Table of Contents
Cure Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
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DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
1 YEA
1 WARNING!
2 QUESTIONS
01/04/2009: Jessica from Ft. Collins, CO writes: "Please help me! I'm going nuts. 30 years old and living with BV for 4 years now and now pregnant!
I had a leep procedure to remove pre-cancer cells done about 3 years ago. Following the month of leakage from the procedure (they take a loop on the end of a stick attached to a power cord, they put the loop around the abnormal cells and pull the loop cord tight, then then turn on the power and burn the area removing the abnormal cells and cauterizing the area immediately. Well, following the "normal" leakage a month following and withholding from sex during that time and an extra week after like they told me, I got BV.
I have read that it is multiple sex partners, well that is bull crap if virgins can get it. I had been with my bf for about 8 months prior to the leep with no issues, and before that I had always had protected sex, the only time I didn't is if the condom broke, but never got BV until this evasive leep procedure, Well 3+ years later and the different docotrs' lame attempt to give me many doses of Metradozle, which did work to remove the smell and discharge but it just sends the bacterial to my vulva and clitoris making them burn, swell 2 to 3 times the size and itch and I itch it so much and hard that I tear the skin and make it bleed.
I have heard all the remedies and haven't had any money to go about them well I finally have money to try these home remedies and now I'm pregnant and are weary to take something in fear that it will harm my unborn. I cry, I'm up all hours of the night itching,
I wiped my outer vaginal area with peroxide thinking it would kill the bacteria; it stops for a few hours but since I tore the skin it burns like hell, I immediately put cold water on in and sat with an ice pack between my legs to reduce the swelling and hoping to just numb the pain away. It is a slight temporary relief. I have been and now that it has moved down am going more crazy since the itching was never there. The smell is gone but this itching makes me want to remove my parts.
As you all know this problem of BV can cause depression and feelings of low self esteem due to the nasty fish smell. I am embarrassed to have sex with my boyfriend of 4+ years, He is so good and usually just ignores it but sometimes it is so smelly that he loses his "boner" and the discharge dries up causing friction and almost a dust or crumbs as well. I hate this and I hate that the docs don't really take it that seriously that they prescribe a yeast infection cream, this is far worse than a yeast infection docs, and I am seriously wanting to try all of these remedies but like I said I am pregnant now and terrified to harm my baby. HELP ME!
I refuse to douche even while not pregnant, that is a terrible idea and yes I believe you are pushing bacteria further up your vagina so I don't want doucheing remedies.
Oh and sometimes after it leaves my Vagina and hangs out in the vulvar clitoris area it travels up my urethra giving me a wicked UTI and then back up the vagina.
It has nothing to do with a weak immune system as I have been sick/ill onetime in 9 years other than the BV. It is not an overuse of antibiotics either, as I have only take an antibiotic this one time I was sick and that was 1 year prior to the BV at 25 yrs old I don't like to take antibiotics as eventually you become immune to them and when you really need them for something severe they wont work. They won't give me an antibiotic yet since I am too early in my pregnancy thus far but I will try it when the time comes as I'm sure my doc can't be sure about the holistic measures affecting my baby. I have no hope that it will work either as the accounts here have stated that the antibiotic is only short term.
I thought that it had to do something with my boyfriends sperm chemistry since before the leep we only had unprotected sex 3 times which caused a pregnancy and miscarriage then the procedure which like i said i waited over a month to start having sex again. So I thought his sperm could be reacting with my bacteria but it does get worse around menses so I know that this idea is probably false as well.
We have both been so faithful that I don't believe it is as an STD since I have been tested before and after being with him. Although, through my BV research I came upon an STD called TRICHOMONIASIS that produces BV like symptoms, so I am calling my doc monday to ORDER a test immediately in which case a positive result would mean he get treated as well. This is a possibility since they don't routinely test for this STD and myself and others included get the "BV" back after having sex again with their man and they say you can't pass it but why do we rid of it and then get it back after intercourse. I think this is a possibility and I will defiantly keep you updated about the STD they call TRICH. Here is the Center for Disease control website regarding "TRICH".
www.cdc.gov/STD/Trichomonas/STDFact-Trichomoniasis.htm
Sadly it seems that they cure trich with metronizadole but like I said if it is Trich the man also needs to be treated so it may actually work instead of reoccuring.
I will state that after writing the past hour and wiping with peroxide at the beginning I feel about 60 percent better with the swelling and itching and pain and I have a day off tomorrow so I will wipe every other time with it since I will not be at work 8 hours, I will also let you know how that goes.
