[Liliannebc]

Other Things To Try....

I tried taking Primadophilus Reuteri for a week, but it didn't cure me. So I had to see my dad who does alternative medicine. First he told me that you must open a few of the p. reuteri's, put them in plain yougart and insert it. This is the best way and he said it has worked for all of the women that came in with b.v. (should also swallow them) Also, the use of antibiotics disturb the bodys natural balance, creating an environment in which infectious orgamisms can thrive. So I haven't tried any antibiotics. Vaginits may also be cause by a vitamin B deficiency. Oral contraceptives can produce vaginal inflammation. I have been on them for years, but recently switched back to my old ones. I doubt that has anything to do with my problem. Here are other things to try from your health food store, one or the other may not be the cure, but they are all good for you regardless. I hope someone benefits from this post cause I have had this problem for a week and it is the worst thing ever. Can't imagine having it for years. Will let you know if I run accross anything else.

Biotin - inhibits yeast

Essential fatty acids - Aids in healing

Garlic - has antifungal properties

Vitamin B comples - sometimes deficient if women with vaginitis

Colloidal silver - A broad-spectrun antibiotic that subdues inflammation and promotes healing

Add 3 cups of pure apple cider vinegar to bath water and soak for 20 minutes allowing water to flow into vagina.

You can douche with infusions made from antiseptic herbs such as echinacea, garlic, goldenseal (may be the best) , st. johnswort, calendual, tea tree oil (the topical kind) Echinacea and Goldenseal can be taken orally.

You should eat plain yogurt, brown rice, oat bran, sugar and yeast free foods. Avoid alcohol, chocolate, fermented foods, dried fruits, acidic fruits, ham, wheat (I don't know why on any of these)

[tidal611]

thanks for the info

Thank you so much for the info. I will keep this in mind next time I have a BV infection. Although I am surprised to hear that apple cider vinegar did not work for you because it works wonders for me. Maybe it was the way you took it? Because ingesting A.C.V. won't cure BV but if you dip a tampon in a diluted batch of A.C.V. and stick the tampon inside you for an hour it completely clears it up for me. I dilute 1 tablespoon in 4 ounces of water, dip a tampon and insert and this works immediately. I read that the reason why using vinegar in this fashion works is because gardnerella, the bacteria that causes BV, grows in an alkaline environment. Our vaginas are more acidic so when our vaginas PH goes more alkaline this allows the bacteria to grow. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is acidic and there fore returns the vagina to it's original acidic state thereby killing the gardnerella. I use probiotics like the one you mentioned for yeast infections but one miracle I found recently was garlic! If you take one clove of garlic and cut some slits in it to release the alanin and insert it over night, at least 8 hours, it will completely destroy yeast. And every baker knows that you never add garlic to bread before it has risen because it will stop the yeast from rising the bread and it is the same for yeast infections! Garlic with probiotics is the cure for yeast infections. I couldn't believe it when i tried it how amazing it worked!

[katyleegee]

I hate bv

I Have Had this problem for about a year now and i have continously gone to the doctor and taken that horrible medicine they give me that messes up my taste buds and makes me want to throw up everytime it touches my tounge, bathing, soaps, sex, lotions are all the cause of my bv and it drives me crazy and its crazy how much my boyfriend is understanding i was embarresed to say something cause i thought it was a bad std but after doing research its crazy how common it is so i opened up to him about it well i had to because i couldnt have sex with him numerous times because it would hurt so bad i would cry even standing at times would hurt me so much, i appreciate all the information you all have put up im currently in the process of using distilled vinegar in my bath and putting it in my vaginal area and eating yogaurt so i as well will let you all know how it works out

[amelillo13]

I Have Had this problem for about a year now and i have continously gone to the doctor and taken that horrible medicine they give me that messes up my taste buds and makes me want to throw up everytime it touches my tounge, bathing, soaps, sex, lotions are all the cause of my bv and it drives me crazy and its crazy how much my boyfriend is understanding i was embarresed to say something cause i thought it was a bad std but after doing research its crazy how common it is so i opened up to him about it well i had to because i couldnt have sex with him numerous times because it would hurt so bad i would cry even standing at times would hurt me so much, i appreciate all the information you all have put up im currently in the process of using distilled vinegar in my bath and putting it in my vaginal area and eating yogaurt so i as well will let you all know how it works out

Yes, please keep in touch on these boards katyleegee. I've been dealing with BV for over a year and a half. No clue what brought it on, but it sure as heck isn't going away! So frustrating! Have you been put on long term flagyl or something? What all have you tried to get rid of it? I've been put on Clindamycin cream for 6 months and I'm about 4 months in and see 0 improvement =/

[Healthylife]

I followed the common advice I saw on 10 different forums on this of hydrogen peroxide application and acidophilus (found in probiotic yogurts or pills). This is day 2 and am amazed the smell is totally gone. Still a bit of discharge but I read that's normal and will go away.

