[peachcup]

Peachcup. You need to read. Go through the archives and you will see the different things we have tried.

Alright. I'll do it the hard way. But I will take notes so that we can have easier reference material.

Mmm... and I would like to apologize for how harsh I have been sounding. I have been researching this for a couple hours straight and I thought I hit a gold mine, but here is just as jumbled as everything else. I would think you were here to help each other, not send each other down the hard road you had to take yourselves.

Again, I apologize... Sorry.

[jewelscando]

Peachcup. You need to read. Go through the archives and you will see the different things we have tried.

[peachcup]

Well, then go back to the doctor then. There's alot of different meds, besides Flagyl.

One of the biggest things we have all learned that it's not all about getting rid of the problem it's preventing the problem. B.V. is on going. For us it is atleast. And because of that, we need to do what's called "PREVENTATIVE". It may take some time for you to figure out what you may need to start avoiding, in order to stay on top of this. I know what I need to do, but that may not be the same for you. Learning about B.V. is a full time job. It takes time, and patience, to figure out what's causing your B.V. to return, and MOST OF ALL, what works for you to keep it away.

If you don't mind me asking, what works for you?
Out of all the women here, out of all the different doctors we have each gone to, I would expect some cure. Or at least a list of things to do to keep it away, instead of just stopping doing one thing and another and then hoping it won't come back. All the work each one of us is doing... shouldn't that be the job of the doctors and the scientists?

[Morphia]

Well, then go back to the doctor then. There's alot of different meds, besides Flagyl.

One of the biggest things we have all learned that it's not all about getting rid of the problem it's preventing the problem. B.V. is on going. For us it is atleast. And because of that, we need to do what's called "PREVENTATIVE". It may take some time for you to figure out what you may need to start avoiding, in order to stay on top of this. I know what I need to do, but that may not be the same for you. Learning about B.V. is a full time job. It takes time, and patience, to figure out what's causing your B.V. to return, and MOST OF ALL, what works for you to keep it away.

I agree with you whole heartedly. Its just that I can't do anything preventative until it actually goes away. lol. I've read this entire thread from post one to now and I've applied everything I've learned that doesn't involve sticking anything unprescribed in my snatch. =P I've even been using ideas that I got from other threads. I'll be convinced that this bitch is gone when the burning stops and when I stop finding "bleached" spots in my undies. I swear, if I wear colored underwear the discharge (what little my dried up vag can actually produce) dries so white it looks like I sprinkled a couple of drops of bleach on there.

[peachcup]

I was wondering what any of us have in common as far as our diets, body chemistry, health history, and any medications that you have taken in the past..including drug use. Also, if anyone cares to share their sexual habits as far as how often you have intercourse, and is it rough sex or not. I'm going today to buy some ph test strips to monitor my urine ph...I know it is higher than most healthy people the past three times I have had it done. I seems like that my body temperature is usually below normal because I'm always cold. Do any of you experience that? I'm gonna go buy a nutriction book today, I'm hoping that if I can balance my body ph through diet, that it might help my vagina have an easier time keeping itself balanced. Since my urine ph is high, which means it has a lot of amonia in it..the body uses it as a buffer so the urine isn't as acidic and doesn't burn...might be making my kitty more basic too. Maybe we should rinse with water after peeing (just the outside area)? This is my new theory, I'm gonna keep a journal for my doctor of my diet, body temperature, and urine ph. (hoping he will give a shit). I quit taking baths too , it hasn't helped the bv from reoccurring.

I am also always cold. I probably don't eat as much as I should (not in the morning at least, I eat when I get faint, I just don't notice until then, then I eat a lot.) I smoke pot occasionally, very occasionally, maybe once a month. I have sex... maybe 5 times a month recently, only one person. I don't think sex is the cause of it for me, because I had it before I'd ever had sex, and I got it again but I was using a condom then. Now I am on the nuvaring, but just recently, but maybe it has had an affect. I also have a skin condition on my chest and in my pubic area, I forget at the moment what its called, but my doctor said it was unrelated, but that's when I told him I had a yeast infection (because that's what I thought it was).

