The World's Tightest Community - A Podcast About Vulvodynia, Vaginismus & Women's Pelvic Pain

Mathilde Olstad
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Sexuality
  • Updated Semiweekly

Chronic pelvic pain doesn't have great PR. Vulvodynia, vaginismus, painful sex, pelvic floor dysfunction - conditions that affect 1 in 4 women and still get treated like a secret. This podcast is trying to change that. The World's Tightest Community is a weekly podcast hosted by Mathilde - a patient-turned-advocate who built this space out of her own experience with vulvodynia and vaginismus. Each episode goes deep into the conditions that millions of women live with but few feel safe naming: vulvodynia, vaginismus, vestibulodynia, pudendal neuralgia, and the wider landscape of chronic pelvic pain and painful sex. Mathilde speaks with gynecologists, pelvic floor physiotherapists, sex therapists, psychologists, and researchers working at the front edge of women's sexual health - translating clinical knowledge into something actually usable, alongside honest conversations about diagnostic delays, medical gaslighting, and what it really costs to navigate these conditions. You'll leave each episode with more language for your experience, clearer questions to bring to your next appointment, and the specific relief of knowing someone has thought carefully about this. New episodes every week. Follow wherever you listen, and find the community on Instagram. 3

  1. 6d ago ·  Video

    48: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: Why You Can Have It In Your 20s & 30s

    Why do the tissue changes we link to menopause also show up in women on the pill, breastfeeding, or in their twenties? I'm joined by Dr. Sameena Rahman, OB-GYN and sexual medicine specialist, founder of the GSM Collective in Chicago and ISSWSH scientific committee chair. We unpack genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), why the same hormonal mechanism drives vestibulodynia in younger women on birth control or spironolactone, and how vaginal estrogen, vaginal DHEA and estradiol-testosterone cream are used. We also cover the removed boxed warning on estrogen, why under 5% of women are offered a treatment linked to fewer UTIs and deaths, blood work, mast cells, and medical gaslighting. For anyone told their hormones are "normal" when something clearly isn't - and the clinicians who treat them. Sponsors: - The Pelvic People, makers of the Ohnut and the Kiwi. 15% off with code TWTC15 at thepelvicpeople.com/twtc  - Origin, in-network pelvic floor PT. Get your first month of On Track free with code TWTC at theoriginway.com/twtc  Dr. Sameena Rahman: Instagram: @gynogirlWebsite: thegsmcollective.comBook: "Brown Girls' Disease”? coming out October 6Resources: isswsh.org, prosayla.comConnect with Mathilde: Instagram: @theworldstightestcommunityWebsite: theworldstightestcommunity.comNewsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzdSupport the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsdTimestamps 00:00:00 Introduction, Dr. Sameena Rahman 00:01:28 GSM, Terminology 00:03:12 Vaginal pH, Thinning Tissue 00:04:37 Recurrent UTIs, Sepsis 00:05:12 Vestibule, Pain with Sex 00:05:52 Lactation, Cancer, Fertility 00:06:36 Birth Control, Androgens 00:07:24 GSM in Younger Women 00:08:37 Dryness Misread, Q-Tip Test 00:09:40 GSM Prevalence, Prevention 00:11:15 Chronic Progressive Condition 00:11:48 Nerve Proliferation, Mast Cells 00:14:31 Birth Control and Vestibular Pain 00:15:43 Anti-Androgen Pills, Spironolactone 00:17:13 Drospirenone, Yaz, Yasmin 00:18:13 Tool: Flagging Side Effects 00:18:50 Genetic Testing, Pelvic Floor PT 00:20:09 Weighing the Pill 00:20:54 Local Hormone Therapy 00:22:22 Vaginal DHEA, Formulations 00:23:01 UTI Risk Reduction 00:23:47 Tool: Coming Off the Pill, IUD 00:24:22 Estradiol-Testosterone Cream 00:25:36 Choosing Treatment, DHEA vs Estrogen 00:27:26 Breast Cancer Fears, WHI 00:28:10 Boxed Warning Removed 00:29:16 No Systemic Increase 00:30:01 Undertreatment, UTI and Sepsis Data 00:32:11 Tool: Treating After a First UTI 00:32:48 AUA Guidelines, Premenopausal Gap 00:33:42 ISSWSH Vestibulodynia Algorithm 00:35:04 Tool: Reactions, Switching Products 00:37:26 Blood Work, SHBG, Testosterone 00:40:26 Mast Cell Staining, Pain as Trauma 00:41:26 Pelvic Floor Botox 00:42:19 Medical Gaslighting, Team Care 00:43:55 Reasons for Hope, New Treatments 00:45:46 Hypermobility, Connected Conditions 00:46:43 Book: Brown Girls' Disease? 00:49:42 Where to Find Dr. Rahman

