Interstitial cystitis and vulvodynia

I am a 44 year old woman who has had interstitial cystitis for 20 years, and swollen vulva after intercourse, for 10 years.

Can anyone offer me homeopathic advice?

Main Suffering – after intercourse, about one day later my vulva swells and feels hot and burning. I can’t wear underwear or jeans or trousers at this time. It takes 10 days to go away. Sitting down exacerbates the symptoms.Skin of vulva is red, not smooth (when magnified it would have hills and valleys)

Other physical sufferings – urgency to urinate, after intercourse, which lasts for at least 2 weeks. Pain during intercourse due to muscle spasms. Allergic reaction to detergents – sore skin (could be anywhere on body). When i eat dairy my stomach is upset – diarrhoea, flatulence, tiredness.
Cyst in breast – recent, not malignant, drained at hospital.
Chronic neck and back pain for 18 years.

Mental sufferings associated with my physical symptoms – anxiety about having intercourse, fear that the relationship will fail because of the physical problems.
I suffer from mild depression and take antidepressants.

What I feel when I am at my worst – Hopeless, alone, misunderstood, crying.

When did it start/links with any event – Pain on intercourse after the breakup of a relationship 20 years ago (which caused depression), Not 19 years ago -diagnosed with PID (no lab tests though), which had the following symptoms :- vaginal discharge, .urgency to urinate, severe pain at both sides of abdomen.
2 months later - acute cystitis due to infection.
Since then, I have had cystitis symptoms regularly, almost always related to intercourse.
13 years ago my son was born.
9 years ago, the vulval swelling after intercourse, began.
It continues till the present day, always commencing the day after intercourse.

Which time of the day you are worst?- i don’t really notice a change with time of day. But probably towards the end rather than the beginning.

What are the things which aggravate your suffering and which are those which ameliorate the same? Example- time, temperature, pressure, rubbing, washing, eating, tight clothing etc.
Agg- Heat, clothes touching, tight clothing, sitting.
Amel – cold water on affected part, cool air on affected part.




Do your think your sufferings have relation to any external stimuli (like, change of place) or any internal biological changes in the body, like, menses (in females)?
- related to sexual intercourse.

When do you feel better, during hot weather or cold weather, humid or dry weather? – not sure

Describe your general mental set up? Are you Moody, Arrogant, Mild, Agreeable Changeable, Nervous, Suspicious, Easily offended, Quiet, Arguing, Irritating, Lazy etc.
- Friendly, worry about how others perceive me, hate confrontation, cry easily, argumentative. Don’t like to show others how i feel. Need to talk to get rid of negative feelings. Feel better when understood.

During a thunderstorm? –no anxieties. Feel safe.

Do you like being consoled? – yes

Sensitive to smell, noise, light? - not usually, but my sense of smell has become distorted over last 2 years – i smell things that aren’t there, and things that are, smell different from what they used to. This is intermittent.

Typical Habit or Gesture? – biting fingers round nails, picking nose, sniffing alot, scratching skin.


How do you feel about friends, family, and especially mate?
- Friends – supported, happy with them. Choose friends who support and understand me.
- Family – loving from a distance. Used to feel unloved, getting better.
- Mate – love him dearly, find him to be understanding and caring, just what i need.

Food cravings and aversions –
- Crave salty things, things with vinegar in, like salad cream and ketchup
- Crave Sweet thngs at times.
- Aversions, marzipan, processed coconut.

Thirst – rarely feel thirsty. I drink because i know i must.

Hunger - normal, have healthy apetite.

Food intolerance? – dairy foods cause flatulence and diarrhoea and tiredness.

Sweat normal/less or more? Mostly less. Occasional night sweats before or during period. Drinking soya helps the night sweats.

Bowel movement and stool type – Daily, easy,very soft.

Sleep pattern and posture - I get tired during the day after eating and will sleep if circumstances allow. Mostly sleep well at night. Tend to go to bed late and get up late. Difficulty waking up early. Sleep on my side usually. Find comfort from sleeping on stomach but avoid due to neck pain.

Able to satisfy sexual desires? I think i suppress them. Most of the time i am not aware of sexual desires.
At beginning of new relationship, when i feel particularly loved, I have strong sexual desires. This soon ends, as intercourse has painful consequences.

Strange, peculiar symptoms? - my sense of smell has become distorted over last 2 years – i smell things that aren’t there, and things that are, smell different from what they used to. This is intermittent.

Medications taken for the main sypmtoms? - antibiotics for cystitis, discontinued after several years. Occasional topical use of anti fungal creams.
Occasional use of topical hydrocortisone. Topical Emollient gel.
The emollient gel soothed the vulval soreness.
The antibiotics soothed the cystitis.

My appearance – tall, slim, fair hair, fair skin.

Abnormal menstrual cycle? – Very heavy painful periods with blood clots. Flooding. Used to take oral contraceptive as teenager and young adult, up to age 23, to control this. Menstruate approx every 23 days.