Tired of BV in Colorado"
05/28/2009: Jenna from Los Angeles, CA replies: "I had a leep too. I have hpv. But my BV started up about a year before the LEEP so for me, no correlation between the two but everybody is different. It's possible you got an infection from the Leep perhaps."
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12/18/2008: Kat from Passaic, NJ writes: "I have just recently been dealing with BV for about a year now, and have had several cases of the same symptoms. I too went back and forth to the dr. paying fee after fee. Feeling so unclean with myself and feeling as if my boyfriend (though understanding) and dr. was getting disgusted by me. I thought I had an STD, or worse because out of being married 10 years with 3 kids now divorced, this had never occured. I have been searching for some home remedies and came across this site. I just went out and bought the HP, FOLIC ACID AND ACIDOPHILUS. I pray this works for me. I am encourage by everyone's testimonial. I will keep you posted ...
Hopefull kat"
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12/17/2008: Nita from Valdosta , Ga writes: "I've lived with BV for a while now, my husband is no stranger to the smell and the symptoms. I used to get treated for it, but I couldn't drink on one of the meds so I skip it. I've just learned to live with it. I use panty liners when I want to feel as clean as I can and not stink up the place and/or ruin my undies. And my hubby and I always "cut up" after we wash. I do pee afterwards though. Doesn't do much for me. If I don't wear liners and change undies frequently, I break out in this horrible rash down there, that the doctors wouldn't even ATTEMPT to treat. So I know what youre going through ladies. I read the other survivor's comments and I too noticed my "good gurl" was at her happiest when my hubby went to Iraq, even though I was stressed n depressed. I'm still tryin to figure out what we all have in common? I read somewhere that it's likely caused by getting oral sex. Maybe that's it. But if that's wrong I refuse to be right. lol. I bought the pills and the peroxide but just havent tried it yet. I guess because I've wasted years living with this problem and I will be so hurt if I find out this is all it took to keep me balanced. But I'll just take the high road and thank God for letting me find a cure at all. I did the h2o2 douche once. It helps but it does sting a little. So I need to douche 7 days str8? How often? 7 per month? Could I get more specific details please? Thanx"
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11/27/2008: Lori from Tampa, FL writes: "Ok, so like many of you other women out there, I've been suffering from this horrible annoyance on and off for the last two years now. At first I thought maybe it was an STD, becuase it showed up within a week after having a new partner for the first time in 5 years. The discharge and the awful smell from it made me feel so dirty and gross. I was horrifed! NEVER in my life had I had a problem like this before. I went to the gyno thinking it was something really bad... I knew it wasn't a yeast infection, becuase I know there isn't that offensive smell associated with that. She told me it was BV, and gave me the metro gel. Of course it worked after using it, but the BV kept coming back. Sometime it took 2 weeks, sometimes it took 2 months, but it ALWAYS came back! Everytime it came back, I'd use one dose of the metro gel ( verses the 5 day normal dosage ) and the one dose usually is enough to stop it in it's tracks....the thing is it's an antibiotic, so if I keep using it, I'm thinking in time it may no longer work anymore, as my body may build up an immunity to it? So I too started doing research on what else can be used as a cure that isn't an anitbiotic. During the last two years dealing with this awful problem, I've come to realize for me personally, I ONLY get BV when I have sex ( and yes, it's sill with the same partner who it began with 2 years ago. ) I know some women get it from other causes aside from sex...BUT if you're like me and that's the only time that you seem to have this problem occur, then it's definately your partner's semen throwing off your PH down there, and leading to this problem. ( As others have mentioned on here ) I've never had another partner in the past who has made this problem occur for me, until now! I talked to my gyno, and we even saw his urologist to see what we can do to prevent this. Of course they both said use condoms to decrease the amount of semen I'd get exposed to....well, this works somtimes...BUT even a condom doesn't always prevent it! So here's my question...does anybody know of a supplement that he can maybe take to change his body chemistry to a more "neutral" or acidic PH count so this can stop being a problem?? Also, I wanted to let you ladies know that in the UK they have a new product called Balance Activ ( it's spelled just like that too ) that's supposed to be a natural cure for BV ( not antibiotic ). We don't have it here in the US, but I plan to get some shipped over here, and see if it really works. They say if you use this vaginal cream weekly, it can help prevent BV, and if you have BV already, use it for a week and it clears it up. I have to try this since it does soung promising! I use 50/50 peroxide and water douche, but I seem to get mixed results, so I want something more effective. I'll let you all know if I try this new remedy from the UK if it works or not! Otherwise if anyone can let me know about something my man can take to alter the PH of his semen, that would be great! Sorry I wrote such a long post, but thanks for reading it :)"
11/30/2008: Glea from Many, LA replies: "This is for Lori in Tampa Fl. I suffer from BV as well. I was reading some of the post the other day and found that some women were having success with acidophilus and folic acid. I went to walgreens on thanksgiving day and purchased a bottle of 400 ml folic acid and a bottle of acidophilus. i took 1 of each pill. the next morning when i got up and went to the restroom i noticed right away that there wasn't any fishy odor!! I was amazed!! i bought the capsule form of acidophilus.(the bottle says "guaranteed 3 billion live cultures". I am taking one of each together twice a day. i am cautiously optimistic that this will continue to keep my BV away. I will post again in a few weeks and let you know if it is still working. also they say that douching in any form is not good."