    48: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: Why You Can Have It In Your 20s & 30s

  2. Sep 28 ·  Video

    47. Vulvodynia & Gut Health: Exploring the Vaginal Microbiome Connection

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Christina Enzmann, a board-certified OB-GYN and functional medicine practitioner specializing in vulvovaginal disorders, to explore how gut health and the vaginal microbiome connect to persistent vulvar and pelvic pain. We cover the everyday products that disrupt the vaginal barrier, why pain can persist after repeated yeast and BV treatments, how endometriosis and gut inflammation may be linked, which tests are worth doing, and when probiotics can backfire. Sponsors: - The Pelvic People, makers of the Ohnut and the Kiwi. 15% off with code TWTC15 at thepelvicpeople.com/twtc  - Origin, in-network pelvic floor PT. Get your first month of On Track free with code TWTC at theoriginway.com/twtc  Connect with Dr. Christina Enzmann:  drchristinaenzmann.com Connect with Mathilde: IG: @theworldstightestcommunitytheworldstightestcommunity.com Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzdSupport: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsdChapters: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:19 Functional Medicine 00:04:12 "Test Don't Guess" 00:05:10 Gut Health, Vaginal Barrier 00:07:22 Endometriosis, IBS, Bladder Pain 00:08:07 Pelvic Organ Connection 00:08:51 Siloed Care 00:10:10 Gut vs Vaginal Microbiome 00:11:06 Lactobacilli, Acidity 00:12:41 Estrogen, Glycogen 00:13:13 Postmenopausal Microbiome 00:14:06 BV Misdiagnosis 00:14:51 Change Without Symptoms 00:16:40 Tool: Vaginal Estrogen 00:19:23 Microbiome Disruptors 00:20:37 Antibiotics, Yeast Overgrowth 00:21:32 Gut-Vagina Axis, Inflammation 00:22:22 Blood Sugar, Immunity 00:23:09 Insulin Resistance 00:24:29 Panty Liners, Hygiene Products 00:25:52 Soap, Scrubbing 00:27:43 Tool: Quitting Soap for BV 00:28:37 Monistat, Hypersensitivity 00:29:55 Product Marketing 00:30:49 Lube Osmolality, WHO Report 00:32:09 Tool: Silicone vs Water-Based 00:33:09 Bacterial Vaginosis 00:34:47 Yeast Infections 00:35:43 BV Risks: STIs, Preterm Labor 00:36:27 Endometriosis Microbiome 00:37:11 Sponsor: Origin 00:39:26 Sponsor: The Pelvic People 00:42:15 Persistent Pain After Infection 00:43:02 Barrier Breakdown 00:44:21 Repeated Treatments 00:45:48 Formulations, Aloe Vera 00:47:08 Tool: Gabapentin, Fewer Topicals 00:48:09 Vestibulodynia, Q-Tip Test 00:49:14 Central vs Peripheral 00:49:54 Chemical Sensitization 00:50:53 Endometriosis, PCOS Overlap 00:52:40 Endometriosis Pain vs Lesions 00:53:37 Estrogen, Beta-Glucuronidase 00:55:30 Histamine, Trigger Foods 00:56:27 Tool: Whole-Body Workup 00:57:13 NAATs, Vaginal Cultures 00:59:24 Antifungal Resistance 01:00:47 Vaginal, Gut Testing 01:02:22 Food Sensitivities, Flaxseed 01:04:09 Immune Complexes 01:04:55 At-Home Microbiome Tests 01:06:40 Snapshot Results 01:08:30 Tool: Actionable Tests Only 01:10:41 "Shotgun" Vaginal Tests 01:11:30 Probiotic Downsides 01:12:42 Oral Probiotics 01:13:55 Vaginal Probiotics, Topicals 01:15:23 Cost, Access, Online Care 01:18:08 Tool: Ditching Products 01:18:39 Vulvar Wipes, Barrier Creams 01:19:46 Where to Find Dr. Enzmann 01:20:35 Wrap-Up, Key Takeaways

