[melinda7]

Darn Swt, I wish I would have read your post before I went to my appointment today, I should have asked her if she seen the lactobacilli moving around on the slide. I want to kick myself in the head right now

But I go there today and I put it out there about the discharge, the smell, the negative results from past doctors, and the ph always coming back normal. She takes a swab and comes back and tells me "Well its not Bacterial Vaginosis" my eyes lit up with excitement and a hint of terror. Then she says, its yeast. My hopes were crushed as well as my fear of it being something worse. I asked her what was the ph and she said 3 something, around the number you'd expect with yeast infections is what she said. I asked about the musty smell, and she said its yeast sometimes it carries a musty odor. I should have asked her about why I wasn't itchy at all, darn forgot about that too DOH!!!!!

Anyway she gave me the diflucan and she put me on birth control to regulate my periods. Ladies I don't know what to think of this I am certainly confused as to what going on down there. Is it BV, yeast, or nothing thats what I have been told this entire year yet the problem still exist. But let me try this diflucan and hope it works in a couple of days she says if it doesn't she will give me a refill, wish me luck guys, pray for me, I will be doing the same for you guys.

Yeast. Were you on a lot of antibiotics in the past? I also have this as I am seeing we three have the same symptoms. I, like you, never really get irritation.

I was literally on antiobiotics my entire adult life starting at 18, but even before that I was on them regularly. Horrible. So hard to get rid of yeast and bring back the good bacteria. Definitely start taking probiotics. A good one. Otherwise it will most likely come back. Cut out sugar and carbs as much as you can. Stay away from alcohol.

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who will have it go away. It would depend on how bad you have messed up your stomach and how much good bacteria you have left. YI is not bacterial, but lack of bacteria. How severe you have it would depend on whether you have other symptoms of candida that are more systemic.

Estrogen in birth control pills could make it worse. BCP's cause YI's in many women. But it could also help, especially if you have high testosterone or high estrogen.

But you do need to be on probiotics.

[yme30]

Darn Swt, I wish I would have read your post before I went to my appointment today, I should have asked her if she seen the lactobacilli moving around on the slide. I want to kick myself in the head right now

But I go there today and I put it out there about the discharge, the smell, the negative results from past doctors, and the ph always coming back normal. She takes a swab and comes back and tells me "Well its not Bacterial Vaginosis" my eyes lit up with excitement and a hint of terror. Then she says, its yeast. My hopes were crushed as well as my fear of it being something worse. I asked her what was the ph and she said 3 something, around the number you'd expect with yeast infections is what she said. I asked about the musty smell, and she said its yeast sometimes it carries a musty odor. I should have asked her about why I wasn't itchy at all, darn forgot about that too DOH!!!!!

Anyway she gave me the diflucan and she put me on birth control to regulate my periods. Ladies I don't know what to think of this I am certainly confused as to what going on down there. Is it BV, yeast, or nothing thats what I have been told this entire year yet the problem still exist. But let me try this diflucan and hope it works in a couple of days she says if it doesn't she will give me a refill, wish me luck guys, pray for me, I will be doing the same for you guys.

[yme30]

Your discharge sounds like the classic milky to grey looking discharge associated with bacterial vaginosis. That reminds me of one time I asked my vulvovaginal specialist, "What's my pH?" and she said it was 4.5 and she saw my lactobacilli moving around. I was nauseated by that, but you should ask your nurse if she sees lactobacilli even if it's a little or a lot. When I over used the boric acid, it also negatively affected me, causing burning and my discharge got watery, and the odor got mustier. If you decide to do antibiotics, just be sure to take them with a good probiotic to reestablish the lost bacteria.

The odor you describe is so similar to mine Sitting for long periods of time causes more moisture and heat to build up intensifying the odor. Wearing anything tight or un-breathable like denim (since the material is thick) just makes the odor worse. I always used to eat candies and sodas but after I started paying close attention to how the odor would intensify after I would eat candy and add sugar to my coffee. I did little mini trials, removing all sugars from my diet for two weeks then eating something like a candy bar. Each time, just as I expected, the odor would flare up. I took it as a lesson learned and removed any sugar from my diet including most fruits with the exception of citrus fruits since they contain the least amount of fructose. The most frustrating and irritating thing I noticed about going on the low-FODMAP diet was how many foods on the market have added sugars, including vitamins and supplements, with tricky names like sucrose. If it doesn't have some kind of sugar in it, it has a sugar substitute which is worse. Things like Splenda, Sweet-N-Low, and Aspartame are linked to things like cancer and other health diseases. Much a do about nothing.

