[needacure!]

is the 50mg zinc + 28 mg iron + B and C complex one pill?

[DonnaEm]

Follow up nearly a year later: I have continued to follow a mostly sugar free diet. I now have a small amount of sugar occasionally but if I have too much then the BV is back to remind me. If that happens then I just cut the sugar from my diet again and thankfully it disappears in a day or two. I still take probiotics daily. It has certainly proven to be the right treatment for me. The diet is a bit of a drag but stinking all the time was worse. My thoughts are with those ladies who fight this daily. It can sure make your life pretty miserable.

[CHANDLERS WISH]

Dear "Prodigy",
Please note that the term "Chronic" in a diagnosis means it isn't cured (for one reason or another). I'm glad that you have had a "complete cure" . (Edit) Just because a treatment "cured you" does not mean others are simply "reinfecting" themselves.
Cathy

Jerzey.. Chronic simply means long lasting, re-occuring it doesn't mean non-curable...

I do agree that it appears that BV is not like thrush and therefore there is no reinfection passing back and forth.

Some people confuse BV with Thrush...

I appreciate the frustration but this is a "nice" forum where we speak "nicely" to each other.

CW

[lemon25]

I had BV since 2000 until late last year. it was on and off. It usually appear after period or whenever i am wearing tight pants or when the pads stayed longer. I used several antibiotics but all gave me temporary relief. A friend recommend using an organic vaginal wash. I was in the philippines last year and try ' human nature feminine wash'. It really worked for me, the itching and smelly discharge stopped in just few days. But human nature products are not available in Australia (only in US). I tried to find alternative. Now I am using Femwash and i add apple cider vinegar. Im using the apple cider vinegar that you can buy in the supermarket but they say the organic works better. you can try using different brand of feminine was, just add enough apple cider vinegar that it still produce bubbles when used. The result is like the 'human nature organic feminine wash'. Try it. It will not be a loss. It worked for me and it may work on you as well..

[jerzeygirlfl]

Dear "Prodigy",
Please note that the term "Chronic" in a diagnosis means it isn't cured (for one reason or another). I'm glad that you have had a "complete cure" . (Edit) Just because a treatment "cured you" does not mean others are simply "reinfecting" themselves.
Cathy

[jerzeygirlfl]

I too am allegic to most antibiotics...Really complicates any treatment. My heart goes out to you.

[jerzeygirlfl]

Chronic BV after Hysterectomy

I too have chronic bacterial infections. I had a hysterectomy about 8 months ago and have been dealing with a bacterial infection for 5 1/2 months now. My infection doesn't go away and come back it NEVER goes away. I went to a new OB/GYN about 2 months ago and she said it was just a PH imbalance and she gave me 4 months of antibiotics to be used no more than once a month. I tried just about everything. Antiobiotics, yogurt, tea tree oil, Rephresh, acidophilus. Nothing works. I do everything they say you should do. I wear cotton underwear, loose clothing, use detergent, fabric softner and soap that is perfume and dye free. I've even cut down on my sugar intake. I honestly think there is an underlying problem causing the bacterial infection and not the "PH imbalance". I think something happened during my hysterectomy (i.e., ovary or hormone malfunction). But the doctor said it has nothing to do with my surgery. If you have found something that works, please let me know and I will go the same. Take care.

Wow, this was like reading the story of my battle with BV. It began, like yours, abt 6 weeks after my hysterectomy. I had abt 6 weeks of complications including a massive infection after my TAH. It is almost 2 years since I began this battle and, like you, have changed gyn's (this doc is in the same practice but, at least to my husband and I, has much better people skills and looks at a slide under the scope before talking abt what to do. Now, we've been treating this with oral antibiotics (limited to levaquin due to multiple drug allergies) but, it hasn't gone away.
I, like you, have done all the avoidance stuff (douches, bubble baths, nice silky underwear, dye and perfume free products....All to no seeming purpose.
I, like you, have taken/used all the home remedies.... Again to no avail.
Please understand (to a post above) that this is not a matter of "you are reinfecting yourself" "one antibiotic and it is cured"....
My husband and I even refrained from sex for months at a time and stilll... Here it is BV.

https://www.womens-health.com/boards/images/smilies/mad.png

I have reached a point where I don't know what to do. Recent Gyn visit had to be postponed. I am seeing him in early Oct. Please, please, if anyone out there has a suggestion/home remedy that does not require self blame/torment..., please let me know.
I am grateful to you for wrinting this post. At I know now that there is at least one other person out there with the same problem as me.

