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tips to keep bacterial vaginosis from coming back
well these are some tips to staying bv free. i am a certified medical assistant and i use to get recurrent bv infecxtions but not anymore. i dont take hot baths anymore, i dont use douches, or feminie hygiene products, i eat a lot of yogurt because ity has lacto. acidophilus good bacteri thjat is naturally found in the vagina. i drinkl a lot of water, and i take warm showers only i use only dial antibacterial soap. i stay away fro sweet and greasy foods as well. dont use frangrance soap because it can upset youor natural ph balance in the vagina. bv comes from an anerobic organism that breeds in dark moist hot place hint( that why recurerent bv) keep the vagina dry and clean. and i dont wear colored underwear because the dye can also upset the natural ph balance. and i never wear thong underwear becaus it doesnt allow the vagina to breathe. only cottom underwear does( granny panties) now i am bv free and i feel much better. havent had bv in a year.
This is an easy test woman can do for themselves at home to decide if they need to see a doctor (if they are not sure). Take a bar of soap in the shower and wash your privates, if you notice that the soap becomes extremely bubbly, more than you think it should, or if you notice an odd smell from the soap, this is a good sign your chemistry is off. That is basically what BV is, it is your PH balance not being right. But the soap test works for anything that messes with your PH balance, so you need to see a doctor to find out if it's an STD or BV.
Hey I tried the soap test! And you were right it got all bubbly! But I still cant tell if its bv or yeast. Because the bv has a much worse odor. But there was still a mildly bad odor on the soap. HELP!
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I only use dove pink soap,don't wear tight pants. Don't wear thongs or colored underwear. Don't take to many hot baths,take more showers .don't switch laundry detergents or fabric softener. After you take a shower try to air dry.
Well I feel that it is hair folicals u know how sometimes u wear some type of clothing and the hair snags and comes out or you feel a pinch your skin became irritated and that can cause a bump and is not noticed for a few days until you start feeling pain when you move a certain way or sit or when taking a shower I had one or two not often and didn't go to the Dr. for it it will come to a head with a hot compress it does hurt when trying to squeeze it do not force it to come out that will irritate the area even more and cause it to swell and get worse after a few days it will pop you want to continue to put a hot compress on it after to sooth the area wear a panty liner if you wear colored underwear and be careful when using public restroom I have not had one in a while my daughter is thirteen and told me she had one and she told me after she tried to bust it and now it is red and swollen I told her what to do will see what happens I also use blue star ointment when another one came on the pubic hair area I shaved well i don't shave I actually use nair and it works so much better I feel and I was able to remove the bump quicker and easier
Trac777, I appreciate all the information you put out. Only a person that has not suffered through the symptoms could go to the extreme of name calling. I have seen over 15 doctors and none have been able to diagnosis me for all of the above mentioned symptoms. Always making me feel like it was a mental made up illness. My only time of no pain or itching is if I apply lidocaine ointment which I didn't and can't get through a physician cause they refuse to proscribe it even though I tell them its the only thing to relieve the pain. Still battling with doctors... so again thank you trac777.
I HAVE HAD BV COME BACK FOR THE SECOND TIME. I NEVER HAD THIS UNTIL I GOT THE IUD. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF THIS CAUSING IT?
I am thinking it is possible that having the hysterectomy might have messed up your chemisty for a little while, or possibly your infecton was actually caused by the surgery. That could be possible, and then it was just really hard to get rid of it. Keep taking the zinc. Take a multi-vitamins everyday and exercise and everything like that.
I didn't mean to make you defensive. I also put this information here for people like me, who have this problem. I do not have HIV and I've never had any STD's. I have only been with one partner over the last 14 years. I had a hysterectomy also. My problems with BV and yeast were actually all before I had the hysterectomy. For me, having my uterus out ( I still have my ovaries) actually helped keep me from getting the infections because now the germs didn't have as far that they could spread. I do hope for you, that you won't have anymore problems. I wouldn't wish my disease on anyone, I just want to help those that don't yet know they have it.
