The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Low Carb Diet
Posted by Jennifer (Atlanta, Ga) on 04/08/2010
★★★★★
OK...this is crazy! I have been battling with BV for at least 6 months. I have tried absolutely everything that I've read from this site (and then some). Nothing seemed to completely work...only for a day or so. I was sick of taking things and shoving stuff up there! I had about given up, until I had an unexpected discovery. This is so weird and I'm curious to see if this has worked for anyone else out there. Last Sunday (so 5 days ago) my husband and I decided to hit the NO CARB diet hard...in trying to get swim suit ready. I kid you not, the next day, that horrible spell was almost absolutely GONE! I thought....no way! So it's been 5 days and NO itching, NO smell, NO discharge...i cannot believe it! And I feel like a new person. I really want to know if anyone else has experienced relief this way. Apparently, the SUGARs were doing my body wrong and giving the Bacteria a feeding frenzy. Now my body can fight back on it's own....no pills, no douche, no nothing!!
I love this new discovery....anyone else out there tried this. You should try it if nothing else has worked...I could tell something good was happening the very next day!
Good luck and I wish you all the BEST!
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by London (Sandusky, Ohio) on 06/29/2010
★★★★★
Tea tree oil works for BV. The douche however, (with 5 to 15 drops) did not work for me, made things worse. Douching upsets the vaginal flora TOO MUCH
Here's what I do: 4-5 drops tea tree oil in an empty 00 gel cap, and then fill to rim with Castor oil. Stick it in as deep as it will go. I usually only have to do this overnight
Hydrogen Peroxide Variations
Posted by Bmore76 (Baltimore, MD) on 07/26/2009
peroxide/water douche and 10ml of plain yogurt cured my frequent recurring bacterial vaginosis
Garlic
Posted by Kennedy (Broomeville, SC) on 07/06/2009
★★★★☆
Hi ladies I have to say thanks for all of your input. I thought I was the only one in the world struggling with this problem. I've also researched that if you have an IUD that may be the cause of the BV as well. I've been taking one garlic pill twice a day. One in the morning and one at night. I've also been drinking a probiotic drink that has lots of bacteria that's similar to yogurt. I consume one every morning. So far for about a month, I've noticed some changes. I have little to no odor after intercourse and after my cycle. The discharge has decreased significantly! Hardly any at all.
Goldenseal
Posted by CleanNSexy (Los Angeles, California) on 04/22/2009
★★★★★
I got BV 4 yrs ago and the doctor prescribed an anti-biotic that cured it in a week but 10 months ago I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend, the next morning I had the symptoms and have been dealing with it ever since because I have no medical insurance. I went through the terrible ordor that came through my clothes, more discharge than normal(went through a lot of panty liners) and minor vaginal itch. I've tried taking Folic Acid and Acidophillus as well as douching with Peroxide and water but the smell, irritation and discharge would come back in a couple of days. About three weeks ago before I started my cycle I inserted a capsule of Golden Seal(an anti-biotic used to cure infections) into my vagina every night before I went to sleep and wore a panty liner to keep from getting discharge stains in my underwear from the Golden Seal leaking out. It has been 3 weeks and there's no odor, no irritation and my discharge went back to normal. It's almost time for my cycle to begin again and there's still no signs of BV. Golden Seal can be bought at any Health food store and I advice all women who are having problems with BV to try it!
Goldenseal
Posted by Elizabeth (Los Angeles, CA) on 03/11/2009
★★★★★
Golden seal cured BV for me.
I've been suffering from BV for 8 months and I've tried Folic Acid and Acidophellus (spell check) but neither worked, I douche with Peroxide and water which only lasted for 3 days but recently I tried finding boric acid and had no luck but I did have Golden Seal which cures most infections so I decided to insert it inside of the vaginal and the next morning I had no signs of BV so I did the same the next night and still no signs the next morning. The only thing is I have to wear a panty liner because it does leak out the next day.
