it was just a temporary problem, I told myself, a minor issue like an infection that could be easily corrected with a prescription or a simple procedure. But deep down, I knew that the truth might be far more ominous.
When the doctor finally delivered the diagnosis, all I felt was numbness. Macular edema, he called it, his voice a distant echo in the cavernous depths of my despair. I wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all, but all I did was sink deeper into blankness.
The doctor's words swirled around me in a haze of disbelief and fear. Blindness. The very thought sent shivers down my spine, threatening to engulf me in a suffocating darkness from which there would be no escape. How could this be happening to me, in the prime of my life, with so much left to see and experience? Why did this have to happen now, of all times? Why couldn't I just be like any other young person, carefree and full of hope for the future? It felt like a cruel twist of fate, a punishment for some unknown transgression that I could not even begin to fathom.
In the days that followed, I found myself grappling with emotions I had never known before – anger, fear, and a profound sense of loss that threatened to consume me whole. Being a pessimist only made things worse. How was I supposed to stay positive when I had already lost 30% of my vision?
For those unfamiliar with macular edema, let me break it down. It's a condition characterized by the swelling or bleeding of the blood vessels in the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. When the fluid leaks inside the eye, as in my case, it distorts vision and black spots appear, making it difficult to see things clearly. And while it's often associated with conditions like diabetes or age-related macular degeneration, in my case, it seemed to have no discernible cause. It wasn’t genetic, neither did I have diabetes nor was I old enough.
I had two options, first go blind and second get Anti-VEGF injections inserted directly in my eye and pray they work. One sad thing about macular edema is that there is no cure for it, there are treatments which will help to slow down the loss of vision and if you’re lucky bring some of it back, but you will never be able to get all of it back. The other sad thing is that there is no predetermined number of injections you need to get, it depends on your body’s response to the medication and many other factors making the treatment plan pretty expensive.
I chose to keep my diagnosis private, sharing it only with my family and my best friend. I’m an extrovert by nature, but I've never been good at sharing my pain with people. And there is nothing more I hate than pity. It was only after a year of silent suffering that I found the courage to share my story. Only because, when I was first diagnosed all I wanted to do was find someone who was my age and was going through the same thing, but I didn't find anyone.
Like I said it's been a year, 22nd May marks the day i was first diagnosed with Macular Edema. Over the course of a year I've visited my doctor regularly, I've taken 8 Anti-VEGF injections, at least a dozen OCTs, and my parents have emptied their banks to make sure I get the best treatment. I have been blessed with a family who never made me think that I was sick, my friend who always looked at me like I was normal and a wonderful doctor who treated me with a wide smile.
I've come to realize that my journey with macular edema is about more than just physical sight – it's about seeing with the heart. It's about finding light in the darkness, even when the world feels like it's closing in around me. It's about cherishing every moment, every sight, every sound, as if it were a precious gift bestowed upon me by the universe.
So, to anyone out there who may be facing a similar battle, know that you are not alone. Know that even in your darkest moments, there is hope to be found, strength to be drawn upon. And above all, know that your worth is not defined by the limitations of your body, but by the boundless spirit that resides within you.
As for me, I'll continue to navigate this uncertain journey one step at a time, holding onto hope with every fiber of my being. Because even if my vision may falter, I am still the same "strong girl" my father raised me to be, albeit with a few more scars. And as long as there's breath in my lungs and fire in my soul, I'll keep fighting, keep believing, and keep seeing the world in all its breathtaking beauty – even if it's through eyes that are not quite what they used to be.

Update: I saw 2 nurses and a doctor following this. The first nurse (original prescriber) asked to out me on an oral antibiotic, I accepted but then she never sent the prescription. The second one said that it appears I have cystic acne (I did not prior to this) and that my type of severe acne is outside the scope of her care, and since I reacted badly to the clindamycin and Tret that she refuses to prescribe more medication (this really confused me because I just wanted to know if this was a normal reaction or not), the doctor prescribed me a 10 day course of steroids, an antibiotic, and told me to discontinue use of clindamycin. I am scheduled to see a dermatologist after the ten days are up, who will determine what an appropriate treatment plan for me is. After talking to some of you guys on here, I am now willing to consider accutane (although I am really scared to be honest).
