Ladies - bacterial vaginosis

I had an annual exam this morning with my new GYN.  I mentioned I have UC - and he said his wife has UC.  I was so relieved to have someone who would understand UC issues.  All of that happened by accident.

Then I also told him that certain lady parts have been feeling rather "raw" lately after relations.  He said it was most likely bacterial vaginosis and women with bowel disturbances have a much higher incidence of having this problem.

I'd never heard of this before!  He did a swab and tested it - and that was my problem.  He said he could prescribe a topical cream or pills.  I voted for topical - no more pills please!  He even gave me several refills because he said that anytime there was a bowel issue and I started feeling that same feeling again, I should use this nightly for a week.

Just thought I'd share the knowledge :)

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for that info! I've been having this same issue, so I'll go to my GYN and get tested. My friend also had the same problem, so that too got me thinking about it. She also has a gut problem, so I'll let her know that it may not have been her partner!

Oh I HATE bacterial vaginosis... I used to get it monthly, usually right after I had my period for some reason. My period would be gone, and then I'd have this annoying infection. Like I don't have enough embarrassing problems!

For some reason though, ever since I've been on the NuvaRing birth control I haven't noticed any incidents of it in months *knock on wood*. It was getting to be such a pain, having to take antibiotics so often or worse the metro gel ... yuck. I hated that stuff.

i used to get this every month as well. if i notice it coming on, i use the antibacterial wipes and it's gone. they tend to be annoyingly scented but somehow that didn't bother it.
actually i haven't even had to use those in a very long time...

Julee70-- 1 tablespoon of plain vinegar in a quart of tepid water makes an excellent post-period douche. I mentioned it ca. a month ago in another thread & Judilyn shot me down. However, I didn't advocate doing it often, as she seemed to fear. As for taking the Rx remedies for 1 week, my gyno always recommends 2 weeks. Good luck, DakotaGirl, hope you get rid of the bacteria for good! / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])

I've had BV before, and the last time I had it I was put on an antibiotic that put me into a mild flare! Good choice of topical treatment, I wish someone had mentioned to me that this was an option. Hope you feel better!

A timely post indeed! I am appraoching the two-month mark of being in a vaginal infection vortex. I started out with yeast, fixed that, BV emerged, fixed that, it came back, and the grand finale was, and this was confirmed by my gyn, I had BOTH a yeast infection AND BV. Super. I din't even know that was possible.

Sex with new partners always seems to throw me out of balance but I have never had this much of an issue. This has been epic for me. So I'm still waiting to see if a simultaneous round of Diflucan and Clindesse have done the trick. Still feeling raw and irritated but that may just be cause things have been so aggravated for so long. Or it could be the BV still hanging around.

Some interesting things I've discovered during this experience:

My gyn explained that people sometimes get BV after a period because the blood changes your vaginal pH and it can make BV more likely.

Topical meds like Clindesse are contra-indicated in people with UC. I bit the bullet anyway because I was even more afraid of oral antibiotics. Although at this point, if the BV is still there, I will surrender and take flagyl. Like a leming to a cliff...

Also, the last time I saw my GI, he told me that they had found that people with UC generally have LESS bacteria (good and bad) in their colons. I wonder if this is the same in our vaginas? Maybe less bacteria makes us more susceptible to imbalances? Just a thought.

Will definitely look into the Primadophilus Reuteri, though I've been taking acidophilus and eating yogurt before and throughout this whole ordeal.

If it's not one orifice, it's another.... BLEAH. Good luck with it ladies,
Jane

So what's the difference between BV and yeast infections? And if you have BV, are the symptoms always present? I was just wondering because there are times that I'm extremely itchy down there but it usually goes away on it's own.

The cause of BV is not fully understood. BV is associated with an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in a woman's vagina. The vagina normally contains mostly "good" bacteria, and fewer "harmful" bacteria. BV develops when there is an increase in harmful bacteria.

Not much is known about how women get BV. There are many unanswered questions about the role that harmful bacteria play in causing BV. Any woman can get BV. However, some activities or behaviors can upset the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk including:
Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners,
Douching, and
Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception.
It is not clear what role sexual activity plays in the development of BV. Women do not get BV from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools, or from touching objects around them. Women that have never had sexual intercourse are rarely affected.

Women with BV may have an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. Some women report a strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse. Discharge, if present, is usually white or gray; it can be thin. Women with BV may also have burning during urination or itching around the outside of the vagina, or both. Some women with BV report no signs or symptoms at all.

Which is why I mentioned ladies you should never douche with vinegar or anything for that matter.


:)

good thread

Watch for in the difference between a yeast infection and BV. Yeast infection are much itchier and the discharge is much thicker and whiter. BV isn't so itchy, but feels raw and the discharge (according to doc) will be greyer/yellower. (I now see that pb's posts covered all of that - but I'll leave it anyway as a quick summary)

The bacteria that doc was thinking is causing issues is coliform. It seems that no matter how clean we are, those darn coliforms don't go away. This got me to thinking about farting. If poo particles can fly in the air when you flush (thanks Q - that was from the toilet stains post) then do they fly around when you fart? Do underpants trap them close and then cause this problem?!?!?

Ah!

Well, night one of the metro gel went well. No issues besides hubby and dogs snoring loud enough for me to find a different bed!

LOL!!! No fear! I'm a bit afraid of commado style - you never know what could come out of a UCer's bum...

Have I mentioned that taking primadophilus reuteri everyday aids with vaginal health? I havn't had a single yeast infection since and I used to be quite prone to them, along with mouth ulcers and not one of them ever since taking it either...well worth it, especially since it's also aided with my severe lactose intolerance and high cholesterol.

:)