Why can't my GP sort my smelly vag?

[BeyondMortifying]

I'm posting here for traffic under a different name....

I posted about this issue before over a year ago but can't find the thread or username (habitual namechanger)

Basically what the title says... there is a noticeable odour down there so bad that I have to wear a pantyliner and change my knickers mid day. I cant weat the same jeans more than one day as they STINK. Its fucking mortifying. Its deffinatley noticeable to other people aswell, DP was asking about a weird smell in the bedroom.. my knickers which I hadn't yet taken down to the washing machine.

I went to my GP over a year ago, after treating my self for thrush, cutting out scented bath products/ sanitary products and seeing no improvement.
Was treated for BV... over the year I've had 3 different courses of oral antibiotics aimed at treating it and a cream. The antibiotics give me thrush as they are so strong, so then I have to treat that but the smell persists. GP can't keep prescribing them, understandably, and clearly they aren't working. I've had a course of "general antibiotics" just to see if it made a difference. I've had the coil out and a new one fitted. Nothing it working and its just awful.

I cut out onion, garlic and spices from my diet for nearly 2 and a half months but it made no difference. I eat pineapple every day, no difference. I've bought those pessery sort of things from superdrug and tried those. Nothing is bloody working and I'm at a point where I cant go out the house for more than a couple of hours before I need to get home for a wash before I have a waft of rotten vag about me.

Just as a background, one day I smelled totally normal, then over the course of a week I noticed a rank smell which has just never gone. Posters on my previous thread suggested lost tampon but over a year on and one never appeared, I've not died from TSS so presumably that wasnt the course.

GP is getting sick of me, I can tell. What am I missing that could be causing this??

You mentioned BV did it ever clear up or do you still have it? Did you have any of the other symptoms?
I used to get a bit of BV after my period which got worse and worse when I had the coil but had nothing since I had the coil removed. Can you get rid of the coil completely?

How old are you could you be stating the menopause or are you diabetic that can affect it?

I’d be looking into paying to go private tbh, I hate how GPS have the power to tell you to ‘just live with it’ when there are specialists you can see. It’s like a fucking god complex

I've had similar, OP, and found it was related to being an undiagnosed diabetic. Once I got my sugar levels under control I noticed a huge difference. It wasn't the typical BV fishy smell, but I was horribly self conscious of it all the time and was obsessive about changing underwear.

I found Multi-gyn actigel a massive help too, it's good to use as a lubricant during sex and stops any odour afterwards.

I'd go back to your GP and be very insistent that this is having an impact on your life.

Have you had all the tests recommended in this article?

patient.info/news-and-features/vaginal-odours-to-be-aware-of

You can order tests from Superdrug online that test for far more types of bacteria and “STDs” than the normal test would reveal such as the extended sti test which tests for the bacteria causing BV (gardnerella) as well as other lesser known types (ureaplasma, mycoplasma) that have few other symptoms.

I would definitely book in for ur smear test hun and if ur gp is unable to help as to be referrred xx

Never had a great sex life with DP, rarely do it now. He has been down there but only after I've had a shower. Hes never mentioned anything though.

The reason I've posted again is because toddler DD was climbing all over me earlier and put her head near my crotch and announced "ugh mummy you stink funny", inhaled again and confirmed I smell "bleurgh", so DD very much noticed and that's with knickers, liner and clean pyjama pants on.

There is just no way I could afford to get this seen to privately. I've seen two GPs at the same practice, neither of whom seen concerned and certainly dont seem willing to refer me. I've told them exactly how bad it was, quite possibly the most mortifying, horrific experience. I'm probably one of the few people dreading coming out of lockdown and going out of the house again.

Could it be thrush? I get thrush without the textbook white discharge and no itching. But an odd smell which is neither urine or fishy. Slight increase of clear discharge and maybe some low grade tummy ache. But I can smell my vagina to the extent I worry others can. Some thrush meds normally sort it.

Late 20's so unlikely to be menopause related.
The poster who mentioned diabetes, that's interesting, the problems started about 9 months after I had DD but whilst I was pregnant I did have problems with my blood sugar. Not sure if that was just pregnancy related and if the issue has since resolved.
I'm tempted to find another GP practice.

I’d be tempted to go back and fib and tell them you have constant abdo pain as well and get them to refer you. 🤷‍♀️🙈

Did you ever have a positive swab for BV? Or did they assume it?