Original post: This is a little bit of a long rant, but I’m feeling really insecure and scared about being on tretinoin so I’m praying I can get some advice. I’ve been struggling with acne for over 7 years, and the only thing that ever cleared my skin (for like 3 months) was doxycycline, azealic acid, spironolactone, and retinol 0.3%. I developed doxy resistance and experienced some pretty awful side effects while on spirono (I think it’s in my post history if anyone is interested) so I had to quit them. I also was on tretinoin at some point years ago, I quit after 3 months of constant cysts (I wish I stuck with it, a pert of me thinks I quit too early).
When I was on just AA and retinol, my skin still had dark marks and some acne scarring but it wasn’t too bad. After quitting spirono, I had a really bad break out a month or so later (I might have still had some in my system or something?) so I decided to seek help. I refused accutane because of my experience with spirono, I decided the side effects were not worth it. I was told my only other option is tretinoin and an antibiotic. So, I got pu on a cream Tret 0.05% and clindamycin 1%.
I started using it daily (since I used retinol for 4 years I had no issues with drying or anything) and oh my god… my skin looks horrible. I’ve never had so much acne before in my life! I’ve been struggling to even look at myself in the mirror. I’ve never felt so insecure and hopeless. I even have neck acne now (I never had neck acne before, I used to have a little when I was on spirono but it wasn’t nearly as bad. I used to only have acne on my forehead and temples when I was 12, then when I was 16 it moved to only my cheeks, and then a few years later it became everywhere but my temples and nose) which only stared happening this year.
The success stories on hear seem to be for much more mild acne than how my face looks now, and all of the pictures I’ve seen of purging have only been some small areas of pimples. My face though is literally an eruption of texture, pimples, and cysts. I’m so scared that I might ruin my face forever and that things won’t get better. Even though I’m super embarrassed, I decided to just bite the bullet and post pictures of my skin before vs after 1 1/2 weeks of Tret and clindamycin, so it’s in my post history if anyone wants to see that mess or my current skincare routine. Am I being dramatic? Does anyone have any success stories with extreme acne?

Hello all, I would like to preface this with the context that my vet does specialise in birds and has 20+ years of experience treating birds, parrots, and other animals from around my province. I am located in South Africa in one of the more rural provinces of the country. The province has a population of roughly 6.5 million people and only a fraction of those people live in actual cities, to give you a better idea of how rural is rural in this context. Due to lack of resources and costs, most vets won't jump to blood tests, fecal tests, etc until other options have been exhausted. This is not only my vet, but pretty much every vet I've encountered across the country aswell as others' experiences with vets. This does not mean our vets are uneducated or any less qualified and knowledgeable than vets in other countries. I know some people tend to not think in context with stuff like this so I just wanted to fully clarify. It's also noteworthy that animal husbandry, general knowledge, care standards, as well as practices that are often seen as bare minimum or common knowledge are not up to standard in this country, especially with less common pets like birds.
I want to apologise in advance, this post might be long, but I'll put a TLDR at the end. If you plan to comment, please don't just go off the TLDR though, all the context I'm adding is necessary in my opinion. I'm looking for advice on how to proceed here, what to expect, protocols to follow, what to believe from the Internet research I did, etc. I also just need to vent. The last few weeks have been rough and we are devastated that the diagnosis for our sweet boy is PDD. Any personal experiences would also be really appreciated! Please don't leave nasty comments.
So we purchased Loki, our Quaker, at a pet store (local, small store. Not Petco or something, we don't have massive chains that sell live animals mostly) at the end of January this year. While we don't like supporting stores that sell live animals, my partner fell in love with little Loki the moment he laid eyes on him and spent weeks pining after him, going there and spending time with him, before I finally relented on buying him. The logic was that my partner was really besotted with the little guy and we will likely provide him with a better home than the majority of people around our area would. We knew there would be a risk of illness when we bought him so we did strict quarantine for 3 weeks after bringing him home. He was between 3 and 4 months old.
The only thing noteworthy that we observed is his poop was a very strange colour and texture. It was beige-ish and almost like diarrhea. There was no separation between solids and urates. I knew this was very off so I contacted my vet via email aswell as a vet in one of the larger towns in the country in a different province regarding the issue and how to move forward. They both agreed that, if his weight, behavior and eating was fine, it was likely because of his previous bad diet or some sort of other error the pet store made with his diet and would clear up in time. They advised that if he did not get better or got worse, we should take him in for a physical exam.
All throughout this process, even up to today, Loki did not once lose his appetite. I stopped weighing him once he was out of quarantine (the vet said 3 weeks of observation should be fine, if it was sever or infectious he would at least show some form of deterioration in that amount of time). Me stopping weighing him was my biggest mistake and something I'm still beating myself up over. We don't touch our parrots on their chest / tummy so when he started losing weight at some point we can't pinpoint, we didn't notice. I feel so so bad, but we assumed since he was eating and acting fine, he was ok.
