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.
Iztaca (Brooklyn, NY) on 05/01/2009:
Acidophilus and Folic Acid cured my BV:
I'm in my mid-20s and finally started having sex (with someone I love). Shorty afterwards, I experienced a strong odor and slight burning. We had both been tested so I knew it wasn't an STD. I initially thought the smell was a result of my recent vitamin B-12 intake. I explained the symptoms to my mom, a medically-licensed healthcare professional, who suggested BV, something that she herself has suffered from but had eventually went away. I came upon this site, and what a relief! I couldn't find EarthClinics dosage page, but after reading some detailed posts, I took 1600mcg of Folic Acid and two Acidophilus capsules orally the first night (the idea of putting the capsule in my vagina made me nervous - especially since no one wrote if they put it in like tampon insertion length or just in the entrance of the vajayjay). Honest to blog, the smell was gone by morning. The next night, I took only 1200mcg of Folic Acid (I learned my Vitamin B supplements held 400mcg anyway) and continued with the two Acidophilus pills. I've kept up this regimen for the last week and I have little-to-no-discharge and absolutely no fishy smell. A miracle! It's a huge comfort to know that other women have suffered through BV and are open talking about it. I will likely keep up this regimen for another week and then taper off the Folic Acid dosage or take the vitamins every other day. Acidophilus is safe to take everyday.
I followed the directions....took Folic Acid and the Acidophilus and within 24 hours it was gone!! I am sooo amazed...I've had it for 18 years...no doctor ever found anything that works and I come here and poof! it is gone.
Thank you all and thank you so much for this website.
I was at school when I'm like, "What is that God awful smell?" I went to the bathroom I had started my period. I never smelled bad at all when I had it any other month. After my period was over, the smell stuck around. I realized I had BV again. I was frustrated because the smell is so gross. I don't have health insurance so I always go to a free clinic. Due to school and work, its hard for me to schedule and appointment because the clinic closes at 3:30 p.m. Once I got home, I went online for a home remedy then I ran into this site. I tried something a few people mentioned. I took [1 pill of Acidophilus 1Billion & 1 pill of Folic Acid 400mcg in the MORNING] & [1 pill of Acidophilus 1Billion & 1 pill of Folic Acid 400mcg in the EVENING] starting on April 10th. After the 2nd day, the smell was completely gone. I'm still taking the pills because I don't want it to come back! I'm still going to go schedule an appointment to see if everything is okay down there as soon as I have time. I just took the pills to see if it actually worked (thank God it did!) & so I wont be embarrassed about smelling in class. Whoever has this problem should definately try it. I was pretty skeptical....but now I'm convinced.
I remember the first time that I got diagnosed with a yeast infection, I was 17 years old, and that's when it all started. Now I am 25 and BV has been in my life like an ex-boyfriend you can't get rid of. Even though I make frequent visits to the doctor, they prescribe me the same things over and over again, things like metro-gel, which works temporarily. But as soon as I become sexually active again, it comes right back. I even had a doctor tell me to douche with Iodine and water, and that didn't do anything but make matters worse.
So my sis e-mailed a link to this website, and I read through every single comment and review that every person wrote about BV, and to my amazement, I went to the nearest Vitamin Store and literally bought some Folic Acid 400 mcg and L. acidophilus ____. I took two capsules of each, and literally had sex the same night with my boyfriend, and the smell was gone! I almost couldn't believe it! I told my boyfriend, and he noticed that the smell was gone too. Luckily, he was very understanding of the situation, and was willing to help in anyway that he could. But we were both ecstatic that the nasty fishy scent was gone after we had sex. No one wants to deal with something like that, of course when you want to make love to your man, and then cuddle after, who wants to cuddle in a room smelled like something died in your vagina?
Well I must say this website, and everyone on it answered my prayers. Thank you for allowing me to live my life again!
I have suffered from BV for about 6 years unknowingly (meaning the doctors failed to diagnose correctly). After doing a self diagnosis I tried this approach. I received instant results. Within 2 hours my symptoms cleared up completely. Suffering from this horrible disease since the age of 14 and now I am 21 and finally freed. I am eternally grateful to all who have shared their knowledge. It saddens me that there is so little research or concern amongst the health industry to tackle with issue with affordable and accessible probiotics. It makes me wonder why us women must silently suffer. Hopefully this will be knowledge that we all will pass down to other young women who secretly may be suffering as we all have. Thank You Earth Clinic.
My measurements: 2 folic acid & B12 chew tab (400 mcg) and 3 Acidophilus with Bifidus & FOS (6 billion cells)
Questions: While suffering from BV (unknowingly) I gave birth to a healthy child. My question is, is there any risk to him. What steps should I take for him, if any?
