[mfc10]

Will the capsule that the FemD comes in dissolve in the vag? Who's tried it?

Yes, it does, The inventor/patent-holder has told several of us who contacted him, that it can indeed be used vaginally. It just can't say it on the box or package insert. Some of the original research studies were done with women inserting it vaginally. I take two a day orally and use one vaginally at night while on antibiotics for an imbedded bladder infection. I've been on Augmentin & amoxicillin daily for over 9 weeks now, and no sign of BV or vaginal yeast!

The potato starch in the FemDophilus can be smelled after it melts, but other than that...

Hugs,
Maggie C.

[trbutts]

Hey girls,

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/vagInfections.html

I thought some of you might find some valuable info here. Thanks!

[damselindistress]

I think I also read somewhere that if you're taking antibiotics and FemD, you should try to take them a few hours apart. worth considering.
My (TMI but totally exciting) new development: Last night was night 4 of FemD vaginally (I emptied 2 capsules into 1 larger, gelatin one), and today, for the first time in months, my discharge could be described as slippery, rather than sticky or watery!

... Too bad I've forgotten what normal vag smells like gonna get another checkup before I celebrate too hard.

Will the capsule that the FemD comes in dissolve in the vag? Who's tried it?

[Lolasaurus]

I think I also read somewhere that if you're taking antibiotics and FemD, you should try to take them a few hours apart. worth considering.

well, i was put on the same supression method, which didnt work for me at all, plus i had several yeast infections untill i took the fem d. i used the gel once a week to put mine at bay , along with the probiotics. The gel is messy, i rather take the pill because i didnt get yeast infection. But good luck, and Im no gyno but my nurse practioner swears by fem d... to restore the flora . On the box it reccomends to take twice the dosage during antibiotic use as needed. i hope this helps and good luck again ....

My (TMI but totally exciting) new development: Last night was night 4 of FemD vaginally (I emptied 2 capsules into 1 larger, gelatin one), and today, for the first time in months, my discharge could be described as slippery, rather than sticky or watery!

... Too bad I've forgotten what normal vag smells like gonna get another checkup before I celebrate too hard.

[missjanuary]

Thank you Lori,

I have been tested for STD's doing every Doctor's visit for over a year and nothing show up. I do take Fem-dophilus daily, but have stop because of the amoxicillin. I think I need to wait until I am finish the anti-botoics. I have not been sexually active all years, so I really believe that is my issue, the Group B. If the amoxicillin don't stop the discharge and odor then I guess I will try Penicillin, I have not been abusiving anti-botocis, so I hope bewtiween the Two it works for me.
I have doing a lot of research but can't really find what I am looking for a "CURE"!!!!!

so DEE, did the femdophilus help u?

[neverending]

I have been tested for std's (though I don't think trich was in there??I need to take care of that) I am in a monogamous relationship (2 years). I've had this problem though about 4 years but never as bad as it's been this past year. Initially I treated it as yeast (using TTO) and it seemed to resolve...for awhile...I've never taken any prescribed meds (I try to stay as natural as possible). My last doc. appointment was a couple of weeks ago and he seemed to think I had BV from the symptoms I described (but he didn't actually check anything out). He gave me clindesse and to my dismay I had tons of soft clay like discharge..yuck...so he said he'll treat me and my bf with flagyl. I don't want to take it but I am desperate at this point. Oh and it gets worse around my period and after sex (I almost forget what that is at this point LOL). The smell is awful. I started folic acid and Fem-D already so I guess it's just wait and see. Has anyone had any success with homeopaths or acupuncture? I want to treat the root of the problem, not just get rid of the symptoms...Thanks for the welcome

Acupuncture is great but it does not work right away. It takes a few sessions to get the benefits. It seems like you just have a general bacteria infection. It also seems like you yo-yo back and forth between yeast and BV.
1.Continue to take the Fem-D / vitamins
2. Get tested for Trich
3.Take a look at Lori's blog.
4. If all else fails. Take the Flagyl ( you and your boyfriend) with the fem-d. I hear some ladies have had relief doing that.

[horror_movie]

EVERYBODY DO NOT USE ANY PRODUCTS THAT HAVE CORN STARCH IN IT. NOT ONLY IT CAUSES RASHES IT ALSO CAN CAUSE YEAST INFECTION AND MAKE YOUR BV ODOR WORST(IT CAUSES THE DISCHARGE TO COME DOWN HEAVY). CORN STARCH CAN BE FOUND MOSTLY IN POWDER!! SUMMER EVE POWDER ALSO HAVE CORN STARCH. IT BEST TO USE BABY JOHNSON THE ORIGINALLY ONE NO SCENTED ONES!!

[Hunnibee79]

For those ladies who have had luck with FemD, about how long did it take for you to see results?

