[i_hate_sports]

Aggravated

Hi, thanks for the info. I have taken the metronidazole twice, first for one week, then for two weeks. It didn't change anything for me either. I am calling today to try to get the Metrogel. I was totally freaking out last night after discovering this board. I didn't realize that there were so many other people who can't get rid of it and it really upset me. Its comforting, but its scary that I may have the bigger problem of always having it.

I called my mom and told her everything that's been going one and she just kind of didn't get it. She was nice, but was blaming the most random things. And acting like it was my fault because I wear thongs. I mean, maybe she is right but its just so weird because I have been wearing thong underwear for 10 years. I didn't change anything when this happened. I have the same diet, same underwear, same husband, same birth control, same hygiene habits. WHY ME? I did take out my nuvaring last night and I am praying to God maybe that was the cause and I will be able to get every thing back in check.



thanks again,
Sara

[Aggravated]

i hate sports:
Sorry, I forgot to tell you, I didn't notice any discharge the first time I had BV. I just had the fishy smell the first time. The MetroGel took the smell away and I had no discharge. The only reason I knew the BV came back is because the discharge started (with no smell), and I went back to the doctor.
Again, can anyone tell me if the boric acid helps with discharge or just with the odor?
Thanks!

[Aggravated]

i hate sports:
MetroGel is a gel containing metronidazole that is inserted vaginally. The tube of gel comes with 5 applicators and is taken once at bedtime for five days (but my doctor told me to wash out 2 of the applicators and use it for 7 days because there is enough gel in the tube for that). The first time I used it, the smell went away the first day (I had the fishy odor the first time, but not since) and the BV was gone for about 5 or 6 months. When the BV came back, I used the gel again...used another 3 tubes throughout the summer, but never had any success again. I just finished 2 weeks of the oral form of metrnidazole and had no success with that either. If you try it, I wish you luck!

[i_hate_sports]

Hey girls. I'm new here and stumbled upon you while researching the hell of BV.

Help! I have had BV for several months and have been on antibiotics twice. Just finished them last week and its already back. I have tried putting yogurt in my vagina on a nightly basis but that hasn't helped either.

I am on Nuvaring for birth control. Its a plastic ring that you keep in your vagina for three weeks and it slowly releases an even low dose of hormones. I have been on it for about 2 years and just started with the BV about 6 months ago. Do you guys think I should take it out and go back on the pill?

Has anyone had success with Cleocin cream? I am calling my doctor tomorrow to request it. I feel like he thinks I am a weirdo for still having this.

Any thoughts are appreciated. I have read lots and lots of past posts that were very informative.

Thanks,
Sara

Hey, new here and still learning. What is MetroGel? I thankfully don't have the smell either just the discharge. Its so horrible though. Its a huge problem. I've had this for about 6 months and been on antibiotics twice. It helped for a couple of days and now its back. I would love for it to go away forever but 5 or 6 months would be great.

Thanks for any info on MetroGel.
Sara

Did it help with the discharge? I don't really have a bad smell but an outrageous amount of discharge.

Sara

[autumnbreeze]

Hello Ladies...I am a newbie and I am so glad I found this forum!! I have been dealing with BV for the past 4 years. I think the vicious cycle began after I had a tooth pulled and was prescribed an antibiotic. I have been to 3 different GYN's and have taken the Metrogel & Flagyl but the BV comes back after a few days. I've tried rePHresh & it didn't work either. I thought something was wrong with me. It is a relief to know that other women have the same issues and I'm not some freak of nature! This thing is so personal and embarrassing, nobody talks about it. We suffer in silence, yet BV is more common than a yeast infection. Anyway, I've read thru the threads and made notes of various treatments that may temporarily keep the BV at bay. I got some tips from some other sites and a few days ago I've began my own regimen..I'm trying this for 14 days. I will definitely let you all know if this works. Thanks for sharing your experiences and PLEASE keep this thread going!

