The organic meat your eating is fine. I doubt it has any harmful by-products in it. It sure beats eating the standard processed meat.

Vaginitis has the opportunity to get worse during that short window of time when the vaginal flora depletes as a result of menstruation. It's kind of unavoidable unfortunately. Some women are unfortunately more susceptible to infection during that time, and if an infection is already present, then it gets worse. Is this something that happens normally for you, or do you think it is a result of the infection?

My general practitioner also told me my tongue coating didn't look like thrush. Thrush usually looks like white patches of fungus in the mouth, but mine was just a thick white coating of something on my tongue. It kind of looked like the tongue in this picture: http://tinyurl.com/47npevc But varied in intensity depending on what foods I ate. You can probably tell from the picture there's some texture going on. If I'm right, the tongue coating may not have anything to do with thrush, but the foods that I was eating. This is an even more obvious case: http://tinyurl.com/24o3yas

Cost was one of the main reasons I gave up on taking herbs. I just felt it was unrealistic to spend close to $60 every month or every other month to keep my symptoms at bay unless I knew for sure what I was taking really worked. I was tired of doing the trial and error method. But, if the Syntol was working for you, then you should buy it again. I've gone back and forth about trying different herbs like Grape Seed Extract, but in the end, I probably won't stay consistent with it, and I won't repurchase.

Most gynecologists are pretty familiar with the different forms of vaginitis. I'd like to think they diagnosed you properly about the bacterial vaginosis since that is the most common vaginal infection there is. Unless you may have had a mixed infection that didn't show up in the cultures, which could happen. Then again, it all depends on the cultures and the opinion of the doctor.

Have you gone down the abstinence path because of your vaginal symptoms? I chose to wait until marriage simply because I'm a prude. I also love the idea of waiting for the right guy too.

hey there again sweet

well for abstinence I chose to wait now because Im Christian. So Im trying to "walk"
so-to-speak.

I didnt wait do to vaginal stuff
because I was completely fine before all this started in September

well lets see how all this begin

in September (the middle of it)
I was stressed out to no avail- not eating right- barely sleeping
developed a normal case of candida albicans
treated it with OTC yeast med and diflucan
but i wasnt sure it went away so tried garlic clove
yeast went away- doc thinks maybe over doing it with first OTC yeast cream then garlic clove caused BV

then- developed BV I guess
doc gave me an anti biotic for it
it went away
took diflucan- doc gave me diflucan to take every 3 days to avoid another YI (bad idea being i didnt have a YI- this prob caused the yeast to mutate into glabrata)

started feeling better
christmas came
at BAD- lots of goodies
than in January (the middle of it)
developed soreness... never had that before
including some anal itching/ soreness

went to my OBGYN
she swabbed me looked under the micro scope some some glabrata yeast
cultured it- culture came back negative
we decided to try boric acid for 2 weeks
seemed to be working
but as soon as i stopped the BA- the Sx came right back
so its possible it just never completely went away and like you, i might need to do it longer

I do know there are good suppliments that help with yeast over growth. But I believe it should be taken with the care of a health care provider. Which is what im doing
here in southern cali we have a pletheral of Naturopathic doctors
and I am lucky enough to find one here whom deals with candida
and hes also a Medical Doctor
whom practices out of 2 offices, a natural type of practice, and regular MD practice

he basically is telling me i need good fats to clean up the yeast problem
and also some suppliments
and stronger pro biotics

he also is willing to admit if he is not as familiar with some strains of candida...I like that, he is willing to learn with me.

so he really has me doing citric seed extract (which has GSE in it)
fish oil (omega)
digestive enzymes (which is what syntol is)
coconut milk/ oil
2 different types of pro biotics along with Fem D
capric acid (found in coconut oil)
and my basic suppliments of vit d, c, etc:


this is the first time ever in my life ive had to deal with yeast.

so its a bit alarming and depressing


several years ago i delt with group b strep over growth....
but that finally went away after discovering fem-d
i think i just really needed to balance my bacteria

hopefully the BA works for me
and im able to get back to normal

i will say having my period lessons the symptoms of this yeast- and makes the BA easier to use
but right before my period is when it seems the symptoms start
and it happened when i took a break from BA

yeah my tongue looked a little like those pics- still does
but my doctor said what yours did that when its thrush its usually patches, and/ or hairy looking
as well as the fact my oral culture is literally growing for a month and would have grown something by now. and the preliminary at 1-2-3 weeks were all negative
usually the preliminary is the same as the final result...as my doc said
so were just waiting for week 4

he also said there are symptoms of oral thrush like sore throat/ tongue/ a feeling of dry mouth
and i have none of those