I do not have hiv or any other sexually transmitted disease. I have been married for 13 years and faithful that whole time. The infections started when I had a hysterectomy. The ob said I didn't have a cycle to help clear them out. I had two seperate ob's say the same thing. I am however sure the infection is gone. I just went in and had my o.b. check and she confirmed it. She said that zinc does help make them stay away. She said it is just like using zinc to get rid of a cold. It builds your immune system up. I just put this info up for the people like me who had this problem.
One more thing....I've seen over twenty GYN's as well as other doctors and I did my own research on the possible causes for the inflammation and for the cuts some people with Behcet's Syndrome get. I can tell you from what I have learned that these symptoms are not caused by any type of HPV or Strep. They also would not be caused by Herpes 1 in people with no other apparent serious health problems like HIV. Bacterial Vaginosis and Yeast Infections may cause inflammation and small cracks in the folds of the skin, they do not cause cuts in center areas of the skin, and they heal without reoccurance once the infection is treated. An anal fissure can sometimes occur in the center area of the pernium (between the front and back) because of straining or constipation. Unless you have developed more than one cut at a time at some point, or have developed cuts in different areas of the genitals other than the pernium, a pernium cut may just be a fissure. An anal fissure would be a single cut that keeps happening in the same place over and over again on in the center of the pernium. An anal fissure is caused by repeatedly tearing open the thin skin in that area from straining. Not like the small cuts that just happen for no reason the way they happen with the Herpes Simplex Virus and Behcet's Syndrome. I have one cut the comes back over and over again on my pernium area, but I also get cuts in other areas from time to time aswell along with severe inflammation. All of my hormone levels are normal. Those are the only things I've found that could be the possible causes for these symptoms. Just having the inflammation is a symptom, not everyone get's the little cuts. Not everyone get's full blown Behcet's either. If you take good care of yourself, you can do really well.
I wanted to add I have herpes 1. Just about everyone has it. It should not be causing your symptoms unless something is wrong with your immune system. I had the new herpes blood test that showed I have herpes 1 but not herpes 2. We started doing culture after culture of my cuts trying to see if it was herpes 1. I have never had a culture come back positive for anything. It took a long time to prove it, but we have finally established my cuts are not caused by herpes 1. Herpes 1 is much milder than herpes 2 and should not be causing ongoing vaginal symptoms. If it is, it still says something is wrong with your immune system. The white blood cells were the only thing they could find abnormal with my tests. They found them in my blood and in my cultures every time I wasn't feeling good. For years they would say, well that's because you're not feeling well today. Until I gathered 15 years of records showing that I am not feeling well on a regular basis, that was the first clue.
The real reason no one is getting treated for this is all about money. It would cost a lot to treat us, and they also are worried about liability and that having us around makes their jobs a lot more difficult. We force them to go beyond their routine, beyond what has ever been expected of them. There are nasty little secrets the medical community has ignored, mainly when it comes to enviromental toxins, for many many years. So they only end up treating the one's who are pretty much dying and they have no choice and they tell us how very rare it is and that was why it took them so long to figure it out.
I hope you can get this worked out soon. In the mean time use condoms. I wanted you to also consider one more possibility. There is one other reason you could be having an on going problem with BV and yeast. That would be if your partner is having sexual relations with someone else. If he was, he wouldn't have any symptoms. The other person doesn't need to have an sort of infection for this to happen. It wouldn't matter if your partner washed afterwards. You would still get BV from the other woman's germs mixing with yours. I am not saying that is what it is, but it is a possibility you need to consider. Often time a BV infections will go away on there own without treatmetn in about six months. Many times woman don't even realize they have them. For it to be happening repeatedly suggests that you are either continuely being exposed to something, or you have an illness causing these symptoms.
I wanted to add I have herpes 1. Just about everyone has it. It should not be causing your symptoms unless something is wrong with your immune system. I had the new herpes blood test that showed I have herpes 1 but not herpes 2. We started doing culture after culture of my cuts trying to see if it was herpes 1. I have never had a culture come back positive for anything. It took a long time to prove it, but we have finally established my cuts are not caused by herpes 1. Herpes 1 is much milder than herpes 2 and should not be causing ongoing vaginal symptoms. If it is, it still says something is wrong with your immune system. The white blood cells were the only thing they could find abnormal with my tests. They found them in my blood and in my cultures every time I wasn't feeling good. For years they would say, well that's because you're not feeling well today. Until I gathered 15 years of records showing that I am not feeling well on a regular basis, that was the first clue.
