Jane (London, England) on 11/04/2009

I got BV about 6 weeks ago. I'd been diagnosed with Thrush (yeast infection for the Americans) and was using Canesten cream internally. I stopped using it when I got my period and had noticed an improvement. I got BV for the first time as my period was ending - I have no idea if it was related to the Canesten but thought it was worth mentioning because it was the only thing that was different from usual. I noticed the smell at work and took ages to work out it was me - I ended up in the toilet with all my clothes off checking the armpits of my top and was horrified to discover it was coming from my knickers. I have to say I tried everything possible to get rid of this smell - it was horrific - I bought acidophilis, I ate some, I put one in my hoohoo and it felt really wrong and made no difference (but it was a powdery one - not the good ones I've read about here) and I took the antibiotics. I also took garlic tablets and folic acid (in the quantities on the jars) Over the week the smell reduced and then disappeared but I still had a constant feeling that I was cold and wet down there. Whenever I stood up I could feel it and was super paranoid that there was discharge in my knickers and that it would smell. In England we don't have enormous drug stores with all the things you need - I had to buy hydrogen peroxide from Ebay! By this time it was about 3 weeks from when I first smelt the terrible smell.

I took the advice from this site and took a large tampon with the plastic applicator and replaced it with a small tampon. I filled 1/2 a shot glass with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and 1/2 with tap water. I soaked the tampon in this and left it inside me for 30 mins. I did this for 7 nights. On a couple of the nights I used the applicator as a funnel, rolled onto my shoulders and put the left over liquid inside me for a few minutes and let it out over the bath. I know this is very graphic but the descriptions on this site really helped me - you can't just buy a douche in England - not where I shop anyway, so it's hard to know how to make it work.

The cold and wet feeling went completely. It hasn't returned yet thank god.

I'm so grateful to this website. Everyone's experience helped me so much - but mostly it helped me to persevere when it didn't feel like it was working. For me it took quite a long time for the wet feeling to go completely. I am so happy now. I've been unlucky with my sexual health and suffer from cystitis and thrush a lot and the BV on top of that really upset me, but now that's cured and I can concentrate on sorting out the other two (have already bought Apple Cider Vinegar and Alka Selzer - I feel like I can take them all on now!!)

Thanks so much!