At my wits end with BV
Hi everyone,
I am so freaking frustrated. I first tested positive for BV in February this year. Never had BV before. Since then, I've been getting it every few weeks or month. Overall, I've had it 5 times this year!
Things I've tried:
- Seeing 3 different gynecologists, who were not very helpful. The last one thought we might need to try an infectious disease specialist....I always just get prescribed metronidazole.
- I was recommended to have my partner get treated. He completed treatment twice.
- Recommended to have a shower before and after sex, I have been.
- Been taking Happy V probiotics consistently. I still had 2 infections after beginning it but I thought it was because I was still new to taking it.
- I'm very diligent about showering after the gym and drying properly.
- I tried boric acid but apparently I'm a part of the 10% that don't react well and felt severe burning with it.
- Occasionally go without underwear to let the air circulate.
I'm feeling so hopeless. My husband and I used to be intimate often with no problems and I didn't have so many worries about being clean. We haven't been able to be intimate much because my vagina almost always feels off. There have been times we didn't have sex for a month and I still got BV, so there goes the theory of him causing me to get it.
I have been under a lot of life stress this year (planning a wedding, moving states, stressful job and going back to school) so I know it doesn't help. And in my many nights of stressing out over my health, I have learned about biofilm and am sure I have that causing the infections to keep coming back.
Right now I'm waiting for the results to see if I have BV again. I'm so sick of taking one antibiotics course after another. I'm also feeling irritated at my body that wearing tight pants, waiting a little too long to have a shower, etc can cause these infections. I'm worried about all the antibiotics I've taken this year alone, wrecking my gut Flora and causing gut issues which I've had before after much less antibiotic use.
I am considering getting an Envy test done. I don't know what else to do. Vaginal probiotic suppositories? Lubricanting gel? My PCP mentioned estrogen but I'm 27 yo?!
I just hate that I always have to worry about getting BV and this is really taking a toll on me. I had a negative test about a month ago, and I just can't bear it if I got it again.
Please share any advice you have or any insights.