Living with BV and other such problems!

[she phoenix]

Hey there, wondered if anyone had any help/advice that they could share with me? All summer long I've been suffering with these horrible lady problems and now it really gets me down. Sex is not possible most of the time as it just hurts too much and now I haven't had painless sex for months and months.

It has been a constant stream of alternating BV and thrush - the antibiotics used to cure one bring on the other and so continues the endless cycle. I'm looking for the best course of action for someone who's given up on antibiotics. What can I do to stop the pain? It has started to control my life, as I can go from enjoying sex to suddenly wincing in agony! Very offputting for both me and my poor boy, who has to cope with me crying now as I can't stand the pain and the sexual frustration any more!

 

[Samadhi]

I absolutely feel for you Having had bouts of candida in the past due to antibiotics, i know the pain and frustration. To add BV (i'm assuming you're talking about bacterial vaginosis?) to that must be beyond frustrating. I needed antibiotics due to chronic sinus infections, so i did all that i could, naturally, to rid myself of those infections (which in the end was as simple as upping my water intake - crazy!), but i'm not sure what you could do naturally for BV. IF you have the means, can you speak to a naturopath or homeopath? They may be able to put you onto a supplement or something similar to help break the cycle.

Have you spoken to your doctor about this cycle that your body is in? Can they offer another solution to antibiotics? (i stay away from antibiotics now, unless i *have* to take them - one look at them brings on candida for me ) If they can't help you, then i'd turn to an alternative therapy, if you can.

Best of luck

 

[Perpetual Indulgence]

Bacterial vaginosis shouldn't hurt.
Figure out and balance the cause of the BV with your gynocologist.

I went through this same cycle for almost a year with my husband. Before we were married, we stopped using condoms. His semen would muck up my vaginal flora balance...the gyno said it better. The suggestion was we had to keep doing it in order for my body to get used to it. No man had ejaculated inside me in about 10 years. So before we would engage he would ask inside or out so there wasn't any clinical discussion during. This did not dampen our sex life. It made it messier in a fun way.

I was so excited when I finally stopped the cycle. We are free to ejaculate in every orifice.

I avoid antibiotics like the plague. I described a yeast infection to my husband like having poison ivy in your asshole and around the rim and you would be willing to drag your arse along the carpet to quell the itch. He has gone to the pharmacy for Monistat at 11p as I think I felt a "tinge".

 

[euphoria]

I too went through this sort of thing for at least 2-3 years. It sucked! so I can sympathize with you for sure. If I remember correctly it gradually subsided as I stopped doing drugs on a daily basis, smoking cigarettes, and drinking tons of water so I would just pee it all out.

Another thing I found was relieving was to take a warm shower after sex, when it was painful, but don't use any soap down there! Just rinse with warm water. It feels really good and I've been told by my gyno that using too much soap/the wrong kind of soap can cause infections down there because it screws with the balance of pH and the good bacteria. I was told to use a moisturizing soap with no fragrance if I had to use soap down there at all. Sometimes you just need to, ya know?! So something like Olay or Dove regular sensitive skin soap is pretty good for that in my experience.

Another thing I was told to do is to not wear super tight pants or thongs... leave the air flowin down there if you know what I mean! Moisture = bacteria and it's harder for infections to heal. I know it sucks, but have faith because these things commonly fade away after awhile.

Oh and this may sound weird but if you get desperate with the pain, try vagisil wipes. they are kind of expensive, but if you are going through the pain I think you're going through (which is horrible) then you might want to try them. It does help especially if its when you're stuck at work or somewhere you can't get comfortable.

 

[she phoenix]

Thanks a lot for the advice and understanding! Maybe it's time for another trip back the the clinic to figure out what I actually have this time and go from there on how to treat it. But I think you're right - no more antibiotics!