[springsnakes]

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

[springsnakes]

question for forum member

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

[Brooke0707]

Does anyone know any good websites that have herbal remedies? I recently ( within the last 3 months have been diagnosed with BV, and its been chronic, probably 5 times in the last months Ive been put on antibiotics) has anything worked for anyone. I'm so afraid that this is going to take over my life, as so many have posted they have had the issue for years.

[Jayci]

I am sorry Brooke, I have no idea myself. In the end I never had BV, mine was just a bad case of Strep B, I have managed mine with using bath/shower wash that wont upset the ph down there.

Have you spoken to a Herbalist, dietician or naturopath?

They would be the best people I recommend to speak with.

JC

Does anyone know any good websites that have herbal remedies? I recently ( within the last 3 months have been diagnosed with BV, and its been chronic, probably 5 times in the last months Ive been put on antibiotics) has anything worked for anyone. I'm so afraid that this is going to take over my life, as so many have posted they have had the issue for years.

[sizzalene]

I have had B.V. for over 7yrs. I have grown resistant to flagyl & metrogel as well as asymptomatic. However, I started taking molkosan and 1 probiotic 15billion pill once a day. I am a firm believer that this is working for me. Good luck

[Sisi :)]

What has been working for me

I was diagnosed with BV about two months ago, but am fairly sure I have had it for about 5 months. My symptoms were itching, painful intercourse, yellow foul odor. I went to the DR and he prescribed metrondiazole for 5 days vaginally. Bv symptoms returned no less than two weeks after that. I noticed the symptoms after starting a new birth control (Tri-Lo), but this is also around the time that my BF started finishing inside of me. The semen may be the reason of the BV because of the change in pH. I have informed my BF to stop so I can get rid of the bacteria and replenish the good flora. My symptoms occur right after my period usually one or two after it ends. I have done a lot of research on Bv. I'm a nursing student and I swear I spend more time looking up natural cures for BV than doing my hw. Right now I have been using boric acid inserting two capsules vaginally at night. I'm on night 6 of 14. It seems to be helping. I'm concerned about when I stop that the symptoms will return right away. I make my own capsules. It's cheap and very easy. I have been using apple cider vinegar in the shower as well as taking two capsules daily. I dissolve 3 capsules in about 6 cups of water and wash my area with that then rinse. I was taking a probiotic lactobacillus acidophilus, but I haven't noticed any changes since taking that. I recently switched today to Renew Life Ultimate Flora Vagina Support 50 billion active bacteria cultures, so hopefully I see some results. I haven't had any smell or itch since using the boric acid. I'm wondering if for anyone who has cured themselves of BV do they still continue a daily regimen of probiotics, vitamins, ect.. or do they slowly ween themselves off of these and allow the body to fight off the rest of the infection?

I also suggest using the diva cup during menstruation. I was vary wary about purchasing one. I thought they were quite gross, but now that I have used one I would not go back. After each cycle I boil mine in a pot for 30 min.

This is my first post on any health board and will post if I find anything that works for me.

[PiaBallog]

I also had BV and Metronidazole didn't helped(at least not for long). Metronidazole also killed the good bacterial that are living inside the vagina. One of the most helpful advices I ever received to treat BV was this:
1. Don't wear bikini
2. Use balanced Ph when douching vaginal
3. Wash your hands regulary
4. Eat plenty of yogur

Hope this help!

[brit90i]

If this helps anyone I ended up going to my doctor a while back to get a check up and was put on a different birth control about 2 weeks into taking it I went in because I had a raised gland on my breast and also a fishy odor which he diagnosed as bv also had a cyst down there. He told me it was from having sex and I was like okay. He gave me the met. Prescription and it took it all away. I stopped taking birth control and I didn't get any symptoms. So I decided to start taking it again two months later and bam ended up with a raised gland a cyst and bv. I came to the conclusion he was wrong it was my birth control. I now switched and haven't had any symptoms since! So maybe if your on a certain birth control it might be you cause for bv even tho doctors say it won't cause it.

