BV... sorry if this is TMI

fallenangel84

I'm just entering week 14 of pregnancy.

At about week 8 or so, I noticed some discharge that was a yellowish/green.  I made an appointment to go in and was told I had BV after the Dr. took a sample of it.  I was given antibiotics and while it curbed it, it never fully went away.  I had a horrible itch and this icky discharge. 

I met with the midwife for my first prenatal appointment at 10 weeks and told her I was still experiencing symptoms so she took a sample of it and told me to go ahead and take antibiotics for 7 days twice a day (Metronidazole) again along with using an anti-fungal cream.  While the combo of both curbed it again, now that i've been done with the antibiotics for about a week now.  Lastnight I started noticing some of the itch coming back along with the discharge.  I don't know what to do with it anymore.  I emailed the midwife and she said unless it gets worse, to go ahead and let it be until my appointment next month but if it gets worse, to come in.  She also said it will not affect the baby, but everything i've read says it can/will.

What do I do?  I mean, if this is just something I have to deal with, I will but I don't want it to affect the baby.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Jenna3628

My thought is that because BV is treated by antibiotics, you may have fixed the BV but gotten a yeast infection in the process from the meds. I'm not sure if Diflucan is approved for pregnant women, but maybe just the YI creams will do the trick? I'm certainly not a doctor/nurse, so wait and see what they say.

The midwife is right, BV is really only harmful to the baby if it goes untreated.

fallenangel84

The doc suggested it could be a yeast infection, but my symptoms never changed and are exactly the same as always, so I'm not sure?

 I'm afraid that i'm not treating it since the antibiotics don't seem to kill it... it keeps surfacing.

 Thank you for your advice

jessican08

You may just be having an issue with a recurrent YI. I've had two already this PG and I'm sure I'll have more Antibiotics can also make you more prone to YIs.

I would, however, disagree with your MW about letting it be until next month. BV can cause issues and I'd want to get it Dx and treated sooner rather than later (and a month is LATER).

I'd insist on an appointment this week to get another swab done to see if it's bacterial again or just fungal. If it's fungal, they can Rx you a vaginal cream or you can just pick up Monistat 7 at the drugstore. I wouldn't try treating it yourself though without a firm Dx one way or the other. GL! 

amberj97

Yep...I was thinking the same thing. Its very likely to be a yeast infection. Especially with two rounds of antibiotics. I almost always get one with antibiotics. Super annoying. My dr said the 7 day monistat treatment is safe. Best of luck to you.

lizal

I would insist that she bring you back in.  If it is BV again, I would think she would want to promptly treat you for it.  Whenever I suspect a vaginal infection, my doctor wants to see my right away.  I know that untreated, BV can lead to PPROM and that is not something you want to mess with.  I would think they would want to come in just to verify that it is a yeast infection and if it is, they can give you the go ahead to treat it!

fallenangel84

I'm thinking of making an appointment at another doctor and getting someone elses opinion.  Thanks ladies!  I'd feel better knowing what it is rather than just feeling like the MW is "guessing"

deziraeb

I'm t1 diabetic so I've always had problems with infections and such down there, even before I was pregnant. It seems to me that this is more of a yeast infection than BV? I've always believed there to be a fowl smell associated with BV and with a yeast infection it's primarily the discharge and uncontrollable itch. I recently was treated for a yeast infection and took the cream you have to put in your lady area as my doctor refused to prescribe any oral medications for it and the cream has seemed to do the trick just perfectly! I've only know BV or yeast infections to harm the baby if you're close to having a vaginal delivery and thus pass it to the baby but you've got plenty of time for that!

denise_m

BV can actually be really dangerous in pregnancy and lead to pprom and preterm labor.  

I would insist on treatment now.  In my last pregnancy, I stayed on antibiotics my entire third trimester because I couldn't kick a UTI. 

fallenangel84

I just made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon with someone other than the MW i've been seeing.  I hope this Dr. is more knowledgeable and can give me a definite diagnosis as to what the heck this is!  I don't like the fact that the MW told me that the BV isn't harmful to baby when I know it can be from everything i've read.