The real reason no one is getting treated for this is all about money. It would cost a lot to treat us, and they also are worried about liability and that having us around makes their jobs a lot more difficult. We force them to go beyond their routine, beyond what has ever been expected of them. There are nasty little secrets the medical community has ignored, mainly when it comes to enviromental toxins, for many many years. So they only end up treating the one's who are pretty much dying and they have no choice and they tell us how very rare it is and that was why it took them so long to figure it out.
I hope you can get this worked out soon. In the mean time use condoms. I wanted you to also consider one more possibility. There is one other reason you could be having an on going problem with BV and yeast. That would be if your partner is having sexual relations with someone else. If he was, he wouldn't have any symptoms. The other person doesn't need to have an sort of infection for this to happen. It wouldn't matter if your partner washed afterwards. You would still get BV from the other woman's germs mixing with yours. I am not saying that is what it is, but it is a possibility you need to consider. Often time a BV infections will go away on there own without treatmetn in about six months. Many times woman don't even realize they have them. For it to be happening repeatedly suggests that you are either continuely being exposed to something, or you have an illness causing these symptoms.
This is a lot of different information. First I'd like to say you need to be tested for HIV. I just want you to be aware of the possiblities that could be causing these symptoms and what to look out for if it turns out you are negative for HIV.
An autoimmune disease called Behcet's Syndrome's initial symptoms closely resemble the herpes virus, causing vaginal sores, cuts, fissures, folliculitis and or inflammation in the genital area. Other symptoms develop many years later. It is different in everyone who has it. . The immune system is in over drive. It is an autoimmune disorder caused by enviromental damage to your immune system. It could get better or worse, depending on how well you take care of yourselves and how well you are treated.
. My symptoms started at age fifteen with itching, inflammation, then folliculitis (ingrown hairs), then cuts all over the vagina from time to time. It is different for everyone who has it. Some people just have inflammation where others may get cuts, or sores and folliculitis aswell. Folliculitis is a type of acne and is very common in Behcet's and occurs during or before a "flare" and can be on the face or anywhere. Chronic yeast infections and BV come hand and hand with Behcet's because it is a immune system disorder that weakens the immune system because the immune system is working in over drive. You are now allergic to more things. It is not contagious and it doesn't run in families. Researchers around the world think it is triggered by strep throat or from other enviromental causes. It has been proven to not be genetic. Gential to Gential contact will cause a reaction "flare" in these people, so will a common illness, injury, or stress. It is very important for people who have this to rest often, use condoms, and take good care of themselves to avoid flares. They will also need medication like steriods and or immune suppressants, depending on their case. Someone who needs a lot of medication to start, might not need that much with a little time. Common symptoms later in the disease, if it goes untreated, are digestive symptoms, bowel inflammation, possible bladder inflammation that feels like a bladder infection, arthritis, fibromyalga, and very late in the disease serious eye inflammation and possibly central nervous system involvement. People rarely die from this illness, the main thing a person has to be worried about is quality of life. That why you want to be proactive, not scared. This disease can be managed if properly treated.
For about ten years I had the gential symptoms and was sure it was herpes. My doctors said there was nothing else it could be wvwn though all my cultures came back negative and never mentioned it again. None of the medication for herpes had ever helped me and I also noticed my husband never got sick from me. The inflammation was the worst and I was using hydrocortisone on my own by then for some relief.
I started having other symptoms like irritable bowel syndrome and fatigue. Then after I had two children my symptoms got a lot worse. FIbromyalga, Interstitial Cystitis, Epi-scleritis (inflammation of the small blood vessels in my eyes), and things like that. My immune system was attacking my body. It took years before I had enough symptoms and saw enough doctors to start getting it treated. They are still not totally sure what is wrong with me. There is a lot of misconceptions about these things because they are thought to be rare. The truth is that they are just highly under treated in the United States. They think I have something called Behcet's Syndrome, the world's oldest known disease. It is an autoimmune disease that can be very mild or more severe. It is hard to tell what it is unless you are able to get enough of the symptoms well documented and you have just the right symptoms even though your symptoms might be totally different than everyone else's symptoms. The stress in your life plays a big role in how bad your flares will be.
