PFDorIC
11-15-2011, 03:34 AM
Does anyone feel they're urethral pain is related to hormones--specifically, lack of estrogen and testosterone? I've been reading Dr. Andrew Goldstein's book, When Sex Hurts, and he feels strongly that a lot of women are suffering a sort of birth control-induced atrophy. Testosterone--which he believes is important in urethral pain--is down to nothing on birth control, and estrogen is lower than it should be (especially on most modern formulations, like Loestrin, where there is very little estrogen).
For me, I only have urethral burning during sex--sort of a question of friction--and the burning started when I first went on birth control (though also had other things that might have set it off, like getting a cystoscopy, having hemorrhoid surgery, which might have set off nerves).
I am nervous, though, about going off birth control, as before I went on it, I had horrible cramping spasms the week before my period--mostly in my bladder, but that might be do to endometriosis.
Has anyone else been successful using hormonal modulations to control urethral burning? Estrace definitely helps me to a small degree, but not enough, either because the formulation isn't high enough, because low testosterone is still a factor, or because hormones have nothing much to do with it!
Thanks!
For me, I only have urethral burning during sex--sort of a question of friction--and the burning started when I first went on birth control (though also had other things that might have set it off, like getting a cystoscopy, having hemorrhoid surgery, which might have set off nerves).
I am nervous, though, about going off birth control, as before I went on it, I had horrible cramping spasms the week before my period--mostly in my bladder, but that might be do to endometriosis.
Has anyone else been successful using hormonal modulations to control urethral burning? Estrace definitely helps me to a small degree, but not enough, either because the formulation isn't high enough, because low testosterone is still a factor, or because hormones have nothing much to do with it!
Thanks!