Darn Swt, I wish I would have read your post before I went to my appointment today, I should have asked her if she seen the lactobacilli moving around on the slide. I want to kick myself in the head right now

But I go there today and I put it out there about the discharge, the smell, the negative results from past doctors, and the ph always coming back normal. She takes a swab and comes back and tells me "Well its not Bacterial Vaginosis" my eyes lit up with excitement and a hint of terror. Then she says, its yeast. My hopes were crushed as well as my fear of it being something worse. I asked her what was the ph and she said 3 something, around the number you'd expect with yeast infections is what she said. I asked about the musty smell, and she said its yeast sometimes it carries a musty odor. I should have asked her about why I wasn't itchy at all, darn forgot about that too DOH!!!!!

Anyway she gave me the diflucan and she put me on birth control to regulate my periods. Ladies I don't know what to think of this I am certainly confused as to what going on down there. Is it BV, yeast, or nothing thats what I have been told this entire year yet the problem still exist. But let me try this diflucan and hope it works in a couple of days she says if it doesn't she will give me a refill, wish me luck guys, pray for me, I will be doing the same for you guys.

Have you seen a vulvovaginal specialist yet?

It just occurred to me that women that tend to have heavier periods because of uterine disorders like fibroids and cysts can also develop vaginal odors. Are you sure you've been cleared of everything regarding your reproductive health? I know I've been told everything is fine, yet low and behold, I wasn't.

[melinda7]

I took the boric acid for 14 days at bedtime. However the non-albican yeast infection did come back and I was re-prescribed the boric acid for another 14 days and then had refills for maintenance which I did three times a week every other day, then later decreased to once a week. C.parapsilosis is a really resistant non-albican yeast.

Did it ever go away? Did they try to knock it out with antifungals? I know they can be misused but I think they are useful to a certain extent. It's then a matter of repopulating the good bacteria.

[melinda7]

Your discharge sounds like the classic milky to grey looking discharge associated with bacterial vaginosis. That reminds me of one time I asked my vulvovaginal specialist, "What's my pH?" and she said it was 4.5 and she saw my lactobacilli moving around. I was nauseated by that, but you should ask your nurse if she sees lactobacilli even if it's a little or a lot. When I over used the boric acid, it also negatively affected me, causing burning and my discharge got watery, and the odor got mustier. If you decide to do antibiotics, just be sure to take them with a good probiotic to reestablish the lost bacteria.

The odor you describe is so similar to mine Sitting for long periods of time causes more moisture and heat to build up intensifying the odor. Wearing anything tight or un-breathable like denim (since the material is thick) just makes the odor worse. I always used to eat candies and sodas but after I started paying close attention to how the odor would intensify after I would eat candy and add sugar to my coffee. I did little mini trials, removing all sugars from my diet for two weeks then eating something like a candy bar. Each time, just as I expected, the odor would flare up. I took it as a lesson learned and removed any sugar from my diet including most fruits with the exception of citrus fruits since they contain the least amount of fructose. The most frustrating and irritating thing I noticed about going on the low-FODMAP diet was how many foods on the market have added sugars, including vitamins and supplements, with tricky names like sucrose. If it doesn't have some kind of sugar in it, it has a sugar substitute which is worse. Things like Splenda, Sweet-N-Low, and Aspartame are linked to things like cancer and other health diseases. Much a do about nothing.

Have you seen a vulvovaginal specialist yet?

It just occurred to me that women that tend to have heavier periods because of uterine disorders like fibroids and cysts can also develop vaginal odors. Are you sure you've been cleared of everything regarding your reproductive health? I know I've been told everything is fine, yet low and behold, I wasn't.

I had a cyst on my ovary and I had small (very small) uterine fibroid.

I can't cut out all sugar or I become very rail thin and sickly looking since I am already thin and drop weight very quickly. I have heard sugar is bad for it and it makes sense since it feeds yeast which kills the good bacteria.

I don't eat sweets but I need some sugars in my diet, bc I can't go on a no carb (at all) diet since I get so skinny and I also become hypoglyccemic. I need to eat complex carbs or I seriously can't function.


The more I think about my health the more I'm convinced it all goes back to candida and all the antibiotics (many many years of continuous use) that ruined my flora and killed all the good bacteria. That's the stem of all vaginal issues, really. Replacing it is very difficult and damn near impossible.

[swt simplicity]

I never got any notification about this reply!

I really think it was the vegetarian capsules. Ladies, don't use them, use the glycerin ones unless you don't want it to dissolve.
I missed a lot of good posts and can't ask questions about all of them right now. I hope I get notifications in the future.

I was BV free for a bit, but it came back. I can't be on flagyl all the time. I need to at least go to topical. I need to go back to the MD anyway to get my results from the culture.

I didn't know the BA kills the good bacteria too. Great....

I've been using the Fem-D but it hasn't helped.

I think I am going to try the 50/50 mix like someone else did.

Swt, how long did you take the BA for your YI?

I took the boric acid for 14 days at bedtime. However the non-albican yeast infection did come back and I was re-prescribed the boric acid for another 14 days and then had refills for maintenance which I did three times a week every other day, then later decreased to once a week. C.parapsilosis is a really resistant non-albican yeast.

