my OBGYN is really good, she actually told me this "just because you have clue cells and an odor, don't assume its BV until the test results come back for either Haemophilus vaginitis, or Gardnerella vaginitis." Than she said "this is just a way physicians conclude or suspect what you have before test results come in." Like I mentioned other bacterial overgrowth can also cause weird odors. As well as inflammation, itching, etc;
it took me forever to find a great doctor- and she is sooo hard to get a dang appointment with because everyone wants to see her..I also love that
he is also into natural medicine/holistic
so..... like I said before, unless you were cultured and specifically Haemophilus vaginitis, or Gardnerella vaginitis. came back on your culture/ the bacteria that is the cause of BV, it may be a different bacteria- so hopefully you can get the right treatment..keep us posted Im really curious to know what your culture says

you may have a yeast infection from the flagyl-keep taking the pro-biotics to help combat yeast

hopefully you dont have a YI- they suck!!!

Nature’s Way Primodophilus Reuteri
has the same exact ingredients that fem-d has but WITHOUT the dextrose. although yea it does have potato starch, but thats the ONLY starch in it
Im trying it out =)

Nature's Way Primadophilus Reuteri doesn't contain the same patented strains of bacteria that Fem-Dophilus or RepHresh Pro-B contain. Read the labels carefully. If your really concerned about the dextrose, you could just purchase gelatin capsules and open the pill and transfer the contents into the gelatin capsules. From there you can just insert them when you need to (of course while keeping them refrigerated so the bacteria doesn't perish).

I had my exam today. They cultured me. I had very few clue cells, he said. I will find out the results of the culture whenever they come back. I would be surprised if there's no yeast, since I get them a lot. We'll see. He changed my flagyl dose, because they did it wrong the first time... the pharm may have screwed up the instructions or they did, I don't know.


I am doing well on the probiotics I am taking. Mine isn't Nature's Way. There's no potato starch. I'll have to make a mental note of the brand next time I take it. It's at Whole Foods and it's not a brand I've heard of before. Since it's cheaper, I can take more of them, which may be why it's working better.

All the strains are the same. Fem- D has some BS patent, that supposedly holds up in the stomach acid, but mine are coated to do the same thing. I don't know, take whichever you think is best. I just think Fem-D is way too pricey.

really?
I read the back of the primadophilus reuteri powder (its not in pill form) and it has the same exact ingredients, except its at a lower dosage
fem-d is at 5 billion strains while the prima-r has only 1 billion

on the bottle of fem d it says that the dextrose is in the powder, not the capsule

although I HAVE NEVER had a problem using fem-d vaginally before, so being its 5 billion strains verses 1 billion ill prob continue to use it

however i like this primadophilus, because i can make a smoothie with almond milk, greek yogurt, and some berries and add in the prima powder along with my veggie green suppliment and some ice
its yummy


hopefully i can get this BV under control without the metro gel. Im afraid to use it as i dont want a YI
and to be honest, the only symptom of BV im having is a slight odor, and a little discharge

OH BTW- I used those new RepHresh tampons, i LOVE THEM!!! they are non irritating, lets hope they really do help keep the pH in check...

Im currently waiting for my balance activ. I plan to use this, see if symptoms improve, go back to my GYN and see if the infection cleared
if NOT- then Ill use the metrogel
grrrr i hate antibiotics

I'm actually trying this now-the chlorophyll

BTW swt simplicity I read your blog- LOVE IT
but im curious
what methods have you used to keep your BV under control?
did you simply use Fem-D alone??

Not for BV- but my OBGYN wants me on this for over all health
Im currently taking "Juice Plus" supplements- as my OBGYN reccomended I do so
Vita Green (she also recommends this)
a folic acid, B complex supplementgarlic
Garlic orally (I dont think i will ever again insert them vaginally as Im sure it caused my BV after treating a YI)
grapefruit seed extract orally
and a prescribed pre-natal (she has me on this because im sensitive to many multi vitamins)
as well as a calcium suppliment from "standard process"
as well as a sp complete to use in my shake from standard process

and I recently added the primadophilus-R so I can mix it in once a day with my breakfast shake
I avoid sugar
Instead I use stevia
eat plain greek yogurt that only has 4 grams of sugar- add some cinnamon, berries
clean protein- chicken/fish
lots of veggies
and the only bread I eat once or twice daily is Ezekiel bread
and maybe some brown rice

very healthy diet

=)

I wont use boric acid- outch it burns (tried it once a LONG time ago when I had group b strep over growth)

to be honest- this is my FIRST Gardernella infection (BV) so
im afraid to use the metro-gel
and im trying to use something else before i resort to an anti biotic
i do not use antibiotics often unless really needed

any help would be appreciated

although if the balance activ doesnt help, looks like it will be metro gel followed by a diflucan (UGG)

yay for low clue cells
lets hope its not BV!!
keep taking your pro-biotic
and i hope it keeps you in balance =) good luck, keep us posted
BTW did you use flagyl orally? or metrogel?

I actaully hope it IS bv, sounds weird, but I'll explain. If it's BV, which I had off/on for many many years, then it will probably be able to be maintained or even go away of I get my ph to 4.5 and colonize with lactobacilli.

