[miffed23]

I am so pleased to share that I have found an answer!

Eat a raw food diet. Living foods have enzymes that break down the yeast and bacterial in our bodies to "reset" the bodies' system.

I feel incredibly empowered by this lifestyle.

I no longer depend on the medical profession who have no answers except prescriptions. I too tried multiple trials of Flagyl and all the other medications used for BV. They didn't work.

No more am I inserting Vitamin C, yogurt covered tampons, or hydrogen peroxide into my vagina. I also tried hundreds of dollars worth of supplements.

My vagina has finally stopped "crying"....to me, my experience with chronic BV left me feeling powerless and depressed. My vagina literally weeped all day and night.

I experienced the positive results of this way of living within 3 days!

My friends in the "raw world", who have overcome other types of physical health challenges from eating raw, tell me that individuals can "go back" to eating 50% raw meals and remain symptom free if they remain raw for 30 days.

Eating these healthy foods literally make me feel a happy natural high. I am more at peace, feel more connected to my body, others people and the Earth. I'm not going back.

There are lots of great books on the market that relate to raw food lifestyles. I highly recommend picking one up!

Thank you kindly for sharing this with us all!

It certainly makes sense. My doctor swears by the "caveman" diet, which i guess is very similar to your raw diet.

Im curious as to how you get your protein? Is this diet a vegetarian diet or do you eat red meat raw? In fact, im so interged that im going to go and google it!!

[tennis22]

Frustrated also...

I have been reading all the information on this board and really do appreciate it. I have been trying different approaches to solve my problem also. It all began with my pap smear this year, was told abnormal just shows inflammation. I didn't feel any problems. Well that began the regim of creams etc. First vaginal gel didn't resolve it, went back told had bacterial infection and bladder infection, given 2 different antiobiotics. Didn't resolve anything but made me have more burning and irritation externally, very red. I went back, gyn examined me said I had discharge causing the irritation, gave me Boric acid suppositories. Started using them, seemed like stopped discharge but still having external burning, itching and redness. I then started reading and researching more. I have started with Apple cider vinegar sitz baths, they really feel good, taking a probiotic 3x day, garlic pills 2x day, apple cider with water 2x day. I started feeling better, had my cycle and then got back on boric acid, well I then began to notice more external symptoms. Went back to gyn this week as I am wondering if this is something serious...he said no. He gave me cream to apply externally 2x day, triamincole. Told him other things doing and he said that was fine, Also limiting sugar, white flour foods. Well I stopped the boric acid for a few days and I started to notice discharge again - not much. I normally do have that and I have always on and off had the odor, especially after exercising/playing tennis. I did the boric acid last night and today more burning. I tell you at this point I think I am just going to stick to the natural tx and the cream. I also at one point did tenactin and it helped.

My main question to everyone is - are your pap smears normal or abnormal as I see some have suffered with this for long time. That is what I am really worried about. I have a f/up appt at end of June for f/up pap smear and he told me if not clear may do biopsy..

I think I am also going to order the probiotic with the active Lactobacillus Reuteri and try it.

Again thanks for all the suggestions, they do help and it helps to know others unfortunately are battling these issues.

[acadialost]

My main question to everyone is - are your pap smears normal or abnormal as I see some have suffered with this for long time. That is what I am really worried about. I have a f/up appt at end of June for f/up pap smear and he told me if not clear may do biopsy..

I have been having abnormal PAPs nearly as long as I've been battling with infections. It's a long story with me, involving not just BV and thrush but also STDs, oh joy. To give you some comfort, however, abnormal PAPs are very common. Most women will have at least one in their life. That is why we get PAPs, to keep an eye on things and make sure nothing is wrong.
If you do have another abnormal PAP you will probably get what is called a coposcopy (pardon me if I spelled that wrong, I always have trouble with that word). This is a scraping of the inner walls of your cervix. They will then analyze these cells and see if you have any serious abnormalities. If it does look like there is a problem, then further tests will be done, tests that yes, may include a biopsy. However, I am getting my second coposcopy in a few weeks and while it's not fun, it's not really something that you should be overly concerned about. Just make sure you get checked regularly and keep an open dialogue with your doctor, if you are lucky enough to have a good one, and odds are you'll probably find out that it was just an infection or "normal" abnormality that caused the alert in your PAP. Make sure you continue to get checked regularily, though!
And good luck treating your other problems. I, too, have ongoing infection issues (four years and counting) but I have faith that one day I will have a normal vag again!
Good luck

[smann.716]

Bv that turned into PID

I totally agree with you about the raw food diet. All these things that have been processed even bread and pasta i could really feel the effect of when I got this. I've cut them out too.
The antibiotics my doctor gave me of coarse did not work and for three months I was in misery.
I came to my senses and stuck a raw cut clove of garlic into my vagina, which literally cured my PID in two hours. No more huge bloating, no more weird gurgling noises. No more pain in my belly.
But my vagina was still practically swollen shut from all the bacteria. I've been using the remedies from "natural healers" (patients just like you and me who have cured themselves.)
I started this Tuesday. It is now Saturday and my vaginal swelling has reduced by half.
-buttermilk, hydrogen peroxide, or vinegar douches
-the garlic thing
-this was the kicker; the plain yogurt "popsicle" frozen in the finger of a latex glove. I was practically crying it was burning so much (after it had melted) I was sweating profusely especially out of my armpits, and felt naucious. But when I woke up the next morning I was like a new woman.
Good luck everyone.