[swt simplicity]

1. I have been diagnosed with Bacterial Vaginosis a few times
2. I have not been diagnose with anything on my last 3 visits
3. I haven't taken birth control pills in over two years, just stopped, got lazy, kept forgetting when to take them
4. my discharge is a whitish creamy yet see through color (if that makes sense)
5. The smell isn't fishy yet musty with a garbage smell sometimes,very strange too
6. I live off cokes, and fruit juices, and I love chocolate covered turtles, and jolly rancher bubble gum
7. I have an appointment tomorrow at a clinic and I am going to be firm about what I have been experiencing and what I need.
8. I might go back on birth control to settle the monstrous blood clots during the first 3 days of my period
9. Sometimes my BV flares up terribly when I sit in a seat for a very long time ex. at the hair salon, under the dryer, or at school. When I get up all you see is wet spots, I hate that so much, why me!!!!!!
10. I can stand to lose 15 lbs, I lost 5 lbs already I think, it'll be confirmed by my appointment tomorrow
11. Have been given boric acid a couple of times and my va-jay-jay turned into the incredible Hulk or something.
12. I heard with antibiotics and other suppositories that it will get worse before it gets better, but I know my body, I know what is going to work and what is not, so far nothing has worked, I am hoping this nurse can really hear me out and get to the bottom of this thing.

Thanks for reading and responding to my post Swt, love reading your feedback. Let you know how everything goes tomorrow.

Your discharge sounds like the classic milky to grey looking discharge associated with bacterial vaginosis. That reminds me of one time I asked my vulvovaginal specialist, "What's my pH?" and she said it was 4.5 and she saw my lactobacilli moving around. I was nauseated by that, but you should ask your nurse if she sees lactobacilli even if it's a little or a lot. When I over used the boric acid, it also negatively affected me, causing burning and my discharge got watery, and the odor got mustier. If you decide to do antibiotics, just be sure to take them with a good probiotic to reestablish the lost bacteria.

The odor you describe is so similar to mine Sitting for long periods of time causes more moisture and heat to build up intensifying the odor. Wearing anything tight or un-breathable like denim (since the material is thick) just makes the odor worse. I always used to eat candies and sodas but after I started paying close attention to how the odor would intensify after I would eat candy and add sugar to my coffee. I did little mini trials, removing all sugars from my diet for two weeks then eating something like a candy bar. Each time, just as I expected, the odor would flare up. I took it as a lesson learned and removed any sugar from my diet including most fruits with the exception of citrus fruits since they contain the least amount of fructose. The most frustrating and irritating thing I noticed about going on the low-FODMAP diet was how many foods on the market have added sugars, including vitamins and supplements, with tricky names like sucrose. If it doesn't have some kind of sugar in it, it has a sugar substitute which is worse. Things like Splenda, Sweet-N-Low, and Aspartame are linked to things like cancer and other health diseases. Much a do about nothing.

Have you seen a vulvovaginal specialist yet?

It just occurred to me that women that tend to have heavier periods because of uterine disorders like fibroids and cysts can also develop vaginal odors. Are you sure you've been cleared of everything regarding your reproductive health? I know I've been told everything is fine, yet low and behold, I wasn't.

[melinda7]

Interesting. I have been reading that website I linked earlier and it says that refrigerated probiotics aren't as good as non-refrigerated. I always heard the reverse, but interestingly, when I took a NR probiotic made my local health food store I had better results than with any others -- even the most expensive ones. I've so many too. I wonder if there's something to this? I also worry about mold growing and it not having the actual probiotics in them too. I swear that most natural supplements are a scam which is why I am always so cynical when I read about products.

I may go back to the local health stores brand and see how I do again. They are inexpensive compared to others. I also think you should rotate them, so one brand one month and another the next. I also think enzymes added to this may help, but I am still skeptical. I am going to try this and see how I do. I need to do it after being on flagyl for so long.


This is what I read that I referred to above.

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/probioticsforyeast.html

[melinda7]

I may try candex since I have too much candida from antibiotics. I didn't know it was enzymes. That's interesting.

I found this

A non-verified study from 2002 by the Progressive Medical Group claims that after testing the remedy on 52 patients, all of them had "at least minimal improvement not only in any upper gastrointestinal symptoms (probably associated with the natural digestive enzyme), but also in lower gastrointestinal symptoms and yeast-associated problems (altered cognition, craving carbohydrates, arthralgias, myalgias, allergies, etc.)." The study claims that side effects were "minimal with only rare gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, etc.) that resolved when association with food intake was altered", and that these side effects were deemed to not be statistically significant.[2] This study is quoted by several webshops selling Candex. Apparently, the study has not been reviewed by scientific peers, nor published in medical journals.

The above mentioned study is inherently flawed due to the lack of a control group.


I do take it with a grain of salt, since it's so small and not peer reviewed but I do find enzymes intriguing.



This website seems to have some good info

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/enzymesforyeast.html

Oh, I always mean to say something, but always forget -- Am I the only person who finds this message thread backwards and annoying to read? It should go in chronological order. It makes it so much harder to follow this way.

