Can you shed some light?

I am a 28 year old women with a history of bacteria vaginosis. i have been having what I believe are hot flashes for about 4 years now, having to change my night gown on those bad nights, and stripping down to nothing when they get even worse. Just recenlty I am having severe lower back pain, I mean it hurts when i sneeze! I am not pregnant, I am very safe during those rare events with my husband, but i also lack a sex drive, when my friends around me are having it on a regular basis. I have been diagnosed with foliculistis also, so I get blemishes at times. This back pain is so unbearble, I dont know what to do.

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

It really sounds like you are having a difficult time. Let's look at each of your symptoms at a time. For the bacterial vaginosis, consider an over the counter treatment called RePhresh. It is sold in many drug stores. It helps restore the vaginal pH to normal and that allows the bacteria in the vagina to become balanced which keeps the bacterial vaginosis in remission. Use it daily for a week then twice weekly.
For the hot flashes, ask your doctor to do a blood test for FSH. That hormone is elevated in perimenopause/menopause. If it is up you are starting into premature menoapause. That could also explain the lower sex drive. If the FSH is normal, other causes of sweating need to be looked into including low thyroid, infections and other things.
If you are having pain when you sneeze and back pain, discuss this with your doctor. You could have a slipped disc that presses on your nerves when you sneeze causing the pain. You might need your back evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon and might benefit from an MRI of your back.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD