Chronic Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis is problematic enough, but if it takes a chronic form, it’s certainly curtains for you! And if you think it can happen only to other women, think again. Any woman, especially of childbearing age, is at risk of developing this infection. In fact, between ten and sixty-five percent of the female population is thought to have it, and of these, almost sixteen percent are expectant mothers. Women who are sexually active also appear to be at the greatest risk of developing this condition.
Bacterial vaginosis is generally caused by the alteration of pH or acidity of the vagina, which allows the ‘harmful’ bacteria to grow unchecked. Chronic bacterial vaginosis occurs when you neglect the infection at its very onset and leave the condition untreated.
Risks of chronic bacterial vaginosis
Although the common symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are an abnormally thick or thin vaginal discharge, itching on the vaginal lips, burning during urination, and the like, most women just don’t display any symptoms. This can make it difficult for women to know if they’re infected. When the symptoms ultimately appear, they’ll already be in the chronic stage. Those who do display these symptoms must be prompt in treating bacterial vaginosis. Neglecting to do so is certain to complicate matters and lead to the chronic stage.
If you’ve chronic bacterial vaginosis you’ll increase your risk of the following:
- Developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
- Permanently affect fertility.
- Cause serious damage to fallopian tubes by the bacteria travelling from the vagina to the uterus, leading to future ectopic pregnancies or complete infertility.
- Contracting HIV from an infected partner.
- Passing on HIV to a sexual partner.
- Contracting STD, like gonorrhea or Chlamydia, since chronic bacterial vaginosis may be linked to human papillomavirus and venereal wart viruses.
If you’re pregnant, chronic bacterial vaginosis can cause some severe complications like:
- Increased chances of complications connected with pregnancy.
- Increased chances of preterm labor.
- Increased risk of low birth weight baby.
Diagnosis and bacterial vaginosis treatment
The tools of diagnosing remain the same for both the normal and chronic bacterial vaginosis. It involves a simple pelvic examination by the physician, who generally takes a swab of the vaginal secretions. This swab is then analyzed for the presence of the bacteria that causes this infection.
For chronic bacterial vaginosis cure, the physician will generally prescribe a course of antibiotics. These antibiotics are either taken orally or vaginally and help to restore bacterial balance in your vagina. Treatment is the same for both pregnant and non-pregnant women; however, dosage may vary depending upon specific cases. An important point to remember is to finish the entire course of medicine, even if all of the symptoms have disappeared.
Natural home remedies are usually not recommended for chronic cases, simply because they’re of a milder nature. However, if you find you’re intolerant to antibiotics, try out some alternative treatment methods. Yogurt and tea tree oil can help kill the ‘harmful’ bacteria while promoting good bacteria. Simply apply plain yogurt directly to your vagina or insert tea tree oil suppositories, and wait for the results. These are especially good for recurrent bacterial vaginosis.
Although bacterial vaginosis treatment is available, many women with vaginosis symptoms do not see a physician and many others who don’t have the symptoms decline treatment. Remember, this infection doesn’t go away on its own and can take the form of chronic bacterial vaginosis in some. So, if you suspect anything abnormal in your genital area, see you physician right away and continue to communicate with him or her to avoid any further complications.
I SUFFERED FROM BV FOR TWO YEARS AND TRIED EVERY THING TO FIX THIS. I EVEN TOOK MULTIPLE TREATMENTS OF ANTIBIOTICS, WHICH IS AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT. I NEVER FULLY GOT RID OF IT. THE MEDS ONLY TEMPORARILY HELPED.
THEN I QUIT EATING ANY PROCESSED SUGAR AND DRANK LARGE AMOUNTS OF GRAPEFRUIT JUICE. IT WORKED. THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS, I STOPPED THIS AND SURE ENOUGH I STARTED GETTING SYMPTOMS. AFTER TWO DAYS OF NO SUGAR AND OVER TWO LITERS OF JUICE, THE SYMPTOMS ARE GONE. JUST IN TIME FOR SOME NEW YEAR NOOKIE.
