Folic Acid and Acidophilus Treatment for BV

When I first started using the Hydrogen/water douches, the acidophilus and the folic acid pills, it worked well for a week and then my period came. I was using a 50 million bacteria on the acidophilus and it was a hard pill that I insterted. That seemed to be bad for me. I then got a urinary tract infection followed right up by a yeast infection. I went hog wild to try to make sure there was absolutely no smell. I did the douche twice a day along with the pills. That was too much for my body.

I then switched over to apple cider/water douche, but I think I used too much. It also gave me a yeast infection.

So, here is what I have done that seems to work. I put apple cider in my bath water. I open up my vagina a little bit to let the water go in and out a few times. I take 1 acidophilus pill that is 14 billion that are gel caps that I insert when I go to bed. I take 1 folic acid pill and right now it seems to be working. My underwear still get very wet throughout the day and the smell of them at the end smells like strong ammonia. Yet, my vagina does not have a smell to it.

I think the key is to not overdo it. Try something and slowly work your way up if you need to. I will probably start to wear pant liners for the wetness issue, but I am still getting used to not having a bad smelling vagina like I have had all my life. It has been my biggest secret.

I could cry reading your post. I'm proud to say (yes, proud) that I thought I was the only one sniffing my underwear to check for the reoccurance of BV. This website has given me hope. For the past few years, I thought I was just one of those unlucky few who has an unusually high amount of discharge. It was clear to white to milky, but with no itching. I took to wearing the tiny panty liners all the time and just figured it was my lot in life.

In the last few months the itching started, and little smell--not even fishy, just different, but enough to make a girl self-concious. I went to the doctor, and she told me it was BV. I'd likely been dealing with if for years, but never had the symptoms (or a doctor smart enough) to diagnose it during an annual exam. She gave me the antibiotics, which worked while I was taking them. Another round of antibiotics did the same. I always take a multi-vitamin with folic acid (400 mcg x day) and I eat yogurt fairly regularly. I think this is why my symptoms have always been so mild, but they are still there, the darned things!! Your bravery to post your experiences shows me that I just haven't been hitting the folic acid hard enough!

I'm off to the pharmacy tomorrow to purchase the necessary tools to kick this thing. Thank you to all of you who took the time to post here. I know it's an embarassing topic. BV makes us feel dirty and ashamed, but worst of all, it makes us feel powerless over the state of our own bodies. I felt hopeless yesterday. I feel empowered today. Thank you.

Since my last entry I have found out that I have a LATEX ALLERGY (most condoms are made of latex)! This causes BV and then vaginal dryness....I never felt irritated by the condom so i never assumed i was allergic. My doc did a latex blood test on me...It all makes sense now. I am continuing my above stated routine of acidop. and folic acid to be sure this stays in control.....and no more latex condoms...or smells...or discharge...woohoo!

After taking Probiotic Acidophilus(10mg-2 capsules twice a day) and Folic Acid (400mcg 1 twice a day) my symptoms disappeared in about 48 hours. The stink is gone! Nasty but true. I was on my third day of antibiotics when i found this site and ran out to CVS at midnight to buy the goods-my symptoms were turning from a discharge and smell to discharge burning and smell. Like i said in about 48 hours things were really clearing up. My doctor didn't even mention that this could re-occur and i was wondering why i had a refill on the antibiotic! Oh well, thanks to this site i have found a cure...thanks everybody

Hello ladies! I want to thank you all for your feedback as well as your suggestions. Ivette, I tried your suggestion on taking folic acid by itself because my body was rejecting the acidipholus. When I tried the folic acid, it worked, thank you so much, already my husband knows the difference and I hope it does not come back.

One of the reasons some of you may have this reocurring problem, is your partner is not being treated also. I had problems with BV for over 4 years, without my boyfriend being treated. When we broke up, I was treated one last time, and I have not had BV for over 10 years now. Also, taking Flagyl over and over again, will become ineffective after chronic use. Hope this helps.