take 800mcg Folic acid daily and two lactobaciliphus capsules before each meal three times a day until overt symptoms subside. then once you have eliminated the discharge and the smell....(possibly the first day) continue to take daily recommended dose of folic acid. usually 400mcg if not pregnant and 800-1000mcg if expecting. and decrease the lactobaciliphus capsules to just one three times a day. if your stool becomes too soft decrease lactobaciliphus capsules to just one capsule twice a day. it is a digestive aide as well. the thought process is that the live cultures will colonize in your rectum and will travel to your vagina to recolonize and balance your ph. (completely safe) avoid ANYTHING perfumed including lotion, detergent, soap, and body sprays. avoid semen in your vagina. NO SUGARY DRINKS NO SMOKING!!!! use only warm water on your vagina....hot water can soften the already irritaed skin causing it to tear. ouch!!! don't insert anything into your vagina! if you do decide to go to the doctor and they prescribe metrondiazole, use the above reccomendations to keep BV free. the smell is you vagina's way of telling you that your PH level is off. things like sperm, which is alkaline, can change your ph completely. if you must use soap around your vagina use something for a sensitive skinned baby. but water truly is all you need because as my nanny would say a healthy vagina will clean itself. discuss this with your partner as he may think of you as "dirty" i guess i lucked out because my partner is just as understanding as he can be and we all know that stress makes everything worse. i am a registered nurse and trust me.....this helps. good luck. xoxo
I have been sufferning with BV off and on since I can remember. I have tryed the meds the OBGYN gives u all the time. U might just want to go to your local Pharmacy and buy Acidophilus ____. Ingredients: Lactobacillus Acidophilus 100mg. I thought i had bought the Natural kind but it is not. The nasty smell is so bad I took one by mouth and inserted one capsule useing my middle finger.I took three 400mgs of Folic Acid also because I really don't think I have one good cell left down there! I'm running on empty! I also have my period now witch will help. I just did not want to waite another minute It wasn't long after I inserted the Acidophilus I felt releif from the smell,the itching and my urine was looking really good too. That nasty smell is not kicking like it was. I was going to try Boric Acid in a capsule but I figured It might B quicker and safer 2 insert a capsules up in me. I am going to insert another capsule up in there around 10 10:30 tonight. I am really amazed how fast it started to work! I am very surprized this stuff is working already. I'll also keep taking 3 400mgs of Folic Acid 2x's a day and one vitamin B-12 1,000mgs a day. When the nasty odor is gone and the rest of my sytems r gone too i will write back to tell you how long it took and if i changed anything. I was really uncertain about doing all this. I'm sooooo thankfull i did! I thank Earthclinic and U all for shareing.
Folic Acid and acidophilus have helped my bacterial vaginosis. I've had reoccuring yeast infections since I was 17. It was definitely my diet at that time.. Onto the BV- I got it after having my IUD put in and had sex with my boyfriend. I thought it was a yeast infection (again) and treated it, but nothing helped. I finally consulted a student in my school (I'm in chinese medicine school) and she put me on a 10 day cleanse. It was no food for 8 days (just fruit for the first two), and salt water for cleaning the colon, and a special tea of cayenne, lemon, and maple syrup. That got rid of it within 2 days. However, I seemed to have it again and this time (unwilling to do the cleanse again) I was looking for something easier and less time consuming. I did the peroxide douche but this didn't seem to help. I ended up going out and buying folic acid and acidophilus. I am taking 4-6 folic acids a day at 400mg (I'm thinking it's a little too much and am going to lessen it) and 4 acidophilus pills at 500 million live cultures a day. I also inserted 2 acidophilus tabs inside my vajayjay today. So far so good! I'm not itchy or burning or having discharge (after the acidophilus pills made their way out of my body, that is). I feel good! So to anyone who is scared to try the peroxide douche, try this instead! I hope this helps!
I've been suffering from bacterial vaginosis for approximately 1 1/2 years. I had heavy discharge and the room smelled like a dead fish after sex. The foul odor happened whether or not I used condoms. I've been treated with the metro gel twice and flagyl twice. I'm currently on long term therapy and use the metro gel twice a week. I also take 1200 micrograms of folic acid, 4 billion acidophilus, and 48 billion probiotics. I also take 1000 milligrams vitamin c and 1 garlic pill. This has seemed to do the trick. I've been testing myself (on the days I can) and I have maintained a 4.5 ph balance even after sex. I use dove soap and my gynecologist told me not to douche with anything.
I had been suffering with BV for about 6 years and it was only getting worse. I was in a longterm and exclusive relationship but, yet I couldn't really get comfortable with him because of the BV. I tried metro gel and scent free, dye free soaps, diflucan, OTC creams and pills but nothing worked. Then only thing that gave me any relef was Rephresh but it didn't even last the three days it was supposed to and it was getting expensive at $19 for a box of 4, three days treatments. I finally went to GNC and bought super acidophlus (10 billion CFU). I tried it and I was better after 3 days. However, I still had minimal symptoms. Then I had a toohtache and a subsequent root canal and my dentist prescribed oral clindamycin. I took this for 10 days while I was taking the super acidophlus and they must have complemented one another because I haven't had issues since and I don't even take my acidophilus or my multi-vitamin with folic acid every day. Before and after my periods and after intercourse I get a bit of extra discharge which scare me straight to the fridge for my acidophilus. I take a about 3 a day for about 3 days straight and I don't have any problems. Probiotics are my friend!!!!!!!!
Please note : I take folic acid in the form of a mulit-vitamin - but I wasn't even aware the folic acid was in the vitamin or that it was a possible treatment for bv but now I know. However, when I was only taking the multivitamin my bv was horrible. It may have been that I wasn't taking a therapeutic dose. I'm not sure with the folic acid but, it was the super acidophilus that had an immediate effect.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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!!!
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
OMG..I can't believe it...I have suffered from BV for most of my adult life (I'm 55) and when I read about using acidophilus and folic acid to relieve BV I was very skeptical. For years and years I've been washing about 3 times a day to try and get rid of the odor. Sometimes I would even get out of bed in the middle of the night to wash because I couldn't stand the smell, and as soon as I got home from work I headed right to the bathroom. Needless to say, this has really dampened my sex life (oral sex has absolutely been out of the question). I read about the acidophilus/folic acid and thought yeah okay, I'll try it...what can it hurt? So I bought 1 mg size folic acid (very cheap at Costco ...$3.39 for 365 tablets!) and acidophilus with bifidus which has 3 different lactobacillus strains - over 6 billion in total. I couldn't find "pill" form, only capsules. The first day I used two capsules (one in a.m., and one in p.m.)..opened them up and used my wet finger to apply the "granules" internally; I've also been taking 3 capsules orally and one folic acid orally everyday.Unbelievably after about a day and a half the odor had greatly lessened but I was still rather doubtful that it would totally disappear. This is now the fourth day, and can you believe it....NO ODOR!!! (and I keep checking and checking). I think I will stick with the 3 capsules of acidophilus and one of the folic acid for a few months and then try and cut down the dosage. I am truly amazed...it was sooo easy!!!
