Thank God for pillow!! My urethral area pains are

[izazen]

much, much improved.
When I think of how much I've suffered needlessly over the past several months with painful internal and external urethral/pelvic floor problems I could just cry.
I was so dumb - I would be sitting flat out on stools, car seats, hardwood library chairs , etc and coming away with nasty pains in my pelvic floor area - I didn't know what to do and I just couldn't put 2 and 2 together.
Lately I noticed that its much harder to have a bm - like I was closing up down there - still I accepted this, too, as part of the "wierdness" that has descended on me the last 5 months.
Last week I noticed that my vagina felt odd too (what doesn't ??) and, when in the tub, I couldn't even put my finger inside a tiny bit - it was all closed up!
That's when I found out about PFD and vaginismus - light bulb!!
I ordered a pillow from the ICN shop but also picked up a neck pillow to hold me - I sat for over 3 hours today at a play - on the small, horse shoe shaped pillow and put it on top of a microwave rice pillow (also horseshoe shaped) and was able to enjoy the play without having the corresponding pains afterwards!
Wow - a small piece of the puzzle solved(!!)

[tabasco32]

does your rectum close up when you have a bowel movement. Mine does and I don't know what it is. how does your vagina feel.? does it feel opened mine does

[ICNDonna]

I don't know what I'd do without my pillows from the ICN Shop. I need to order a new one --- I've used mine too much.

:)
Donna

[Katrina]

I bring a pillow with me everywhere I go.....people used to ask me all of the time, "you moving in?" but the difference it made was huge!!!

the tightness after a bowel movement is Pelvic floor muscles spasm.....bowel movments easily cause a flare of Pelvic muscles spasms especially if you strain. PFD newsletter posted http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showpost.php?p=256636&postcount=11

[donnadb40]

Hi,
Don't know what kind of job you have, but if you have a job that would allow this, it is great for those of us with IC to help with the pain and pressure. Get you one of those big exercise balls and sit on it like a chair at your desk at work (or anywhere that you can take it and not look "weird"). It really relieves the pelvic pressure!! Thankfully, I am a pediatric therapist so I can sit on my ball most of the day (WHEN I get to sit!).... Try it, you'll like it!!!