Surgery for Vulvodynia

I'm 21 and for the past year I have suffered from SEVERE pain during sex. My gynocologist had me try estrogen creams and anesthetics to try to fix the area. I finally saw a specialist and he was the one who diagnosed me with vulvodynia in July and put me on an anti-depressant. While the medicine postponed the length of time before I experienced pain during sex, it was still just as bad when it did come. The medicine also increased my heart rate to a dangerous rate. I had to be taken off of it and my symptoms have come back just as strong. My doctor said the best approach is to get surgery. He says that the part of my non-intact hymen is sensitive and it needs to be surgically removed. I feel so alone and I just want to enjoy sex again. Any advice? Has anyone had the surgery and has it helped? I haven't had a surgery like this before.

Hi Melonhead, I'm sorry to hear your condition is so severe. I have no idea about surgery, most people on here seem to be focusing on physiotherapy, there's a section for it here. As far as info on surgery there's a topic on it here and Sebby has made two very informative posts on the topic also (1, 2). Vulval pain conditions seem to vary a lot from person to person, so I couldn't possibly say whether surgery is right for you, but maybe it would be a good idea to consult with another doctor before going down that route? As far as I can tell most doctors don't really know what causes vulvodynia and other vulval pain conditions, and for this reason I'd be hesitant to undergo surgery for it myself, because obviously surgery's irreversible and if it makes things worse or doesn't help at all that would be awful.

Hy!
Surgery -Vestibulectomoy- is a good option treamtent if you suffer for primary vestibulodynia. So first question is wether you already had intercourse-penetration without pain? If yes and the pain just came after a long period of "normal" sexual life" then I would try other treatment option. I am a bit puzzled by the "non-intact hymen"... Are you sure your MD is a good specialist of Vulvodynia?
Did you check the pill hypothesis; more and more young lady are suffering Vestibulodynia because of new OCs generation (type Jazz). In these cases stopping OC's and applying topical estrogens and androgens cream is a efficacious solution.
SO
1) do you suffer pain only on pressure/penetration at the entrance of the vagina (the so called vestibule) and even more very precisely on very specific area 9 and 11 hours arround the Vagina? If yes this is probably a Provocked Vestibulodynia
2) Is it a Primary or secondary Vestibulodynia? If it is primary look for a wel trained OBGYN who will do a vestibulectomy (surgery). Please look for a trained one...
3) If not, you have a secondary PVD... Think about the OC's issues (stop OCs) and try Neogyn topically first as is it a efficacious non drug approach.
4) Go to a good Physiotherapist who can help you to relex your pelvic muscles are they may be super contracted do to the Vulvodynia and even sometime this is causing the vulvodynia... Are you doing a lot of exercize?