warning TMI!

[Momma22]

Sorry about this ladies, this is going to be a bt of a gross one, but has anyone else experienced this?

After a recent miscarriage (unplanned pregnancy, didn't even know I was pregnant!) me and my partner had a bit of an epiphany, that actually in our hearts we would like baby no 2, and sooner rather than later! We were actually secretly hoping all would be okay and the doctors would be wrong and I'd still be pregnant, but sure enough a week after the bleeding and cramps started i started to get negative pregnancy test results. We have accepted it and dealt with it and now we are actively TTC!

So just to cut to the chase ... up until recently we have almost always used condoms (apart from that one little hiccup last month). Since we've stopped using condoms I've noticed I've started developing what seems to be either thrush or BV. It's so hard to tell between the two! I suggested to my partner that maybe we should both use some canesten cream just in case. He is adamant there is absolutely nothing wrong with him as he has no symptoms to suggest otherwise. But still it can't hurt can it? Just in case.

I came off the pill years ago as I was sure that was the reason I got recurrent thrush, however now in hindsight i think it could be due to the fact I wasn't using condoms at that time. I think there's also a high chance that it could be BV, does sex/semen aggravate BV? Could it be causing it? Anyway I'm desperate to find a solution to the problem as like I say I am actively TTC and obviously the whole situation is putting me right off sex, plus the itching is driving me crazy in general! I could go out and get canesten/canesbalance but once me and my partner have the had the treatment and it's cleared up and we're having sex again, won't it just start all over again? Particularly if it is BV like I suspect. Also are these treatments safe to to use if I am pregnant and is thrush or BV harmful in pregnancy? Thanks

Apologies again 🙈 Thanks guys.

You can get those canesten test things which tell you if it's bv or thrush so you could start with that.
Thrush will be itchy, creamy dishcharge (or have a look with a mirror down there) but bv usually really smells bad. Like really strong. Those are the two main things I would say define each one.

Hope you get it sorted!

Oh and I am pregnant and recently had thrush. The doctor had no issue prescribing me the cream but said you should avoid either the peasary or oral tablet (sorry can't remember which one!). But the cream worked fine on its own

thankyou, do you know if those canesten tests are actually any good? I was reading reviews for them on Superdrug and it's seems to be a bit of a mixed bag. Don't wanna waste my money on them if not, but at the same time it's a conversation I'd rather avoid with having with my doctor 🙈 If I can sort this out on my own then i will!

For me, the only thing that has worked to clear BV has been antibiotics. I also then have to quickly follow with another course of antibiotics as the BV ones end up giving me thrush. Dr should prescribe over the phone, mine does

I think with my symptoms it's more likely that I have BV tbh. I have some penicillin left over from when I had tonsillitis a few months back, it wouldn't do me any harm to start taking them again would it? and if the problem does clear up then great! Plus I know once and for all that it was BV. Would they work to clear up BV if that's what it is? Are they okay to take if you're TTC?

You really shouldn't have antibiotics 'left over'. And penicillin is not effective against BV, so please don't treat yourself, as the penicillin is more likely to aggravate your symptoms.
Suggest you and your partner go to GP, Practice Nurse or GUM clinic and get a proper diagnosis and the appropriate treatment.
Men can have thrush and not have symptoms, and you will just keep reinventing each other if not treated simultaneously.

*re-infecting not re-inventing.

Don't take leftover antibiotics. Go to your local GUM.

I know I shouldn't have left over penicillin because really I should of taken the whole course of antibiotics when I had tonsillitis whether it cleared up or not. But it did clear up within days. I stopped taking them. It didn't come back. I was lucky. Didn't really know what to do with them so I've just left them sitting in my medicine cupboard.

I'm going to try some over the counter remedies I think before I resort to seeing my GP. It's notoriously difficult to get an appointment with my GP, not only do I feel quite uncomfortable taking to him about such a personal issue but also a bit like I'm wasting his time for something so minor. There aren't really any GUM clinics for anyone over the age of 20 where I live. So was just tying to find an alternative solution.

You can buy balance activ for bv - Boots and Asda etc sell it. It that doesn't sort it, try thrush remedies. You can usually tell bv from the fishy odour though