Im pretty sure my yeast is prob some intestinal due to the anti biotics
and vaginal
and hoping vaginally its just decreasing

oh yeah i was also on anti biotics in June- Keflex for strep throat (well possible strep that is, never really was tested for it- i was exposed and had a mild fever so doc put me on it, and also diflucan to take after)<<see the pattern
antibiotic>diflucan for preventative> antibiotic> diflucan

i think im just over medicated... which obviously prob contributed to this..
=(

well im back on track taking my health back in my hands- yay
i do feel healthier all around, with the exception of my vaginal symptoms
and sometimes anal...
but im positive im gonna heal and get this sucker under control!!!

yay

how long did it take you to cure your yeast?
you mentioned you had 3 strains? do you know what 3 or just the main tropicalis one?

I am soooo fed up. I woke up this morning with the worst smell. I have made up my mind I am going to really give Boric Acid a try. Where is the best place to purchase the power and capsules?

hey brtt
you can get the ba powder at amazon . com
as well as the 00 gelatin capsules

when you fill them make sure to take these steps

1) wash genital area with water and if you use a cleanser use something like unscented sliquid or dove unscented for sensitive skin
2)lightly coat the exterior of the vulva with either vitamin e oil or coconut oil nile Nutiva unrefined organic coconut oil
3) fill a 00 size capsule -not all the way leave 1/3 or the smaller half (aka the female half) empty and just fill the larger side (the male side) otherwise if you fill the whole thing it will be 900mg instead of 600
some people use only 300mg depending on whom prescribes it

use 1 per day for about 14 days
or for more sever 1 in the am and 1 in the pm
but be careful
sometimes BA can irritate your skin, so my suggestion start slow

enter the capsule high into the vagina as high as you can, and go to sleep
when you wake up- youll have watery discharge from the capsule

also- make sure to wash hands well before and after insertion

Thank you so much.

Are you still using Boric? How was the success if any for you?

i am using boric acid but for non albican yeast not for BV
I do know its alleviating my symptoms... they are less severe now... but
i am not positive yet on the success...
ill find out this friday at my follow up

The first time I was cultured and diagnosed, a nurse working in the clinic called me on my phone and said I had three species of yeast. She actually named them off to me, but they slipped my mind. Then a few weeks after I received the call, the date of my appointment was up and during the visit I asked my vulvovaginal specialist what yeasts I was colonized with and she just said c. parapsilosis. She didn't name the other two (I don't know why and I didn't bother to persist either since it wouldn't make a difference).

I'll call and have whoever is working there go through and look at the culture results. And I'll post an update.

As far as how long it took for my non-albican yeast infection to get cured, I don't have an exact time frame since everything was scattered over a period of months. But I know it took longer than a couple of months, if not six.

Rite Aid sells the powder too. Make sure you don't vegetable capsules or they won't dissolve. You need the gelatin.

I filled both sides! I wasn't told just to fill the one side. It didn't cause any issues....weird the md didn't tell me that.

Update

So I just got a response from the doctors office about the three species of yeast I was colonized with and they were:

1. Candida parapsilosis
2. Candida albicans
3. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa

wow thanks
i greatly appreciate this
the more we know, the more we become educated on this and the more we can educate others
=)

Im a nurse BTW- so its great for me to learn this

FYI- My oral fungal culture which took 30 days to grow is completely negative
so i di not have any oral candida issues, just a pale tongue
=)
yay for that

Melinda,
sometimes MD don't always tell us as much info as we should know. I found out by doing my own research on dosage
and also on another msg board a member who had irritation due to making her own BA capsules found out from her doctor that it was because she filled it to 900 mg instead of 600
those 00 capsules can fit up to 900

Maybe they assumed I knew to only fill the one side. The 900 was fine for me. I think I'll stick with it, maybe. I don't do it every night or anything.

hi everyone, i'm new here. i've been following some different forums about BV for a long time, but now i need to speak up. i've had BV nonstop for the past 2 years, and i can honestly say it is wrecking my life. i want my freedom back. freedom to walk and move and socialize like a normal 20-something woman. it's destroyed my confidence, my social life, my joy, and my faith in God. i've tried different antibiotics, vitamins, and nothing works. i'm unable to insert anything (a whole different story), so the yogurt/pill insertion miracle isn't something i can try. are there any OTC pills i can take strictly orally that you have found affective? i've tried folic, acidopholus, and b-12.

one question - does the BV get worse for you when you're on your period? for me it's literally unbearable.. the discharge and smell is 10 times worse, but then i also get pain, burning and a feeling of pressure. i've never seen anyone discuss this so i was just wondering.

thanks everyone.

sweet i know how you feel
while i dont think i have bv- so far so good
i have been dealing with a yeast/irritation issue

have you tried fem-dophilus? thats awesome for BV- I love that stuff

i haven't tried that yet. i just got my tax refund (woooo!) so i think i might go and get that after work.

