[arj75]

Constant stress suppresses ovarian cycles and decreases estradiol, testosterone, progesterone and DHEA production.

A stress-induced decrease in estradiol then contributes to an imbalance in norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and other brain body messengers that regulate pain pathways, sleep, muscle repair, appetite, metabolism, memory, mood, energy, sex drive, and other functions.

Prolonged stress of any kind (illness, emotional) disrupts the body's balance, or homeostasis, and causes symtoms related to the constant overactivity of the fight or flight stress response pathways- headaches, muscle spasms, fatigue, fuzzy thinking, high blood pressure, IBS, colitis, angina,eczema,frequent infections, irregular periods, acne, weight gain,allergies, hives, herpes, outbreaks, anxious/panicky feelings, insomnia, depression, angry/irritable moods, heart disease, and cancer.

prolonged stress can lead to suppression of the ovaries.

Viruses, bacteria, and carcinogens alone do not cause illness in every exposed individual.

This is where my "out there" yeast theory stills fits in. Stress dumps lactic acid..which breeds yeast. I believe it is cause of disease because why? It's mainly christian scientists begging for this to be recognized.
Researchers are afraid they might be right.

[arj75]

Marijuana

disrupts brain centers that regulate hormone production

Luteinizing hormone is suppressed (doesnt rise during ovulation

has two chemicaLs in it that compete with estradiol for binding at the estrogen receptor

elevates prolactin

increases anxiety

heart palpitations

disrupts normal immune function

[arj75]

Alcohol

Women have less enzymes that breaks down alcohol, so its really hard on our bodies (even social drinking)

alcohol disrupts the normal menstrual cycle and causes problems with ovulation

lowers production of estradiol and testosterone (early menopause)

impairs brains GnRH pulse generator that triggers proper release of FSH and LH

menus cycle length shows greater variability

have cycles ..but don't ovulate

heavier menstrual flow and more painful

drinkers suffer more from PMS

[arj75]

Sorry if this has already been said.

Cigarette Smoking:
Reduction in the ovaries ability to make estradiol

Increased metabolic breakdown of estradiol by liver enzymes that are induced (made overactive from smoking)

been known to cause early menopause

diminished serotonin production

decreased blood flow and nutrients to cells

reduces red blood cells oxygen carrying capacity

decreases absorbtion of vitamins (especially group b vitamins)

nicotine increases anxiety and irritability

(while sleeping) when body is withdrawling..leads to more frequeny awakenings and loss of stage 4 sleep that is crucial for muscle repair, growth horomone secretion, and keeping the brain healthy, among other restorative functions

[alecscudder]

Hi all - newbie here.

I've just introduced myself on the newbie thread, but i'm just popping up to say hi.

Thanks for all the info here re BV on possible ways to manage if not cure the problem.

Hopefully i'll be able to contribute my experiences to the thread and together we'll find a solution.

Thanks again.

Alec.

[arj75]

Hey everyone,

so we all know that recurrent bv could be caused by screwed up hormones...CANCAN recently found out that she had hypothriodism. I'm very sorry about that too! But I'm sure that you are, CANCAN already aware that hypothyriodism effects your sex hormones too! So hopefully, things will get balanced out for you soon. Did they tell you yet as to how long it will take for the medications to kick in? Can you take these meds while pregnant?

Get this shit, Although, I have asked two doctors if there is such a thing as prehyperthyriodism..they all chuckled..oh no no. Well guess the fuck what..yes it does exist, but a different type of test (looking for a certain anitbody) has to be done. I have an appointment with an endo specialist in two weeks. This condition also fucks up sex hormones too. I'm really not hoping to have this..but I guess if it's still in the pre..then it hasnt done much damage yet.

That book that I told you all I got explains these conditions in it too. It was espensive though, but maybe your public library has it. I'm just scared some girls are gonna get the birthcontrol meds and make matters worse! I'm hoping you guys will read this, it is very helpful.

