Thread: chronic bacterial vaginosis

Originally Posted by Ginger_Ark

I did not do the hydrogen peroxide douche, but look at the post above to see what Carebear says about it.

I am not using condoms anymore. When we were using them faithfully, I had no symptoms whatsoever. After we stopped, I started getting an occasional twinge here & there -- from my pH being about .5 off, not from an active infection, is my belief. I just use the Active Gel, & it's all good.

Biofem Active Gel is not a lubricant. It is a gel that adds acidity to the vagina. You can read about it & purchase it here from the manufacturer. This is where I bought it, & shipping is surprisingly fast.

I went to my gynocologist for another follow-up yesterday. My pH was 4.5 (.5 over optimal). I am about to start my period, so that's exactly what I expected. Plus, I could tell. She said my results & my research were no less than a miracle & that it has changed how she would be treating her other patients with chronic BV. So I've made a believer out of her.

GINGER ARK!!

WOW! you didn't do the h.p. douche? how did you get rid of the bacteria? just by the acidphilus vaginally? i thought you did cause i read your first post and you said that you will wash or douche? i forgot. i was just so excited that you did all that research and i was reading every word in all your post...i'm a dork, i know! how exactly are you doing the acidophilus vaginally.....like every other night? and when you have sex did you use a lube with the condoms too? how do you know when you can stop using condoms? sorry for so many questions but i need all the help i can get. my doc doesn't care about my health and i don't have insurance either. each office visit is so expensive and i'm also a single mom with 2 kids and their father doesn't give me money for child support either, but that 's a different story!

i'm so happy for you being bv free, i want to be like you!!! i hope i can. i just ordered the biofem.......thanks to you!!

sad21

Originally Posted by Ginger_Ark

msoftshell,

Right now, while you're symptoms are at bay, start the probiotic treatment. The reason that the hydrogen peroxide works is because it simulates the environment that the friendly bacteria create. Also, hydrogen peroxide can have harmful effects if used long term on healthy skin. It will work well as a temporary fix, but if you start the probiotics now, you may find yourself cured.

You are correct Ginger Ark. I am currently taking 800 mcg of folic acid a day, 5 mill acidophilus, and 1 probiotic as well. Will this be a lifetime regimen? I'm still odor free though, and small discharge every now and then. But, still some lower back pain every now & then. No pain anymore from sex, I feel great. Thank you all again

Went to my Dr. yesterday. My pH was at 4.5 (which is about what I'd gotten the night before). About .5 high, & since I'm about to start my period, it's exactly what I expected. I am BV free for three solid months! I have my sex life back. I've lost 30 lbs since January. I didn't realize how depressed I'd been -- just how much this was affecting my life. I feel like I've gotten my life back.

I also gave her info about the Biofem Active Gel (available in the UK OTC) & the info on the Aci-Jel (available in the U.S. by Rx only). She was very excited about this product.

The Dr. is amazed at my turnaround, & she said that she will start using my treatments to help her patients with chronic BV. We're getting the word out! She actually thanked me for "helping possibly hundreds of other women with [my] research & determination." Not a common sentiment in the medical community. She's a fantastic woman.

My one concern is that I wish I could get the medical community looking closer at this newly discovered Atopobium Vaginae strain. I really feel like this is the key strain that causes chronic BV. Right now all antibiotics that target it also target the good bacteria (because they are both aerobic). If someone could develop a medicine that could target that one strain specifically, I really believe it would be an actual "cure." Maybe my research will trickle down to the right person, & someone will start researching it.

There is hope ladies.

Originally Posted by sad21

GINGER ARK!!

WOW! you didn't do the h.p. douche? how did you get rid of the bacteria? just by the acidphilus vaginally? i thought you did cause i read your first post and you said that you will wash or douche? i forgot. i was just so excited that you did all that research and i was reading every word in all your post...i'm a dork, i know! how exactly are you doing the acidophilus vaginally.....like every other night? and when you have sex did you use a lube with the condoms too? how do you know when you can stop using condoms? sorry for so many questions but i need all the help i can get. my doc doesn't care about my health and i don't have insurance either. each office visit is so expensive and i'm also a single mom with 2 kids and their father doesn't give me money for child support either, but that 's a different story!

i'm so happy for you being bv free, i want to be like you!!! i hope i can. i just ordered the biofem.......thanks to you!!

sad21

sad21 - I used the refrigerated Primadophilus Reuteri orally (3x/day) and I bought a powdered variety of the same thing to insert vaginally with the unsweetened, unflavored, organic yogurt. Honestly, I only did it a few times because it was just really icky.

