Stinky Bacterial Vaginosis was the bain of my life for years! After years of antibiotics, I read in a leaflet that unprotected sex could cause it and found that using condoms stopped me getting it - basically the semen washed away my good bacteria and allowed my bad bacteria to flourish. However, I sometimes got it when I was ill or feeling run down too. On a visit to a GU clinic, I was chatting to the doctor about using live yoghurt and the difficulty of actually getting a decent amount of it inside the vagina when she told me that live yoghurt shouldn't work because it was the a different strain of lactobaccillus to the one we need to keep the vagina healthy. She told me that the bacteria inside the vagina produce Hydrogen Peroxide but, she laughed, I wouldn't recommend you douching with it! Me being me, the first thing I did was sent off for a douche on ebay and bought some Hydrodgen Peroxide from the chemist. It was 6% and I read on the internet that it only needed to be .05% so I watered it down. The site I looked at said you should use distilled water but as I didn't know where to get it I thought what the hell and used tap water. Then I used live yoghurt, even though the Dr said it wouldn't do anything, but have since found that ordinary yoghurt works too. I think it must just be a good medium for the good bacteria in your vagina to grow in. This is for when you already have full blown BV. To prevent it, I just douched with the diluted Hydrogen Peroxide within an hour of unprotected sex and if I feel that things aren't quite right down there, a quick douche stops it in its tracks. I had heard at sometime that your body gets used to a the semen of the same man and now I am married, I don't get BV after sex but still have a douche on hand for the times when I start to get it when I am ill. To use it as a preventative measure, you need to be in touch with what your natural vaginal secretions should smell like and keep a close check for any changes.

I use a tiny drop of tea tree oil mixed with about a dessert spoon of ky jelly on a tampon to get rid of thrush. The only thing I have used Apple Cider Vinegar for is the relief of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms which it really helped with when I was at my worst.

Hi, I haven't been on here in awhile, as everything calmed down for me... but now I'm back at school and I keep getting very mild bouts of BV. I get an ammonia odor when it happens for a day or so. Anyway, I noticed that it was happening when I was smoking more cigarettes, so I looked it up and lo and behold they've found a statistically significant correlation between smoking and recurring bouts of BV. So, I was wondering, how many people on here smoke cigarettes??? Just another reallllly good reason to quit. ~sigh~

Thanks!

Thanks Jules for your support and everyone for your great advice and sharing on this totally exasperating subject.
I am verrry pleased to announce I've been BV-free for approx. 3 weeks now, ever since using the TTO and again, I can't recommend it highly enough for any of you girls who haven't yet given it a try.
Maluso it's interesting what you said about the Hyd.Peroxide, I guess no baddies could survive that stuff and yet I imagine it wouldn't interfere with the normal vaginal pH levels too much either.
I'm unfamiliar with TTO capsules, don't know whether my local health store stocks them or not, I just simply douched using a capful of TTO with around 1 litre of lukewarm water. I wouldn't want it stronger than that, since as it is, after using this solution (twice), I've been aware later of a tingling sensation in my V, not unpleasant or irritating at all, but definitely there. I'd be worried any stronger a solution might cause the 'burns' so I'm not game to go any stronger and in any case, the above ratio did the trick for me.
I'm not so sure your body gets used to one man's semen.....I've been with my OH for 12 years now and only just developed BV 2 years ago. Though I definitely think semen, soap, stress and being run down (in that order) are the triggers for BV. My GP tells me diet can also play a role. But for me, semen seems to be the biggest culprit.

i know everyone is different, but i didn't think green discharge was a symptom of BV... .but i could be wrong....i would try the OBGYN....sorry hun!! I hope you feel better soon....

Thank you all for responding!! I haven't ordered anything yet since I'm still confused on which way to go. I just got off Clindesse and waiting to see how long this last. Did you every feel sore/a slight burning on the outside the day after sex when you had BV? You all spoke about a nasty odor but I didn't experience that just a white, pasty discharge on my undies. This is so annoying that sometimes I feel I should become celibate so I can be normal in my VAJJ again!

It's back bcuz I got my period. Lovely!

MG86 -- have you tried the regular boric acid? I keep hearing about green leakage with the yeast arrest things.. yUck! THe regular boric leakage is clear.

I SMELL LIKE SHIT AGAIN.

Hi ladies! I’ve been very busy lately and unfortunately because of this I haven’t been taking my “maintenance” pills like I should. So now I smell like poop. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! No! NO! No! This is so not fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It first came on about an hour after one of my daily workouts. The ammonia smell lasted 5 hours and then went away. Back to the faint salt and vinegar smell again (that cheese aroma only lasted 2 ½ days) that I’ve been having. So then the next day AGAIN after my workout the ammonia smell comes back and AGAIN only lasts 5 hours until it goes away only to bring the salt back. Well low and behold today after taking it easy and only going on a brisk walk pushing my kid’s stroller around the neighborhood I take a shower and then about an hour later I realize that the lingering poop smell was not coming from the DiaperGeine nor did my son pass baby gas. That rotten shit smell is coming from my kitty!!!!!!!!! Well fu** ain’t this just pleasant.