    47. Vulvodynia & Gut Health: Exploring the Vaginal Microbiome Connection

  3. Sep 22 ·  Video

    46. Pelvic Floor Botox: My Experience & Why My Physio Told Me to Do Less

    In this solo episode I catch you up on my own treatment. I talk you through what pelvic floor Botox was actually like at a specialist vulvar clinic in Oslo, why my new physio's homework for the whole summer was to lovingly touch my thighs, and what that taught me about anticipating pain and turning even rest into something to achieve. I also explain the TTNS machine I'm using, which puts electrodes on my ankle to target pelvic pain. We've now passed 10,000 listeners a month, so I share what I'd love to build next for this community, and how I got past the embarrassment of talking about vulvar pain in public :) JOIN US THIS WEDNESDAY Body, Desire and Pleasure: an online writing evening with Sara Sturek of Writing Shamelessly. Wednesday 23 September, 7-8:30pm US Central. No writing experience needed. Sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1r3R0TnRjuc9NbUPTjrsCCW1DI2B2nL0Q7EjdPD1W7gk/edit?ts=6aa2ab9f My full story episode: https://gopod.io/p/yDbwt7 Sponsors: - The Pelvic People, makers of the Ohnut and the Kiwi. 15% off with code TWTC15 at thepelvicpeople.com/twtc - Origin, in-network pelvic floor PT. Get your first month of On Track free with code TWTC at theoriginway.com/twtc Connect with Mathilde: - Instagram: @theworldstightestcommunity - Website: theworldstightestcommunity.com - Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzd - Support the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsd Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction, Treatment Update 00:01:43 First Community Event, Sarah Sturek 00:02:52 Writing About Pelvic Pain Together 00:03:54 My Story, Vulvodynia 00:04:52 Muscular Pain, Left-Sided Tightness 00:05:26 Botox Results So Far 00:05:58 Oslo Vulvar Clinic, Botox Same Day 00:07:23 How Botox Works; the Procedure 00:08:24 Soreness, Recovery, Exercise 00:08:56 Feeling Validated by a Clinician 00:09:44 New Physio, Making Use of the Window 00:10:48 Anticipating Pain, Inner Thighs 00:11:43 Thigh Homework, Setting the Bar 00:12:52 Flink, Being the Good Patient 00:13:53 Going Slowly, Enough for Now 00:14:29 Graded Plan; Exposure vs Anticipation 00:15:43 Trust, Borrowing Hope 00:16:50 Sponsor: The Pelvic People 00:19:02 Sponsor: Origin 00:21:13 TTNS, Electrodes on the Ankle 00:21:55 Tibial Nerve, Pain Inhibition 00:22:55 Bladder Research, Three-Month Trial 00:23:43 10,000 Monthly Listeners 00:24:46 Listener Questions Become Episodes 00:25:42 What Comes Next for the Community 00:26:45 How You Found the Podcast 00:27:28 Shame, Embarrassment, Leaving Finance 00:28:15 My Best Friend's Response 00:29:36 Anger Over Embarrassment, Reddit 00:30:25 Privacy, Stigma in Medicine 00:31:25 Closing the Knowledge Gap 00:32:31 Being More Open, Feeling Less Alone 00:33:08 Wrap-Up, Event Reminder