What doctors or scientists or medical students are doing research about BV? They really should know more about it.
When I talk to my doctor, or a gynecologist, I will report back. I hope I am not rambling too much?

[jewelscando]

Well, then go back to the doctor then. There's alot of different meds, besides Flagyl.

One of the biggest things we have all learned that it's not all about getting rid of the problem it's preventing the problem. B.V. is on going. For us it is atleast. And because of that, we need to do what's called "PREVENTATIVE". It may take some time for you to figure out what you may need to start avoiding, in order to stay on top of this. I know what I need to do, but that may not be the same for you. Learning about B.V. is a full time job. It takes time, and patience, to figure out what's causing your B.V. to return, and MOST OF ALL, what works for you to keep it away.

[peachcup]

I just signed up for this thread. maybe its cheating to ask for a summary, but I am overwhelmed by all the information I have been collecting about BV in the past few days.

When I first got it I thought it was a yeast infection, so I told my doctor so, he just told me to take over-the-counter stuff, didn't even look or anything. (it might be because I am only 16 and I know him personally, oh yeah, and I was on my period).

The symptoms did go away, but it just came back again and I tried another brand of the meds he suggested, and it went away again for a bit. But its come back. And now I have done more research and it sounds a lot more like BV than a Yeast Infection. Yeast infections don't have that awful smell....

I am of course going to go to my doctor again and get it diagnosed and prescriptions and his advice. But I am worried, because it sounds like these drugs are a lot more dangerous, and no garentee of success. I have read many stories of women trying one medication after another, and it just comes back. I'm not on health insurance, and my mom is getting sick of the expense.

I would think you are the best people to ask... what has worked, what does not work? I know that it is different for all of us, they don't even know what really causes it. But something is the same, it keeps coming back, its annoying, it strains relationships, its hard to talk about, and a lot of women have this problem!

What medications should i ask for prescriptions for? You guys are the experts. I hope you can help me.

I'm trying to stop eating stuff with yeast in it (just recently), I stopped using perfumed soap a long time ago, I eat lots of yogurt, I wear cotton underwear, I wipe front to back... What the hell is causing this? I had it before I ever had sex, and its not even supposed to be caused by sex! Why would we be designed that way?

God's way of enforcing abstinence? lol

[Morphia]

LADIES.....

We are discussing B.V. here, NOT DRUG USE. Not trying to be a bitch, but also not interested in your personal drug problems either.

VAGINA'S need to BREATH!!!! Wearing "Pads" while you have B.V. is just trouble waiting to happen, especially if you already have issues with sweating down in that area!! This is why they tell woman NOT to wear Thongs, as it does NOT allow enough air flow through that area!! Not to wear TIGHT jeans for that same reason.

Morphia, you need to give the medication a chance, and you should also be treating yourself for a yeast infection as well. Flagyl WILL give you a yeast infection.

It sounds to me like you have a bad case of something, wether it be B.V. or Yeast, who knows. I think you might want to consider changing doctors and go to one who specializes in Woman issues. More tests should have been done on you, being that you are experiencing so much pain. I PERSONALLY have NEVER had pain associated with B.V. Not saying that it's not possible, BUT, it sounds to me like you have more then B.V. going on up there.

Those of us who have been on this board for over a year, have had B.V. for YEARS. This is why we joined the board to help each other find solutions to this horrible problem, that doctors don't seem to have an answer for. You have to do what works for you. What worked for me is the Flagyl pill put in vaginally. YOU CANNOT DO THIS, because of the pain you are in, unless you want more pain. You don't want to be raw, or burning, when putting the Flagyl in vaginally, being that, IT WAS NOT MADE TO GO THERE. It just happens to work for me.

If you read the archives, you will see the LIST AND LIST of what we all have tried. From my knowledge on this board, there's been two things that have taken it away. Flagyl vaginally and the Estroil. We all have tried EVERYTHING under the sun, to just have it return again. That is why they call it re-occuring Bacterial Vaginosis. It keeps coming back. So, continue taking the flagyl orally, and find another doctor to see if you have other issues going on. That's just my opinion.

