[jwo1880]

Hi,

Thanks ladies for all your support!

I was wondering if Boric acid is prescribed? if not, where do I get it?
My GYNO gave me a gel to use once a day (at night) called AVC (sulfanilamide cream) for a month. Has anyone ever tried this before? If so, what were your results?

Piano Girl,

Def let us know what happens with your specialist. Sounds interesting.


herekittykitty,

What's in the HP wash and how do I do it?

[shendy]

Eralc - thank you for letting me know I'm not alone in those symptoms, so frustrating! I also noticed that there are some tears and I really hope they go away when everything clears up.

Quick update, went back to my doctor, she found BV and prescribed metradonozale (making this the 2nd time I'm trying this). I'm really tempted to use boric acid to prevent a yeast infection but she told me not to so I'm going to try to control myself. So I'm going to try this for 7 days and keep taking immunity boosters, acidophilus pills, and lots of cranberry juice. Here's hoping.....

[herekittykitty]

Hi All! It's now my 7th consecutive day of douching with Hydrogen Peroxide and I'm happy to say that the odor is completely gone and the discharge is normal. I had sex with my BF this weekend and immediately douched with the HP right after. I noticed a lot of stinging while douching after sex.

I think I will continue with the wash for another straight week and keep taking Vitamin C and Acidophilus pills.

JWO as a quick temporary fix..why don't you at least try the HP wash?


So this seems to be the fix for me...at least for now.

I will keep you ladies updated on my progress.

Good luck to you all and welcome to the other newbies!

I love love love this forum and thank you for your support, ladies!

[autumnbreeze]

Aww...I check back in after the holidays and everyone has sad stories
Supportive Hugs to jw1880...I can just hear the frustration in your post.

Pianogirl: Did you say $1400?? WTH? You are right, that sounds fishy! But I'm interested in hearing more about the BV Specialist. How did you learn about them? Are they gynecologists? If you find out more please tell all.

Well, I'm still taking the folic acid..haven't noticed any changes. I still have some probiotics left so I may start taking those again. For now it looks like I may just have to do a weekly or bi-weekly HP douche for the rest of my life and I'm skeptical about doing any kind of douche on a long term basis.

Ladies, keep your heads up! Things will get better eventually.

[pianogirl]

For those of you considering either the JAMU stick or the ENZARA----don't.

They're both for shit and are nothing but a waste of money with some decent keyword marketing tactics used to get your almighty dollar.

The Enzara didn't do anything for me but waste my time and bottled water while swallowing it. The JAMU stick gave me a WIERD discharge and dried me out like the Sahara.

Seriously though---they're both worthless as heck.

Best thing I've found yet was the boric acid capsules, and even that has to be used like 3 times weekly FOREVER, or it'll all just come raging back.

This sucks ass.

I also tried Enzara and it was worthless and a waste of precious $$. Boric acid is the best alternative the smell is there but its not as strong so thats good.

Has anyone gone to see a bacterial vaginosis specialist? I have been reading that some reset the vaginal PH I am considering doing this. These are actual doctors not like the other crap I found charging $1,400 dollars. Anyway I will call them and see what happens. It was very hard finding specialist in this area.

Also some even preform surgery huh? I wonder hw that works...I will keep you ladies posted.



Piano Girl

LOL Quiet Madness love your screen name..this is indeed a quiet madness

[quietmadness]

For those of you considering either the JAMU stick or the ENZARA----don't.

They're both for shit and are nothing but a waste of money with some decent keyword marketing tactics used to get your almighty dollar.

The Enzara didn't do anything for me but waste my time and bottled water while swallowing it. The JAMU stick gave me a WIERD discharge and dried me out like the Sahara.

Seriously though---they're both worthless as heck.

Best thing I've found yet was the boric acid capsules, and even that has to be used like 3 times weekly FOREVER, or it'll all just come raging back.

This sucks ass.

[pianogirl]

jwo1880, I completely get where you're coming from. Every time I go to the gyno, my pap smear always comes back negative for BV, but I KNOW it's there.... I smell constantly!

My boyfriend thinks I'm nuts, but everytime I'm around anyone, they're always covering their noses or coughing because I smell that bad. What has happened to us?

I've researched everything, and I've come up with two really far-fetched alternative causes:

1. I've had pierced ears since I was 16 -- they are continuously infected; my body is trying to reject earrings all the time. My chronic BV started when I was 17. Perhaps the infection from my ears contributed to a delicate flora?

2. A recto-vaginal fistula. It's gross... and usually only happens to women who've given birth, but I carried a 30 pound drum for two seasons in high school marching band. Perhaps this heavy drum caused a fistula?

Does anyone concoct theories like these when every rational explanation has been disproven?

My regimen as of late has been 800mcg of folic acid/day, 2 standard acidophilus supplements, and one glass of water infused with 1 tbsp of liquid chlorophyll/day. Has any of this really worked? Not yet.

But -- I am super happy that it works for some of you. BV is so complex that it needs a variety of treatment options. I wish that our MDs understood this!

