Acidophilus for BV

I have been dealing with BV for 4 years without fully understanding what is was. There was always an odour and a milky discharge. I notices when I was with one of my boyfriends, after sex it actually burned to the point I had to place a cool damp cloth over my vagina. I recently had an ear infection of all things and my doctor put me on a form of anti biotics. My theory about antibiotics....they kill all the bacteria. I was finished with the pills and a few days later this horrible itching started. From the clitoris to my vagina. At first I thought it was a yeast infection so i went bought good ol stand by drug store antifungal cream. It made it worse. SO muchw worse. I went to the health food store and asked what could possibly help or stop the itching and she gave me some ionize silver soloution. Which is also an antibacterial solution. Was better for about 24 hours. I read through all of the posts the acidophilus would help. Strangely I have some in my fridge that I had gotten to help with cronic uti's. It's 11 biillion plus with 10 cultures in it. I took 4 this morning and put one directly into my vagina. It feels much better now but the clitoral itching is still there. I am going to go out and buy folic acid today and some peroxide. I am just wondering if there is anything else anyone has tried to stop the vulvular itching? This site is amazing! It is always the case that women have to pull together to figure out the issue and how to fix it! Thanks so much everyone who has posted on this site!!!!!

I can honestly say that I was at my wits end when I finally found this web page!!! I have had problems with BV on and off for many years.....And antibotics have done nothing for me but make matters worse....Here is my issue, I have been on and off antibotics for years either for my skin or BV. And the funny part is that I would be treated with the same medication for my face as my BV. Metro gel! One tube for my skin and one for my other areas.... I knew there had to be a relation to these symptoms! I just didn't know what to use.....or what to do....then I found this site.....I ran to the store as quick as I could!

I purchased Probiotic Acidophilus at Whole Foods in the suppliment department. I was upset that I could only find capsules and finally in the cooler I found a bottle of LIQUID Probiotic Acidophilus!!! Yes it has to be kept in the fridge!!!! I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to use this but the promise of ridding this was too exciting to even slow me down.... I came home and soaked a tampon in the solutioin. Rubbed it on my irritated skin and my face....like a mask.....With in an hour I felt normal again.....NORMAL! No itching, burning, irritation, or smell.....NO SMELL!!!!

That night I had sex, and was a little worried about it at first, but to my suprise nothing bad happened!!!!! Nothing, no smell, no irritation and I was estatic!!! I couldn't wait to get back to this site and share my good news. I am not sure if I will have to use this method everyday....And I am going to start taking Probiotic 10 orally like a supplement and I will take it everyday if I have to just to keep up the balance....It is worth it!!!! Good luck to all of you who suffer from this awful imbalance....I wish the best for all of you and I hope I help out someone else with my sure fast cure....Best Wishes!

I am writing for the women that acidophilus did not work for. I have done hours and hours of research on bacterial vaginosis online. I have found that there are conflicting opinions on what Lactobacillus species is the predominant beneficial species in the vagina. Lactobacillus acidophilus is one species in our jay-jays, but not the only one. There are very many, including: Lactobacillus Jensenii, Gasseri, Crispatus, salivarus, casei, brevis, breve, plantarum, fermentum, delbruekii, rhamnosus, and paracasei. These are not the only ones I'm sure, but all I found in research. If acidophilus didnt work for you, try a probiotic with as many of the above listed Lactobacillus as you can find. The more strains that get in there and do their thing, the better. I am trying PB8 by Nutrition Now. It was about $20 at my local health food store. I take them orally and vaginally. I just finished a round of metrogel, so I will keep you posted if this probiotic keeps it from coming back. If it does, I will take it for the rest of my life just to keep BV from returning. It is very important to find a probiotic that advertises that the lactobacillus in their pill is H2O2 producing bacteria. That is the only kind that will keep the bad bacteria in check. I found this fact after purchasing the PB8, which doesnt advertise that, but does say that the formula they use keeps the bacteria intact when it comes into contact with your stomach acid. Another thing that might help is to take an antacid before taking the probiotic orally. There is a lot of research going on for BV and the use of vaginally inserted lactobacillus. If you live in California, ther is a clinical study for a product called Lactin-V. Go to lactin-v.com and see if you qualify to participate. It is a vaginal gel, i believe, that contains specific strains of lactobacillus that are naturally in our vagina. Hopefully something will come of it. BV is a horrible little devil that needs to be taken care of sooner rather than later. GL girls.