To top this all off I’m having major pre-period cramps which is crazy because I NEVER have cramps before my period. JUST GREAT! I feel like shit and I smell like shit. You know it’s like one of those days where you just HATE being a girl. Why can’t men go through some monthly crap like this? NOT FAIR.

I think I am going to try using TTO tonight. The bottle’s been sitting on my shelf for a while now still unused. I have to be honest I am not ok with douching at all BUT to get rid of this smell before my period starts I think I’ll give it a try. The one time I douched was late last year and I used the HP mix that everyone was talking about. My BV was SO BAD at work after that douche that I really thought I was going to die I was so embarrassed. TRAUMATIZATION right there let me tell you.

Also hello to all the newbies: JJ27, ellie-a, maluso76, kinkaju, lisa1, JoanClayton, stillhottie, lulubare… and whateverfitsyou. I tried to go back as far as my last post since I haven’t been here in a while. Also Konphusion my twin! You changed your pic!!!!! It looks so cute! Don’t tell me those are your legs too…!

Kinkaju: Upon my initial research of BV a year ago I read all about apple cider vinegar douching. THEN I read from a doctor that despite all the rave reviews, ACV will actually help bring on BV and make it worse. So I threw out the bottle I had just bought. That was then this is now…if my TTO doesn’t work I might just try an ACV douche since yours has worked wonders for you. Oh gosh just listen to me, Ms. I’ll NEVER douche again!

JJ: It might sound weird but becoming celibate kinda makes you feel stronger in a sense. I am currently practicing celibacy and although it is easy for me (being a single mother leaves you no time to date) I would encourage you (whether you were joking or not) or anyone else who is thinking about this to totally try it. There are times when I miss the penis SO FU**ing bad but then I just do an extra workout and kick butt, it gets out all your aggression. And it the end you get a rockin body. Plus less bouts of BV for anyone who has problems with the penis triggering it.

Damn these cramps are totally killing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH! They are so intense and I don't understand why.

Vicodin, my old friend, where r u when I need you?!!!

SPRINKLES BABAYYY! Whats up twin!!

Nahhh unfortunately those aren't my legs but I thought that pic was hot! HAHA I've got pudgy little short legs LOL and I'd probably break my neck in those heels.

Sorry your bv came back! Mine is back too, and the period smell just amplified it! Gaaaah fish and buttermilk, so very lovely. I should market that fragrance LMAO!

And as far as celibacy - hell i feel like I am. I haven't had any in a while and I'm married. Jeez. Seems like everytime I do have sex it comes back. But last time I went a whole week and a half without a smell or discharge or anything. I was so happy and humped like rabbits that whole week LMAO I guess that triggered it and my period.

Hi I am new to this forum. I am a RN and have some basic knowledge of the body but had no idea about BV until I was told I had it. I have been with the same man for 15 years but he cheated and at the time I had an IUD and that was the start of my battle with BV.

I am not on the pill and the IUD was removed. I have been on the usual meds (metro, clindamycin, and augmentin) My husband was treated several times and I was on several meds at once to try to get rid of it.

My GYN has told me that they just don't know enough about BV he is very open to alternative treatments and has been very helpful in at least trying to treat me.

Over the counter methods I have tried are: Fem dolphilus and ultimate flora, folic acid, all three I have taken faithfully for a year. I have also started douching with 1/2 hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 water I have done this 2x a day for past 4 months. This seams to help a great deal with the smell and discharge.

However when I have sex the discharge is still very very thick and almost sticky (usually it is completly clear or sorta whitish but always thick and sticky) My periods seem to make it much worse. Now the outer aspect of my vagina itches unless i pour the peroxide over it too. Very frustrating.

I am wondering about the boric acid. I do not know where to find them or what is the best way to make the capsules?

Thanks for your help

also...............what is TTO?

OK scratch last question, reading more and figured out the tea tree oil.............however i am reading that undiluted it can cause burns, do you dilute it before dipping the fem dolph caps? and still confused over the boric acid?
thanks so much

btw.......the peroxide has worked as well as the RX meds, I would say for me it helps control it but not cure it if other methods helps control it better I am willing to try it.

Does anywone else feel completely run down and have lower back soreness when BV flares up?

Green discharge is consistent with Trich or Gonerhea (sp?).

Instead of going to the doctor all the time you all could buy your own high powered microscope and do your own wet preps. It's really not hard to do and I could teach you all how to do it and what to look for. It's very easy and even though I was never an MT, I was an assistant to one and she taught me how to do them. I got so good, she let me do them by myself. So, if you want to learn, let me know and I'll figure out some way to teach you via internet.