If it's candida, that is chronic, which I've also had, that is so much harder to get rid of.
Forget strep-b. I've heard you need to be on antibiotics for a longgg time to get rid of that.

My probiotics has 5 billion a pill. I checked. Same as fem-d with no weird fillers, plus it has acidopholus and vitamin C.

I really want to try the tampons. Where did you get them?


I am going to start using activ too, I am waiting for it to arrive.


If you have BV, you should take the flagyl. It may not go away if you don't and you could end up chronic like me. I did the same things as you and used probiotics and the same diet and now I am a mess. Use the diet after the meds to maintain, is my advice.


Boric doesn't irritate me at all.


I'm using the oral flagyl.

Hi melinda!!
actually with group B strep they DON'T treat it unless it has symptoms
and you know for that one- GBS is normal bacteria found in many women, not all women are colonized with it>> being I had it for years before discovering Fem-D I did lots and lots and lots of research on it.

My Group B strep grew out of control after being misdiagnosed with BV in 2002 and put on metrogel, than flagyl because my symptoms never improved. <<as mentioned before... in which before using metrogel, having a gut feeling something wasnt right, went back to the old obgyn and demanded cultures done, coming to find out it wasn't BV but only GBS

I got my GBS under control by taking Fem-D vaginally for 3 days, than orally for several years from 2005-2009
and by the way I tried using RepHresh and it bothered me back then...

than I stopped Fem-D (decided to save $$)
than this yr, under lots of stress and hormonal fluctuations (really bad menstrual cycles), insomnia, and not exercising enough I developed a nasty yeast infection last month...
went to my newer OBGYN who cultured me for everything- came back only with yeast
than i used diflucam, wasnt quite helping the external symptoms, so decided to use garlic inside the vagina....
and the garlic took the cottage cheese discharge away, used it for 5 nights
than wala- noticed this weird smell, a little itching, overall feeling better than the YI made me feel
went back to the doctor- she swabbed me, NO CLUE CELLS or yeast noted, but she sent in cultures
came back for gardernella...aka: dreaded BV!!

so being I just got done (3 weeks ago) with a YI Im very nervous about using metrogel. I cant use flagyl orally because it makes me sick.

so being the doctors whom formulated Fem-D state that you can possibly cure BV using it vaginally for 5 days- at 2 times a day.... Im going to try that because FEM-D really doesnt bother me vaginally
I open a capsule, wearing a non-latex glove, put the powder-pro-biotic on my finger and insert inside deep into the vagina smearing around the walls and cervix... it actually gives me a cooling sensation, seems to take away the odor. The powder dissolves almost immediately


so Im going to do this, than try the Balance Activ (being the makers of this also claim this can cure BV by balancing the pH)
than go back to my OBGYN for a follow up in about 2 weeks... I'll give you all the progress
if it did not work, I guess metrogel is my only option
I can of course use clindamycin vaginal cream- as I have used that for GBS overgrowth in the past...worked great, as this one never seems to give me a yeast infection- although its been a few years since I have been on it.

I do agree that candida is worse, thats why I dont wanna use an anti biotic...
have you heard of Candex? I used that when I had my last yeast infection and it seemed to help...
i am wishing now i never used the garlic clove- so much for "home remedies"

By the way, can you do me a favor, look at your pro-biotic and tell me exactly the name of it??
I am planning on going to whole foods tomorrow.... and I want to check it out
=)

Melissa

almost forgot, the tampons were only at walgreens... its the ONLY place i could find them sold at...and they were on sale for $4 a pack (originally $8) so i bought 2 packs

psst: I found this that another bust lounge poster put... its the same thing I watched!!!



QUOTE(CarrieBradshaw @ Jan 16 2008, 10:42 AM) *
Check out this presentation by the creators of Fem-dophilus. In Chapter 8, he says that BV can be CURED by inserting 2 capsules of the pill daily for 5 days. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! He lines it up next to Metro results and FemD's results are better!!!!! I am amazed. I'm on my first bottle right now so I am hopeful, but like I said I've had success with Acidophilus in the past.

http://www.jarrow.com/Dr-Reid-Start

(BTW, I do not work for Jarrow, I'm just a sufferer like you and have spent probably 100 hours reseraching cures on the internet

I looked, it's actually Nature's Way. I think it's the same thing, it is the same strain, same 5 billion, it just isn't patented to not dissolve in your stomach, but the NW one has an enteric coating for the same purpose. Vit C is supposed to be good for insertion according to another poster on here. I also like that it contains acidopholus, bc that is good for insertion -- that's what your V normally has in it.

I just can't afford to buy a ton of bottles of Fem unless I find it is more effective than the exact same strains, but another brand. i really distrust vitamin companies, and their claims and false marketing too, so I am trying the cheaper version. If it doesn't work, I'll look into fem-d again.

I can't wait to buy those tampons! I never thought I'd say that about tampons!!

yeah see thats the same exact thing I bought, but instead I got the powder form being I already have Fem D
I really like their powder form. it mixes great with my smoothies.

BTW you know the larger bottle 60 pills of FEM-D is only a few dollars more than the smaller bottle which is 30 pills at "the vitamin shop".

