The Vulvar Vestibulitis Clinical Trial (VVCT) a randomized, placebo-controlled, double
blinded clinical trial. We will study the clinical efficacy of four medical treatments for
vulvar vestibulitis: topical lidocaine, oral desipramine, combined lidocaine and desipramine,
and placebo cream and capsules. Desipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant commonly used by
clinicians for treatment of several chronic pain conditions that demonstrates an optimal side
effect profile compared to other tricyclic antidepressants. Topical lidocaine has also been
found to be beneficial for vulvar vestibulitis treatment in small studies. It is hypothesized
that the combined use of oral desipramine and topical lidocaine will be more therapeutically
effective than either one by itself and better than placebo.