[Sarah001]

I'm the same, no odour or excessive discharge but very sore skin with burning and a positive result on a test for bv. I've tried to figure out if baking soda is the same as bicarbonate of soda but I get differing answers online with most people saying they are different. I'll have to continue to try and figure it out because this sounds worth a try.

[vickyp]

bv

yes it is the same as bicarbonate soda that you us in the uk.look at the side of the box for the ingredients the baking soda box says sodium bicarbonate.so i think it is the same.i used 1 teaspoon to three oz. of water.i used it for 5 days.i have to go back in 2 weeks to make sure its still gone.i hope it is.good luck.

[Emilywonders]

Seeking help and wants to help

This is the best I've felt in months, just knowing that there are others out there makes me feel so much better (and not in the haha ya'll are suffering too way, but in the I'm glad there are girls to talk to and get advise for way )

I first got vb shortly after becoming sexually active for the first time (about 6 months ago) I got it again shortly after my first treatment. I just finished my second round of antibiotics but now I think that I have a yeast infection. The two seem to be linked.

I hate that there seems to be on cure and am going DETERMINED on figuring something out. I am starting to journal about my vb, what I eat, excise, sex life and basically all my other bodily functions to see if I can find what’s causing it.

But I don’t know if that enough I want to start a blog, not on this site, maybe like on blogspot or something were us girls can go to journal and see if there isn’t a common tread between us. This is great and I would love to keep hearing from all of you. This kind of forum is so important.

[finally_free]

The things I do and dont do.

Finding a solution to chronic vaginosis was not easy for me. I took the medications the doctors gave me and at first I would get infections every 6 months. The more I took the medication the more often I would start getting infections. 10 years latter after taking my first dose of metro I was getting infections non stop. No matter what vaginitis medication I took. This is because the medication a doctor will give you not only eliminates your bad bacteria it eliminates your good bacteria!!! Beware and have caution when taking these medications... unless you want to end up like I was: one big BV infection!

HERE'S A BRIEF HISTORY
I constantly got infections. Tampons were what first caused my infections! When I used organic tampons I would get them less often but I would still get them! I would also get infections after sex, after using certain soaps (esp. Irish spring), had to stop taking baths all together. Once it got bad I started getting infections from fingers, toys, towels, and more. My infections sometimes smelled, sometimes didn't. I would sometime have discharge, and sometimes wouldn't. But every time I went to the doctor, which was very often I was plagued with bv.

WHAT EFFECTS BV HAD ON ME
My BV effected my two year relationship. He did not understand why I did not want to have sex anymore. It also effected my self esteem and caused depression. I was getting so tired of feeling like a failure. I blamed myself for it, and was so angry that the doctors were not helping or listening! I got to the point where I would do anything, try anything, spend any amount of money to get relief.

WHAT HAS CURED OR MINIMIZED BV
I do not like to use the word cured because there is no telling with bv if it will come back one day. But I can tell you I am not suffering anymore. This is what I did. I know the first thing a doctor will tell you is do not douche! Well I wasn't going to take the medication that only made me worse, so I decided to stop listening to doctors (they were the one feeding me with the worst thing for me- metro). I had a bad infection with a fish odor. I knew the infection was not going to cure itself so I:
1. Douched with hydrogen peroxide (3 table spoons) mixed with DISTILLED water (1 liter (which is about 4.2 cups)). This creates a oxygenated environment in your vagina. The good bacteria needs this oxygen. The bad bacteria die in it. I did this for about 5-6 days. Making sure that I moved the insert around to get all of the inside of the vagina (around all muscles) and sometimes holding it inside for a minute. And guess what my infection was gone. But then I had to keep it gone. So I....
2. I took acidiphilious capsules. 3 pills while douching. I know some people will say this does not work. But the ones I take do! Two pills when I don't have an infection. Ultimate Flora Vaginal Support 50 billion by Renew Life. I get them from whole foods. These are coated. WARNING to all women taking acidiphilious if you are not taking coated pills then your pills aren't doing a bleeping thing! For those great cultures to reach your vagina. They must not be dissolved in your tummy! Coated pills will allow them to reach your colon. And you know what that means! You do not have to spend an arm and a leg on Ultimate Flora Vaginal Support like I do. Just make sure your pills are coated.
3. I also take supplements: Daily womens vitamin (from whole foods), Vitamin C, Folic Acid 500, Vitamin D3, and I do take the AZO yeast prebiotic (2 a day because I am on birth control which causes candida)
4. I only use sensitive skin soap (DOVE), non scented laundry detergent, non scented fabric softner, and I now take baths more than once a day. I do not wear thongs.
5. After sex: I sometimes douche with the hydrogen peroxide just in case. Also after my period. But this period I did not and I still have not received an infection.
6. Finally, most important. I stopped eating sugar! Anything with sugar cane, white sugar, added sugar it is not for me. I'll eat things with natural sugar like fruit and things of that nature. Sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your vagina. So if you want to get rid of it, it is the best thing for you to do.
7. Do not expect this change to happen over night. It took me about three to four weeks to get my vagina back. So best of luck! And if you are like me... ready to try anything. It wont be as hard as it sounds!

