r/VaginalMicrobiome

Am I the only one? Has anyone actually beat recurrent infections? No matter what I do I constantly have BV. I'm at wits end. It's ruining my mental and emotional health. I've lost all my confidence and self esteem. It's strained my sex life. I'm in a relationship and I've completely stopped having sex. I take a probiotic and I do all of the things that you're "supposed to do" and I don't do any of the things you're not supposed to do. I've changed soaps and laundry detergents. I only wear cotton underwear, I sleep bottomless. Even when my fiancé and I exclusively used condoms I still had problems. We both have good hygiene. I'm on this endless cycle of BV and then yeast because the antibiotics also seem to give me a yeast infection every single time. I'm so fed up, I don't know if switching doctors would help somehow. It's making me hate myself and hate being a woman. I just want this cycle to end. I just got prescribed my second round of metronidazole this month. I'm averaging needing that and fluconazole at least once a month.

I used to have bv but now I don’t. I still have a remaining odour with no bv present.

These are the current strains I have Lactobacillus iners 49% Lactobacillus jensenii 43% Lactobacillus 3% Prevotella bivia 1.6% Limosilactobacillus 1.5% Finegoldia magna 0.5% Winka neuii 0.17%

So usually I’ve never ever had anything before issues before so this have been a stressful year and I’ve had this happen now three times. The first time it got infected, I got picked up by the ambulance (low pain tolerance lol) and was on morphine and it popped at the hospital LUCKILY. This may have been because I was trying lots of home remedies or maybe not enough? I put PRID on the day it popped at the hospital so maybe that helped but I’ll never know for sure.

the second time I knew what was coming, tried to put things in place to prevent. Went to the gp, took meds before it got large, tried sitz baths where I didn’t actually sit more like hover over really hot steam. I feel like I possibly tried less remedies I can’t remember. When I went to the hospital I stayed overnight, I couldn’t pee I was in pain but not as much as the first time. I ended up getting marsupialisation, which I thought would completely reduce the chance of it coming back but now I’m not so sure

My BC is on the right side and almost goin inside, I’m not sure if I’m allowed or what I should/should not put on it. At this current moment the size of a grape? Maybe a little smaller?

I’m looking into going private, I’m from the UK and I most definitely don’t want to get my gland removed as I see this more like a last option as this has only just started happening to me this year, whilst working, wearing tight leggings/thongs to bed. I’m not too sure what the reasoning is as I also have bad periods. I’m having lots of tests done to see if I can have a deeper look.

I just want to know safe remedies, if it’s safe to put caster oil or things like that on it? What people’s suggestions are I REALLY NEED IT. I I’m so stressed that it’ll get as bad as the last time but maybe my surgery has worked and it will eventually get smaller by itself?

GPs in the UK don’t seem to have the best advice and are telling me what I know already, I just don’t want to wait to have to go to the hospital and really want to try and figure out a home remedy, or if it will eventually work.

Pray for me

Hello, I’m a female in my early twenties and I’m currently struggling with ingrown hairs. I didn’t have this issue until I started waxing. I thought I was doing everything right, but for the past couple of months I’ve been having issues. I have this small knot under my skin that Google says it’s most likely an infection ingrown hair. I have about 5 smaller patches where I did pluck the hair that was trying to come through, which I thought was what I was supposed to do. Apparently, I’ve seen many state otherwise. Too late. Anyways, now I’m looking for quick fixes because I can’t stand having to deal with this any longer. I hate having this much pubic hair too. I just want the issue to be resolved, but I’m not sure where to go to do that. Are there any remedies or recommendations for this?