The condoms we used had a small amount of lubricant on them, but no spermicide. Spermicide is very mean to a vagina with BV. Ouch. After I'd been symptom free for about 2 months, we had sex without a condom once. I waited to see how it would go. Things seemed okay. So we just progressed cautiously. I now take the precaution of using a little Active Gel right after sex.

The good news for you is that you can buy all of these treatments without a prescription. You have the ability to cure yourself and track your progress (if you buy the pH strips) without having to see a doctor or use insurance at all. Certainly doing this under a caring doctor's supervision would be preferable, but the truth is that many of us have been seeing doctors for years, & that was no benefit.

Originally Posted by msoftshell

You are correct Ginger Ark. I am currently taking 800 mcg of folic acid a day, 5 mill acidophilus, and 1 probiotic as well. Will this be a lifetime regimen? I'm still odor free though, and small discharge every now and then. But, still some lower back pain every now & then. No pain anymore from sex, I feel great. Thank you all again

I wonder if this will be a lifetime regimen for me too. But I figure that having to take a little pill every day &/or use the gel every once in a while is a good trade-off. It's far preferable to the way I was living before.

I'm so glad you're finally getting relief.

Originally Posted by Ginger_Ark

sad21 - I used the refrigerated Primadophilus Reuteri orally (3x/day) and I bought a powdered variety of the same thing to insert vaginally with the unsweetened, unflavored, organic yogurt. Honestly, I only did it a few times because it was just really icky.

The condoms we used had a small amount of lubricant on them, but no spermicide. Spermicide is very mean to a vagina with BV. Ouch. After I'd been symptom free for about 2 months, we had sex without a condom once. I waited to see how it would go. Things seemed okay. So we just progressed cautiously. I now take the precaution of using a little Active Gel right after sex.

The good news for you is that you can buy all of these treatments without a prescription. You have the ability to cure yourself and track your progress (if you buy the pH strips) without having to see a doctor or use insurance at all. Certainly doing this under a caring doctor's supervision would be preferable, but the truth is that many of us have been seeing doctors for years, & that was no benefit.



I wonder if this will be a lifetime regimen for me too. But I figure that having to take a little pill every day &/or use the gel every once in a while is a good trade-off. It's far preferable to the way I was living before.

I'm so glad you're finally getting relief.

GINGER ARK!!!

thanks for all your advice and suggestions and updates!! i just want to clarify some things....so you just did probiotics vaginally and orally? and in the begining did you do the acigel everyday and after sex and after period? i'm kinda confused about that......sorry. and what website do i go to order the ph strips? and if my ph is a little high, what would i do to lower it? i order the acigel yesterday and right now i'm just taking probiotics orally and i did one vaginally last night. what i found to be less messy with the probiotics vaginally is that i emptied the contents from the femdophilus in a empty gelatin capsule and inserted it. i had some gelatin capsules from when i tried tree tea oil vaginally.

again.....thanks for everything. i hope i'm on the way to recovery!!

sad21

I'm a 41 year old. And I've been suffering with BV for 6 years now. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm sick and tired of the smell I work in a small office and I smell the place up in no time. I don't want the embarrasment anymore not only that my co-workers should have to endure the smell either. My sister said to go on disability but I've been a hard worker all my life and just can't sit home doing nothing. But on the other hand I miss a lot of days because of the smell. My question today is...does anyone know a remedy that will cure the smell instantly even if for a little while so that i can get through my workday. I'm currently taking Nature Made Acidophilus. It works fine for the most part but over time it no longer works either so I have to stop taking it for a while then go back. I've tried almost everything from prescriptions to OTC products I don't know what else to do!!!


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