Hi LAdies

I used the boric acid last night and this morning (havent had sex ina week) because I smelled myself. I really feel the frustration,pain and embarassment. This is ruining our sex and normal lives. I have been with the same BF and sometimes I wonder if we break up who will be as accepting of this problem as he is. We dont have oral sex b/c I am almost always on the boric acid and it doesnt seem too sanitary.

I foud a specialist in NY for this problem and when I called his office his assistant told me that the cost was $1400 to see him and that he doesnt take insurance (not that I have). So I Xed that out because $1,400 is a rip offf and why if he is a doctor why would he not accept insurance?

Smells fishy (no pun intended).

I will keep searching for alternate methods. I know I did see a holistic doctor and she did nothing for me but take well over $300 from me.


Anyway take care.

PG

[deprime]

jwo1880, I completely get where you're coming from. Every time I go to the gyno, my pap smear always comes back negative for BV, but I KNOW it's there.... I smell constantly!

My boyfriend thinks I'm nuts, but everytime I'm around anyone, they're always covering their noses or coughing because I smell that bad. What has happened to us?

I've researched everything, and I've come up with two really far-fetched alternative causes:

1. I've had pierced ears since I was 16 -- they are continuously infected; my body is trying to reject earrings all the time. My chronic BV started when I was 17. Perhaps the infection from my ears contributed to a delicate flora?

2. A recto-vaginal fistula. It's gross... and usually only happens to women who've given birth, but I carried a 30 pound drum for two seasons in high school marching band. Perhaps this heavy drum caused a fistula?

Does anyone concoct theories like these when every rational explanation has been disproven?

My regimen as of late has been 800mcg of folic acid/day, 2 standard acidophilus supplements, and one glass of water infused with 1 tbsp of liquid chlorophyll/day. Has any of this really worked? Not yet.

But -- I am super happy that it works for some of you. BV is so complex that it needs a variety of treatment options. I wish that our MDs understood this!

[jwo1880]

Hi, Happy New Year's!


So, I read a couple of posts that suggest that your partner cannot give you BV. How true is that? Another thing is everytime i go to my gyno, she always tells me that i dont have BV but I can smell it. Can it be something else? I just got a pap and everything came back good so I don't even know what to think. I'm lost.

You ladies have 50 solutions and I don't know where to start. I ordered the Jamu Stick to see if that will wk so I will keep you updated on that.

My body was fine w/ the whole odor thing unitl 4-5 months into my relationship and now it's haunting us. My bf and I have been together for almost a year and he told me once that he basically couldn't get it up because i smelled. I cried and cried and felt so embarrassed. What do I do? I feel so hopeless and this thing is consuming me. i know you ladies feel the same so why isn't there any cure. My doctor also thinks I'm crazy and tells me that my smell might be my "normal" smell. Yea right, I know something is wrong down south but have no solution for it. I'm going crazy!

I don't even know what to think anymore.

[tweetykc]

[quote name='Eralc Alegna' post='125084' date='Dec 28 2006, 01:19 PM']


Hello Everyone! I am new to the post, but I've been reading this message board for a while. I have been suffering with recurring BV since last May. I was completely heathly with no vaginal issues until I got a sinus infection and went on antibiotics last April. With the antibiotics came a yeast infection and the rest is history. I wanted to respond to Eralc Alegna's post because I also have a copper IUD. I've read that an IUD can assist in causing BV infections, so I'm starting to wonder if that's the problem. I'm just so frustrated because I love having the IUD and I'd hate to have it removed only to find that I'm am still suffering from this crap. My boyfriend and I have been treated several times and as soon as I get my period or we have unprotetected sex it comes back. I've read in some of the posts about different odors and mine has definitely changed over the course of this. I've treated it with Flagyl and Metro-gel, which have all been called in by my doctor. I finally made a gyno appt. for this Friday to try to get to the root of this problem. Unfortunately, my doctor has made comments to me before implying that this is all in my head and that nothing is wrong. I swear if he doesn't take me seriously I am going to scream!

I just want to say thanks to all of you that are on here. I have enjoyed reading all the information you've given as well as just knowing that I'm am not alone with this and that I am not crazy.

[Eralc Alegna]

Has anyone had to frustration with testing - that sometimes you feel symptoms but nothing shows up on the tests?

Welcome shendy,

I went back to the doctor about 2 months ago after all my home remedies failed me, and although there was tons of discharge and odor I was told there was nothing. I did however use boric about a day before the appointment which could have thrown the test off (i didn't know i would get in so soon).
I also get red, itchy and irritated. I have cracks between my labia and around my perinium/anus. I think this is probably due to the fact that I've been forced to wear pads for a year straight now. I've mentioned this before but i think we may be alone with this partcular little horror.