I've been seeing an obgyn and I've been tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia. Both came back negative. I got the affirm test (better than wet prep) for yeast, bv, and trich and the only thing that came back positive was bv. I know there is nothing else going on with me. I'm also on Diflucan for yeast prevention. I'm telling you, I know the Flagyl won't work. If there is anything additional going on with me it lies in my hormones or my immune system. As I've said, I suspect I've had this problem for over a year. Maybe even years! There's no telling what kind of Herculean microbe I'm battling here.

[jewelscando]

LADIES.....

We are discussing B.V. here, NOT DRUG USE. Not trying to be a bitch, but also not interested in your personal drug problems either.

VAGINA'S need to BREATH!!!! Wearing "Pads" while you have B.V. is just trouble waiting to happen, especially if you already have issues with sweating down in that area!! This is why they tell woman NOT to wear Thongs, as it does NOT allow enough air flow through that area!! Not to wear TIGHT jeans for that same reason.

Morphia, you need to give the medication a chance, and you should also be treating yourself for a yeast infection as well. Flagyl WILL give you a yeast infection.

It sounds to me like you have a bad case of something, wether it be B.V. or Yeast, who knows. I think you might want to consider changing doctors and go to one who specializes in Woman issues. More tests should have been done on you, being that you are experiencing so much pain. I PERSONALLY have NEVER had pain associated with B.V. Not saying that it's not possible, BUT, it sounds to me like you have more then B.V. going on up there.

Those of us who have been on this board for over a year, have had B.V. for YEARS. This is why we joined the board to help each other find solutions to this horrible problem, that doctors don't seem to have an answer for. You have to do what works for you. What worked for me is the Flagyl pill put in vaginally. YOU CANNOT DO THIS, because of the pain you are in, unless you want more pain. You don't want to be raw, or burning, when putting the Flagyl in vaginally, being that, IT WAS NOT MADE TO GO THERE. It just happens to work for me.

If you read the archives, you will see the LIST AND LIST of what we all have tried. From my knowledge on this board, there's been two things that have taken it away. Flagyl vaginally and the Estroil. We all have tried EVERYTHING under the sun, to just have it return again. That is why they call it re-occuring Bacterial Vaginosis. It keeps coming back. So, continue taking the flagyl orally, and find another doctor to see if you have other issues going on. That's just my opinion.

[Morphia]

Well, I don't think the Flagyl is going to work. I'm pretty sure its not. I'm on my third day and I still feel the exact same burn. And I know its not yeast from the meds. From what I've read here it seems that you ladies have bv infections that go away with antibiotics but then they come back. Has anyone ever had one or is currently dealing with one that will just NOT go away AT ALL? As in one constant infection that is resistant to all antibiotics? I know this is only my second treatment but my intuition is telling me that this fucker isn't going anywhere. No matter what I throw at it. And we all know about women's intuition.

[arj75]

Ilovehim I'm so sorry that your feeling the way you are. I'm on prozac, and it isn't helping but the doctor says it could take four to six weeks for any results. I have read a lot today on research that has been done regarding to bv, stress has shown to be a factor, I'm sorry I don't remember the link, and I was all over the place online today. Of course you know I don't save my search history someone might find out. So my plan of attack is I'm gonna shove a tampon up me when I stink (I'm stinking) and not let it stress me out.

I stink REAL bad after an aniexty attack, it's actually caused it to come back on countless occasions. You should continue to take vitamins, it could take longer than we think for our bodies to get back in check and balance everything out. I nursed my son, had a terrible stressful pregnantcy, and it drained everything out of my body. Which is why I think I can't get rid of this now.

I'm hoping that I can sleep tonight, I"m not sure how many days I have been up..my friend gave me a zanax hope it works..
Take Care you all!

[bvgirl]

What up.. what up?

Well for me, BV is getting worse everyday. I need to stop smoking weed. It makes me too paranoid. I keep getting these wierd mixed messages from people. Saying that i need to freshen up. Obviously they think i'm stinky sally =(. It's all just too devastating for me.

In all reality, I think i'm the cleanest girl there is. I probably over due it. But hey what can you do when this gets the best of you?

Anyways, What things can I do to stay fresh longer ?
I always change my toilet paper "pantiliner" often. less 2 hours. I think i sweat too much down there it's almost always BURNING, especially after sex. I use body wash, perfume, and body mists. But they only last a little bit.