You can try Fem-Dophilus (which can be found online shipped cold packed at iHerb; which is pretty cheap) or you can try RepHresh Pro-B which is more accessible (freeze-dried so it doesn't need to be refrigerated) although more expensive (I pay close to $31 after tax including a $2.00 off manufacturers coupon). Vitamin D is something that you need enough of to prevent bacterial vaginosis. A study done not too long ago suggests a lack of folate, vitamin D, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin E predisposes a woman to bacterial vaginosis (linked here), and increased amounts of saturated fats and monounsaturated fats usually makes the condition worse. This is something that is often overlooked yet when you think about it, the food your eating everyday tremendously impacts your general health. Each nutrient your body needs has a specific job to do, if your not getting enough nutrients, it's only natural that your body won't function properly.

The acidophilus you've been taking may not help so much since most of the studies I've read on acidophilus and vaginitis has been really hit or miss. Most researchers say it doesn't specifically help with vaginitis, or at least not nearly as effective as something that is clinically proven to work like Fem-Dophilus/RepHresh Pro-B. And acidophilus doesn't adhere to the vaginal epithelium so it won't make a difference. It's good for digestive health though. In my personal experience, acidophilus never helped me even when I took high doses of it religiously for many months.

In my experience, when I had a vaginal infection, accompanied with a very unpleasant odor, the odor would always intensify when I was menstruating. The discharge was unusual, but it wasn't troublesome in my case. I didn't experience burning or pelvic pains though. Has your gynecologist looked into this? What popped in my mind when I associated your burning, pain, and pressure with your bacterial vaginosis is pelvic inflammatory disease.

There could be a number of reasons why your bacterial vaginosis could be reoccurring. You may need to kind of evaluate your lifestyle and figure what risk factors you fall into. The cleanser your using could be too alkaline, thus lowering your vaginal pH, maybe if you have a significant other and your sexually active-- that's also a huge risk factor, clothing could possibly lack enough circulation to the vulva, it could be something hormonal ... maybe you don't have enough good bacteria in your digestive tract.

Not too long ago, I created a post on bacterial vaginosis, showing a comprehensive overview of the major risk factors (that I know of) pertaining to bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial Vaginosis - A Comprehensive Overview

You may just want to skim through it and see if it helps. I'm pretty sure there are things that will generally help you. Even though you feel like you've tried everything, sometimes it's the little things that help the most. I have hope that with the right method, even without the help of prescription medication, you can get some form of relief however mild to moderate it may be.

Even though you mention you have trouble inserting things, a vaginal gel such as RepHresh Vaginal Gel could really help since it is being directly placed in the problem area and can work directly on contact.

I hope I helped!

hey ladies
so good news/ bad news at my follow up today

went in to see my gyn- she did not see anymore candida glabrata or any form of candida under the microscope

bad news- due to the boric acid being used for a month
it wiped out my good bacteria...... so i now have clue cells
shes not sure if its BV because no odor, no discharge
only some irritation and clue cells

so it could be a dif bacteria that over grew

well- im happy no more yeast
so the BA def works on non albican yeast

but i do have to say beware, BA is not a standard treatment for BV- simply because it kills off the good and bad bacteria (sweet simplicity also mentioned this)

so were waiting for culture results

my gyn also gave me a number for a specialist just incase the culture grows any non albican yeast
but she does not think it will since she saw nothing but some clue cells

oh booo
this vaginal imbalance is a pain in my azz
ha ha

ladies something else to keep in mind

rephresh pro b is more expensive than fem dophilus
you can buy a bottle of 60 fem dophilus pills at only $28.49 or bottle of 30 for 19.99
at the vitaminshoppe.com

and fem dophilus has 5 billion MO's per cap

while rephresh pro b only has 2.5 billion
and rephresh pro b is about $28.00 for a bottle of only 30 capsules

the only GOOD thing about rephresh pro b is that it does not need to be refrigerated- therefor making it ideal if you travel...

and femdophilus has to be in the fridge

however. i think fem d is far superior and a better value
you get more bang for your buck all around

i like using them vaginally
i empty the contents into a gelatin capsule and insert at bedtime
did so last night and im feeling better today!!!


