Does anyone just live with BV?

[Kate3150]

I’ve had this for years, it started when I had chronic sinus and chest infections and had to take strong antibiotics for a long time to clear. I believe this is what upset my vaginal flora.
I get periods where it will go for a while but always comes back. I’ve just learnt to live with it as I’ve had SOOOOO many swabs at
my local surgery and even specialist clinics but it never shows up on swabs.
My main symptoms are fishy smell and my underwear is quite damp (SORRY TMI) the weird thing is though when I have discharge there is no odour at all!??
Anyway... I’m ttc and I’ve already had a miscarriage, trying not to refer to Dr Google but I’m reading horror stories about having it whilst pregnant. The reality is I probably will have it whilst pregnant so just wondered if anyone has had it chronic like me and learnt to live with it? Thanks in advance xx

Anyone? X

If all the tests you’ve had are clear what makes you think you have it? Have you tried that Balance gel that’s supposed to rebalance your bacteria?

If it's not showing up on swabs, why do you think you have it?

Get some gel from the supermarket. Use the 7 night course then use one a week from then on. Wear a pad though.

Gels are no good. You need strong antibiotics. My adult dd suffered for several years and was palmed off with gels , eventually she found a sympathetic doctor at the family planning centre and after the tablets she’s had no further issues. Push for the antibiotics op.

Antibiotics gave me it in the first place PLUS i have been given them for it on numerous occasions and it works for a few days maybe then is back again.
The only thing I have found in my research to cause a fishy smell is BV! If something else causes it I would love to know! Xx

I've been taking a prebiotic for about a month which seems (touch wood) to be helping. Found the advice on a blog somewhere and thought it had to be worth a try

Is that like a yoghurt drink or tablet? X

Have you tried the over the counter pessaries- they seem to work quite well

It's a daily tablet

This was useful (but I skimmed it!!) www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1198743X14606017

There's a std causes a "fishy" odour aswell. Not saying you have one though. Just a thought. I've also had BV and the gel works really well. Balance activ it's called. Just as a maintenance. There can be underlying cause for it but doctors don't there is and there's no research to support it. I've looked at lots of threads for tips etc

I’ve got some balance activ in the cupboard. It says not to use when TTC so I might wait and see if I’m lucky enough to fall pregnant this month and then maybe use one as it says it’s safe to use.
I’ve been tested for every std under the sun and all negative.. I was wondering if the smell could be from my urine but I doubt it x

Im pretty sure balance activ have a ttc to conceive one aswell. I feel you OP. It's a bigger to get rid of and I've had it recurrently at times! Hope you get sorted soon 🙏

Also make sure that you are not washing that area with shower gels or soap which upset the Ph , ie buy some over the counter stuff.

I've recently read about keto crutch. Is your diet heavy in red meat and dairy?

I had something similar for at least 6 miserable years :(
I had symptoms of BV but none of the gels helped. Thrush meds had some effect but always short lived. vagisil was useless.

It would usually be worst during the few days after my period and then would improve over the month and then I'd get my period and be back to square one. It started to take longer to return to normal and I found I was thinking about it multiple times through the day. It was really getting me down.

However, in 2017 I found a product called YES lubricant and it literally changed my life. I was happier within a week and within a month had no symptoms at all. May have been a coincidence but I had tried everything short of vaginal steaming at this point!

I apply it whenever I feel a bit dry/irritated and always for 2/3 days after my period.
I'll try to find a link.

Another thing I do is dry my bits with the cool setting on the hair dryer as i read something about it stopping the area be too damp. But might be unrelated!

Somebody on here recommended opti bac and I started taking it one super strength every day and I feel it has really made a big difference

I had it a lot when I had an IUD. I know you won't have one because you are TTC but did you have one before? Anyway I had the damn thing removed and a course of metranidazole blitzed it for good. I know you say antibiotics caused it but have you had a course of metranidazole?

Is it related to your diet? Is it worse when you've eaten fish?

Not something like this is it? www.medicinenet.com/fish_odor_syndrome_trimethylaminuria/article.htm#what_genes_are_related_to_fish_odor_syndrome_trimethylaminuria

Thank you all so much for your responses I’m overwhelmed.
Funnily enough I’ve got some of the YES lube and thinking about it my BV seemed to calm down around the time I was using it so I’ve just got it out the cupboard and will start using it again.
It’s just such a crappy thing to have as nothing really works. I’ll have a look for some balance activ that can be used for TTC. I notice YES do a TTC range aswell xx

And yes I have had a few courses of that antibiotic x

Have you had a physical examination op? I was absolutely convinced i had thrush/bv or something like that. Had every swab test done and always came back clear. Had a physical examination and it turn out i have something called a ectropian cervix.

Cervical ectropion is a condition in which the cells from the 'inside' of the cervical canal, known as glandular cells (or columnar epithelium), are present on the 'outside' of the vaginal portion of the cervix.

I've got some of the gel for bv in my bathroom cupboard. Whenever I open the cupboard and see it, I can't help saying 'bacterial vaginosis' like it was a Harry Potter spell...

'BACTERIAL VAGIN-O-SISSS'

(I say it in my head, not out loud!)

@TabithaTiger