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11/12/2008: Jane from Tulsa, OK writes: "Hi. This is my first time looking up some at home remedies for Bv. I did this because i have had this problem a few times and like a lot of women it keeps coming back and I don't know why. It is embarrasing to me to smell myself and then on top of that my husband makes comments about the way I smell which makes me feel dirty and ashamed and I know it has nothing to do with my hygeine. He is a man and just doesn't understand. Anyway I thought to do some research on this because I don't have insurance or the money to the Dr evertime I get so I need some more option and I will definatly try these and I will come back soon to comment. Thank for all of you that left your story it feels good to know that I am not a lone and that there may be some help for me. GOD BLESS!!!"
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11/07/2008: Sarah from Las Vegas, NV writes: "Hi! I've had a combination of bacterial vaginosis and a yeast infection for going on five months now. I have a sneaking suspicion I got it from a certain male whom I trusted and probably shouldn't have. It's been so hard, and I cry all the time. I don't feel comfortable telling anyone because I know they judge me and I feel ridiculous that I haven't been able to get rid of it yet.
I'm so grateful for all the women who have posted on here with helpful tips and I'm going to start them tomorrow after my last ditch attempt to cure it by medication prescribed by my gyno. I'm so sorry that all of you have to deal with this because I know the torture it causes. Although this website has given me hope!!
I'm really opposed to douching and I can't eat yogurt because I'm allergic but I'm going to take the acidophilous both ways and i'm going to also try the follic acid. I'm not quite sure how to take the follic acid yet because it doesn't seem to clear from most of the posts I've.
Good luck everyone! I will post if I have success!!
Also feel free to e-mail me to talk about what you did that worked or what you're trying or just for some moral support! i know i could sure use some too sometimes."
03/01/2009: KM from Brooklyn, NY replies: "Don't forget that you can eat soy yogurt with active cultures if you are allergic to regular milk yogurt. My favorite brand is Whole Soy. :-)"
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11/07/2008: Mimi from Kenmore, USA writes: "Hi ladies- It's interesting to read how many people actually suffer from this. I'm curious to know if anyone also has some type of other irritations going on as well such as toe fungus, sinus infections, yeasty type of irritations and could these all be linked together as a whole?? Also could this be a hormonal situation rather than a bacterial situation? For instance, My sister suffered for many years with this and each time she became pregnant the sypmtoms completely went away (no odor or discharge) but then returned after childbirth? Does anyone have any feedback?"
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09/24/2008: Semone from Macon, Georgia writes: "WOW!! a place to discuss issues of the va jay jay!! I can't tell you how great it is to speak to folks like you all. I have been struggling with this stupid BV issue for as long as I can remember, (so long that I can't remember(:) I know that I have three children and I have been in the same relationship for eight years and I had noticed this bug a boo infection even before this. I have taken the DOC's advice, (creams, metrogels, metronizodole (flagyl) I do not have medical insurance anymore, but now I think I will try this new remedy. I will keep you posted, right now I have noticed that my skin has lost a bit of pigment around my va jay jay, because of the steroid cream I have been given for the irritation, not so good-I looks like an ugly war zone!! I have taken a bath, (which I usually don't do) showers have been my choice since I have had the issue with the soap (I think it's that). just know that I would will be keeping you posted, I will go out for acv, and folic acid, I was prescribed the boric acid tablets but never picked them up, so now I don't know if I will be able to. But everyone, keep me posted on your progress as I will do the same, thank you,
Semone"
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04/07/2008: She from Harrisburg, PA writes: "It really surprises me that there is no real cure. I think that this BV should be classified as an illness and that there should more research put into finding a cure for such a common and pesky problem. I have lived with this for years and no doctor, pill, gel or cream has ever helped it always comes back. I am in a very monogomaous relationship and we don't fool around. So we can just nix the multiple partner stuff they tell you. I am a sufferer too. It kind be so damging to a relationship. I hardly ever want to have sex b/c of it. Although my bofreind loves me any way, I can hardly get over the odor myself. I will try the remedy you ladies posted but I'm a litle afraid. Afraid of stickin half a bottle og peroxide half water up ther eafter being told douching of anykind all together is bad and scared that it won't work. Well. ....a little prayer."