And neverending...thanks for the welcome!

[earthwoman]

Welcome to the board! First, I have a couple of questions. Is there a certain time of the month you get BV? Do you get BV after sex with your significant other? Have you taken Flagyl before and had BV go away? Have you been tested for all STD'S? and Are you an your boyfriend in an monogamous relationship?Oh, and when did this problem start for you? I know these are a lot of questions but it's important to write these things down so you can go back and pinpoint the problem and that will also help you explain to the doctors what exactly goes on an when it happens.

I have been tested for std's (though I don't think trich was in there??I need to take care of that) I am in a monogamous relationship (2 years). I've had this problem though about 4 years but never as bad as it's been this past year. Initially I treated it as yeast (using TTO) and it seemed to resolve...for awhile...I've never taken any prescribed meds (I try to stay as natural as possible). My last doc. appointment was a couple of weeks ago and he seemed to think I had BV from the symptoms I described (but he didn't actually check anything out). He gave me clindesse and to my dismay I had tons of soft clay like discharge..yuck...so he said he'll treat me and my bf with flagyl. I don't want to take it but I am desperate at this point. Oh and it gets worse around my period and after sex (I almost forget what that is at this point LOL). The smell is awful. I started folic acid and Fem-D already so I guess it's just wait and see. Has anyone had any success with homeopaths or acupuncture? I want to treat the root of the problem, not just get rid of the symptoms...Thanks for the welcome

[neverending]

Hello all...I've been lurking for awhile looking for tried and true solutions to no avail I've been suffering with BV on and off for years...only recently realizing it was BV I was dealing with. It is now worse than it's ever been. I'm going to the doc. in a couple of days. I want to be tested for every strain of infection they can think of. And I have a feeling both my man and I will need to go through a course of flagyl...then Fem-D and tea tree oil, both of which I already use. Some of you women give me hope this can be helped...It's just so depressing...all I want is a normal vagina!!!

Welcome to the board! First, I have a couple of questions. Is there a certain time of the month you get BV? Do you get BV after sex with your significant other? Have you taken Flagyl before and had BV go away? Have you been tested for all STD'S? and Are you an your boyfriend in an monogamous relationship?Oh, and when did this problem start for you? I know these are a lot of questions but it's important to write these things down so you can go back and pinpoint the problem and that will also help you explain to the doctors what exactly goes on an when it happens.

[earthwoman]

Hello all...I've been lurking for awhile looking for tried and true solutions to no avail I've been suffering with BV on and off for years...only recently realizing it was BV I was dealing with. It is now worse than it's ever been. I'm going to the doc. in a couple of days. I want to be tested for every strain of infection they can think of. And I have a feeling both my man and I will need to go through a course of flagyl...then Fem-D and tea tree oil, both of which I already use. Some of you women give me hope this can be helped...It's just so depressing...all I want is a normal vagina!!!

[lori]

I was just wondering what everyone uses to wash themselves with. I know that bv is alkaline and most soaps are alkaline. Even dove is not super neutral. Would a more acidic soap help? The only one I know of that claims to be acidic is burts bees tomato complexion soap. Your thoughts?

My blog has a few links. Excerpt:

If you want to use soap, the classic white Dove bar is pH balanced. (It has a pH of 7, which is the pH of pure water.) There are also feminine cleansers that are formulated to be pH balanced.

1. Avon Simply Delicate Feminine Wash
2. Sebamed Feminine Intimate Wash
3. Sliquid Splash
4. Summer's Eve Feminine Wash
5. SweetSpot Labs Gentle Wash
6. Very Private pH Balanced Body Wash

[bvg]

I was just wondering what everyone uses to wash themselves with. I know that bv is alkaline and most soaps are alkaline. Even dove is not super neutral. Would a more acidic soap help? The only one I know of that claims to be acidic is burts bees tomato complexion soap. Your thoughts?

[neverending]

Hey! I'm new here but I've been floating around for a few months. I'm so thankful I found this site, it's helped me realize that this is very common condition and that I have no reason to feel alone.

So I guess about 2 years ago I was first diagnosed with BV and the gyn said a lot of times it goes away on its own and I had nothing to worry about (I had just started dating my current boyfriend who has had numerous partners and a lot of unprotected sex). It did in fact go away on its own. But in the past 6 months I've been infected at least once a month if not more.

