[juliaks2007]

HI All
I am also new, have had a problem w/ bv for years n years, ive also tried every antiboitic an magic genie go away trick possible w no results.....9 mo preggers so insurance runs out in a mo.....i also have group strep b and am lactose intolerant.......could these problems be from some kind of fungal infection, my basement is very very moist and i used to smoke mary j and am wondering if mayb some kind of fungus got in it......got those over the counter strips that supposidly check to see if u have the bv and they alwys come up negative, idk y, the symtoms r def there...all the bv signs r there but dr said its so reoccuring cus of some other factor,....also i dealt w bullemia for awhile so mayb some correlation, idk

[Itanium]

Hello All,

I'm new, and I thought I'd share some things that I've found helpful for managing the sx (no cure, I'm afraid).

But first, some background. I've had BV for about 20 years. Even though I'd been complaining to my gyn, I only figured out what my problem was about 4 years ago (and then got a new gyn). It got so bad 4 years ago that I could put on clean underwear, and it would be soaked and stained black within an hour from the discharge (not to mention the stench). In addition, I started sweating smelly, sticky, clothing-staining stuff everywhere (particularly between my breasts and under my arms). I've tried every antibiotic, garlic, voodoo spell, suppository known to humanity - no luck. The only thing to help has been allergy reduction (see below).

I also have a lifelong hx of UTIs, have had a sinus infection (more on than off) for about 15 years, and just figured out 3 years ago that I have some pervasive and severe allergies. I add these last bits in because everything works together to make the BV worse. For example, if I eat a bad food, within 20 minutes it's a BV discharge fiesta. Or if I am hit with a UTI/sinus worsening, same thing. So some of the things below that I've found helpful may not have been helpful for the BV, per se, but rather reduced allergies or something else to free up the immune system to go after the BV.

But here they are, and I hope they help someone:

1) To deodorize: Take a couple of thumbs of fresh ginger and peel them. Put them in cheese cloth, smash them with a hammer to get the juice out and soaking through the cloth. Then swab affected areas (pubic area, under arms, etc).

2) The homeopathic remedy arsenicum album 30C. Although the problem with homeopathic remedies is you have to get the right dose and there are many remedies for the same thing (and you need to find the right one for your particularly body type).

3) Fertility drugs. They did a wonderful job. So, going with the assumption that I am either deficient in hormones (actually, testing revealed that I am estrogen dominant) or unstable in hormone levels, progesterone cream has helped enormously. I use Bio-Entopic.

4) Coconut oil, about 1.5 Tlb/day, taken internally (I use it instead of butter when I make rice). If you search on the net, you'll find that cocount oil confers many benefits (thyroid, cholesterol, systemic infections, etc.), so I'm not exactly sure how this is helping. I use Herbs of Light - organic, cold pressed, etc.

5) A product called Herbal-C is a naturopathic, anti-inflammatory, vaginal suppository. It's messy, but it can relieve sx for awhile.

6) Lastly, Quantum's Anti-Fungal tincture.

[lori]

I was visiting your blog when I noticed that you said something like Tea Tree Oil suppositories don't have any activity against B.V or Yeast. I find that to be very interesting, especially since a lot of people on this forum have been saying that T.T.O suppositories have rid them of B.V. Not only that, but many homeopathic links say T.T.O suppositories are a quick & natural way of healing vaginal infections. Why do you say Tea Tree Oil suppositories don't work against B.V?

#1 - You didn't address my point - why are you confronting me when all I did was point out that vaginal use = topical use, which doesn't contradict anything you said? Please learn to read more carefully.

#2 - Your question is already answered, right in my blog. I cited my source, and the info. about TTO is from The V Book. Once again, basic reading comprehension would have saved both of us a lot of time.

#3 - There is only one bustie who claims to have been cured by TTO. But she also got rid of her cheating boyfriend at the same time.

I never said TTO doesn't work. I just don't have any reliable info. that it does work. If anyone wants to know more, they can research it on their own or try it themselves.