Just because women have came in here crying "I've seen every kind of doctor possible, and still not having luck..let's face it...theres one good man out of a million...theres one good doctor out of a trillion, it's not bv that is our hardest obstacle..it's finding a doctor who has brain and keeps up on research, and cares about their patients (if ours is hormonal..in a sick short of way...we might be the lucky ones....

On the back of the book..one woman's said this: "Everywomen in America should read this book. After bouching from doctor to doctor for well over a year with symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and heart palpitations, Dr Vliet correctly diagnosed my hormonal problems. She gave me my life back!

Well, thats me..I'm sitting here wide awake after taking 2 xanax, and a lunesta, tylenol pm (2) What the fuck else could it be other than my hormones....???

I will be adding some tid bits from this book when i get some time...I want to make sure doctors arent feeding you all shit, like they keep trying to feed me all the damn time!

[neverending]

INTERESTING MESSAGE BOARD FOR THOSE WHO ARE AND HAVE BEEN ON BIRTH CONTROL:
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/archive...p/t-116174.html

[jewelscando]

whenever i go to get checked for bv i tell them that i want to get tested for an infection. and they ask me if i have any symptoms of one.

jewels is a pap smear the same thing they do when they check you for bv? i always thought it was different... or do they find it on a pap smear too? because originally i thought it was on a pap smear and then the doctor told me it wasn't. i don't know i'm confused now!

Well, I was just giving her something to say when she called. She could just say, she thinks she has an infection, but is not sure, but then they might ask her symptoms. I think she was trying to avoid saying she had a "Fishy Smell" to a stranger over the phone.

Here's how Doctors diagnosis B.V.

Diagnosis. A healthcare worker can examine a sample of vaginal fluid under a microscope, either stained or in special lighting, to detect the presence of the organisms associated with Bacterial Vaginosis. They can make a diagnosis based on the absence of lactobacilli, the presence of numerous "clue cells" (cells from the vaginal lining that are coated with Bacterial Vaginosis organisms), a fishy odor, and decreased acidity or change in pH of vaginal fluid.

For some of you newbies...here's a website that may be helpfull. Just to pre-warn...when trying something for your infection...stick to one thing at a time...don't spend days and days, sticking crap up your kitty.. Everyone is different, so what works for you, may not work for me and vice/versa. But whatever you try, give it a chance, before trying something else. Otherwise..you will not know exactly what it was that helped you.

http://bacterialvaginosisrecurrent.com/fiv..._that_work.html

[anitsirhc]

Hi all! i am a *newbie* here with a question, and let me warn you it may be the dumbest question you have ever heard!! part of that is because i go to the gyno as little as humanly possible (i know its not good but i hate it!) okay now...

**i have never had any problems with *smell* until i started having sex with my husband, now all of a sudden i have this horrible fishy smell and itch, and very very rarely i get dishcharge (not often but it happens). i was reading through the threa and i saw a lot of women had success with boric acid, but part of me (i will admit, the smarter part of me) says to go see my gyno to make sure nothing serious is going on. ANYWAYS here is the dumb part....before you were diagnosed with BV and all you had was the symptom of the *smell* when you called to make your gyno appt and they asked for the reason of the appt...what did you say? i mean i dont really want to say to some stranger on the phone well i smell like fish *lol* ..........

whenever i go to get checked for bv i tell them that i want to get tested for an infection. and they ask me if i have any symptoms of one.

jewels is a pap smear the same thing they do when they check you for bv? i always thought it was different... or do they find it on a pap smear too? because originally i thought it was on a pap smear and then the doctor told me it wasn't. i don't know i'm confused now!

[jewelscando]

Thanks!

i have one more question...and *caution* this might be *TMI*

does your partners *size* have anything to do with vaginal infections.... like i said i never had a problem until my husband...and he is much larger then the men ive been with in the past...and if that does cause a problem is there truly anything you can do about it?.