Yes I’ve been to the doctor and at this point I don’t trust them! I started having vaginal issue in June. It originally started because my groin was itchy so I went to the internet and saw people recommend diaper cream and anti dandruff shampoo because of the anti fungal properties. I accidentally got the products too close to my vagina and it’s been HELL ever since. I went to the doctor, the doctor looked at my vagina (no test btw) and they prescribed me Clotrimazole 3 paired with Fluconazole, that didn’t work, I went back they gave me Terconazole vaginal suppository’s and gave me another Diflucan, when that didn’t work they gave me Clindamycin that don’t work at all. Then they tested me and found that I have Bacterial Vaginosis. They gave me Metronidazole. That got ride of the BV but I still had itching so I still had a yeast infection. I also got thrush in my mouth due to taking all this medication. So now that the bv was gone they gave me oral Nystatin to treat my mouth and said it would also cure my yeast infection. I go to a different doctor, they swab me immediately and the test came back saying i actually don’t have a yeast infection anymore and they just told me to take antibiotics, wear no underwear. I have a follow up appointment next month but I feel so lost. I asked if I could take some more Clotrimazole hoping it would work because it did offer some type of relief and I believe the only reason it didn’t work last time, is because I had bv. Please help me I feel like I’m going crazy!! Is boric acid a bad idea. Also my a1c was 5.8 so it’s a little elevated, I know that can play a part. I just want to know why I’m still itching if the infection is gone??
Also not sexually active and have never been in my life. I’ve only ever masterbated

About 4–5 months ago, I started having stomach/pelvic pain and abnormal discharge. I tested positive for BV, with multiple bacteria including Mobiluncus curtisii, Mobiluncus mulieris, Atopobium vaginae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Prevotella bivia, and BVAB2. I was treated with oral metronidazole.
About 2 months later, the BV returned, so I was prescribed metronidazole gel, which made me feel 100% better. Now, about 4 months later, it’s back again. I went to urgent care today and tested positive for BV, but they didn’t do another culture. They prescribed tinidazole, so I’m assuming it could be the same bacteria as before.
I also started taking Fem-Dophilus (5 billion CFU, GR-1 and RC-14). I finished the antibiotics 5 days ago, but I’m already noticing discharge again, although there’s no odor this time. I still have about half a tube of Metrogel left. I haven’t had sex recently, and my partner is currently on antibiotics as well.
I’m trying to avoid repeated doctor visits and testing because I can’t afford it. Boric acid is something I really wanted to avoid, but I’m not sure what else to do. What would be the best approach from here? Sb helpp

Hi everyone,

I recently had a fairly comprehensive STI/STD panel done. I’m a man, and everything came back negative except Gardnerella vaginalis DNA, which was positive.

As part of the testing, I gave rectal, oral, and penile/urethral swabs, as well as urine and blood samples. Because of that, I actually don’t know which sample/site the Gardnerella result came from. The report just shows Gardnerella vaginalis DNA: positive without making the source clear.

I’ve tried looking this up online, but the information about Gardnerella in men seems all over the place. Most of what I can find is about bacterial vaginosis in women, and I’m having trouble figuring out what a positive result actually means for a man, especially when I don’t know which specimen tested positive.

I currently have no symptoms — no discharge, burning, pain while urinating, irritation, rectal symptoms, throat symptoms, etc.

For anyone knowledgeable about this or who has had a similar result:

• Does Gardnerella in men sometimes clear on its own without treatment?
• Is an asymptomatic positive result generally treated, or can it just represent colonization?
• Should I make an appointment with a urologist or infectious disease doctor anyway?

I’m not looking for a diagnosis from Reddit. I’m mainly trying to understand how seriously an isolated positive Gardnerella vaginalis DNA result in an asymptomatic male is usually taken, because the information online is surprisingly unclear.

Thanks!

Last month I was diagnosed and treated for my first ever uti (E. faecalis) along with a vaginal yeast infection. I am a long time sufferer of chronic yeast infections & have had a few issues with BV, but never a UTI. I completed a round of Macrobid and a couple doses of diflucan, but was still experiencing some burning. I went back to the clinic and got a culture done. The clinician treated me for yeast based on my vaginal swab & sent off my urine again. It came back positive for a uti with the same bacteria. I luckily had an appointment with a new OBGYN the day after my cultures came back so I went in and explained my issues and they again took cultures, but sent me off with amoxicillin. I’ve been on it for about 3.5 days and all but the lingering burning symptoms have cleared. I did start my period on Sunday (day 3 of the antibiotics), which may or may not be important here.

That brings me to today, where the gynecologist office called me to say that there’s actually no uti, and no yeast infections, but likely BV so they prescribed me metronidazole pills. I was advised by the medical assistant (not the doctor) to continue the amoxicillin and then start the metro. She explained my results show that my microbiome is in a “transitional state” due to lactobacillus iners and that BV treatment is common protocol.