=) just my 2 cents

coupon

here is a coupon for fem dophilus
$2 off
http://www.jarrow.com/eMarketing/fem.php

here is a coupon for $2 off any jarrow pro biotic
fem dophilus counts
=)
http://www.jarrow.com/eMarketing/Jarrow-Fo...EPS-11-2010.pdf

You read the label wrong. It lists:

L. Rhamnosus GR-1 Pro-B Feminine Probiotic Strains 2.5 Billion CFU

L. Reuteri RC-14 Pro-B Feminine Probiotic Strains 2.5 Billion CFU

If you add those two separate bacteria counts together, it amounts to 5 billion.

gotcha thanks!!! I still believe Fem d is a better deal- its less expensive and you get more

I also think Fem-Dophilus is more affordable and generally a better deal. But RepHresh Pro-B has the weighty advantage of more publicity, accessibility, and being freeze dried. Whoever discovered those particular strains made a pretty good business move partnering with RepHresh, because Fem-Dophilus isn't so widely known.

i know right
the funny thing is... so many companies are now selling pro biotics geared to vaginal health, i even googled and found vaginal pro biotics that you insert into the vagina from various different companies in Canada, UK, and Europe.

but they dont list the strains in their probiotic... so who knows how effective they are

i def think fem d is what had gotten me back on track in the past- so im using it again
=)

so im puzzled yet again
my OBGYN saw me a week ago
she stated she saw "clue cells" and a higher pH

got my test results in- everything is NORMAL
yet again

how is it possible?
could the boric acid raise my pH and cause clue cells without BV or anything there?

I am a little sore in my perineum area
so she referred me to a GYN vulvar specialist (which I thought she did that before- but i guess not... this time its someone else)

Im glad everything is "normal" but I still don't feel normal down there

I would only go in for a follow-up appointment after my treatment was over. If there was anything present in the cultures, that is when I would go through another course of boric acid. I don't know how your treatment plan is set up, but that is what happened in my experience.

If your actively taking boric acid, then it will affect your vaginal flora which is often why you get examined after your treatment is over. It's also suggested to not have sex, douche, and the like 48 hours prior to an appointment since those things affect the vaginal flora as well.

So have you been getting cultured during your treatment course with the boric acid? If yes, then it will definently affect your test results. I've mentioned before how I did so many boric acid suppositories that it basically killed everything in my vaginal flora and my vulvovaginal specialist didn't see any lactobacilli under the microscope. Once I stopped the boric acid, they repopulated again

Hi sweet

thanks for the reply! your def a big help. You should consider being a GYN/Vulvar specialist- you would be GREAT

=)

Well here is some more news and also what you asked- answered

when I went in for the check up 2 weeks ago- I was off boric acid for 3 days. So my doc thinks thats why my pH was off-

I actually went back in today because I had the WORST pelvic pain last night- it was unbearable.
I thought maybe I had a UTI-
Here is what happened-
NO UTI- but I have some ovarian cysts- quite a few but they are small.... so she said not worrisome
THANK GOD!!!
but while I was there she decided to recheck my vaginal area since Im still having irritation

guess what pH is back to NORMAL and all my vaginal flora looks good
being I have not used anything in 2 weeks...she suggested re culturing to see if anything grows
but she doubts it

here is what she thinks- i have some sort of dermatitis or allergy in my vulva / perineum area
could be caused by an allergy to something- even food
or possibly dermatitis from the BA and also dancing/sweat from my rehearsals (although I always change clothing and panties right after rehearsal, go home, shower and change into clean dry clothing)

She suggested a few things- allergy testing/ food allergy testing (which i have tests being ordered and will do)
than a saliva hormone panel- will be doing that soon

also- avoid sugar (not only does it feed yeast- it aggravates cysts) and avoid too much caffeine... a little is ok
use unscented everything- from body lotions to detergent (already do this)
microwave panties for 35 seconds to kill yeast spores

-and whatever allergies I have- avoid it

so hopefully we get to the root of the problem

she also did the GEN PAP on me- which came back negative
this pap picks up all kinds of bacteria that a reg culture cant
as well as all the non albican yeast you can think of
and STD's

so now that I think about it- being the irritation is more external
i think shes prob right
its prob an allergy or dermatitis


sweet- you have been such a BIG help
thanks soo much for being here for us- really it means a LOT
you have educated me more than you know- I even shared your knowledge with my GYN
and she appreciated it too- I gave her the copy of my V-Book
because i had 2 of them

=)

<3
Mel

I've actually gone back and forth about becoming a gynecologist. I want to gain some experience in the medical field before I really come to a decision. I'm glad I helped you It's definitely my mission to share accurate information about the gynecology, specifically the critical information that goes over looked. I'm so happy to hear that you gave her a copy of the V Book, because it's really a shame a lot of OB/GYN's are sort of not updated with the latest research.

