Vaginal discharge with odor.

[Nay1415]

I'm eighteen years old and I've been having a vaginal discharge that is almost like a cloudy white color. On my panty liner or underwear it dries to a yellow color. I've looked up issues about this and everyone has said they smell a foul odor. I don't know if I would really call mine a foul odor, just not a pleasent one. Sometimes it's almost like a sour smell and sometimes it's not. I've had intercourse before, but this discharge has been happening even when I was eleven. I wash the external part with soap and water in the shower, I use wipes and cleansing products and douching. I still get a discharge but I really don't notice such a bad odor after it. I do notice that after douching, at the end of the insertion part there is a yellow goo on it. I don't know if all this is normal or not so I'm just checking to see if any other woman has this issue?

Thank you!

[Teresainpain]

instead of douching, you could consider using a special cleansing product (Like Vagisil) that is specifically intended for such a sensitive area.  It deodorizes, but it won't disrupt the healthy levels of bacteria in your vaginal area as douching can do.  I would suggest continuing to keep the area clean, but stop using the douches...and always wear cotton panties.  Any other material can trap moisture down there and cause a whole whack of problems.  Other materials can be used for "special times" but on a day to day basis, cotton is the way to go.  It breathes the best.  If after this, the problem still persists, I would see a doctor about what your other options are.

[justlittleolme]

douching can cause some nasty stuff to occur. Seriously I dont know why it is still sold.. it is really bad for you.

Sounds to me like maybe a yeast infection... but you should definatly get it checked out

[blondy77]

Hi, I am 21 years old and I have had a discharge since I can remember ever getting my period for the first time(12years old)which was before I was sexually active. I have also had overy pain since I can remember. Mainly my right overy. It swells up every single night with pain. I have right pain where my overy is every single day since the age of 12.

I have gone to the doctor since I was 16 and they told me that it was probably because of my period cycle, but I would understand this if I would get the pain before or after my period, but every single day, there is not one day when my stomach doesn't hurt.

I had been going to the doctor for this for about 1 year now, first they said that I had signs of Vaginal Vaginosis because of the discharge and they treated me for it, and the discharge went away. But it keeps on coming back after a few weeks. Then I had an ultra sound and the hospital said that I had a massive infection in my ovaries becuse there was a bunch of liquid all over them and they suggested Pelvic Inflamatory Decease, but when my doctor reffered me to the Gynecologist she said it was imposible for them to determine that I had PID through an ultra sound(basically that they didn't know what they were talking about). I tried Birth Control, but that didn't stop the pain either. I have tried many things but the Gynecologist says the pain is probably due to my cycle, which is really hard for me to believe that my cycle can cause me overy pain with swelling every single day and I keep getting a discharge and also I have been trying to get pregnant for about 4 years now with always a negative result. Some one please help!!!

[jaslene24]

hi i'm 19, ive been with a new sexual partner for about 6 mos. lately ive been noticing ALOT of discharge from my vagina, a foul odor(sometimes) and a little pain in my abdomen. i dont think its a yeats infection. does anyone have any ideas what this may be?

[Liz88]

I have been having the same problems. A whiteish discharge with a soury smell, which dries yellowish on my undies, i only wear cotton undies. Sometimes thrush medication helps to relieve it for a couple of weeks, but it comes back.
Thanks, Please reply

[shanbr]

A white discharge is more than likely bacterial vaginosis, especially when smell is involved, it can be sour or fishy.

Many women get a non-sexual BV which is caused by levels in the cervix bacteria going haywire.  Some take probiotics to help, some eat natural or organic yogurt to get the right bacteria in the body and other sinsert it into the vaginal canal to kill off bad bacteria.

I get all the same symptoms except i have never had a white discharge, i do get a yellow and have to use mini pads all the time.  I was told by my doctor that i will always have it but she never explained why i will always have it.

I take antibiotics for BV when it comes around, about once a month and i know that isn't good for my body so i take probiotics to help keep good bacteria growing during antibiotic use.

If you have immune system problems etc. you are prone to this type of thing, some women get it often, some don't.