Well to God be the glory. I am exceedlingly happy to report after reading this website on yesterday which january 24, 2009 and today is january 25, 2009 I am whole. The first thing I did was I took 2 billion live acidophilus I only had 500,000 so I took two at a time with in hour of each two set of pills, then I ran out to the pharmacy and bought the folic acid pills I took one folic acid with some lunch this was just an addition to the folic acid I get out of the two mulitvitamins I take daily which gave me a total of 1200 mcg of folic acid. Remember I said my nine year old daughter had been suffering from the same thing since she was almost two except her problem is on the outsides of her fold, anywhoo, the doctors sent my precious one to specialist for two years and no avail nothing work, then they told me it was rare childhood disorder I looked it up from what they told me it was and my world seem to be over. However I do remember them tell me about yogurt years ago, well that wont work for my child she can be stuborn and is a picky eater. but I put the peroxide on the outside of folds and I could see the foaming action going to work but immediatly her vagina smelt brandnew and I gave her 1 billion acidophilus I am going to check her when she wakes up, I know without a doubt its going to be good news for her. I am going to wipe the outsides of her folds for 7 days and continue with the 1 billion acidophilus for her. as for me with the bv trouble i had to, this felt like a family curse for she and I but God has delivered and I praise him for it and for all of you. I instantly felt better after taking the acidolphilus and unusual coolness has come over my vagina and just my phyical and spiritual self. I even went a little farther I took some peroxide and wipe the out sides of my vagina with it and with in an hour of doing all of this I just froze and was like is it really happening for once after 14 years of battling with this and nine years for my daughter is a horrible feeling when your daugher says mommy I got on jeans and when I open my legs my private smells bad. I feel like the women in the bible that had the issue of blood she spent all she had until she met a man name Jesus and God. May God bless every one of you and may you all be healed and for be blessed. To everyone from the administration and creators of this website THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. and for those that keep saying they are not getting any results it may be the amount of acidiphilus you are using I read every post on the entire website and I notice for everyone that said they got cure they used at least 1 to 2 billion acidophilus and at least 800 to 1200 folic acid, try taking them seperately. that's what I did oh I am sorry if whoever reads this that my post is so long, but when you have been ill physically and effected mentally for 14 years, you would have a lot to say to. Oh another thing your going to have to change your diet, I love sweets , pies and icing on cakes, sometimes I will just eat it right out of the container, I wont be doing that anymore, Look folic acid and acidophius to see what foods they are in and start eating them and we all need to drink more water. Try also to take the acidphilus and folic acid on empty stomach with plain water if you have been having no success and rememember starting using organic sugars and honey. May God keep and bless all of you. I fee like my life is starting over. You see I use to wonder what kind of life would my daughter have when it came time for her to get married. How could I tell her you cant have a husband, your sick, But God has delivered.

Well where do I begin, I started having problems with my vagina after my husband and I got engaged. During our engagement we were highly active what can I say we were in love with each other, but now I wish we had waited for holy reasons and personal, he never pushed me or made me feel like i had to, any way enough with that, about six months after we got married my persoanl world began to collapse all around me. My husband began to become a monster in a nightmare, he even accused me of being unfaithful, I first started out experiencing severe yeast infections so much so that one doctor gave up on me and dismissed me as her patient. I tried everything going from doctor to doctor even female doctors will get tired of you. whatever happen to doctors who wouldnt sleep until their patients are healed. Now all they care about is copays. Anywho I have had problems with yeast infections and bv for last fourteen years. I can relate to so many of you, I know sometimes we want to say that this horrible creature that has grown within us has ruined our relationship, Come on ladies, let's be honest and real sicknesses and diseases doesnt ruin relationship, only the man that we love who is not be understanding and patient and willing to do what ever it takes to wait until we can physically pleased them love is more than just physical. Im sorry I hope I didnt offend any one but so many time we put the blame on the wrong things and the wrong individiuals. Lets be real this ought to show us if you cant survive bv with me, will you survive cancer or old age if and when it happens to me. Anywho again I believe sometimes weak immunity from many different things can affect our natural balance and hereditary may a factor. Many of my female cousins have told me a few years ago that they have had the same experience. But to make my emotions worse my then 18 month old daughter began experiencing the same things that I was, I took her to the docotors and specialist for two years and nothing they did helped her. she is now nine and I look at the infection on the outsides of her folds and I silently cry. I dont want her to see me crying, my husband doesnt get really involved in her care, just always says he trust me to do whats right. Well after see her sickness again last night and seeing my bv every time I go to the bathroom I see thick yellow discharge, forunately I dont have any smell with mine but she is starting to have awful and I mean awful smell, I believe my daughter was misdiagnosed at the children's hospital, they said she had a weird child disorder that only children have. But my daugther symptoms are just like mine, yellow discharge no itching, she has smell I do not. But God bless all of you you have given me hope and remember ladies just because this has happened to us, we are still beautiful and even though sometimes we feel like creatures that doesnt mean we are. If you husband or boyfriend looks at you with disgust, rebuke that thought and if hes your boyfriend take that as a sign from God he's not the one for you. The one who is truly for you will love and be patien and kind and understanding. The one truly for you will do what we are all doing research, prayer, tears he must have I will do whatever it takes to make you well, I love you. Thats what the one that is meant for us is supposed to say. Late this morning I took 2 billion acidophilius and I have not had any discharge in my underwear, I normally have to change my underwear six times a day, but I feel pretty good and there is like a unusual really feel good coolness coming into my vagina. I also took an extra multiple vitamins that has folic acid of 400 mcg in it on top of the my reg vitamin that I take every morning that will give me 800 total. I am going to try to figure out what to give to my daugther so she can be free, I guess half of the normal adult dose sounds right. Its hard to believe all this time my cure was right in my face all the long every day. The scripture from the bible is right. "The people perish for the lack of knowledge." But we shall not any longer.

