- Still waiting on BufferGel by #42412
17 y
9,026 14 Messages Shown
Blog: BV - Bacterial Vaginosis
For a long time I have fought with BV, at the doctor and at home, with no real success. it seemed I was successful with the Vitamin C, Hydrogen Peroxide and L.Reuteri Tabs... I think the truth was that it was easier because I just wasn't very sexually active so there wasn't much going on to upset the bacterial balance. Now I am seeing a new man and much more sexually active and it is harder and harder to keep the odor and discharge away. I have to use something about every day and have found myself wondering if maybe I shouldn't just give the flagyl another chance. I know that's what started this cycle in the first place.
I do have one more hope and that is BufferGel. I have discussed it before in previous posts, it is a new gel that is being studied as both a contraceptive and STD preventative (including BV). It uses a strain of Hydrogen Peroxide-producing Lactobacillus to keep the vaginal environment at the proper acidic ph and to kill the bacteria that cause BV, STD's and allow sperm to survive, thus making it effective as an "Environmental Support" kind of thing - it would just help get things back to the way they're supposed to be down there...
So, I wrote Mr. Moench who is the President of ReProtect to ask him when the planned commercial release date is, as they have been studying this stuff for at least 5-7 years already. He wrote back [Thank you for your inquiry. We expect that BufferGel will be released as a contraceptive for use with a diaphragm or similar cervical barrier in about 2 years. Investigation of its utility to prevent sexually transmitted diseases including HIV is currently underway, and claims for utility for these indications will take longer still.]
So, 2 years. Seems like a long time to wait until I think about the fact that I've been treating it myself for 2 years and it doesn't seem that long ago that I quit going to the doctors.
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- Some help maybe by bp4968
17 y
3,262
This website has been a lifesaver. You have all given me courage to try so many natural methods--and STAY AWAY from pharmaceuticals!
I finally may have come up with a management system. It has worked for me for the past few months. After sex with my partner, I immediately use a syringe full of hydrogen peroxide. I let this sit for about 5-8 mins (good time for post sex chatting) and then go drain. This seems to neutralize the pH of the sperm in the vagina immediately, before the "bad" bacteria can get ahold of a growing spurt.
Then if the next morning there is any sign of fishy odor--there has only been once or twice-- I do it again. This has actually brought th problem under control so I don't think about it anymore.
I have used femdopholus which helped, but I ran out and didn't bother to replace it. You can get it online.
I've suffered for three years now. But this seems to give me steady relief better than anything else. Nipping the lowering of the pH in the bud...so to speak. I want to be able to have sex with my partner. Even a few days in a row hasn't seemed to be a problem as long as I address it immediately afterward.
I hope this helps someone as myuch as you all have helped me.
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bp4968
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- this may be helpful by #81634
17 y
3,230
| Try Enzara. It's expensive but it works. I took that with an acidopholous tablet once a day. Do this until the problem goes away and then do it again as needed. I am also going to try the Rephresh.
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- Re: this may be helpful by #42412
17 y
4,413
| I've never heard of that. Is it over the counter? What is it exactly? Thanks!!!
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- Hi Ladies by aphrodite26
17 y
3,358
Just when you think it is over. . .My ND gave me some Candaclear which seemed to start working immediately-garlic/lactobac. combo but as soon as I had my next period it was back. Just as that period was ending I used vitamin C vaginally which worked really well. Acidity was back!! BUT after my last period it is back again. . .and using Vit. C again. I am thinking that diet may be affecting this alot. I do not eat that well and as it being summer and HOT here I have been drinking my share of microbrews. . .
I am so frustrated, this is so gross. There has to be an answer, I think it is more internal than anything. We are meant to have sperm in us from time to time right? Isn't that the whole point of our vagina? Reproduction? What keeps throwing our ph so out of whack that the vag. can't return to its normal ph state????
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aphrodite26
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- Re: Hi Ladies by #42412
17 y
3,365
My theory is that it is antibiotics that cause this problem - because the test for BV is highly dependent on ph factor at the gyno. Occasionally they will actually look under the microscope at the bacteria and say you have BV - at which point they prescribe antibiotics - broad spectrum, very strong. I would be interested in a poll on this matter. I know my BV began when I was 18. i went in for my pap to get my birth control pills and the nurse told me I had Gardnerella, that is what they called it at that time, she gave me clindamyacin and sent me on my way. I took it not knowing any better. Several months later I had it again, then again, then again. and so on. Gradually it got to the point that I had it consantly, the antibiotics work while I'm on them and then it's right back the next day. I think that constant antibiotic use made it worse and more frequent, and impossible to get rid of. That makes me wonder if - that very first time I was there - when I didn't know anything was wrong - I had no odor problems, no itching, etc. - if they only tested my ph to determine I had BV - what if I had sex the night before, what if I was just off my period that time? What if the ph balance would have corrected on its own without treatment?
I would be interested to know how many women have had the continual BV problem after numerous treatments with antibiotics?
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- Re: Hi Ladies by tecate
17 y
3,530
| Hi I have had this problem on and off for seven years. Each time I really noticed it was when I was pregnant and I wasn't on any antibiotics. The first time the doctor told me it wasn't proven to be sexually transmitted but he really thought it was. After he treated me and I was clear for several years. Now I have a third child and my second husband and it was back before she was born. The nurse told me it looked like tric. and was very mean to me until she did the test and found it was BV. Now my husband has it in his head that I have been unfaithfull after our three rounds of antibiotics and the odor and pain are still here. Now we just ignore it until the pain is so bad I go to the doc and he gives me some antibiotic and again my period comes and the cycle starts all over again. It really has given me a complex with my husband and I am so glad I am not alone I am gonna try some of these remedies on this page, but I just wanted to let you know that I wasn't on any antibiotics when I was diagnosed and I haven't taken any antibiotics in five years, until now.