    46. Pelvic Floor Botox: My Experience & Why My Physio Told Me to Do Less

  4. Sep 14 ·  Video

    45. Postpartum Pelvic Pain: Why Sex Hurts After Birth And What Actually Helps

    You had a baby, and months later something still hurts. Sex, sitting, the scar. And you've been told this is just what happens now. If that's you, this conversation is for you. I'm joined by Dr. Alexandra Dubinskaya, a urogynecologist and sexual medicine specialist in Beverly Hills. She chairs the communication committee at the International Society for Sexual Medicine and wrote the vulvodynia chapter in Taking Care of You. Much of her work is with women who come to her months or years after giving birth, still in pain, told there was nothing wrong. Her view is that women don't need protecting from information, they need it to make their own decisions. We talk about why sex can hurt after birth, starting with genitourinary syndrome of lactation, the hormonal drop that happens while breastfeeding. We get into tearing and episiotomies, granulation tissue that won't heal, and how the pudendal nerve gets stretched during pushing. She explains why that can cause numbness rather than pain. We also cover what to plan for if you already live with pelvic pain, and when a planned C-section is reasonable. If you're pregnant and want to know what to ask for, or already living with pelvic pain and weighing up a birth, this one is about having enough information to choose. Sponsors: - The Pelvic People, makers of the Ohnut and the Kiwi. 15% off with code TWTC15 at thepelvicpeople.com/twtc - Origin, in-network pelvic floor PT. Get your first month of On Track free with code TWTC at theoriginway.com/twtc Connect with Dr. Alexandra Dubinskaya: - Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @DrUrogyn Connect with Mathilde: IG: @theworldstightestcommunityWeb: theworldstightestcommunity.comNewsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzdSupport: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsd Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction: Pelvic Pain After Birth 00:01:34 Dr. Alexandra Dubinskaya 00:02:09 Urogynecology, Birth as Risk Factor 00:03:51 Informed Choice, What Women Are Not Told 00:05:39 Painful Sex, Syndrome of Lactation 00:06:28 Tearing, Episiotomy, Granulation Tissue 00:07:00 Tool: Vaginal Testosterone, DHEA 00:07:38 Silver Nitrate, Surgical Excision 00:08:41 Conditions of Repair, Suture Sensitivity 00:09:54 Scar Pain, Adhesions, Altered Anatomy 00:10:25 Tool: Optimise Tissue Before Pelvic PT 00:11:04 Pelvic Floor Trauma, Nerve Stretch 00:11:47 Numbness, Paresthesia, Loose Vagina Myth 00:12:44 Pudendal Neuralgia, Sitting, Positions 00:13:15 Episiotomy Angle, Pudendal Nerve Injury 00:14:08 Muscle Spasm, Nerve Compression 00:15:22 Tool: Physical Therapy, Vibration, Heat 00:15:58 Existing Pelvic Pain, C-Section Risks 00:16:51 Tool: Epidural, Checks, Safe Words 00:17:38 Choosing a Planned C-Section 00:18:26 Information for Both Options 00:19:12 You Are Not Alone, Finding a Provider 00:20:17 Where to Find Dr. Dubinskaya

    45. Postpartum Pelvic Pain: Why Sex Hurts After Birth And What Actually Helps

  5. Sep 11 ·  Video

    44. Neurodivergence and Pelvic Pain: What ADHD and Autism Change in the Exam Room

    Stephanie Berman has lived with vulvar pain since 2011. She spent eleven years being dismissed, misdiagnosed and told to be patient, and the referral that finally moved her forward came from an Instagram DM she sent to Dr. Corey Babb. She is also the founder of the Aziza Project, a nonprofit that pays for women in pelvic pain to physically get to the care they need. We cover her full story, and then something I have never covered on this show: what it actually takes to advocate for yourself in a clinical room when you are neurodivergent, and what clinicians could be doing differently. For anyone who has been told their tests look fine, and for the clinicians who want to do better. Thank you to our sponsors: The Pelvic People - makers of the Ohnut and the Kiwi. Get 15% off with code TWTC15 at thepelvicpeople.com/twtc  Origin - in-network pelvic floor PT. Get your first month of OnTrack free with code TWTC at theoriginway.com/TWTC  Connect with Stephanie Berman: Instagram: @azizaproject Website: azizaproject.org Facebook: The Aziza Project Connect with Mathilde: IG: @theworldstightestcommunity Web: theworldstightestcommunity.com Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzd Support: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsd Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction: Stephanie Berman 00:02:34 The Aziza Project, Her Story 00:03:28 Symptoms Begin 2011, Itching 00:04:26 Family Doctor, OBGYN, Negative Tests 00:05:01 Pelvic Floor PT, Couldn't Tolerate It 00:06:07 Vulvar Pain Clinic, Chiropractor 00:07:06 Painful Periods, Endometriosis 00:08:10 Excision Surgery, Hysterectomy 00:08:47 Layers of Pain, Lichen Sclerosus 00:09:52 Dermatologist Visit, No Biopsy 00:11:02 Step Therapy, Topical Steroids 00:11:40 Biologic for Atopic Dermatitis 00:12:12 "You Failed Those Meds" 00:13:00 Leaving the Dermatologist, Instagram 00:13:58 Instagram DM to Dr. Babb 00:15:05 "How Did I Get So Lucky", Aziza Idea 00:15:53 Pudendal Nerve Block, Botox 00:17:41 Botox Under Conscious Sedation 00:19:04 Five Rounds of Botox; Moving Abroad 00:19:54 Telling a New PT What She Needs 00:21:10 Vulvar Biopsy, Atopic Dermatitis 00:22:34 Self-Advocacy After a Diagnosis 00:23:37 Why Botox Wears Off, Muscle Memory 00:25:24 Sponsor: The Pelvic People 00:28:05 Sponsor: Origin 00:29:41 Neurodivergence in the Clinical Room 00:30:16 Describing Pain, Interoception 00:31:38 Neurodivergence and Gynecologic Pain 00:32:18 Trauma-Informed Care, Being Believed 00:32:59 Tool: Finding a Provider Who Digs 00:36:02 MRI, Pelvic Congestion Syndrome 00:36:48 Masking in the Clinical Room 00:37:22 Scheduled Drugs, Doctor's Letter 00:38:47 Accommodating a Neurodivergent Brain 00:41:57 ISSWSH, Menopause Society Directories 00:43:37 Neurodivergence and Chronic Pain Rates 00:44:58 The Aziza Project, How It Works 00:47:08 Angel Flight, Free Flights to Tulsa 00:48:28 Medical Debt, Care Credit 00:50:02 27 Donors at $28 a Month 00:50:43 Looking for Social Media Help 00:52:05 Where to Find the Aziza Project 00:52:36 Outro, Ratings and Instagram

