improve my health

The symptoms of my vulvodynia have been getting worse. For the last six months I’ve been having frequent pain flares, each a little worse than the last. Once I started on pain medication back in 2006 my pain flares became less and less frequent, and could always be traced back to a specific trigger. Now, there are no triggers. The pain just comes and goes as it pleases. Sex is completely off the table. I can’t do it without suffering intense pain.

I can’t live like this. So, here’s what I plan to do to improve the situation. In no particular order…

1) Remember to practice healing visialization everyday, and balance my chakras every other day.

2) Schedule that pelvic sonogram my gynecologist wants me to have.

3) Speak to my gynecologist about raising my Elavil dosage.

4) Speak with her about the possibile benefits of physical therapy.

5) Get a referral to a neurologist or pelvic pain specialist who can conduct tests to see if I have pudendal neuralgia.

6) Eat healthier in order to build up my immune system.

Oh my God, today has been a banner day with regard to my health.

They were conducting free HIV tests at the college where I work today, so I went over and got one; first one I’ve ever had. As expected the test came back HIV negative, so that was a nice way to start the day.

Then this evening I got the results of my most recent pap smear in the mail. I am proud and excited to say the results came back totally normal. Not an abnormal cell in sight. You know what that means? That means I have officially cleared the HPV infection! After almost two years, I’ve done it! I can’t tell you how happy I am.

For the last two years I have worked very hard to improve my health. I have taken vitamin supplements to improve my general health and boost my immunity in order to fight the HPV infection. I have worked with my doctor to find the right combination of drugs and self-care to manage my vulvodynia. I have tried to improve my diet and lower my daily caloric intake in order to manage my IBS. I’ve tried to improve my mental state, remaining optimistic, pro-active, and calm in stressful situations.

Now I can say all the work has paid off. Not only am I STD free, but I have not been seriously sick since September 2006. I have not come down with so much as a cold. Obviously my regimen is working so I plan to stick with it.

I promised myself I wouldn’t mark this goal as accomplished until my pap smear came back normal again.

Check :-)

Remainging healthy has become a prerequisite to accomplishing some of my other goals, most notably excelling at my job and going to work everyday. I have not been ill nor missed a day of work since I received my performance review in late a June. But watch, now that I’ve said that I’ll come down with the Plague.

I’ve had to stop with the crunches and squats and exercise and what not. After only two fifteen minute “work outs” over two days my VVS began to flare up. And we’re talking “Oh my God, I don’t know if I can walk” bad. A little reserach turned up that VVS is often caused by damage to the pudendal nerve, the nerve that supplies feeling to everything between your pelvis and your thighs. And the irritation brought on by damage can be exaccerbated by, you guessed it, squats, crunches, sit-ups and basically anything that requires use of the pelvis. Even sitting for extended periods of time can cause pain.

I am now on a quest to discover what kind of movements do and do not cause irritation. I may have to give up my dream of having a beautifually sculpted stomach.

Did another 15 minutes of stretching and toning and all that good stuff this evening. That shit is STILL tiring. Must build endurence.

So much to write about.

I got the results of my six month follow-up pap yesterday and I’m not sure how to feel about the results. They found “mildly abnormal” cell growth on my cervix, yet when they repeated the HPV test the results came back negative. I’m happy about that part. Knowing that I’ve cleared the HPV is definitely a relief. It’s the continued presence of abnormal cell growth that bothers me. The letter I received said that since the HPV test was negative the abnormal cell growth found on the pap was just a “false positive.” All my other vaginal cultures were normal and they recommended I return for my next pap in a year. They emphasized that I am not currently at risk for “actual abnormal” cell growth.

There were a lot of vague and meaningless phrases in the letter. What the hell is “actual abnormal” cell growth? I didn’t know it was possible to have non-actual abnormal cell growth on your cervix. And how is it possible to have a “false positive” pap result? If they found “mildly abnormal” cell growth then wouldn’t that indicate that the pap result was correct? I have a lot of questions and I think I’m gonna need to call my gynecologist and ask them.

In other news, I just completed 15 minutes of stretching and toning excersises. I am beat. Did 14 push-ups, 40 crunches, 12 squats, 10 pelvic tilts, and some other shit I can’t even remember right now. I am so out of shape, that minimal amount of work has my shoulders sore and my legs weak. But the pain is good. It shows I put in some effort tonight. Maybe I can make these sessions a nightly occurence.

I had my six month follow-up pap last week. Hopefully the results will come back normal and I won’t have to have one for another year :-) While I was there my gynecologist just went ahead and gave me my annual exam. Everything seems to be normal.

Even though I’m almost two years out of the recommended age bracket, my doctor would like to give me the HPV vaccine. I would LOVE to get it. I think getting vaccinated is so important. I found out about the 9-26 age range on my 27th birthday and was SO PISSED! I’m glad to know that my doctor is willing to give it to me even though I’ll be 28 this year.

I have to find out if my insurence will cover it. If so, great. Full steam ahead. If not, my mother has offered to cover the entire cost herself. I don’t know if I want her to do that, but my finances may require it.

I have some calls to make.

Back in September I posted a list of all the things I was doing or planned to do to improve my health. I think it’s time to revisit that list to see what I’ve accomplished and what I have yet to impliment.

1) Try to get 8 hours of sleep every night even if that means going to bed earlier than I want to. (This totally has not happened, but oh boy does it need to!)

2) Take a multi-vitamin everyday. (Done)

3) Take cranberry supplements everyday. (Done)

4) Take my Elavil everyday. (Done)

5) Take Vitamin C supplements everyday. (Done)

6) Eat yogurt at least once a day if not more. (Done)

7) Eat more greens. (Coming along veeeerrrrry slowly.)

8) Regularly follow up with my RN and my gynecologist. (Done)

9) Have a colposcopy and biopsy a week from now. (Done)

10) Practice progressive relaxation and guided imagery to reduce stress and fight disease. (I fell out of this habit a while ago. I really should fall back into it.)

11) Drink more water. (Done)

12) Get more fiber in my diet. (Still working to bring this one back full force)

13) Do 30 minutes of exercise, preferably yoga, at least 5 times a week. (AH HA HA HA HA HA…no.)

14) Take Vitamin E supplement (Done)

15) Do whatever my gynecologist deems necessary (within reason) after receiving the results of my biopsy to improve my health. (Done)

Yowza! I’ve accomplished A LOT of goals here. Good job, Self. Now I think it’s time to revise this list to reflect my new goals for improving my health.

1) Try to get 8 hours of sleep every night even if that means going to bed earlier than I want to

2) Eat more greens.

3) Get more fiber in my diet.

4) Work on becoming as active and mobile as possible.

5) Implement an eyelid care routine.

6) Practice progressive relaxation and guided imagery to reduce stress and fight disease.

I’ll add more as they come to me.

I went and had my yearly physical today. Apart from my chronic conditions, my body is functioning just fine :-)

I was supposed to get my follow-up pap smear tomorrow, but I had to reschedule because my period decided to show up this morning. So, now I’m gonna have it in two weeks and with any luck everything will come back normal on that front as well. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Next week, I have an appointment to see Nancy the Nice Nurse Practitioner for my yearly physical. The yearly physical I haven’t bothered to get for several…years :-/ My health being what it is, I thought it would be in my best interest to find the time to have one this year.

I’ve also made an appointment to have my 6 month follow-up Pap Smear. I’m really anxious to get it done. I am hoping and praying it will come back completely normal. Unfortunately, my period is due next week and doctors can’t do Paps when you’re menstruating. So, depending on how my body cycles I may have my pap next week, or I may not. We’ll see.