All of this to say, I do not want to take another 3rd round of antibiotics if it isn’t absolutely necessary. I know it’s going to trigger a debilitating yeast infection again and I’m not even sure that I need to be taking antibiotics in the first place? I take a daily oral probiotic, and use boric acid and vaginal suppositories as needed. If you have any advice on this, please help!!!

I was negative for the following on my most recent culture:

Atopobium vaginae*
BVAB1 *
BVAB2 *
BVAB3 *
Bacteroides fragilis *
Candida alhicans *
Candida glabrata
Bifidobacterium breve *
Gardnerella vaginalis *
Megasphaera species (Type1,Type2) :
Mobiluncus curtisii *
Candida kruse *
Candida parapsilosis *
Mobiluncus mulieris *
Prevotella bivia *
Sneathia sanguinegens *
Streptococcus anginosus *
Candida tropicalis*
Enterococcus faecalis *
Escherichia coli *
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) *
Staphylococcus

So i had yeast infection two months back ,treated myself using otc drugs ..got better then got my periods and the symptoms came back again just that this time there was no classic yeast discharge just…
While still battling that i got uti
Doc gave antibiotics for that got better but after some days the vaginal issues came back

I went to the gynae and was prescribed clotrimazole clindamycin and tinidazole suppositories
Symptoms were getting relieved during use but by the end of treatment started getting vaginal discomfort again

And followed by uti symptoms
And right now battling vulvar burning with no itching or discharge

Feels like i have hot sauce on my vulva and the symptoms appear later into the day like i mean during the evening and night time and mostly while im seated
No pain on touch and no discharge and im about to get my periods soon

Guys i do want to get tested for ureaplasma but where im from there’s no tests for that
And im all alone in this
No financial help what so ever

Is this how im gonna suffer forever??????

Hey guys, I really need some advice. I had my period last week, and it was extremely painful down there. About two days ago, I realized that the pain was actually coming from what looked like pimples/bumps around my vulva. Since I was wearing pads during my period, I think the friction and irritation may have made it worse.Right now, I can see around 4–5 painful bumps on both my inner and outer labia, and I can actually see hair growing out of some of them. They seem a little better than yesterday, but they’re still painful, they’re not going away, and I’m noticing new ones appearing.Im honestly really worried and don’t know what to do. I don’t currently have a health card, so I’m concerned that seeing a gynecologist or doctor will be very expensive. Has anyone experienced something similar or knows what this could be? Any advice on what I should do would really help. :(

I, 26F, have been having recurring yeast for 2 years. I got my first yeast infection probably end of HS or college. Resolved. I had a bout here and there but medication solved it promptly.

May 2024, I got with my current partner and from then until Aug 2025, I had recurrent yeast and/or BV basically every other month. At that point, we both got tested for Ureaplasma, which was positive. We both got treated for it. He even took metronidazole antibiotics for the BV. My BV recurrence has not been as frequent since then.

I am completely unable to break out of this cycle. Since Sept of last year, we significantly reduced any sexual intercourse. It’s basically 0 at this point now but I haven’t escaped the cycle.

Last Sept was also around the time I discovered it was resistant yeast, for which I have taken Nystatin doses 2-3 times (14 days twice and 21 days once). It resolves things in the moment but comes raging back.

Boric acid helps but it’s temporary.

I don’t know what to do. I barely engage in any sexual activities, my libido is basically 0. I’m very careful about my hygiene, I wear cotton underwear. I’ve tried oral and vaginal probiotics to no avail. I’m really not sure what to do.

I’m going to try a weekly diflucan regimen but given that I have had azole-resistant yeast in the past worries me.

Another important piece of context is that last March I was diagnosed with MS and have been on Ocrevus which is an immunosuppressant. However, I can’t blame that drug for my issue because it existed way before I ever got on it. But it certainly doesn’t help.

I need all the tips I can get.

Hi girls! I’ve been dealing with a vaginal yeast infection again, and I’m honestly getting really stressed because I’m getting married in about a month.

