[sunflower44]

Hello, all. I will try to keep this short, but this is a problem I've had for almost a year now.

It began when my boyfriend and I (committed; both of us have been checked and are clean health wise; we use condoms) had intercourse when I was on my period. It was the first time we ever did that and obviously, I regret it now. I had no idea what would come.

1) It started with a UTI followed promptly after intercourse.
2) UTI was flushed out WITHOUT antibiotics, as I drank cranberry and it went away naturally.
3) Not long after, I had persistent itching. My first thought was is this a yeast infection? Never having experienced one, it was just an assumption. My only symptom was major itchiness.
4) I did not go to the Doctor and believed it would go away all on its own.
5) My itchiness continues and then the discharge begins; it is white/light yellow. Only once it was green and I experienced a slight fever and lower back pains (I also was on an airplane the day before, so this could've been a 1 day "cold", not relevant to my problems).
6) I finally decided to go to the Doctor after the discharge would not go away, the itchiness still present, and my skin around my vagina (and my backside too), became red and raw. Fissures were present in the front and back.
My first doctor said I had NOTHING at all, perhaps just a diaper rash. She prescribed Desitin, Balmex; I used both. It would relieve the itchiness symptoms, but only temporarily. Discharge still present. Cuts would come and return.
7) Went to a 2nd Doctor and got checked out with a Pap Smear too; she said I had Bacterial Vaginosis and possibly a Yeast Infection mixed in. I went on Diflucan twice (1 per week), used Metronidazole vaginal gel for 5 days. Symptoms would lighten temporarily and my raw/red skin went away for good! Only good part. Discharge and itchiness persist.
8) I should add that I had 2 small Vulvar vestibular Papillomatosis growths. These appeared before my first doctor visit, about 5-6 months after all the previously described symptoms. They literally appeared out of nowhere overnight and I freaked! I did my research and all I could accurately describe them as were "fingerlike growth" of flesh.
9) My periods came normally throughout all this and my itchiness/discharge would be gone briefly when it was my time of the month. Ironically, it's like pick your poison. The BV/Yeast Infection would disappear and return after my period was done.

I know this is a lot of info but I am looking for anyone here who has experienced something similar. I've done countless hours of research on BV/Yeast Infection. I still strongly feel its Yeast as I've NEVER had the foul smell I read BV has; yet my 2nd doctor (who was much more informative and kind), said I tested clean except for BV.

I've tried cutting sugar but I refuse to believe a lifestyle change is needed as before all of this (before sex on my period! Dumb mistake!), I lived normally and nothing was wrong down there. This has become so awful and I have no idea how to resolve it. I do not want this my whole life I recently just finished today my 30 day supply of Renew Life Vaginal Flora 50 Billion Probiotics after reading someone had success with chronic BV with it. Did NOT work unfortunately! To this day, I have the discharge that continues to stick to the vaginal walls, with annoying itchiness on the left side on the outer part of my skin (by my thigh).


Any responses would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this! BV/Yeast need to be stopped!

[Little]

I had good luck with a product called VH Essentials. They make a vaginal suppository (and a few other related products, but this one is the miracle worker) that worked on a chronic infection I had that sounds very similar to the less-severe version of yours. I found it at my local drugstore but it can be bought online too.

I, too, read that removing sugar from your diet can help vaginal infections. But when I was really cracking down and trying to fix it, I was on a diet that allowed NO added sugar and hardly any naturally-occurring sugars - no room for fruit, even. So, I'm not convinced that particular diet change will really work.

I used the suppositories to "clean out" the infection, probiotics to help keep it away, made thongs a "special occasion" underwear and cotton undies my staple, and tried to keep my crotch dry and well-aired ... no more body-shaping undergarments! The infection creeps back up on me if I get careless, but keeping up with the probiotics and smart underwear choices keep it away.

[sunflower44]

I had good luck with a product called VH Essentials. They make a vaginal suppository (and a few other related products, but this one is the miracle worker) that worked on a chronic infection I had that sounds very similar to the less-severe version of yours. I found it at my local drugstore but it can be bought online too.

I, too, read that removing sugar from your diet can help vaginal infections. But when I was really cracking down and trying to fix it, I was on a diet that allowed NO added sugar and hardly any naturally-occurring sugars - no room for fruit, even. So, I'm not convinced that particular diet change will really work.

I used the suppositories to "clean out" the infection, probiotics to help keep it away, made thongs a "special occasion" underwear and cotton undies my staple, and tried to keep my crotch dry and well-aired ... no more body-shaping undergarments! The infection creeps back up on me if I get careless, but keeping up with the probiotics and smart underwear choices keep it away.

Thank you for this information! I will look into that product.

[clarity]

It does sound like BV, metrogel has a pretty low cure rate i think. try a course of oral antibiotics before you try anything else, try to get some for your boyfriend too. Or at least get the vaginal ph test kit from the drug store, that will tell you right away if it is BV or yeast. Good Luck!

[sunflower44]

It does sound like BV, metrogel has a pretty low cure rate i think. try a course of oral antibiotics before you try anything else, try to get some for your boyfriend too. Or at least get the vaginal ph test kit from the drug store, that will tell you right away if it is BV or yeast. Good Luck!

Thank you for reading! I appreciate this info!