Hydrogen Peroxide Variations
Posted by Tani (East Hartford, Connecticut) on 03/01/2009
★★★★★
I am totally happy to find this site, I've had BV for 2 years and was at the end of my rope with Metro Gel and Flagyl. I was beginning to think I was immune to these drugs because they never worked for me. I was sick of being in the doctor's office 3 times a month and decided to do my own research. After reading everyone's post and what worked for them, I began my own experiment that totally worked for me. For 7 days I douched with half water and half 30cc peroxide every night with a douche bottle (which burned a little)and inserted plain Organic yogurt from Country Farm. I thought it was important to use that type of yogurt as it had the lactobacillus which we need to put back directly in the vagina to help kill the bad bacteria causing BV. Its been 6 weeks and I am BV free.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Kay (Sunny, CA) on 02/06/2009
★★★★★
I tried not eating any yeast made foods, no pasta, breads, etc and tried folic acid, b12, acv but nothing worked. The doctors I went to visually thought I had BV or an STD but the test results were always negative. I googled and found that coffee can cause BV, yeast infection, migraines, balance problems and dizziness, I had all those issues. I quit drinking coffee including decaf and caffeine products. No more BV! voila!
Personal Care Products
Posted by Erin (Staten Island, New York) on 01/07/2009
★★★★★
Hibiclens is a soap used in hospitals.
I too thought that I had Bacterial Vaginosis. I had a yellow discharge with no odor, having to change underwear frequently. I went to doctor after doctor and finally discovered I actually had VAGINAL STREP B. It is very similar to BV and is a natural bacteria found in our bodies but can overgrow. I my case, the use of flagyl, diflucan and clindesse in excess to try to cure severe vaginal itching left me with no itching, but this strep and yellow discharge. This is something that often plagues pregnant women and can be dangerous to a baby. But I'm not pregnant and since it's not itchy or anything besides an ugly yellow discharge, the gyno really didn't want to treat it! Penicillen was tried and failed, yellow yellow yellow! Grr!
So after tons of reading I discovered Hibiclens. It is a soap found next to Iodine in CVS or any pharmacy. It is used in Europe as a douche to end Strep B in the place of Penicillen and I suspect it could work for BV too, since these are both bacteria. You simply add one part Hibiclens and 20 parts water. I just got a Summers Eve douche bottle and emptied it, added an inch of Hibiclens and the rest water. I douched, it felt extremely clean and so far one douche and I seem normal. I also shower with it and dilute it to clean down there a bit after regular soap every morning. This is used in Europe exclusively and has helped bacteria lessen for many so I've read. Seems to be working for me, I'll keep you posted Worth a try for BV sufferers!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Di (Brooklyn , NY) on 12/16/2008
★★★★★
Hello ladies, ive been suffering from BV for some time myself. The reason for this bacteria occurrence is the pH imbalance in your vagina. I've noticed that a lot of you are recommending the hydrogen peroxide, it is a good way to get rid of the bacteria but dont over use it. It still is an acid and eventually could cause other complications because it strips away you vaginal walls. For starters what you all should do is try to change you diet. SUGAR IS A BIG NO!! sugar will prevent Lactobacillus species from growing. You should also try to eat more grain and less refined flour foods like white bread and pasta. If you have whole foods in your area or a Russian store you can get kefir, it is cultured milk and a natural probiotic. Try to incorporate kefir into your daily diet. Acidophilus will cure the infection but its up to you to keep it from coming back. Your diet is the key to keeping the pH balance in order. it took me about 2 months with just cutting out sugars and drinking cultured milk to get rid of the infection. I didnt use acidophilus or douches, just kept what i eat under control. Maybe itll help you too.