    44. Neurodivergence and Pelvic Pain: What ADHD and Autism Change in the Exam Room

  6. Aug 31 ·  Video

    43. Vulvodynia Medications: Why Nothing Has Worked, and Every Option That Actually Might

    Vulvodynia just means pain in the vulva. It is not a diagnosis - and Dr. Maria Uloko argues that is why treatment so often fails. Maria is a urologist trained in comprehensive sexual health, one of seven in the world doing this work. We go type by type: what causes each one, what treats it, who it will not help. SPONSORS Pelva: the HydroSlix liner, a cushioning insert for more comfort during insertion. pelva.com, code TWTC10 for 10% off your first order. Origin: the largest in-network pelvic floor PT provider in the US, most patients pay under $36 a visit. theoriginway.com/TWTC, code TWTC for your first month of OnTrack free. Connect with Dr Uloko: instagram.com/mariaulokomd instagram.com/vulvai.co Connect with Mathilde: IG: @theworldstightestcommunity Web: theworldstightestcommunity.com Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzd Support: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsd 00:00:00 Introduction, Dr. Maria Uloko 00:02:24 Medication, Trial and Error 00:03:35 Sexual Health Training 00:04:25 Curable Conditions, No Diagnosis 00:05:24 Chest Pain Analogy 00:08:22 Symptoms vs Diagnoses 00:09:20 Success Rates, 13-67% 00:10:14 Root Cause, Burnout, VULVAi 00:11:17 Mathilde's Diagnosis, Dismissal 00:12:45 Crisis in Plain Sight 00:13:37 Anatomy Study, 75% Gap 00:14:37 Pelvic vs Vulvar Exam 00:16:28 Cost of Misdiagnosis 00:18:47 Sponsor: Origin 00:21:12 Sponsor: Pelva 00:22:44 Topicals, Systemics; a 101 00:23:24 Vulvodynia, Parts of the Vulva 00:24:48 Vestibule, 90% of Pain 00:26:34 Hormonally Mediated Vestibulodynia 00:27:44 Recurrent BV, Yeast; Q-Tip Test 00:28:35 Birth Control, Acne, Hair Loss 00:29:28 Tool: Estrogen, Testosterone 00:30:06 Premenopausal Triggers, 99% 00:30:44 IUDs, Rings, Implants 00:31:24 Oral Pill, Testosterone, SHBG 00:33:03 Staying on Birth Control 00:34:50 Tool: Check Hormone Labs 00:35:57 Recovery Timelines 00:37:39 Neuroproliferative Vestibulodynia 00:38:20 Congenital vs Acquired 00:39:26 Gabapentin, Lyrica; Pudendal Nerve 00:40:41 Wrong Drug, Wrong Diagnosis 00:41:17 Vestibulectomy, 96% Success 00:42:30 Partial vs Complete Surgery 00:45:29 Europe vs US Practice 00:46:54 When Surgery Is Indicated 00:48:28 Nerve Medication Success Rates 00:49:44 Hormonal and Nerve Pain 00:50:36 Anesthesia Test, Nerve Blocks 00:52:18 Living at a Four; Side Effects 00:53:43 Pelvic Floor Dysfunction 00:55:13 Primary vs Secondary Tension 00:59:26 Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy 01:00:00 Kegels, Why to Stop 01:00:47 Tool: TENS, Acupuncture, Breath 01:01:20 Muscle Relaxants, Suppositories 01:01:52 Botox, Resetting the Muscles 01:03:22 Clitorodynia, Clitoral Adhesions 01:04:37 Clitoral Nerve Pain 01:06:47 Lidocaine 01:08:50 Compounded Topicals, ABG Cream 01:10:44 Systemic vs Topical, Duration 01:11:56 Emerging Treatments 01:13:43 Endometriosis, Fibroids 01:14:44 Mast Cells, Antihistamines 01:16:11 VULVAi, Pre-Seed Round 01:16:54 Instagram, Reviews, Support