Sarah (Rochester, Michigan, United States) on 11/16/2008:
Take acidophilus and folic acid, it really does work! Thank you to everyone here that apssed on this miracle cure! I am so happy with the results I want to tell everyone who's suffering with bv to try it. I think you need to adjust the amount you take with the kind of results you get. I started taking just acidophilus twice a day and it calmed down the symptoms but it didnt make them go away also putting a tablet inside the vagina helped even more but the odor was still there during sex. I continued on the acidophilus twice a day and took 1 800mcg of folic acid a day.Within hours of taking the folic acid the discharge and odor were completely gone. I am now taking one acidophilus and one folic acid a day. No signs yet of the bv. I am so happy to have found a way to manage my bv. I firmly believe that once you get bv you will get it again. Antibiotics really dont work because you cant take them forever. There is no cure for bv so you have to keep it under control by taking folic acid. Obviously women who are suffering from bv have a folic acid deficiancy. Too bad the doctors cant figure that out for you.Thank god for the internet!
I came across Earth Clinic because I have been doing some research in regard to Bacterial Vaginosis, I have had this condition on and off for about 10 years, everytime I get it I go to the doctor spend a couple of hundred dollars, get some flagil then I get the BV back and do the same thing over again. Recently I came down with the BV again and I went and got the Flagil and it came back like usual as soon as I was done with the prescription so I started investigating and came across this site the acidophilus and folic acid have done wonders for me BV is gone, I started to take 2(1 billion) acidophilus capsules in the am and pm every day and 1 folic acid in the am daily I also inserted 1 acidophilus capsule 2 days in a row when I first recieved them (i didnt like inserting them because they are gritty and so sex will be out of the question for a few days afterward). So now its 2 weeks later and I have no symptoms at all!!!!!!! Hurray! Thank you so much Earth Clinic and everyone who has posted and helped out so many women with this ailment. I am also going to try the Apple Cider Vinegar daily and Oil pulling I will post on these things after I have tried them for a while to see how they work. Thank you again.
I've suffered from bv for about 4 years. however, i never knew what it was till about 4 months ago - since, i had never been to a gyn before. i got the bv around the time i found out, years later, that my boyfriend was cheating on me. i really thought it was an std with similar symptoms. i suppose that it was just being sexually active since prior to that time my boyfriend was out of state for a year. from what i've read and been told you can't get bv from a man. in the past, before i knew it was bv. i read some stuff on the internet about remedies for vaginal odor. i found out that bacteria thrives on sugar. so i stopped drinking soda, which i drank everyday, and started only drinking water. i also read that zinc deficiency could be a cause of the foul odor. i also read that salt is an inhospitable host for bacteria. so i bought sea salt spray from gnc and used that too. between avoiding sugar, taking 2 zinc pills, and salt spray. the odor definitly got better may have completly went away. i didn't keep up with it and the symptoms came back. 4 months ago i went to the gyn to have it diagnosed and it was bv. anyway, my gyn gave me a rx, which i took everyday for a week. the first day i took it my symptoms went away. my only previous symptoms were bad fishy odor and white milky discharge. i never itched or anything. after i got my period the odor and discharge came back again. i went to the doc and got the rx again and after i got my period i'm now i'm back where i started. i tried the 1 800mg folic acid & 1 1/2 billion acidophilus pill for a couple of weeks after the first rx didn't work. it didn't seem to do anything for me. that's why i went back to get the rx again, but it didn't work either. i'm going to try the folic acid & acidophilius in higher does and the hydrogen peroxide/water douching mix and see what happens. after hearing so many women's sucess i think i should try it again.
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.
Iztaca (Brooklyn, NY) on 05/01/2009:
Acidophilus and Folic Acid cured my BV:
I'm in my mid-20s and finally started having sex (with someone I love). Shorty afterwards, I experienced a strong odor and slight burning. We had both been tested so I knew it wasn't an STD. I initially thought the smell was a result of my recent vitamin B-12 intake. I explained the symptoms to my mom, a medically-licensed healthcare professional, who suggested BV, something that she herself has suffered from but had eventually went away. I came upon this site, and what a relief! I couldn't find EarthClinics dosage page, but after reading some detailed posts, I took 1600mcg of Folic Acid and two Acidophilus capsules orally the first night (the idea of putting the capsule in my vagina made me nervous - especially since no one wrote if they put it in like tampon insertion length or just in the entrance of the vajayjay). Honest to blog, the smell was gone by morning. The next night, I took only 1200mcg of Folic Acid (I learned my Vitamin B supplements held 400mcg anyway) and continued with the two Acidophilus pills. I've kept up this regimen for the last week and I have little-to-no-discharge and absolutely no fishy smell. A miracle! It's a huge comfort to know that other women have suffered through BV and are open talking about it. I will likely keep up this regimen for another week and then taper off the Folic Acid dosage or take the vitamins every other day. Acidophilus is safe to take everyday.
I followed the directions....took Folic Acid and the Acidophilus and within 24 hours it was gone!! I am sooo amazed...I've had it for 18 years...no doctor ever found anything that works and I come here and poof! it is gone.
Thank you all and thank you so much for this website.