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01/07/2008: Paulee from Fort Washington, MD writes: "I'd like to say that BV isn't an STD, because I'm still a virgin. And I've got it just like millions of other woman. But what I have found out about myself is that fragrance, dyes, stress, dairy ( allergic to it so I avoid it ) and BREAD cause my BV to come faster than a runny egg. I pick toilet paper, soap, laundry detergent, panties, baby wipes, and towels wisely! I avoid eating anything with yeast in it! I stay away from sugary foods ( fast food=sugar )and beverages. I use plain water or cetaphil when I wash below. I'm currently looking into health store brands of tampons and pads ( they are dyed with chlorine mmm ), because my BV returns after my period. I think pads and tampons did this to me! Because I didn't have any problems until I started using them! Grrr. But if I get BV outside of my period I usually have eaten something I shouldn't have or I've exposed myself to something with dye or fragrance in it. For example, I once broke out in hives from using a scented tampon... Yeah I won't do that again! And even though honey is sugary I take a table spoon of wild honey every day ( mankua honey is better ) for its antifungal properties.. it worked great on my toe fungus!"
11/07/2008: Malolly from Eugene, OR replies: "If you find that pads and tampons irritate you. Try the Diva cup! It's really great. It's made of silicone I believe. Works great! Basically it's a little cup that goes up inside you and you dump it out several times a day."
09/06/2009: Sherley from New York City, New York replies: "i bought pro biotics acidophilus in capsules.. will this work? this is the first time it happens to me ever in my life i am 24 and i had my first yeast infection at age 23 and now this awful uncomfortable smell. i cant wait to get rid of it ive never had it, feels so uncomfortable and smells strongest after sex. i been with the same guy for 4yrs so i hope its nothing serious. i dont have health insurance but when i had a bad yest infection i went to the ER. they treated me and gave me flagyl which is very nasty. but i see people are stating that its a waste of time. HOPE IT WORKS. i feel very insecure."
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12/06/2007: Amber from Boise, Idaho writes: "So the other day, as I was washing myself, I smelled a fishy odor. I thought nothing of it, and just figured that I was going to start my period or that I ate something that made things smell weird. Yesterday, I was sitting at my computer typing and all of the sudden became overwhelmed by an extremely strong fish odor, that almost made me gag. I began to do my research. This morning when I took my shower, i noticed that it smelled even after I had washed it several times, and that it took scrubbing to get the smell off of my hand. After my shower I soaked a tampon in tea tree oil, and that seems to be controlling the odor. I am going to start with the boric acid and acidophilus today, and hopefully get rid of this thing before it gets any worse. Thank you for your postings, I hope they work and I will keep you updated on progress. The strangest thing about this situation is that I can't figure out what brought it on. I have no new sex partners, do not douche or use smell pretty products down there, and am just not sure what happened."
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11/12/2007: keisha from birmingham, hamstead, west midlands writes: "my name is keisha, i am 18 years old, and had BV for over a year now. i reckon i caught BV from my ex boyfriend, however doctors claim that BV is not an STD/STI. apparently men cannot get it. i have tried using ph balanced shower gels such as: nivea, folic acid tablets, cranberry juice but it only works for a while. eating sweet things makes BV much worse. apparently bv is covering a more serious health condition if it keeps on coming back such as: diabetes, pelvic inflammatory disease, or HPV which i have from my ex. so be careful who u sleep with, ladies."
06/09/2008: Julie from Seattle, WA replies: "I have T2 Diabetes and get BV when my blood sugar runs rampant. The only cure that seems to work is going raw for awhile. Just type "raw foods" into a search engine. Sometimes, it only takes two or three days, other times two weeks. Yes, you can live without meat, dairy, or cooked food. And you don't have to worry about putting things where they don't logically belong ;-). The body heals itself."
08/25/2008: Veronice from Brooklyn, US replies: "I'm glad someone finally said that BV could be covering a more serious health condition because I never had any trouble with infection before and i used all kinda of lotions, never douched or showered after sex and had a healthy discharge. Since the point where i believe I was exposed to the HPV virus is when my bv started and has not gona away since. I pray that when the HPV passes the BV will as well."