I have been suffering from BV for about a year now. Antibiotics didn't work for me. Having come across this site,I decided to try the Acidophilus,Folic Acid and hydrogen peroxide.After using them for about four months now, they haven't worked either. Discouraged, I decided to go thru this site again and look for something else to try. Someone had suggested trying Bifidobacterium longum and L rhamnosus. I went to GNC to find them, couldn't find them on their own. To make a long story short. GNC's Super Bifido probiotic complex and Super Acidophilus probiotic complex worked for me. After about 5 days the discharge and itching stopped. Just take one of each once a day. Each contain 10 billion cfu per tablet.

I still use folic acid 400mcg x3 and 1 stress b-complex tablet.bHope other ladies will give this a try.

I have had BV for about a year now and have been treated with mostly flagyl cream. The symptoms go away but come back again as soon as I finish the treatment. I've been given flagyl oral as well which can really make you sick; headaches and everything, plus don't drink on it it is suppose to really make you sick. I've also been prescribed ciproloxin, which I tolerated well. I've been taking the acidophilus 14 billion live cells, called PB8 for about 2 months now with no help. I added the folic acid. I think what really helped were the hydrogen peroxide douches.

I read that if you have pelvic inflammatory disease you have to be treated 2 weeks with oral antibiotics and your partner also and have a 4 - 6 wk. check up. Also, you may not have symptoms any more than the ones we're getting with BV. I think the reason this bear keeps reoccuring is because I have PID. Untreated BV can turn into PID.

Also, no one mentions cultures here that I've read. I was cultured by gyn. and had two infections; one staph and the other bacterial vaginosis. The second is treated with flagyl but the first is treated with ciprofloxin. My gyn. never gave me cipro. just the flagyl, so I think that's part of the reason why it keeps coming back.

I will see how I do, I am finished with the cipro and have douched for about 4 days now. I will let you know how I respond.

Does anyone else think these are reocurring because it has progressed up the vaginal canal to the uterus? or PID. If I don't resolve this this time that is what I will suggest to my dr. Plus, I have not had sex to aggrevate anything in about 7 months.

I've been using wipes drenched in peroxide, spraying peroxide down there, stopped using scented soap, no tampons during menstruation, and hope I got it this time. I've even put the antibiotics up there and the 14 billion live bacteria alternating with the douching. I'm actually doing well now, no symptoms, but time will tell. Will write again in a week, my name is MK.

for the past two years i been suffering from BV when i first was diagnosed with it i was fortunate enough to say that the medication really worked my BV actually went away for a year and a half unfortunately i started using a product that triggered it again and it came back. this time i wasnt as fortunate because nothing seemed to work for it. i tried the medication and different antibiotics and nothing worked. Anyone that suffer from this terrible thing called BV knows how much strain it puts on your life emotionally and physically.just thinking about it almost made me wanna cry daily. i couldnt enjoy sex and was to embarrassed to even let my boyfriend touch me.i dont know why but i said to myself oneday it just gotta be a home rememdy i wasnt expecting something that would cure it but just something that will relieve me from this god awful smell lol. while on the computer one day i simply typed in home cures for BV and thats when earth clinic popped up i saw the link that said folic acid and acidophilus and i clicked on it at first i wasnt convinced until i started reading the stories of other woman. that night i could barely sleep i couldnt wait for the pharmacy to open in the morning. i went to get the folic acid and the acidophilus but the pharmacy didnt have any folic acid so i just got the acidophilus i couldnt find the tablet so i got the capsules. i took one capsule 10mg 100 million active lactobacilllus. since i had capsules instead of tablets i couldnt insert it so i opened the capsule and poured the powder into my hand and inserted it into my vagina. as soon as i put the powder inside i noticed a difference but it wasnt until the next morning that i realized i had absolutely no discharge,no smell,and no itch i was so happy i wanted to cry. the next day instead of washing with soap i opened a capsule and poured it on my washcloth with nothing but water, i then did the same thing i did the previous day. a whole day went by and still no smell. By the next day my period had started i didnt wanna stop my regimen so i continued doing the same things i was doing before it came. usually when my period come the odor is very strong i could honestly say i havent had any unpleasant smells and i am now two days into my cycle. when it goes off im going to take a douche bottle fill it up with water and open two capsules and use it instead of peroxide i think that would have a more lasting effect. i wanna thank whoever posted this rememdy it truly changed my life for all yall out there thats looking for some relief from BV i wish you the best hopefully it work out for you the same way it did for me.