I was at school when I'm like, "What is that God awful smell?" I went to the bathroom I had started my period. I never smelled bad at all when I had it any other month. After my period was over, the smell stuck around. I realized I had BV again. I was frustrated because the smell is so gross. I don't have health insurance so I always go to a free clinic. Due to school and work, its hard for me to schedule and appointment because the clinic closes at 3:30 p.m. Once I got home, I went online for a home remedy then I ran into this site. I tried something a few people mentioned. I took [1 pill of Acidophilus 1Billion & 1 pill of Folic Acid 400mcg in the MORNING] & [1 pill of Acidophilus 1Billion & 1 pill of Folic Acid 400mcg in the EVENING] starting on April 10th. After the 2nd day, the smell was completely gone. I'm still taking the pills because I don't want it to come back! I'm still going to go schedule an appointment to see if everything is okay down there as soon as I have time. I just took the pills to see if it actually worked (thank God it did!) & so I wont be embarrassed about smelling in class. Whoever has this problem should definately try it. I was pretty skeptical....but now I'm convinced.
I remember the first time that I got diagnosed with a yeast infection, I was 17 years old, and that's when it all started. Now I am 25 and BV has been in my life like an ex-boyfriend you can't get rid of. Even though I make frequent visits to the doctor, they prescribe me the same things over and over again, things like metro-gel, which works temporarily. But as soon as I become sexually active again, it comes right back. I even had a doctor tell me to douche with Iodine and water, and that didn't do anything but make matters worse.
So my sis e-mailed a link to this website, and I read through every single comment and review that every person wrote about BV, and to my amazement, I went to the nearest Vitamin Store and literally bought some Folic Acid 400 mcg and L. acidophilus ____. I took two capsules of each, and literally had sex the same night with my boyfriend, and the smell was gone! I almost couldn't believe it! I told my boyfriend, and he noticed that the smell was gone too. Luckily, he was very understanding of the situation, and was willing to help in anyway that he could. But we were both ecstatic that the nasty fishy scent was gone after we had sex. No one wants to deal with something like that, of course when you want to make love to your man, and then cuddle after, who wants to cuddle in a room smelled like something died in your vagina?
Well I must say this website, and everyone on it answered my prayers. Thank you for allowing me to live my life again!
I have suffered from BV for about 6 years unknowingly (meaning the doctors failed to diagnose correctly). After doing a self diagnosis I tried this approach. I received instant results. Within 2 hours my symptoms cleared up completely. Suffering from this horrible disease since the age of 14 and now I am 21 and finally freed. I am eternally grateful to all who have shared their knowledge. It saddens me that there is so little research or concern amongst the health industry to tackle with issue with affordable and accessible probiotics. It makes me wonder why us women must silently suffer. Hopefully this will be knowledge that we all will pass down to other young women who secretly may be suffering as we all have. Thank You Earth Clinic.
My measurements: 2 folic acid & B12 chew tab (400 mcg) and 3 Acidophilus with Bifidus & FOS (6 billion cells)
Questions: While suffering from BV (unknowingly) I gave birth to a healthy child. My question is, is there any risk to him. What steps should I take for him, if any?
take 800mcg Folic acid daily and two lactobaciliphus capsules before each meal three times a day until overt symptoms subside. then once you have eliminated the discharge and the smell....(possibly the first day) continue to take daily recommended dose of folic acid. usually 400mcg if not pregnant and 800-1000mcg if expecting. and decrease the lactobaciliphus capsules to just one three times a day. if your stool becomes too soft decrease lactobaciliphus capsules to just one capsule twice a day. it is a digestive aide as well. the thought process is that the live cultures will colonize in your rectum and will travel to your vagina to recolonize and balance your ph. (completely safe) avoid ANYTHING perfumed including lotion, detergent, soap, and body sprays. avoid semen in your vagina. NO SUGARY DRINKS NO SMOKING!!!! use only warm water on your vagina....hot water can soften the already irritaed skin causing it to tear. ouch!!! don't insert anything into your vagina! if you do decide to go to the doctor and they prescribe metrondiazole, use the above reccomendations to keep BV free. the smell is you vagina's way of telling you that your PH level is off. things like sperm, which is alkaline, can change your ph completely. if you must use soap around your vagina use something for a sensitive skinned baby. but water truly is all you need because as my nanny would say a healthy vagina will clean itself. discuss this with your partner as he may think of you as "dirty" i guess i lucked out because my partner is just as understanding as he can be and we all know that stress makes everything worse. i am a registered nurse and trust me.....this helps. good luck. xoxo
I have been sufferning with BV off and on since I can remember. I have tryed the meds the OBGYN gives u all the time. U might just want to go to your local Pharmacy and buy Acidophilus ____. Ingredients: Lactobacillus Acidophilus 100mg. I thought i had bought the Natural kind but it is not. The nasty smell is so bad I took one by mouth and inserted one capsule useing my middle finger.I took three 400mgs of Folic Acid also because I really don't think I have one good cell left down there! I'm running on empty! I also have my period now witch will help. I just did not want to waite another minute It wasn't long after I inserted the Acidophilus I felt releif from the smell,the itching and my urine was looking really good too. That nasty smell is not kicking like it was. I was going to try Boric Acid in a capsule but I figured It might B quicker and safer 2 insert a capsules up in me. I am going to insert another capsule up in there around 10 10:30 tonight. I am really amazed how fast it started to work! I am very surprized this stuff is working already. I'll also keep taking 3 400mgs of Folic Acid 2x's a day and one vitamin B-12 1,000mgs a day. When the nasty odor is gone and the rest of my sytems r gone too i will write back to tell you how long it took and if i changed anything. I was really uncertain about doing all this. I'm sooooo thankfull i did! I thank Earthclinic and U all for shareing.