There are no tests that can tell if you have Behcet's. It is based on symptoms only. Vaginal symptoms that look like herpes (herpes causes inflammation, cuts, or sores), canker sores in the mouth at least three times per year, and inflammation in the blood vessels in the eyes. It can take years for enough of the symptoms to show up and they usually don't show up at the same time. You really need to fight for answers. Go to the American Behcet's Association for more information, but remember when you are there, those are the worst cases, most people with Behcet's don't have it that severe and do well with treatment.
I don't have an offical Behcet's Syndrome diagnosis yet is because I have yet to have any serious organ damage documented, which can actually be really hard to do. Not everyone has to wait as long as I have been waiting. A lot of the time small damage from tissue and blood vessel inflammation can not be seen by any tests. Often, surgery is required for them to find vasculitis. That is how they found vasculitis in me during surgery looking for endometriosis. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't still be waiting to start treatment. I am lucky because my symptoms have not been as serious as some, but it has also been a big problem because I have been suffering greatly and not gotten the help I needed many times. Most of my symptoms cannot be seen and it's been very hard to prove that something is wrong. I have had to fight back against people thinking this was all in my mind. I have had to find a medical cause for my symptoms on my own and a lot of time was wasted because it came on over a long period of time. Only one of the hundreds of doctors I've seen had ever even heard of Behcet's Syndrome, he was a GI doctor. They do not look for it. One doctor, my Rheumatologist, told me he didn't even believe it existed. This disease is very real. It's treated all over the world, but most American doctors no nothing about it. They do not know the symptoms or how to treat it. They rely on old information and still think it only happens to people in the middle east even though research has shown it happens because something has damaged the immune system and not because of your genes. It does not run in families and it is not always a text book case. You would think it would show up on MRI's, but often with Behcet't it's the very smallest blood vessels involved, and those don't show up most of the time. It takes a big incident for them to see it and prove that you have it . American doctors don't want to be liable for treating anything until they have enough medical proof to be sure that you require the treatment. It is not easy to get that far. For us, it is more important to get the treatment before something bad happens, not afterwards. I have all the symptoms and I am being treated with immune suppressants and I have had several doctors diagnosis my symptoms as Behcet's Syndrome, but with this disease the ultimate decision is up to the Rheumatologist. My rheumatologist says it shouldn't matter if I have an official diagnosis as long as it is being treated. He says he is more concerned right now that I will lose my ability to qualify for insurance once I have a diagnosis. One thing to look for as far as tests are concern would be a a slighly high white blood cell count...your nerophils mainly, but others white cells also. It could mean just that you aren't feeling well at the time to have it be a little high, but if you can gather your records and show that you have an on going problem with a high white blood cell count, that would be a first step in showing your doctors something is not normal.
An autoimmune disease called Behcet's Syndrome's initial symptoms closely resemble the herpes virus, causing vaginal sores, cuts, fissures, folliculitis and or inflammation in the genital area. Other symptoms develop many years later. It is different in everyone who has it. . The immune system is in over drive. It is an autoimmune disorder caused by enviromental damage to your immune system. It could get better or worse, depending on how well you take care of yourselves and how well you are treated.
. My symptoms started at age fifteen with itching, inflammation, then folliculitis (ingrown hairs), then cuts all over the vagina from time to time. It is different for everyone who has it. Some people just have inflammation where others may get cuts, or sores and folliculitis aswell. Folliculitis is a type of acne and is very common in Behcet's and occurs during or before a "flare" and can be on the face or anywhere. Chronic yeast infections and BV come hand and hand with Behcet's because it is a immune system disorder that weakens the immune system because the immune system is working in over drive. You are now allergic to more things. It is not contagious and it doesn't run in families. Researchers around the world think it is triggered by strep throat or from other enviromental causes. It has been proven to not be genetic. Gential to Gential contact will cause a reaction "flare" in these people, so will a common illness, injury, or stress. It is very important for people who have this to rest often, use condoms, and take good care of themselves to avoid flares. They will also need medication like steriods and or immune suppressants, depending on their case. Someone who needs a lot of medication to start, might not need that much with a little time. Common symptoms later in the disease, if it goes untreated, are digestive symptoms, bowel inflammation, possible bladder inflammation that feels like a bladder infection, arthritis, fibromyalga, and very late in the disease serious eye inflammation and possibly central nervous system involvement. People rarely die from this illness, the main thing a person has to be worried about is quality of life. That why you want to be proactive, not scared. This disease can be managed if properly treated.