Recipe to fight and possibly terminate BV:

-Eat 2 capsules of acidophilus (make sure it has a lot of strains and Esp. "L. Casei") a day until symptoms are gone.
- take about 1/3 cup of boiled water and cool it off (just put it in fridge for 15 mins) and add 1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide. Now what I did because I didn't have an applicator was I soaked a tampon in the solution and inserted that in my vagina. What this will do is create an acidic environment for the good bacteria (the ones in your probiotic capsules meaning the acidophilus ) to grow the bad bacteria which is causing the smells don't survive in acidic environment they need alkaline environments.
- I also took one of the acidophilus capsules and opened it and after removing the tampon inserted the capsule just a little and contorted my body so the powder would go into my vaginal cavity. This will cause good bacteria growth in there. Remember these capsules have live bacteria so they multiply and don't be scared those bacteria already exist in you even in your digestive tract but it's just a matter if having enough of them. Some people just put plain yogurt up there but make sure it's probiotic yogurt. Not all yogurt has live cultures. But I think it's enough to eat the capsules and to apply a bit of the powder slight in the vaginal cavity

So I have only did all the above once and noticed a significant difference. I don't know how I got BV. I'm not sexually active and extremely clean. I even wash with water after I go to the washroom. Im very particular about smells and never had any smells down there so I instantly noticed the change and started researching. Ladies the above remedy worked for me and a lot of women so try it before harsh pharmaceuticals. BV is not very risky and can really happen to anyone do don't worry you are not alone.

[alapine]

Treating BV or yeast infections

I use to get BV over and over again! So incredibly frustrating!! I just went to a waterpark where I was in a wet chlorinated bathing suit for four hours so I got home with an extremely irritated vagina, mainly the opening. We just bought season passes so it was a big disappointed that I was in this much pain from just one trip. I assumed it was BV since I just had it the previous month but after doing my typical at home treatments it wasn't getting any better and hurt much more then typically BV. Which made me realize I had a yeast infection instead, though I wasn't having the typical discharge but I was very swollen, itchy and it burned especially when urine touched it. I called the wellness center nearby and the lady was so helpful on the phone, she gave me detailed advice. Many of the at home treatments I had been doing were slightly off so I wanted to clear up some little details that others might also be doing wrong

So here is how I got rid of my yeast infection:
Douche with vinegar 2-5 times a day, restores the acidity. Days that I could, I did it more because it clears out the discharge and gave me relief and made me feel clean. I was really against douching and usually try treating my YI or BV any other way but I ended up getting converted and I found that you can buy a disposable douche for $2.50 at the drug store (or order them online, though I bought a bag kind and it was hard to dry and got moldy). Anyway, with the drug store disposables dump out the chemicals that come in it, rinse well and add your own solution. (Don't use the solution in the over the counter douche, they put horrible things in those!!) You can reuse these several times, just make sure to clean afterwards and let dry. I used about 1-2 ounces of vinegar to 6-8 oz of water. If its really irritated it will feel better to use a lower concentration of vinegar. I just used plain distilled vinegar, not apple cider. It is really important how you douche, it was recommended to me to lay on something soft, raise my lower end and let the solution drip in and set for a few minutes. This way it gets to more areas.

After ward I douched with liquid Acidophilus. Get the non flavored milk based kind. This was to restore my healthy bacteria. You can also drink a couple of tablespoons, kinda tastes like yogurt. The stuff is pretty thick so I add a little water to it so I can get it into the douche and then I lay on my back on the carpet and raise up my lower half like with the vinegar. I then go to the bathtub and let most of it come out but don't rinse it all out, should wear a pad because there will be discharge. I also insert a reuteri pill into my vagina because most of the probiotics don't have that bacteria so you have to buy it separately but is really important for vaginal health. I do this for at least three days and then start to taper off with the intensity around day 4 or 5. Make sure its over before you stop or else it just comes back. You can have sex by day 4 but just take it easy because its prolly still somewhat irritated. How much it burns when you use the vinegar is a good sign as to if you are ready for sex yet. In the first day I do use tea tree oil too, mostly because I just need relief from itching/burning. You only need a few drops of tee tree oil and here is the important part! Mix it with water, not oil!! I thought that putting oil down there would provide relief but it did not. You can douche with the tree tea oil the same as you did with the vinegar.