OUR BODIES ARE MENT TO SELF HEAL AND THE TOOLS WE NEED FOR HELP ARE HERE ON EARTH NATURALLY. OF THIS I NOW AM SURE.
I also Have been having problems with Bv for many years. Seems like if I had a new sexual partner and used condoms I would get it. When I got to know the person and the medical history and was safe, I still got it back. Been prescribed the flagyl creams, etc. Helps for a little while then comes back. I have tried the yogurt tapoons and it helped with the odor big time. I am also trying collidol silver tapoons and also seemed to help with odor. Tree oil on a tapoon works also but must be diluted with distiled water. I still seem to have some mild burning inside the vagina but the itch is gone. I am taking a product from a health food store called candidaide. Its a solution you spray under the tongue and helps with yeast. Since I have been using that, I am not inflamed on the outside anymore. Detergents , set me off also. I seem to be senstive to sex toys and condoms also. I’m wondering if its a allergy to latex possibly. I am booked to see a Gynocolgist and hopefully he can restore my normal ph Blances.
Hi,
I too had the same problem for over a year. It SUX!!!! ;(
Well i agree with self healing. And after taking antibiotics for awhile and it only coming back after meds were done I thought about things logically. You need balance, good bacteria and yeast. Anti biotics kill ALL bacteria. So…I used Oil of oregano mixed with some Olive OIl, more Olive oil than Oil of Oregano (it will burn severly if not diluted enough). and immediate help. I did that for three days, applying a few times a day. You can use a tampon or put it on your finger and apply it inside. And it was gone. Now if it comes back due to bad diet or using KY or something like that, I use Oil of Oregano, or tea tree oil for three days. For immediate relief you can also douche with Hydogen peroxide, or soak a tampon in it.
Hope this helps.
OK so I have been fighting this horrid bacterial vaginosis for 3 Years. I had a C-section in 2006 and ever since i have had this. it has affected my sex life with my hubby. and not only that but I had HORRABLE PAIN that I just couldnt deal with. it actually hurt so bad I ended up crying all the time, especially when my monthly would come around. I can no longer use tampons. My doctors thought it could have been endometreosiss, so my obgyn suggested that we get pregnant again, we did and while i was pregnant the pain went away some what. I had a second C-section and he found no endometriossis. NONE.. he was so baffled by this. I felt fine up untill My monthlys started again.They did a swab test and found overgrowth (bactrial vag.)and gave me antibiotics. Worked for a week and then back at it. my relationship with my hubby was starting to get damiged Much WORSE! I found this site and was reading some of the suggestions other woman were writing. I thought i’d try the Natural way over the anibiotics. I now eat yougurt with live and active cultures and i am taking ACIDOPHILIUS A&D and FOLIC ACID. I have NO MORE EXTREAM PAIN and I have My sex life BACK! i have been doing this for two weeks now! So thank you ladies who have suggested this! I hope and prey this helps the other ones who are affected by this nasty bacteria. Wish everyone the best of luck.
I have the same problem for over 2 years and it sucks big balls.
When I am intimate with my boyfriend, when he has a condom on, and pulls out, there is an EMBARRISSING white ring around his penis, and thats that god-darn discharge coming from me.
I have tried everything. I am on a diet, I excercise, drink plenty of water, and have consumed and taken sooo many medication and still nothing.
My GYN says it’ll go away soon, but when?