Hi Girls!

I'm thinking to visit Dr. Stewart in Boston, anyone knows how can i make a appointment with her? how long aprox does it take to have one?
I live outside the states but planning a trip to there and I really want to see her since I've been having many vaginal problems (mainly vulvodynia that develop from chronic dermatitis i think....). Here where I'm living there no vulvovaginal specialists, it's a pitty!

I would like, also, someone shares her experience with dr stewart...

Thanks!!

You would have to call the clinic, and the receptionist will probably guide you through the process of scheduling the appointment. You may also have to talk to your primary care physician about this too just in case.

It takes a while to get an appointment with her since she has other jobs, aside from her job at her practice. The back of her book mentions that she works at a university, and a hospital in conjunction with her job at the clinic. And, that doubled with the fact that you have to come in during a time that's most convenient for you, increases the chances of you getting an appointment many months from now. And you don't want to schedule the appointment when your menstruating.

My experience with her was positive And she taught me a lot during my visits. She really took into consideration what I had to say, asked me a lot of questions, and she answered the questions that I asked. I literally wrote a list of things that I wanted to mention at the appointment (which is something that I suggest everyone start doing, since it allows you to get the most out of your appointment).

P.S. Make sure you've been keeping track of your cycle. That's one of the first thing I get asked at every appointment. And if you haven't read her book yet, I highly suggest it. It really is a wealth of information about the female reproductive tract.

Good luck Gigle!

Thanks Swt!! I'll try to make the appointment with Dr. Stewart, but I have to know exactly when i'll be in the States.

Unfortunately I'm having so many vaginal issues since the last five months with gardnerella and strep b. I started to have an irritation last week so i went to my general practicioner and the cultures showed overgrowth of strep b and candida....I'm waiting for my appointment with my GYN on monday. I dont have too much discharge the last days but it looks unusual, a bit clumpy and yellowish with and pus-like odor, sorry for the details! :S

I'm feeling so bad these days...this problems keep coming back and I dont know why and what to do? Anybody has dealt with strep b? Is that dangerous? My GYN told me that strep b doesnt need treatment. Maybe she meant in the case when it doesnt make trouble...and to be honest i dont want to take more antibiotics..Also, not sure whether cultures will always show up bacteria, but this specify "heavy overgrowth of strep b"....

Thanks girls!
Gigle

Hi Gigle,

I dealt with strep B for YEARS
what helped me was really this: antibiotic treatment (oral) while on antibiotic/ taking FEM-DOPHILUS
than after anti biotic treatment -FEMDOPHILUS has kept it in check ever since.


Hope that helps you. i thought at that time maybe i had vulvadynia
but it wasn't. it honestly was the strep B
my symptoms of strep b were mainly pain on/in the vagina
and usually no discharge
and no smell
although my GYN told me that inside she could see an odd discharge at times
and if they viewed it under the microscope "white blood cells were apparent"
and my vaginal cultures always showed high overgrowth of GBS
this happened from 2002-2004

What set it off- or started it was this
antibiotics off and on for UTI
than being on METROGEL for what they thought at that time was BV (without even testing me)
and than giving me terconazole vaginal yeast cream right after to ward off yeast
this left my vagina imbalanced- and than group B strep just completely overgrew

I had read that sometimes METROGEL (vaginal) can cause GBS to overgrow
normally GBS can be present with NO SYMPTOMS

so at this point if I ever develope BV (I pray i dont) I will opt for Clindamycin vaginal cream

BTW- i also used clindamycin vaginal cream for GBS- I begged my OBGYN at that time to let me try it as i didnt want to be on oral antibiotics
it really helped!

For yeast infections -Im now using "aquaflora- candida high potency 9"
which is a homeopathic
and was highly recommended to me by a few ladies who struggled with yeast infections and no matter what kind of treatment they did- they could never stop battling it.

so you might wanna try that

strep B- when it presents symptoms is really horrible
at least for me it was

when i finally overcame it with fem-dophilus
i thanked GOD everyday

however now im dealing with skin issue after boric acid usage
its not vulvodynia though
i suppose more of an external dermatitis on the perineum
its very annoying, but im sure ill get it under control soon!!