I really am grateful to have found this website. I felt compelled to share my experiences and cures. First of all, I wanted to say that I believe that my BV experience first occured when I had a new sexual partner (unprotected). I couldn't believe it! Not only did I rush to get tested for all the STD's, I got an HIV test. I was diagnosed with HPV at age 17 and now I'm 32. I did not test positive for any STD's. I thought this was supposed to be an STD that was non-curable?? I have read that it can go away. Don't understand that too much. However, back to my reoccuring BV...I have had the same problems most of you women have had. Get the typical prescription for Flagyl, Tindemax (which actually worked, until I had unprotected sex once again.) I'm not here to be judged, I know I'm crazier than most. I must also add that I never understood if my boyfriend had anything to do with it. He doesn't have the best oral hygiene in the world if you get my drift, and he doesn't shower before we have unprotected sex. I normally use Dove or Ivory, but I do use much soap "down there". I am so sick of this problem I don't know what to do. It is refreshing to know I'm not the only one in this world who is having such an issue with it. I am somewhat different I guess, because I haven't taken protective matters into my own hands. However, if you get medication for it, and they (doctor's) claim it's not an STD, what gives? I am currently taking acidiolphilus and this is my first day. I took two capsules and unfortunately I am on my menstrual cycle. Yet I can tell a difference in scent. This is usually the 1st sign for me. I have had boric acid inserts as well and they seemed to help. I really feel that when I stick to one partner, I'm better off. Although I'm becoming unsure...Hopefully the acidolphilus capsules work for me. Good Luck.

I have been suffering from this god awful thing(BV) for about 2 years now and as the rest of you have stated none of the so called cures from doctors work. I have been taking acidophilus for about 2 years also, it does not work by itself. I just bought the folic acid, wish me luck. I have read where some of you ladies are douching... Let me remind you that you are washing out the bacteria that is needed in your vagina... STOP DOUCHING!!! It is not healthy, i don't care what you're douching with, STOP!!!!!

Hello ladies, I sent out a message earlier today that i was going to try Acidophilius. and plain yogurt, they only sold non-fat yogurt but i dont think much of that tiny detail. so far the pain swelling and some of the itching is gone! already and i just started today , I took 2 capsuls of acidophilius and dipped a tapon in some plain yogurt and did my normal cleaning activited around the house with in two hour most of the swelling was gone! and most of the uncomfortable feelings. I'm getting ready to go to bed and i just stuck a acidophilous tablet you know where, i have faith that by morning im going to feel MUCH better!"

07/13/2008: Alex (scvpmedia200607[at]yahoo.com) from Little River, United States writes: "Since the summer of 2006 I have been suffering on and off miserably from BV and yeast infections. Any time I have a flare up it is either after my period or after I have been swimming or in a wet bathing suit for more than two hours. This is a huge problem because I do alot of work in the water. The multiple sex partners that my Dr. is convinced I have, because of my constant falre ups, is a crock since I have a steady boyfriend and wouldnt dream of cheating. I have tried Triconazole, for the yeast infections and my dr. has put me on all too many BV antibiotics. I'm about to leave and go buy plain yogurt and some acidophilus. Thanks for the posting ladies and I will report back as soon as i get any result. But ladies definatly dont stay in wet bathing suits for too long if you get BV alot it just adds to a new flare up, which is something alot of dr.s forget to tell you I have been to so many and no one ever told me until I found one female nurse at my dr. office who told me about too much moisture for too long will trigure the bacteria

I`M DONE WITH BV!!!..HERE`S WHAT I DID: 17 yrs on and off with BV ... this is what I do.
When i was 22 I got it all the time..every month.I am 39 now. I have no symtoms now.
'They were still studying it, and i was a guinea pig so to speak with my doc trying boric acid pills placed in the vagina to help make it a nuetral place so to speak. it never helped. she said my boyfriends` sperm was acidic. i was always in long term relationships.... so it had to be something i was doing.

