TMI - BV diagnosis... help?

kblemmon13

Ok, so as much as I stalk on here, I don't post on a normal basis so a little background before I get to the nitty gritty. I am currently 31.5 weeks. I am a high risk pregnancy due to brain/spine disorders however, I have had a wonderful pregnancy with only a few issues so the high risk isn't really an issue until delivery ( major issue in the first two tri's). I just recently turned a quarter of a century and am happily married to my husband. I have posted a few questions on here regarding our delivery options and all that jazz... but like I mentioned earlier, I read and stalk more so than post  

Now that the sap moment is over, here is the tmi part. I went in for my checkup last week and the lovely glucose test ( passed.. whoo-hoo) and told them that I had noticed a change down there and was concerned. My mother is a labor and delivery RN so I went to her first with my symptoms and she mentioned BV.. However, I have only a few symptoms ( e.g: slightly colored discharge, rawness ( i know.. eww) and a slight smell if I pay close attention) but nothing that really caught my attention other than hmm, is that normal?

Fast forward to the apt.. mentioned it to DR. and she didn't think anything of it, urine sample was clean, my exam was clean, she didn't notice anything abnormal but due to my concern she did a swab test and whoa, baby... hello BV. She was really shocked. So she prescribed a gel, metrol...something another and told me to use it at night for 5 nights and to keep my legs closed. No birthday loving for me If it wasn't gone by my next apt in 2 weeks, we would go from there.

Ok, so after i took the medicine, I became deathly sick and had every side effect on the back of the box. I can't take the medicine.. I react too badly too it. So then they told me to take a probiotic over the counter... that's not working. It has been a week. I don't know what to do.. I plan on calling today and seeing if there is anything.. anything at all that I can take because I do not want this to send me into early labor and I do not want priss pot to get the infection if I deliver vaginally.. 

So.. after all that.. anyone experience BV and have to take a med other than the gel? Or did you stay on a probiotic.. should I wait til May 1 and go see them?

TonyaCody06

No experience with it personally. Call your provider and ask for another option. BV can clear itself with no treatment but it can also cause preterm labor like you said. So pregnant women should always get treated for it. 

jshrop

I've had bv twice. It's nbd typically, just an oral antibiotic. Not sure about during pregnancy.

kblemmon13

They told me I couldn't take the oral due to it being the same medicine as the gel and I would still react to it.. so I was curious if there was any other oral prescriptions not directly related to the metrolazide ( or whatever)

kblemmon13

omg thank you!!! how did you find that? You must be like the google master or something, I couldn't really find anything. I may mention that to my DR and see if that would be a good option. 

MrsP419

I had BV with my first pregnancy and also have been prone to UTIs.  I believe the BV was treated with an oral antibiotic, but I don't quite remember.  But it was easily treated.

kblemmon13

Just spoke with the nurse, she is sending my case to another Dr to see what they have to say and see what they would recommend.. hopefully I will know soon. While I have never had BV, I am prone to uti's and yeast infections and they can get pretty bad fairly quickly. I am not so concerned with the BV other than i have had symptoms for 2.5 weeks and I'm not sure how long it was there prior to symptoms showing up... I would like to get it under control because I just feel dirty and uncomfortable down there (imagine the lovely feminine odor commercials haha) and also, I would like to make up for the no birthday loving....

@Lizardbreath14... love it!!! best place to think

celticbiohazard

I once had a doc suspect me of having BV (pretty sure I didn't, the only thing was my cervix was irritated but, er, there had been a little more "action" than usual between me and DH in the days leading up the appt).  I believe the medication was metronidazole?  However, I recall taking it orally.  

