"My Vagina's Falling Out"
It's not mine, actually. It's a friend of mine; the title is a direct quote from the text she sent me. And I don't mean "friend." If you've read some of my other posts, you know I'd tell you if it were my vagina that was falling out. I once typed out several frank paragraphs about the time I lost a tampon in my hoohah for months and the ensuing odor. I almost wish it were my vagina falling out, just for the material.
No, no, not really, vagina gods. I am making light of an uncomfortable medical condition for the sake of art. Please do not visit that karma upon me. In all actuality, I would like my vagina to stay right where it is, in that boring yet comfortable place, tucked inside my body where I can't feel it nor do I feel compelled to write about it. But things do not stay put as we age, so read on for a few common, distressing and distressingly common female reproductive issues.
FUN FACT: "Vagina" refers to the inside part you can't see that leads to the cervix and then the uterus. The outside parts we tend to call the vagina in everyday conversation are actually the vulva and labia. Helpful definitions and diagram here.
Jen's Wayward Vagina
Jen woke up one morning, and while getting ready for work, she noticed a familiar yet uncomfortable feeling -- like her tampon had slipped down and was poking out. Only she wasn't wearing a tampon. Upon exploration, she was horrified to discover what she felt was not a wandering sanitary supply but her actual self -- tissue from inside was trying to be outside. Jen has some medical experience, so she knew what she felt was a prolapsed vagina, which is just doctorspeak for, "Your vagina's falling out of your body but we'd like to make it sound a little less terrible."
After five or two hundred deep breaths, Jen calmed down enough to do some research. She was shocked to discover that 40 PERCENT of women have vaginal prolapse at some point in their lives. Why then, we wondered together, did we not know about this? Vaginal prolapse can come with a smorgasbord of fun symptoms that range from that feeling of "tissue protrusion" Jen felt to constipation and general sexual concerns about having a loose vagina.
We all know about erectile dysfunction and vasectomy reversal; pharmaceutical companies are falling all over themselves to develop treatments and yelling it out to the world as they do it. If 40 percent of women have vaginal prolapse, why had I not heard so much as a peep about it until Jen freaked out and shared it with me? Might she have freaked out less if she'd seen 80 thousand commercials for how to treat it? I'll leave that to rattle around in your brain while I move on to another friend of mine. More info on vaginal prolapse here.
Rachel's Pain-in-the-Pelvis Bladder
Rachel and I were supposed to meet up to walk, but she texted me that morning to say she didn't feel well enough, but could I come over and talk? As I walked to her house, I wondered what was up. Maybe she's worried about one of her kids. Maybe she's leaving her husband. Maybe she has cancer. All three of these, I'm finding, are common at our age. It was none of them.
Rachel has a chronic urge to pee, though not much comes out. She doesn't have a urinary tract infection. A urologist gave her a vaginal suppository to treat it, but she had a bad reaction to it. It burned her insides. Her doctor "had never heard of this happening before." Now, she can't exercise because she's in too much pain. She has trouble sleeping because of the pain. And she's generally unhappy because, again, pain. Our shared gynecologist suggested melatonin and general disregard for the impact this pain was having on her life.
She's since done some internet research, diagnosed herself with interstitial cystitis (IC) and altered her diet, which has helped some. IC affects somewhere between 3 and 8 million women and has no cure. Thanks, medical people. Let that one marinate along with vaginal prolapse.
Sarah's Disappearing Clitoris
That's right; that little motherfucker who brings you so much pleasure can disappear, and she is not going to go quietly either. She's going to go kicking, screaming, itching and scarring all the way. It's called lichen sclerosis. I would never have heard of it if Sarah hadn't told me she had it and has to keep Clobetasol cream on her person at all times for the rest of her life. Obviously, it messes up your ability to enjoy sex. Four percent of women who have it wind up with vulvar cancer. It's a lifelong, incurable thing that affects one in 80 women, mostly those peri- or post-menopausal. Betcha never heard of that one either. Ever see a commercial for itchy, scarring clit pills? No? More info on lichen sclerosis here.
The Really Disturbing Thing
It's scary that these conditions exist, but what's worse is that no one talks about them. That makes them even more terrifying. Men can make jokes about not being able to get it up because everyone knows about that thanks to Viagra and their never-ending ad campaign. No one jokes about itchy clits or vaginas gone rogue. Or undefinable, vague pelvic pain that maybe wouldn't be so undefinable if there were more research dollars poured into women's reproductive issues.
I don't want much. I'm not asking for science to make me fertile at fifty. Believe me, I don't want that. I'm just asking for a little transparency -- that women not be blind-sided by these conditions. That we not feel horrified and alone about something that affects 40 percent of people with vaginas. And maybe some money and research put into what medicines, procedures or therapies would help us be more comfortable as we age.