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09/08/2006: Christine from Georgia writes: "Bacterial Vaginosis vs Yeast Infections. I came across this website while searching for holistic cures for bacterial vaginosis. I think its really important to identify which infection you might have as what works for curing yeast might actually make the bacterial vaginosis worse. A trained physician who is up-to date with the literature should help diagnose you. I have thought that I had yeast recurring for years while the whole time I have had Bacterial Vaginosis, a COMMON condition. Be sure to get diagnosed correctly, ladies! I am going to try taking oral folic acid and the vaginal yogurt insertion to see if either helps BV."
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3 YEA
03/25/2009: Former AL Mom from Daleville, AL writes: "Bacterial Vaginitis: Daily, I soak a cotton ball with organic ACV while I sit on the toilet, then I jump in the shower to rinse it off, using no soaps, sprays, or powders. This has been working for the past month. I also use another ACV soaked cotton ball under my arms before I get in the shower too, without using soap or deodorant. No odor. I love this site, mannnn!"
03/30/2009: Former AL Mom from Daleville, AL replies: "I forgot to mention that I wipe my vagina and pubic hair section with the cotton ACV soaked cotton ball..."
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[YEA] 02/23/2009: Shannon from Monticello, KY, USA writes: "My one year old daughter has had a foul smell down south for a couple months now since taking antibiotics. The prescribed creams failed to remove the odor. She just got out of a shallow bath with 3/4 cup of RAW, ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.mixed in the warm water. For the first time in months, she has no odor. I will continue this for a couple more nights with hope of THE cure. Thanks so much! I am adding EARTH CLINIC to my bookmarks!"
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[YEA] 08/15/2008: Mechele from Montgomery, Alabama writes: "Hello all ! This is to all the ladies who have ever had a "four alarm fire" going on "down there" due to a bacterial infection !Six months ago I was diagnosed with the STD "Trichomoniasis" for the first time in my 37 years of living due to a cheating boyfriend. Got rid of him and the Trich at the same time. But..the Trich was a little harder to rid than the boyfriend. After taking up to 21 days of Metronidazole (Flagyl)which my doctor prescibed because I kept having "symptoms" after the first dose, my v- became a "magnet" for a bacterial infection. I went back to my doctor for the third time because I kept having "burning" sensations around the opening. He tested me again and said I was clear of the STD, but had aquired a "fungus" infection. So he prescribed "Diflucan" and a topical corticoid for the infection, which neither prescription helped the burning or the itching ! The burning and inflammation got worst with each day, so I decided to go to another doctor, he said after you aquire an STD like Trichomoniasis, you can rid the STD but you must also repair the damage the organism, thats where my burning and irritation was coming from, so he prescribed another fungus antibiotic called Ketoconazole and yet another Topical coticoid for inflammation and to help heal the walls, he also told me to make a paste of some baking soda and soak in it when I take my bath and wash with it instead of soap for about 2 weeks. For about 3 days, I had relief but not complete relief and thought maybe I was finally on the road to be released of this "beast" causing havoc. Spoke to soon, symptoms came right back with a fury and I thought I was going to go insane!!
So then I decided to look up bacterial infections and remedies on the internet when I returned to work the other day, what did I have to lose besides paying another $30.00 co-pay for doctors visits and prescriptions. Lo and behold..I came across this wonderful webpage and saw that I could drink Organic apple cider vinegar for this infection. So on my lunch break, I purchased a bottle of organic Apple Cider for $ 3.50. I rushed home and put 2 tbls in a glass of water and drank it down in a hurry ( I was really desperate for anything to work at this point) ! By the time I returned to work..all the burning and itching had instantly disapeared ( No kidding yall)!! I havent felt this much relief in about 4 months ! I also put a cup of Applecider and 2 tbls of baking soda in my bath water and soaked in it for about 30 minutes and I also drank a glass before I went to bed last night ! I woke up this morning feeling great and like my old self again. Still a little tingle here and there but not that "four alarm fire" I've been feeling for months !I'm so happy I could cry !I plan to drink a glass everyday because the Apple Cider vinegar is also apparrently good for a number of other things too like keeping your blood pressure low, good cholesterol, weight loss and keeping yeast infections away also.Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and giving me a cheap and small solution for such a big problem ! I pray this continues to work ! Applecider vinegar is awesome !! Woo hoo!!"
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[YEA] 01/13/2007: Michelle from Jonesboro, GA writes: "Yes!! Thank you Lord! I added 3 cups of Pure Apple Cider Vinegar to my water and soaked for 20 minutes. It started working that same day. By the next day it was completely gone. No smell at all!! I hope this works for you!"
