BV Sufferer for over TEN YEARS... now Symptom Free!! (Long but Please Read!!)

I apologize in advance for the longwinded post but I feel its important to give my history with this infection.

So I will get right to the point. I am writing this because I finally feel like I have fixed my problem with recurrent bacterial vaginosis. First a bit of history of my situation... I am 26, one child, began sexua| activity at 13. I first experienced symptoms of bv at 14 years old, I noticed a terrible odor coming from my vagina. I wasnt being sexually active at the time so I knew it wasnt an STD. I thought maybe I just wasnt being hygenic enough but the more antibacterial soap I used, the worse it seemed to get. I told my mother and she made an appointment with the gyno, who incorrectly diagnosed me with a yeast infection. Eventually the bv symptoms went away on their own and I would only experience the odor every now and then. I still didnt know the name for it.

Antibiotics
When I was 16 it came back FULL FORCE. I was absolutely miserable and could not figure out why I felt so dirty down there. This infection was really hurting my self confidence and esteem. So I made an appointment at Planned Parenthood and the doctor immediately diagnosed me with BV and gave me an Rx for oral Flagyl. I was thrilled with the results, finally a little relief! But it didnt last long. Soon enough I was back with the odor and absolutely miserable. So I went back for more Flagyl. Between the ages of 16-25 I probably used oral Flagyl and the vaginal version(metrogel)50 times. I would feel better for a week at the most then it would be back with a vengeance. My doctor just kept telling me not to wipe from front to back(what female does this anyway??) and not to take bubble baths (but im a shower girl!). She even started telling me I had no odor and tried to insinuate that the problem was in my head. Like its normal for a healthy vagina to smell like cat urine. I wanted to slap her.

PROBIOTICS
The now defunct BUST forum was the first place I heard about Femdophilus. So I bought some and started to insert them vaginally and actually DID notice a positive change, but I still had so much bad bacteria in me that taking the probiotics alone just wasnt getting it. So I got yet another Rx for metrogel and started the probiotics AFTER my medication was finished, still had the odor. I did this several times and it never worked. I refused to resign myself to the fact that I would spend the rest of my life smelling like garbage even though I could barely remember a time when I didnt. I cried about it, prayed, and did countless internet searches. My doctor had stopped prescribving the metrogel and started giving me Clindamycin, my symtptoms would be nonexistent during treatment so I knew that bacteria was the issue, but they'd come right back after I was finished and the more I used it the more my body became immune to it. I did countless internet searches on bv and read hundreds of stories from other women who had my same issues, and it seemed like the answer for most had been probiotics. So I decided to give them another try.

RELIEF
I began inserting one Femdophilus capsule in my vagina in the morning, then taking the oral Clindamycin 4 hours after. Then inserting another Femdophilus at bedtime. Symptoms cleared up immediately then two days later I relaized that I was only taking one Clindamycin a day when I was supposed to be taking TWO! On top of that I had a raging yeast infection, my vagina was really swollen and irritated so I stopped inserting the Femdophilus vaginally and began taking two orally in the morning with water then using my Clindamycin as prescribed, one pill twice a day for the next 5 days. My symptoms definitely werent as severe, but I still had a discharge and it still had a smell to it that wasnt pleasant. But my research assured me that I was on the right track and I just needed to keep taking the FemD as I had been. Im still taking it every morning and I am happy to report that for the last two weeks (apprx two days after finishing my Antibiotics ) I have had a normal discharge and absolutely NO odor!!!! NONE. I have to keep checking to make sure I'm not dreaming. I am ecstatic!! I continue to take two FemD every morning and will continue to take it until I feel its safe to go down to one a day.

What I Learned
The more Antibiotics you take, the more you deplete your healthy bacterium and the vicious cycle continues. But for me antibiotics WERE a crucial component in my treatment, I just didnt realize that I needed to be using them in conjunction with a probiotic. Taking the probiotic at the same time with the Antibiotic is obviously not helpful. In studies they typically instruct the women to take the probiotics in the morning so I made sure to take mine first thing then waited 5 hours before taking my antibiotic. That way the Antibiotic had all day and night to work in my system then I could replenish the good bacterium in the morning. If you decide to switch the order make sure you find out the half life of your oral antibiotic(thats the amt of hours it stays active in your system), that way you arent wasting your probiotics because taking them too soon after the Antibiotic will kill the good bacteria. Make sure you are taking two probiotics as well. I know that it is popular to insert them vaginally, but I personally believe this can cause irritation and is unnecessary. To each his own though. Here is a great study done on the benfits of probiotics to cure bacterial vaginosis when used in conjunction with anantibiotic(in this case tinidazole)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=recurrent%20%20bacterial%20vaginosis%2...


My condolences to everyone who is suffering with this, I know firshand how hopeless it can feel at times but please DONT EVER GIVE UP!!! I will continue to update you guys on my status, I see the doc on Tuesday and I am going to have her run tests to see if the mobiluncus(the name of the nasty bacteria that was taking over my vagina) is still running rampant. Good luck Ladies!!! (((HUGS)))

-Mombi