Thread: Cyclotic vaginitis - acidic vagina

truns out i cant spell, it's "cytolysis"

Thank you for this info.My symtoms sound the same as yours and I have also treated it as a yeast infections which alway's made it worse.I am in a new relationship and I had been symtom free for quite a long time now it has come back,very depressing

Interesting recently I have been dealing with bacterial vaginosis -- too much bad bacteria not enough good causing the same symptoms you have --- I am pregnant and was put on an antibotic because this type of infection can cause preterm labor --- sad to say but the antibotic did nothing so I have been doing homeopathic treatments -- consuming probotics, yogurt, kefir, etc.... --- my symptoms started to go away then BAM today back again --- I had never heard of your condition and now I am thinking maybe I've raised my acid levels in my vaginia too high?? It's all very frustrating back to the doc on Friday

Originally Posted by SJK

Hello. I am new here. I am grateful to have a superb nurse practitioner who actually knows what cyclotic vaginitis is and who took the time and steps to properly diagnose me with this condition but I am distraught over her telling me that an acidic vagina is great for the most part and there's no good way to treat this imbalance.

For all of you who dont know (including most gynos), cyclotic vaginitis is an overgrowth of good bacteria in the vagina. It causes burning, itching and discomfort during sex as the acid irritates delicate skin. There is typically discharge that has no real smell but is very irritating. It varies from watery to thick depending on the time of the month. Most women find that they feel best during their period. This is often misdiagnosed by doctors as a yeast infection as the symptoms are similar however they are treating the wrong thing! This leads to frustrated women, whose vaginas are put even more out of whack with bad medicine. I was wrongfully treated twice for yeast infections when I know I did not have one in retrospect. The only way they can properly diagnose you is to look under a microscope and see what types of fungi and bacteria are really present.

I've read that to treat this you can take baking soda baths. This is what my doc recommended, however, it's only a temporary solution and only gives me relief for a few hours. Some sites say douching with a baking soda mixture reduces the acidity, however, this is not recommended by my doc because acid is great on the inside and only bad on the outside. Reducing it too much on the inside will lead to other infections that like a basic environment. It's a horrible catch 22.

This leads me to believe my situation is chronic. I have had this for as long as I can remember. This is incredibly depressing to me. I want nothing to do with my vagina. The irritation consumes my thoughts and is always on my mind. I dont enjoy sex for the most part. My husband is supportive but it makes me want to cry that I can't fully appreciate that aspect of our relationship as often it is uncomfortable.

Perfumes and other irritants can magnify the problem, however, I already have sensitive skin and do not use products with fragrances, essential oils, sodium lauryl sufates, etc. I use Charlies Laundry soap, which is about as kind as it gets and washes away 100%. I dont think there is much else I can do in that aspect.

I am shocked at the lack of information I have found on the web and the posts by others that are dying for a doctor to diagnose them or just listen. My goal is partially to spread the word and partially to see if anyone has any ideas as far as dealing with this.

Thanks for listening.