BV resistance! I want this to end but nothing seems to treat it
Do I need an infectious disease consult? Here are the details:
-BV symptoms for over 6 months. Before this, never had it in my life!
-note I have had two vaginal swabs, both just showed “bacterial vaginosis”, no details about what bacteria actually grew or sensitivities
-signs: white/yellowish and sometimes brown/pink discharge but no odour
-occasional cramping
-“strawberry cervix” but not in the usual way… more like a pale pink petechiae on the cervix
-cervical exam otherwise normal
-two courses of metronidazole po (appropriate dosing, both courses for 7 days each)
-no symptom change after either course of antibiotics
-also tried a course of po NAC before the last course of metronidazole but again, no change
-tried vaginal probiotic suppositories, seemed to help a little but symptoms came back as soon as probiotics stopped
Other potentially related things:
-I am in 40s, but the women of my family usually don’t have menopause symptoms until their fifties so this seems early?
-I’ve had a mirena iud for about three years
-uterine fibroids present
-I am on a glp-1 that I started about one year ago for weight loss- and this has been well tolerated and efficacious
-only other med is an ssri (been taking x ten years)
-no other medical history
-have replaced my whole underwear drawer and changed detergents… still no change
-very sexually inactive since this started at Christmas and I miss my husband
-was tested for every other sti too, all negative
Help. I’m at my wits end with it and I’m removing the iud this week, and planning for a course of topical (PV) clindamycin thereafter.
Is it possible this isn’t even an infection but a hormonal issue?