Burnt – Stop Ignoring my (Vulvar/Pelvic) Pain
30
Jan
By Jaclyn Lanthier
Jaclyn Blog

Burnt – Stop Ignoring my (Vulvar/Pelvic) Pain

Introduction Hey, beautiful soul. Today we have a guest post by the amazing Sabrina Sarro (they/them). Sabrina is a lead psychotherapist and clinical supervisor at Gray Matters, in New York City. They have their Master’s in social work (MSW), focusing on advanced clinical practice and intersectional social issues. Additionally, they MFA (Master's in Fine Arts) in Nonfiction and are a certified clinical trauma professional and are certified in DBT. They are also a PCOS and vulvovaginal health specialist who helps folks with chronic pelvic pain, painful sex, and other genital health conditions. Sabrina is especially passionate about creating a safe container for people of color (POC), queer, and TGNC (transgender and gender non-conforming) folks to explore their physical and mental health in order to heal. Learn more about them by clicking here. Sabrina lives with vulvar and pelvic pain and is still searching for a diagnosis, after seeing over 20 doctors…
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4 Brave Lichen Sclerosus Diagnosis Stories. You are NOT Alone.
10
Jan
By Kathy
Kathy Blog

4 Brave Lichen Sclerosus Diagnosis Stories. You are NOT Alone.

Listen to the podcast here: Getting a Lichen Sclerosus diagnosis can feel like a very lonely experience. Even though your experience is unique, there are aspects of it that run through thousands of people's stories all over the world. It is my honor to share diagnosis stories from a few members of the Lichen Sclerosus Support Network (LSSN). Sharing these experiences is so important because it helps us know that we are not alone. Lyna's Lichen Sclerosus Diagnosis, United States I was diagnosed about two years ago, but have had LS for five years. I was seeing my gynecologist and my general practitioner for three years, telling them about my symptoms of intense itching, burning, and fissures. Every time I'd come into the office, though, for a checkup, my fissures would be healed and nothing would be visible. They started testing me for STDs, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, etc., but…
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How to be a Better Self Advocate in Your Healthcare
12
Dec
By Kathy
Kathy Blog

How to be a Better Self Advocate in Your Healthcare

If you've been diagnosed with Lichen Sclerosus, a chronic illness, or are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, then you know how important it is to advocate for yourself in the healthcare system. In this blog post, I'll outline the steps I take in each stage of any medical appointment to be a better self advocate. Whether you're seeing a doctor, specialist, or clinician, these tips help you get the quality care you deserve. Having the right mindset helps us be better self advocates For people with Lichen Sclerosus, the best way to get the most from each doctor's visit is to be our own advocate. Many of us are rushed through an exam, talked over, given little information, and escorted out the door before we even have a chance to get comfortable on the table. The first thing we must do to become better self advocates, is change our mindset. We deserve…
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