I pray you find an answer and some resolution

BTW- did they say what kind of yeast you had? thats important to know when treating it!!!



I never experienced candida until this past September
and still my strep B is GONE- I take fem-d every day 2 times per day

SWEET-
so i wanted to ask, after you were done with your boric acid- you stated you had inflammation
where exactly was your inflammation and how long did you use hydrocortisone?

So here is what is going on with me....

as we know my yeast cultures all come back negative

IN fact
my Doc decided to re-do the "GEN PAP" on me as well as a DNA YEAST culture
and all came back normal

so Im now having this inflammation on my perineum area -it was slightly externally vaginally too but seems to be clearing- thank god!
although sometimes itchy inside the vagina
but everything as far as Microorganisms show :"normal growth of vaginal bacteria"- honestly i have fem dophilus to thank for that!!! A lot of prayer as well =)
I even have a copy of my most recent labs- all the candida strains (there are many) came back negative

and ive been tested for candida now- GOSH so many times

anyhow so now im seeing a dermatologist that specializes in skin of the genitals
they think right now its just a contact dermatitis or possibly an allergy
maybe even from using the boric acid, and or coconut oil to protect my skin from the boric acid while i was using it.

I am NO LONGER on boric acid, as all my labs are negative
in fact we repeated the genital cultures about 3 weeks after finishing the boric acid treatment.

I was on BA for gawsh i wanna say for about 32 days.

the dermatologist has me now using desonide 0.05% (cortisone topical) ointment externally two times a day on my perineum ... seems to be helping but its only been 7 days since being on it- out of 14 days total
I did try hydrocortisone 1% cream at first- but it dried me out and irritated me.

and before doing this- my vulvar specialist had me try estrace cream topically and emu oil- both of which made the situation worse. as I only tried them about 3 days..... before saying "forget this"
the desonide seems to be the only thing helping- im just worried about thinning the skin around the perineum... the doctor assured me this is a very MILD cortisone and should work

did you develope dermatitis after the boric acid at all? or was your inflammation internally?

internally i feel GREAT
its more external i seem to have this issue
mainly perineum area

thanks again for all your help

Mel!!!

Melis, Thank you very much for your help! I'm sorry to hear you passed for the same situation, it has been really depressing for me all this issues, i've been feeling uncomfortable for 5 months non-stop. GYN here have helped very little to be honest. At least know I dont feel that alone, i thought I have something horrible that anybody has never had!

Well, I'll discuss with my GYN on monday about what we'll do with this situation. She believes that this infections must be leave alone for a while to see what happen. I dont like to take antibiotics either (in fact, all this situation started after a pack of zythromax, I'm so regret I took them...) Before that, I never had any vaginal issues with infections or imbalance.

About the vulvodynia, in my case maybe the strep infection and all i've had it these last month have contributed to that pain. What I really have is a hypersensitivity in vulva area, specially in the vestibule. In my case it was mostly from an allergic reaction to all the feminine washes, antibiotics, anti fungus creams, etc etc that previous lousy doctors gave me. So, now I'm bit better with that but now I have the irritation from this new infection....

My new GYN is very nice but she thinks I'm bit paranoiac with all this so she prescribed me an antidepressant for the pain and the anxiety. I think I,m not crazy! who wouldn't been stressed and anxious with all this situation?! Also, I live with my fiance and this situation affects our relationship.

Oh girls, sorry for using this as winding room! But I feeling miserable lately, because I dont understand what's happening with my body now, I just want to know whether my body will recalibrate again someday.

Melis what antibiotics did you take for strep b? for how long? Did you treat it many times or just one?
I'm taking fem-d too, they were helping me, I'm not sure whether is coincidence or not but when I started to take just one this happen again, anyway i'm taking two again i'll keep taking two indefinitely

Thanks girls! This forum has been a really good support, specially when you feel all alone with something like this

well i was treated off and on for strep b from 2002-2004 with ampicillin, kephlex, and clindamycin vaginal cream for 7 days- the other antibiotics were 10 days
nothing worked to clear it up until i started using fem-d

thank god GBS is a thing of the past for me... i know it will be for you too

now i just have to battle some sort of dermatitis... uggg
so frustrating when i have been free of "genital" issues for years.... until now
=(
im in the same boat
quite sad over this situation

Oh Melis! I forgot to tell you that keep using the cortisone, it'll take sometime before you start to feel better. I had the contact dermatitis/allergy too and it took my two weeks to feel much better. Try to clean gently, with just water, the area, pat dry then apply the cream. And dont worry about skin thinning, you'll be using this cream for too short. After I finished the cortisone it took some more days for my skin to feel better, it's like the skin keep healing a bit after the cortisone or something.

thanks for that

how did you get contact derm??? what area did you get it at?