I don’t want to find out that when I want children I cannot have them. =(
I had BV that kept coming back and I couldn’t figure out why. I found out the hard way that I was allergic to latex, and eliminated it immediately. Still, I kept getting BV constantly. Well, after a year of suffering from BV to yeast, and back again. The doctors and I finally figured out the underlying cause: Semen Allergy. It sounds unreal. But it exists. And now that I have figured it out, I use non-latex condoms, (if your latex sensitive like you think, you will still get the response and infection.) and have no more issues. The only time I still get BV is if I use a detergent I’m allergic to. I hope this helps. Semen allergy is so rare that people often forget to consider it, or haven’t even heard about it. But if you are sensitive to latex and allergic to semen whether you were having protected or unprotected sex you would be getting BV (from the latex on one end and semen on the other). If you have a semen allergy, your symptoms can vary in a wide variety of ways, and the symptoms very often get confused with a yeast infection. But the burning you were describing is definitely a symptom.You may want to talk to your doctor to see if this describes you. Hope you get to feeling better!
i noticed this after i started having sex (with a person tht was std free) and i was a virgin.. sometimes the discharge is noticable sometimes not, but i havent had sex in 8 months and it still comes back i need to know a sure way to get rid of it at home.
I have also had BV since October (2009). At first I thought it was a yeast infection, and didnt take anything to treat it since I had one before and it resolved on its own. A few weeks later, I noticed the foul smell, so I went to the doctor and it turned out to be BV. He prescribed creme, but I was reluctant to take it, so i didnt. I looked up some natural remedies and found out about a certain type of probiotic called reuteri that is supposed to help. So I went to the natural food store and bought NATURE’S WAY Primadophilus Reuteri, and its been 3 days and the smell seems to be going away. I will keep taking it and hopefully it will go away for good!
I suffered for three months and finally my acupuncturist recommended the Bloodtype Diet by Peter J. D’Adamo. That accompanied with a hydrogen peroxide/distilled water douche, yeast gard and tons of folic acid supplements has kept me a happy and healthy girl.
I am thinking our husbands (sex partner) should be treated but it doesn’t seem to be the case? Has anyone had their partner treated? And with what?
Ive had bv for three years now im 21 and i have a one year old i dnt know wht to do anymore i have a nasty odor and bad pain all the time my sex life is done my husband hates it Its the most embrassing thing every to happen if anyone could help please tell me sumthing i need healp plz
ccbowks@gmail.com
thx
I was a “former chronic” sufferer when with my ex-husband throughout our dating and marriage. When we were both treated it finally went away.
However, after our divorce and when I was partnerless it was pretty much gone. I had three flare-ups over four years and each time it was attributed to something knocking my flora out of balance. I guess some women get yeast when knocked out of “whack” and some of us get bv:(
So, it was still in remission or gone totally until a new partner, got treated and decided to remain partnerless, (chosen celibacy until marriage if there is to be one).
I also noticed that it was usually a multitude of factors that would cause a flare-up.
This last time, it was too strong soap, (I know better) coupled with sudden stress, (not just the holidays but, life stressors related to other things)to top it off not only did I have my period at that time but, (and this is a BIG but) it was the holidays and I ate way more sugary foods than normal.
Eating refined sugar is a HUGE factor for flare ups for me.
However, my regular monthly cycle may have a day where I think its going to “bv out” on me but resolves so this current flare-up I thought that it would too. It didn’t. I am on *another* course of flaygll. No partner for nearly a year and nothing but stress and too much sugar and too strong a soap, (externally, nothing internal, no scented products, no tampons…nada…oh, wait, I did use a new fabric softenerr and usually I do not use them with my underclothes…)
I got bv after having D&C done october 2009.I took the antibiotics. It still had symptoms but my doctor said it will go away. In december the pain came back along with a horrid odor. The pain got so intense during intercourse that I was in tears. I finally went to the hospital in January 2010 found out it was bv.I took the meds and after four days the pain was still bad so I went back to the er. That is where I found out the infection went to my fallopian tubes. Now I am really worried because I am 22 and my chances of having another baby are slim.Will any of these home remedies work for me even though the infection has spread so much? Any suggestions?
last year in january of 2009 i went to my doctor and BV test came back positive, i took the full treatment and it went away….
i have no itching or strong odor, but it seems like im still having more discharge than im comfortable with, It mkes me feel really uncomfortable, nothing smells or itches or burns so im at a loss here… Im only 20 and im not sure what is going on my doctor said its not BV or anything else that it’s just natural for my body….. does anybody have any tips or anything that could help me?
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