After reading seveal emails from women about how great this remedy is I went out and bought Folic Acid & Acidophilus. I take six 400mg folic Acid and 1 extra strength Acidophilus by mouth and insert 1 pill at bed time. I have done this everyday for three days. I am better but not cured. The smell is not as bad as it was before. I am going to the doctor to get some medicine. The remedy was worth a try.

Hi Jan... i feel your struggle. I too have been battling BV for about 4 years now until I found this website back in August 2008. I started to take the acidoph pills along w/folic acid and even though the symptoms did subside a little they didn't completely go away. Until one day a person here responded to my story and said that i should just take the folic acid by itself (w/out the acidoph) and see if that helps and guess what?! It did. I've been BV free for since October 2008. Give it shot... you got nothing to lose but that darn BV!! ... fyi I take 2 (400mcg) folic acid pill in the am and 1 (400mcg) in the pm... good luck!!!!!!

Yea...Just wanted to give you ladies an update and thank you all for your suggestions. I have never experienced relief like this before within a day of taking the folic acid my symptoms were gone! After 6 years of endless meds and doctor appts relief from folic acid who would have guessed. Again thank you sooo much I have finally won the battle. Adios BV!!!!!

I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH BV FOR MANY YEARS. TODAY, I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FOR 3 WEEKS WITH NO RELIEF IN SIGHT. I HAVE TRIED FOLIC ACID AND ACIDAOPHILUS. ALSO, I HAVE BEEN TAKING VIT. A, C & E, B-COMPLEX, ZINC, CRANBERRY TABLETS AND TWO WEEKS. MY SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN MILD BUT STILL PRESENT. IN ADDITION, I HAVE ANAL ITCHING AND HEMORRHOIDS. LADIES! I NEED SOME HELP HERE. ANY IDEALS FOR RELIEF. I AM DESPARATE AND NEED HELP. IT'S BEEN 3 WEEKS SINCE I HAVE BEEN WITH MY HUSBAND.

I am so thankful I came across this site. :)) I have been suffering for a couple of years from this unsightly infection. I have used flagyl and diflucan more than any other medication in my life it seems and the last several months it would just not stay away.

I have the same sex partner and have for the past 3 yrs. I sometimes think that it is his sperm, or that it is because he is not circumcised. My Dr says it possible but cant determined if its true. I dont want to stop intercourse with him and we do want to have a baby sometime. Anyhow, douching is not good and I do not reccomend doing it but I do recommend taking folic acid and High Potency Probotic from whole foods. I also take Stress B. I have been taking it for just 3 days and the itching, and discharge have gone away. :) I never really had the fishy smell so I dont need to worry about that. BYe Bye Flagl, bye bye BV

Try a Garlic powder bath. I use about 1/4c. (this will help with bronhial and sinus issues too). Then after your bath use a hair dryer on your "nether parts" to make sure your completely dry.

Don't do this too many days in a row as I have found it can throw things out of balance. After a couple of days I stop everything.. the acidopholus and baths and wait a week to see if everything is back to where it needs to be.

