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February 10, 2012

Patient Discussions: Bacterial Vaginosis - Effective Treatments

Question:What kinds of treatments have been effective for your bacterial vaginosis?

Published: June 26

I have been fighting bacterial vaginosis off and on for the last four years and was on Flagyl everyday for the last trimester of my pregnancy because of it reoccurring! My OB/GYN recommended using Rephresh to help keep my pH at normal levels. (You can find it at all grocery and drug stores.) It's definitely helped!

Published: July 23

I was recently diagnosed with BV. At the time the doctors told me it was caused by stress, eating unhealthy, and abnormal sleeping patterns. I usually don't have sex, but recently got a new partner. Unfortunately, we didn't use protection, and after having sex one time symptoms occurred. About two weeks after I started realizing change in my discharge. I was scared I had an STD, I thought I was fortunate to only have BV. The doctors say it's curable, but from these comments I worry it will be reoccurring. I'm orally taking metronidazole. I've only been taking them for two days now. My symptoms were already clearing up before I started taking them, probably from abstinence. Now my only worry is having this for the rest of my life, with every new sexual partner I have.

Related Reading: sexual

Published: July 22

I have been suffering from BV for about a year now. 3 months into a new relationship is when I had the symptoms. I get BV almost EVERY single month. I have tried everything(using condoms, not using condoms, not douching, not even using tampons just pads, only wearing cotton panties, I don't get into pools or hot tubs). NOTHNG works. I have recently been told that your birth control could have something to do with it but have not yet switched (I currently take Ortho Sprintec so beware).

Related Reading: condoms | douching | birth control

Published: June 30

I first developed bacterial vaginosis many years ago after meeting a new sexual partner. I was prescribed metronidazole, which always cleared up the BV but as long as I was still sexually active with my partner, it always returned. The relationship didn't work out and when I met someone new everything seemed fine, I had no problems. However, sadly, this relationship ended and as time passed I forgot about BV all together. I have now met a lovely man and things are going well though the BV returned when we commenced a physical relationship. If I abstained from sex at the first symptoms, the BV would clear up on its own, but this is not easy to do! I'm interested as to why BV will appear with some men but not with others and hope to find a permanent cure. I also wonder whether wearing an IUD device is contributing to the problem.

Related Reading: IUD

Published: June 26

I have had BV twice. Before I was first diagnosed I was aware that I had a discharge but I thought I had a yeast infection so I was using Monistat 7 and the symptoms came back. I've been in a committed relationship 2 years now and I didn't think I had an STD but just to be sure I went. The doctor examined me and without getting results back or anything he immdeiately said I'm going to prescribe u Flagyl. He said I had a minor case of BV. So I took these extremely chalky-nasty tasting pills for 2 weeks and it cleared up dramatically! I mean it was like I was an untouched teenager again. The discharge, the light smell. EVERYTHING WAS GONE! Now here it is 5 or 6 months later I have the symptoms again. Having sex unprotected sex with my fiancee I find to be one of the reasons. When the fluids mix, it could cause an imbalance in the vagina, and the research I have done so far says that all BV is a imbalance of good and bad bacteria. Since we already have good bacteria in our vagina already when we have sex unprotected it can disturb it. So as of right now...all I can do is continue to take the Flagyl medications.

Published: June 24

I have been fighting recurrences of this problem since my 20s and I am now almost 50. Nothing seems to help. I am not sexually active either, so that is no longer a trigger. I was told not to wear thongs and not to douche. I don't do either, but I notice that if I sit in a wet bathing suit for very long, it will reoccur. I also wear leggings rather than regular underwear because I need the extra support and I imagine this is not good for the anaerobic bacteria. I am about to start a new regimen of Shaklee's OptiFlora to see if this helps with making the regular vaginal and intestinal bacteria what they should be.

Published: June 17

I have had BV twice now. The first time I had it I used the one day cream and it came back. I am now getting ready to start the Flagyl pills. I wonder does it have anything to do with taking birth control pills. And if stress is a factor in triggering it, then everyone should get it.


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Bacterial Vaginosis - Treatment Question: What was the treatment for your bacterial vaginosis?
Bacterial Vaginosis - Symptoms Question: What were your symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?

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Suggested Reading on Bacterial Vaginosis by Our Doctors

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