Folic Acid and acidophilus have helped my bacterial vaginosis. I've had reoccuring yeast infections since I was 17. It was definitely my diet at that time.. Onto the BV- I got it after having my IUD put in and had sex with my boyfriend. I thought it was a yeast infection (again) and treated it, but nothing helped. I finally consulted a student in my school (I'm in chinese medicine school) and she put me on a 10 day cleanse. It was no food for 8 days (just fruit for the first two), and salt water for cleaning the colon, and a special tea of cayenne, lemon, and maple syrup. That got rid of it within 2 days. However, I seemed to have it again and this time (unwilling to do the cleanse again) I was looking for something easier and less time consuming. I did the peroxide douche but this didn't seem to help. I ended up going out and buying folic acid and acidophilus. I am taking 4-6 folic acids a day at 400mg (I'm thinking it's a little too much and am going to lessen it) and 4 acidophilus pills at 500 million live cultures a day. I also inserted 2 acidophilus tabs inside my vajayjay today. So far so good! I'm not itchy or burning or having discharge (after the acidophilus pills made their way out of my body, that is). I feel good! So to anyone who is scared to try the peroxide douche, try this instead! I hope this helps!
I've been suffering from bacterial vaginosis for approximately 1 1/2 years. I had heavy discharge and the room smelled like a dead fish after sex. The foul odor happened whether or not I used condoms. I've been treated with the metro gel twice and flagyl twice. I'm currently on long term therapy and use the metro gel twice a week. I also take 1200 micrograms of folic acid, 4 billion acidophilus, and 48 billion probiotics. I also take 1000 milligrams vitamin c and 1 garlic pill. This has seemed to do the trick. I've been testing myself (on the days I can) and I have maintained a 4.5 ph balance even after sex. I use dove soap and my gynecologist told me not to douche with anything.
I had been suffering with BV for about 6 years and it was only getting worse. I was in a longterm and exclusive relationship but, yet I couldn't really get comfortable with him because of the BV. I tried metro gel and scent free, dye free soaps, diflucan, OTC creams and pills but nothing worked. Then only thing that gave me any relef was Rephresh but it didn't even last the three days it was supposed to and it was getting expensive at $19 for a box of 4, three days treatments. I finally went to GNC and bought super acidophlus (10 billion CFU). I tried it and I was better after 3 days. However, I still had minimal symptoms. Then I had a toohtache and a subsequent root canal and my dentist prescribed oral clindamycin. I took this for 10 days while I was taking the super acidophlus and they must have complemented one another because I haven't had issues since and I don't even take my acidophilus or my multi-vitamin with folic acid every day. Before and after my periods and after intercourse I get a bit of extra discharge which scare me straight to the fridge for my acidophilus. I take a about 3 a day for about 3 days straight and I don't have any problems. Probiotics are my friend!!!!!!!!
Please note : I take folic acid in the form of a mulit-vitamin - but I wasn't even aware the folic acid was in the vitamin or that it was a possible treatment for bv but now I know. However, when I was only taking the multivitamin my bv was horrible. It may have been that I wasn't taking a therapeutic dose. I'm not sure with the folic acid but, it was the super acidophilus that had an immediate effect.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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!!!
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
OMG..I can't believe it...I have suffered from BV for most of my adult life (I'm 55) and when I read about using acidophilus and folic acid to relieve BV I was very skeptical. For years and years I've been washing about 3 times a day to try and get rid of the odor. Sometimes I would even get out of bed in the middle of the night to wash because I couldn't stand the smell, and as soon as I got home from work I headed right to the bathroom. Needless to say, this has really dampened my sex life (oral sex has absolutely been out of the question). I read about the acidophilus/folic acid and thought yeah okay, I'll try it...what can it hurt? So I bought 1 mg size folic acid (very cheap at Costco ...$3.39 for 365 tablets!) and acidophilus with bifidus which has 3 different lactobacillus strains - over 6 billion in total. I couldn't find "pill" form, only capsules. The first day I used two capsules (one in a.m., and one in p.m.)..opened them up and used my wet finger to apply the "granules" internally; I've also been taking 3 capsules orally and one folic acid orally everyday.Unbelievably after about a day and a half the odor had greatly lessened but I was still rather doubtful that it would totally disappear. This is now the fourth day, and can you believe it....NO ODOR!!! (and I keep checking and checking). I think I will stick with the 3 capsules of acidophilus and one of the folic acid for a few months and then try and cut down the dosage. I am truly amazed...it was sooo easy!!!
Sarah (Rochester, Michigan, United States) on 11/16/2008:
Take acidophilus and folic acid, it really does work! Thank you to everyone here that apssed on this miracle cure! I am so happy with the results I want to tell everyone who's suffering with bv to try it. I think you need to adjust the amount you take with the kind of results you get. I started taking just acidophilus twice a day and it calmed down the symptoms but it didnt make them go away also putting a tablet inside the vagina helped even more but the odor was still there during sex. I continued on the acidophilus twice a day and took 1 800mcg of folic acid a day.Within hours of taking the folic acid the discharge and odor were completely gone. I am now taking one acidophilus and one folic acid a day. No signs yet of the bv. I am so happy to have found a way to manage my bv. I firmly believe that once you get bv you will get it again. Antibiotics really dont work because you cant take them forever. There is no cure for bv so you have to keep it under control by taking folic acid. Obviously women who are suffering from bv have a folic acid deficiancy. Too bad the doctors cant figure that out for you.Thank god for the internet!
I came across Earth Clinic because I have been doing some research in regard to Bacterial Vaginosis, I have had this condition on and off for about 10 years, everytime I get it I go to the doctor spend a couple of hundred dollars, get some flagil then I get the BV back and do the same thing over again. Recently I came down with the BV again and I went and got the Flagil and it came back like usual as soon as I was done with the prescription so I started investigating and came across this site the acidophilus and folic acid have done wonders for me BV is gone, I started to take 2(1 billion) acidophilus capsules in the am and pm every day and 1 folic acid in the am daily I also inserted 1 acidophilus capsule 2 days in a row when I first recieved them (i didnt like inserting them because they are gritty and so sex will be out of the question for a few days afterward). So now its 2 weeks later and I have no symptoms at all!!!!!!! Hurray! Thank you so much Earth Clinic and everyone who has posted and helped out so many women with this ailment. I am also going to try the Apple Cider Vinegar daily and Oil pulling I will post on these things after I have tried them for a while to see how they work. Thank you again.