I think you're so eager to try and pick a fight with me and confront me in whatever way you can, that you can't even tell that I'm agreeing with you this time. And when I respond by pointing out your poor reading comprehension, you respond with pointless nitpicking about my blog. I CITED MY SOURCE, SO YOU CAN VERIFY IT YOURSELF.

You need to get a life, and stop harassing people in this thread. (You don't even have BV. I mean, what the hell?)

[Sweaty in Social Studies]

That WAS my point.

I was visiting your blog when I noticed that you said something like Tea Tree Oil suppositories don't have any activity against B.V or Yeast. I find that to be very interesting, especially since a lot of people on this forum have been saying that T.T.O suppositories have rid them of B.V. Not only that, but many homeopathic links say T.T.O suppositories are a quick & natural way of healing vaginal infections. Why do you say Tea Tree Oil suppositories don't work against B.V?

[lori]

But, keep in mind, anything that you apply to your skin gets absorbed into your body. I'm sure long-term use of Boric Acid may come with side effects. For example, lets say you get a rash, you'll probably use something along the lines of calamine lotion to ease the rash. The lotion will absorb into the skin and it's anti-inflammatory properties will work against the rash. I'm sure the same can be said for Boric Acid.

That WAS my point.

[Sweaty in Social Studies]

Vaginal use IS topical use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topical

But, keep in mind, anything that you apply to your skin gets absorbed into your body. I'm sure long-term use of Boric Acid may come with side effects. For example, lets say you get a rash, you'll probably use something along the lines of calamine lotion to ease the rash. The lotion will absorb into the skin and it's anti-inflammatory properties will work against the rash. I'm sure the same can be said for Boric Acid.

[lori]

SweatyinSocialStudies: That list of symptoms is primarily if you ingest boric acid or use it as a topical. Boric acid is safe for vaginal use ...

Vaginal use IS topical use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topical

In medicine, a topical medication is applied to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes, for example the vagina, anus, throat, eyes and ears.

[kegom]

Hi everyone

I have not been posting in a while. I guess I have developed less of an interest as I have managed my BV. I am not cured but I have maanged to maintain it. Guys please try to take lots of probiotics in your diet. reduce sugars and for me I found out I am lactose intolerant. So I dont do milk anyomore but i take vitamin C supplements. I have a very very faint smell when my immune is low-lack of sleep and not eating well that has happened twice (only lasted a day each) in the past 5 months. But for me, taking enough flora supplements has done the trick after 9 whole years!

[tryn2benormal]

Hello all!

I also struggle with re-occuring bv. Scouring the websites to help find a cure I came across a board were a member tried something that I hope will help all of us. She found that if she used cheese whey; with 75% or more lactose sugars..it cuts down on both smell and itching. No word on wether it does anything for discharge. She does this by putting some powder in her hand...adding water to it and making dough balls and sticking it up her vag as far as it will go; especially after sex. She keeps the other balls in a container with loose powder. Since not from the U.S....another member tried this and had similar results. I think she found it under the brand name NOW. If you do a google search for it; a lot of results come up for using to bodybuild...i think? But these have most of the lactose sugar removed so make sure you read the label.

ON a persona note: Wether you've had one partner or a zillion; it doesn't need to be boasted about or judged. This isn't something ANY of us chose...so we shouldn't dwell on when and who we think it happened with , right?

[sassy]

SweatyinSocialStudies: That list of symptoms is primarily if you ingest boric acid or use it as a topical. Boric acid is safe for vaginal use and it is in many over-the-counter natural yeast products, such as Yeast Away (or something like that...some ladies were using it before. They're basically a pre-packaged boric acid capsule with some extra herbs added.) Quite a few doctors of the ladies on here have even prescribed boric acid as a treatment to help control chronic BV. That said, if anyone has adverse reactions to any drug/substance, you should stop using it immediately and go to the doctor.

[Sweaty in Social Studies]

I read that a couple of people in this forum have been using Boric Acid as a way of maintaining the vaginal flora and keeping it acidic. What I found out was some really disturbing effects of using Boric Acid over a long period of time. Results of using Boric Acid over a long period of time would be:

• * Blisters
• * Collapse
• * Coma
• * Convulsions
• * Drowsiness
• * Fever
• * Lack of desire to do anything
• * Low blood pressure
• * Significantly decreased urine output (or none)
• * Sloughing of skin
• * Twitching of facial muscles, arms, hands, legs, and feet

Source:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002485.htm

So, to anyone that has been using Boric Acid as a way of self treating needs to be careful.