My depression is getting worse again. I feel dirty and nasty, and hate myself. I'm gonna get put on anti-depressants soo. The appointment is on FRIDAY. Do any of you take or have taken this type of medicine?

Good evening ilovehim...

I am sure you know that drugs are not good for you so I really won't comment on that too much. What I suggest you do to mask the smell is to wear a pad. Not a pantiliner(because the thickness in the pad helped to mask the smell of bv at least in my case it helped greatly). I would buy a pack of 48 stay free maxi pads to last me for about a month and use them religiously. I also used the deodorant ones( I would not suggest any one to use any deodorant pads and or pantiliners but in this case you may want to consider using them once a day or if the smell cannot be masked well with just the non-deodorant ones).Stop using any perfumes and feminine sprays down there. Again, I should stress that anything deodorant down there can and or may cause irritation which can lead to a bad smell and or make the bv smell worse. So try to use just the non deodorant maxi pads and change them very often. See if that helps. A big hassle but I did it for three years could not remember a day without using them like crazy (even when I am not on my period it was a big hassle). Currently, I am doing well. I also suggest you go panti less around the house or what have you( when you feel comfortable and no one can cause you to feel bad because of the smell) you should do this to get as much air down there and also it gives you a break from always having to keep your legs closed tight(because of the fear that someone will smell you) and basically feeling free(since no one is around to smell anything). I know this all may sound like a lot to you but I lived it. I know it is easier said than done when I say that you should not feel dirty about yourself and believe me when I say that I too am a very very clean person but try to develop a positive attitude about what you are going through. Just make it a point to change things in your life that may be contributing to your bv and also finding a product that works for you(an endless cycle but who else is going to do it(but you)). We can all tell you and suggest to you what works for us but it is up to you to decide to try this product or that product and use this board as a guide to get to that point. If your doctor can help you that is great but if not (like many of us on here) keep on searching and researching and use the trial and error system. As far as the depression. My advice to you about that is ask yourself are you depressed because of bv or are you just experiencing the basic emotional affects of dealing with bv(because we all are). If you already suffer from depression then yes you should go see him and keep that appointment and let him evaluate you based on much more than having bv. Yes I do believe that bv can contribute to making your depression harder but to what degree does it add to your depression and or does that cause the need for medicine and or maybe just in need of a therapist to talk to you. Ask your doctor. Be sure to be very open with him so you can get the proper help you need with the correct method.

Hang in there...

[ilovehim]

What up.. what up?

Well for me, BV is getting worse everyday. I need to stop smoking weed. It makes me too paranoid. I keep getting these wierd mixed messages from people. Saying that i need to freshen up. Obviously they think i'm stinky sally =(. It's all just too devastating for me.

In all reality, I think i'm the cleanest girl there is. I probably over due it. But hey what can you do when this gets the best of you?

Anyways, What things can I do to stay fresh longer ?
I always change my toilet paper "pantiliner" often. less 2 hours. I think i sweat too much down there it's almost always BURNING, especially after sex. I use body wash, perfume, and body mists. But they only last a little bit.

My depression is getting worse again. I feel dirty and nasty, and hate myself. I'm gonna get put on anti-depressants soo. The appointment is on FRIDAY. Do any of you take or have taken this type of medicine?

[arj75]

Has anyone contacted Dr. Klebanoff? He is conducting research currently regarding bv. I have his email if anyone is interested..I'm not sure if he would even reply....

[arj75]

Has anyone who has this chronic bv ever had their blood oxygen level checked? Has anyone read about that? I know stress can do crazy shit to you body. Look up chronic hyperventilation syndrome (it's casued from stress) and see the effects it can have on the body..many symtoms. Oh, I started having aniexty attacks long before I found out that I had bv.
Has anyone ever been tested for nutrient deficiencies? My diet is now, always has been horrible..I don't even know what I can eat because everything that I have read about the body ph theory tells me that I consume WAY to many acids. Many foods that you would think would have high acidic levels do, but have reverse effects on your body. It's rather confusing. Two of my favorite foods, cantelope and califlower... info stated that people with type O blood..thier body has strange reactions to it. I ate it like it was going out of style when I was prego...I read something about throwing out bananas once they get past a certain ripeness because they are no longer healthy on your body...I ate banana splits often when preg..