Interesting. I have a similar problem, it's not every day but also seems to come and go around my cycle. I had antibiotics for BV a couple of months ago and yes, they were grim. Ended up with oral thrush which I still haven't managed to clear and now gp isn't getting back to me due to new lockdown so I'm just having to live with it but it's having a real effect. I did have vaginal swabs and bloods done after the oral thrush was diagnosed as I explained how long the small had been bothering me but they all came back clear. The nurse also did a smear at the same time as it was due (smear last year came back as HPV positive so I was wondering if it was something to do with that?) Haven't had the results of the smear yet though, and it has been weeks. It's been something that's been bothering me on and off for years, for ages I was going to the gp thinking it was a uti but tests always come back clear. I drink plenty and yet I almost always get a burning sensation when urinating and now the smell has returned despite not having sex or anything like that since the antibiotics.

Are you taking any long term antibiotics?

I feel for you op as a teenager l had a similar issue and I think antibiotics might have been part of the issue

When you had your dd did you have stitches? After my third I was stitched up with the dissolvable ones, however after a couple of weeks there was a definite horrible pong down there. I had no idea why and started to think I had an infection, until one day I could feel something irritating me, in the shower I had a feel and pulled this long thread!! It was a big piece of the stitches that must have been stuck somehow. Smell totally went.

No I wasn't initially tested for BV before being given antibiotics, they just presumed it. I bought my own test from superdrug which came back clear, but the Dr has never tested. They just sort of look at me in pity, give me prescription and send me on my way. Or sometimes continue to stare at their computer, tell me not to used scented soap and not put anything up there, then send me on my way. They are really useless. The most they've done really is send me to have my coil changed which didnt work, so I booked an appointment my self to have it removed.

I'm not on antibiotics, or the pill or any sort of contraception or medication now.

I think your idea to find a new GP practice is an excellent one. DC (especially toddlers) are not well known for their tact, so if your DD is mentioning it, that seems pretty reliable.

I had a lot of stitches, but DD is over 2 year old now, the smell is not actually all that dissimilar to when my stitches had a mild infection though.

Op,

Sympathies as it sounds awful.

After giving birth a few years ago, I had (unknown to me at the time) retained some tissues from the placenta- the smell was really awful and despite my concerns about it, nobody would agree there was an issue. After some considerable weeks, I had a swab and was immediately put on a combination of meds- a specific antibiotic, steroids, anti inflammatories and something else I can't remember. They diagnosed some horrible bacterial infection eventually but because I was otherwise well, it took forever to get taken seriously. I googled at a later date and seems I was very lucky as it could quite easily have turned to sepsis!

Anyhow, the reason I share that experience is because I sympathise how difficult it is to get heard, but also, I ended up putting tea tree oil onto the underside of the old fashioned thick sanitary towels (always ultra etc seemed to hold the smell and make it worse) or lavender and it helped me not smell so dreadful. It's not a long term solution but it might help you until you get proper treatment.

Best of luck.

I would try to find another GP. The GPs you've seen sound awful.
In the mean time, I would recommend probiotic tablets, it's made a big difference to me. I got some from Amazon that contain loads of good probiotics, specifically for vaginal health and I have no issues now.
They were pricey £10 for 30 tablets but would recommend researching some that would be suitable.

Ask your GP very directly for a swab (will check for BV, thrush) and a referral to Gynae. If they don’t then I’d consider registering elsewhere.
In the meantime as there seems some link to your cycle it might be worth trying the COCP or POP depending on your risk factors / preference. It might make things better, might not but worth a try as there aren’t many other options while you wait to be seen.

As a few pp have said, mine stopped when I stopped using a coil.

I had a very strong smell, like my normal smell but much much stronger making it unpleasant, when I had vaginal atrophy caused by breastfeeding (low oestrogen being the actual reason). Do you have any pain, redness or dryness OP? Mine went away with some internal oestrogen cream prescribed by GP ( but it took months for this diagnosis!)

I could have written this word for word around 8 years ago. I did have BV but antibiotics cleared THAT but there was something else afoot.. (or avag ). In the end we opted for coil removal. Lovely nurse thinks infection was in my uterus. I also had GBS bacteria off the scale but luckily my child bearing days were over.
I was given different antibiotics and once the coil was out it was fresh as a daisy.
I would seriously consider removing the coil.

I have had the same thing, for around 8 months now, had all STI tests which was clear, smear was clear, saw a gynaecologist she checked everything was all fine and healthy, did a swab kit from boots came back negative, doctor did swab following day came back possible for BV, had antibiotics twice but hasn’t gone, the nurse told me once the PH balance is upset it’s hard to get it back to how it should be.
I do think sometimes I imagine the smell to be worse than it is though, my nose is over sensitive to it but I know it’s horrible and I really feel for you op