Thats where I get mine, whole foods, henreys. jimbos, etc: sell their FemD $5-$10 more than the vitamin shop does.

But Natures way is a REALLY good brand
so is Jarrow (makers of fem-d)
so I think your fine either way =)
Im keeping my fingers crossed that your BV is GONE
and hopefully NOOOOO YEAST

I was reading something odd- I'm a "scorpio" and it stated that scorpios tend to have more vaginal infections than other signs because they are rulers of the sex sign, or something like that

Im not into astrology, but found that weird being im a scorpio... lol

I figured it was a decent brand, since WF's doesn't really carry junk. I actually went to buy the fem-d and got the idea to see if I could find another with the same ingredients. If it doesn't work, I will go to Vitamin Shoppe.


Thanks, I hope so too! I hope you get rid of yours!

I have scorpio in my chart too, so weird! Maybe there's something to it.

Fem-Dophilus and Rephresh Pro-B have GR-1 and RC-14 which aren't the same cookie cutter strain of bacteria that is available in most supplements and yogurts. If Fem-Dophilus had the regular lactobacillius that is normally found in yogurts, then they wouldn't have to be charging so much for it, everyone would just go to the grocery store and buy a cup of yogurt with reuteri and rhamnosus in it. The patent I mentioned isn't for it's enteric coating, but it's for those particular strains of bacteria (since Gregor Reid discovered it) because they are clinically proven to colonize the vaginal tract rather than pass through (which is how a lot of probiotic supplements work; they work just as long as you keep taking them because they don't always colonize in the intestinal tract).

Melis19750- I've never had bacterial vaginosis, although I thought I did for a while. That is actually how I discovered this forum. I was actually diagnosed with a non-albican yeast infection (c.parapsilosis) and I think another two strains of yeast. I was prescribed boric acid to kill the yeast.

I'm not convinced the strains are patented, but maybe the polysaccharide delivery system is. On the label, they have an R in a circle, and if you look down on the label it explains it. Those same bacteria are in other probiotics. If it is different, their labeling doesn't explain that concisely. It's ambiguous. I'm tired of BS supplemental wording and marketing, because I've found it to be just that, so I am skeptical. I've looked online, trying to find the difference between Their patented strain and regular reuteri etc., and can't find anything on it.


How long did you have to take the BA for your yeast? How often -- 1x or 2x a day? Also, how did they find out you had that, specifically, was it through culture? TIA

I actually agree with Melinda7 on this. Also RepHresh Pro-B is EXPENSIVE more so than Fem-D and not only that... RepHresh pro B is NOT refrigerated. I wont use any pro-biotic thats not refrigerated.
although I def back up the FEM-D claims because when I used it in the past for group b strep vaginitis it helped amazingly. I only hope it does the same for Gardnerella.

anyhow with me I decided to lay off some things, keep it as simple as possible

just take grapefruit seed extract (not garlic pills)
take my chlorophyll
take my juice plus suppliment (which is a fruit/veggie supplement-not a vitamin), vitamin D, Folic acid/B complex
and my vitamineral green suppliment with my shake (greek yogurt/some fruit/ unsweetened almond milk)mixed with a TSP of the probiotic L.Reuteri by natures way
and 1 pill fem d in the am and 1 pill fem d in the pm

as well as start using fem-d vaginally for 5 days/nights (now that my mentral cycle is ending)
and than as soon as I get the balance activ, use that
than be done with everything except my vita green, juice plus, and taking fem-d daily
and see what happens....

if not working, go to damn metrogel... but i hope its working. as i am starting to feel better and the odor seems to be diminishing

found this about LS and it pertained to BV and yeast
hmm- interesting!!!

BTW- I just received my balance active today. Im so excited to try it. I hope it gives me great results so i can avoid metrogel and diflucan after the metrogel

here is the site i found while doing research on evening primrose oil
http://www.mold-survivor.com/lichen_sclerosis.html

I took it once a day for 14 days at bedtime. After that, I went in to get re-cultured to check if the yeast was back, which it wasn't. My vulvo-vaginal specialist prescribed me an extra supply of boric acid that I would take once or twice a week for many months for maintenance since non-albican yeast is so resistant.

The non-albican yeast had to be cultured in a special broth. Non-albican yeast is something that is getting increasingly more popular, especially with increased antibiotic use. The interesting part in my case is, I never took antibiotics prior to getting my non-albican yeast infection. The nurse practitioner that was working at the clinic did say it could be transferred from stools. I always wipe properly. I figured it could be from wearing menstrual pads, maybe constant shifting and friction transferred the yeast. I can't really prove that though. I remember reading a study that did say there was more bacteria recovered from pads than tampons.

Balance Activ-
My thoughts after day #1



I just started using this product so I am unsure if it's working to get rid of the BV yet. But Im definitely going to continue using it.
The only thing I think needs improvement is these 2 things...
1) The gel needs to be thicker so it can stay inside longer. The gel is quite "watery" therefor you pretty much have to have your pelvis tilted when you sleep at night so the medicine stays in (Not the most comfortable way to sleep)
2) There should be applicators like you get when you use a yeast infection cream, or metro gel. This way you can really get the product deep into the vagina. The applicator tube doesn't go in far enough!! But so far I like this product. I ordered 5 packages to keep it on hand and I'm praying it works!

so do you think it is better to use tampons than pads??