THANKS FOR ASKING!!! YES!!! For some I should say!! But I can only speak about myself. Mine was definatley due to size. My B.V. started when I started dating my ex boyfriend, who is LARGE.. I personally feel, it had to do with the number of times we would have sex....which caused me to become RAW...which opened myself up for bacteria to get in....So, yes, definatley.. What can you do about???? hahahahahah...well, I would suggest using lubrication maybe, so that you don't get raw...and use some preventative. I'm not real good on the preventative stuff that the girls take, Probotics and such, so...GIRLS...CAN YOU GIVE HER SOME ADVICE??!!

[cynmcclelland]

Thanks!

i have one more question...and *caution* this might be *TMI*

does your partners *size* have anything to do with vaginal infections.... like i said i never had a problem until my husband...and he is much larger then the men ive been with in the past...and if that does cause a problem is there truly anything you can do about it?.

[jewelscando]

Hi all! i am a *newbie* here with a question, and let me warn you it may be the dumbest question you have ever heard!! part of that is because i go to the gyno as little as humanly possible (i know its not good but i hate it!) okay now...

**i have never had any problems with *smell* until i started having sex with my husband, now all of a sudden i have this horrible fishy smell and itch, and very very rarely i get dishcharge (not often but it happens). i was reading through the threa and i saw a lot of women had success with boric acid, but part of me (i will admit, the smarter part of me) says to go see my gyno to make sure nothing serious is going on. ANYWAYS here is the dumb part....before you were diagnosed with BV and all you had was the symptom of the *smell* when you called to make your gyno appt and they asked for the reason of the appt...what did you say? i mean i dont really want to say to some stranger on the phone well i smell like fish *lol* ..........

WELCOME ABOARD CYNMCCLELLAND!!

DEFINATELY GO TO THE DOCTOR!!! When you call, just state that you need to make an appt for a pap smear. You dont have to tell a stranger about your smell...Definately go first though, because the first time I had this YEARS AND YEARS AGO... The medicine they gave me, Flagyl vaginal gel took mine away for about 5yrs!! So...if you can catch this soon enough...you may get lucky and it might not become re-occuring!!

As far as the Boric Acid goes, alot of woman have had great success with it!! HOWEVER...you need to see your doctor first to determine if what you have is truly Bacterial Vaginosis...Not treating this infection properly can cause serious health issues...so, find out first if this is what you have. Once you've taken the prescription, and GOD FORBID you have re-occuring B.V.. then it will be time to start thinking of other alternatives. If you check out Lori's blog, under her signature...she offers TONS of ideas, and gives you examples of what the ladies have used, side effects, etc.

GOOD LUCK AND LET US KNOW HOW EVERYTHING GOES!!!

[cynmcclelland]

Hi all! i am a *newbie* here with a question, and let me warn you it may be the dumbest question you have ever heard!! part of that is because i go to the gyno as little as humanly possible (i know its not good but i hate it!) okay now...

**i have never had any problems with *smell* until i started having sex with my husband, now all of a sudden i have this horrible fishy smell and itch, and very very rarely i get dishcharge (not often but it happens). i was reading through the threa and i saw a lot of women had success with boric acid, but part of me (i will admit, the smarter part of me) says to go see my gyno to make sure nothing serious is going on. ANYWAYS here is the dumb part....before you were diagnosed with BV and all you had was the symptom of the *smell* when you called to make your gyno appt and they asked for the reason of the appt...what did you say? i mean i dont really want to say to some stranger on the phone well i smell like fish *lol* ..........

[anitsirhc]

Thanks. if i put one in and used a tampon would the tampon just absorb all the medicine? seems like a lot of it just comes out anyways.

sorry i forgot to answer that. i only used a tampon while on yeast arrest once or twice and it was when i had to because i was going to the beach. so if i were you i would just try to not use them, again call your doctor and ask cause i never asked anyone (like i never called the company or anything.) also, the white discharge you have is most likely the boric acid coming out. is it watery? then it's the boric acid...