Never Ever douch.  No matter what, never ever do it.  Unless you are putting something up there to kill bad bacteria that doesn't harm the good, you should never put anything there.  Killing off the bad with douching will also kill off the good so you are where you started or worse.

Also, be sure to have clean sex and limit your partners, the more partners you have, the more partners they have, the more diseases etc. you "will" get.

[Steph1111]

I have had similar symptoms to what you are describing.  Since I can remember I have always had a discharge.  Finally, a few years ago I brought it up to my gynecologist and he said that I have a deviated cervix.  It is actually quite common for a lot of women to have this.  What happens is that all women have a mucous lining that covers the cervix and when it is deviated it sheds the mucous lining and then creates a new lining.  Therefore it is constantly shedding the lining and producing a new one, which in turn produces vaginal discharge or the mucous lining.  I have never had an abnormal pap, never had any burning or itching, just a discharge which is sour smelling at times.  Next time you go to the gynocologist ask if this may be why its happening to you.  I asked if there was anything I could do but basically he said that this is more of a nuisance than anything and even with getting surgery on my cervix the chance that it could be corrected was about 60-40 and those are not good enough odds for my to have surgery, especially on my cervix.  I hope this helps!

[lilhoney]

Hi I'm 16 years old and I'm still a virgin, and I have the same problems as a lot of you.  I have the white discharge that dried yellow and sometimes smells sour.  I have even been in and out of the doctor for yeast infections and other things since I was 5!  It really sucks.  It actually quit for about 7 months and I thought it just wasn't going to do i anymore but them about a month in a half ago it started up again just only worse!!!!!  My doctors don't help I just get pills and creme and that really dosen't help!  

[cherub28]

sorry but what is Probiotics?,whats it for ?

[preggylady]

I have been having  a similar problem yellowish discharge that have a bad odour with it. i've been going to my doctor about it since i was 18 and now i am 25 and the only thing they can say to me is that i have thrust (yeast infection) even when thwy give me tablets it tends to make it worst.  i also tend to have a lot of discomf during sexual intercourse to the point that i don't want to do it .  do you think that this can prevent me from getting pregnant? the past year my partner and i have been trying for a child but i can't seem to get pregnant i went to my doctor about it but they say it is too early to do any test on me

[NorthHamptonGirl]

Could be some sort of yeast infection. You never know. Try drinking cranberry juice. Sometimes it can eliminate that, and can help for a cleansing of the system. I've had
a few problems like that and the cranberry juice seems to be persistant and an easy
way to help with odor. It is supposidly proven to help reduce or kill yeast and whatnot.
Just a suggestion. Good luck!

[bonitadreama]

I had an evacuation of a hematoma through the vagina, now i'm having a brown sour smelling yeasty discharge... any advice?

[fatounabou]

I do have some discharge but after consulting gny doctor he said i was having infection and i was given medication and this i use to insert in the vergina but what doubts me is that he said i should not clean it with water . any advice

[emperess]

i've noticed that ive been having a white, smelly discharge. i get pains once in awhile for it but i noticed that i keep gettin fevers. please tell me whats wrong with me

[insecureandalone]

Hi.
    I'm 17 years old and since I started my period I've been having a white discharge and a sour smell to it. I don't know why this happens to me but it's really embarrassing. I would go the the gyno but im so embarrassed i just don't. Please help does anyone have any ideas?

[amandamed]

I'm glad all of you are on here asking questions!  Talking with anonymity really allows us all to find out that we're not the only ones!  
So I obviously have this problem too.  Constant discharge and constant need of pantyliners.  I asked my doctor and she said that it was a yeast infection.  I happened to have one at the time, so the root problem didn't get addressed, but she did say that using soap and using douches are very bad and you should cleanse with just a lot of water.
Also, for those prone to yeast infections also - I've noticed that I get them every time I drink more than a couple beers.  :(

[mommyof0509]

I think every woman in the world has discharge, i heard it is a natural part of your cycle I've had it since age 12 as well and now I am 24 ... to blondy 77 and 1 other that said about pain...pain during sex etc and not being able to get pregnant, same thing i had i had a lot of pain during intercourse alot of discharge and i tried for over a year to get pregnant and was unable to. I found out I had a cyst on my right ovary maybe you  should check it out, I found out through an Ultrasound but mine shrunk and went away on its own some people need surgery though. To women who have burning/itching/pain/discomfort then you more the likely have an infection yeast infection..bacterial vaginosis one time i had a fishy discharge and a week later i was crying i could not urinate and there was blood and i was told that i had a urinary tract infection and got antibiotics for that. Good Luck to all!

