[springsnakes]

question for forum member

Hi. I also am wondering how much alkaline water you drink a day approx in liters? Thanks, springsnakes

[springsnakes]

Hi. One other question. How many liters of the alkaline water do you drink? Are they the bigger bottles or? Thanks, springsnakes

[springsnakes]

Hi. I was wondering where you get the Prodophilus Reuteri and the PH strips? Thanks so much, springsnakes

LadyLane and free spirit, thanks for that information! That explains some things I am still experiencing. I am hopeful that once I have been BV free for a while, that all my parts eventually go back to normal, but if not, I know where to start looking.

My update since my new regiment:

I have been taking the Prodophilus Reuteri three times a day.

I have mixed the powdered version with yogurt a few times and inserted it vaginally, but honestly the yogurt made things feel sticky & I almost felt like I was going to get a yeast infection. I want to find another "delivery mechanism."

I've been eating tons of yogurt (not a problem, since I love it)

I have been checking my pH, & it has been hovering around 4.5 -- about .5 over what I think is probably ideal for me.

I bought some BioFem from the UK, & I have used it after vigorous sex (which I'm getting to have now!) to keep things in check.

We are using condoms faithfully.

I feel GREAT. I am very aware of how things feel & how they are supposed to feel. I can just about guess my pH before I test it now. Here is the greatest miracle -- this month I did NOT develop BV during my PMS week! It's a miracle that I haven't had it at all, but it's unheard of that I didn't develop one before my period. Also, my natural lubrication is back. Sex is like it used to be.

If I have to follow this probiotic regiment forever it'll be worth it. Some other side effects: I have had fewer digestive problems than I've had in years.

Do things feel "perfect"? No. I still feel a little off, & I really think that the .5 pH difference is the reason. I think if I start using the Prodophilus Reuteri powder vaginally I might can beat this thing completely.

Good luck to everyone else. I hope my research & reports are helping someone.

[springsnakes]

Hi. Curious: Did the BV seem to come from sex with a partner or did you just get it anyway? I ask because I just started getting it after sex with my partner in the last couple months and wonder if this regimen will clear it up or if I'll need to take something intravaginally as well . . Thanks, and I'll try this, Cellia

I have had bv off and on for the last few yrs. This last episode has been consistently annoying for over a yr. I have finally found something that has ended my never ending nightmare....
****Folic acid 800 mg x2
****Vitamin C w/rose hips 500mg x2
****Odorless garlic 1000mg x2
****B-Complex x1
****Prenatal vitamin x1 (its a good multi vitamin includes vitamin D among other vitamins needed to fight bv)
****Pro-B rephresh x2
****Refrigerated multi strain probiotic 50 billion x1
****1/4 tsp powdered multi strain probiotic 10 billion mixed with Activia yogurt x2
****Alkaline water (atleast 2-3 bottles a day)
I take all the vitamins and probiotics in the a.m. and drink alkaline water throughout the day. I have had no more problems with the bv since I have began this daily regimen. I hope this will be helpful to others, if you have any questions feel free to ask.

[springsnakes]

Hi. Can you tell me where you're getting the Prodophilus Reuteri and the PH strips? That would be a big help. Have been suffering with BV for awhile now. It's directly related to sex with my partner. Thank you!!

[Sylvia12]

Hi, Happygirl. I am also in Canada. London Drugs sells the boric acid tablets pre-made. It's $0.75 per tablet and is also behind the counter.

I opted instead to use vaginal vitamin C tablets for treatment. It is marketed as Prevegyne and is available behind the counter at the pharmacy (if not available right away, they can at least order it for you). My side effects were the same as yours. It is more expensive, but I prefer it because vitamin C is already in the body.

[Sylvia12]

I had recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV) for about a year, but a few months ago I found 1 good preventative measure and 1 alternative treatment to the normally-recommended antibiotics. (Please note that I am not a medical professional.)

1) Alternative BV Treatment: Vaginal Vitamin C (Prevegyne)
A nurse-practitioner recommended inserting 1-2 boric acid capsules into the vagina every week to prevent BV, since the acid maintains the acidic environment that is needed for a healthy, BV-free vagina. I went to consult a pharmacist (I was weary since boric acid is toxic when consumed or in bloodstream). She suggested I try vaginal vitamin C tablets (the brand was Prevegyne), since vitamin C is also an acid and is normally used by the body anyway. In Canada, vaginal vitamine C is considered an "alternative" treatment sold behind the counter without a prescription, and it’s not cheap (just over $30 CAD for 1 treatment of 6 tablets). However, I am so grateful to the pharmacist for introducing it to me, because it has worked both times I used it and allowed me to get rid of the symptoms without antibiotics (smell was gone after first day)! Just insert 1 tablet each night for 6 days. For me, the only side effect experienced was a watery, odourless discharge the following day, but all that meant was wearing pantyliners until the day after the end of the treatment. The information sheet does list several other possible side effects which have been reported, though.Your pharmacist should be able to give you a print-out about this treatment which includes findings from clinical studies.