I think mine came on after boric acid suppositories and than of course my dance rehearsals/sweat..clothing rubbing in that area

Mine came after all crappy treatments I had for BV/Strep b (i'm not sure yet what I really had..my doctors were all awful..and they dont use microscope or anything, just send vaginal swap to lab and then give you just antibiotics and creams etc....)
They prescribed me harsh feminine wash/antiseptics, antifungus creams, metrogel etc etc I got a massive skin reaction from all this and my skin became hypersensitive, inflamed....So I used hydorcortsione 2.5 % for about 2 weeks (First my GYN gave me clobetasol but this dried and irritated my skin so i switched for hydrocort and it was fine. But unfortunately when my skin was healing good the strep/candida infection appeared maybe it was that i had sex again with my fiance and my vaginal flora is reacting bad to semen... i dont know...

Anyway, Dont worry to much about the skin dermatitis, I know it feels horrible but I'm sure you will be feeling fine after the cortisone. For me it was just after I stopped the cream when my skin started to feel more normal....

Good luck with that! I'm sure too you will be fine again! Let's see what happen with me on monday, I hope that stupid strep b is gone and I dont need to take antibiotics, I dont want to seem hypochondriac but it scared me to take strong antibiotics like amoxilin. After all, all this problem started because of them....

you know ampicillin and kephlex dont seem to be as strong as others- those worked for me..... if anything you can try using fem d for a while and see if that works

personally, i think candida is worse than gbs- i was able to control gbs after fem d

Thanks for the replies Melis- It's good to have a support with all this, even when it's just online but it's a such a big help...

Do you have the V book from Dr Stewart? she explained everything there about the use of cortisone and about skin problems, it's really good. She recommend there that you should soak in the tub for some minutes before applying cortisone in order your skin reacts better to the medication.

About my dermatitis, it was all over the vulval area, the vestibule got swollen. I think because of this, that area became hypersensitive, I still have a little pain there...

I'm already taking fem-d, here it's sold under the name "pro-uro". I'm taking 2 pills daily and i'm not sure whether is coincidence or not but, when I started to take just one all this imbalance came back again...It's really hard to find those probiotics here and they are super expensive! I've been using for 2 months 1/2, I hope it works for me, have somebody else had success using them??

Sometimes it's better off not to read too much information on the internet. I started to search about strep b I got really stressed with all I read. Anyway, I hope I can get rid of that as you did Melis!

Just let us know how you're doing with cortisone, give it a chance! You will see more improvement after you finish the treatment.

t

My inflammation was on the inside, the actual vagina, and I was on the hydrocortisone suppositories for a while, until the inflammation subsided. I don't have an exact time frame though. If I can remember correctly, I was inserting them every other night. The nurse I talked to even said I can insert them while I'm menstruating since my flow is really light.

I do remember experiencing vulvular irritation from doing the boric acid over a long period of time. My labia were irritated, and so was my perineum. It wasn't just irritation, but actual eczema, which went away after I used a cortisone cream and stopped the boric acid.

So, my inflammation was both on the inside and the outside, whether it was inflammation, irritation, or actual eczema.

sweet
seriously thanks so much for the reply! I greatly appreciate it. Im now on day 9 of cortisone, while the area is better- its not yet back to normal.... im praying this cortisone helps

its odd- because it doesnt look irritated, but it totally feels it.... almost like sandpaper wiping on some parts of my perineum -weird
but im hanging in there
=)

Hi Gigle
never heard of pro uro
are you sure its the same as fem d?

does it only have two strains??? Lacto bacillis Reuteri and Rhamnosus?

also- just heads up- sweet Renew Life Ultimate Flora Vaginal support seems great- the old formula (recently changed) had FOS in it... they are now finding that FOS is a sugar that feeds yeast/ bacteria. So renew life has now taken the FOS out of their product and on the new formula the front label states "allergy free" and the back will have "FOS....****" which means it no longer has FOS in it.

so for those of you looking for a good pro-biotic. Make sure it does not have FOS in it.

=)
melissa


Update- so I think the coristine (desonide 0.05% ointment) is helping, although I am now on day 11- still not as good as Id like to be, but never the less better. Im only supposed to use it for 14 days. I hope I have more improvement.