[melinda7]

Hope you ladies had a wonderful holiday.

I have been taking two fem-dophilus for about a month now along with a multi-vitamin, 2 tablets of Acidophilus Probiotic and one daily birth-control pill (Sprintec). Still no change the same white thick discharge, (it is lighter then before) Is this overkill?

After my period went off I had this watery yellowish-brown like discharge that smelled foul not fishy.

Starting this week for about a month I plan on going gluten-free for about a month or 2 (at least I will attempt to do so). I have created and printed out a chart to document my daily discharge to see if there is any major change.
I have tried all the antibiotics and combinations that American doctors could possibly prescribe. The only thing I have not tried is boric acid (The word acid is really scaring me :/). What are some of you thoughts am I over doing it?

Have you had a wet mount? You may not have BV.

BA is not as scary as it sounds. Just don't ingest it and wash your hands after making them.

[melinda7]

I never got any notification about this reply!

I really think it was the vegetarian capsules. Ladies, don't use them, use the glycerin ones unless you don't want it to dissolve.


I missed a lot of good posts and can't ask questions about all of them right now. I hope I get notifications in the future.

I was BV free for a bit, but it came back. I can't be on flagyl all the time. I need to at least go to topical. I need to go back to the MD anyway to get my results from the culture.

I didn't know the BA kills the good bacteria too. Great....

I've been using the Fem-D but it hasn't helped.

I think I am going to try the 50/50 mix like someone else did.

Swt, how long did you take the BA for your YI?

Were you doing all of these treatments at the same time? It sounds like a lot. Did you use the '00' size gelatin capsules? About the BalancActiv: Sometimes vaginal gels cause a thick tissue like discharge because the gel mixes in with your vaginal secretions. Some women mistake this discharge for a yeast infection. Yeast can thrive in both high and low pH's, so even if the gel lowered your pH too much, it's not likely it increased the level of yeast present or induced a yeast infection.

Probiotics are formulated for oral use, so inserting one vaginally probably won't be so effective, since they usually have an enteric coating that should survive the stomach acids therefor it wouldn't break down properly in the vagina.

Good luck

P.S. Boric acid does a good job of knocking out microorganisms. It basically wipes out both good and bad bacteria as well, so try not to over do it. A user on here said that she got her boric acid capsules formulated by a Pharmacist or Chemist with acidophilus and that helped replenish the lost bacteria. The capsule was formulated with 50% boric acid and 50% acidophilus. I think it was Mfc10, I'm not too sure. Maybe you can ask your local Chemist if that can be done. You'd be killing two birds with one stone.

[britt8705]

Hope you ladies had a wonderful holiday.

I have been taking two fem-dophilus for about a month now along with a multi-vitamin, 2 tablets of Acidophilus Probiotic and one daily birth-control pill (Sprintec). Still no change the same white thick discharge, (it is lighter then before) Is this overkill?

After my period went off I had this watery yellowish-brown like discharge that smelled foul not fishy.

Starting this week for about a month I plan on going gluten-free for about a month or 2 (at least I will attempt to do so). I have created and printed out a chart to document my daily discharge to see if there is any major change.
I have tried all the antibiotics and combinations that American doctors could possibly prescribe. The only thing I have not tried is boric acid (The word acid is really scaring me :/). What are some of you thoughts am I over doing it?

[yme30]

Your story sounds a lot like mine; I experienced a yellowish to clear discharge that stained my underwear accompanied by a pungent odor, it wasn't fishy though, more musty and strange smelling. I consistently tested negative for every test I did. I assumed I had bacterial vaginosis because of the odor but I didn't have bacterial vaginosis. I finally saw a specialist [Dr. Stewart] and I tested positive for a non-albican yeast called c.parapsilosis (probably spelled that wrong). Not that I'm implying that you have a non-albican yeast, but it could be something else that's causing your symptoms. I used boric acid and it went away, later on down the line I developed random inflammation and used cortisone suppositories for it. That also went away.

Describe the odor your experiencing. I think by now, even if the gynecologists you were seeing were inexperienced, bacterial vaginosis is too common to misdiagnose. Have you ever tested positive for bacterial vaginosis? If you haven't then that explains a lot. You should consider getting checked for other things. When I was experiencing my vaginal issue, I cut out refined carbohydrates and sugars and my symptoms improved but I didn't stay on it because it was somewhat difficult at the time. I was constantly craving bread, brownies, apple pie, and sour patches and easily gave into my cravings. If sugar and carbohydrates flare up your symptoms, you should also consider that you can't break down sugars and carbohydrates. There's a disorder called Fructose Malabsorption which can cause pelvic odors in women because the sugar that isn't absorbed releases a gas. Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) can also cause a pelvic odor for the same reason, sugar and carbohydrates don't break down releasing a gas. I still need to get tested for that since sugar and bread has always caused my symptoms to get worse.