I have heard sooooooo many different things on this. Just curious what you think

Just a quick comment...when boric acid is mentioned, it's better to use the word "use" than "take," since "take" implies oral dosing. If someone actually "took" boric acid, it could be fatal. (It is used vaginally.)

As a chemist, I notice these things.
All the best,
Maggie

Thanks. I'm glad you were able to get rid of it. I've read about other forms of yeast too. So strange that you didn't take antibiotics and you got it. Were you on the pill or any other meds? Some meds, besides antibiotics can cause yeast.

I never heard that about pads, but it makes sense! I was going to try to switch to them before I found out about the new rephresh tampons, which I bough yesterday, and I have never been so excited to buy tampons before, lol! They were practically sold out, I bought the last two boxes.

hey just wanted to add, when I had my yeast infection now about 4 weeks ago... I did not get it from anti biotics either
I was under lots of stress, little to no sleep, not eating well, and not only that had realized my body wash contained an antibiotic... which all prob led to the candida albicans i had.

so you don't necessarily have to be on antibiotics to get yeast.

its pretty much all to do with your pH balance, lack of good flora, and immune system.

same as with BV... imbalance causes soo many issues unfortunately

The only medications I was on at the time was a corticosteroid ointment for my eczema, allergy medication, and a nasal spray. Those aren't medications that normally disturb the intestinal flora. They weren't high doses either. I do have to say that I was constantly stressed, and was also experiencing sleep difficulties for a while, those factors greatly impact the microflora. I would never take birth control pills unless it was absolutely mandatory because I think birth control pills carry too many risks and side effects.

What I think might have also caused it was I went on a seven day cruise. When I was in Aruba, I was at a beach and I was walking around in a wet bathing suit for a long time. I was also eating a lot of different foods and going to dinner every night and eating desserts. I know sugar feeds yeasts and bacteria, maybe all of those factors contributed to the non-albican yeast infection. Another woman on this forum also went on vacation and she developed bacterial vaginosis later.

Where you having any problems using regular tampons prior to buying the RepHresh Brilliance tampons? From personal experience, my symptoms would get worse when I mensturated; pads also contributed to the chaos.

I always choose tampons over pads because pads are uncomfortable, bunch up in all the wrong places, cause chaffing, makes me feel like I'm wearing a diaper, smells more, and makes me feel unclean after wearing it for a few hours. I only wear them at night because I don't trust leaving tampons in over night. I've been using organic cotton tampons and pads by a company called Natracare. They work very well and don't have any crazy chemicals in them. I'm really picky about my personal care products because some companies bleach their cotton, some contain rayon, and some companies also use pesticides on their cotton.

What body wash where you using that had an antibiotic? I always thought anything with prescription strength ingredients would be found over the counter. Was your bodywash an antibacterial bodywash rather than an antibiotic bodywash? I sure hope the BalanceActiv works for you. I've encountered many women where I work part time and I can clearly see how bacterial vaginosis has taken a toll on them; they have very low self esteems. I remember one particular woman would always keep her distance no matter how much I tried to approach her. It would be sad if you were in the same boat.

update-
balance activ no bueno if you already have irritation


so about 12 hours after my initial application of balance activ, I begin to have major irritation around the opening of my vagina. DAMMMIITTTT
so I am calling my OBGYN and caving in and asking for the oral antibiotic
there is no way Im sticking metrogel inside my vagina with this irritation!!

I think its prob better to treat the BV with an oral antibiotic/ pro-biotics taking 2-3 hours before or after the anti biotics anyway.

and if you were wondering- my vagina was already irritated from using garlic cloves 2 weeks ago

so if your vagina is irritated- dont use balance activ

I will say this though, the ODOR is completely gone and so is the discharge, so yes obviously balance activ works
but its VERY ACIDIC!!! VERY I even taste tested it before I used it... and wow it was like squeezing lemon juice straight from a lemon into my mouth...
so obviously it made my tender vagina more tender

ugg i wanna cry/scream/kick!! I hate vaginal problems
can I ask God to make me male for a while?? ha ha

whats better taken orally Tindamax or flagyl?

It looks like Tindamax would be the better option. Then again I'm not a pharmacist. Mfc10, since your a chemist, which option do you think is better? According to it's (website), it looks like a really solid choice. I'm surprised your opting for the oral antibiotic considering you were so adamant about not taking antibiotics. I assumed you would probably go with a gel application or suppository. Yes, stay on the Fem-D to prevent any further chaos, or resistant strains of bacteria or yeast. A lot of women on here have been on and off of antibiotics; and those that were eventually had a harder time getting rid of their bacterial vaginosis with each course of antibiotics, until finally the antibiotics stopped working for some of them.

How long were you doing the garlic suppositories? Does your gynecologist know that you've been trying the BalancActiv? You usually have to go in for an exam before you get prescribed antibiotics ... right?