 

Thanks ladies!

hansonam446

Lurking from first tri but I've had BV on and off for years. The problem with antibiotics is that they wipe out ALL the bacteria, the good and the bad. BV is caused by an imbalance of good vs bad bacteria in your vaginal tract. I've taken multiple prescriptions only to have it come back but I recently started researching home remedies (before I found out I was pg). Talk to this dr about taking a probiotic. The one I found to help the most was Femidolphus. It can be found at any health food store and it should be refrigerated. It contains two strains of live bacteria that naturally occur in the vaginal tract. I found that taking this, along with antibiotics, helped prevent my BV since it helps replace the good bacteria. I don't think it would hurt the baby as it's naturally occurring but I'd talk to the dr to be safe. I also found that mixing it with yogurt and applying it directly to the source twice a day gave me immediate relief from the yucky symptoms. Good luck and trust and believe I understand how frustrating it can be to deal with.

Kristen1186

Ok, I am having a similar problem. I just found out I was pregnant last week and almost immediately started having a discharge. At first I thought it was normal because I read that vaginal secretions can increase, but it has gotten worse.  To me it seems like a yeast infection (not as much itching as before but some) so I went to my primary care doctor (because I haven't been able to see an OB yet), and she said she "thinks" it is BV and gave me a 7 day course of Metronidazole. Everything I have read said that you should not take this in the first semester and honestly I am not sure if that is even what it is. I always thought BV had a distinct "fishy" smell and mine has no smell (sorry for the TMI). So anyways I am just wondering if anyone has taken the 7 day oral course of Flagyl and if everything was ok. I am seriously debating just trying the yogurt course first. I really do not know what to do...

hansonam446

Kristen1186:

Ok, I am having a similar problem. I just found out I was pregnant last week and almost immediately started having a discharge. At first I thought it was normal because I read that vaginal secretions can increase, but it has gotten worse.  To me it seems like a yeast infection (not as much itching as before but some) so I went to my primary care doctor (because I haven't been able to see an OB yet), and she said she "thinks" it is BV and gave me a 7 day course of Metronidazole. Everything I have read said that you should not take this in the first semester and honestly I am not sure if that is even what it is. I always thought BV had a distinct "fishy" smell and mine has no smell (sorry for the TMI). So anyways I am just wondering if anyone has taken the 7 day oral course of Flagyl and if everything was ok. I am seriously debating just trying the yogurt course first. I really do not know what to do...

I'm not positive if the meds are safe but if your Dr prescribed them, knowing you're pregnant, I would assume they are. You can always talk to her to confirm. As for the lack of smell...not every woman gets the same symptoms. I sometimes had a fishy smell when I had it but mostly had just an ammonia like smell. Unfortunately, it's pretty stubborn to get rid of. If you're leery about taking the meds, yes you can try yogurt but whatever you do DON'T do the Boric Acid treatment as this is not recommended for pregnant women. I've found the most useful home remedy to be mixing a probiotic with yogurt. This helped relieve the burning and itching right away. You're supposed to do it twice a day for a couple days. You can also take probiotics orally. Like I said, Femidolphus  contains two strains of bacteria naturally found in the vaginal tract. The most useful course of treatment I found, and what makes the most sense, is taking the antibiotics (which kill bad and good bacteria) while taking a probiotic (which restores good bacteria). Also, if you're still nervous about the pill they have a gel to treat it which you insert vaginally.

 

 

Sorry this is so long but I've just been dealing with it for such a long time!

Kristen1186

Thanks, that really helps! I read about the gel and I heard that is more the choice of treatment for the first trimester.  I am just worried because my primary care if a navy doctor, and she barely spent anytime in there so I am just not confident with her diagnosis.  Especially, because I have had a yeast infection in the past and the discharge is exactly the same.  I think I am going to try the yogurt for a couple of days and see how that goes.  I will be seeing my OB in the next two weeks, so I would really like to wait to take the antibiotics until I get a second opinion. 

cubberss

Definitely sounds like a YI.  BV usually doesn't cause itching.  Go in and get tested for a YI.

fallenangel84

I went in today and the doc I saw took another sample.  He came back with the results and let me know that it's BV and still there.  I feel like I took those last 2 rounds of antibiotics for nothing and put baby at risk for all kinds of things when it didn't even help

I was perscribed a different type of antibiotic from last time, so as much as I hate taking it, I will, in hopes it'll kill the BV once and for all.