I had a similar infection around 6–7 months ago, and unfortunately it lasted for almost 5 months. Now, for the past month, I’ve been experiencing the same symptoms (cottagey discharge, itchiness, smell) again. I’ve been using clotrimazole vaginal gel, and it does help somewhat, but the infection/symptoms keep coming back and it doesn’t seem to completely cure it.

Has anyone else dealt with recurrent yeast infections like this? What actually helped you get rid of it properly? I really want to get this under control before my wedding.

I’m planning to see a gynecologist as well, but I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and what worked for you.
Thank you so much!

For background, I am 19. I think about 6 months ago, I was a bit delayed on my period, which does not always happen prior. A few weeks passed, I think? and I experienced gas coming out of my vagna more often to the point that I had it almost every day. Then later on, I noticed that my discharge became different. It was very thin, almost like very diluted milk. The smell also changed from what it usually was and became more noticeable. Now, I have light bleeding in between my periods. My discharge also became more in volume, in a way, because it even soaks up my underwear and my pants if I do not have a pantyliner or another shorts on. It is still a very thin white, but when it dries up, it usually turns brown or reddish. I do not experience itchiness or pain, but it really bothers me so much. What could this possibly be? I usually get BV when looking it up, but I really don't know. Please help.

I don't have any health insurance right now, but I did get what looks to me like a yeast infection after doing two dance classes back to back on Wednesday. On Thursday I took 150 fluconozole which usually works and on Saturday I took another 150 fluconozole because it hadn't cleared up yet.

Now it's Sunday. It feels slightly better but hurts instead of itching. I still have some white discharge though and usually by now it's gone.

My options are:

1. Do nothing. Wait a few more days to see if it worked. The medicine does say it takes a few days to work. Kind of vague but

2. Start treatment for terconozole seven day pack. Different antifungal sometimes prescribed in conjunction with fluconozole for stubborn yeast infections.

3. Put a boric acid suppository in. This treats both BV and yeast infections in the event that I'm wrong about my own diagnosis. This can cause burning and irritation though. So I'm afraid to use it.

4. Use both terconozole AND boric acid together...yolo?

5. Spring for the hundreds of dollars it will be to go to an urgent care for them to possibly say yes you have a yeast infection and you already took,/have the meds we would have given you.

Edit: it's a little more complicated than that it turns out. Because yogurt was also an option. So my current choice is applying yogurt with the terconozole syringe applicator, until my vagina isn't as irritated anymore. Then if I still have discharge use boric acid in the event that It could be BV as well as a yeast infection. I'll let you all know what happens from that.

So I got my wisdom teeth extracted and got put on some super dose of amoxicillin 3 weeks ago, I took that for 2 weeks, then I randomly got a UTI and had to take Bactrim for 5 days. Fast forward to Tuesday: I notice I have what seems to be a yeast infection. I had a diflucan on hand, I took the diflucan 150mg and haven’t experienced much relief. I took a 2nd diflucan 150mg yesterday and put in a boric acid suppository. I’m still itchy and symptomatic. This isn’t normal for me to not feel relief and for the yeast to basically be gone by now. I don’t know, I went to urgent care yesterday and got a vaginal swab, still waiting for results but I’m seriously thinking my bf has given me some kind of sti. My uti last week, my results were abnormal. I tested positive for leukocytes but not nitrates. They treated me with bactrim but I remember the doctor calling me saying the results were inconclusive but the bacteria was susceptible to bactrim. My symptoms for the uti were burning, couldn’t sit down comfortably, bladder felt full.

(18F, 5'4, 116 lbs/52.5 kg, non smoker idk how much info I need here)

I went to the doctor thinking I may have BV, they said I might and put me on vaginal Metronidazole, I used it once and woke up with thick clumpy white discharge, from what I have read I've decided to not finish the meds (they gave me two rounds of it in case it came back later) untill I get the results, but I don't know if I have a yeast infection now, I'm not itchy or having any other issues, they had also given me two fluconazole tablets, and I was told to take one before I started the Metronidazole, I took that about 48 hours ago, should I take the other one to help the possible yeast infection? Also, how many days after finishing treatment/symptoms going away is intercourse safe? I'm genuinely just curious since everything I read mentions it and says something different.