I personally believe being hopeful helps a lot when dealing with things like this. I remember being stressed about my vaginal issues and my symptoms would literally get worse the more I thought about it. There are biological reasons for that as well. Kind of like when you get scared or embarrassed, your body starts to sweat a little, including the vulva (which by the way has a lot of sweat glands). Where there's moisture, there's bacteria that consequently leads to an odor. Or if you get sexually aroused, your vaginal secretions increase. So, you literally need to put a smile on and think positive thoughts, it releases (good) chemicals from your brain and that helps the healing process .

Hi sweet simplicity,


well being I have posted a lot- so you would have to scroll way down to find my Hx

I first had a yeast infection in the beginning of September (went o my GYN and she examined/ cultured me-came back yeast only-candida albicans) used diflucan didnt work 100% and used a 3 day yeast cream, worked better- still saw some discharge, used garlic cloves for 7 days longer

clumpy white discharge went away

but noticed i still had irritation
went back to GYN- examined and she said every looked/smelled okay.... but lets re-culture it just to be sure
got results back- Gardnerella (BV) showed up- no more yeast


antibiotics:
I hate using them.... but being i was hopeful about balance activ, and only a little irritated at the time, tried it... and it just made me more irritated
so this is why i have decided...no more stuff inside my vagina
its probably better to treat it orally at this point, take my probiotics

so Im waiting for my Nurse practitioner to call me back and give me an Rx to a different antibiotic

Im def trying to stay positive
being this is my first time dealing with BV I'll admit im freaking out a bit

I was used to GBS overgrowth, but never this
this is different
and the thing with GBS- there are MANY antibiotics for it, that do not cause major side effects like the BV antibiotics as well as it subsiding with the Fem-D

but for Gardnerella... there are VERY FEW antibiotics -clinda orally or vaginally, metro orally or vaginally, and than of course the new tindamax orally

Boric acid I guess works, but im not sticking anything acidic in my vagina at this point

I will say the Calendula ointment has helped, the irritation is really subsided

I do think that balance activ prob works, but maybe they need a milder form of it, it def needs some improvements, in fact i returned my unopened boxes I purchased. Thank goodness they let me

=)

I guess Ill just remain hopeful Im only a 1 time sufferer of BV and this will be the ONLY time i deal with it

oh yeah almost forgot =) you asked about the body wash i had, it had Triclosan in it. I didnt realize it until my OBGYN asked me what kind of hygene products i used.... specifically body wash, she contributed that to a reason why i prob got the YI

Chemically, the two are not much different. The tinidazole & metronidazole (Flagyl) do not differ significantly in their side-effects, from what I've read. (This would make sense, since the two are chemically similar.) However, the once-daily dosing & shorter duration of therapy would lessen one's exposure to the adverse affects. I can't locate any research comparing tinidazole with metronidazole at their recommended doses.
If I had to choose, I'd probably go with the tinidazole due to the shorter therapy timeframe.

Cheers,
Maggie

thank you for that.

Yeah I also saw you can take it 1g once daily for 5 days and the cure rate is much higher than the 2g at 2 days for the tindamax
and it seems the side effects are a little less because of the amount given

swt -- good post. I completely agree! I was going to ask you about corticosteroids. I remember they can cause YI.

I would've bought your balance activ!

You know I still have 6 tubes left of the balance activ.... if you want to try a tube before you get yours to make sure you do not have an adverse reaction like I did, I can send it to you.... free of charge, send me a msg on here and ill get your info

but im not exaggerating- its super duper acidic
because well- to be "real" my anal hole was not irritated at ALLLLLL before balance activ
and guess what, not only is my vagina irritated, but my anal hole is majorly irritated. The doctor said she thinks it gave me a minor chemical burn, kind of like a chemical peel on my vagina and anal area

so if i were you, if you try it... just stick some on the top of a tampon and insert it first
because this stuff leeks out soooo easily it gets all over your entire external femal genitalia.

They really need to have a warning on their product. All I have seen are good reviews about it, but you know they could be false reviews... people from the company trying to promote it.
I actually sent them a negative review and all they told me was- we will refund you for the extra product, however the box you opened we cant refund you for, and i checked.....2 days later my review is NOT even on there.

Learned my lesson the hard way.

i def think fem-dophilus is the way to go...doctors even endorse it for oral use and doctors who treat pts with IC endorse it for vaginal and oral use...although yes we know its not FDA approved for vaginal use

there is probably a reason why the FDA has not approved balance- its too harsh on the skin. I think it might be great for a facial peel... ha ha

so on a good note everyone

My Nurse pract (not my obgyn) called me, as my OBGYN was delivering a baby
and she gave me an Rx for tindamax 1g for 5 days taken once daily http://www.drugs.com/pro/tindamax.html
and 6 pills of diflucan to use afterwards and before treatment.

she told me "Please call me as soon as your about 5 days after using tindamax and let us know how you liked it, we never prescribe it because it doesnt come in generic form and its about $60 for the Rx. Most people don't want to pay for it, but because the clincal research shows its better at treating BV for 5 days at 1g orally due to lesser side effects than flagyl. Im really curious to know how it works for you."
Oh I love great NP's and OBGYN's
they really make a difference!
=)
lets pray my first case of BV is my last
and that i dont get yeast after the treatment
BTW it also states tindamax doesnt cause the side effect of vaginal candida as often as metrogel, flagyl, clindesse,clinda, etc;

so i hope im one of those lucky one

time for me to study
by everyone =)

