Why providers should hear my patient story

/ Inspire Santé/
Why providers should hear my patient story

If you’re a provider who treats those who hurt, I urge you to stay above the chaos of pain’s wrecking ball.  You need to remain logical, focused on the end-goal and the pain science and the sensitivity of the patient’s nervous system.  You need to be willing to refer patients to other providers.  Be careful not to attempt treatments that are likely to worsen the patient’s suffering, simply because you’ve exhausted all other treatment modalities.

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Let's talk about sex. (+ vaginal pain + patient-provider communication)

/ Inspire Santé/
Let's talk about sex. (+ vaginal pain + patient-provider communication)

For years, my pelvic pain prevented me from having the fun, spontaneous, gloriously cliché 20-something sex that my friends were enjoying. You know – the kind of sex that they gushed about at brunch.  Sex that was breaking their hearts and exhilarating their sense of liberated womanhood and adulthood.  Sex that their doctors were lecturing them about.  I couldn’t have that kind of sex because my vagina (and vulva and back and thighs) were excruciatingly painful.  That was my dirty little secret.

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Dealing with the disconnect between being "healthy" and "pain-free"

/ Inspire Santé/
Dealing with the disconnect between being "healthy" and "pain-free"

I walked out the door of the clinic that day proud and nervous.  Was I really better?  She assured me that I was.  My doctor and husband and family and girlfriends assured me that I was.  So, I figured I’d take this “healthy” thing for a spin.

If health is a state of existing in perfect comfort and contentment, it was short lived.

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Demystifying "supported independence" as a treatment goal

/ Inspire Santé/
Demystifying "supported independence" as a treatment goal

When I stopped seeing my PT regularly, I tried to avoid coming back in for visits.  I wanted to feel like I was actually healthy, and not relying so heavily on her help.  This sounds silly now, but at the time, I hadn’t gone more than a couple of weeks without PT for years.  But after seeing my health through this goofy construct for a few months, I began to understand that a much better goal is a state of “supported independence.”

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A 5-point plan for getting help with your 'down there' health

/ Inspire Santé/
A 5-point plan for getting help with your 'down there' health

So you have pain with sex, or you leak urine when you sneeze, or you feel a bulge in your vagina, or you have chronic constipation or any other “down there” health concern.  Where do you begin?  Having suffered from pelvic pain and an assortment of related health issues for years, these are my suggestions for finding the right provider, getting the help you need, and speaking candidly about tough issues.

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My name is Erin, and I'm a yogi.

/ Inspire Santé/
My name is Erin, and I'm a yogi.

I  didn’t “recover” from pelvic pain spontaneously.  Rather, I gradually felt better, I had more “good days” than “bad days,” and I slowly reincorporated physical activity (things as simple as walking) into my life.  It took time, and it took the persistent encouragement of my physical therapist for me to take the plunge.

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Me, a success story??

/ Inspire Santé/
Me, a success story??

My physical therapist, Sandy, has asked me: "How many good things, feelings, and inputs is it going to take for you to no longer fear that the pain will return?"  My answer has always been: "I don't know."  She also admits to not knowing.  No one knows.

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A journal entry after 2 weeks of pelvic physical therapy (with the *right* PT for me)

/ Inspire Santé/
A journal entry after 2 weeks of pelvic physical therapy (with the *right* PT for me)

More times than I can count, I’ve been asked: “How long did it take for you to start feeling better?”  I met Sandy, my PT, when I was wheelchair-bound and in constant, horrific pain.  So, I’m sharing this journal entry, written 15 days after meeting Sandy. And to answer the question: It took less than 15 days.

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Graded exposure to underwear aka "The Wearing of the Underwear"

/ Inspire Santé/
Graded exposure to underwear aka "The Wearing of the Underwear"

We imagined that I'd receive some sort of gold-gilded trophy with a woman standing triumphantly in her underwear.  I'd successfully mastered several dynamic challenges.

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