I've made some permanent dietary changes for general health reasons. I cut out all added sugars, including high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, maltose ... anything that rhymes with gross. I also cut out refined carbohydrates since they break down into sugars in the digestive tract. I don't eat meat. I eat whole foods, I still drink coffee with cream and no sugar. I discovered the sugar I add to my coffee is a culprit. I've gotten used to reading labels so I know for sure there isn't anything funky in the ingredients list.

People with TMAU go on a choline-free diet which is very restrictive. Eating foods with choline can flare up their symptoms causing their body odor to intensify. When I think of the low choline diet, I realize how easy I have it when it comes to my own dietary choices. I cut out a lot of junk from my diet but I still have a lot of options. There are many cookbooks out there for healthy recipes, gluten-free options, sugar-free baking, vegan or vegetarian ... the list goes on. I can eat healthy and not worry about what the food is doing to my health.

I continue to find growing evidence that there are dietary connections to bacterial vaginosis. Although in the past many women on this very forum have been offended that I mention that idea, and they felt I was insulting their lifestyle choices, which I wasn't of course. There was one really on-point study linking bacterial vaginosis to trans-fats/unhealthy fats. Lack of vitamin D was also highly publicized on how it can increase the risk for developing bacterial vaginosis. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy vaginal cells. Just recently I found a study that states folic acids effects on vaginal health and intestinal health. It's in another language. If you think your vaginal odor is diet related then making healthier eating choices should help.

Do you think the birth control pill your taking is causing the odor? I did hear of women starting certain birth control pills, rings, and IUD's and it caused an odor.

1. I have been diagnosed with Bacterial Vaginosis a few times
2. I have not been diagnose with anything on my last 3 visits
3. I haven't taken birth control pills in over two years, just stopped, got lazy, kept forgetting when to take them
4. my discharge is a whitish creamy yet see through color (if that makes sense)
5. The smell isn't fishy yet musty with a garbage smell sometimes,very strange too
6. I live off cokes, and fruit juices, and I love chocolate covered turtles, and jolly rancher bubble gum
7. I have an appointment tomorrow at a clinic and I am going to be firm about what I have been experiencing and what I need.
8. I might go back on birth control to settle the monstrous blood clots during the first 3 days of my period
9. Sometimes my BV flares up terribly when I sit in a seat for a very long time ex. at the hair salon, under the dryer, or at school. When I get up all you see is wet spots, I hate that so much, why me!!!!!!
10. I can stand to lose 15 lbs, I lost 5 lbs already I think, it'll be confirmed by my appointment tomorrow
11. Have been given boric acid a couple of times and my va-jay-jay turned into the incredible Hulk or something.
12. I heard with antibiotics and other suppositories that it will get worse before it gets better, but I know my body, I know what is going to work and what is not, so far nothing has worked, I am hoping this nurse can really hear me out and get to the bottom of this thing.

Thanks for reading and responding to my post Swt, love reading your feedback. Let you know how everything goes tomorrow.

[swt simplicity]

Swt, they did a whiff test, culture, checked my ph, and a DNA probe, and everything came back negative, this coming from three different doctors and a nurse since February of this year . But right now my good panties are stained with discharge and the smell is awful. I haven't had sex in years and I was only on birth control because of heavy periods. I even bought my own ph test kit and it read normal. I know it could very well be my diet but how come some people get to drink all the soda and coffee they want and all the sweets, meat, and the rest of the goodies and they never develop bacterial vaginosis. The reason why I have been single all this time with only mini dating is because of this problem I just wish I knew why the antibiotics never worked for me, the cream or the tablets, its so strange, I dont know what else to do.

Your story sounds a lot like mine; I experienced a yellowish to clear discharge that stained my underwear accompanied by a pungent odor, it wasn't fishy though, more musty and strange smelling. I consistently tested negative for every test I did. I assumed I had bacterial vaginosis because of the odor but I didn't have bacterial vaginosis. I finally saw a specialist [Dr. Stewart] and I tested positive for a non-albican yeast called c.parapsilosis (probably spelled that wrong). Not that I'm implying that you have a non-albican yeast, but it could be something else that's causing your symptoms. I used boric acid and it went away, later on down the line I developed random inflammation and used cortisone suppositories for it. That also went away.

Describe the odor your experiencing. I think by now, even if the gynecologists you were seeing were inexperienced, bacterial vaginosis is too common to misdiagnose. Have you ever tested positive for bacterial vaginosis? If you haven't then that explains a lot. You should consider getting checked for other things. When I was experiencing my vaginal issue, I cut out refined carbohydrates and sugars and my symptoms improved but I didn't stay on it because it was somewhat difficult at the time. I was constantly craving bread, brownies, apple pie, and sour patches and easily gave into my cravings. If sugar and carbohydrates flare up your symptoms, you should also consider that you can't break down sugars and carbohydrates. There's a disorder called Fructose Malabsorption which can cause pelvic odors in women because the sugar that isn't absorbed releases a gas. Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) can also cause a pelvic odor for the same reason, sugar and carbohydrates don't break down releasing a gas. I still need to get tested for that since sugar and bread has always caused my symptoms to get worse.

