Gross odor, and discharge

well,every once in a while for the past few months i get this weird dischrge from my vagina and it has a foul smell to it. It only last for a couple of days. And i don't have the itching like if i were to have a yeast infection.I was reading on the internet about what it could be and the only thing i got was a candida yaest infection(an inbalance of bad bacteria).Do you know what else it could be?It is annoying and i want it to stop. So, if you have any ideas please help. Thank you so much.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Yeast infection does not cause bad odor, and generally doesn't cause much discharge; the main symptom is itching and irritation, sometimes slight discharge.

Your symptoms sound much more like bacterial vaginosis, which IS a bacterial imbalance in the vagina (yeast infections are not).  Or trichomonas.  Odor (often described as "fishy") is the main symptom of either one, often with increased discharge. Trichomonas is sexually acquired (ie, is an STD); BV is associated with sex (often follows new partner, increased sexual frequency, etc) but is not an STD in the usual sense.

In any case, you need to be examined by a kjnowledgable health care provider, such a gynecologist, family medicine doc, Planned Parenthood, or your local health department's family planning or STD clinic.

Best wishes--   HHH

[jackqueline]

A related discussion, What should I do? was started.