I've suffered from bv for about 4 years. however, i never knew what it was till about 4 months ago - since, i had never been to a gyn before. i got the bv around the time i found out, years later, that my boyfriend was cheating on me. i really thought it was an std with similar symptoms. i suppose that it was just being sexually active since prior to that time my boyfriend was out of state for a year. from what i've read and been told you can't get bv from a man. in the past, before i knew it was bv. i read some stuff on the internet about remedies for vaginal odor. i found out that bacteria thrives on sugar. so i stopped drinking soda, which i drank everyday, and started only drinking water. i also read that zinc deficiency could be a cause of the foul odor. i also read that salt is an inhospitable host for bacteria. so i bought sea salt spray from gnc and used that too. between avoiding sugar, taking 2 zinc pills, and salt spray. the odor definitly got better may have completly went away. i didn't keep up with it and the symptoms came back. 4 months ago i went to the gyn to have it diagnosed and it was bv. anyway, my gyn gave me a rx, which i took everyday for a week. the first day i took it my symptoms went away. my only previous symptoms were bad fishy odor and white milky discharge. i never itched or anything. after i got my period the odor and discharge came back again. i went to the doc and got the rx again and after i got my period i'm now i'm back where i started. i tried the 1 800mg folic acid & 1 1/2 billion acidophilus pill for a couple of weeks after the first rx didn't work. it didn't seem to do anything for me. that's why i went back to get the rx again, but it didn't work either. i'm going to try the folic acid & acidophilius in higher does and the hydrogen peroxide/water douching mix and see what happens. after hearing so many women's sucess i think i should try it again.
I'm in my mid-20s and finally started having sex (with someone I love). Shorty afterwards, I experienced a strong odor and slight burning. We had both been tested so I knew it wasn't an STD. I initially thought the smell was a result of my recent vitamin B-12 intake. I explained the symptoms to my mom, a medically-licensed healthcare professional, who suggested BV, something that she herself has suffered from but had eventually went away. I came upon this site, and what a relief! I couldn't find EarthClinics dosage page, but after reading some detailed posts, I took 1600mcg of Folic Acid and two Acidophilus capsules orally the first night (the idea of putting the capsule in my vagina made me nervous - especially since no one wrote if they put it in like tampon insertion length or just in the entrance of the vajayjay). Honest to blog, the smell was gone by morning. The next night, I took only 1200mcg of Folic Acid (I learned my Vitamin B supplements held 400mcg anyway) and continued with the two Acidophilus pills. I've kept up this regimen for the last week and I have little-to-no-discharge and absolutely no fishy smell. A miracle! It's a huge comfort to know that other women have suffered through BV and are open talking about it. I will likely keep up this regimen for another week and then taper off the Folic Acid dosage or take the vitamins every other day. Acidophilus is safe to take everyday.
I followed the directions....took Folic Acid and the Acidophilus and within 24 hours it was gone!! I am sooo amazed...I've had it for 18 years...no doctor ever found anything that works and I come here and poof! it is gone.
Thank you all and thank you so much for this website.
I was at school when I'm like, "What is that God awful smell?" I went to the bathroom I had started my period. I never smelled bad at all when I had it any other month. After my period was over, the smell stuck around. I realized I had BV again. I was frustrated because the smell is so gross. I don't have health insurance so I always go to a free clinic. Due to school and work, its hard for me to schedule and appointment because the clinic closes at 3:30 p.m. Once I got home, I went online for a home remedy then I ran into this site. I tried something a few people mentioned. I took [1 pill of Acidophilus 1Billion & 1 pill of Folic Acid 400mcg in the MORNING] & [1 pill of Acidophilus 1Billion & 1 pill of Folic Acid 400mcg in the EVENING] starting on April 10th. After the 2nd day, the smell was completely gone. I'm still taking the pills because I don't want it to come back! I'm still going to go schedule an appointment to see if everything is okay down there as soon as I have time. I just took the pills to see if it actually worked (thank God it did!) & so I wont be embarrassed about smelling in class. Whoever has this problem should definately try it. I was pretty skeptical....but now I'm convinced.
I remember the first time that I got diagnosed with a yeast infection, I was 17 years old, and that's when it all started. Now I am 25 and BV has been in my life like an ex-boyfriend you can't get rid of. Even though I make frequent visits to the doctor, they prescribe me the same things over and over again, things like metro-gel, which works temporarily. But as soon as I become sexually active again, it comes right back. I even had a doctor tell me to douche with Iodine and water, and that didn't do anything but make matters worse.
So my sis e-mailed a link to this website, and I read through every single comment and review that every person wrote about BV, and to my amazement, I went to the nearest Vitamin Store and literally bought some Folic Acid 400 mcg and L. acidophilus ____. I took two capsules of each, and literally had sex the same night with my boyfriend, and the smell was gone! I almost couldn't believe it! I told my boyfriend, and he noticed that the smell was gone too. Luckily, he was very understanding of the situation, and was willing to help in anyway that he could. But we were both ecstatic that the nasty fishy scent was gone after we had sex. No one wants to deal with something like that, of course when you want to make love to your man, and then cuddle after, who wants to cuddle in a room smelled like something died in your vagina?
Well I must say this website, and everyone on it answered my prayers. Thank you for allowing me to live my life again!