WOW! You are funny as hell. Everything will get better. Just keep trying different things until something works hun and VICODIN<------ If your out, try alcohol when your feeling down. It's a anti-depressant. When I'm down and out of anti anxiety/ depressant meds, I just buy a couple of bottles .

RN WITH BV:My husband suxs too. Are you sure you have bv by itself or do you have bv with yeast? Because yeast is sticky/ thick. It may be a combination of both. Sorry to say, but your the RN hun, so you know better than I do.

Hey RN... Click Here here's where I found my boric acid pretty cheap. they have two sizes: 4oz and 12oz and the size 00 capsules to use. As far as filling them, I've found it easier to make a small funnel out of paper or fold a small piece of paper in half and pour the powder into the paper's crease. For me the funnel is easiest. And as the powder fills the capsule, slowly remove it until the capsule is full then cap it.

The boric has been a God-send at keeping the discharge and smell at bay. I just advise that you wear a pantyliner or very thin pad because the boric acid will leak out as a clear fluid.

Good luck babe. Oh yeah, the TTO does burn like crazy if you don't dilute it. I've never tried dipping my capsules in it- i just use a few drops in a douche every now and then.

Thank you for the welcome! Hehe as for the celabacy part...I don't think my boyfriend of four yrs. would like that! That's why I find this so strange that it's happening now (since July). I am also in menopause and that's what the Doc is attributing it to. First it was yeast infections and now this BV. I think I would rather still be having my period instead of going through all this crap! I hope your cramps went away and that you feel better.

Trich is a greenish discharge. I would suggest going to the Gyno or they have a detector now over the counter if you don't have time to go to the Gyno. Check your drug store.

She doesn't have trich, guys! She was saying she had a green discharge from the yeast arrest. It is made with boric acid and a mix of herbs, and it causes a green discharge when it runs back out.

In reference to the greenish discharge----MG86 was using the yeast arrest and don't they have a green tint on them? (which would then cause the greenage?)

--quiet--

thank you for the info on boric acid i am going to try that next

no it is not yeast thought of that already and thought ..........great something easy to fix but no such luck lol

i am glad i found this forum my hubby is less than sympathetic (big surprise) this really isn't something I share with my co workers or girlfriends either lol

I can also tell eveyone..............if a MD is not an GYN then that MD usually has no clue about this...............they are taught in school that it is an acute not a chronic infection (the ER MD's I work with have no clue) while many many women only have a problem with this for a short time as all of you know this can be very very chonic

I spoke at great length with my GYN who was the first to explain to me that this was now a chronic condition and alternative meds were the best idea at this point, I am very fortunate to have a Gyn that has a clue however he has also told me that it seems the key is stabilizing an unknown "good " bacteria strain and what he has told me is that it could be that millons of different stains that have yet to be identified live in a healthy vagina. He was the one who told me about the fem dolph and ultimate flora and folic acid but beyond that he isn't much help.

thank you so much for your info

y'know...

I had a thought.

I should back up here...I have re-curring bv, basically when I have sex it comes back....so as a preventative, after sex I insert a boric acid capsule and that takes care of it.

It seems like a lot of us get it in response to sex...I'm presuming that is "non-condom" sex, where semen is disrupting the vaginal PH???

So...having read a bunch of articles about how various foods that men eat/drink can affect the flavor of semen, I am also wondering if anybody's looked into the thought of diet affecting the PH of semen, specifically making it more acidic??

I mean, if I can get my BV more under control where I don't have to use boric acid, by, let's say, feeding my guy lots of pineapple before sex(just as an example)....that'd be really cool.

It's an interesting thought, anyway.

That's a great idea. It would be great to cut out the middle man. After all, doctors don't seem to want to use one to do a wet prep, why don't we do it then? And judging from how expensive health insurance is in this country, why not just factor this into it. I mean really, health insurance is running about 2 or 3 hundred a month, so what if a microscope is a few hundred. Even if you go to a walk-in clinic to be tested, I don't know about you guys, but me, I've had to wait at least 3 hours per visit to be seen. Multiply this by what you are worth per hour at work, and it would easily pay off the microscope.

I'm looking on the internet now, and there seems to be a wide range of microcopes out there.. which one were you using? I am guessing that the more powerful ones are more expensive. Do you have an idea of what it would cost for one good enough to get the job done?

Let me get in touch with someone regarding the microscopes. I bought one off ebay and it was not that expensive. When I had bv I used it. Let me get all the info you all need and I'll post it by friday. It is really not that hard to do/read.

UMMM MY DOC TOLD ME I COULD USE FLAGYL FOR MY SMELL(HE CLAIMS IT ISN'T BV) BUT I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT BORIC ACID. INSTEAD OF ORDERING ONLINE IS IT POSSIBLE TO PICK IT UP IN A STORE LIKE WILD OATS?

