Reddit mentions of The V Book: A Doctor's Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health

Get this book: The V Book: A Doctor's Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health. Our local public library has it, or you can buy it used for three or four dollars.

Your lube might not be helping, if you're sensitive to an ingredient in it, but it's very important to use lube. Look for a brand of lube specifically recommended for people with sensitivities. Probably not the issue, but it's easy enough to try.

Ask your doctor to recommend another doctor who specializes in vulvodynia.

Just read your other posts. I feel for ya.

I had a tough infection that my regular OBYGYN couldn't get rid of, so she recommended me to a specialist. This OBYGYN was a med school teacher in Boston and specialized in post-menopausal issues. She cleared up my infection and diagnosed my vulvodynia. After seeing her for 2 years, my vulvodynia was not gone (physical therapy helped the pain immensely, but I still had symptoms), so she sent me to Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, author of The V Book, which is the bible for vulvodynia. Her office is so awesome that some patients freaking fly into the Boston area to see her.

Vulvodynia is so poorly understood that no one even knows what causes it, but most of the treatments involve physical therapy, treatment of skin irritations, and relaxation techniques. Most doctors who treat vulvodynia know about the physical therapy portion, but many do not know how to treat the skin irritation. Dr. Stewart specializes in skin treatment.

I don't know where you are located, but I can recommend the following resources:

• The V Book - everyone and their mom in the V community raves about this thing
  
• V Matters, a New England-based support group that has a friendly list serv. The coordinator is very helpful and could hook you up with local resources
  
• Vaginismus.com - they have a handy workbook you can buy to track exercises, as well as an active message board for women and their partners
  
• NVA.org - National Vulvodynia Assoc, costs money, but if you can't find specialists in your area, this may be the way to go.
  
  Best of luck! Feel free to PM me if you have additional questions. This problem really really freaking sucks and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I'm a guy so my advice only goes so far. I'll point to other women however.https://hikinglady.com/hiking/how-ladies-go-to-the-bathroom-when-hiking/

https://thetrek.co/pee-rag/

Skurka brought in a couple ladies to give a very blunt discussion of female bathroom and hygine. Worth reading (anything Skurka posts is worth at least considering, he's a world class backpacker)https://andrewskurka.com/2013/female-hygiene-guide-tips/

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This one is a little loosey goosey on the "leave no trace" aspects of hygeine but it has some good ideashttps://www.theadventurejunkies.com/female-hygiene-guide-for-hiking-and-camping/

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I have this book "How to Shit in the Woods" and it's both funny and illuminating and has specifics for women.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Shit-Woods-3rd-Environmentally/dp/1580083633

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I saw this book referenced several times so I'll list it here.

https://www.amazon.com/Book-Doctors-Complete-Vulvovaginal-Health/dp/0553381148/

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Good luck and have fun. Yosemite is *gorgeous* and the late thaw this year means water and green later into the summer than normal.