I have suffered from BV for about 6 years unknowingly (meaning the doctors failed to diagnose correctly). After doing a self diagnosis I tried this approach. I received instant results. Within 2 hours my symptoms cleared up completely. Suffering from this horrible disease since the age of 14 and now I am 21 and finally freed. I am eternally grateful to all who have shared their knowledge. It saddens me that there is so little research or concern amongst the health industry to tackle with issue with affordable and accessible probiotics. It makes me wonder why us women must silently suffer. Hopefully this will be knowledge that we all will pass down to other young women who secretly may be suffering as we all have. Thank You Earth Clinic.
My measurements: 2 folic acid & B12 chew tab (400 mcg) and 3 Acidophilus with Bifidus & FOS (6 billion cells)
Questions: While suffering from BV (unknowingly) I gave birth to a healthy child. My question is, is there any risk to him. What steps should I take for him, if any?
take 800mcg Folic acid daily and two lactobaciliphus capsules before each meal three times a day until overt symptoms subside. then once you have eliminated the discharge and the smell....(possibly the first day) continue to take daily recommended dose of folic acid. usually 400mcg if not pregnant and 800-1000mcg if expecting. and decrease the lactobaciliphus capsules to just one three times a day. if your stool becomes too soft decrease lactobaciliphus capsules to just one capsule twice a day. it is a digestive aide as well. the thought process is that the live cultures will colonize in your rectum and will travel to your vagina to recolonize and balance your ph. (completely safe) avoid ANYTHING perfumed including lotion, detergent, soap, and body sprays. avoid semen in your vagina. NO SUGARY DRINKS NO SMOKING!!!! use only warm water on your vagina....hot water can soften the already irritaed skin causing it to tear. ouch!!! don't insert anything into your vagina! if you do decide to go to the doctor and they prescribe metrondiazole, use the above reccomendations to keep BV free. the smell is you vagina's way of telling you that your PH level is off. things like sperm, which is alkaline, can change your ph completely. if you must use soap around your vagina use something for a sensitive skinned baby. but water truly is all you need because as my nanny would say a healthy vagina will clean itself. discuss this with your partner as he may think of you as "dirty" i guess i lucked out because my partner is just as understanding as he can be and we all know that stress makes everything worse. i am a registered nurse and trust me.....this helps. good luck. xoxo
I have been sufferning with BV off and on since I can remember. I have tryed the meds the OBGYN gives u all the time. U might just want to go to your local Pharmacy and buy Acidophilus ____. Ingredients: Lactobacillus Acidophilus 100mg. I thought i had bought the Natural kind but it is not. The nasty smell is so bad I took one by mouth and inserted one capsule useing my middle finger.I took three 400mgs of Folic Acid also because I really don't think I have one good cell left down there! I'm running on empty! I also have my period now witch will help. I just did not want to waite another minute It wasn't long after I inserted the Acidophilus I felt releif from the smell,the itching and my urine was looking really good too. That nasty smell is not kicking like it was. I was going to try Boric Acid in a capsule but I figured It might B quicker and safer 2 insert a capsules up in me. I am going to insert another capsule up in there around 10 10:30 tonight. I am really amazed how fast it started to work! I am very surprized this stuff is working already. I'll also keep taking 3 400mgs of Folic Acid 2x's a day and one vitamin B-12 1,000mgs a day. When the nasty odor is gone and the rest of my sytems r gone too i will write back to tell you how long it took and if i changed anything. I was really uncertain about doing all this. I'm sooooo thankfull i did! I thank Earthclinic and U all for shareing.
Folic Acid and acidophilus have helped my bacterial vaginosis. I've had reoccuring yeast infections since I was 17. It was definitely my diet at that time.. Onto the BV- I got it after having my IUD put in and had sex with my boyfriend. I thought it was a yeast infection (again) and treated it, but nothing helped. I finally consulted a student in my school (I'm in chinese medicine school) and she put me on a 10 day cleanse. It was no food for 8 days (just fruit for the first two), and salt water for cleaning the colon, and a special tea of cayenne, lemon, and maple syrup. That got rid of it within 2 days. However, I seemed to have it again and this time (unwilling to do the cleanse again) I was looking for something easier and less time consuming. I did the peroxide douche but this didn't seem to help. I ended up going out and buying folic acid and acidophilus. I am taking 4-6 folic acids a day at 400mg (I'm thinking it's a little too much and am going to lessen it) and 4 acidophilus pills at 500 million live cultures a day. I also inserted 2 acidophilus tabs inside my vajayjay today. So far so good! I'm not itchy or burning or having discharge (after the acidophilus pills made their way out of my body, that is). I feel good! So to anyone who is scared to try the peroxide douche, try this instead! I hope this helps!
I've been suffering from bacterial vaginosis for approximately 1 1/2 years. I had heavy discharge and the room smelled like a dead fish after sex. The foul odor happened whether or not I used condoms. I've been treated with the metro gel twice and flagyl twice. I'm currently on long term therapy and use the metro gel twice a week. I also take 1200 micrograms of folic acid, 4 billion acidophilus, and 48 billion probiotics. I also take 1000 milligrams vitamin c and 1 garlic pill. This has seemed to do the trick. I've been testing myself (on the days I can) and I have maintained a 4.5 ph balance even after sex. I use dove soap and my gynecologist told me not to douche with anything.
