Transparency is a really important part of my platform. Whether it sharing how I made peace with my or talking about , I try to keep every conversation on the table. There’s no shame in caring for your body in the way that feels good to you. Today, I’m going to be sharing how products have helped me in managing medication side effects and boosting my vaginal wellness.
Finding out I had type 2 diabetes at the age of 28 transformed my life. I was a person who hated taking medication of any kind. I struggled with making taking a pill part of my routine for more than a few days at a time. When I found out I had a chronic illness, I started to make peace that daily medication would be a part of my everyday life moving forward. I bought myself a cute pill case and eventually, I found my groove.
Stress plays a significant role in blood sugar management and I found myself struggling to manage my diabetes while planning a wedding. My doctor added another medication to my routine to supplement what I was already taking. She breezed over the side affects and I didn’t think much of it. Shortly after starting this medication, I started to notice vaginal discomfort.
show people with diabetes, especially unstable blood glucose levels, are more likely to get genital tract infections such as yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis. And that’s more likely than an already pretty common likelihood – 30% of and 75% will get a yeast infection. In my case, I can easily trace the changes in my vaginal health back to the introduction of this new medication. Due to the connection of diabetes to genital infections, I convinced myself that was the cause of my discomfort even after MULTIPLE tests showed I was negative for both a yeast infection and BV.
One night I was watching television and I saw a commercial for that new medication I was taking as I had many times before. You know the part of the commercial where they breeze over the medication side effects while showing someone painting or riding a bike. I listened to that part of the commercial for the first time. That’s when I heard that vaginal irritation such as swelling, pain or tenderness of the skin was a side affect of this medication. Everything made sense.
My doctor prescribed a topical cream that my insurance barely covered and didn’t really help. Then I discovered Momotaro. My story of playing a guessing game with my vaginal health is not unlike the story of Momotaro co-founder, Lindsay Wynn.
Inspired by her own recurring BV, Lindsay set out to create the solution. Lindsay had found that the potency of over-the-counter and prescription medicines to treat BV were actually causing damage to the friendly bacteria needed to protect the vagina. With her partner’s background in biology, they tackled this problem together and Momotaro was born.
Together, they developed . It’s a product that can provide soothing relief to the dryness, itching and irritation while also addressing pH imbalance in the vaginal area. Tea tree is one of the certified organic ingredients and the reason you may feel an instant cooling sensation when you use Salve. This plant-based topical heals organically and only takes a dime size amount applied to the vulva once a day.
While I used Salve in managing my medication side affects, Momotaro also offers an great for tackling ingrown hairs and can provide moisture to sensitive skin. This product can be applied topically to the skin. You can also add five to ten droppers to a warm bath and soak in the relief!
rounds out the Momotaro family. It’s a water soluble toning spray that can provide balance. Whether you are post-sex, post work-out or just feeling irritated, this spray can provide the relief in a spritz.
I don’t only love Momotaro because their products work for me but I love what they stand for as a company. I first discovered Momotaro when lesbian trans power couple Jari Jones and Corey Kempster . The couple remains the brand’s profile photo showing their commitment to the LGBTQ+ community not just in June but all year long.
Momotaro’s feed is full of aesthetic images that show people of all genders and body sizes. The language on their website doesn’t use gendered language. Rather, there’s an inclusive approach of trans and non-binary folks who may have vulvas.
I like that Momotaro is doing the work to not only tackle the stigma in discussing vaginal health but they are also expanding who is included in the conversation. Learn more about how is changing the vaginal wellness game.