I've made some permanent dietary changes for general health reasons. I cut out all added sugars, including high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, maltose ... anything that rhymes with gross. I also cut out refined carbohydrates since they break down into sugars in the digestive tract. I don't eat meat. I eat whole foods, I still drink coffee with cream and no sugar. I discovered the sugar I add to my coffee is a culprit. I've gotten used to reading labels so I know for sure there isn't anything funky in the ingredients list.

People with TMAU go on a choline-free diet which is very restrictive. Eating foods with choline can flare up their symptoms causing their body odor to intensify. When I think of the low choline diet, I realize how easy I have it when it comes to my own dietary choices. I cut out a lot of junk from my diet but I still have a lot of options. There are many cookbooks out there for healthy recipes, gluten-free options, sugar-free baking, vegan or vegetarian ... the list goes on. I can eat healthy and not worry about what the food is doing to my health.

I continue to find growing evidence that there are dietary connections to bacterial vaginosis. Although in the past many women on this very forum have been offended that I mention that idea, and they felt I was insulting their lifestyle choices, which I wasn't of course. There was one really on-point study linking bacterial vaginosis to trans-fats/unhealthy fats. Lack of vitamin D was also highly publicized on how it can increase the risk for developing bacterial vaginosis. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy vaginal cells. Just recently I found a study that states folic acids effects on vaginal health and intestinal health. It's in another language. If you think your vaginal odor is diet related then making healthier eating choices should help.

Do you think the birth control pill your taking is causing the odor? I did hear of women starting certain birth control pills, rings, and IUD's and it caused an odor.

[yme30]

Some people have discounted that hormones play a part in bacterial vaginosis. However, I actually did find that "decreased estrogen production of the host" is said to be a predisposal factor for developing bacterial vaginosis from this (source). There are some studies that point out birth control to some degree decreases a woman's chance of developing bacterial vaginosis but I've never been a huge fan of all of the side effects that could occur from taking the pill ... Do you feel that you have a hormone imbalance? You should talk to your gynecologist if you think this could be a hormone related issue. There are certain tests that can be done to confirm if you do in fact have a hormonal imbalance.

It's odd that you mention your pH is normal; i.e. ranging from 3.8-4.5 and you have bacterial vaginosis? Did you pass the whiff-test? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always known the classic signs of bacterial vaginosis was an elevated pH caused by anaerobic bacterial overgrowth. If your pH is normal then you have enough lactobacilli to keep your pH at a normal range, thus meaning there is no anaerobic bacterial overgrowth. Maybe your case is different? I

Inflammation in my case didn't effect my vaginal pH (as far as I know). I didn't know my pH prior to things going haywire. My pH was usually around 4.5 which was considered normal. It was always consistently at 4.5 or 4.4. I did the hydro-cortisone suppositories for the inflammation, which cleared up after a couple of weeks.

Merry Christmas!

Swt, they did a whiff test, culture, checked my ph, and a DNA probe, and everything came back negative, this coming from three different doctors and a nurse since February of this year . But right now my good panties are stained with discharge and the smell is awful. I haven't had sex in years and I was only on birth control because of heavy periods. I even bought my own ph test kit and it read normal. I know it could very well be my diet but how come some people get to drink all the soda and coffee they want and all the sweets, meat, and the rest of the goodies and they never develop bacterial vaginosis. The reason why I have been single all this time with only mini dating is because of this problem I just wish I knew why the antibiotics never worked for me, the cream or the tablets, its so strange, I dont know what else to do.

[swt simplicity]

Hi yal Merry Christmas Eve, been reading your comments and I am still cant figure out why this discharge and awful smell just wont leave me alone. Soon as I take a shower no sooner the smell and discharge starts creeping up on me like a deadly spider or something.There has gotta be something I am missing, why wont any of the antibiotics I take work not even for a week and why is my ph always normal. Its gotta be a hormonal imbalance, someone mention something about inflammatory maybe its my overall ph balance and not just the vaginal ph. I gotta get to yet another doctor soon and look into that estrogen cream thing. I am 31 but this cream just might put everything into perspective.

Some people have discounted that hormones play a part in bacterial vaginosis. However, I actually did find that "decreased estrogen production of the host" is said to be a predisposal factor for developing bacterial vaginosis from this (source). There are some studies that point out birth control to some degree decreases a woman's chance of developing bacterial vaginosis but I've never been a huge fan of all of the side effects that could occur from taking the pill ... Do you feel that you have a hormone imbalance? You should talk to your gynecologist if you think this could be a hormone related issue. There are certain tests that can be done to confirm if you do in fact have a hormonal imbalance.