OH SORRY BOUT THE CAPS LOCK...TOO LAZY TO DELETE & RETYPE THIS.LOL

Another question....

Hey Rn_with_BV, when you do the 1/2 peroxide & 1/2 water...you put it in ur vagina,right? Also, how long does it help out with the odor?....Thanks in advance!!

I use it 2x a day once in morning once at night, this has seemed to keep it under control there is never a smell now (mine was bad and the amount of discharge was very bad as well) now the only thing I notice is when having sex (this is pretty graphic sorry) if I am excited where there would be a normal lubrication ..............now there is 3x the amount of lubrication and it is sticky (almost like if you blow your nose when you have a cold that consistancy) however it is usually completely crystal clear, or it has a clear but almost pearly look

I am too the point now where I know that the week after my period have to use douche2x a day, next week 1x day, week before my period a couple times a week, I don't use the douche when I am on period and have to go back to 2x a day for a couple days after sex

the peroxide douche has worked better for me than all the antibiotics and it is much cheaper

i am going to try the boric acid though to see if it works better

Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a while but I do have a question.
I saw a specialist about 6 months ago and he put me on a treatment that lasts about a year. First I used the stronger version of Flagyl of 2 weeks. Next I used BA for 21 days and since then I have been using Metro Gel twice a week. For those of you that have used the Gel, does it cause vaginal dryness? It is almost impossible for me and my husband to have sex. Not only is it nasty because all of the white clumpy stuff but is it just flat out dry. It is really starting to suck. it seems to be getting worse the longer I use it. My next question is what is the best lubricant to use? I called the Dr's nurse today and she said to use vegetable oil. Has any one ever heard of or tried that???
And one more question. I go see him again at the end of March and I think at that point he will tell me to stop using the gel. Any suggestions of what I should do naturally to try and get my body ready to fight it off on it's own??? Thanks!

O.k. thanks. I was thinking, my dad has a microscope, and I am going to my parents place this weekend, I am going to look for it and see what kind it is. But I remember them being small. So I am guessing the microscope won't be powerful enough right?

I use Sylk and think that is the best. Whatever you do, do not use oil or petroleum products. The oil will clog your pores in your vagina and ultimately make you dryer. You don't want to block your duct glands from secreting your body's own lubrication. That is how I look at it.

Using the Tea Tree Oil - I think is probably fine, because it is such a small amount, and the oil is so much lighter than vegetable oil, so probably won't clog your ducts.

The Sylk lubricant seems really good because after sex, any excess seems to just drip out, just like your own secretions would. Whereas when I've used oil - I get a flare up after sex - like the next day. I think some of the oil stays up there. I used oil a few weeks ago, I was giving my boyfriend a massage, and one thing led to another, and then had a flare up.

hi all -

about the green discharge - yes I was talking about the yeast arrest, not discharge from my body I'm going to go ahead and try the regular the boric acid and see how that goes...maybe then try the TTO douche that someone else mentioned...I don't think I've been on anything for along enough time to really judge...as for sex goes - i haven't had sex in about 5 months (i know)..and BV is still there! sigh..

I'll never douche again, because that was a factor for me when I first got BV. And I know that some women here talked about using a dropper to use the vinegar or to use the hydrogen peroxide. I tried that, but the dropper always leaked, and the tip of the dropper I have was pointy and kind of sharp, so I didn't have an easy time inserting it. It would get stuck in one of my folds! I went out and bought a larger dropper, the kind that they use for administering medicine to children, but I didn't have any luck with that either, because the edges were sharp.

So what I decided to try using is the applicator that Replens uses. I took one of them out of it's packaging, twisted off the tab, squirted out the contents down the drain (because I am certainly not going to use Replens, after what some of you said on this forum - no thank you - I don't want paper-like anything coming out of my vagina), and then put in water and rinsed it out completely. It took a while, but you can clean the thing out. The applicator tip is rounded, so it is SO much easier to insert. Kind of like how easy it is to insert a rounded end (pearl) tampon. I take a tiny cup, put in whatever I am using, and insert the pearl end of the dropper into the liquid, suck it up, then lie down on the floor insert and squish it in. Just like with the dropper, but this is easier, because the other end is totally sealed, so while you are moving around, the liquid won't drip out the other end. The Replens dropper has a hole at one end, but easy to just cover it with your finger. And it pretty easy to clean when done.

Also, I think using the dropper is better than using a douche, because a douche is not just administering the liquid, it is flushing everything out of your vagina. It's going to flush out the good bacteria as well. With the dropper you can just put a little bit of the ACV or hydrogen peroxide in there and stay on your back to let it work for a while if you want. And when you stand up and gravity takes over, just a little bit will drip out, because you didn't put in a lot to start with. The amount I use in the dropper is only about one teaspoon of liquid.