A month after getting him, just when we were planning to take him to the vet because, while nothing was getting worse and he acted happy and healthy but his poop wasn't looking better, my partner lost his job. This hit us hard because we lost ⅔ of our income and unfortunately we couldn't afford to take him to the vet unless his condition was an emergency. We sought out opinions online from vets or veterinary nurses from other countries and the general consensus was that, as long as he doesn't deteriorate, we could wait a month or so to take him until my partner found a job. Some recommended apple cider vinegar in his water and we tried that. It made his poops better but they definitely still weren't healthy when compared to our 5 other birds.
We booked an appointment for 22 April at our vet, which would have been a week and a half after my partner found a new job. Loki was perfectly fine still other than his poops. On the night of the 17th I noticed signs on his mouth that he might have regurgitated earlier that day but brushed it off. The morning of the 18th my partner noticed Loki regurgitating a little while he was waking them up and giving breakfast. We were mildly concerned but only observed him doing it once and the regurgitation looked normal. We agreed that we would take him to the vet immediately if anything else about his behaviour changed or if he regurgitated more. The next morning I had gone to work early and my partner sent me a video of Loki regurgitating clear mucous. He had been up and running around when my partner collected his bowl but was regurgitating like this when he brought him his breakfast. We took him to the vet immediately.
When he was weighed, he was only 67g and we were horrified. Even the vet said he couldn't physically see how skinny Loki was before weighing him, but he wasn't skinny to the point of no return/ serious neglect. "Moderately underweight" were his exact words. He said he had seen similar cases that had turned out to be worms in the past but, just in case, Loki was given dewormer, antibiotics, anti fungal stuff, a vitamin booster thing, and another injection but I can't recall what it was. When he got home his poop was almost immediately better. He had a follow up appointment the next morning where he was given more dewormer and 4 more injections, but he had gained just over 1g overnight!
We monitored his weight closely and he was steadily gaining more. His poops regressed slowly as time went on and by 29 April when he went for his next appointment, his poop was pretty 50/50. He weighed 72g at this point and was given another round of dewormer as that seemed to be slowly solving the issue. After that his poops went back to perfect again for a few days.
We weighed him on both 1 and 4 May and he weighed 74g both times. His poops were regressing again so we planned to go for another consultation in a week or so. On the morning of the 9th, at his next weigh in, we were startled to find that he had lost a lot of weight again and had dropped down to 64g. We rushed to the vet where he started regurgitating a little again but it appeared like normal bits of food he was bringing up at least. The vet gave him another round of injections and dewormed him again, but said he was starting to doubt that the worms were the full extent of the diagnosis since they should have been cleared by that point.
The next morning, today, we took him in again. His poops were looking better again, albeit not good, but he had lost a further 1g. We discussed diagnostic tests and the vet suggested x rays as he had a hunch but wasn't sure since Loki wasn't exhibiting all of the common symptoms he's seen. He asked us a few questions pertaining what he saw on the x rays, like whether there's a possibility of Loki having swallowed a bit of metal or something as there was a small white dot in his crop area. We said we were 99.9% sure he wouldn't have as he is closely supervised when out of his cage and never goes near dirty or cluttered areas. His cage is also 100% safe. The vet concluded that it must just have been a small piece of rock or something and was likely not the cause of the main issue he could detect on the x rays.
He showed us the side view x ray and explained a few things about what a normal x ray should look like. He pointed out that an area above the chest on the scan was supposed to be completely dark but was instead foggy / murky. He said it was rare in South Africa, especially here, but he has seen a few cases and diagnosed Loki with PDD. He prescribed 0.08ml of Inflacam, an anti inflammatory, daily and suggested we start supplementing his normal food with parrot hand rearing formula. He said we would assess whether or not Loki was responding well enough to the medication in a few days and once again gave him some injections that I don't remember the names of. We are to bring Loki back for another visit tomorrow for more injections.
TLDR: My Quaker parrot was diagnosed with PDD via x rays this morning. It was previously suspected to be worms. He is now on anti inflammatory medication.
My questions are:
• I read that PDD goes hand in hand with bornavirus but the vet never mentioned that at all and bornavirus is VERY rare in South Africa, to the point where it's not even studied or mentioned here. I did read on 2 articles that the 2 being connected in all cases has not been proven and is under debate between vets often. Is it possible Loki has PDD and not bornavirus since the vet didn't even mention he suspected it?