    43. Vulvodynia Medications: Why Nothing Has Worked, and Every Option That Actually Might

  7. Aug 24 ·  Video

    42. Supporting a Partner With Vaginismus or Painful Sex: What It Feels Like and How You Can Help

    This episode started with an email from a listener: a man in his twenties whose girlfriend has lived with vaginismus and pelvic pain for years. He wanted to know how to be a good partner to someone going through this. So this one is for the partners. I talk about what this can feel like from the inside, why she might pull away when you touch her and why that is not a verdict on you, and how the two of you can become a team around this instead of letting it come between you. I go through Natalie Rosen's research on the three ways partners respond, including the surprising finding about which kind of support is linked to more pain rather than less. And I talk about you, because you are in this too and you are allowed to be struggling. One in four women and people with vulvas experience this. There are real mechanisms behind it, there are treatments, and people do get better. SPONSORS Pelva: the HydroSlix liner, a cushioning insert for more comfort during insertion. pelva.com, code TWTC10 for 10% off your first order. Origin: the largest in-network pelvic floor PT provider in the US, most patients pay under $36 a visit. theoriginway.com/TWTC, code TWTC for your first month of OnTrack free. Connect with Mathilde: IG: @theworldstightestcommunityWebsite: theworldstightestcommunity.comSign up to the newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzdSupport the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsd CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:36 The Email That Started This Episode 00:01:09 The Partner as the Only Witness 00:01:51 Couples and Vulvodynia, Earlier Episode 00:03:33 One in Four, an Overlooked Reality 00:04:06 Real Mechanisms, Real Treatments 00:05:02 Four Parts; a Note Before We Start 00:07:00 The Sexual Script Both of You Inherit 00:07:49 Sex as Penetration, Foreplay as Warm-Up 00:08:33 Losing Him, Not Being Enough 00:09:50 Why She Hears Something Different 00:10:33 Pain and Desire, the Body's Protection 00:11:54 Rejection, and Fear of Any Touch 00:12:31 The Cycle You Both Get Caught In 00:13:12 Sponsor: Pelva 00:15:04 Sponsor: Origin 00:16:39 Naming It Out Loud 00:18:30 Us Against This, Not Each Other 00:19:43 Holding the Hope on Her Behalf 00:20:19 Being Told Nobody Knows Why 00:21:43 What We Actually Do Know 00:22:35 Seven Rejections, Finding the Eighth 00:24:12 Tool: Penetration off the Pedestal 00:25:43 Intimacy With No Required Destination 00:27:02 Natalie Rosen, Three Partner Responses 00:27:56 Solicitous Support and More Pain 00:28:42 Facilitative Support and Lower Pain 00:29:40 Tool: What to Actually Ask Each Other 00:31:04 Tool: Letting Her Initiate 00:31:40 You Are Allowed to Be Struggling 00:32:58 Your Feelings Are Not Hers to Fix 00:33:30 Facing It Together 00:34:16 Closing Thoughts