I also use the dropper for lubricant, to counteract the alkaline effects of ejaculate. I insert some Sylk lubricant before having sex. Or I use it after sex if I forgot to use the lubricant before or during sex. Or, what I have been doing also, is using it just whenever I feel it is getting funky down there, and the added acidity of the lubricant seems to balance it all out.

I'm posting jason's post again for those who think their bv is hormonal.

Dear ladies,
My name is Jason. I am the husband of a woman that had suffered from BV for 7 years. She developed it shortly after giving birth to our son in August of 1999. It is an absolutely frustrating condition. Our relationship became uneasy and stressed because of it. We were getting nowhere with treatments and lost faith in the doctors. So, I took it upon myself to find out the answer to this condition and make her better myself. I love her and I couldn't stand to see her suffer through this any longer. I have devoted literally hundreds of hours of research to finding what causes BV. And I am happy to say that in February of this year, I made her BV disappear, and it hasn't returned. I'm almost positive that I have identified the CAUSE of BV and it can be corrected. I want to share my discovery with you.

I felt it was important to join in on this thread and share my information with you because your 40 plus pages of posts helped me in my quest to beat this condition. I am grateful to all of you and I am anxious to help you in return.

Before I go any further, I want to assure you that this is not a joke. Her BV is gone. No smell. No discharge. Nothing. This is not another "fad" cure that everyone jumps on with the promise of getting better. This really works because it treats the source of the condition, not justs the symptoms. I will take the time to explain how and why it works, and I will also explain why everything else DOESN'T work. You deserve to know exactly what is going on in your body. I have probably done more research on this subject in the last 2 years than anyone else in the country. I will try to share my discoveries with you as briefly as possible, but I also want you all to be fully informed, so this could get a little long-winded. I apologize in advance.

First, I want you to know what treatments we went through. We tried:

Metronidazole oral
Metronidazole vaginal
Clyndamiacin
Vitamin C suppositories
hydrogen peroxide douches
lactobacilli acidophilus pro-biotics
iodine douche
iodine/hydrogen peroxide douche
abstinence

Nothing worked. I was treated with Metronidazole to make absolutely sure it wasn't me. I had to scream at the doctor to prescribe it to me. He said it wasn't caused by sexual contact so I didn't need to be treated. So I asked him, "Well, then what DOES cause it, smart ass?" He had no answer. I picked up my prescription on the way home.

Still nothing worked. We pretty much stuck with the h2o2 douches for the instant relief when we wanted sex or when the smell became overbearing, but nothing made it completely go away. That's when I became obsessed with figuring this thing out. I knew the medical community wasn't on my side (after all, if you all keep coming back to the doctor, they keep charging you, don't they? An easy cure is not in their best interest, financially). And so the research began.

I can't tell you how many articles and medical reviews I've read about BV. It must have been thousands of pages worth of information, but they all said the same thing........"the cause of BV is not clear." Gee, thanks for the insight.

I spoke with several OB/GYN's and even went as far as calling the head of the OB/GYN department at Baylor Medical in Houston (my brother went to med school there, so he hooked me up). But still I got nothing.

Early on, it didn't take me long to realize that virtually every one of the supposed "fixes" were merely treating symptoms, not the cause, which is obvious since the cause is not known. What else can you treat but symptoms? I was determined for my wife's sake to find and treat the CAUSE.

Now, I know that this is probably not necessary in this forum, but let's recap what we DO know about BV:

It occurs in women of child-bearing age
It is an imbalance of the vaginal flora
It occurs more frequently in women who have had multiple sexual partners
It can be acute and chronic
It can occur in women who have NEVER had sex
It is NOT an infection
It is characterized by a strong fishy odor and a milky discharge
It is an overgrowth of the Gardnerella bacteria
It is not an STD

Ok, now let's look at some of the traditional (and not so traditional) treatments:

Antibiotics (kills everything)
Hydrogen Peroxide (an antiseptic)
Probiotics (adds more "good" bacteria)
Iodine (another antiseptic)
Vitamin C (an acid)
Yogurt (another acid)
Boracic Acid (yet another acid)

These treatments don't work because they try to mimic what your body chemistry SHOULD be doing naturally. Once you stop the treatment and rely on your body chemistry again, guess what? The BV is back. The bottom line with these treatments is this---even when BV is present, the vaginal chemistry is composed of the same acids and organisms that occur in a normal vaginal flora (even the gardnerella bacteria is present in normal flora). So what are you trying to get rid of with these treatments?? The focus should be to change the chemical proportions of the vaginal flora at the source: your own body's chemistry. You don't need to "get rid" of anything, just change the recipe. Then I figured it out.

