TMI warning! What is causing this discharge and smell?

[FlyMCA]

Over the last 6 months (maybe slightly longer, 8 months?) I've started to notice a foul odour coming from ahem, down below and it's particularly bad in the 7 to 10 days after my period, though its deffinatley noticable the rest of the time. It's so bad I can smell it through knickers and Jean's at least 3 days each month. Accompanying the smell, as if it wasn't bad enough alone, is a weird, stringy (similar texture to when you ovulate, except thicker and stretchier), slightly yellow discharge. Sometimes its tinged with blood.

Admittedly I didn't call the dr. immediately but I did get those Cranston tests which check for BV and thrush, but it came back negative. I phoned the dr, and after a telephone appointment I was prescribed treatment for thrush again which hasn't made a bit of difference. I'm spending most mornings on hold to the drs only to find out they have no appointments left and as it's not an emergency theres not much they can do apparently. Any one care to hazard a guess what may be wrong so I can try to rectify it, it's rather unpleasant though does help with social distancing, I'm sure people are giving me an extra wide birth in the supermarkets at the moment

Sorry OP, it does sound like a stuck tampon.

Wash your hands well with soap and water.Sit on the toilet with your legs open a bit more than hip-width apart.If you are having a hard time squeezing the muscles of your pelvic floor, gently bear down as if you are starting to urinate.Gently insert two fingers into your vagina.Sweep your fingers around the inside of your vagina trying to feel towards the top and back of your vagina.If you can feel the tampon, grab it between your fingers and pull it out.If you can’t feel the tampon, you may at least be able to locate the strings. If you do, pull the tampon out by the strings.

If you can't find it or remove it, you need medical attention.

Are the sexual health clinics near you still operating? The one in the hospital I work in, NHS Scotland, is still seeing patients with symptoms. They are much better at diagnosing BV than GP's and will also be able to do a proper check for anything stuck up there too. I wouldn't trust the at home tests though tbh, they mainly just check for Ph changes!

God I never would have found my lost tampon by sitting on the toilet! I needed to squat and bear down while rummaging. I did it in the (empty) bath in case I wet myself!

I think it sounds like a tampon too.

Have a really good rummage for tampon as suggested by PPs and if nothing found then definitely get a GP appointment (or sexual health preferably if you can access that) as you'll need a swab (and should be swabbed for Chamydia and Gonorrhea as well as BV).
Are you up to date with smears?

Could it be trichomoniasis ?

I was thinking Trichomonias as well, it causes a smell and if I remember correctly they don't routinely test for it. You can have it for awhile with no symptoms until it rears it's head.

The discharge in BV is usually thin and watery, not thick and stringy, no blood. You need to be examined.
Most GPs are working a total triage system, so a phone appointment before any face to face. Either keep trying until you get one or look up your local sexual health clinic procedure and contact them. I think you need to try to get this seen this week.

I think all labs do routinely test for it, but its often missed from swabs taken at doc surgeries as it dies quite quickly and can't be seen well down the microscope if it's not moving.

My lab check every female vaginal swab for it, but the SRH clinic have a better detection rate as they get fresher specimens to look at.

Trichomonas I mean!

Sounds like BV or BV & Thrush.
Best to go to the GUM clinic

I've not had a smear I've been putting it off far too long...
Not surprisingly I couldn't get through to the drs again, i have left a voicemail with a very brief outline of symptoms and asking if it would be possible to at least get a call back from one of the practice nurses for further advice, so hopefully I'll hear back from one of them.

i would say GUM clinic they are really helpful but do keep trying your GP but at the moment i know its hard to get hold of them. my surgery does phone backs ive had to ask for a phone back couple times and they have left prescriptions for me that i need. other than that isnt there something like a walk in centre for treatments?

Sounds very much like BV. I had an online consultation and the GP phoned me then prescribed a single dose of antibiotics. It works more or less instantly, so you'll know for sure. I'd ask for oral tablets, as the 5-day pessaries are more likely to lead to thrush, and you don't want to end up yoyoing between the two conditions.

@FlyMCA did they get back to you ?

I had a call back from the receptionist... I have a telephone appointment on thursday anytime between 9 and 3. I'm at work so that'll be a pleasant conversation potentially within earshot of my colleague hopefully I can quickly nip to my car to take that call

Well I suppose that's something

I got a call back from the Dr today.. she was amazing! She clearly takes women's health very seriously.
I've been a dose of antibiotics for BV, which she said should work pretty quick If that is the cause of the smell.
She gave me a bit of a telling off for leaving it so long and was also very apologetic for it being so difficult to get an appointment, not that it's her fault.
If I don't see any improvement I need to call back first thing monday morning and explain to the receptionist I need an urgent appointment with the same Dr I spoke to today to get a face to face appointment so she can look into it properly. Fingers crossed the antibiotics work though.

Thanks for the update OP. That's great and nice you found a good GP. Let us know how things go and if it clears up

Yeah, don't drink on those things. They have teeth and maybe get a thrush treatment in ready just in case.

That's great to hear

Just went to the loo for a no.2 and a tampon from last month’s period came out (I started a period yesterday). I’m horrified. I had no idea I’d retained a tampon. It explains all kinds of symptoms (a bad smell that became strong about 12 days ago which I incorrectly treated with Canestan) and unusually painful pelvic cramps. It has definitely been there for about 28-30 days which is horrendous and I had no idea. It looked absolutely awful. I feel pretty ashamed. So I’m adding this to share that it can happen.

Really glad you finally got a sympathetic GP and that it's being looked into!

Sorry to be gross, but when I had a lost tampon the smell was very distinctive - a rotten meat smell (sorry!) Really pleased you've got the antibiotics and hopefully it will be BV which it will clear up.

BV is usually fishy smelling and not thick discharge.
But seems strange to be happening over last 6 months,if this was a left behind tampon something worse would have happened by now , it wouldn’t come and go over 6 months.
Get on the phone again to GP they might prescribe some antibiotics without looking at you. They did this to me last year.

WOOPS just seen your update excellent news.🙂

Hi did you find out ewhat it was in thr end