Abnormal vaginal skin bleeding any suggestions? TMI

[Marley&Me]

teresa I think I am proned to bacterial vaginosis. I've had it more then once but its only ever been without symptoms (detected by a papsmear) I don't know how I got it but it definately wasn't from sex. At the time I was single in every meaning of the word lol and had been for a long period of time.

Mildez, i just saw this old post and was wondering how you treated it? I have recently had it a few times and it always comes back after the antibiotics are finished. And it's not an STI, it's kinda like thrush, it just "happens". Only thing is BD may make it worse because sperm is very alkaline so it disrupts the ph level down there. So no good if you are TTC like me

[Mildez]

Its aweful isn't it Tasha. After I wrote this post things got worse. I was in agony. I ended up on a vaginal antibiotic as I am BF and couldn't have the oral one but that only cleared it up briefly. I'm so over it. I bleed almost every time we DTD. The blood is more of an Orange colour and varies in amount from lots to just a few spots. Condoms are an absolute no no as the friction of them even with heaps of lube makes it so much worse. The cream for thrush makes it much better. My Dr said some women are prone to it and its very hard to treat as although treatment works its usually only a few weeks or months and it returns. Thats exactly where I am at. Fortunately I am comfortable most of the time. I learnt how to deal with it most of the time.

What I didn't know years ago was I had it regularly. A little bit of itching here and there. Used thrush cream on/off which helped. I have thought I had a yucky odour and every time I went to the Dr it was dismissed. They did STD checks multiple times thinking it was something like that) although I was only DTD with DH. Anyway it has been going on for years and what I recently found out was that its what caused me to get pelvic inflammatory disease which is what caused my ectopic pregnancies and tubal damage which led to my fertility problems.

I'm hoping when my cycle returns things down below will improve. AF (which I haven't had since this time last year) seems to sooth the soreness I get and right now as I have no cycle I am quite dry so I seem to constantly have it. Hopefully when AF returns I get some relief. It saddnes me that this stupid condition did effect my fertility and I can't even shake it so if I was going to ttc again their would be even more damage to my one remaining damaged tube them before.

So if you are one of the women who are prone to it like me (I have it more then I don't) then perhaps see a nutritionalist or naturopath, herbalist. I want to see one but am completely broke. I've heard of herbal tampons and a variety of other natural methods to keep it at bay. Have you tried a pro-biotic? My GP told me that the thrush treatment helps (the vaginal cream that is) The antobiotics cream helps but as soon as I finish it its straight back again. I'm going to go see my gynea soon and see what he suggests but according to my GP there is not much that can be done to prevent its return.

Have you had a HSG or lap and dye?

[Marley&Me]

Yes, it's awful! I don't have any symptoms except the yucky odour. Sorry you have been through all of this, people should be more aware of BV. Doctors tend to shrug it off as no big deal, but it can be, as you have proven I got it for the first time at the start of the year, and have since had it twice. After the first time it didn't come back until last month. I took metronizadole tablets, but they leave the most disgusting taste in your mouth all day! But half way through the course of antibiotics, I found out I was pregnant so I stopped the tablets, then a week later I m/c. When I finally stopped bleeding the BV just came back
So I am NOT taking those horrid tablets again. Instead I have been soaking in a tea tree bath and today I started taking Inner Health Plus tablets (because of the live cultures) I hope it works, apparently it is more common than yeast infection and really hard to cure once you get it
It sucks because DH and I really want to use this super fertile time to try again, but BD is out of the question as semen will make it worse.

No I have not had HSG, what is it? And no lap or dye, should I? Dye is for checking tube blockages isn't it? Sorry if I sound stupid!

[Mildez]

Yes the HSG is the Xray one to check your tubes and the lap is under general. I was thinking if you have suffered from VB for ages it might be worth a look into seeing as you have been ttc for a long time. But it sounds like its a fairly recent thing. Was only thinking that as it can cause tubal problems but thats only really long term side effects. It would take years for it to cause problems.

Maybe you could try the vaginal antibiotics. I had to use it for 7days straight daily. It was gross (as it melted and leaked back out and would run up your butt crack). It did help but didn't cure me for long. Better then the oral ones. I've had them before for the PID and they made me so sick.

Could you just pin point your O day and DTD unprotected just the once this cycle so your still in with a chance? DH and I did this on the cycle after my lap and dye when I was super sore as we didn't want to miss any chances.

[Marley&Me]

Yes, I thought of DTD on the fertile days, but after my m/c I have no idea what the heck is going on, It's all guess work. Plus I have irregular cycles anyway. I also read the craziest remedies. One was to peel a garlic clove and pop it up there! And your body will naturally pop it back out when it's finished I think I'll stick with my Inner Health Plus and tea tree! I hope we can both banish it for good

[Mildez]

I did read something about sitting in a vinegar bath. I think I heard something about garlic but not sticking it up there. That sounds filthy lol. Wouldn't it burn? The Dr told me the thrush cream will definately help sooth and keep it at bay but it wouldn't get rid of it completely.