[dani1983]

Hi girlies! Time for a new update!
So I went to the doc a month ago to get tested for bv again( had a yellowish discharge, no itching, no fishy smell) and it came back negative! No more bv for me! So I asked the doctor what was this yellowish discharge and he said that a woma 's discharge may vary all through her life, and that it's normal, it changes through the cycle too. That's it! I've noticed that yes, that yellowish discharge seems to come out in a bigger quantity when I'm about to get my period and it disapears after I'm done with it. Still no itch nor pain nor fishy or bad smell. The only smell it has is a very metallic smell(it gets strong near my period). Does this metallic smell could indicate that I have something else? Or is it just normal??

[neptune]

I've been suffering for over 18 months now. Last year was BAD. Metronidazole would sort it and it would be back within a week. I was on antidepressants at the time and when I came off them (about september 07 I think) NO MORE BV. But my vaginal health was never the same again and has been gradually getting worse since January of this year.
Sometimes I test positive for bv but usually the test comes back clear. I have a very heavy greenish/white discharge which smells of... onions and strangely, sometimes extremely strongly of vanilla, which isn't a bad thing I suppose. It's usually an onion smell though. And I have constant stinging. Sex is out of the question because of the smell, but also because it's now very painful for me.

Reading through these posts I'm wondering whether it's Strep. BUT it responds to metrogel, it just always comes back. I've had numerous std tests which always come back clear.

Does anyone know whether they include strep testing in a general std check?

Also, do many of you suffer with the onion smell with bv? (It seems to be with lurking bv - when it's full on it's fishy.)

[yme]

Its disgusting because the test showed that I did have Bacterial Vaginosis I called her again to confirm it and she said the one dose treatment takes about 5 days and if I dont get better by monday she will write me a new script

I had a combo of yeast and bv for years so I know its not strep or an STD, trust me on this. I hate this its getting tired and I am about ready to live the rest of my life being a stinky person, but I still pray for a cure.

[Lolasaurus]

It's not as strong as normal BV smell, but it was definitely bad enough for me to 1) notice it and seek treatment, and 2) not invite my darling boyfriend anywhere near that region.

Also, a lot a lot of thin, sticky discharge.

hmmmmm...... and can strep b overgrowth give you a abad smell? ive researched it before on medical websites but never found anything clear on that part...

[heathernicole]

ha. yes i do. Thank you. I have been searching for almost an hour for an answer

[sooo sad]

I am getting ready to start taking boric acid pills. I have 14 to take one a week and she also gave me three refills. I'm beginning to do the math and it looks like that might be a long time without sex. Is it okay or safe to have sex while on the boric acid?

when you say "take" i hope you mean insert vaginally, taking it by mouth is very poisonous and you can die....only vaginally please. when i do boric acid i don't have sex until 24hrs later because you have to wait for it to come back out and it's kinda grainy like sand...irritating i would assume if it hasn't all came out. also use a pantiliner because it leaks out during the day. i would use a condom also until you know you are 100% bv free because it can be passed back and forth. good luck

sooo sad

[heathernicole]

I am getting ready to start taking boric acid pills. I have 14 to take one a week and she also gave me three refills. I'm beginning to do the math and it looks like that might be a long time without sex. Is it okay or safe to have sex while on the boric acid?

[LovelyLadyLuck]

hmmmmm...... and can strep b overgrowth give you a abad smell? ive researched it before on medical websites but never found anything clear on that part...

[sassy]

Again, I would be really careful with that RX. It can do more harm than good. Lori wrote this in June 2007:

"I was doing some further research on strep vaginitis, and on pp.240-241 (click on "Search Inside" and type in "strep" - I can't provide a direct link) of this book it says that Clindamycin causes the overgrowth! The previous link by CanCan said it can be caused by flagyl and clindamycin cream (e.g., clindesse), but not Clindamycin oral."