    42. Supporting a Partner With Vaginismus or Painful Sex: What It Feels Like and How You Can Help

  8. Aug 17 ·  Video

    41. Vestibulectomy on Screen: Bonnie Gross on Lady Parts and Her Second Surgery

    If you are googling vestibulectomy recovery at 2am, this one is for you. Bonnie Gross has had the surgery twice, ten years apart, and she is unusually good at describing it - she wrote and executive produced Lady Parts, the award-winning comedy based on the first one. We recorded this four weeks after her second. Most of this conversation is the practical side she could not fit in the film: the pre-surgery shopping list, the recovery timeline week by week, the insurance denial, the graft taken from inside her cheek, and what dilator work is really like afterwards. Sponsors: Pelva - pelva.com, code TWTC10 for 10% off Origin - theoriginway.com/TWTC, code TWTC for a free month of OnTrack Connect with Bonnie: IG: @ladyparts_filmWebsite: ladypartsfilm.com Connect with Mathilde: IG: @theworldstightestcommunityWebsite: theworldstightestcommunity.comSign up to the newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzdSupport the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsd Chapters: 00:00:00 Cold Open: Lady Parts Trailer 00:01:29 Welcome, Episode Overview 00:02:58 Bonnie Gross, Four Weeks Post Op 00:04:06 Lady Parts, Comedy Drama, True Story 00:06:31 College, Penetration, Clothes, Sitting 00:07:17 Three Years Searching; Gaslighting at 19 00:10:43 Dr. Amy Stein, Referral to Dr. Goldstein 00:11:14 Cost, Q-Tip Test, Being Believed 00:12:05 Ruling Out Hormonal Vestibulodynia 00:13:33 Surgery on the Table; Capsaicin 00:17:06 Vestibule Clock, 12 O'Clock, Urethra 00:17:46 Nerve Endings Left, Buccal Graft 00:18:49 Endometriosis, Hypermobility Overlap 00:20:09 Denied as Cosmetic, $10,000, No Code 00:21:12 Eighty Percent Relief, Ten to Four 00:22:28 Sponsor: Pelva 00:23:54 Sponsor: Origin 00:25:29 Practical Prep; Sitz Baths 00:27:35 Peri Bottle, Pee Pads With Adhesive 00:28:38 Nightgowns, Robes, Going Commando 00:29:12 Ice Packs, Liquid Meds, Soft Foods 00:30:41 Outpatient Surgery, Going Home 00:32:14 Legs Together, No Sitting, No Shower 00:33:13 Six Weeks in Bed, Needing Full Care 00:34:14 Pain by Phase, 24 Hours to Two Weeks 00:36:47 Mouth Pain, Graft Site, Fast Healing 00:38:12 Walking by Day Two, Itchy Stitches 00:38:52 Tool: Take the Pain Meds 00:39:24 Stitches, Donut Pillow, Back to Work 00:41:41 Clitoral Adhesions, Hood Retraction 00:43:17 Physiotherapy, Scar Tissue, Dilators 00:46:54 Tool: A Chair at the Edge of the Bath 00:48:10 Time Off Work, Desk Jobs, Commuting 00:51:03 Mesh Undies, Ice Packs, Baby Food 00:53:52 Periods in Recovery, Free Bleeding 00:55:19 IUD, No Period Through Surgery 00:56:33 Making Lady Parts, Ten Years 01:00:53 Life Savings, Making the Film, On Set 01:02:01 Festivals, Distribution, Screenings 01:04:57 Where to Watch: Prime, Tubi, Kinema 01:06:12 GoFundMe, Where to Find Bonnie 01:07:20 Outro, Reviews, Supporting the Show

    41. Vestibulectomy on Screen: Bonnie Gross on Lady Parts and Her Second Surgery
See All (48)

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Chronic pelvic pain doesn't have great PR. Vulvodynia, vaginismus, painful sex, pelvic floor dysfunction - conditions that affect 1 in 4 women and still get treated like a secret. This podcast is trying to change that. The World's Tightest Community is a weekly podcast hosted by Mathilde - a patient-turned-advocate who built this space out of her own experience with vulvodynia and vaginismus. Each episode goes deep into the conditions that millions of women live with but few feel safe naming: vulvodynia, vaginismus, vestibulodynia, pudendal neuralgia, and the wider landscape of chronic pelvic pain and painful sex. Mathilde speaks with gynecologists, pelvic floor physiotherapists, sex therapists, psychologists, and researchers working at the front edge of women's sexual health - translating clinical knowledge into something actually usable, alongside honest conversations about diagnostic delays, medical gaslighting, and what it really costs to navigate these conditions. You'll leave each episode with more language for your experience, clearer questions to bring to your next appointment, and the specific relief of knowing someone has thought carefully about this. New episodes every week. Follow wherever you listen, and find the community on Instagram. 3

Information

  • Creator
    Mathilde Olstad
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mathilde Olstad

You Might Also Like