Real Life Stories From Ending Female Pain
"In Their Own Words"

If you can relate to the women's stories below, then you can definitely benefit from buying this book. These success stories are from women who followed the exercises and the self-care techniques now available in Ending Female Pain, A Woman's Manual. These stories are here as inspiration so you can know that you are not alone, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

In Their Own Words - Finding Relief for Painful Sex

"I've had pain with sexual intercourse for years. It has been greatly affecting my relationship, my personal happiness and self-esteem. I always felt like I was the only one out there with such a problem. It was really hard for me to talk to someone about it, even close friends.

I've seen numerous gynecologists that couldn't help me at all. Physically they didn't find anything wrong with me so they didn't know what to do with my problem. I never felt really taken cared of or listened to.

Finally I was referred to a pelvic pain specialist that did believe in my pain being real. I thought he would be the one to finally help me. After numerous tests he diagnosed me with interstitial cystitis (IC). I was put on a very expensive medication called ElmironŽ that I had to pay for out of my own pocket since I don't have proper health insurance.

ElmironŽ is a medication that really impacts your daily life because of the way you have to coordinate it with your meals. Also, you are supposed to take it for at least 3-6 months to see any improvement. Needless to say I wasn't happy with it, but I gave it a chance.

It helped with urinary frequency but I did not get any relief from the pain I felt with intercourse. I felt helpless and longed to find alternatives. So I researched and spoke to people and finally ended up at Renew Physical Therapy.

I am thrilled that I found Isa and her team. They are welcoming, understanding and comforting. They even offered a great payment plan for the physical therapy (PT) program. After an initial exam, Isa found that I had very tight muscles and started treating me and teaching me internal and external exercises to do at home.

My doctor had never been able to find these muscular 'spasms' and tight spots. He even said specifically that PT wouldn't help me. I am proud that I took the initiative and made him prescribe PT for me regardless. You just have to really see what options you have and not just blindly listen to what your doctor tells you.

Isa has a gift, and she knows women's bodies inside out. She has a very holistic approach to her treatment which I love. She gave me tons of tips on relaxation, nutrition, exercising, etc. But the most important part is that she empowers women to help themselves. PT is not a miracle treatment. You have to do the work yourself in order to get better. But with Isa's help and understanding, I was able to finally have sex again with much less pain than before. And I am positive that I can be completely pain free by doing my exercises."



In Their Own Words - One Woman's Search for Answers

"My pain started eight years ago when I had sex with a new partner. It was a pain I was unfamiliar with - burning and abrasive. My first thought was that I had a yeast infection so I consulted a nurse-midwife. She confirmed the presence of yeast and prescribed boric acid capsules especially formulated by a compounding pharmacy. I tried this as well as garlic cloves inserted as pessaries, off and on for a year or so. The pain would come and go; at times increasing dramatically with normal activities like sitting and walking to the subway. These times, I felt the pain more intensely as if being stabbed or burned.

Realizing this was not a yeast infection, I went back to the nurse-midwife. She told me later that she suspected I had vulvodynia, but didn't want to diagnose me herself. She sent me to a respected OBGYN in a large practice. The doctor confirmed her suspicion; but when I asked about treatment options, I was horrified. They included using novocaine to numb the area; applying estrogen cream; taking antiseizure and antidepressant drugs like Neurontin; and finally, surgery to remove the painful areas. In the meantime, the doctor recommended to "have a glass of wine and try to relax" the next time I had sex.

I did not find comfort until some time later when a new OBGYN recommended physical therapy; specifically, internal trigger point and myofascial release. She referred me to Isa's practice where I have been going for a few months now. Since starting the therapy, I see a huge improvement. Isa told me that having a dysfunctional pelvic floor for years has caused other body parts to be affected. By this time, I was also experiencing pain in my hip joints and lower back.

So far, the result has been wonderful! Not only am I experiencing less pain, I am also learning a lot about the interconnections of the pelvis, hips and back muscles, and how to keep them all talking to each other happily through manual release of trigger points, the use of a foam roller, and stretching. I don't mind that the program has required a lot of work from me because the results are immense. It is such a relief to know there is a valid treatment for this pain. It is not just psychological, and now I have a whole arsenal of tools to stay in control of my pain."



In Their Own Words - Post Partum Scar Pain; 4th Degree Tear

"Hi, I came to Renew Physical Therapy to see Isa because I had post-partum scar pain from three surgical repairs. During the birth of my child I experienced a 4th degree tear to my perineum and rectum. I felt very weak and wanted to be stronger. My doctor said I was perfectly healed, but I was still in so much pain. He said this was normal and to be expected, so I believed him. For two months I tried to ignore the pain, so when I came to see Isa and she asked me if I had any pain, I said no. I really wasn't connected to my pelvic muscles, so I thought I had no pain.

Isa taught me how to keep track of my pain in a journal even though I told her I just came to retrain and strengthen my muscles. With my journal on hand at my next appointment, I realized that not only did I have pain, but I had extreme pain all day, in every situation! I had pain with sitting and had pain with sex. Wearing my thong underwear also hurt.

I have been seeing Isa for about 2 months now and she worked with me to strengthen, stretch and mobilize my scar tissue. We worked both on the vaginal and rectal tissues. She used laser therapy as well which was amazing, I literally walked out of the healing center with no pain the first time she did it. Each time after that, I just got better and better. Now, after 2 months, I feel stronger even before I had my son. I am almost pain free. I am able to wear clothes without any difficulty, including my tight jeans and thong underwear without pain.

I highly recommend physical therapy at Renew PT for women have had a baby - whether they were injured or not, or had a C-section or not -- to get better and stronger. A lot of times, we are unaware of what is happening in our bodies until someone focuses on it. I am really thankful for Renew Physical Therapy."



In Their Own Words - Doctor to Doctor Without Answers

"I had been suffering with pelvic pain for 4 months before I started physical therapy. I had been to a handful of doctors, most of whom were baffled by my condition. I had never had pelvic pain before - one day I just woke up with terrible itching and burning, and sex had become incredibly painful. I arrived at physical therapy with little hope of recovery - I had basically resigned myself to a lifetime of painful sex and discomfort (it was a regular occurrence for me to shed a few tears during my first few weeks of therapy). However, once I started a regimen (and started thinking positively), I began to see results and experience some relief.

It took dedication and perseverence - physical therapy can be time consuming and sometimes painful, but I continued on day after day with the hope that one day my pain would go away. It has been about a year since the onset of my pelvic pain, and I am now almost completely pain and itch free. I have even been able to wean myself off of the medications I was on (which my doctor had prescribed to help with pelvic muscle spasms), which I never thought possible. Before the onset of my condition, I had never heard of physical therapy for pelvic pain, but I am so lucky and grateful to have found people like the therapists at Renew PT who understood my condition and helped me to recover."