Foul-smelling brown discharge--Help!

I'm a 49-year old woman who, after having very short period cycles, had an edometrial biopsy--about a year ago--came back negative. My doctor put me on Prometrium for twelve days a month. My cycles are now longer. For the last two months, I've had a brown discharge on and off, sometimes before my period, most often a few days after. It smells awful, almost like fecal matter. I don't have any signs of infection. I've also had severe constipation, but keep thinking it's from the elavil that I was taking for migraines. I'm also on 500 mg. of Depakote for my migraines. Could the Depakote and Elavil be the cause?  Should I have another exam asap? Thank you so much for this forum

[pixijal]

You may have BV...bacterial vaginosis. The number one sign of this is the foul odor. When I had it, I explained to the dr. that it smelled like dead birds (so gross).  Call your OB/GYN...you will need medication to treat this.  No matter what, you need to see your doctor.

[VickiInVegas]

Prometrium has been known to cause brownish-yellow discharge. I am not sure about the foul smell though :\

[jenstam]

Check out the website below. I think these things sound great!

http://www.fem-v.com/index.php

[JJety]

I'm glad you found the cause!  You should make a doctor's appointment right away so they can make sure you don't have any infection resulting from this lost tampon, like PID or something.

[Paloma_Arial]

Thanks, all. I'm a bit embarrassed but here goes: I checked through the forum and found another possibility...Sure enough, an old tampon had been pushed up way inside. Took me forever to wheedle it out. Thanks again.

[jenstam]

YES! I ended up having to be on an antibiotic because I got an infection from an old tampon. What a HORRIBLE smell, too! It's a good thing you found it!

[Alabama_Yes]

what do I do!!! Im so embarrassed!! Anytime I am sexually active, no matter if I just took a shower, there is fishy odor, bad smell, and not too long a lot of the times after ive taken a shower there still is this nasty smell down there  i cant get rid of it.....and to not forget the ever present very fecal smell comin from there accompanied by either brown or heavy thick, yellow or white discharge..... I'm tired of this and I'm embarrassed what could this be???

[nicki2222]

Hey gal, dont be embarrassed. If u r sexually active n u r a woman, these things are bound to happen to u. I was really embarassed the 1st time I got yr symptoms. And guess wat was my first thought, shower as much as I could 2 get rid of it, but it never did.

Also just now, I am having this black discharge that just started afew days before I finished my periods. I have been so worried and not even praying that my husband doesnt ask for sex coz I'd give the excuse of my periods coming longer this time due to the cold weather. Nway, just check wat our fellow gals were discussing about and I realised that it could have been the lost tampon. I couldnt believe that, that would have happened coz I am always extremely careful to take them out always. But I guess this tym, I 4got. So I sat on my sofa today and examined myself. N guess wat? There was this old wrinkly thing smelling exactly like the way dat black discharge has been smelling. I've been son embarassed but after reading the testimonies of my sisters on the net, I realised I wasn't alone in this world. So I thank everyone for their information coz Iif I didnt read about yr stories and advice, I wouldnt have realised that I had an old tampon lost inside me. What a relief. Now I can examine myself this week and see if there's anymore discharge coming out even after taking it out. Then later I'll go to the sxual health clinic for antibiotics just incase any bacteria was produced by that disgusting tampoon.

[nicki2222]

Just go to the sexual health clinic or wellwoman clinic and get yourself checked out. I know it's embarassing but yr life my darling comes first. U wont even think about it later after you've been cured. It's more likely to be thrush by your signs , but it's best for a doctor to check you out for conclusive answers. And here in Britain, it's free. I dodnt know about where u live. The checkup and antibiotics are free here coz they are trying to promote good sexual health for all.

[Yes_ThatGirl]

I have a foul smell also, and it's sort of like... a brown discharge that comes with it. It's almost like I'm on my period - but I'm not. It's a bit more than spotting.  It's not itchy or painful really. It kind of irritates my vagina from time to time, but it's rare. It's been going on for a few months now. Even after I shower, it's still there. As far as I know, there isn't a lost tampon.. and I can't afford to go to a doctor about it. :(

[China1009]

Thank you gals - so embrassed to tell my story - about 30 minutes ago i decided to Google Brown smelling discharge and i came across this blog, and Thank you God i did, so i read all the gals stories and my suprise they was a tampon story, after reading the stories i decide to go the Loo and find what is going on with me - and guess what i found an old smell tampon. :-)

[murgatroyd]

Had a very heavy period & had foul smelling brown discharge ever since for about a week. Thought I had BV  - been treating it but when I read this forum I thought - well there's no way I will have left a tampon up there.  Just checked myself & I had 2 up there!  I've gone for the record. Will see if things settle down now - have a doc's appointment very soon if not.

[mkh9]

Well  I have the brown creeping crud too!   I checked and do not have a tampon up there. It doesn't smell like ammonia or fishy (that is a sure sign of BV) it smells like a feces or maybe a chemical smell though. At this point it isn't an obvious fecal odor. It happens off and  on. I have fibroids and am peri-menopausal and I haven't been sexually active for a long time due to a back injury. So it is not an STD.  Also, I/we are monogomous. It isn't really a discharge in that it doesn't end up on the underwear ever. I found when I wipe down there that is when I found it. I wonder if there could be leakage. I have never been pregnant, never had surgery down there and had a pelvic exam a year ago and it was normal. I have no pain and no itching. I don't have the symptoms of a fistula or the reasons you get one. But you never know. Any other ideas? My periods are very short, I am on the pill and I have increased night sweats. I'm going to go see my doctor but I am scared since it may cause more damage to my back problem.
mkh9

[mrs_delsied]

i havent had a period in 8 months...my husband and i arent using protection either....i've taken about ten pregnancy tests...all negative. finally today i thought i started my period. i have this brown  bowel colored spotting on my pad???  and it smells like old blood? wha does that mean? plz help

[Honeybutta1983]

You ladies may want to after sex and after a period take a hot bath with a cup of bleach poured into the water . Push the water inside your vagina and push it back out do this 4 to 5 times u may even want to stick a finger inside your vagina while u have the water inside u and rub around the vaginal walls to loosen up any old blood or sperm in the corners !!! Also add calgone bath powder to the water cause the bleach makes the water hard . I use to have this smelly problem until a friend told me what I just told u . It's been year now and I will only take a bath with bleach and calgone cause it always makes me so soft and clean !!!! I don't use tampons so I know that smell wasn't from a tampon stuck in me ... I don't know what it is that makes us smell this way but for me the smell is gone and I love it !!! The bleach does not harm my skin in anyway so try it and let me know how it goes for u ladies ")

[Sicko123]

Don't do this.

[DontHaveToBeaDoctortoKnowThisChickIsCray]

you're nuts