What is it that dictates body chemistry??? HORMONES. They give the body a chemical blueprint. Hormones dictate PH levels. Hormones regulate bacterial growth. Hormones are what make you menstruate. Hormones are in charge of maintaining the vaginal flora. Hormones define what is "normal". If your hormones are a little off, your chemistry will be a little off. If you douche with yogurt to get rid of the smell but do nothing to change your hormonal balance, your BV comes back. If you kill off your entire vaginal flora with Flagyl and rely on your imbalanced hormones to rebuild it, your BV comes back. If you shove Vitamin C tablets inside of you at night to promote acidity but ultimately leave your messed up hormones in charge, your BV comes back. You have to treat your hormones to make it go away. The treatments are temporary. When you stop them, ultimately your body will go back to what it thinks is "normal". But in the case of chronic BV, "normal" is wrong. So let's look again at what we know about BV and it's close relationship to hormones:

It occurs in women of child-bearing age (women of child-bearing age go through a hormonal change)
It is an imbalance of the vaginal flora (which is dictated by hormones)
It occurs more frequently in women who have had multiple sexual partners (my research indicates that most women with BV absolutely LOVE sex. I know my wife does. You could say that she's a "pack of raging hormones")
It can be acute and chronic (because the treatments don't address the cause, only the symptoms)
It can occur in women who have NEVER had sex (again, hormonal change brings it on)
It is NOT an infection (it is a hormonal fluctuation that produces a chemical imbalance)
It is characterized by a strong fishy odor and a milky discharge (but no foreign biotics are present in BV. It's all percentages)
It is an overgrowth of the Gardnerella bacteria (which occurs even in normal vaginal flora, there's just too much of it)
It is not an STD (there is no difference in the chemical composition of the vaginal flora, only a proportional difference)

So, armed with this knowledge, you begin to see why the treatments don't work. They do nothing to correct your hormonal malfunction. As long as your hormones are out of whack, your BV will be present because your body will continue to metabolize your vaginal ph level incorrectly, causing BV to occur over and over again. The simple answer is that something in your life caused a hormonal change (fertility, pregnancy,whatever) that altered your chemical recipe, and until that recipe is corrected you will have BV regardless of what you do.

Great!! So how do you change your hormonal balance?? That was my next adventure. I'm not going to go into the agonizing details about how I discovered the answer, just read the first few sentences in this article

http://www.anyvitamins.com/vitamin-b6-pyridoxine-info.htm

Vitamin B6 is by far the prevailing ingredient in virtually every "hormonal harmony and balance" pill on your pharmacists shelf. It balances hormones. It treats the CAUSE of BV, not the annoying symptoms. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I read what it does. I rushed right out to the store and bought a $3.00 bottle of 100mg B6 tablets and told my wife to take one every morning. Three days later her BV was gone and it hasn't come back since. So, there's your answer:

One 100mg tablet of B6 daily with a full glass of water = No more BV.

Now, I don't know if she'll have to take the B6 until menopause or not, but for now we're happy. I'm certain that all of you will have the same result. Please email me at j4sonl33@sbcglobal.net and let me know how it turns out for you. You are all very brave and wonderful women, and I thank you for the invaluable information that you have shared on this forum. This is my gift to you for your help. God bless you all.

Where can I get Sylk?

I think I'm going to try the B6 with a glass of water and see what happens. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? It doesn't work? And if a $3 bottle of vitamins will help, well I'm all for it. Obviously I don't know for sure, but I have always had a nagging suspicion that mine could be due to hormones since it always seems to show up about 2 weeks before my period, yet once my period comes and goes, it's almost as if that causes everything to clean out and go back to normal, until the next time.

I've been reading this message board, on and off, for close to a year now. After suffering from the same exact symptoms as most of you and trying the flagyl and metrogel (and totally losing faith in mainstream medicine's ability to tell me anything useful at all) multiple times, and losing my mind from the smell, I started trying the different alternative treatments women here have recommended. I started by taking the femdoph (available at Whole Foods or Fairway here in NYC) and extra folic acid supplements, which helped A LOT but didn't completely work.

Then I started reading about boric acid and decided to try it. Since I've been using the boric acid, I've had almost no symptoms. Sometimes, after sex or right before my period, I'll start to notice the smell and I'll use a boric acid capsule and that will take care of it. I bought a bag of empty gel caps at a health food store and used boric acid powder I already had (my mom used it for years to treat eye infections in me as a kid; it sounds a little scary, but it's actually a common home remedy for yeast infections and an ingredient in most eye washes). I just fill a capsule and pop it up there as far as I can get it. The capsule dissolves pretty quickly; be careful about discharge if you use it during the day. I think it works best before bed. A few times, I've noticed the smell after sex, but after one boric acid capsule, it subsides. It seems like it's only just emerging as a possible treatment for bv in addition to yeast infections, but whatever it's doing to my pH seems to be working, so I'm believing in it so far.

I know this thing is hell! I went through a stage where it was so bad that I was sure people could smell it through my clothes. I'm lucky I have a steady partner with a good sense of humor - he jokes that we could just wear those old school nose clips for swimming when we want to have sex - but this thing has still driven me crazy on and off for over a year now.