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Hoi allemaal,
Ik hoop van vrouwen te horen die te maken hebben gehad met **chronische groep B-streptokok (GBS / Streptococcus agalactiae) en/of aerobe vaginitis (AV)** en die uiteindelijk hebben weten hun klachten onder controle te krijgen.
Ik heb al **meer dan vijf jaar** GBS in mijn vagina, en eerlijk gezegd weet ik niet meer wat ik moet doen. Mijn tests komen telkens weer positief terug voor GBS, en ik blijf symptomen houden zoals **gelig afscheiding, een sterke vieze/rottende geur en pijn tijdens seks**.
Ik heb al meerdere antibiotica geprobeerd. Ik ben allergisch voor **amoxicilline/penicillines** en **co-trimoxazol**, en mijn GBS is resistent tegen **clindamycine**. Door mijn eerdere reacties en omdat ik al meerdere kuren antibiotica heb gehad, wil ik echt niet steeds orale antibiotica blijven nemen, tenzij het absoluut noodzakelijk is.
Wat dit extra frustrerend maakt, is dat de GBS steeds weer opduikt in mijn vaginale tests. Ik weet dat GBS bij sommige vrouwen een normale ‘kolonisatie’ kan zijn, maar in mijn geval heb ik ook aanhoudende symptomen en ben ik gediagnosticeerd met **aerobe vaginitis**. Daarom vraag ik me af of de GBS bijdraagt aan de ontsteking en klachten. GBS komt ook vaak voor bij vrouwen met aerobe vaginitis.
**Heeft iemand hier chronische vaginale GBS/AV gehad en is het echt gelukt om het kwijt te raken of zijn/haar klachten duidelijk te verbeteren?**
Ik hoor het liefst van iemand die:
GBS herhaaldelijk zag terugkomen op vaginale kweken/watjes
gele afscheiding, geur en/of pijn tijdens seks had
lage of afwezige lactobacillen had naast GBS
terugkerende of chronische aerobe vaginitis had
bepaalde antibiotica niet kon nemen door allergieën/resistentie
een behandeling of aanpak heeft gevonden die echt hielp op de lange termijn
Ik sta open voor het horen over medische behandelingen, vaginale behandelingen, manieren om het vaginale microbioom/flora te herstellen, of iets anders dat jou echt heeft geholpen. Ik ben **niet op zoek naar medisch advies of een diagnose**, ik hoop gewoon verhalen te horen van mensen die iets soortgelijks hebben meegemaakt.
Na dit al meer dan vijf jaar mee te maken, ben ik eerlijk gezegd wanhopig op zoek naar iemand die in dezelfde situatie heeft gezeten en uiteindelijk een oplossing heeft gevonden. ❤️
Alvast heel erg bedankt aan iedereen die zijn/haar ervaring wil delen!

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:

1. 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.
2. I was recommended to have my partner get treated. He completed treatment twice.
3. Recommended to have a shower before and after sex, I have been.
4. 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.
5. I'm very diligent about showering after the gym and drying properly.
6. I tried boric acid but apparently I'm a part of the 10% that don't react well and felt severe burning with it.
7. 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.

Ever since 3 months ago when I got my first ever yeast infection. I have been miserable.

I cleared the infection a week after had sex normally until the last time it was burning again immediately after and didn’t go away and experienced burning and vulvar discomfort. All my tests are negative since the yeast ( yeast, BV,tri,my/coplasm everything. I did take a Juno test that showed 22% staph 6% strep 15%Prevotella Biva. 30% aerobic bacteria 40% Lactobacillus .

So I tried clindamycin and gaba pentin and 4 days later felt better for 2 weeks, having regular sex normally and no discomfort etc. Then had sex (it was shower sex) and it all came back and still here a two weeks later no sex etc. my gyno put me on bactrim and clotbesol and told me to insert a probiotic . Still not helping 5 days later and maybe even worse.

Is this really just an imbalance thing? Or still irritating just not healing ugh

How do you all live life, I’m a single mom and feel like I can’t concentrate on my kids and it’s ruining my life. I barely can tolerate going to the store walking cause it burns and chafs

Ugh