• The vet said he does not necessarily recommend removing Loki from the bird area in our home. Most of our parrots are never in physical contact with each other or each other's droppings and, since Loki is not of the same species as the rest, we don't allow him to interact with the others other than his cage being situated next to the cockatiel cage. There's no way for the tiels to get to him or his poop at any point in time. The vet says it's not contagious enough that he would be concerned with my healthy, young birds contracting it from Loki, especially not since they have no access to one another. I have seen most sources say to isolate the parrot with PDD but I assume it's more the bornavirus aspect that's contagious? Most sources also seem to agree that there is no evidence of it spreading through the air. Should I isolate Loki despite my vet's advice?
• Is there any other supportive care we can provide Loki? He eats 50% pellets (local brand recommended by vets and rescues), 30% veggies, 10% fruits, and 10% healthy seeds. He will also be receiving supplemental feedings with the hand rearing formula now. Is there absolutely anything else?
• What are the chances of treatment failing? Obviously he can't be cured and we would put him down with heavy hearts if he didn't respond well to the medication, but what are the chances of it coming down to that? He acts like he's a very happy bird so his ailment doesn't seem to be a bother other than his weight and bad poops.
• If the treatment does work, I assume his lifespan wouldn't be the same as a healthy parrot's would. How long do birds with PDD live usually?
• Is there anything else we should be doing to help him?
Please share any personal experiences with this, good or bad. I feel really overwhelmed and feel I need as much info as possible to help cope. Thanks so much to anyone who read this far.

Jul 21, 2022
My husband underwent sterilization in 2019, he has luckily kept his erection. But insane pain with every ejaculation. Very painful with all physical activity. So sex drive is significantly reduced.
Now after a failed vasectomy reversal in Norway and a successful vasectomy reversal in Tucson in the USA, he has painless ejaculation. We were so relieved! But it is far from the same. He doesn't have the pleasure of jerking anything himself and now has to ejaculate every day or every other day so that it doesn't get clogged. So more "pressure" for sex or to jerk off yourself, which leads to less desire. But he has more desire now than before the vasectomy reversal in the USA.
He is not completely pain free, he hopes one day he will be. But the vasectomy reversal helped a lot. But he hasn't yet dared to try jumping on the trampoline with the children etc. Oh, he still can't run as much when we play football as a family.
He used a lot of medication before the vasectomy reversal and became mentally ill as well. So he has to see a psychologist one day to get rid of trauma and post traumatic stress disorder, but he is not ready for that yet. Right now he is using a type of medicine since he had surgery in April. So I really don't recommend sterilization. There are so many other birth control options. Anyway, I now have to use birth control.
Having a man who has changed a lot. If we hadn't had children, he would have committed suicide in 2020 and I would have given him permission, because it has been absolutely terrible. As I said, I'm not quite well yet and may never be quite well either physically or mentally. He has lost his relationship with his mother as well, as she was the one who recommended sterilization and he has been raised to believe that it is a good choice. Maybe there will be changes if post traumatic stress disorder goes away one day.
They cut the balls before the anesthetic worked, the anesthetic injected without telling (he said they had to tell first), then it was very painful when they cut the vas deferens on one side.
It was said that nothing should be changed, everything was changed. We know of several men who feel this way, some less bothered and some much more bothered. But it is little talked about. We just want to help others know, then people can make a choice. Our choice would have been easy if we knew about these complications. No doctors warned us. Chronic pain in the balls which in turn affects the psyche, sex life and the whole quality of life reduced.
NO to having legal sterilization, I think, even though I am a woman. But absolutely terrible to see your husband in so much pain etc.
https://www.reddit.com/Vasectomy/comments/w3p76s/thinking_about_getting_snipped_how_is_your_sex/ih20719/
Aug 15, 2022
In April 2022, he had a vasectomy reversal with Dr. Sheldon Marks at ICVR in Tucson in the USA. It took us 28 hours to travel there (We live in Norway). It's the best choice we've ever made. Expensive, but absolutely worth the good knowledge they have at ICVR and the follow-up afterwards. Some have said that you should wait 1 year after vasectomy before having vasectomy reversal. But it is Norwegian doctors who have said so, so it is wise to investigate it more. Norway knows far too little about pvps and nobody warned us about it.
