I was 14 when I was first diagnosed with Endo. After irregular periods and pelvic issues, a laparoscopy confirmed the diagnosis.
I started the pill and had some reprieve for a few years. After countless visits to some of the “best known” gynecologists in Sydney and multiple laparoscopy’s, I was told it was “in my head” and to go to a pain clinic. I think this is where my issues around pelvic pain really set in.
A year later I found an amazing and kind gynecologist who repeated a laparoscopy (number 5). He found varicose veins and tons of scar tissue but no endo. It seemed the pill was working as a treatment.
My first introduction to my body as a woman had been tainted by clinical, painful and embarrassing experiences which probably set the scene for what was to come later.
Sex initially was great (as great as it can be when you have zero idea what to expect and are an awkward teenager with little self-confidence). My first introduction to sex toys was at a seedy sex store in Kings Cross (Sydney’s version of the red-light district). An old man with a rocking 70s moustache sat behind the counter and pointed us in the direction of the biggest and quite frankly offensive dildos I had ever seen. I left with a small egg which looked cool and became one of my favourite toys (still is actually).
After the birth of my daughter, sex became extremely painful. After multiple visits to my OB and other health care professionals, I started pelvic floor physio. I had a condition known as “vaginismus”. The name itself is enough to make your vagina tense! Basically, it was involuntary spasm of the muscles of the vagina which made sex painful. Instead of relaxing they would tense up. Someone suggested using external stimulation with sex toys to try to relax the muscles before sex and during. The combination with lubricant was great and made the experience way better!
I was haunted by my first experience with sex toys and even though we have made some progress and there are certainly some stores and online boutiques that are amazing, there weren’t always products that I felt were luxurious and beautiful. So, this started my dream of creating sex toys.
And so, with some help along the way from several users, health care professionals and designers – I created my first Elixir Play product. It was a long journey to get here but I am so excited for the opportunity to share this with women and help other women find ways to enjoy sex.
I feel very passionately that women should understand, be aware of and unashamed of their bodies. Whatever shape, size, colour you are – we all deserve pleasure and for the vast majority of us, with a little help and a lot of knowledge we can get there.
Mrs. Lara I would just like to say thank you for writing this blog I too at age 15 age 13 started having issues but at age 15 started seeing a gynecologist however he would not do my laparoscopy until I was 16 and once I was 16 I went and got a second opinion and the general surgeon said yes he did surgery so of course then my OBGYN it’s time on older gentleman just as I’m not going to find anything but that’s fine we’ll do a laparoscopy and scope around I was diagnosed with spastic colon to anything possible stomach issue was that I was just too young for endometriosis at 13 so if I only is 16 when they did laparoscoping there was hundreds and hundreds endometriosis polyps they lasered off as many as they could at that time and when I came out of recovery the OBGYN at the time I apologize to me and my parents said that he had never seen anyone my age have endometriosis so that’s why he kept going to rule it out but since then I’ve had the one laparoscopy three c-sections I had surgery to remove the endometriosis off the stomach my stomach lining does she think of my muscles of the stomach lining endometrial system another guy in there and adhered so I had to have it scraped and then finally a full hysterectomy to try to get rid of some of the hormones so they need to move this would go away because it kept pausing me too many bleeding issues had two ablations but yes ma’am I completely understand what you mean by making a woman feel content with her body not every woman is made the same way and some women cervix and everything’s different mine’s tilted down and back so even a pap smear alone is excruciating in positions you have to be in just for the doctor to do something let alone you know trying to have intimate you know sex with your your husband your partner trying to explain that to them and how that works and what they need to do it can get really overwhelming really fast and then the intimacy in the mood is gone so I’m looking forward to looking at your line intimate toys another products I’m also interested in trying to take a step out and see about producing a toy line but for women like me as well whose cervix is tilted down and backwards and the toys need to be different too give them comfort and completion but thank you miss right regretly appreciate it.
My email is jenniwill1515@gmail.com