I started taking ACIDOPHILUS PILLS .... they work...but the trick is..... you must ALWAYS take them .. as in every day....forever. not just when you are having BV. trust me....this helps.. then... you MUST be VIGILANT about washing your privates IMMEDIATELY after long days and workouts.....THIS IS A MUST! I am american but i moved to italy 11 yrs ago....now this is why I am literally free from BV: they have bides here....you know the little sink like thing you squat over to wash...
That has made it soooo convinient. now here is how i wash: ( dont laugh..i`m serious) squat in the tub.. wash with neutral soap non perfumed (i like dove) wash only on the outside...rinse well... then get your finger in there... (JUST DO IT) SWIRL IT AROUND... removing the discharge... scooping it out so to speak until there is non left.. constently rinsing your fingers off. now do this once a day (I do it twice) do it also AFTER SEX...Scoop out that sperm so it has no chance of upsetting your balance. have your man wash before sex...(make it fun ladies so he doesnt think he`s in a clinic) this washing is also great while you are on your period...it actually lessons a day of your period... because you are not waiting for every last bit of dischargeblood to ease its way out...
I have had to teach so many friends of mine how to wash... and the majority of women here where i live do not know how to do this.... if you use soap once a day... you can just do it with water after that. if there is not enough time to wash after gym... make sure you have a washcloth and do it that way in the bathroom.... It will literally make you oderless. to you ladies who already do this... I`m glad... but those of you who dont... start right now

ok the rundown:
1.) acidophillus pills plus eat yogurt. you must space them out during the day to keep the good bacteria in your system all day. 4 pills morn.. yogurt afternoon... 3- pills at night...

2.) Wash using the finger method at least once a day (careful not to get soap inside)

3.) you must make your boyfriend wash... I mean gals.. we have all encountered a sweaty member or two in our romps no? he``s got to wash that sweat off of there!

You keep doing this... forever... you will find that you will no longer have bv in your life... now this is a prevention!!!! so i would usually do the cleocin cream for 7 days, or the flagyl which i think works well but take with the acidophillus and eat tons of yogurt. make it your lifestyle.
good luck

folic acid and acidophilus works wonders for bv. thanks so very much for this remedy!!! i can truly say this works and i feel great!! absolutely nothing has ever worked and i am praying that this keeps me chemically balanced. i have suffered with bv for years and years. medications only cured me for a moment for bv to only return time and time again. i have spent countless dollars on medication and doctor visits. i am just bso thankful and consider this a true blessing. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try this remedy if you suffer with bv, it truly works.

I had BV very bad. First I decided to end my relationship with my boyfriend. He has several lady friends so even if he got treated, he would continue to pass crap to me. Over the next week I tried a douche with ACV and then tried miconazole, Then Baking soda douche. All to no avail and getting worse. Went to clinic where The Nurse Practictioner put me on 3 days of Antibiotic followed by 7 days of Flagyl. I decided to do it reluctantly. But it didn't seem like it was clearing up by day 4. I kept taking the meds but tried the suggestion on the hydrogen Peroxide.. still no clear up. Then tried Boric Acid. That seemed to help a little. Then stopped that and drank unsweetened cranberry juice, ate plain organic yogurt and took acidolphilus too. I put a small amount of yogurt mixed with the acidophilus inside my punahni for several days. Also I used a hair dryer to keep the area there dry after using the toilet and washing off. The combination of these actions seemed to help. But I still have some BV. Not nearly what it was before. I will report again next week.

re: Lisa follows up. I continued with acidophilus and folic acid but when I noticed little to no change I switched to a stronger acidopholis (10 billion CFU) and added the hydrogen peroxide douche into the regimen. 3 days later the discharge has finally lessened and the smell is gone today. I've read you have to use the peroxide daily for 2 weeks. If that doesnt work I'm going to try the boric acid which I've researched and it has antibiotic properties.

I've been taking 800mcg of folic acid 4 acidophilus tablets (1 billion cfu per tablet) daily since the start of my cycle (7th). Things look a little different, but too early to tell you if the odor is gone. I'll get back to update everyone in a couple of days which is usually when the discharge begins to return. . .

Diagnosed with THIS episode of BV over a year ago. Dr. prescribed flagyl, metro-gel (both usually work for me), clindese, and OTC rePHresh...none have worked for this bout. As soon as treatment is finished symptoms return. I noticed that no one has stated they were able to stop the courses of folic acid and acidophilus??? Today my cycle started. So I figured this is as good as time as any to start the regimen of folic acid and acidophilus to restore my vaginal PH. Stay tuned.