Keep in mind that you can get worse from vasectomy reversal. But my husband got much better. Now he has painless ejaculation after 2.5 years of pain. And now he can be more active. He can go on mountain walks with me and the children without having to take painkillers and without having to walk slower than us. Vasectomy reversal was our salvation. But he is not yet healthy. He has to see a psychologist to get rid of post traumatic stress disorder since he got it after they cut him in Norway during a vasectomy before the anesthesia worked and various mistakes they made. It is very hard to be a relative to see your own husband in so much pain and his personality changing.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/w76f5h/bitter_and_regretful/ikdtipy/
Aug 19, 2022
Yes, sick how quickly life can change. My husband was also completely healthy both physically and mentally before the vasectomy. He still has a grudge against doctors and his mom. Fortunately not for me, then I don't think I would have lasted with him or vice versa. He was an active father to the children, and suddenly so much he didn't want and couldn't participate in. Not communicating as much at family birthdays and other social settings.
But after we did the vasectomy reversal, he became a new man. Not quite himself yet, but so much better than before the vasectomy reversal. So I really recommend you talk to Dr. Marks, because he is very good. It is exactly 4 months today since we were there, on Monday he will send in hopefully the last sperm cells for testing, then they will see if he still needs the medicine. Norway would not do this and certainly not other clinics in the USA. It's probably a good idea to talk to a psychologist, yes. My husband was on amitriptyline for depression for a while, but he more or less had to stop it before the vasectomy reversal.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/w76f5h/bitter_and_regretful/ikwlr1t/
Jan 06, 2023
Our life was good, had a healthy husband both physically and mentally. But now he is physically and mentally ill. Large parts of my husband disappeared in 2019 and I will never get the same again. Vasectomy reversal is not a miracle cure. But made it better, but far from great.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/104k32z/wife_is_pissed_her_husband_wont_get_a_vasectomy/j378ryn/
Jan 14, 2023
But many men do not dare to tell about it. Pvps can be painful ejaculation every time for the rest of your life, ejaculation faster or slower than you want, can lose erection forever, pain all the time, more pain with every physical activity you do, difficulty walking, maybe you need a walker, maybe you become disabled, post traumatic stress disorder, depressed, suicidal thoughts because it's hard to live like that, a lot of money you have to spend on medicines that can cause side effects, psychologist appointments, doctor appointments, physiotherapy and maybe vasectomy reversal.
Your Girlfriend may not be able to see you like this for so long and may leave you. For the time being, I have persevered with my husband, but I think few people have made it as far as I have with the problems he has had. But I think in good and bad days, this is over 3 years of bad days. But if he does not recover mentally and if it becomes too difficult for me to be happy etc. so that it affects the children and me as a mother, then I have to put the role of mother before my role of wife.
The sex drive is even much less than it was before the vasectomy. I feel less attractive since he is no longer interested. But he wants a sex life, so we have sex. And now he has to ejaculate every day or every other day in order not to get more pain.
We have spent over $23,985 and are not done with expenses. He needs a lot of psychologist sessions in the hope of getting his ptsd better, I don't think it will ever go away completely. But it affects our everyday life a lot. He can't handle seeing his mother without thinking about the operation and getting more self-hatred. She was the one who recommended the vasectomy.
He can't handle seeing spaghetti as the vas deferens are very similar in appearance, they talked about it during the operation and he saw the vas deferens with blood on a plate before he left the room. He cannot cope with seeing his doctor, the doctor's office and many other things that affect him. He has had a lot of bad sleep and I have been awake a lot because he hasn't been able to sleep properly.
We had a good life, now the life situation has completely changed. Had a perfectly healthy husband both mentally and physically, but not anymore. No doctor warned him, one doctor thinks he didn't know about pvps, the other we haven't been able to talk to, so she doesn't know that she has destroyed him. We have received a lot of anger, frustration, grief etc.
He has no confidence in the health care system. Terrified of the hospital he was in to have a vasectomy. You don't know if you are the next one to get pvps. You also don't know how much trouble you will get. Oh, if you go to a very good doctor to have a vasectomy, you can still get pvps. You can get it right away like my husband or you can get it years later. We have to use a condom now since he has sperm back after the vasectomy reversal.