Goldenseal
Posted by MJB (Boise, ID) on 12/15/2008
★★★★★
I tried everything. Peroxide douch, vitamens the whole works. Im 23 and have BV for about 2 years it was driving me nuts. I read some stuff about goldenseal and BV. I tried a wash and that worked for a few days, the smell came back. Finally I tried a douche with 1 capsule of goldenseal and water. It seems to have done the trick. No fishyness or itch in over a week which is one of the longest stretches I have gone on.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Chevy (Bx, NY) on 12/14/2008
sorry you have been having all of these problems, however let me tell you and everyone else what works. listen up girls. what u have to do is first think about how often you move your bowels. this should be everyday at least twice, if not u need more fiber. the problem is or could be a candida inflammation or problems with digestion. what i did was got a colonic for one, maybe you dont have to, maybe it helped me im not sure. but i decided to write back becuz i see no one came back to these sites with any info saying things actually work for sure. all this to say, get natures way primodophilus l. reuteri from the health food store, it works like a charm. i have been taking it for a month and after the first week of taking them, i have never felt better. every now and a again i pop 2 folic acids and im good, actually im great.i take one in the morning and one at night. i have been having sex and i havent had a problem. im almost scared to stop taking them. trust me it has been working. ive tried every thing else and had no results as long as this., the smell is gone, the discharge is very minimal. i thank God everyday because this was really effecting my life, to the point that everytime i use the toilet, i was smelling the tissues i used to wipe with. in all seriousness get this stuff. i tried the h2o wash, the acidophilus, the garlic, the tea tree oil, oh gosh everything. you just have to find the right probiotic for you, and i think this one has the one that actually transfers to your intestines into the vaginal tract.holla if u need me girls. bye
Garlic
Posted by Mary (Houston, Texas, United States) on 02/18/2009
I was wondering, how do you take Garlic Orally? do you eat it alone or put in food?
Hydrogen Peroxide Variations
Posted by Pam (Central Florida) on 08/25/2008
★★★★★
I've been dealing with BV for almost a year. I found that using 3% HP Douche (no water) and holding it in my vagina for 2 - 3 minutes works really well (just squeeze then release when you are ready to let it drain out).
Also--a baking soda paste applied to the outside worked like a miracle for the burning and irritation. I simply dab some on when I first get into the shower and then wash it off when I'm ready to get out.
Yogurt
Posted by Shell (Savannah,, GA) on 06/10/2008
★★★★★
Hi I understand all too well the discomfort and embrassement of BV. I to am a victim of this terrible problem. I am now a 32 year old BV free woman. This didn't happen over night. I first had my battle with BV at the age of 18.I just recently discovered the powerful powers of YOGURT! I was so fed up with BV doctor trip after doctor trip. It would go away for a week or two then I would be sitting at work of somewhere and get a whiff of some funk coming on! Me and two of my friends refer to it boy saying " I feel a WOOP coming on. At least one of us always keep a readily supply of meds that we could borrow from each other. Anywho, I'm talking too much. I inserted a tube of yogurt every night just before bedtime for 30 nights.( I did'nt have a boyfriend at the time) After doing this for 30 days I have been completely cured of BV for 1 year now. The yogurt that I used was Activia. Try this I have passed it on to many of my friends and everyone says that this works. You have nothing to lose but smelliness!
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Ladyk (Illinois) on 06/30/2016
Eliminate all sugars, both natural and processed. It feeds BV.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Lauren (Ohio) on 08/16/2016
BV is not an STD. I asked my gyno and looked it up it isn't an STD even girls that aren't sexually active can get it.
Apple Cider Vinegar Variations
Posted by Elizabeth (Staten Island, NY) on 07/09/2007
★★★★★
I just tried the remedy of using plain yogurt and ACV. I've been suffering with a very pungent, sharp odor which is intense just before my menses start but I did not want to be forced to take the western medicine approach. Last night I mixed 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt and just ONE CAPFUL of raw, organic ACV and using a turkey baster, inserted the mixture before bed and wore a pad while I slept. Today the smell is gone. I will continue this approach over the next week and incorporate the Yogurt/ACV mixture into my regiment of continued health maintenance. Thank you Earthclinic!!!
