Before coming to physical therapy, I was miserable in my sex life. My husband (Matt) and I had just married, and both of us were virgins. Our first attempt at sex was unsuccessful because of the sharp pain I experienced when he tried to penetrate. We were disappointed, but we figured it would get better as we became adjusted to each other. However, things got worse. Every time Matt tried to penetrate, I experienced horrible pain that left me feeling nauseous. I became afraid of having sex because of the pain and had difficulty feeling aroused. Three months later, Matt was still unable to penetrate, and I was left with anxiety, crushing disappointment, dread of sex, and immense frustration at our failure. I did not feel like a “real” wife or a married couple. Sex was supposed to be fun and enjoyable, but this was painful and awful! Was I the only woman this was happening to?
Without Amy’s intervention, I would still be trapped in anxiety, frustration, disappointment, and pain.
When I started seeing Amy for physical therapy, I was apprehensive and defeated. I felt like I was never going to be able to have sex or enjoy it. Amy immediately put my mind to ease. She explained why I was having trouble and described how we were going to work on it. She was excellent to work with and helped me relax. After several sessions, I began making progress. Matt and I worked diligently at home with the dilators, and while we refrained from penetration throughout the course of treatment, I started to have hope. The exercises were working! When it came time to attempt penetration, I was amazed by the progress I had made. Matt was able to penetrate with little pain! As we continued to practice, penetration became virtually pain-free. The biggest sign of our success was when we were able to have spontaneous sex instead of having to plan it out like a practice session. I was ecstatic that we could finally be intimate with each other! Physical therapy has made all the difference. Without Amy’s intervention, I would still be trapped in anxiety, frustration, disappointment, and pain. Thank you, Amy!
Cathy