I had been suffering with BV for about 6 years and it was only getting worse. I was in a longterm and exclusive relationship but, yet I couldn't really get comfortable with him because of the BV. I tried metro gel and scent free, dye free soaps, diflucan, OTC creams and pills but nothing worked. Then only thing that gave me any relef was Rephresh but it didn't even last the three days it was supposed to and it was getting expensive at $19 for a box of 4, three days treatments. I finally went to GNC and bought super acidophlus (10 billion CFU). I tried it and I was better after 3 days. However, I still had minimal symptoms. Then I had a toohtache and a subsequent root canal and my dentist prescribed oral clindamycin. I took this for 10 days while I was taking the super acidophlus and they must have complemented one another because I haven't had issues since and I don't even take my acidophilus or my multi-vitamin with folic acid every day. Before and after my periods and after intercourse I get a bit of extra discharge which scare me straight to the fridge for my acidophilus. I take a about 3 a day for about 3 days straight and I don't have any problems. Probiotics are my friend!!!!!!!!
Please note : I take folic acid in the form of a mulit-vitamin - but I wasn't even aware the folic acid was in the vitamin or that it was a possible treatment for bv but now I know. However, when I was only taking the multivitamin my bv was horrible. It may have been that I wasn't taking a therapeutic dose. I'm not sure with the folic acid but, it was the super acidophilus that had an immediate effect.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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!!!
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
OMG..I can't believe it...I have suffered from BV for most of my adult life (I'm 55) and when I read about using acidophilus and folic acid to relieve BV I was very skeptical. For years and years I've been washing about 3 times a day to try and get rid of the odor. Sometimes I would even get out of bed in the middle of the night to wash because I couldn't stand the smell, and as soon as I got home from work I headed right to the bathroom. Needless to say, this has really dampened my sex life (oral sex has absolutely been out of the question). I read about the acidophilus/folic acid and thought yeah okay, I'll try it...what can it hurt? So I bought 1 mg size folic acid (very cheap at Costco ...$3.39 for 365 tablets!) and acidophilus with bifidus which has 3 different lactobacillus strains - over 6 billion in total. I couldn't find "pill" form, only capsules. The first day I used two capsules (one in a.m., and one in p.m.)..opened them up and used my wet finger to apply the "granules" internally; I've also been taking 3 capsules orally and one folic acid orally everyday.Unbelievably after about a day and a half the odor had greatly lessened but I was still rather doubtful that it would totally disappear. This is now the fourth day, and can you believe it....NO ODOR!!! (and I keep checking and checking). I think I will stick with the 3 capsules of acidophilus and one of the folic acid for a few months and then try and cut down the dosage. I am truly amazed...it was sooo easy!!!
Sarah (Rochester, Michigan, United States) on 11/16/2008:
Take acidophilus and folic acid, it really does work! Thank you to everyone here that apssed on this miracle cure! I am so happy with the results I want to tell everyone who's suffering with bv to try it. I think you need to adjust the amount you take with the kind of results you get. I started taking just acidophilus twice a day and it calmed down the symptoms but it didnt make them go away also putting a tablet inside the vagina helped even more but the odor was still there during sex. I continued on the acidophilus twice a day and took 1 800mcg of folic acid a day.Within hours of taking the folic acid the discharge and odor were completely gone. I am now taking one acidophilus and one folic acid a day. No signs yet of the bv. I am so happy to have found a way to manage my bv. I firmly believe that once you get bv you will get it again. Antibiotics really dont work because you cant take them forever. There is no cure for bv so you have to keep it under control by taking folic acid. Obviously women who are suffering from bv have a folic acid deficiancy. Too bad the doctors cant figure that out for you.Thank god for the internet!
I came across Earth Clinic because I have been doing some research in regard to Bacterial Vaginosis, I have had this condition on and off for about 10 years, everytime I get it I go to the doctor spend a couple of hundred dollars, get some flagil then I get the BV back and do the same thing over again. Recently I came down with the BV again and I went and got the Flagil and it came back like usual as soon as I was done with the prescription so I started investigating and came across this site the acidophilus and folic acid have done wonders for me BV is gone, I started to take 2(1 billion) acidophilus capsules in the am and pm every day and 1 folic acid in the am daily I also inserted 1 acidophilus capsule 2 days in a row when I first recieved them (i didnt like inserting them because they are gritty and so sex will be out of the question for a few days afterward). So now its 2 weeks later and I have no symptoms at all!!!!!!! Hurray! Thank you so much Earth Clinic and everyone who has posted and helped out so many women with this ailment. I am also going to try the Apple Cider Vinegar daily and Oil pulling I will post on these things after I have tried them for a while to see how they work. Thank you again.
I've suffered from bv for about 4 years. however, i never knew what it was till about 4 months ago - since, i had never been to a gyn before. i got the bv around the time i found out, years later, that my boyfriend was cheating on me. i really thought it was an std with similar symptoms. i suppose that it was just being sexually active since prior to that time my boyfriend was out of state for a year. from what i've read and been told you can't get bv from a man. in the past, before i knew it was bv. i read some stuff on the internet about remedies for vaginal odor. i found out that bacteria thrives on sugar. so i stopped drinking soda, which i drank everyday, and started only drinking water. i also read that zinc deficiency could be a cause of the foul odor. i also read that salt is an inhospitable host for bacteria. so i bought sea salt spray from gnc and used that too. between avoiding sugar, taking 2 zinc pills, and salt spray. the odor definitly got better may have completly went away. i didn't keep up with it and the symptoms came back. 4 months ago i went to the gyn to have it diagnosed and it was bv. anyway, my gyn gave me a rx, which i took everyday for a week. the first day i took it my symptoms went away. my only previous symptoms were bad fishy odor and white milky discharge. i never itched or anything. after i got my period the odor and discharge came back again. i went to the doc and got the rx again and after i got my period i'm now i'm back where i started. i tried the 1 800mg folic acid & 1 1/2 billion acidophilus pill for a couple of weeks after the first rx didn't work. it didn't seem to do anything for me. that's why i went back to get the rx again, but it didn't work either. i'm going to try the folic acid & acidophilius in higher does and the hydrogen peroxide/water douching mix and see what happens. after hearing so many women's sucess i think i should try it again.
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