It's odd that you mention your pH is normal; i.e. ranging from 3.8-4.5 and you have bacterial vaginosis? Did you pass the whiff-test? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always known the classic signs of bacterial vaginosis was an elevated pH caused by anaerobic bacterial overgrowth. If your pH is normal then you have enough lactobacilli to keep your pH at a normal range, thus meaning there is no anaerobic bacterial overgrowth. Maybe your case is different?

Inflammation in my case didn't effect my vaginal pH (as far as I know). I didn't know my pH prior to things going haywire. My pH was usually around 4.5 which was considered normal. It was always consistently at 4.5 or 4.4. I did the hydro-cortisone suppositories for the inflammation, which cleared up after a couple of weeks.

Merry Christmas!

[yme30]

Hi yal Merry Christmas Eve, been reading your comments and I am still cant figure out why this discharge and awful smell just wont leave me alone. Soon as I take a shower no sooner the smell and discharge starts creeping up on me like a deadly spider or something.There has gotta be something I am missing, why wont any of the antibiotics I take work not even for a week and why is my ph always normal. Its gotta be a hormonal imbalance, someone mention something about inflammatory maybe its my overall ph balance and not just the vaginal ph. I gotta get to yet another doctor soon and look into that estrogen cream thing. I am 31 but this cream just might put everything into perspective.

[LauraLynn]

There were women on this forum that have tried the BV Treatment and it has cured them. However, they used the BV Treatment and not the Homeopathic Capsules. I'm wondering if the capsules are something that should be used after the BV Treatment, or if it even matters at all. I'm on the fence about that brand since I don't know too much about it, and there hasn't been much information on it circulating on the internet or on forums. It couldn't hurt to try considering it doesn't seem unsafe or hazardous to use. It's a much safer alternative to using a douche or a feminine powder or spray (all of which cover up the problem and don't work).


I'm curious about the Prebiotic Suppositories though. There were some positive reviews about it; it contains lactic acid and short chain fructo-oligosaccharides. There's some promising research and scientific data on short chain fructo-oligosaccharides. If it works then the Prebiotic Vaginal Suppositories would be great for maintenance. Of course lactic acid is also beneficial for vaginal health too.

Does your bacterial vaginosis reoccur or does it not clear up at all? If it's something that reoccurs, at least you can try and pin-point the trigger that flares up the infection. If it doesn't clear up at all you can still usually tell what makes your symptoms worse or when your symptoms aren't very present. Some people don't pay much attention to that, but it helps a lot. I noticed that my symptoms would be more present if I was anxious, sexually excited, or thought about it a lot (still anxiety and stress). And with certain foods, like candy, sugary pastries, coffee with cream (and sugar), refined carbohydrates that break down into sugar when digested (and sometimes contain added sugars) ... and of course if it was really hot or humid (weather) then that vulvular area would get sweaty thus increasing the bacteria and making your symptoms more noticeable. Of course sex is also going to physically affect the vaginal flora, it does for every woman even if she has a normal amount of bacteria, but for bacterial vaginosis, the symptoms will flare up, sometimes the condom can be irritating or if it's without a condom then the semen mixed with the vaginal fluids will surely make your symptoms more present.

Everyone's body works differently, don't get discouraged if you feel like you've tried everything and nothing works for you. I definitely understand where your coming from. But always remember there's so many options out there, and there could be many reasons as to why your infection isn't clearing up. Over the past year, I've read about so many different underlying causes for bacterial vaginosis that often aren't even talked about in the exam room. Gynecologists will check for an infection and prescribe you something for it. They often aren't trained to practice preventative care, and a lot of physicians know that, but there's nothing they can really do about it either.

Have a merry Christmas LauraLynn,

First I need to say that I intended for the link to go to the BV Treatment page, not the capsules. I did not get the homeopathic capsules, I got the vaginally inserted treatment. My apologies for the mistake.

I inserted the first one this morning (well, Thursday morning...I work nights and sleep days), and so far the only reaction I've had was some rather intense itching for a short period after I got up this evening. That subsided and I will try the second one when I crash in the morning.

I know my vulva and vagina are super sensitive to many things; soaps, most condoms, certain tampons (back when I still had periods), etc and so forth. I also know that my diet/weight plays a role. You hit it right on the head when you mentioned sugary things definitely contributing to flare-ups. And stress as well....I'm always stressed over something; my mind runs a million miles a minute 24/7. I feel fortunate to have a mate who understands things like this and doesn't judge or think I'm "dirty" or whatever. And with his chemistry background he's curious about the causes and treatments, as well, from that angle. So he helps me research. lol

I pondered your question about recurring or just never actually being cured...and I don't think it's ever actually been totally cured. It seems that from the time it appeared (when I was pregnant with my 16yr old), it has always been there. Sometimes it's really bad, like now, and sometimes it's just a minor inconvenience. I even went months without actual intercourse while overseas, but using just a toy or my (clean) fingers also brought it back into play. I lost almost 40 pounds and that seemed to help some, but it didn't "fix" it. I am fasting for some unrelated tests and hope to use that as a starting point for getting back to eating healthier, so maybe that will also help the BV in the long run.

