Today I made it to my last dilator! For almost a year I was stuck on dilators smaller than my finger and was unable to make any progress. Then I decided to switch from hard plastic dilators to silicone ones, and within 3 months I made it from the smallest to the biggest dilator (in a 5 piece set). This all is to say that if you’ve been plateauing for a while, maybe try and switch up the dilators you use— the ones you have might not be best suited for your body.

Excuse my ignorance, I’ve only ever lived in apartment buildings where we didn’t put our trash outside. I assumed my recycling would be picked up when my trash was picked up but it seems that me and all my neighbors’ recycling piles are all still outside. Do they get picked up on a separate day or should I do something with them? Also, animals always tear apart my garbage bags when I leave them out for collection, is there some way you all have found to combat this?

My trash day is Wednesday but it was not picked up yesterday, I assume due to Juneteenth. Will I have to wait another whole week for it to be picked up?

I am having a heatwave where I live and I have no AC. I am wondering if it’s better to keep my makeup out in my house where temperatures are reaching 90°F (32°C) or if I should put them in the refrigerator or something. There is nowhere cool in my house that I can leave it. Is the fridge too cold?

I just moved into a house here on the west side and I was wondering which internet providers you guys use. I think Verizon offered plans of like $60 or $80 a month which seems a bit steep. Does anyone know a provider which has good internet for less than $60 a month?

I have been eyeing crumb couture for months but couldn’t pull the trigger on a full size. I saw recently that they created a mini size so I bought it, and I was sure I would love it on me. However, it just arrived and it smells like incense. I hate incense and anything smoky! I’m not getting any croissant smell except for a little berry in the opening. I know I should have bought the full size so I could return it but I just physically couldn’t bring myself to spend the $65. Does anyone know where I could sell this bottle now?

I was wondering if my period blood texture is normal. I don’t really get liquid blood, more like bloody goop. I’ve worn a tampon a few times and it feels like the blood doesn’t actually penetrate the tampon bc it’s too thick. When I pull it out it’s usually surrounded by bloody goop just sitting on the surface, and the tampon doesn’t really expand. If it matters I do have PCOS and am on birth control, but my blood has been this texture for as long as I can remember.

I think I’m in the minority for this but I really hate reading posts on here about people who have cured their vaginismus in short time periods. It just feels like such a struggle to be taken seriously and get help. I found about my issue over a year ago, and went to my gynecologist who barely helped and didn’t even say the word “vaginismus.” But I knew from this subreddit that I had it and that I needed to start dilating and see a pelvic floor pt. So I began dilating and booked an appointment with a pt who clearly did not actually understand vaginismus even though she said she did. At my first appointment she shoved something in me that was way too big and made me cry uncontrollably and bleed, and after that I was traumatized for a bit. Once a few months passed and I wasn’t so scared anymore, I tried finding a new pelvic floor pt, which was tough bc I needed a referral but my gynecologist ghosted me when I asked for one so I had to wait until my yearly physical to ask my physician for one. Then I finally started pelvic floor pt with a doctor who was a lot more gentle but I fear she still doesn’t understand vaginismus fully. She just does some sort of internal massage every time I visit, doesn’t dilate with me, or do the things that other people on this page say that their PTs do with them. I switched from hard plastic to silicone dilators which helped immensely, but it still just feels impossible to cure. I had a bf for over a year who I never got to have sex with, and also became extremely depressed over the course of this condition. I feel so jealous when I read about people’s experiences with pelvic floor PTs who are super knowledgeable and helpful and accessible, and people who are able to progress quickly with dilators. It feels like I constantly hit roadblocks and I’ll never get better.