Sorry for the oration. But I hope I could help many of you women suffering out there. I know what type of physical and emotional pain vaginosis can cause. And there are options.

I know i am not the only person in the world that deals with bacterial vaginosis. Is there a cure that i do not know about. If my doctor gives me flagyl aka mitrodonizale one more time Im going to scream. The drug works but about a month or two later it cames back. I usually notice it right after my cycle goes off or I notice a fishy odor after sex. I was wondering it bv is just a ph imbalance it their anything I can do to balance my ph? If any of you ladies have advice it would be very helpful

[vickyp]

bv

finally free your story sounds alot like mine.only difference is mine hasnt been going on as long as yours.i tried everything and done everything.spent alot of money over a year.i went to seven different doctors within a year.the last doctor i seen him four times the last time he gave me clindamycin cream with two refills and told me theres nothing more he could do.i was almost crying when i left his office.i didnt know where to turn from then on.so i went to the internet and sat on there for hours researching everything.i just laid off so i really have the time to do it.now with no insurance i cant keep on going to the doctors so i have been looking for a natural cure.bv does make you really depressed because it ruins everything you want to do.so on the internet i came across this site where there was this alternative medicine doctor that had his email address.he said if anyone has questions to email him so i did.within one day he emailed me back gave me some advise and his phone number.i never did call him but i email atleast once a month he has been a god send.he told me to try goldenseal root for three weeks because its a natural antiboitic.it worked a little but really not curing it.so i emailed him back he told me to try using baking soda and water douche for five days.so i tried it and so far three weeks bv free.if it does come back i think i would do it different i wouldnt use a douche i would use a eye dropper instead.because using a douche it strips out your lactobacillus your natural flora.so now i have been take three probiotics two times a day.and eating plain yougart a cup a day.also i used the probiotics in my vagina.to use it in the vagina i had a old yeast infection applicater that i washed in soap and water let it dry.i bought ky jel filled the applicater half full then i took two probiotics capsules opened them up and poured them in.i took a tooth pick sturred them up in the ky jel.it makes like a thick sticky paste then i in serted it at bed time.i did this for two nights it really helps.also use dove bar soap on your vagina when you shower it works great.i hope this helps with this nightmare us women has to go through.i know the medicine that the doctors keep on wanting us to use is poison.if there is natural way to go thats the best way to go.finally free im really glad you found something that worked for you.good luck ladies.

[stressedlou]

This may be an old wives tale but when I had it once I was told to actually pack the vagina with yoghurt (obviously 100% natural stuff)... It's super messy but it's going straight the the source... Be sure to rinse throughly tho! I was taking antibiotics at the same time so I can't be sure which actually worked in the end... Sorry if it doesn't work but you sound like you'd try anything... Hope it works if you give it a try!

p.s I only did this cuz I wanted to get rid of it in a hurry and was willing to try anything...

[JayC123]

It's at least comforting to learn how common BV actually is. I'm only 17, but I've had BV for as long as i can remember. I never understood what the odor & discharge was until up about a year ago when i finally swalloed my pride and began to research. I then went to the doctors..she prescribed me with the flagyl and all the other that doesn't work. I feel as though nothing is going to work I've tried most of the pro-biotics, but am going to order some Femdolphilus because i've heard some succeses stories with that. It's just weird because i've litterally had this since i was a little girl, i'm still a virgin and i try to be as healthy as possible. The only symptoms i have are the odor & the discharge. And as gross as this sounds, the discharge is not gray and thin, it's very thick and sometimes even yellow..mucus-like..so i was wondering if anyone else experiences that like me? I've delt with this all my life, i don't even know what a "normal" odor down there is supposed to smell like. BV is taking over my life at this point, and i don't know what to do. If anyone has any new suggestions, that'd be great

[twinz]

I get BV all the time have been getting them since i got off depo in 2006, was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2007 now in 2010 i am diagnosed with group strep B. I dont know how to fix or help any of them. The BV is causing problems in my relationship going on 6yrs now cause intercourse is now no longer pleasurable i have done EVERYTHING listed & tried everything even boric acid suppositories & it only cleared it up for a month. I am currently using 2 suppositories as well as oral medication but now that i have group strep B i have going to have to take Penicillin but it wont cure it either. Im at the end i dont know if i can take any more of things going wrong. My OBGYN said to go on birth control again to pause the Endo & help with the BV infections since it likes blood but i dont want to put more hormones back into my body but dont know what else to do, nothing has worked & i dont want to continue to ruin my relationship. 1 Dr told me not to go on birth control if i wanted kids, my current OBGYN said thats not true but told me if i wanted kids my best chances are in the next year before im 31yo. HELP!

[fmsp90x]

I am cured!

I have suffered from chronic BV for several years now. I have tried antibiotics over & over, home remedies and yogurt everyday with no long term relief. I began drinking a meal replacement shake with probiotics in it everyday & I have been symptom free since & I lost weight!

[Katie35801]

Do any of you have pelvic pain and/or lower back pain with your BV infection?
What about unusual, heavy flooding when it's period time?