So....I think I'll continue with the Treatment inserts and see what happens. If it actually helps, I may try the Prebiotic inserts.....thank you for the info. :-) And thanks for the reply.

[melis19750]

(ha ha excuse my topic description! lol)

ok so the other day I thought for sure my BV was coming back... or a yeast infection (Monday)
only because I had some odd white discharge and some on again/ off again itching

went to my regular OBGYN (not the specialist I saw last time)
and she took my ph- it was acidic...
and looked under the microscope
she saw no yeast
no clue cells
only a few white blood cells, as well as an "imbalance" of vaginal flora
but being i did not have bad symptoms (no bad smell, whiff test came back negative, no BV or yeast under the microscope)
she decided to also culture me and wait until the results came back

so guess what my culture results came back- NO YEAST, NO BACTERIA
nADA

TODAY I am feeling okay down there

but my doctor said pretty much what we can do is try a hydro cortisone ovule because she thinks it might be more "inflammatory" than anything

as well as... boric acid suppositories anytime i start to feel "itchy"

I do have an Rx of metro gel on hand as well as a few diflucan

but i dont wanna take anything because as my culture results came back- they were negative

ugg vaginal issues are so damn confusing


my doctor also recommended i stay on fem-dophilus
and use another stronger pro-biotic at the same time for my intestinal health

as well as vitamin d, folic acid, and a good B-complex

Im doing all of that
been doing all of that

so is it possible my vaginal issue is inflammatory if its just itchy?

how do we get the vagina back in bacterial balance?? especially if you do not have a bacterial or yeast infection- just simply an imbalance?

I was going to use an estrogen vaginal cream my specialist gave me an Rx for... he thinks that will help, but... its over $100 per prescription
i really cant afford that

=)

[swt simplicity]

Hi Ladies, checking in after an absence. The BV is still making my life hell. I switched GYNs and told the new guy my saga....got pretty much the same response, which was an antibiotic prescription and a warning about douching. (I very rarely douche, but had asked about trying the peroxide/water combo.)

Fast forward a few months, and the symptoms are getting worse, and the plethera of remedies is confusing and often expensive, and sex is more painful than ever...etc and so forth. I am just about at the end of my rope.

I stumbled across this link and thought I'd try this. The ingredients are mostly familiar, but I'd like to get any thoughts y'all might have. On impulse, I ordered it, but it hasn't arrived yet.

Something new?

I hope you all have a very Blessed Yule.
L.

There were women on this forum that have tried the BV Treatment and it has cured them. However, they used the BV Treatment and not the Homeopathic Capsules. I'm wondering if the capsules are something that should be used after the BV Treatment, or if it even matters at all. I'm on the fence about that brand since I don't know too much about it, and there hasn't been much information on it circulating on the internet or on forums. It couldn't hurt to try considering it doesn't seem unsafe or hazardous to use. It's a much safer alternative to using a douche or a feminine powder or spray (all of which cover up the problem and don't work).

I'm curious about the Prebiotic Suppositories though. There were some positive reviews about it; it contains lactic acid and short chain fructo-oligosaccharides. There's some promising research and scientific data on short chain fructo-oligosaccharides. If it works then the Prebiotic Vaginal Suppositories would be great for maintenance. Of course lactic acid is also beneficial for vaginal health too.

Does your bacterial vaginosis reoccur or does it not clear up at all? If it's something that reoccurs, at least you can try and pin-point the trigger that flares up the infection. If it doesn't clear up at all you can still usually tell what makes your symptoms worse or when your symptoms aren't very present. Some people don't pay much attention to that, but it helps a lot. I noticed that my symptoms would be more present if I was anxious, sexually excited, or thought about it a lot (still anxiety and stress). And with certain foods, like candy, sugary pastries, coffee with cream (and sugar), refined carbohydrates that break down into sugar when digested (and sometimes contain added sugars) ... and of course if it was really hot or humid (weather) then that vulvular area would get sweaty thus increasing the bacteria and making your symptoms more noticeable. Of course sex is also going to physically affect the vaginal flora, it does for every woman even if she has a normal amount of bacteria, but for bacterial vaginosis, the symptoms will flare up, sometimes the condom can be irritating or if it's without a condom then the semen mixed with the vaginal fluids will surely make your symptoms more present.

Everyone's body works differently, don't get discouraged if you feel like you've tried everything and nothing works for you. I definitely understand where your coming from. But always remember there's so many options out there, and there could be many reasons as to why your infection isn't clearing up. Over the past year, I've read about so many different underlying causes for bacterial vaginosis that often aren't even talked about in the exam room. Gynecologists will check for an infection and prescribe you something for it. They often aren't trained to practice preventative care, and a lot of physicians know that, but there's nothing they can really do about it either.

Have a merry Christmas LauraLynn,