Hope the boric acid solution gives some of you some hope. I thought nothing would ever work and this is so far...

Hey I read that you can purchase Boric Acid from a drug store in the eye care department. Is that true?

Ah honey, its always good to try to keep a good sense of humor. Don't worry, this is becoming such a big problem (I think I've read that almost 50% of women have BV) that they will try to find a cure very soon. I bet you all, they will figure out bv is hormonal and provide some type of estrogen /progesterone mix.

WHATEVERFITSYOU: you can buy boric acid at Walmart.

I use a 00 gel cap, and fill it half way with TTO (Tea Tree Oil) and insert. My BV is gone. I only use it now, as preventative the day AFTER sex. But, if I go weeks without sex, which sometimes I do, then I don't use it at all, and the BV is not there when I have sex. I do NOT dilute mine. I think by putting it in the gel cap, it releases slower, and mine never burns. It only sometimes feels like a cold menthal down there, which I guess you could confuse that with "burning".

In the beginning of trying out TTO, I filled the cap all the way. I can still smell it coming out of me 2 weeks later.... And, I would much rather smell TTO then Itty Bitty Fish Heads!!!

Also, with the Boric Acid, remember, if you are alergic to any Sulfa type products such as the antibiotic "Bactrim" do not use BA!! I developed a horrible bleeding rash all over my arms, chest and forehead from the Boric Acid!!!! FYI!!

You can order here: http://www.sylkonline.com/cart/



From their website:

What is the pH of Sylk?
<<The pH of SYLK is 4.7. The pH of the vagina is also around 4.7 for most of the month, although at the time of a woman's fertility period, the pH of the vagina can increase to around 7.0. This is average, "normal" range. A unique characteristic of female anatomy is that vaginal pH changes depending on the time of the month and the prevailing conditions.

The moist nature of the vagina makes it a prime area for yeast and fungal-type growths, such as thrush, to develop. However, yeast and molds will not survive under acidic conditions and therefore will not develop in an area where the pH is at 4.7. In addition, sperm will not survive in such acidic conditions, thus the change from 4.7 to around 7.0 during the fertility period creates an atmosphere within which pregnancy can occur. Isn't nature amazing! The low pH outside of the fertility period also ensures that sperm does not survive and carry over into the fertile period.

At a pH of 4.7, you can understand why SYLK is the best choice of personal lubricant. Many other lubricants have a pH of 7.0 and rely totally on the preservatives that are added to them to keep yeast and mold infections at bay.>>

This stuff is great! I use it every other day to help keep BV & yeast at bay.
Maggie

I'm really curious. What kinds of soaps/cleansers/etc do you all use to wash that area on a regular basis? I would love to be able to just stick with ONE soap/cleanser that made me feel clean but also was gentle and that I could feel confident wouldn't aggravate my BV. I feel like I've tried everything, and for the last few months I've been using Cetaphil because it claims to be totally non alkaline, so I thought it might be a good choice. I totally notice, when the BV symptoms are flaring up that if I use regular soap, which is a base, that the smell is VERY strong while I'm washing, and often I get out of the shower feeling itchy and disgustingly not clean. But if I wash with the Cetaphil there is no smell while I'm washing with it. I guess I will stick with the Cetaphil (or generic version) unless something better comes along, but I am wondering what you all use, and if you find it irritates you further, or if you are happy with it etc.

Ok so here is my plan. I am going to continue with the MG until I see the Dr at the end of March. In the mean time, I ordered the Sylk and I am going to go to whole foods tomorrow and get some Femndoph. I am going to take B6 and garlic everyday and I am switching to just water to try to cut some of the sugar out of my diet. I am also thinking about doing to TTO in the empty caps maybe 2 times a week. I love TTO for everything else but I never thought to use if for the BV. I do have one question about the BA. I did try using it before I saw the specialist but as soon as I stopped the odor came back. Does the BA actually help to get rid of the BV or does it just get rid of the smell?

Anything else I should be taking??

I used Dial soap down there my entire life, until someone on here, made a comment about using soaps with anti bacterials, or something, and then it dawned on me that I was not helping myself by using it. I too, when BV was flaring, would have horrible smells when washing down there with Dial... Even my 7yr old daughter said, Mommy, why does it smell like fish when you wash down there!!!!! So, I only use Ivory soap on my face, therefore, I started using it down there as well, and DO NOT HAVE THE SMELL WHEN I WASH!! So, I've used it all these years on my face, because I always felt it was pretty natural soap with not alot of crap in it. And it's working down there too. I looked for Cetaphil, but I wanted like a body wash. I saw the soap, maybe I will try that. And I never use any sort of Body wash at all. I'm afraid it will run down into my vagina, therefore, I use the Ivory soap bar on my body.