[GarrettHnatiuk]

BV is unfortunately among those things that is sexually transmitted, although not sexually transmitted. If your having chronic BV maybe you and your partner are just passing it backwards and forwards. See if your Dr can give him a course of metronidazole to consider at the same time as you. Unfortunately among the known triggers of BV is sperm. You might want to use condoms every time in the future or have it so that he doesn't ejaculate within you.

BV only really becomes a problem if its left untreated during pregnancy. My Wife emerged positive for it during her 12 week Pap smear. She took the medication named Generic Amoxil 250mg and everything ended up great my son has become a month old and perfectly healthy.

[sunflower44]

We do use condoms each and every single time, so his sperm does not enter me. I am also not on birth control. I have thought, could this infection be chronic because of an allergic reaction to the condom? I dispute this at times because we used the condoms before my initial UTI problem started, and I was fine. Everything just went downhill after that

Wonderful news that your wife ended up healthy and great! Best wishes to your family.

I thank you for this info; sadly, even if not pregnant, this chronic BV/Yeast Infection is such a burden . I know there has to be a cure out there (natural most likely), that no doctor can ever prescribe me. I feel the doctors are clueless to my personal situation. I am yet truly at a loss sometimes thinking this will never go away.

BV is unfortunately among those things that is sexually transmitted, although not sexually transmitted. If your having chronic BV maybe you and your partner are just passing it backwards and forwards. See if your Dr can give him a course of metronidazole to consider at the same time as you. Unfortunately among the known triggers of BV is sperm. You might want to use condoms every time in the future or have it so that he doesn't ejaculate within you.

BV only really becomes a problem if its left untreated during pregnancy. My Wife emerged positive for it during her 12 week Pap smear. She took the medication named Generic Amoxil 250mg and everything ended up great my son has become a month old and perfectly healthy.

[Romy]

I'm not an expert and think you would need to research this a bit more but I have heard of using a garlic clove to fight the yeast infection and I'm sure I've heard that apple cider vinegar helps as well but I wouldn't recommend trying either of these until you really look into them.

[1beautyguru]

I suffered the same thing for YEARS. (Like, almost 20 of them.) It was awful. I completely understand how you feel.

I started this year off using a product called Prevegyne which I purchased from the pharmacy at Target. It is a series of slow-release vitamin C tablets inserted into the vagina. After doing much research, I discovered everything wrong with the way I was treating my lady parts. Myself and my teenage daughter decided to throw out all of our commercial menstrual products due to this research. All tampons, always pads and kotex pantyliners were tossed in the trash. I went online and ordered Mediterranean delfino silk sea sponges ranging in size from 1.5 inches to 3 inches. I treated them with boiling water with peroxide soak and squeezed them in every direction to make sure all sea debris was removed. I went on [site name removed] to order a material called 'Zorb'. I went to my local fabric store with my daughter to buy minkee, cotton flannel, quilter's cotton, and PUL. I purchased a bag of scrap microfleece from a woman who makes and sells cloth baby diapers. It was so fun for us to pick out fun fabrics we loved. I developed my own patterns using large cardboard from cereal boxes and the like from my recycle bin to make the patterns durable and quick and easy to trace. Now we use reusable pads and pantiliners and I also use natural sea sponges as tampons. (The sea sponges will last 3 to 6 mos).

Before we switched to natural products, I constantly suffered from yeast infections after every period and BV at least 2x a year which would require several rounds of antibiotics. Not the way I wanted to live (as I'm certain you don't either). My daughters periods would last a good 8 to 9 days and be very heavy using her commercial pads. Now she is much less heavy and her periods are 4 to 5 days. And she is more aware of what her body is doing every month. My periods were anywhere from 6 days to 2 weeks long, so heavy I couldn't even leave the house on my third day, and I would pass clots the size of golf balls. Incredibly painful and inconvenient. I was skeptical about all of the women online claiming that their periods became significantly less heavy after switching to reusable products, but it was worth a shot. (Not to mention how much less is going to the landfill from the 2 women in my house!) No joke, the first month, I soaked my sea sponge in water with apple cider vinegar before squeezing out the excess and inserting it. (Holy Hannah! It was so nice to not feel like my insides were being ripped apart by a dry tampon!) When I switched to my lighter sponge, it was treated in water with Tea Tree essential oil. My periods last 4 days, the last day being spotting only this has been for every month this year (the first 2 months I was convinced it was just some kind of weird fluke. Definitely not the case). I have not had a single infection. (Yay me!) I have tried to create a lovely pH balanced environment down there and it appears to be working! I have new freedom in that I can now leave the house anytime during my cycle. Oh, btw, for anyone who may read this and be grossed out...your period is not gross. Your period doesn't even have a foul odor (commercial tampon and pad chemicals cause odor), as for the questions of REUSING? Yes. Do you throw out your underwear or fave jeans if you have a leak? Heck no. You wash them. Do some research, ladies. Treat your bodies right.

To you, Sunflower, I hope you find your cure, no matter what it is. I just wanted to give you my experience. Best of luck!

[sunflower44]

I'm not an expert and think you would need to research this a bit more but I have heard of using a garlic clove to fight the yeast infection and I'm sure I've heard that apple cider vinegar helps as well but I wouldn't recommend trying either of these until you really look into them.

Thank you for this! I too have heard garlic is good.