Yogurt
Posted by I Did It (Saint Cloud, Mn) on 05/17/2011
★★★★★
I love earth clinic!! I read about a lot of people doing many things at one time but all I did was the yogurt soaked tampon 3 times for 2 days and it is gone!! Woo Hoo! It's been 2 months and that nasty smell has NOT come back. If it ever does I won't hesitate to do it again.
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Reese (California) on 11/18/2023
★★★★★
This is my first and hopefully last encounter with BV and it's been just awful. It took me a while to be certain things were off and it progressed to a nightmarish state really quickly. Everything was so swollen and raw and irritated down there. Even my urethra was so swollen and irritated I could barely urinate and it burned like crazy when I did. I tried the top remedies, and hydrogen peroxide definitely helped ease the symptoms, but after 10 days it wasn't getting better and I did the whole process of douche with hips up to let it simmer a bit. Eventually this became too painful as I was too swollen to even insert the nozzle. Boric acid just made the burn unbearable and I quit after 2 tries. I don't know if I was just too acidic or how it works, but I know boric acid shouldn't burn but it DID, a lot. Diluted ACV also burned, of course, but it did bring relief after the burn subsided. Not for very long, unfortunately. I only somewhat had faith in colloidal silver but I had it (homemade) so I figured I might as well try it. I drank about a tablespoon every 4 hours and after just a few hours things felt better, and after one day my symptoms nearly vanished. Finally day 12, day 2 of colloidal silver, my symptoms are completely gone and everything is back to normal. I'm so mad I didn't try this first! I let all the stuff online about it being useless get to my head. It works!
Garlic
Posted by Nic (OS, Ms) on 01/13/2024
I'm back, I've been meaning to come back and update. It seemed to have work.. but it doesn't. Back to the drawing board
Garlic
Posted by Lisa (FL) on 01/14/2024
Have you tried boric acid capsules? In my desperation for relief, I had my husband get the bottle out of the garage (yes, cockroach poison, don't take internally) and filled the caps and inserted one vaginally each night. I had some sort of infection and/or candida, maybe both, but it was miserable. I had gone to the doc and gotten a prescription which was a vaginal antibiotic gel; did nothing but give me severe diarrhea. It has been years, but I think I took it for a week.
I would also take raw garlic, oregano oil, and/or colloidal silver to help your body rid the infection.
Garlic
Posted by NicNicole (Biloxi, Ms) on 06/26/2024
Came back to say, it worked for a week then it stopped…. The ONLY thing that has been working for me for the last 2 months is ALKALINE WATER. That's it. I don't take probiotics or prebiotics anymore either. Hope this helps.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Twin mom (USA) on 01/26/2019
★★★★★
I literally have been coming to this website for over 10 years because I have been suffering from BV for that long. I've been prescribed antibiotics and have tried all sorts of remedies from this website. I've done extensive research online as well regarding this condition. It's unfortunate that more research isn't done regarding BV because so many women suffer from it. I mean, just look at the amount of “remedies” on this site. It's obvious that more focus needs to be placed on this condition. BV is embarrassing, depressing, and makes women very self conscious. It's just disheartening that a solution/cure hasn't been developed. But I honestly feel that my BV has been cured since eliminating dairy from my diet. After I gave birth, I became very focused on my diet and eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and limiting the amount of meat I eat. It has literally stopped BV in its tracks. Dairy is so bad for you. People should really try to eliminate dairy in their diets and you'll see a big difference.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Twin mom (USA ) on 05/14/2019
★★★★★
As an update. It's been almost a year and I haven't had BV yet all because I eliminated dairy from my diet. All these years of suffering and all I had to do was quit dairy. I've actually eliminated the cow from my diet. I don't eat beef or any of the cows products. I actually still enjoy sugar in my diet and it hasn't affected me at all. Good luck to you all.
Garlic
Posted by Joi (Chicago, I'll) on 08/28/2018
It actually does work.. I mean I don't think doctors know everything. In all honesty, if you think about how did we cure ourselves as humans with any types of infections when medication was not a source. I really believe in Natural Remedies.