Cathy

[Lagartija_5]

I know exactly what you're going through. I have been dealing with chronic BV for a few years now, and am finally feeling like I'm getting a handle on it. It's been very frustrating, depressing, and embarrassing, even with a boyfriend who is supportive and non-judgmental. I never had BV until a few years ago at age 27. The first time I got it, the symptoms were intense, but the medicine seemed to work fine. Some months later, it came back, but milder. I was treated again, and to my dismay, it returned. The doctor tried different medications (metronizadole, flagyl, both oral pills and vaginal cream, etc.) since she said sometimes different medicines work better than others. After several times of recurrence, I was starting to get really discouraged. After seeing about three doctors over a year or two period and a lot of online research, it started to become clear that doctors really aren't sure what exactly causes BV or how to get rid of chronic BV for good. It seemed like a lot of trial and error, which was really disappointing seeing as it's such a common infection and it's 2012, for Pete's sake.

All that said, after exhausing her bag of tricks, my current doctor did some research and decided to try one last treatment on me, which was to use the oral metronizadole pill twice a day, twice a week - so 2 pills every 3 or 4 days - for 4 to 6 months. I actually did it for about 7 months. I had only once or twice where I noticed a slight odor, and when this happened I would take the 2 pills per day for about a week straight. Overall, the treatment seemed to work, despite the couple mild occurences of odor. Every woman is different, but the antibiotics can also cause yeast infections as a side effect, and unfortunately for me, that was the case. So in addition to the metro pills, I also took oral flucanazole (sp?) pills about twice a week as well to keep the yeast at bay. I stopped my 7 month treatment about 2 months ago, and so far I have been pretty much symptom free, which leads me to my next point....

It is in fact normal to have some odor during / around your period, as well as after sex if your partner ejaculates inside of your vagina, due to the pH increase that occurs from contact with blood or semen (blood and semen have high pH). But normally, your body will adjust to normal after a couple days. So don't be alarmed if for a day or 2 you notice a slight odor.

Here's the most important part, in my opinion. I am conviced from all of the literature I have read and my own experience that chronic BV is strongly linked to diet and lifestyle, and that a big part of successful treatment and cure also relates to natural, over-the-counter supplements you can take. BV is linked to alcohol consumption, coffee, chocolate, smoking, a diet high in sugar and processed or fermented foods. Dairy should be avoided as well. I admit, I am a drinker and smoker, but I notice when I cut down on either, my symptoms lessen. So if you drink and / or smoke cigarettes, cut that out, or at least cut down. I also replaced coffee with green tea and limit my intake of sugar. (Unfortunately BV seems to be linked to all the fun stuff - chocolate, sugar, coffee, alcohol, dairy (cheese), etc.)

In fact, here is a list I found online that I follow the best I can:

Foods to Avoid:
• alcohol
• coffee
• fast foods
• saturated fats
• peanuts, nuts
• citrus fruits, bananas
• fermented foods
• processed foods
• bread, pasta, refined carbs
• milk, cheese, yogurt
• wheat, gluten
• eggs
• corn
• soy
• sugars

Recommendations
• whole foods
• lots of water

Lastly, I have found success with the supplements I now take every day, namely Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Echinacea & Goldenseal, Vitamin C, and most importantly if you're going to avoid yogurt and dairy, Lactobacillus Acidophilus. The reason you get BV in the first place is due to too many "bad" bacteria overtaking the good, namely Lactobacillus Acidophilus. Even now when I experienced big improvements employing all these remedies and treatments, like I said, it is normal to notice some mild odor around your period or after sex, I do sometimes notice a little something - when these happens, you can take one of the Lactobacillus Acidophilus pills, run it under warm water, and insert it as deeply into your vagina as you comfortably can as a suppository. It will balance both yeast and bacteria, and for me, it rids the odor in less than a day. There may be some discharge as it can leak from your vagina a bit, but it's mild. I'd suggest using it at bedtime as needed using a sanitary napkin.