[alwaysonmymind]

This is so frusturating for all of us. I just want to think that one day I can be normal, have a normal relationship, get married, have kids-live a normal happy life. Almost five years ago I made one mistake by sleeping with somebody I thought I trusted and all of sudden I got BV. I know he was sleeping around. I didn't know what to do it smelled so bad. I would change my underwear at work and douche. I finally went to the doctor and she was like "oh its just BV" Take the antibiotics and it will go away. I thought I was home free. "Just an infection". So, everytime I slept with this partner the BV and then a yeast infection came back. It is hell to live like this. I wish I could go back and time and make different choices. I've learned to manage my infections by having protected sex and watching my sugar drinking lots of water. But, as soon as I have unprotected sex it comes back. Two years ago, I was also diagnosed with Cervical Dyplesia caused by HPV. I thought my life was over. I know it was caused by the same partner because it takes time to develop and my body just changed after him.

I tell myself everyday to be happy and to be thankful for what I have. Hopefully, someday someone will love me for who I am and not what I smell like:) It is really hard because now that I finished college all of my friends are getting married, and having babies. I hope that we all find a cure~cause the doctors don't give a "shit". They just don't know anything much about down there! Just had to vent:)

[pianogirl]

Well thank you all for the hellos (lovin' the tori amos pianogirl). What does the folic acid and flax do? And has anyone noticed that sometimes you actually feel better (less pain and itching) after you have sex?

Thanks Shendy I love her music.

We came to the conclusion of the folic acid after one of the ladies suggested it....also if you were on bc pills it tends to deplete your folic acid which can lead to cervical dyplasia which is what I have along with BV. Here are some links on this:

http://www.womenshealthchannel.com/cervica...sia/index.shtml

http://www.tidesoflife.com/cervical_dysplasia.htm


Also Shendy I didnt start to get BV till I was on BC pills after I went to the doctor i was diagnosed with cervical dyplasia/ HPV..

The flax seed oil is b/c I wasted money and saw a holistic doctor and she recommeneded fish oil to help boost immunity. I have been a vegetarian for many years so flax oil is the alternate method.

http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/health-s...ax-seed-oil.htm

I think we all have pretty much done the acidophilous vaginally and orally and have had limited success.

This problem is super frustrating and embarassing but for the most part we all have manged to keep it under control.


Good luck and welcome ..

[Aggravated]

Shendy:
Just a thought, but don't sit in a bath before you go to the doctor. The last time I went for a Pap Smear I (stupidly) took a bath beforehand. Nothing showed up on the test. Knowing that couldn't be right, I went back to the doctor shortly after and had her do the in office test (without a bath) and the BV did show up then.

[shendy]

Well thank you all for the hellos (lovin' the tori amos pianogirl). What does the folic acid and flax do? And has anyone noticed that sometimes you actually feel better (less pain and itching) after you have sex?

[pianogirl]

Hi shendy. I've been to the doctor and had the ph tests come back normal even though I knew I either had BV or it was on the verge of returning. So it's hard to say how accurate those are. I think we each tend to know our own bodies better than the tests, especially since most of us have been dealing with this crap for awhile. My doctor thinks that I'm being too sensitive about my vaginal smell sometimes, but I have reason to be!

Hi Sassy,


My doctor is the same way. They always think we are paraniod but we know our bodies very well. As for me I havent used the boric since Thursday evening and I dont have any smell (yet). I also havent had sex since thursday so lets see what happens. I am taking the folic acid everyday and flax oil.

Thanks

[neverending]

Welcome Shendy!

[sassy]

Hi shendy. I've been to the doctor and had the ph tests come back normal even though I knew I either had BV or it was on the verge of returning. So it's hard to say how accurate those are. I think we each tend to know our own bodies better than the tests, especially since most of us have been dealing with this crap for awhile. My doctor thinks that I'm being too sensitive about my vaginal smell sometimes, but I have reason to be!

[shendy]

Hello all, I just came across this forum and I am thrilled to find other people dealing with BV (though I must admit it is upsetting to see that BV can last for years and years -I'm at 11 months and ready to kill something). I started off the same way most you seemed to - I contracted whooping cough in january ('06) and took intense antibiotics and steroid inhalers for a while which caused my first yeast infection. Since then I have been constantly fighting the yeast and bacterial infections, receiving incorrect diagnoses from the numerous gynocologists I have been through, and trying everything under the sun. Garlic tampons, vinegar douches, boric acid suppositories, acidophilus suppositories. While I don't seem to have the odor problem that you all complain about, I get really irritated and red and itchy. I recently did antibiotics for a sinus infection and boric acid to prevent a yeast infection and my doctor gave me a clean bill of health (despite the fact I was having burning and pain during sex), but of course the next week I was having another outbreak and this one was worse than ever. Has anyone had to frustration with testing - that sometimes you feel symptoms but nothing shows up on the tests? Has anyone found a place to buy home PH testing strips to monitor things? I just want to finish by thanking everyone for posting on this forum, I really feel better knowing I am not alone in this.

[neverending]

I did the one with the machine.I've never heard of the one with the bag before. I think the one with the machine was pretty good and I did not feel as if it were dangerous at all.