I met my current partner six months ago and was told that I had bacterial vaginosis. I had never had it before but wasnt too worried as I knew it wasnt an STI. However, within weeks of the first treatment I got it again. I took the treatment but now I have started to get the symptoms AGAIN (the fishy smell which is much worse during sex). I have just been retested and am due to get my results on Tuesday.
Im so fed up with the whole thing. Iv heard that BV can occur after a change in sexual partner - which would explain why I got it in the first place - but why do I keep on getting it ?
I try to be careful when I wash and only use PH balanced soap, however me and my boyfriend have sex at least once a day. We also have sex when I am taking treatment for BV. Could this be delaying treatment or aggrivating the condition? Is it possible that he is getting some of the bacteria on his penis and then passing it back to me?Can men carry it at all? Does sex make it worse?Very frustrated lady!
BV is the name of a condition in women where the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. It is sometimes accompanied by discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age. In the United States, BV is common in pregnant women.
The cause of BV is not fully understood. BV is associated with an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in a woman's vagina. The vagina normally contains mostly "good" bacteria, and fewer "harmful" bacteria. BV develops when there is an increase in harmful bacteria.
Not much is known about how women get BV. There are many unanswered questions about the role that harmful bacteria play in causing BV. Any woman can get BV. However, some activities or behaviors can upset the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk including:
Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners,
Douching
It is not clear what role sexual activity plays in the development of BV. Women do not get BV from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools, or from touching objects around them. Women who have never had sexual intercourse may also be affected.
Women with BV may have an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. Some women report a strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse. Discharge, if present, is usually white or gray; it can be thin. Women with BV may also have burning during urination or itching around the outside of the vagina, or both. However, most women with BV report no signs or symptoms at all.
In most cases, BV causes no complications. But there are some serious risks from BV including:
Having BV can increase a woman's susceptibility to HIV infection if she is exposed to the HIV virus.
Having BV increases the chances that an HIV-infected woman can pass HIV to her sex partner.
Having BV has been associated with an increase in the development of an infection following surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy or an abortion.
Having BV while pregnant may put a woman at increased risk for some complications of pregnancy, such as preterm delivery.
BV can increase a woman's susceptibility to other STDs, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV), chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Pregnant women with BV more often have babies who are born premature or with low birth weight (low birth weight is less than 5.5 pounds).
The bacteria that cause BV can sometimes infect the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus). This type of infection is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause infertility or damage the fallopian tubes enough to increase the future risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube which can rupture.
A health care provider must examine the vagina for signs of BV and perform laboratory tests on a sample of vaginal fluid to look for bacteria associated with BV.
Although BV will sometimes clear up without treatment, all women with symptoms of BV should be treated to avoid complications. Male partners generally do not need to be treated. However, BV may spread between female sex partners.
Treatment is especially important for pregnant women. All pregnant women who have ever had a premature delivery or low birth weight baby should be considered for a BV examination, regardless of symptoms, and should be treated if they have BV. All pregnant women who have symptoms of BV should be checked and treated.
Some physicians recommend that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion be treated for BV prior to the procedure, regardless of symptoms, to reduce their risk of developing an infection.
BV is treatable with antibiotics prescribed by a health care provider. Two different antibiotics are recommended as treatment for BV: metronidazole or clindamycin. Either can be used with non-pregnant or pregnant women, but the recommended dosages differ. Women with BV who are HIV-positive should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.
BV can recur after treatment.
BV is not completely understood by scientists, and the best ways to prevent it are unknown. However, it is known that BV is associated with having a new sex partner or having multiple sex partners.
The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing BV:
Be abstinent.
Limit the number of sex partners.
Do not douche.
Use all of the medicine prescribed for treatment of BV, even if the signs and symptoms go away.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm
Baterial Vaginosis Resources
Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis Resources
How do you cure a male yeast infection - YouTube
Yeast infection | Define Yeast infection at Dictionary.com
Yeast Infection - NYC.gov
Hey, well dont know a lot about this in fection, but if u type it in to yahoo and ul c a load of helpful links from what iv read
Metronidazole is the best medicane for it, it only has a 20% reacurrance rete compared to between 35-50 % with other medicenes so maybe ask ur doc about
There is no evidance to support that ur boyfriend is passing it back to
Hope u get it sorted out,least whan ur boyfriends annoyin u u can call him fish fingers!!hehe
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Your new boyfriend is probably the reason you have this in the first place. If you have never had it and only started getting it since dating him adn you can not seem to get rid of it, he is the culprit.