Pau D'arco & water douche (one time). I bought the bark from a health food store..only cost 80 cents per ounce
1 cup Pau D'arco tea (daily)
1 capsule (orally, each day) Ultimate Flora Critical Care w/50 billion "good" cultures per capsule $15
Hydrogen Peroxide douche (daily--at bedtime) 30 mL (about 6 teaspoons) I did not dilute it with water
Vitamin C 1000mg (orally) I didn't just start this, I've been taking Vit C for years
On one night, instead of the peroxide douche, I inserted an Ultimate Flora capsule, then resumed as usual the next day. So far, the smell is lighter and the discharge has changed from gray to a light tan color.
Wish me luck. If this doesn't work, I will try using 250mg Vitamin C vaginally.

[jewelscando]

I don't have a rash on or near my vagina. Only both arms from my elbow down to my hands, on the top of my arms, and all over my forehead down to my temples, and a little bit on my chest.

Have a massive head and chest cold today. I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another.

[chachaheels]

Jewels, the stiff neck with WNV comes from enlarged glands at the base of the skull--it's the back of the neck that feels stiff and is actually swollen. Whenever I feel those glands swell I think the infection is serious because it is so close to the brain in that location.

Also, if you have a rash around the vaginal area, you can check out the glands in the inguinal area to see if they're swollen too (these are the glands you'll find where the thighs join the trunk). Sometimes they feel painful if they're swollen.

I hope it isn't west nile.

[neverending]

Aggravated: Welcome to the board!

[jewelscando]

FYI, a co worker of mine watched the news last night and there was a lady on there who developed a rash, which looked like mine. After 2 months of endless doctors visits of getting the same B.S. I did, (alergic to products, alergic to something) they finally ran some more tests and found out she had WEST NILE VIRUS. Right before I got this rash, I had been eaten alive by masquitos on my legs. Never put two and two together because I though you got deathly ill with West Nile. Obviously I was wrong. Another symptom is a stiff neck. Hence, my strangling feeling?? Anyways, I have a call in to the doctor, to be tested for West Nile. So, I will keep you all posted.

[Aggravated]

I recently found this site. It's so nice to know that I'm not alone in this. I'm not a freak! I've been fighting BV for nearly a year now.
I've been on the same brand of birth control pills since I was 16 (I'm now 33), and I don't recall any change in my diet or my habits around the time this started. I don't know what caused it or why it won't go away. Before this I had had one yeast infection my entire life! Why did I get this?!?!
The MetroGel worked the first time I used it. The BV came back after 4 or 5 months and hasn't really gone away since. I just finished two weeks of Metronidazole pills with NO change.
My problem is a little different from most in that I have no bad smell (I did the first time, but not since). I mainly just have a problem with discharge. I've been reading the posts about boric acid and am thinking of giving it a try. Does it just work for the smell or does it make the discharge go away too?
Thanks for any help you can give me...newbie

[Eralc Alegna]

I was definitely on my way to a full blown infection after my period and after using a mild acv vaginal wash...not really a douche but did some yoga in my shower to get it in the kitty. I did this w/just salt water for two days which helped inflammation and yesterday w/salt and acv.

How do you make the ACV wash and the salt water wash? Meaning what are the measurements, and also how have you been administering them? For how long and how many times a day?

Let's get specific here people! Theres no risk of TMI on this thread and we're all willing to try ANYTHING!
I gave the potato a whirl yesterday. Theres a bit of improvement but that had started previously. I think the boric has helped a bit. There doesn't seem to be so much discharge and the smell isn't as pungent.

[latinrican]

Fedup....

When I started using Boric Acid...It worked instantly. The smell was gone the next day.

[chachaheels]

fedup, have you had any kind of diagnostic tests done? Your symptoms may not be BV, as there are so many other ailments with similar symptoms. Also, boric acid treatments usually go at least 2 weeks, at 600g boric acid per suppository, usually one or two times a day. You might have to give it more time--but if you haven't ruled out other ailments, you may be using the boric acid in vain.