[mommyof0509]

sorry forgot to add the fact that regular discharge just means your ovulating, that your stuff is working up there.

[mommyof0509]

found some info.................

Vaginal discharge is normal and vary during your menstrual cycle. Before ovulation (the release of the egg), there is A LOT of mucous produced, up to 30X more than after ovulation. It is also more liquid and elastic during that phase of your cycle. You may want to wear panty liner during that time.

The things to be worried about include if the discharge have a yellow or green color, is clumpy similar to cottage cheese, or has a discouraging odor. If worried, see a doctor.

[RobertaSpeyer]

This happens to be a subject I know a lot about both personally and professionaly!

There are several different reasons for vaginal discharges. BV or Bacterial Vaginosis and Yeast infections are the two most common causes and are often confused. Both cause irritation but here is a rundown on quick symptom checks that differ between them.
BV:
1. Thinner more watery discharge either cloudy or with a yellowish or greenish tint
2. Smells kind of amine like ammonia or fishy
3. Hurts and makes the vaginal tissue fragile and sore, may itch too
Yeast Infection:
1. Cottage Cheesy thicker curd-like discharge tends to be whitish
2. Smells kind of like raw bread dough...like yeast...not so bad
3. Itches so much you want to slide down a banister covered with hair brushes!

Usually yeast infections are easier to clear up with over the counter medications. BV may require diagnosis by your doctor or nurse practitioner looking for "clue cells" and oral as well as vaginally inserted medication.

They both are affected by the ph and natural flora of the vagina so if you are susceptible to them douching and soap and baby wipes and fragrance are all bad ideas that will only make you more susceptible setting up a nasty cycle. Washing with clear water and drying with a blow dryer is recommended in repeat cases (but I never used the blow dryer, I'd be afraid I'd electrocute myself!) or at least gentlr drying with toilet paper or something soft (dab-dab no rubbing).

We did a whole slide presentation on OBGYN.net about Bacterial Vaginosis for a company that makes a diagnostic kit (Genzyme). It's designed for doctors and medical professionals but there is a lot to be learned there by the lay-person too if you are interested. The URL is:
http://vaginitis.obgyn.net/
It also goes into detail about trichomoniasis, which is the third entry in the trifecta of vaginal discharge disorders. This one is less common but needs treatment of the male partner too, to keep him from giving it back to you, or to someone else if he is not monogamous.

Women tend to be more susceptible to vaginal infections when they are sexually active with multiple partners, pregnant, going through menopause or at certain times in their menstrual cycle, all because this can affect the ph levels, among various other reasons.

Yeast infections seem to be easier to get rid of than BV. BV can be a malingerer, so you really need to have a definitive diagnosis and stick to a plan.

When I was young and pregnant often (have 5 kids) I was a yeast infection magnet. My midwife told me to buy boric acid over the counter at the pharmacy, put it in empty gel caps from the health food store and insert in vagina as needed. It worked like a charm and I never got them any more even in later pregnancies. This is kind of a home remedy and is probably not endorsed by all healthcare providers.

After going through menopause when I was working on the Genzyme slides mentioned above, I got BV. Go figure! Must have jumped off my computer screen into my lap! Seriously, it turns out it is because since I went through menopause I am very reactive to semen. So when hubby gets lucky…well I don’t, because semen can change the ph in post-menopausal vaginas.