For about ten years I had the gential symptoms and was sure it was herpes. My doctors said there was nothing else it could be wvwn though all my cultures came back negative and never mentioned it again. None of the medication for herpes had ever helped me and I also noticed my husband never got sick from me. The inflammation was the worst and I was using hydrocortisone on my own by then for some relief.
I started having other symptoms like irritable bowel syndrome and fatigue. Then after I had two children my symptoms got a lot worse. FIbromyalga, Interstitial Cystitis, Epi-scleritis (inflammation of the small blood vessels in my eyes), and things like that. My immune system was attacking my body. It took years before I had enough symptoms and saw enough doctors to start getting it treated. They are still not totally sure what is wrong with me. There is a lot of misconceptions about these things because they are thought to be rare. The truth is that they are just highly under treated in the United States. They think I have something called Behcet's Syndrome, the world's oldest known disease. It is an autoimmune disease that can be very mild or more severe. It is hard to tell what it is unless you are able to get enough of the symptoms well documented and you have just the right symptoms even though your symptoms might be totally different than everyone else's symptoms. The stress in your life plays a big role in how bad your flares will be.
There are no tests that can tell if you have Behcet's. It is based on symptoms only. Vaginal symptoms that look like herpes (herpes causes inflammation, cuts, or sores), canker sores in the mouth at least three times per year, and inflammation in the blood vessels in the eyes. It can take years for enough of the symptoms to show up and they usually don't show up at the same time. You really need to fight for answers. Go to the American Behcet's Association for more information, but remember when you are there, those are the worst cases, most people with Behcet's don't have it that severe and do well with treatment.
I don't have an offical Behcet's Syndrome diagnosis yet is because I have yet to have any serious organ damage documented, which can actually be really hard to do. Not everyone has to wait as long as I have been waiting. A lot of the time small damage from tissue and blood vessel inflammation can not be seen by any tests. Often, surgery is required for them to find vasculitis. That is how they found vasculitis in me during surgery looking for endometriosis. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't still be waiting to start treatment. I am lucky because my symptoms have not been as serious as some, but it has also been a big problem because I have been suffering greatly and not gotten the help I needed many times. Most of my symptoms cannot be seen and it's been very hard to prove that something is wrong. I have had to fight back against people thinking this was all in my mind. I have had to find a medical cause for my symptoms on my own and a lot of time was wasted because it came on over a long period of time. Only one of the hundreds of doctors I've seen had ever even heard of Behcet's Syndrome, he was a GI doctor. They do not look for it. One doctor, my Rheumatologist, told me he didn't even believe it existed. This disease is very real. It's treated all over the world, but most American doctors no nothing about it. They do not know the symptoms or how to treat it. They rely on old information and still think it only happens to people in the middle east even though research has shown it happens because something has damaged the immune system and not because of your genes. It does not run in families and it is not always a text book case. You would think it would show up on MRI's, but often with Behcet't it's the very smallest blood vessels involved, and those don't show up most of the time. It takes a big incident for them to see it and prove that you have it . American doctors don't want to be liable for treating anything until they have enough medical proof to be sure that you require the treatment. It is not easy to get that far. For us, it is more important to get the treatment before something bad happens, not afterwards. I have all the symptoms and I am being treated with immune suppressants and I have had several doctors diagnosis my symptoms as Behcet's Syndrome, but with this disease the ultimate decision is up to the Rheumatologist. My rheumatologist says it shouldn't matter if I have an official diagnosis as long as it is being treated. He says he is more concerned right now that I will lose my ability to qualify for insurance once I have a diagnosis. One thing to look for as far as tests are concern would be a a slighly high white blood cell count...your nerophils mainly, but others white cells also. It could mean just that you aren't feeling well at the time to have it be a little high, but if you can gather your records and show that you have an on going problem with a high white blood cell count, that would be a first step in showing your doctors something is not normal.
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