Neverending, Blood pressure should be taken at least 3 times in your doctor's office before you can get a "true" reading. Most patients experience some kind of anxiety (white coat syndrome) which causes the gauge to record a false blood pressure reading. I usually take it at the beginning, a few minutes later when we're talking about something else, and once again before we wrap up. To get a real idea of what someone's blood pressure is really doing, I ask people to monitor their blood pressure for 2 weeks straight, and record their numbers. Then we take an average. I hope yours isn't elevated for any reason other than the typical anxiety most people feel.

Boric acid is an antiseptic disinfectant. It stops fermentation and putrefaction. That is one reason why it works.

[fedup]

I've been on the boric for a week and it's not helping. I go see my doctor next month, even though I know they arent going to be able to help me. How long does the boric take to work? Anybody know? I dont know what to do. I wish this thing would just go away.

[sassy]

Yay to jewels! I have a rash as well, but of course I get weird random things all the time so it can definately be completely unrelated. Let us know if your blood work says anything.

[jewelscando]

Ok everyone. Went to the doctor today, and spilled the beans on the Boric. I cannot believe how scared I was. I practiced for an hour what I was going to say!! And while I was talking to her, it was as if I was having an outer body experience, like it wasn't me really speaking. Why the hell are we so scared to talk about this?? She seemed discouraged herself with B.V. and is at a loss as to why we get it and it won't go away. She had never heard of the Boric as helping and was actually very excited about it and she said she's going to do research on it, to help other patients.

As far as the rash, she said it is DEFINATELY NOT FROM THE BORIC. So I'm thanking the good Lord for that one!! She said had it been from the boric, it would not have taken close to two months to show itself. She also does not believe that it is from the products I use, because of the fact that it is in localized area's. She sent me for some blood work, and she's thinking that I have like a staff infection (internally), and that is what's causing the rash.

She's going to do some research on my rash in the meantime and wants to see me back in a week or two, depending on if it get's worse or not. Anyways, I get to go back on the Boric!! Yeah!!

[D double U]

Thanx for sharing Latin

[klee]

I know people have talked about apple cider vinegar before but I just tried drinking it recently. I drop about a teaspoon or so into half a glass of water in the morning and again at night for two days. You could drink it this way before every meal as well. I'm crossing my fingers because I was definitely on my way to a full blown infection after my period and after using a mild acv vaginal wash...not really a douche but did some yoga in my shower to get it in the kitty. I did this w/just salt water for two days which helped inflammation and yesterday w/salt and acv. The smell and discharge is gone??!! I won't do any more washes since I think you're suppose to minimize the number of times you do that but will continue the drinking the acv every day and after my next period, I hope to have good news.

[latinrican]

Just wanted to share this with you all... I was browsing around the net and found this.

Question:
I am looking for a home remedy for Bacterial Vaginosis. Is there anyone out there that knows one that works?

Answer:
Definitely do the pure cranberry juice. It should take about two days before you feel some relief. Yogurt is also a good option, but make sure it is plain yogurt. I know, it doesn't taste so good without sugar, but the bacteria feeds off of sugar so stay away from it. This is also why you need pure cranberry juice and not like a cranberry juice mix. You should also just stay away from sugar in general for a couple of days. Oh, and drink plenty of water. Hang in there.

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/22015

[jewelscando]

Yeah, that's what I thought Sassy. Because I know I started the boric in July, and I did not get the rash until the end of August. So, I also find it hard to believe that it's related to the Boric. Because I have it for so long now, I'm starting to pin down a few things. 1. My job, which is stressfull. 2. The location I've been working in. I started working there towards the end of August. And I'm wondering if there's something in the air there that's making me break out like this. Then my last resort, is the boric. Since it was entered Vaginally, maybe it took a while to get through my systom and that is why it's in different area's of my body. Oh well, who knows. I do know that the B.V. is back with a vengeance, and there's nothing I can do about it right now. And that sucks.