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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA
[YEA] 08/11/2008: Susan from Chicago, IL writes: "I suffered from BV for many, many years. Remedies, I tried them all. The only thing that has really worked for me (long term) is getting my ph in the right zone. I know it almost sounds too simple, but I can tell right away when I've missed a few doses of my Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda combo, because the smell comes back. I don't drink an alkalizing drink every day (I try to take a day or two off each week). But, if I go longer than the small break of a few days, the smell and discharge come back slowly. Not saying it will work for every woman, but you might want to give it a try. I don't think healthy flora can exist in an acid environment."
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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND PROBIOTICS
[YEA] 04/20/2008: Christy from Port Angeles, Washington writes: "I have had BV since the birth of my daughter 3 years ago. I Have taken many antibiotics and nothing has worked. I looked on one of those websites about cures for BV and I paid 30$ for the e-book. It said to douche with Apple Cider Vinegar and to tak a probiotic pill and insert it in as a suppository into your vagina. I do this about 2 times a week at night and I haven't had any symptoms since."
04/14/2010: Iliana from Highland, Ca replies: "How much apv and what brand of capsule?"
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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, PROBIOTIC YOGURT
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 08/04/2009: Islandgirl from Ny, Ny writes: "I had originally posted on this board when I thought I found a cure for BV. I got BV about 4 months ago for the 1st time, and every month up to July, after. My dr. prescribed huge antibiotics which very much upset my stomach and the following month it was back again. That's when I decided to try a natural method.
I was using peroxide as a wash, taking acidophilus, and folic acid pills. But the day I stopped or missed my regiment it would come back. I even went so far as to insert the acidophilus capsules. It helped the smell but it was totally inconvenient for me. Gave me a strange discharge (from the pills dissolving) and (after that) made my own moisture a slightly grainy consistency that was not nice during intercourse.
***So I gave up on that. I have been taking 3 ounce shots (drinks) (1-3/day) of apple cider vinegar and eating yogurt (you know the kind marketed to help your digestive track) everyday. I'm not really a fan of yogurt but I get the drinkable ones and pretend it's a treat. Ive been using regular brand ACV and it worked to clear infection, tho I am sure the organic unfiltered stuff works best.
I can say its been gone now for long enough time to vouch for this method.
There was one weekend I didn't have any yogurt or ACV and I started to notice a very slightly off odor. So on Monday I had 2 yogurts and 1 shot of ACV, and it was gone that day.
The treatment I would recommend would be 2-3, 3 ounce drinks (shot glass) of apple cider vinegar (orally) for a week for 10 days to cure infection. And from now until forever; eating yogurt every day. It sounds like a lot but yogurt is easy to find, pretty cheap, has calcium, and tastes ok. I would recommend the drinkable kind as you can throw them in your purse on the way to anywhere and drink it quickly. Also try to drink cranberry juice (not cocktail) when you can. I feel like that helps to prevent re-infection.
Best of luck"
04/12/2010: Iliana from Highland, Ca replies: "I have been suffering with Bv for over two months and feel so uncomfertable. I was wondering if anyone else is also suffering from constant vaginal dryness?"
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1 YEA
[YEA] 07/26/2008: Latoya from Sanford, Florida writes: "Hi, I have been suffering from BV since I was 15 yrs old I am currently 24 I have try everything under the sun the only thing that has work for me so far is taking b-50 complex vitamin twice day or the b-100 complex vitamins once a day. This is available at any stores that sell vitamins like wal-mart, Walgreens it's about $5.00 at most. The only thing is if you stop taking them it would come back so make sure you continue to take it and drink plenty of water I would say about six to eight cup a day I hope it works for you after taking them you would notice results immediately it should be gone by the second or third day."
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BETADINE, PROBIOTICS, VINEGAR AND YOGURT
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 05/21/2010: Barrelmaniac from Summersville, West Virginia, Usa writes: "Betadine for BV
Ladies,
I have suffered with this for years. Unfortunately I have never really been cured. The longest I have went is probably 6 months with no symptoms. I started a forum on a health board regarding peroxide for treatment 4 or 5 years ago that had 100's of posts to my surprise. That's when I discovered I wasn't alone.
If your BV is mild, don't do anything! Take your supplements and wait until after a period and see what happens. The more you mess around with changing the flora in your vagina the more you are going to get things totally out of whack. I learned the hard way. Peroxide worked for me, temporarily but always came back with a vengeance. The more you do, the worse it comes back. You are killing all the bacteria in your vagina and some things allow the good bacteria to bounce back quickly while keeping the bad at bay.