First off I would like to say that I am in the same situation as Roxxanne from New York is in I have been dealing with Bv for over 6 years now I feel like I am losing the battle. I have tried acidolphilus by itself which helps my yeast issue but not the BV. I only wear white underware I even iron them because thats suppose to kill bacteria. I no longer use any fragrance soaps I use dove for sensitive skin no fragrance. I use Tide no fragrance no dyes ect to wash my clothes. My doc told me if I use bounch fabric softener to stop I have done that. When I get out of the shower I use a blowdryer to dry myself. I am at my wits end it has taken over my life. I am going to now try folic acid along with my acidolphilus Im hoping for a miracle please if anyone has any suggestions please let me know...wish me luck

I just got to your website 2 days ago I have had bv for 5 years iit just came out of no where fish odor discharge I felt nasty dirty and unattractive u know how embarassing it is to have to work around people and u stink down ther I smell it right through my pants ughhhh all women want to smell clean and feel sexy,The doctors are the worst I went three times one doctor told me I dont smell anything, Im like is your nose stuffed?lol Its not funny but to see u ladies is a blessing I felt alone now im sharing my story!!!Im trying folic acid andAcidophillus so far,so good I just want my vagina back!!!! No im not having sex until my vag returns!!!!!!!!Thank u ladies I will write again and let u know if I got my vag back!!!

I am one of the lucky few who doesn't normally suffer from Vaginal issues. I am 33 years old. I have had only 2 yeast infections and one bladder infection up until a year ago. Embarrassingly enough, I contracted a Bacterial infection from an uncleaned toy. Oh the things we do. Easy enough I went to the doctor, got antibiotics and it went away. Then 4 months ago, I seemed to have gotten that recognizable vile odor back that permeates through my clothes... from an unclean toy I did not insert, I assume, or that guy I slept with three weeks earlier.. But it was oh too familiar a scent to not relate to being BV again. So as my finances go, I make too much money to get a free clinic at Planned Parenthood, I don't earn enough to spend the $100 on the exam, so I self diagnosed and took a Z-pack of antibiotics a friend gave me. It seemed to have gone away but only briefly before it returned. At that point I researched on-line and have been taking 2 tablets of Acidophilus & Probiotic complex supplements a day with 1 tablet of b-12 / folic acid / b-6, on top of eating yogurt regularly. As soon as I got the supplements I crushed a acidophilus tablet and stirred it with some yogurt and inserted it into my vagina for about 4 days. The smell is gone! It seems to have worked! I am still a little worried about letting my man put his face in that area out of fear that maybe I just got used to the smell.. but It seems okay. I am confused about douching because I hear so much about how it is bad for you.. so I won't do that... but but but am I going to have to take these supplements forever? do I need to have yogurt everyday from now on or smell again? when can I get my confidence back that this Vaginal odor is gone for good? What do I do from here?

Hi everyone.. I first want to give out a thanks to all of you who have written to this site and especially EarthClinic for providing such a great forum. I have been suffering from BV since I was 18 years old. I went to endless doctor visits with no insurance and spent hundreds of dollars. I was diagnosed with a yeast infection, vulvar vestibulitis,hpv, etc. All which was not true. All of my pain from the vaginal area (during sex) was coming from bv. Please ladies, always make sure that you dont have sex when your dry and irritated (it makes it worse). Then came the awful fishy smell. At first, it would only come once in a while which i sucessfully treated with metronidazole. From personal experience, I advice the vaginal gel insert form of metronidazole. The medication would always work but it seemed to come back either after sex or after menstruation. I was so sick of paying for medication and always thought that it would eventually not work if i kept on using it. Also, these antibiotics kill of the good bacteria as well.
This is how i cured my bv at 22. First, I used my last prescription of metronidazole (the vaginal get insert kind). (do this because your body needs to kill all of the gardnella bacteria and although its hard, you have to avoid sex during this week). Remember to use the medication for a full 7 days even if the smell goes away sooner. and try not to miss a dose. While taking the medication, remember to take acidophillus to keep your body from getting a yeast infection from the good bacteria that is also going to be killed off by the metronidazole. I prefer Nature's Way Reuteri Pearls. Every morning, I wake up and take a folic acid 400 mcg and a reuteri pearl on an empty stomach. Then, I take a multi-vitamin that has 400 mcg of folic acid as well after lunch (which totals my daily folic acid intake to 800 mcg). I suggest you take a multi-vitamin because the variety of vitamins help your body in recovery and stabilizing (and its good for your body too). After doing this, I have never noticed the fishy smell again. I just dont know why these ob gyn doctors can't tell you the importance of folic acid and acidophillus. If the concern for bv is this outrageous, these doctors and med scientists should try forcefully to find a cure once and for all.. right? but until they do for sure, I'm going to take these supplements everyday which helps me keep at bay. Sorry this text it so long, but I really hope another is cured just like I have.