It seemed to get worse after I took a break from my boyfriend and he had unprotected sex with another woman, during that time I also doubled my smoking. He's been very supportive but I can't help but be embarassed when we have sex, despite the fact that he doesn't mind, unless he'd like to go down on me and I wont let him which is frustrating for him as well. I thought perhaps he was in some way carrying the bacteria bc I ONLY get the infection after I have sex with him. Well, he was treated and we had sex yesterday, and much to my dismay its back! I don't know what to do. I changed gyns and found a great one who immeadiately put me on a 6 month regimen of metrogel 2 a week. I'm at a complete loss. I only get to see my boyfriend about once or twice a month so I'm always clear when I see him, but its gotten to the point where I feel like I'm starting to have an aversion to sex bc I'm so worried about becoming reinfected.

I'm going to try to quit smoking and pick up some probiotics from whole foods. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I apologize for such a long post. I can't wait to get to know you ladies better, you all seem fantastic!!!

Yeap, this is a common nuisance for women.
A couple of things:
1. If he has a big penis, it could be scratching the vaginal walls causing inflammation/ discharge.
2. Try to quite smoking if you can or limit the amount
3. Uhhh, make sure sex is protected. You seem to be committed but he's not so be careful.
4.probiotics=good
5.Welcome to the board!

[mikamo0229]

Oh! And I do have a question. Since I am using the metrogel twice a week, I read on here that you shouldn't take the FemD while you're using an antobiotic. Should I wait 6 months to start taking the FemD? Or should I just take it every morning twice a day regardless of the 6month metrogel treatment?

well, i was put on the same supression method, which didnt work for me at all, plus i had several yeast infections untill i took the fem d. i used the gel once a week to put mine at bay , along with the probiotics. The gel is messy, i rather take the pill because i didnt get yeast infection. But good luck, and Im no gyno but my nurse practioner swears by fem d... to restore the flora . On the box it reccomends to take twice the dosage during antibiotic use as needed. i hope this helps and good luck again ....

[Hunnibee79]

Oh! And I do have a question. Since I am using the metrogel twice a week, I read on here that you shouldn't take the FemD while you're using an antobiotic. Should I wait 6 months to start taking the FemD? Or should I just take it every morning twice a day regardless of the 6month metrogel treatment?

[Hunnibee79]

Hey! I'm new here but I've been floating around for a few months. I'm so thankful I found this site, it's helped me realize that this is very common condition and that I have no reason to feel alone.

So I guess about 2 years ago I was first diagnosed with BV and the gyn said a lot of times it goes away on its own and I had nothing to worry about (I had just started dating my current boyfriend who has had numerous partners and a lot of unprotected sex). It did in fact go away on its own. But in the past 6 months I've been infected at least once a month if not more.

It seemed to get worse after I took a break from my boyfriend and he had unprotected sex with another woman, during that time I also doubled my smoking. He's been very supportive but I can't help but be embarassed when we have sex, despite the fact that he doesn't mind, unless he'd like to go down on me and I wont let him which is frustrating for him as well. I thought perhaps he was in some way carrying the bacteria bc I ONLY get the infection after I have sex with him. Well, he was treated and we had sex yesterday, and much to my dismay its back! I don't know what to do. I changed gyns and found a great one who immeadiately put me on a 6 month regimen of metrogel 2 a week. I'm at a complete loss. I only get to see my boyfriend about once or twice a month so I'm always clear when I see him, but its gotten to the point where I feel like I'm starting to have an aversion to sex bc I'm so worried about becoming reinfected.

I'm going to try to quit smoking and pick up some probiotics from whole foods. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I apologize for such a long post. I can't wait to get to know you ladies better, you all seem fantastic!!!

[horror_movie]

lori how are you doing now? Are you fine now!!! we appreciate you and others coming back to help educate us on bv and the diffrent type of bv. i know you dealt with this for a couple of yrs and i know your happy to that you overcome this bv.

[lori]

I have gotten a bacterial infection twice before. Both times, I believe that the guy that I had sex with gave it to me. This is so hard to really figure out because the symptoms (odor, discharge, itching) do not always point to Bacterial Vaginosis. It could also be the parasite Trichomoniasis, which also has similar symptoms to BV. It's really important to distinguish whether you simply have bacteria that is "off" or if it is actually an STD (like Trich). I make a big deal to point this out because it is said that when you get tested for STDs, people usually are not checked for Trichomoniasis, so it's often overlooked. Ask to be tested for that, because that STD has the number one symptom of "fishy odor." If you know that its not that, then you figure that it's a vaginal infection.

This is very important info. I've put this very info. in my blog, and also said it many times in this thread. The standard annual exam at the GYN does not always include a Trich test. Wet preps and pap smears are only 60% accurate in diagnosing Trich. Ladies are definitely falling through the cracks with regard to Trich.

When I first introduced this idea, I was blasted for being wrong. But anecdotal evidence from another poster who works in an STD clinic has proved that this does happen! I think this info. is definitely worth knowing. People who have recurrent BV symptoms really need to have a Trich-specific test at some point.