[Italianwife88]

Thanks. if i put one in and used a tampon would the tampon just absorb all the medicine? seems like alot of it just comes out anyways.

[neverending]

HEY Neverending

You have PCOS... I was check for that due to periodic abdomminal pain that feels like a midget is sitting on my lower stomach.... I have hemorraghic cysct and I have been trying to find some correlation to cyst down there and BV.....
Neverending how log have you had PCOS

I have a very mild case(hair growth, little overweight, very little acne) of pcos now. I believe I've had it for many years now but there is no way of knowing when it really started. In Jan/2007 I had a cyst rupture. Talk about PAINFUL! I blame birth control for this because before that, I've never had any problems whatsoever. As soon as I stopped popping the pill BAM severe weight gain, severe discharge, severe acne, and moderate hair growth. After I used the Estroil I noticed that my weight decreased, my acne started clearing up, less hair growth and no discharge.Go figure! I'm still confused as to why the estroil helped? I just started Acupunture yesturday and I heard if you have a mild case you have a better chance of getting rid of pcos. Oh, and yes I also believe all this stuff correlates with each other. Many of us on the board have the same symptoms (IBS, PCOS, DISCHARGE, DEPRESSION,ANXIETY,PID,ETC). If you find any good articles send them my way.

[anitsirhc]

I need some help from someone(anitsirhc or otherwise). I was put on 600 mg boric acid about a month ago. It looks to be almost the same thing as yeast arrest, without the other two things in it. My doctor has me taking it every OTHER night for two months. instead of what yeast arrest says which is like 2 times a day for 3-7 days or 10-14 days for resistance cases. It seems to be keeping my b.v. at bay but not kicking it out of there. my discharge is white but not clumpy, and it has a hint of bv smell. do you think i should do the acid every night? I've also had a few times that i missed a night and continued the next night. could inconsistency be doing this? I'm really new to all treatments. does everyone here have BV from being pregnant?( I know 1 in 4 get bv from pregnancy) I've never been pregnant I just started having problems after having sex only one time.

I also wanted to know, if you start your period when taking the suppository do you wear a pad or wear a tampon anyways?

i'm not sure. the yeast arrest is 600 mg of boric acid also, but i only took it for a month. so maybe you're taking it less often but over a longer period of time? i would call your doctor and tell him/her that you don't feel like it's completely going away. also, inconsistency can definitely affect your results. and no not everyone has bv from being pregnant. i have never been pregnant and i'm sure a lot of other women on here haven't been pregnant either. sorry i didn't really help. good luck!!!

by the way, the last yeast arrest i put in was tuesday night and today i'm still bv free

[Italianwife88]

I need some help from someone(anitsirhc or otherwise). I was put on 600 mg boric acid about a month ago. It looks to be almost the same thing as yeast arrest, without the other two things in it. My doctor has me taking it every OTHER night for two months. instead of what yeast arrest says which is like 2 times a day for 3-7 days or 10-14 days for resistance cases. It seems to be keeping my b.v. at bay but not kicking it out of there. my discharge is white but not clumpy, and it has a hint of bv smell. do you think i should do the acid every night? I've also had a few times that i missed a night and continued the next night. could inconsistency be doing this? I'm really new to all treatments. does everyone here have BV from being pregnant?( I know 1 in 4 get bv from pregnancy) I've never been pregnant I just started having problems after having sex only one time.

I also wanted to know, if you start your period when taking the suppository do you wear a pad or wear a tampon anyways?

[pympmama1]

HEY Neverending

You have PCOS... I was check for that due to periodic abdomminal pain that feels like a midget is sitting on my lower stomach.... I have hemorraghic cysct and I have been trying to find some correlation to cyst down there and BV.....
Neverending how log have you had PCOS

[britt8705]

Hey Everyone... I have been having trouble keeping up with this forum...but if someone could fill me in or send me a link to a page that has all the updated info about what is good to use that would be a big help... Thanks oh yea is Estroil still a good product to use if so where can I purchase it.