Boric Acid, is only preventative. Not a cure. If you stop using it, and you have ACTUAL re-occuring BV, it will come back. TTO, is not a cure either. It's just working. I have to use it after sex, or I'm sure the BV will come back.

There is no cure. If you have re-occuring BV, you have to live your life with preventative maintenance, until they find a cure.

I do understand that it is reoccurring or else none of us would be here
I guess my question was more if the BA was just covering up the odor some how. When I was using the BA the smell came back the day after I stopped using it. Now if I do Flagyl (sp?) a few months will go by before it comes back. In the past, I have always ran to the dr as soon as I had any symptoms. So what can be used with out a prescription to get rid of it and what are the best preventatives?

I'm only using TTO. Nothing else. I've tried Folic Acid Pills, Acidophilus, orally and vaginally, Flagyl, again orally and the pills vaginally, cause I'm a rebel! lol, B6, Vitamin C orally and vaginally, and the list goes on. Boric Acid, same for me, the smell came back when I stopped using it, but, I had a bad alergic reaction to it.

TTO I only use the day after sex. I say the day after, because if you use it the same day, and you are irratated down there, it doesn't feel good. So, I use it the day after, and not again, until I have sex again. And it stays away. I don't have to use it daily.

OMG totally off topic but Kinkaju-- i'm loving your lil animated doggy. LOLLLLLLLL

((((Jewels)))) missed ya, but glad your monster is gone!!! I've been using dove body wash and ivory bar soap on my bits. Good ol' ivory!!!

I'm really sure the Fem-D, folic acid, and boric inserts are helping (until i get my weird lil period). I was having great success with it till then. I can't use the TTO for anything except a douche and only a few drops at a time. I think its too strong for me and the smell stays in my nose forever. I don't like that part of it.

You guys keep talking about the smell but does anyone out there feel a burning sensation, swelling, and soreness after sex? I feel it's coming back so I just ordered the Femdophilus. This totally sucks a big one! What do you think...I plan to get another dose of Clindesse and then after that use the Fem D after sex. Is that a good plan? I've been having a little urnine leakage and I feel the BV is aggrevating my bladder. The bladder specialist recommended I use a bacterial soap to help with the bv and she said the BV is causing the leakage and told me to do some other crap that I already do so I feel I wasted my $$. I don't believe her cause I have a friend who has been celibate for five yrs (not by choice) and she has the leakage too! At the time I only used ivory soap and I guess I"ll go back cause I'm still getting these stupid infections + it's cheaper! My user name should have been DAZED AND CONFUSED! LOL

On another note thank you all for your participation. It has been so helpful!!!!!

Has anyone ever used Astro lube as a lubricant? I'm wondering if that's what's conributing to the BV....Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Hi everyone I'm a new poster to this thread so I apologize if I am repeating something or I have missed something.
I JUST had a somewhat upsetting conversation with an ex who told me that he hardly ever went down on me when we were going out because I smelled bad down there. I was with him for 6 years and during that time I went through so many different types of birthcontrol (Pill, ring, patch, but mostly I was on Depo).
My previous BF loved going down on me and told me I tasted great, but I wasn't on birthcontrol with him. Since the last boy and I broke up (over a year ago) I've been off hormonal birthcontrol and have since gotten a copper IUD. I've just started seeing someone after a year of no sex and now I am freaking out that if he goes down on me he'll think that I smell/taste terrible.
I try and check myself and I *think* that it's usually smells ok....although after a day of activity it's understandably not so good. But now I'm wondering if it's even possible to be able to tell yourself? Is it possible that the hormonal birthcontrol was the culprit? When I was on the hormones I had a hard time getting wet (read never!) but now it happens all the time when Im aroused, could that help with the smell?
I'm sorry for the rambling post, I'm just really upset about what he said (and the fact that I haven't had oral in years ).
Thanks for any help/advice you can give!

Have you ever tried Kegal excersice. That should help. As far as lubricate I use sylk . Do you have dry vag issues too? or do you use it for other purposes?

1. He was with you for 6yrs. so you couldn't have smelled that bad. What an asshole!
2.Birth control, in my opinion, causes BV. I never had problems with my body until I started birth control.
3. If your freaked out about the way you taste/smell, why don't you shower before sex with your partner or if you can't why don't you carry around wet wipes. That way you can freshen up before sex.
4.Yes, you can tell yourself. Some women smell like sea water, sea salt, slightly vingerish,etc(normal smell). If you don't smell like cheese,shit,dough,ammonia,fish, &crab. Your fine. If you can't smell anything then your pretty much fine.
5.I'm off estrogen lowering birth control (i'm on the nuvaring now which boosts estrogen) but I still have dry vag issues and I refuse to do more estrogen. So your not the only one hormones have messed up. As far as getting wet when your aroused, I would think it helps with the so called smell you have or the smell you think you have. If you don't smell anything, others don't either. Don't be paranoid because of an asshole.