I went to my doctor and they prescribed a  prescription once a day pill called Flagl. Here are the directions that come with it:
This medicine is used to treat infections.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages while taking this medicine and for 3 days after you have finished. (PERSONAL NOTE: because it will make you sick like taking the drug for helping alcoholics quit drinking called Atabuse my NP told me)
• Take this medicine as long as prescribed; stopping too early may allow the infection to recur.
Correct Usage:
Take this medicine as instructed by your doctor.
Side Effects and Warnings:
Side effects are possible with any medicine, but they are usually not severe enough to cause the patient to interrupt or stop taking the medicine. Nausea, headache, dizziness, confusion, irritability, trouble sleeping, or lack of appetite may occur. Call your doctor if these symptoms persist or become severe, or if you have tingling in your hands or feet, or any other bothersome side effects.

I didn't like it. It made me nauseous. But it worked for knocking out the BV.

Once you get rid of the BV you need to avoid getting it again by…having sex with your monogamous partner more often. It’s like building up immunity (husbands everywhere rejoice!). Be very careful to keep away from soap, retained moisture, wet bathing suits, wear cotton panties and no panties to bed, or when possible. I was also advised by the Nurse Practitioner to take 2-4 live acidophilus pills every day. You need to buy the active type, sold in the cold case at the health food stores. When I have had a flare-up I have gone back to the old midwife cheap as dirt cure of boric acid in a gel cap. This seems to be working very well for me in the ph department. I don’t think the boric acid thing is what doctors recommend, but there is a similar (but expensive) over the counter formulation called RePHresh which accomplishes basically the same ph balancing act and is FDA approved.

Hope this advice helps someone.
MedHelp is a great website and I am glad to be able to add my experience if it helps others. These infections are really awful and can be difficult to get rid of completely.
One last important point: The over the counter yeast infection cure will not cure BV but may make it flare down so you wrongly think it did. Everyone is different so it is always advisable to go to your doctor and get a definitive diagnosis and treatment plan.

Roberta

[2282]

I HAVE A STRANGE SMELL INSIDE MY VAGINA MY PARTNER IS COMLAINING ABOUT THIS IM 20 YEARSV OLD IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN USE TO MAKE THIS GO AWAY

[TEMEKO1]

HELLO,
i HAD THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO AND HAVE NOT BEEN BOTHERED WITH IT SINCE.IWAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS WHICH MY PHYSICIAN SAID CAME FROM USING SOAP ON THE VAGINAL AREA, TAKING TOO MANY TUB BATHS AND USING SCENTED PRODUCTS IN THE VAGINAL AREA. MY DOCTOR GAVE ME A PRESCRIPTION FOR A GEL CALLED METROGEL AND YOU HAVE TO USE IT VAGINALLY FOR 5 DAYS. IT TOTALLY CLEARED UP MY CONDITION. MY DOCTOR ALSO SUGGESTED THAT I USE FEMININE WASH(SUMMER' EVE) ON THE VAGINAL AREA AND CHANGE MY BATH SOAP TO OIL OF OLAY BAR SOAP OR DOVE BAR SOAP). IT REALLY HELPS AND I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE 3 YEARS AGO. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WAS HELPFUL!  

[lala206]

Hi I am 20 years old and ever since I can remember I have had a strong sometimes sour sometimes fishy smelling discharge. When it dries it dries a yellowish white color. I wash everyday with soap and the smell and discharge will go away for a little while but always comes back. It is to the point where I feel hopeless. I want to talk to my ob about it but I am scared. Can someone please help me! Thanks!

[hey2223]

okay so i have a friend that i messed around with liek a week ago and before that my discharge looked pretty normal..like white-ish and a tad gooey but no odor at all, so i didnt have sex with this guy but he rubbed the tip of his penis on my vagina opening...and i we're both clean like never had stds or anything virgins! and now my discharge started comming out really smelly like it smell krabby with a hint of the smell of period n a little metallic smell..it smell horrible to me and my discharge comes out clear like if a few drops of water are on my panties...but then when it dries its still smelly and its yellowish..sometimes greenish...and the guy has an itchy penis and its a little red but nothing else...under his foreskin is fine and all and we dont know what the problem is.. HELP!! DX