Melis,

Pro-Uro's the same probiotic as fem d but it's manufactured by a company called Chr Hansen. According to the Dr who recommended me it, Chr Hansen has better quality control than other Reuteri-Rhamnosus producers. I'm not sure about this, however that's the only brand I can find here for this probiotic. It's very hard for me get it since just few doctors distribute it, so I always have to beg this doctor for sell it me....Also, the probiotic's super expensive here-it's 65$ for 28 pills-... he insists that I dont need to continue the treatment with pro uro, he's a bit of stubborn about this, I just think it doesnt harm since it's a natural product.

About Renew Life Ultimate Flora Vaginal, I prefer to stick to fem-d since it's the only one, so far, that seems clinically proof. I wish we have more options for clinically proof probiotic, I cant believe there are so many advances in the medical field, however for vaginal problems we have few good options for treatments.....

It's good to hear you're doing well with cortisone. I'm sure you'll be fine after you finish the treatment. Mind you that vulval skin takes more time to heal than other parts of the body. I think after a month you'll start to feel much better. I'm not an specialist at all but i think so from what I've read and from my own experience.

I looked up pro-uro
and your right its the EXACT same as fem-d
but you know
why don't you try amazon.com or www.vitaminshoppe.com
you can definitely buy fem-dophilus and save a lot of money

where are you located???

gawsh you guys im having such a hard time with this skin issue now.

Its not itchy
but patches of rough skin (feels like eczema but not itchy)

now im almost kicking myself wishing i didnt do the boric acid

but i knew something had to be done for the non albican yeast

my 2 weeks with this mild steroid ointment is up as of tonight and im not feeling much better

I do have the hydrocortisone ovules for vaginal use.... I did try one and it did help with the inflammation after it leaked out
but im kinda scared to use it as i dont want it to cause an imbalance in my vaginal pH
but for some odd reason one side of my vulva was irritated (on the entrance near the vestibule) last night and couldnt sleep so i popped one in..... ahhh relief

i do see a dermatologist who has an interest in vulvar skin... on TUES
so i hope i get good news

i just wish i had someone to talk to about this over the phone
its so unfair to have to deal with this
i just want my happy normal vagina and skin around the area back
maybe im being too impatient as its only been 2 weeks of treatment
but it has been about 1 month now since i used the boric acid... i thought by now i would surely be back to normal

=(
sorry dont mean to be a Debby downer
i just wanna feel normal again

I'm sorry to hear your still experiencing some discomfort. Applying a cream/ointment would always help we with any dermatitis near the vulva, which is why I'm wondering why the ointment hasn't helped you. I would literally apply it for a few days and the eczema would have already subsided. You can call your gynecologist and ask if the ovules could have any affect on your vaginal pH. Although I'm not a medical professional (yet), I can assume a suppository would have a mild affect on the vaginal pH depending on it's composition (whether it's acidic, base, etc), but it shouldn't have a tremendous effect, unless it's supposed to alter your vaginal pH (like RepHresh Vaginal Gel or something like that).

I think your feeling as if your vaginal troubles will never end. I used to feel like that. But you should really just take things one day at a time and be thankful that your making progress My issues used to be so bad, any amount of relief would immediately boost my confidence and happiness. I took it as a learning experience which really helped, and that outlook ultimately lead to my recovery.

I think I am doing better today. It doesnt feel quite as irritated as it has. I am using a cortisone ointment. It does state one of the side effects is dermatitis... so possibly the cortisone is helping yet causing irritation at the same time? I don't know.

I do know the redness has subsided a lot since using it... and there were areas before that were worse, so those improved. I guess I just need to try and be patient.

I am also interviewing a new GYN- just to see if I like her better.
as well as seeing a dermatologist. I figured one more opinion couldnt hurt.

its possible im just very sensitive and this will just take some time. After all its only been 2 weeks of treatment for this.

wish me luck

thanks sweet for always being here for us. your awesome

I'm very infrequently on this forum but have some issues with BV every now and again. It often depends on whether or not I'm smoking.

That being said, I recently started having issues again and having recently moved to Switzerland, I decided to try some homeopathic remedies. Switzerland has a lot more going on with homeopathic cures and I've been kinda amazed with my allergy remedy.

Anyway, long story short. Calendula oil. Pure, high quality. Dip a Q-tip in the oil and then dip it into yourself. Repeat. Helps with vulva skin and everything else. Yeast, BV, acne, acne scars, dry skin, wounds, insect bites. No side effects, no funky oder of any kind, and zero irritation...unless you're allergic to calendula. Obviously.