So I just brought Fem-Dophilus ($38 ) and took one pill...hopefully this is what I have always needed. I will keep you all posted. *keeping my fingers & toes croossed*

You bought your Fem-D off of the internet? Did you make sure it was shipped cold? I know places, such as the Vitamin Shoppe that sell it for under $20 and you also earn store credit for each purchase. I live in Massachusetts. You should check for one in your area ... or maybe a health food store. $38 is pretty high; I don't even pay that much for RepHresh Pro-B. There were a few women that took Fem-D and it didn't work, but that could be for a number of reasons. You should start off taking it twice a day for one week, and decrease your dose to once a day until it's finished. I have hope that it will help you because it has helped many so long as they continued taking it.

I was talking to a lady that works in specifically in the suppliment section of the health food store...
and she took a course about pro-biotics
she had mentioned that they are way more effective when taken with pre-biotics so that way the probiotics absorb more and work better in your body- here is what pre-biotics are: Typically, prebiotics are carbohydrates (such as oligosaccharides), but the definition may include non-carbohydrates. "The most prevalent forms of prebiotics are nutritionally classed as soluble fiber. To some extent, many forms of dietary fiber exhibit some level of prebiotic effect."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prebiotic_%28nutrition%29


I think for some people the Fem-D will def work, they just need to be diligent and take them every day
sometimes it takes a month or two to see results some people get results faster

and some people forget to take them
I personally think since 5 billion strains is NOT a lot
when it comes to a pro-biotic, that you should def take at least one in the am and one in the pm
I also add in this product http://www.amazon.com/Udos-Choice-Hi-Poten...s/dp/B0010EEWU4

which contains 30 billion viable cells.... it works to balance yeast in the intestinal tract.
=)
love this stuff http://www.vitacost.com/Udos-Choice-Super-...IngredientFacts

Yeah, I take an apple pectin supplement occasionally for an extra kick of prebiotics although I don't need it. Fruits and vegetables dominate my overall diet since I really believe vaginal infections and imbalances are usually caused by an imbalanced microflora (which effects the vaginal flora). Fruits and vegetables contain naturally occuring prebiotics, fiber, and complex nutrients. In addition to taking apple pectin, I also take either Fem-Dophilus or RepHresh Pro-B on the regular. I know I'm getting enough prebiotics because I usually get about three bowel movements a day, which rarely smell, one of the many perks of a plant based diet.

What I don't like about a lot of probiotics that are out right now is you can never be too sure if they work. Consumer Reports/Consumer Labs came out with data testing a lot of the common probiotics that are out. A lot of them actually failed and didn't contain the live cultures that the label said they would contain. Only a few of the tested probiotics passed. Some labels will say "two billion cultures at the time of manufacture" which could have been five months ago. Who knows if it still contains two billion cultures when you actually take it.

A lot of the times people will be taking stuff and they don't even feel a difference, almost as if they're taking a sugar pill or something. Or some will just experience the placebo effect; their mind wants the product to work so much to the point where they think they feel a difference when they actually aren't experiencing any real change. I'm shopping around for a GMP certified probiotic. I'm going back and forth between Natren and Metagenics ... I try not to over do it with supplements since I already spend an average of $20 a month on Fem-Dophilus and adding on something else doesn't seem entirely neccessary , but Fem-Dophilus is specifically for vaginal health so ... I don't know, I'll have to think long and hard before I make a pick.

yeah I agree with you- its hard to know what good supplements there are. I love drinking unsweetened keifer... 8 grams of sugar or less per serving, lots of good bacteria in there

I do know for a fact these 3 different brands are good. Every naturopathic doc Ive seen, or chiropractor, acupuncturist reccomends these
Standard process- they have a large array of supplements
juice plus (lots of clinical research)
and vitamineral vitagreen

the vitagreen is now sold online and in health food stores, used to be that you could only get it from a health care practitioner.

my OBGYN distributes Juice Plus, as well as my chiropractor... =) but other than that you need to find a rep to buy that from
and my chiro and my naturopath doc both sell standard process

so i do love those products




=) I think your going to make a great GYN- isn't that what your going to school for??

although, the lady that works at the health food store suffers from BV too... she gets it every now and than and she swears by that super 8 and Fem-D

OH on a good note- just bought a new bottle of Fem-D for only $16 on sale at HENREY"s -They had all supplements on sale today (every Tuesday) here in California. So if you have a henrey's go get a bottle. =) I usually go to the vitamin shop... but I couldn't beat this deal.

So today is day 1 of the Tindamax...
I am hopeful!!

at least i only take it once a day..thank goodness
=)

yay

found these while doing some fun online research
http://www.druglib.com/druginfo/tindamax/abstracts/
Improved cure of bacterial vaginosis with single dose of tinidazole (2 g), Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Author(s): Martinez RC, Franceschini SA, Patta MC, Quintana SM, Gomes BC, De Martinis EC, Reid G

Affiliation(s): Departamento de Analises Clinicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, 14040-903 Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.