For BV you can do the same things as I mentioned for the yeast infections. I would only add that you can also insert garlic into your vagina to help with itching. I cannot use garlic during yeast infections, the burning was so bad, I couldn't get the garlic out fast enough and thought I would faint.

Tips:
Rinse after sex especially if you used lube or a condom (try to pee)
take probiotics regularly
take yeast tablets to prevent future problems, esp if you are going to be in a bathing suit or taking antibiotics
Tea tree can be use as a 'soap' to disinfect down there, make sure to add a lot of water to it, it is quite potent, works very well watered down.
you can insert probiotic pills including reuteri into your vagina, the wetness in there will break down the capsule.
Bv tends to be more smelling and less painful then a yeast infection, though if you can afford to get tested might be helpful the first few times to help you know which u have, everyone reacts a little differently.
If your man isn't circumcised, try convincing him to pull back the skin and rinse with water that has a little bit of vinegar or tea tree oil followed by a rub with probiotics. some folds of the skin never get pulled back all the way and can harbor bad bacteria, would be really helpful if he knew if he had these kind of 'spots.'

Good luck!

[feminform]

I have struggled with BV for most of my adolescent into adult life. At about the age of 17 I can remember going to the walk in clinic with these symptoms. This was also right around when I had my first boyfriend, and became sexually active.
It is completely besides me as to why not a single health practitioner that I saw for about 8 years on and off with these symptoms never recommended to me the use of vaginal probiotics rather an unhealthy plethora of antibiotics and antibiotic gels and cremes.
I have lived in a couple different countries since then, and whenever I have felt the onset of symptoms I have been able to find these probiotics. Unlike other women on this board, generally any kind of vaginal probiotic which is made for vaginal insertion has tremendously worked ie: I couldn't say that one strain works more than another, as far as the common strains which repeat themselves product to product within vaginal probiotic products.
In Europe I have found them at most pharmacys for under 10$, in the US, at health food stores for a little more and in Canada as well though this was the more expensive country.
I would strongly urge younger women who are familiarizing themselves with BV, to try some of the advice out that has been posted on this forum. I think a woman can become so in tune with her body, that now I even take a vaginal probiotic when I feel that I haven't been active or eaten well for a period of time, this seems to weaken my body and make it easier to overgrow with BV.
Probiotics totally work! I would strongly suggest it.

[BabyGirl]

Even though this is from 2007 ( Thread ) .
It is important to read it .
Or maybe can be " Re
threaded to a more Current date "

I have struggled with BV for most of my adolescent into adult life. At about the age of 17 I can remember going to the walk in clinic with these symptoms. This was also right around when I had my first boyfriend, and became sexually active.
It is completely besides me as to why not a single health practitioner that I saw for about 8 years on and off with these symptoms never recommended to me the use of vaginal probiotic's rather an unhealthy plethora of antibiotics and antibiotic gels and cremes.

Back in my " Walking " to Clinic or even having to go there, was in the 1970's. Dr's and Clinic's were not into Education or much else . It was usually a Pill or suppository Insert and that was about it .
Nowadays they are " releasing " more information about how your Body works, what causes what and how to treat or Avoid .

We should also remember, that we look to our Dr's and Health Providers, that have Experience. But Many of them , Go with us, as in they Learn as We Learn. Some Elder Dr's have more Experience than some Young Dr's .
But then again ,
The Elders will send you to a Specialist . Which are usually Young and Talented and really Study hard and know exactly what you are talking about and can Help
But Constant " ANYTHING " including BV , High BP , VG , IBS , will always tell you .
You Body is Out of Sync.

Look to the Cause, not the Cure

[Chassyb]

Very Appreciative

I have suffered with BV for over ten years. The only time it went away was when I was pregnant (twice), which tells me hormones do play a part. My Dr doesn't know what to do because I've tried everything they've suggested. It feels good knowing I'm not alone and look forward to trying Primadophilis Reuteri. I'll post my results later.

[liz3333]

I tried the doctor-prescribed medication to no avail. I tried the boric acid up my hoo-ha. The only thing that worked was D-Mannose, a natural supplement. I used it for 5 days straight, took 1 by mouth every 2 hours. It cleared up. Wanted to post this to help others who may not have had success using different routes. I also take it as directed once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. as a preventative measure.