We would never go through with the vasectomy again. If I were divorced now and found a new man, I would never let him have a vasectomy, I think I would rather choose to leave him or leave him if he got pvps. Wouldn't handle another round. I have talked a lot with a psychologist about these problems, because after all the worry about his suicidal thoughts, I am struggling to see him in such pain and his depression. Participating in giving him more pain since I helped him to orgasm.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/10b7f1t/im_going_for_a_consultation_for_a_vasectomy_next/j4auvd0/
Mar 25, 2023
Taken a break from sex
Are there more people here who have taken a break from sex with their wife? My husband is no longer horny at all. He has pvps, post traumatic stress disorder and is depressed. He has had a vasectomy reversal, has had less pain. But he still has aches and pains or discomfort with ejaculation. He is struggling to ejaculate now. He has to ejaculate every day or every other day because of the vasectomy reversal so that he still has sperm, so that there is no more pain because he can get a new granuloma. He manages to ejaculate quickly, in less than 5 minutes if he jerks off himself and watches porn. But he doesn't get any dopamine and pleasure from ejaculation, so he only does it because he has to.
But with me he struggles to ejaculate, the last time we had sex he jerked at the end. Now he wants a break from sex. He thinks it will be the easiest. I think he feels that I want to help and make sure that he ejaculates so that there is no more pain. Yes, it is, but it is also to have a sex life.
He was dependent on ejaculation 1-2 times per day before the vasectomy in 2019 it gave him dopamine, but now he don't like it. Sex is good for him, but it is no longer worth it to him. It feels like we are drifting further apart and I no longer feel attractive. I know it's not me that's wrong because he says it is him, but it hurts me. He is afraid that he will not be able to have ejaculations with me and that it will hurt me, it will hurt me, but so does not having sex.
He had intense pain with every ejaculation for over 2.5 years and has thought for over 3 years now that maybe it can be good and that he gets dopamine from it. But now he doesn't think he will get a good ejaculation, he has given up that hope now. He suffers a lot mentally because he misses ejaculation and horniness. Struggling with difference after vasectomy.
He is afraid that I will be unfaithful, which I will not be. But I wonder how long we'll be without sex if he's actually afraid I'll be unfaithful. He probably has no plan for how long we will be without sex, and probably wants to see what happens in the future. But I know I struggle a lot and I cry far too much because of this.
The hurtful thing for me is that he manages to ejaculate in less than 5 minutes alone with porn, but has to hold on for at least 40 minutes, but really think 1 hour or more. It was an hour last time. But I am happy that he is able to ejaculate on his own so that he can empty himself. Does anyone know if you have to ejaculate every day or every other for the rest of your life due to vasectomy reversal? I don't quite remember what the doctor said when we were there, because then we thought it would be easy to be able to have sex so often.
Oh, he's going to see a psychologist soon to try to get his ptsd better. He is very afraid to talk to them because he is afraid of getting worse since he no longer trusts the healthcare system since they did not warn him about pvps. The only reason he goes to a psychologist is because I want him to, because I know he won't recover without help.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/121ybfx/taken_a_break_from_sex/
Apr 18, 2023
My husband was physically and mentally healthy, but on the day he had the vasectomy, his was broken. I miss the man he was over 3 years ago. He miss himself.
https://www.reddit.com/Vasectomy/comments/12q3tic/do_you_regret_your_vasectomy_or_love_it/jgtbnrd/
Apr 19, 2023
My husband rarely woke up with an erection after the vasectomy. After vasectomy reversal, he got an erection in the morning again. So of course it has something to do with vasectomy. My husband had no idea that you could experience pain during ejaculation after a vasectomy. So why on earth would he suddenly get it after the vasectomy if it had nothing to do with the vasectomy?
https://www.reddit.com/Vasectomy/comments/12q3tic/do_you_regret_your_vasectomy_or_love_it/jgvihul/
Jul 23, 2023
He had pain all the time, more pain with ejaculation and all physical activity, such as going for a walk etc. 7-9 in pain. Now I think it's 3-4 at the most after vasectomy reversal. But now he can occasionally be pain-free. But he always has discomfort or pain when ejaculating. He hasn't dared to jump on the trampoline yet, almost 4 years since the last time he did it.
The pain was mostly on the left side, but it was/is on both sides. Before vasectomy reversal, they were in the balls, like really bad/heavy blue balls pressure. Now there is discomfort, so much better. But he suffers a lot mentally because of these years of pain. He miss the good ejaculations he had before. He got no dopamine after the vasectomy.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/14tz9bn/how_long_after_your_vasectomy_did_pvps_start/jt3u62l/
Metadata:
ID: 42c5adcb
Name: pvpskone
Vasectomy Date: 2019-10
Birth Year: 1985
Source: reddit
First Seen: 2022-04-30
Last Seen: 2023-08-09
Location: Norway
Storycodes: LTP,LL,DC,PSX,SGR,PAR,PYH,RDG,BDR,SDT
Reversal Date: 2022-04-22
Months: 46
Resolved: Partial