If you must treat it, add some Betadine to good distilled water (pH 7, city water with chlorine has a very high pH) douche with betadine for 7 days, You can even use the swabs to clean the vaginal walls. Do this in the morning because it takes 120 minutes for the flora to begin to bounce back. Lactobacillus first! At night use a good quality yogurt and a syringe and then insert a tampon to hold it in. Continue yogurt treatment for a few days. Take a good quality probiotic daily.
Also Vinegar seems to allow the Lactobacillus to survive douching while killing the bad bacteria. If your BV isn't too bad try the vinegar and the yogurt treatment, watch what you eat and try to boost your immune system. Wait it out, it takes time."
05/22/2010: Rs from San Francisco, Ca replies: "Hello. Your post was interesting. I have suffered from BV for years and have been on a regimen of vaginal health probiotics, B-12, folic acid, D3, fish oil and douching with 3% peroxide and distilled H20 about 3-4 days a week. I started this regimen last year in October after finding this site and I now find that this is something I have to do for the rest of my life. The BV will never go away. I did however research further on this site and decided to try the boric acid capsules. I ordered boric acid and empty veggie capsules from Amazon.com and made my own. I started using this capsule on Thursday night. Today is Saturday and I see GREAT results, much better than douching and the veggie caps dissolve totally in the vagina with no discharge from the gooey regular capsules. Hopefully this will work for awhile so I dont have to douche, I dont like the idea of douching at all but find it very necessary to treat BV if I want to have any kind of a sex life at all, and I do. I have found that my boyfriend does not even notice anything different and he says I smell and taste great. I do go through great pains to make sure everything down there is nice and clean but NO fragrance of any kind is used, that would be sudden death to my vagina, haha. What are your thoughts on the boric acid capsules, and have you tried this method also? Im constantly researching for new treatments (I say treatment because there is no cure) and there does not seem to be an interest by modern medicine to help women who suffer from this horrible condition and now I see that thousands and maybe millions of us DO suffer from this. Thanks for your posting!"
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11 YEA
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[YEA] 06/29/2010: Rs from San Carlos, Ca writes: "I used boric acid capsules for BV and after trying everything else on this website and it was the only thing that seems to have CURED my BV once and for all after about 10 years. I did the H20 and H202 douche along with every probiotic known to man and folic acid, B12, D3, fish oil and vaginal probiotics and acidophilus. It all worked temporarily and the BV kept coming back. I finally read about boric acid capsules on this site and thought "what the heck, it cant hurt". I bought boric acid and empty vegan capsules on amazon.com and made my own. Very easy and very CHEAP. I was spending a fortune on H202 and distilled water and liquid acidophilus. It worked the first day and I inserted one capsule nightly for about 2 weeks and the BV has been gone for over a month. No sign of it anywhere and Im not doing anything now but maintaining my acidophilus, probiotics for vaginal health, folic acid, B12 and D3. It really is a miracle. Sex is good again and life is good again. I keep a stash of capsules in my bathroom in case of a flare up but so far so good. Im very careful after sex and pee right away and keep everything aired out. Cotton undies and lots of air. I also stopped drinking coffee and I am slowly taking refined sugar out of my diet (very slowly, Im a sugar addict). I recommend this to those women out there that are not getting good results with the douche probiotics. Every woman is different but this really worked for me and I could not be happier. I will report back in one more month. Thanks and good luck!!!"
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[YEA] 06/13/2010: Gigi from San Carlos, Ca writes: "I have suffered from BV for about 2 years. It is a terrible condition that has no cure. I found this website just in time. I really thought my sex life was going to end forever at age 40. I tried all the suggestions on this site. First, I took a vaginal health probiotic (50 Billion live bacteria) in the morning with 2400mcg of folic acid in the morning, one B-12 vitamin in the morning along with fish oil capsules and D-3 vitamins (2000 units) in the morning. That worked for awhile but not long. Then I incorporated douching with 1/3 cup H202 and 1/3 cup distilled water. That did the trick for about 2-3 months but I was douching almost every day. I then incorporating liquid acidophilus douches right after the H202 and distilled water douche and that helped a lot also in the beginning. My daily ritual was costing a fortune and taking all day to do and it was all temporary relief. The douching started to give my UTI's and that was no fun because I had to take antibiotics to get rid of that......yep, yeast infections. So, I researched more on this site and read of women inserting boric acid capsules vaginally. I found out that boric acid is poison and its used to kill bugs and rats. I thought it was totally absurd and dangerous until I read more of the postings on this site and other sites. I found boric acid and empty vegetable capsules (size 0 or 00 will do) online and bought them and made my own capsules. I inserted one at night before bedtime and wore a panty liner. I heard that you have a little drainage as the capsule melts in your vagina and it certainly does, so wear a panty liner to bed and the whole next day. I saw dramatic results the very next morning. The BV was gone, no trace of anything. I have been on this new regimen for about 3 weeks now. I insert one vaginally at night until everything looks clear in my vagina. I can have sex now and nothing is noticeable. No smell, no discharge, no itching, no pain, no swelling. Its really a miracle. I make up about 20 capsules at a time and keep them in a zip lock baggie in a cool dry cabinet in my kitchen. Im now inserting one every few days and ALWAYS after having sex or when I feel that "feeling" coming back. I strongly recommend that women give this a try if they have tried everything else with little results. I still take my vaginal health probiotic every morning along with all the other supplements I listed above. It just makes sense to continue with those for now. Boric acid capsules have literally saved my sex life and I could not be happier. There have been no side effects so far except for the morning discharge and that is just the capsule residue and most likely bacteria coming out. I smell so fresh and clean "down there" and its all back to normal and even better. My vagina looks and smells and tastes great (that may be gross, but you have to know what you taste like, so go ahead and taste it). If I have left any crucial information out of this posting, please respond and I will respond ASAP. This is a horrible thing to go through and it can ruin your life. Good luck ladies and thank you Earth Clinic for providing this site!!!"