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tecate
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- I think I found it by MsGirl
17 y
3,766
| I have suffered from BV since the birth of my child in Dec. 06. I had it once before I gave birth, was given antibiotics (not sure which kind) and it left. Several months after I gave birth and resumed intercourse, it came back even stronger. I got more antibiotics and it went away, but seemed to have changed my discharge a bit. A few weeks later, it was back. I thought this was because my boyfriend is uncircumcised, but the doctors swear it has nothing to do with it. After while, I just dealt with it. I started cleansing with peroxide and it seemed to work for a couple days then it was back. I tried vitamin C (inserted directly into the vagina) and I thought it worked a little. I began to smell that clean sour milk smell down there, but then I started to get slightly itchy. I didn't want the vitamin C to cause a yeast infection, so I didn't do that again. So I decided to try a remedy that's been right under my nose. Something we've all heard about. Vinegar douching. It's supposed to balance your flora right? It did. I made my own mixture though. I have one of those douches that you wash out. I poured about a cup of vinegar in it and filled the rest with water so that it was way more vinegar than water. It burned, but so far it's the best treatment. It tried to come back a couple weeks later, but I just used a strong dose of vinegar wash again. So far I haven't had any fish odor. Another thing I do is rinse with the shower head immediatly following sex. I'm going to post this messege in other blogs. Hope this helps!
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MsGirl
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- Re: I think I found it by #42412
17 y
3,854
| i think anything acidic probably helps in the short term - I've heard boric acid douche helps too but i just can't bring myself to try that one. I'm not too crazy about chemicals and such. I've wondered about colloidal silver. I took some of that by mouth mixed with cranberry juice for several days to fight off a urinary tract infection, it certainly worked for that and I haven't had to treat for BV for about a week and a half since using that. It is a natural anti-baacterial.
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- Re: I think I found it by #85476
17 y
3,543
you just don’t know how happy I am to have come across this website, this forum, all the advice and responses on “bv”. its been really hard to get a straight answer from a medical doctor.
I too was diagnosed and treated for bv a month after my baby was born (12/06). i might have had it prior, but I was never really officially diagnosed and treated for bv until after my baby. I am currently suffering from it. the first time I had it, I was treated with some type of antibiotic shot or something that immediately took the pain away, and that was followed with doxycycline. the second time I was treated with vandazole gel (generic for metronidazole gel). the third time I had it, very apprehensively, I was treated with the shot again and a different oral antibiotic (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim). now that I am currently on the fourth go around of battling with it, I have been put on the vandazole gel again, and for the first time, my husband is treating with metronidazole oral tablets.
the more knowledgeable I become about medicines the more I have been trying to avoid having my family and I take them. my concerns with this reoccurring bv is the possibility of scar tissue. I hope to have more babies in the near future, but I don’t want to do anything or not do anything that would compromise my fertility, and my doctor knows this. prior to the 3rd treatment of bv, I tried the peroxide douching, and my doctor kind of hinted at it possibly causing scar tissue. I don’t know if that was just a scare tactic to keep me from treating this problem naturally or what, my suspicions are that it was.
my husband has been really cooperative with me on my new quest for natural remedies, but he feels as though we should finish the treatment this last time. go ahead and kill off all the bacteria, good and bad. go back to the doctor to make sure that the bacteria is gone. and then follow up with taking the acidophilus. I understand his logic with us being fresh on the idea of using natural remedies, but I really don’t want to do the meds again.
and last but definitely not least, the other guilt factor of taking the meds is that I’m still breastfeeding my soon to be 9month old. every time that I’ve been to the doctor, I always ask "is this safe for me to take while breastfeeding?" and both my OB/GYN and family doctor say that its perfectly safe. but just recently reading the little leaflets that come with the prescription it says that "THIS MEDICINE IS EXCRETED IN BREASTMILK. check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby." for me, commons sense tells me that whatever the side affects are for me then they would be the same for my baby and that’s not cool at all!
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- Re: I think I found it by #42412
17 y
4,441
I agree with you as far as the medicines and your baby. The doctor might think it's perfectly safe but on my bottle of Flagyl I saw a warning that said it causes cancer in lab rats - not to mention it is an antibiotic and exposing your child to them through the breastmilk is just like giving him a round of them while you're taking them.
I never told my Gyn that I was using peroxide - I did hear something about it killing live tissue from my veterinarian, though. My cat got an infection in her paw and I used some on her paw - the vet told me it wasn't a good idea because it kills healthy tissue also.
I instinctively don't feel that is true after the reading I have done on it but instincts aren't everything, so I recently went to the gyno again after 2 years of treating at home and not seeing the doctor, and other than telling me I had BV, she said everything looks ok. I feel pretty comfortable with my home treatment but I would tell everyone: If you don't feel comfortable with something, don't do it.
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- Re: Still waiting on BufferGel by WantingACure
16 y
3,907
| Hi, I am despererately waiting for BufferGel as well. But, you should look into using a Jamu Stick to help with BV. I hear it works very well and is an herbal remedy so it is natural. Good luck and please post if you hear any more about a release date for BufferGel.
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WantingACure
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- Re: Still waiting on BufferGel by Zippppp
12 y
2,911
| You need to try tea tree oil suppositories. You can find them at whole foods market.
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Zippppp
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- Re: Still waiting on BufferGel by Zippppp
12 y
2,636
| i cannot stress it enough: tea tree oil suppositories!!! trust me!! they will yield very good results!!!
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Zippppp
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