IM 19 YEARS OLD, I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH BV FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS, LIKE EVERYONE SAYS THE DOCTOR GIVE ME FLAGYL AND A YEAST INFECTION CREAM BUT IT COMES RIGHT BACK A MONTH OR TWO. ITS SUCH A HOLD UP AND IT STRESSES ME OUT. I CANT HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE BECAUSE I SMELL FISHY, ILL WASH AND WASH BUT I STILL HAVE THAT BAD BAD ODOR, I HAVE NO ITCHING (I THINK THE ITCHING COME WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING TO UPSET THE VAGINAL, LIKE SOAPS AND SILK UNDERWEAR) I TRY THE FOLIC ACID FIRST I TOOK 3 PILLS, I WAS THINKING THIS DOESNT WORK, THE NEXT DAY I SMELL MY SELF AND THE SMELL WAS VERY LIGHT, WASNT STRONG, LIKE IT HAD DECREASED. I SAID WOW!!!!!! FOLIC ACID DOES WORK, I JUST TOOK 3 MORE F/A AND I TOOK 1 AIDOPHILUS PILL, AT THIS RATE IT SHOULD BE GONE IN THE MORNING, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL BLESSING.

hello ladies i'm 27 yrs old and have been dealing with bv for 8 long year now every month, i might get lucky and not see it for 2 mths and that every blue moon. same thing taking antibiotics back to back. i think i'm going to loose my mind any day now.. i just left the gnc store and brought pro-bitics acidophilus 14 billion per capsul and folic acid 1000 mcg i pray this works for me.. ill keep u guys posted.

Hi everyone my name is kayla and i just wanted to let everyone know that you alls comments really helped me n changed my life. Thank You So Much! I've been dealiung with BV for 2 years now and finally found a way to get it to stay away. Thank You all again for your help. hope that the PB8(acidophillus) and the folic acid helps every and anyone with these horrible systems. you should also try (Bifidus) iut also helps he pre-vention of BV. Thanks ones again and I will be shore to spread the news to all my girl-friends. kayla

i tried the combination of probiotic aciduphilus pills & folic acid for bv. i have to say that i am quite impressed. no more horid smell and the discharge is at a bare minimum now. THANK GOODNESS!!!i was losing my mind trying to get rid of this. but thanks to this remedy my worries are over.

Folic Acid is wonderful for BV and maintaining vaginal health.

Acidophilus does not work for me at all. In fact 4 times in the last 3 years that I tried to take acidophilus (or any other form of probiotic) it has given me the worst yeast infections in my entire life. I never get or have any problems with yeast infections. I know a lot of people's bodies thrive and heal and I think that most people benefit but there are some (like me) who don't need them.

Folic Acid is the only thing that has cured me when I had BV.

It is also very very important to treat your partner so you don't get reinfected.

Doctors will tell you it is impossible for men to carry BV and that they do not need treatment. THAT IS WRONG specifically if you keep getting reinfected. I had a boyfriend who I had take Flagyl because I was reinfected by him 3 times after he took the medications I stopped getting BV. I didn't know about folic acid at that time so perhaps having your partner take 800 mcg of folic acid 1 time per day for at least 14 days would take care of it.

I personally take 2 folic acid 800 mcg (morning and afternoon) every day and I will do this for the rest of my life.

If you find that eating yogurt to help with BV, try my fav cure for yeast infection. I like to soak a tampon in some yogurt, plain, organic, full fat, and active cultures. I then use the tampon over night and the symptoms are so much better. I haven't used during the day, but don't see any reason why you couldn't. It takes about three days for a regular strength infection, five for a beefy one, and overnight for the first itch of one. I would also add that you should use the tampons that do not have chlorine, or asbestos in them. You can get them online, or in a Whole Foods type place. I prefer Chamberlins if you are in the Orlando area.

I've had BV for 12 years now. Constant visits to the doctors did nothing. Any prescription medicine I took worked temporarily and it just became a waste of money and time.

I tried taking 1 400mg of folic acid nightly and noticed that it went away.. temporarily. So I stopped. Then when I was eating some yogurt I noticed that it lightened up. I went out and bought some acidophilus. I took 3 last night, and 2 of folic acid. This morning I took 2 acidophilus. I thought it'd work for sure but... I feel like I have a lot more discharge then usual!! Perhaps I should ease up on the acidophilus?? And wait it out I suppose?

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I tried 800 mg of folic acid and 2 acidopholus pills a day. It worked for a couple of days. Then my bv came back and I can't figure out how to cure it. I once cured it temporarily with boric acid suppositories but it came back. I have tried all the herbal capsules advertised when you google bv. I need a new approach if anybody can help.