Publication date & source: 2009-02, Can J Microbiol., 55(2):133-8.

Publication type: Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most prevalent vaginal infection worldwide and is characterized by depletion of the indigenous lactobacilli. Antimicrobial therapy is often ineffective. We hypothesized that probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 might provide an adjunct to antimicrobial treatment and improve cure rates. Sixty-four Brazilian women diagnosed with BV were randomly assigned to receive a single dose of tinidazole (2 g) supplemented with either 2 placebo capsules or 2 capsules containing L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 every morning for the following 4 weeks. At the end of treatment (day 28), the probiotic group had a significantly higher cure rate of BV (87.5%) than the placebo group (50.0%) (p = 0.001). In addition, according to the Gram-stain Nugent score, more women were assessed with "normal" vaginal microbiota in the probiotic group (75.0% vs. 34.4% in the placebo group; p = 0.011). This study shows that probiotic lactobacilli can provide benefits to women being treated with antibiotics for an infectious condition.


Vaginosis treatment
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is altered, and some beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, are replaced with an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Antibiotics effectively treat the infection, though it often recurs. Researchers in Nigeria reviewed 24 clinical trials of various anti-microbial therapies for BV, including probiotic supplements containing Lactobacillus bacteria. They found that while the antibiotics clindamycin and metronidazole cleared the majority of BV infections within two to three weeks, adding a month's worth of oral Lactobacillus to women's metronidazole treatment enahnced the antibiotic's effectiveness. In addition, Lactobacillus tablets applied vaginally for five days were more effective than oral metronidazole alone. Most cases of BV cause no serious complications. However, the infection can make women more vulnerable to acquiring HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. "Treating BV could help reduce susceptibility of women to HIV," said Oyinlola Oduyebo, of the University of Lagos in Nigeria. "Therefore, it is important, particularly in the developing world, to establish the most effective and appropriate forms of treatment," added Oyinlola Oduyebo.

The effects of antimicrobial therapy on bacterial vaginosis in non-pregnant women.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jul 8; Oduyebo OO, Anorlu RI, Ogunsola FT. Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, F Block, Lagos, Nigeria, PMB 12003.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a very common cause of vaginitis that has been associated with a high incidence of obstetric and gynaecologic complications and increased risk of HIV-1 transmission. This has led to renewed research interest in its treatment. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and African Healthline (December 2007); and proceedings of relevant international conferences (from 1981 to date). Twenty-four trials involving 4422 participants were reviewed. Most examined symptomatic women only. Only seven trials analysed results by intention to treat; we re-analysed the remainder. Compared with placebo, clindamycin showed a lower rate of treatment failure Given intravaginally as gelatin tablets, lactobacillus was more effective than oral metronidazole. Similarly, oral lactobacillus combined with metronidazole was more effective than metronidazole alone. Clindamycin preparations, oral metronidazole, and oral and intravaginal tablets of lactobacillus were effective for bacterial vaginosis. Hydrogen peroxide douche and triple sulphonamide cream were ineffective. Metronidazole caused metallic taste, nausea and vomiting. We need better-designed trials with larger sample sizes to test the effectiveness of promising drugs.

I brought it from Whole Foods directly out of the fridge. I accidentally picked up the 60 capsules instead of the 30 capsules so I believe that is why it cost so much. I will definitely check out Vitamin Shoope in my area. It has only been 3 days, each day I have taken 2 pills so far so good no discharge. In order for me to get a real idea I'm going to wait until after a have another period (3weeks). Hopefully this was all I needed! Thanks for the help in the advise!

I brought it from Whole Foods directly out of the fridge. I accidentally picked up the 60 capsules instead of the 30 capsules so I believe that is why it cost so much. I will definitely check out Vitamin Shoope in my area. It has only been 3 days, each day I have taken 2 pills so far so good no discharge. In order for me to get a real idea I'm going to wait until after a have another period (3weeks). Hopefully this was all I needed! Thanks for the help in the advise!

Probiotics are too expensive to not work in a timely fashion. If it takes more than 6 months ( which is way too long anyway but our diets are all wired differently) then Its a waste of money and time and not to mention a major disappointment for us.

I have put out tons of money on many different probiotics and every single time I was checking out at the register shelling out the 20 dollar bills was breaking my heart and my pockets. I have bought the store version, online version, popular version, refrigerated, millions and 10 billion versions, all for nothing.

Same with the Metro-gel or Flagyl pills and cream. That shit doesn't work and 25 dollar co-pays, plus scripts add up when you visit the doctor 3 times in one month.

Honest, this is my 5th doctor visit in two months and I decided to try a man doctor because for some strange reason women who examine my vagina think because they have one, that they should all work the same and the remedy is an antibiotic that REALLY DOESN'T WORK!!!!!! ITS GETTING OLD!!!

Well yesterday my new MAN DOCTOR did a DNA-probe test which I am very thankful for. I see him in one week and I will then know for sure what the hell is going on with me.