Ok, last thing - drink plenty of water and exercise.

To sum up - when medicine doesn't work, develop a healthy lifestyle free from or limited in alcohol, tobacco, sugar, dairy, coffee, etc., exercise, destress, get plenty of rest - oh yeah, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and supplement with the vitamins mentioned above.

I know this is a ton of info, but I've run the gamut of treatments and you really have to attack it from all fronts.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!!!

- Liz

[NaomiJayne]

Hi..

I am new to here but have just read this thread. I suffered with BV on and off for about 10 years, i had tests after tests and anti biotics after anti biotics. There is only one thing that has ever worked for me and that is something called 'Balance Activ' they are little gels that you squeeze internally at night, use it for 7 days and it totally disapears, i only have to use one 2 nights running and its gone. Its about £9 but so worth it, you can get it from Boots on the shelf. It has totally changed my life. Good luck girls x

[Sophiaxo]

Vitamin D3 cured my recurring BV for 4 years now!

alright ladies! I have been suffering for two years with this, happened after i got a IUD for birth control. Since then i have removed that, started and stopped taking the pill form and feel as if i must be losing my mind! I really am glad this forum exists or i might have felt so alone....Any how, I really think that this BV has something to do with our periods. I am usually fine before a period if i've cleared it up in the meantime. I have a four to five day period. So, on day for or five, when the it's just "pink" discharge not full blood i notice the odour...YUK!!!! grrrrrrr. This is every month. I have a understanding BF, but how much more can i expect him to take?? What is it about the act of having a period gives us all BV. I'm convinced it's our periods. I've done all the above. wiping, no sex, change soaps, rePhresh, cotton panties, Commando, and to no avail every month like clockwork.....BV! My bestfriend also suffers from this, i recommended the h202 douch to her, that worked but recently didnt work for her a second time. Hasnt worked for me either the last two times.

Her OBGYN said to take 2000 iu of vitamin D a day. My response to this is if vitamin D was the cure we'd all be cured!!!!! Grrrrrrrrr. However, i'll try just about everything i can get my hands on before i end up dumped and miserable. SO, today i bought the vitamin D, AND goldenseal, which i read about earlier this morning. I've read every post on this thread over the past few months and today i finally joined. I need someone to talk to about this that understands before i rip all of my hair out....lol ;o)

Now i will let you guys know if the Vitamin D really works. Also, i bought the Lavada vitamins and am almost done with the bottle. Has anyone else bought these??? I swear we all could have a multimillion dollar buiness with all the money we spend trying to cure ourselves!

I have had recurring BV with or without symptoms since I was a teenager. I am now 32. I have tried EVERYTHING out there. The ONLY thing that worked was vitamin D. I started taking 5000 IU a day for 4 years and it has never returned. I have also not even gotten sick. Vitamin D plays a major role in the immune system! Many people are scared of taking too much vitamin D, when in fact, people should be scared of being deficient. Over 80 percent of people in North America are deficient. Please be aware that medications such as antibiotics that are constantly prescribed contribute to a billion dollar industry. People think something so natural, cheap and simple couldn't possibly be the answer. Just make sure you are taking ENOUGH! I am 115 lbs and had my blood tested. The Dr. Said I should take 6000 IU per day! There is no magic number. Test your blood to make sure your levels are sufficient. I know how frustrating this condition is and I really would like to scream to the world how vitamin D has changed my life. Good luck to all of you!