06/17/2010: Cici from Orlando, Fl replies: "I have been reluctant to put anything up my vagina ever since using cream for what i thought was a yeast infection but turns out i think it is bv. Anyhow, just like you i have tried everything folic acid, acidophilus, echinacea, garlic, goldenseal, pau d arco, grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract, changing my eating habits and all i have got rid of is the constant itching and burning. My vagina still has yellowish discharge and is still swelled and dry. I'm just afraid of putting anything in my vagina and making the problem worse.
My question is where do you find the boric acid and the capsules to put them in? Also, is it expensive because i have been spending alot too just on vitamins, dietary, and herbal supplements trying to combat this problem without having to use antibiotics."
EC: Boric acid powder, which is very inexpensive, can be found at any pharmacy and some grocery stores (check the pharmacy section). Gel Capsules can be found online. Example: http://www.google.com/products?q=gel+capsules+empty&hl=en&aq=1&oq=gel+capsul
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11/19/2009: Nancy D from Harrisburg, Pa writes: "I just started taking boric acid suppositories last night for BV. And now my boyfriend of 4 1/2 years would like to know (as I would too); can you continue to have vaginal sex and vaginal oral sex?? Because I am supposed to take these things for 14 days, and we really didn't want to go that long without!! Can they hurt him in any way? I cannot find this answer ANYWHERE; and I could call my gyno. who prescribed this to ask him; but it's kind of an embarrassing question and I would rather find out from another source first, if I can. Thanks."
11/21/2009: Kerstin from San Francisco, Ca replies: "Thank god for Boric Acid and..Thank god for Earth Clinic! This site is amazing! Yes Boric Acid is definitely the way to go!
All my life I have been having problems with re-occuring yeast infections getting worse as years have gone by. I was going crazy, so depressing and definitely didn't help my sex life..
I have tried everything antibiotics, creams, joghurt, Tea tree oil, etc etc you name it! Some of the cures would help temporarily but nothing I repeat Nothing can be compared to the success I have had using Boric Acid!
Yes , I knows it sounds crazy! To insert Boric Acid vaginally... the same Boric Acid used to kill roaches and ants right?... ? At first I was very sceptical and scared to use it at first, ut after some research I decided to try it, and boy am I glad I did!
As soon as I feel a yeast infection coming on I pour Boric Acid in a capsule, insert it up in my vagina, and a couple of hours later usually infection gone! Sometimes if I don't catch it right away, one time is not always enough and I have to repeat it.
It is truly amazing how effective Boric Acid is and how quickly it works. The result is immediate!To answer your question if you can have sex and if it is harmful for your partner..No worries! After inserting the capsule, it will take some hours before it dissolves but after that... you can have sex and your partner has nothing to worry about!
You just feel (smell and taste too for that matter) fresh and clean and no trace of any boric acidX!
I am so happy that I tried it!
Good luck
Kerstin"
04/20/2010: Momto3boys from Crofton, Md, United States replies: "Here is the protocol that my midwife gave me for the Boric Acid suppositories. I am going to make my own since they are kind of costly to get from my local pharmacy.
First night- insert 2 capsules
First week- 1 calpsule inserted every night
Second week- 1 capsule inserted every other night
Third week- 1 capsule inserted every 3 days
Fourth week- 1 capsule inserted every 4 days
Fifth week- 1-2 capsules inserted per week or as needed"
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