I am talking about my body and my doctors and my experience with other methods, everyone isn't the same I dont mean any harm, discouragement, or encouragement. Night all Keep ya all posted[/size]

It's a trend in the health community that vaginal infections are just things that women have to deal with, and vaginal infections aren't being taken as seriously as they should be. Women don't talk about it much. Women find it embarrassing; women are even too embarrassed to talk to their doctors about it. All you see on T.V. is those Monistat commercials; there should be commercials on bacterial vaginosis as well, it is more common then yeast infections. Men sit around making jokes about vaginal odors and neglect to realize that a vaginal odor isn't something to laugh about, if anything, they should be aware that a vaginal odor could mean something is wrong. It wasn't until it was discovered that bacterial vaginosis caused premature labor that the medical community finally took the time to research it. Prior to that, there was nothing on bacterial vaginosis.

What needs to change is the social stigma about talking about vaginal health. If more people get talking about it, more knowledge about vaginal health will spread. And that would probably help tons of women prevent these infections in the first place.

How many rounds of antibiotics have you taken Yme? I hope your gynecologist can finally get you the treatment you need

Check this out:

http://www.femalepatient.com/html/features/031_03_010.asp

Thank God for your post. The part when men make fun of smelly vagina odors and such really angers me. I take showers sometimes 3 times a day but the smell just make me feel so dirty.

I have had 5 rounds of the Metrogel, it just doesn't work for me. It wont clear anything up, the discharge nor smell. I dont know how this is going to end but I hope next week I can finally get some answers. Keep ya posted.

hey everyone just an update
so Tindamax is def better than flagyl as far as side effects go. My side effects are so minimal. Just some irritable bowel issues. As far as the drug working, that Im not sure about yet
Im not noticing a major odor anymore or thick discharge- not yeast discharge, but the bv discharge (it differs in women, some its watery, some its thicker)
but I wont know for sure until Monday after my follow up exam. Im done with the Tindamax Saturday. =)
have a good day everyone

I'm happy to hear that things are going smoothly so far. I'd like to think that this round of antibiotics will work for you the first time around. It usually does for most people, but bacterial vaginosis has a knack for coming back in cycles. It'll be gone for a couple of months and then it comes back with a vengeance and requires an even stronger dose of antibiotics to go away. Have you talked to your gynecologist about this? Since this is your first (and hopefully last) bacterial vaginosis infection, it's good to know where you stand and what preventative steps you'll need to take to prevent a reoccurring infection. Or do you just plan on taking Fem-Dophilus as a preventative after your bacterial vaginosis has finally cleared up?

Yeah, keep us posted! I love hearing from you, and I especially love hearing good news



I've actually read that study before prior to doing my post on TMAU. The study basically points out that women with TMAU can have a fishy smelling vaginal odor/secretions primarily because of their disorder. Women with bacterial vaginosis also have trimethylamine in their vaginal secretions but nowhere as much as women with TMAU. The study points out that women that have a non-infectious vaginal odor should also be checked for the TMAU disorder. TMAU suffers don't always have to smell fishy; the smell can actually vary.

Thank God that isn't a common disorder. I watched a documentary about people living with TMAU. It broke my heart to hear about a little boy living with it, and the doctor actually said that as he gets older, the disorder can get more severe, particularly when he goes through puberty. I felt so bad for him Living with TMAU can be a social stigma. Instead of the government spending billions on warfare, we should be putting that money to disorders and degenerative illnesses like cancer, AIDS, and diseases like TMAU. A user called Awayday1000 posted all six parts of the documentary on Youtube. The documentary is called, "Help, I smell of fish." And there is also a blog post on it. Here are the links to it:

1. http://www.youtube.com/user/awayday1000#p/u/0/vwZmRvIDEec
2. http://www.bloodbornebodyodorandhalitosis....lp-i-smell.html


Oh, while I was browsing on Youtube, I found a few videos on BalancActiv and bacterial vaginosis:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYPT_4JPkqg
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCpzbo7xwUk

Isn't it sad how Europe has over the counter treatments for bacterial vaginosis and the U.S. doesn't? Yes.

Hi sweet

actually I am going to do fem-dophilus orally and once a week vaginally

in fact right now- while on tindamax Im doing 2 probiotics in the am and 2 before bed
while taking tindamax once a day... at least 3 hours before my pm pro biotics
and im also doing a vaginal fem-dophilus once in the am and once in the pm

my vagina finally heeled from the balance activ burn
my doctor said it caused a chemical burn
sometimes things that sound too good to be true usually are
so if you all are trying balance activ, i suggest be careful
i used it ONCE and received a chemical burn from it

so far my symptoms have subsided
=)

im also watching my diet

just wanted to add
I think telling someone-
some women get BV than it comes back often worse, is really NOT something someone should say. Especially to someone who is new to this imbalance and its a first time thing.

I really believe most women who get BV returning is because A) too many anti biotics in the past... no use of pro-biotics

leaves a body imbalanced

therefor, by the time someone who is imbalanced, maybe not eating completely well...etc; tries to re-treat its harder to treat.

a good example of someone getting it and going away, the lady at the health food store, she had to treat the BV twice, got yeast after, eventually after getting on a good pro biotic and taking care of herself- she got back on balance and she no longer has BV

so- just some advice, i think its better to not set a not so positive tone, you want people to stay positive, as it helps with the healing process
=)