I think that although the Metronidazole is more dangerous, if you take a thorough dose of it and complete it, it will wipe the BV out. I just don't believe that those creams are as effective.

Well, oral flagyl (metronidazole) is effective against Trich, but metrogel is not. As far as whether the pill is more effective against BV than the gel ... ? I don't know. I do recommend the pills in my blog. I think it's better.

However, after a dose of a strong prescription medicine, it's important to be careful about sex without condoms. There are the obvious reasons why, but besides that, I think the new bacteria (especially if it's with a several guys close together) throws the vaginal flora completely off. Also, if you do start having sex unprotected on the regular, and you see those symptoms, remember that guys can be treated to get rid of BV (although it has no effect on men, many that have sex with a girl that has it spreads it to the next girl). So if any of you are dating a guy that gives you BV and the doctor says that your pH levels don't agree, that's not true. Get him a prescription of Metronidazole also, and and I bet that will help. Most men won't mind.

I think we figured this one out, too - that guys need treatment. I've been recommending this in my blog for a long time - if you're in a monogamous relationship, and you keep experiencing recurrences after sex - make him take a week of flagyl with you. People have been saying it's the pH of semen that triggers BV, or getting your period, but I've been saying that that's not true. Both are normal events that happens to your vagina, and you can't avoid them forever. A healthy vagina should be able to bounce back from normal events. If experiencing either of those things brings on symptoms, that means things were wonky in the first place.

After getting rid of the infection, and your partner too if necessary, I really do believe that vitamins help to maintain the vagina's health after getting it on track. There is a new multivitamin out now called FemmeSecret 9 that has acidophilus, garlic, grapefruit, B6 and all that good stuff. It can be found at http://www.quick2you.com/store/index.cfm?f...iew&scid=93. It's cheaper than Femanol (which I don't think works) and has more helpful vitamins in it, too.

The "miracle cure" we've found is probiotics, specifically, one called Fem-dophilus. From my blog:

Fem-Dophilus (Jarrow)

• Description: Oral capsules (30 caps)
• Where to Buy / Cost: $24 at Whole Foods (refrigerated); $14.37 at iHerb.com (refrigerated); $16.59 at N101.com (refrigerated); $14.25 at VitaCost.com (not refrigerated)
• Pros: designed specifically for healthy vaginal flora; the research on it is very promising
  1. Top Medical Breakthroughs of 2007 (Prevention Magazine)
  2. Europe's Best-Kept Health Secret (Prevention Magazine)
  3. Study Shows the Effectiveness of Oral Probiotic L. Rhamnosus GR-1?and L. Reuteri RC-14?In Treating Bacterial Vaginosis
  4. Specific probiotic strains are effective for genitourinary infections

• Cons: expensive
• Conclusion: So far, the this is the most promising and effective product. All the members who have had the best, long-term results have used Fem-Dophilus as a part of their regimen. Highly recommended, based on the research and anecdotal evidence. Buy it refrigerated for maximum potency. (Unfortunately, posters have reported that the bottle arrives warm, even if they select expedited shipping from online merchants who offer cold-packs. So it looks like buying it directly from Whole Foods is the best option.)

It's supposed to help restore the good bacteria in your vagina, and it's helped a lot of ladies in here. (It's kept me BV-free since Feb 2007, after 7 years of BV hell.) It also helps prevent yeast infections and UTI's.

Since I got treated that last time, I've had no problems whatsoever. It's interesting, however, because I constantly get yeast infections, but they're not nearly as annoying as BV, so I won't complain. I also read in Cosmo that there is a new prescription drug out now that supposedly works faster than Flagyl and is safer. Look into that.

Since you get YI's, it means that your flora is still off-balance. I would highly recommend that you look into Fem-D.

As far as prescriptions go - there's only two other drugs that we know of that treats BV. Clindamycin and Tindamax. We learned that Clindamycin can cause overgrowth of strep bacteria, and Tindamax appears to have a low cure-rate for BV. (However, Tindamax appears to be a good treatment for Trich.) So, these are things to be aware of.

If you guys want to share any suggestions with me or ask me any questions, please do. I know how embarrassing and frustrating this is and as you can see I have done a ton of research on it. I've typed alot, so I would really appreciate it if you guys let me know if it helped. Thanks, girls!

TipsyTee

Thanks for sharing, Tipsy. I think it's meaningful that you have done your own research, and we ended up with a lot of the same conclusions.

[horror_movie]

EXCUSE THE ERROR IN THE PARAGRAPH SOME WHERE. HELP SOMEONE BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO START HAVING UNPROTECTED SEX WITH MY HUSBAND. (LOL) I DO MISS THAT. NOW WE ONLY HAVE PROTECTED SEX!!