[Noelle224]

Hello ladies. I have never posted on one of these before, but I told myself that if I could cure (so to speak) my BV, then I needed to share with as many people as I could. I have had BV on and off for 7 years. I was SO tired of reading all of the "don't used scented soaps", "remember your feminine hygiene", "don't wear a wet bathing suit", etc. things that all the doctors and websites liked to remind me of. Hearing this repeatedly became so frustrating because of course I do these things...I'm a healthy, 29 year old woman who is conscious of her hygiene. I first experienced BV about 2 months after first sleeping with a boyfriend I had when I was 22. Who knows what triggered it, but up until about 4 months ago, I've been embarrassed by BV for 7 years. So per my doctor I took Flagyl for a couple years...this obviously didn't help and I didn't like the idea of constantly taking oral antibiotics, so I switched to Metro gel, which each time was effective for a little while, until the BV came back. THEN, my first breakthrough: a woman who overheard my troubles gave me some unsolicited advice. She said that she has the same struggles and takes Ultimate Flora Vaginal Support Probiotics and it helped her. So, I immediately go to the store and pick some up...I could only find it at my local health food type of store (like Whole Foods) and it's about $40 a bottle for a 30 days supply, taking one pill a day. I started this and it worked! I was thrilled...for a little while. Then, after a few months I noticed the symptoms coming back, so I started taking 2 pills a day...this escalated into taking approx. 5 pills a day (this is how desperate I was to keep the symptoms away). This quickly became very expensive for me so I went back to the doctor who told me that I needed to take Metro gel for up to 6 months with insertions twice a week. This seemed ridiculous to me, so this is when I decided to do some research on my end. I found a few forums that talked about Boric Acid suppositories....like most women, this scared the crap out of me at first because Boric Acid is used to kill insects. But these women kept saying that it worked, so it stayed in my head. Then one morning I was putting eye drops in and just happened to read the ingredients and saw that Boric Acid is an ingredient in the eye drops I used every day. This is when I decided to purchase Boric Acid. In all the research I did, I also decided that once the Boric Acid was effective, I would try taking supplements to keep the BV away.

So this is exactly what I did....and I HAVEN'T HAD BV IN 4 MONTHS:

From Amazon.com I ordered:

Boric Acid Powder Humco 6 oz
Now Foods V Caps '0' Empty Capsules 300 count

Now Foods Vitamin C-1000 Sustained Release with Rose Hips 250 tables
Now Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus & Bifidus Probiotocs 120 capsules
Spring Valley Folic Acid 800 mcg

I made 14 tablets of Boric Acid using the capsules. I filled each capsule about 3/4 full and inserted one capsule each night for 14 nights. There was no pain or discomfort. The only side effect was a very small watery flush on day 2 or 3 of using the capsules (I read that this same thing happened to other women as well).

The BV was gone.

Then I had my period and it started to come back. Based on research I did, I read that during the period is when the BV can really flourish, so I decided to wait a few weeks for my cycle to come again and then use the Boric Acid suppositories while I was on my period....and this worked! Since that time my BV has not returned. Again each night (starting on the first night I started my period) for 14 nights I inserted the capsule and still used a tampon and had no issues whatsoever.

To keep my vaginal balance in check I now take one Vitamin C pill, one Acidophilus & Bifidus, and one Folic Acid every morning.

There are a few medical studies out there that are just starting to really look into the effectiveness of boric acid, as well as folic acid, for chronic BV sufferer's. From what I gathered, recurring BV all comes down to the woman's vaginial acidity levels. The Boric Acid makes it impossible for the bacteria in BV to grow and it gets wiped out. Then the supplements that I take on a daily basis keep my acidity levels where they need to be. By no means am I a medical expert and this last paragraph is based on my comprehension of the information I've read.
All I can tell you is that it worked for me. I hope this helps other women and if it does, spread the word. Not only are the physical symptoms of BV uncomfortable and obnoxious, the emotional issues that come with it are challenging, to say the least.

Best,
Noelle

[tenerifekat]

Hi everyone,

I have been reading through a lot of the posts and hoping that like many of you my current plan will get rid of this horrible infection!! I have been suffering for 3 years now. This time have taken the antibiotic suppositories, and next day started on probiotics orally and vaginally, folic acid, actimel and 1 natural yogurt per day, it is only day 4, from time to time I'm feeling like the BV is present, like just a little givaway itch inside or discharge, but it's not too bad, going to give it the whole month of this treatment and pray to god it helps. Also changing my diet, no bread or sugar, cutting down on dairy. Lots of vegetables as well, hope this will help too. I just feel so awful, I have no sex life, even when we have tried it it's just so painful I can't bear it and end up in tears of frustration, my husband is really understanding, but we both miss the intimacy so much !!! We desperately want to have a family so this is why I am so determined this time to get it under control, I am nearly 32 and feel like I'm running out of time if I want to have children!!
Sorry for wittering on but in has been a comfort reading this forum and knowing I'm not alone and that some of you have managed to rid yourselves of BV, I only hope I do too. I will keep posting on my progress to see if what I'm doing helps.....