Recurring Bv Infections

Hi A.,
Oh - I feel for you! I had chronic yeast infections after my daughter was born and it took a VERY aggressive several month round of diflucan and over the counter creams to clear it up for good.

Question......

Are you being tested and diagnosed with BV by a qualified gynecologist? The symptoms of BV are similar to many many other infections (including general yeast infections) so you need to make sure that is actually what you have. There is a very simple test they can do during a pelvic exam that will tell you if its BV or if it's yeast (or if it's something else).

The ONLY way to clear up BV is with one of the 2 antibiotics - and you have taken one of them, so if you're being diagnosed with one then maybe have your Dr prescribe the other - clindamycin.

http://www.cdc.gov/STD/bv/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm

The other thing - is make sure that you don't have a yeast infection ON TOP OF THE BV. if you are treating with anti-biotics that will INCREASE your change of a yeast infection, so if they gave you a low dose of the antibiotic which didn't clear it up AND it gave you a yeast infection you will get the original infection BACK (but stronger this time, requiring a stronger dose of antibiotic) AS WELL AS a yeast infection.

I second what the other moms said - nothing inside you for prevention/treatment. You can throw your natural balance off and cause WAY more problems.

Good Luck.

Actually, I've always heard that douches INCREASE your risk of infection by removing the helpful as well as harmful bacteria. One thing my doctor mentioned to me was to not ever use soap on your privates because it can cause infections by also removing the helpful bacteria.

Taking antibiotics will damage your immune system. A broad based antibiotic kills all the bacteria in your body, digestive system, vaginal etc. I would try vinegar and water douche and see if that helps. Eating yogurt with active cultures will help to balance your immune system. You may need to use Vagisal or a similar ointment to relieve itching. Many years ago I had to take antibiotics for about a month to cure a throat infection. I suffered from vaginal infections for over a year while my body balanced itself again. Wear cotton panties and avoid panty hose if possible. Also your pants and slacks should be a little loser and made from natural fabrics, so they can breath. When we perspire and/or dribble in our panties the dampness causes bacteria to grow and just makes the problem worse. Wearing fabrics that breath allows your panties to dry during the day.

I think that treating problems with a special single ingredient or nutrient never works, at least not in the long term. The way to bolster your immune system is to take a comprehensive supplement with all of the ingredients you need. Food is so depleted now, that even if you "eat right" you can't get what you need. I use a comprehensive program through a trained distributor, and I have had no illnesses in over 3 years. I'd be happy to help you. I agree that most conventional MDs have zero background in nutrition - the good ones will admit it. My physician is Indian and trained in some eastern medicine as well as western - she is thrilled with what's happened for me and absolutely endorses this program.

Hi! I am prone to BV also and it is sucks - for me, just thinking about sex gave it ito me! I have found that RepHresh helps to restore my bodies PH and I have not been getting BV nearly as much. You can buy this stuff in WalMart or any drug store. Good luck!

You may want to go to a naturopath or integrative doc who deals with women's issues.

I haven't had that exact problem - mine was more bladder oriented. What helped was to make my body less habitable for fungi and bacteria. I have taken grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and apple cider vinegar (ACV) capsules to help balance the PH in my body. It also helps me to avoid allergenic foods like dairy and wheat, which cause inflammation for me and also cause my immune system to focus on the wrong things.

Basically, build your immune system and make your body less "fun" for the bad guys.

Again, it may be helpful to seek alternative professional advice. Mainstream docs (high end) never helped me very much with my bladder issues.

Good luck.

Other moms seem to have experience with this and I do not. Do what you need to do to get rid of it for now, but then consider your diet. I know no one wants to hear that when dealing with an acute health crisis!

While eating yogurt is a good start, consider adding real food probiotics to boost your gut health. Homemade kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, salsas and more (lacto fermented, not just soaked in vinegar) are tasty and great for you. Coconut oil is also anti-microbial and many people take it as a supplement to fight infections. Ingesting garlic is also great for you (even better if lacto-fermented). Look into a traditional diet:
http://www.westonaprice.org
If your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, should we be eating it? This includes boxed cereals, bread with an ingredient list as long as your hand, most soy products, and many foods we take for granted these days.

Other people fighting chronic infections have luck with the GAPS diet and the Body Ecology diet. Good luck!