Men can have yeast infections aswell, they do not know and it is spread from partner to partner, back and forth (then they have the nerve to blame you! haha). Treat yourself and tell him to get treatd for a yeast infection aswell, once you are both clear you can start having sex again. If you cotinue to have sex without clearing it up you will continue to have yeast infections until you get rid of him or he gets rid of the yeast infection.
In the meantime eat lots of probiotic yogurt, it will not necessarly protect you but it sure helps.
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I also get recurring BV. Mine is due to having an insulin resistance and how my body processes sugar. If this is a problem for you, try sutting back on processed foods and sugars. If not, Yes, it is possible for men to carry the bacteria and not show symptoms. Try washing your privates before and after sex, and make sure to urinate following sex. Have your partner get tested or ask your doctor to perscribe something for him the next time you need a script. Also, make sure he washes his genitals and hands before and after sex and absolutely no anal contact before vaginal penetration.
Check with your doctor. There could be an underlying reason you are getting it so often.
References :
BV is the name of a condition in women where the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. It is sometimes accompanied by discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age. In the United States, BV is common in pregnant women.
The cause of BV is not fully understood. BV is associated with an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in a woman’s vagina. The vagina normally contains mostly "good" bacteria, and fewer "harmful" bacteria. BV develops when there is an increase in harmful bacteria.
Not much is known about how women get BV. There are many unanswered questions about the role that harmful bacteria play in causing BV. Any woman can get BV. However, some activities or behaviors can upset the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk including:
Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners,
Douching
It is not clear what role sexual activity plays in the development of BV. Women do not get BV from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools, or from touching objects around them. Women who have never had sexual intercourse may also be affected.
Women with BV may have an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. Some women report a strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse. Discharge, if present, is usually white or gray; it can be thin. Women with BV may also have burning during urination or itching around the outside of the vagina, or both. However, most women with BV report no signs or symptoms at all.
In most cases, BV causes no complications. But there are some serious risks from BV including:
Having BV can increase a woman’s susceptibility to HIV infection if she is exposed to the HIV virus.
Having BV increases the chances that an HIV-infected woman can pass HIV to her sex partner.
Having BV has been associated with an increase in the development of an infection following surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy or an abortion.
Having BV while pregnant may put a woman at increased risk for some complications of pregnancy, such as preterm delivery.
BV can increase a woman’s susceptibility to other STDs, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV), chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Pregnant women with BV more often have babies who are born premature or with low birth weight (low birth weight is less than 5.5 pounds).
The bacteria that cause BV can sometimes infect the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus). This type of infection is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause infertility or damage the fallopian tubes enough to increase the future risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube which can rupture.
A health care provider must examine the vagina for signs of BV and perform laboratory tests on a sample of vaginal fluid to look for bacteria associated with BV.
Although BV will sometimes clear up without treatment, all women with symptoms of BV should be treated to avoid complications. Male partners generally do not need to be treated. However, BV may spread between female sex partners.
Treatment is especially important for pregnant women. All pregnant women who have ever had a premature delivery or low birth weight baby should be considered for a BV examination, regardless of symptoms, and should be treated if they have BV. All pregnant women who have symptoms of BV should be checked and treated.
Some physicians recommend that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion be treated for BV prior to the procedure, regardless of symptoms, to reduce their risk of developing an infection.
BV is treatable with antibiotics prescribed by a health care provider. Two different antibiotics are recommended as treatment for BV: metronidazole or clindamycin. Either can be used with non-pregnant or pregnant women, but the recommended dosages differ. Women with BV who are HIV-positive should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.
BV can recur after treatment.
BV is not completely understood by scientists, and the best ways to prevent it are unknown. However, it is known that BV is associated with having a new sex partner or having multiple sex partners.
The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing BV:
Be abstinent.
Limit the number of sex partners.
Do not douche.
Use all of the medicine prescribed for treatment of BV, even if the signs and symptoms go away.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm
References :
It has been known to make sex and using the bathroom generally more painful. Give sex a break for now.
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