As with the antibiotic treatment, one treatment of the vitamin C is not going to prevent reoccurence of BV. The manufacturer of Prevegyne say it can be used for BV prevention (as in you can take it even if you don't have BV), too, but it is a tad expensive to be used monthly. This leads to my next topic...

2) Preventing BV by using tampons less frequently
Another nurse-practitioner pointed out that since blood is less acidic than the vagina, menstruation can promote BV. For I while, I only used tampons during my period, and symptoms actually were most apparent in the days following my period and would diminish after. I actually think that that particular occurrence of BV that I went to the nurse for was caused by me forgetting to change my tampon frequently enough while at work. Afterward speaking to that nurse, I always alternate between tampons and pads and change my tampon at least every 6 hours (and thus never wear a tampon to sleep), even though the tampon manufacturer says that the tampons can be worn up to 8 hours. I then had my longest BV-free period since my BV problem started, despite getting a new sexual partner, being very sexually active, and having sex without condoms for the first time (all of which are correlated with BV occurrence). I noticed symptoms again for the first time about a month ago (not sure why, but it coincided with having a new sexual partner) but since I used the vaginal vitamin C right away, the symptoms were brief.

Hope that helps at least some of you!

[missy31]

I have had bv off and on for the last few yrs. This last episode has been consistently annoying for over a yr. I have finally found something that has ended my never ending nightmare....
**Folic acid 800 mg x2
**Vitamin C w/rose hips 500mg x2
**Odorless garlic 1000mg x2
**B-Complex x1
**Prenatal vitamin x1 (its a good multi vitamin includes vitamin D among other vitamins needed to fight bv)
**Pro-B rephresh x2
**Refrigerated multi strain probiotic 50 billion x1
**1/4 tsp powdered multi strain probiotic 10 billion mixed with Activia yogurt x2
**Alkaline water (atleast 2-3 bottles a day)
I take all the vitamins and probiotics in the a.m. and drink alkaline water throughout the day. I have had no more problems with the bv since I have began this daily regimen. I hope this will be helpful to others, if you have any questions feel free to ask.

[needacure!]

Does anyone know where to get lactic acid gel? can your dr prescribe it?

[svsmith]

I have been dealing with this since I was pregnant. My daughter just turned 12 years old!!! I thought I had a veneral disease. All my tests came back negative. My gyn told me it was a bacterial infection, and gave me the Metro, which in turn gave me the worst yeast infection I have ever had. Then he gave me something to clear that up, needless to say-it came back after a month. I tried everything(a friend recommended douching with bleach!!!) That didnt work. I was at my wits end. I have been with the same partner for over 6 years, he smells it.Its horrible that fishy odor. I work in a small office, I know if I can smell it, so can they. No intimacy in my relationship, sex maybe twice a month. I'm 33 yrs old. I finally got frustrated and went online, since my doctor wasn't helping me. I came upon this websiite, and was literally in tears. I thought I was the only person dealing with this. Always thinking that something was wrong. Some people smell so clean. Im dealing with a discharge everyday and that smell!!! I tried a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (70%) and distilled vinegar (30%) and the smell and discharge was gone in hours!!!! I didn't have to wear a pantyliner in years. My boyfriend, said you are glowing. We had sex 4 times the next day. There was absolutely no smell, no discharge. I was alot tighter, but that was a relief after years of my boyfriend thinking that I was cheating on him-because I was always so wet down there. Its been a week and half. And still no smell. Some lower back pain. But I feel renewed, more confident. Not afraid to go around others, always knowing that I smell bad. I'm hoping that this will keep working. I douche every other day now and after sex. If it comes back, I've made notes of other remedies I've found on this site. Thank you all so much. And I hope and pray, that one day they find a real cure for this, and all women, don't have to live with such an awful, life-hindering infection. THANKS AGAIN

I just wanted to add that I read a research article (Eschenbach, D.A., P.R. Davik, et al. "Prevalence of hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus species in normal women and women with bacterial vaginosis." Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 27.2 (1989): 251-256. Print) that indicates your findings. It states that the Lactobacillus bacteria (which produces hydrogen peroxide) is lowered in women that have bacterial vaginosis infections. Therefore, it would sound appropriate to douche with hydrogen peroxide and also increase your consumption of Lactobacillus probiotics! Thanks for this information!