I have definitely had other oral antibiotics affect the balance of everything down south, although I am sure not all of them were pregnancy-safe.  There's got to be another option for you.  And for clindamycin, for example, I know you can get that in gel form for other stuff.  Good luck!  To be honest, I can't say I really see the probiotic helping all that much.

kbellizio3

I had BV just recently and my doctor gave me metronidazole. I on top of that had a yeast infection so I had to do monistat so I couldn't do the gel for the BV. I've never had either before being pregnant. See if your doctor will prescribe something else for you. I've also heard the apple cider vinegar trick, but the thought of it makes me gag. Good luck!

lellymine

I got a yeast infection early this pregnancy and my dr recommended going without underwear as often as possible. Something about airing it out and helping the dampness not get our of control. As soon as I started doing that it cleared up within a few days and I haven't had another since. Maybe that would help?

celticbiohazard

joules235 said:

I have never had BV but the diluted hydrogen peroxide rinse is a common natural remedy. As is garlic supplementation. Garlic is naturally antibacterial and is a common remedy for vaginal infections. Generally I agree douching is a bad idea but sometimes it is necessary to start over with a clean...slate. Personally I would do the hydrogen peroxide douche then eat as many probiotic foods as I could get my hands on. I would also take a high dose of a quality probiotic. Avoiding sugar and refined carbs is also a good idea.

What kid of probiotic are you taking? There is a huge range in quality when it comes to these things. If there is a health food store in your area I would suggest looking for a probiotic in the refrigerator section that has multiple bacterial strains. If it doesn't cost about 50 dollars a bottle it isn't really worth taking. In addition to that you could also get a high quality whole milk plain yogurt and add that to your diet.

Some people use both yogurt and garlic vaginally but I have never done that and don't have any experience/advice there.

This post reminded me that although I didn't necessarily get a lot of help from ingesting probiotics, I did struggle with yeast infections for a while (I got a horrible flu one year which came with a horrible yeast infection, and periodically I have gotten them since), and sometimes applying cold kefir to the area could be helpful (don't know how much was the soothing coldness and how much was the yogurt cultures, but it was helpful for me).  Also just sitting in a shallow bath for a bit in the evenings.  No idea how helpful this would be for BV, but it certainly didn't hurt me.  Just make sure it is plain yogurt or kefir.

Also, you probably already know this if you're infection-prone (I am prone to UTIs as well), but I wanted to echo anyway that added sugar is not your friend right now.

kimbercash79

I had it early in pregnancy. Actually when I just found out I was pregnant. Never had it before. Gave me the metro gel/ metrodiazole / flagyl gel. Didn't do much. Prescribed the pill form after I was into 2 nd trimester but I didn't need it b/c it went away on its own by then. Uncomfortable and annoying, but common in pregnancy. Hang in there lady.

shellbell813

I had this a few weeks ago and was given the oral antibiotics. If you end up using one of those take it with plenty of Yogurt to reduce the risk of a yeast infection. Heavy antibiotics always give me one if I don't supplement with probiotics.

quinnlucas6118

@wareeagle1220:I've had BV on and off my entire pregnancy.  I was on the gel, it didn't work. They put me on the oral antibiotics, they also didn't work.  Mine comes and goes (having sex brings it on).  The things that have helped my body fight it off without antibiotics have been drinking a few teaspoons diluted apple cider vinegar every morning and increased vitamin C. 

This.  I had it for the first time 9 weeks post delivery of my son and didn't even know it and get it a couple times a year. My OB says my body is super sensitive to temperature changes and it gets out of whack.  The gel doesn't do anything for me except burn.  I usually do probiotics, yogurt, only cotton undies and the drinking diluted apple cider.  

SchoolPsychSteph

Okay darlin'. It's nasty side effects or potential chorioamnionitis. My vote, as I am not pregnant due to chorioamnionitis, take the medicine.

kblemmon13

Sorry for the long pause! We are also currently moving houses so this preggo chick is plum exhausted. I have been on the medication for 5 days and everything seems to have cleared up! Yay!! It got worse before it got better but thank you for all of the advice! I have an apt Thursday so I am hoping to get the "ok" and that the infection is gone rather than non-symptomatic.