I'm really sorry if I'm wearing you all out...I'm wearing myself out..but I can't f***ing stop.

Talk to you all later..I'm gonna read about how exactly the vagina maintains ph..already read about the body, and urine..does anyone already know that..do doctors even know that?

[arj75]

I guess my insomnia is back, since I have tried to go to sleep past three nights, and I havent even so much as fell asleep. I am making another doctor appointment too. I told you all that I was gonna asess my body temperature throught the day (I'm always cold) I have had a fucking low grade fever for past 3 days...99.6..I don't feel sick. I think my ear term. is right, my 7 year old was my control study (98.6)

As far as sharing my past health and personal history..it's a little embarrassing but I will telleverything that I can think of..maybe we can at least find what we all have in common from this disease...if there is anything that hasnt already been investigated or researched already..

My personality type..well, obviously, I'm a worry wart and have been my whole life. (aniexty attacks started this Januaury. Insomnia on and off my whole life.
I had an abortion when I was 17, and it was and is my biggest mistake that I have made in my life. It's even harder to think about now that I have 2 children.

My sex drive is way above normal...I learned how to get myself off at 8 years old (no shit). I have never been molested or anything like that. When I was younger 8 or so, I always had to put toilet paper in my panties..cause I had discharge and my panties would get wet all the time. I remember my mom seeing that I did that and I was too embarrassed to tell her that my shit was leaking so I just said I wanted to be like her. LOL. I don't know if it was urine or discharge..love juice whatever.

I have smoked since I was 18, quit smoking with first prego, not with second ( smoked like a frieght train) this past 2 years have been the worse in my life..divorce, unplanned prego, death of best friend. I left the father of my 10 old 2 days before I delivered.

I just this computer in January, and I'm not sure how to pull all of your quotes a so forth...

[Morphia]

I also found this little gem in one of the articles I already posted:

"Smoking carried a 70%-100% increased risk." for bv acquisition that is.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CY..._35/ai_65538228

[arj75]

I meant that I read most bacteria can't survive in acidic levels of anything under 4.5. Sorry I should read what I type. All I know for sure is that I am tired of my snatch burning, and I'm for sure not putting anything under 4 inside her. Bacteria feast on sores and raw rashed skin... It is possible for vagina to be to acidic....maybe your body coul.d never make it too acidic but we can by shoving everything under the sun up there.

[arj75]

Thank You Morphia! That helps a lot! I'm quiting smoking tomorrow, whether it helps with this or not. I no longer want to smell like long john silvers and an ashtray. I am not gonna stick anything else up kitty for a while..hell it took 8 weeks for my stiches to heal...proly longer for the inside now that I have burnt it up. I guessing that using anything in her that is not 4.5 ph or close is only gonna continue it's reoccurance. Most bacteria can't live in ph over 4.5 anyways..but somehow the good can?? Is that what you have all read? Anything over that ph isn't really needed?

[Morphia]

Before and after adjustment for possible confounding factors, smoking, but not alcohol and drug use, was significantly associated with BV. Of the women with BV 52% were smokers versus 32% in the control group.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...p;dopt=Abstract

Conclusion: Our findings may be important for planning a preventive strategy for BV by discouraging smoking and increasing condom use and hormonal contraception among women.

http://sti.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/80/1/58


Douching, smoking, and the absence of vaginal lactobacillus emerged as powerful independent risk factors for acquisition of bacterial vaginosis in the first large longitudinal study of this common gynecologic disorder.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CY..._35/ai_65538228

Smoking, which is associated with the acquisition of BV in the non-pregnant [9], has not been addressed in pregnancy.
The current study found smoking to be a significant risk factor for acquiring BV in pregnancy.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlere...i?artid=1581474

And I'm sure there is many, many, many more. Just google "smoking and bacterial vagninosis" It's everywhere.

I also wanted to point out what they say about increasing hormonal contraception. I've read that several times as well. I'll see if I can't find some articles to post on that later.