[smann.716]

diet

I just wanted to say one more thing about the raw foods (I realize I was talking about whole foods not raw with the bread and the pasta comment), but someone told me our vagina's environment mimics the environment of our mouths.

Makes total sense as when I would eat anything with a high glucose content my PID stomach would feel worse (the sugar breeding more bacteria). Even cooked onion and garlic which becomes "carmelized" would do it. I'm sure that diet is doing wonders for your body.

[MANDY2008]

excersise and BV..will it make it worse?

Hello all...yes I am one of you who has been suffering with BV for 4 months now. Haven't had sex with my hubby since Feb! I have tried everything from Clendesse, Flagyl, Metrogel, Natures Way pills, yougurt etc. And everyday I come home to...how is it down there from the hubby. I just had a culture taken and will find out the results on Sat.

I have read on here that a healthy lifestyle is one key? I was staying fit, eating right and excercising and now have stopped since the BV.

My question is, will excercising increase the bacteria to make it worse? This is why I have avoided walking so that I do not sweat "down there". Any thoughts?

[miffed23]

My question is, will excercising increase the bacteria to make it worse? This is why I have avoided walking so that I do not sweat "down there". Any thoughts?

Well, it would certainly make sense. The bad bacteria (very scientific ) thrives in an anaerobic environment, so i for one run without any knickers on...hahaha, obviously with shorts on, cotton ones though....i would suggest that as long as you can breath down there and there is good air flow passing through, then i dont think it will be a problem.

Put ill emphasise not to wear nylon shorts / trackies and stick to cotton. Thinking natural is the way forward.

Im off to freeze my yoghurt and inflict some pain now

Good luck to all. miffed x

[miffed23]

found another answer

It is quite obvious that we are all different....so for the ladies that certain things are not working....try taking 800mg of folic acid twice daily....reports for many women are that smell is gone within 3 days, some even saying they are BV free after 1-2 days.

Its got to be worth a try right?

I guess it depends on the intensity of your personal infection, mine is steadying now and i only notice a slight smell after my period...so im just going to try the folic acid alone...i would recommend taking probiotics too and if your case is severe, wash with a hydrogen peroxide / vinegar douche after sex / menstruation.

Will keep you updated.

[MANDY2008]

LADIES LISTEN UP (Cyprol)

I went to another doctor who sent away for a culture. I just got off the phone as the test results came back. It turns out that my BV is a contamination, not the normal Bacteria, and she gave me a prescription of Ciprol

(Ciprol is used to treat infections of the lungs, skin, bones and joints, kidney and bladder, prostate and
bowel. Ciprol is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of medicines called quinolones. These medicines work by killing the bacteria that causes your infection.)

I have been suffering with this since Feb and trying everything under the sun. All medications, taking the 3 Natures Way pills a day, yogert inserting it)

She said that this is a different kind of infection. PH Balance was normal. I would urge all of you to have your doctor do a culture and get it sent to the lab.

My symptoms are, red swolen, white discharge that can be solid but watery, no smell.

I will keep you posted on how I am making out.

[motoko]

Be careful with the cipro

It is an extremely harsh drug (it's what they use to kill Anthrax), has a number of nasty side effects (including the possibility of spontaneous tendon/ligament failure) and should really be reserved for life-threatening infections, we're running out of drugs that virulent bacteria aren't resistant to. I had to take it for a severe throat infection that was giving me 102-104 fevers, but I won't again if I can avoid it. It gave me tendonitis in my wrist and elbow for a week or two afterward, before I knew that that was a side-effect. Anyway, that and two other rounds of antibiotics this past year brought on the double whammy of a bacterial infection and a yeast infection back to back. My whole ph was just completely screwed despite eating a low-sugar, vegetarian diet and lots of yogurt for years. Inserting yogurt, however, worked perfectly. I used organic with live cultures from a local farm and just inserted about a teaspoon (not frozen) each night for four nights. Lo and behold, weird smell and uncharacteristic discharge are totally gone. I recommend spreading some around the whole vulva/perineal/anal area. The bad bacteria are getting into the vagina from elsewhere, you know, and the yeast must spread at such close proximity.