Smell after sex

[globalwondering]

Looking for some advice before speaking to a doctor. Recently met a new partner (6 weeks) and after sex I'm noticing a slight fishy smell. I know this can happen with a new partner and I had a case of BV after getting my coil fitted but it doesn't seem as bad as when that happened. I got the canesten pessaries and they worked (although i stopped using them after 2 days because it had worked) but it's happening every time we have sex. I'll then use a pessary and the smell will go away overnight. I was very very unwell with the antibiotics I took for BV last time and seeing as it's clearing up with a pessary I'm at loathe to take them again. But as it's reoccurring do you think I need to? Any advice appreciated.

I assume you’re not using condoms? If not, did you both have STD tests?
It either sounds like BV, or maybe an STD. Chances are he’s harbouring the BV bacteria and he’s giving it back to you (re-infection.) Use condoms for the time being.

I think some smell is normal. Depending on what stage of my cycle I'm on, there can sometimes be a slight smell immediately after sex. It's only if it was rancid and not going away I'd think there was a problem.

A fishy smell after sex is defo not normal. Poor Mr Harrison.

Not fish smell. Obviously it's not going to smell of pure water. It's a mixture of body fluids from the vagina and penis. Have you ever had sex??

OP said it is a fishy smell though @MrsGHarrison87, which isn't normal at all and needs to be addressed with treatment like OP has done previously and if it happens with a new partner / happens suddenly with an existing partner then a frank chat about both getting STI tested is sensible. And condoms need to be used.

Was it the tablet antibiotics that made you unwell? You can get an internal gel form of the antibiotic for bv which is usually better tolerated.

No definitely something wrong....never experienced this

So what's in the pessary you are using, cotrimoxazole? BV is one thing and thrush is another, so they need different treatments. If the pessary is working and you were itchy, then likely thrush, which can happen just because of the friction of sex, but if it's just that the pessary is covering the smell, it could be BV or an STI.
I think you should get tested as a precaution, if you get thick, white discharge like thrush, you could try oral fluconazole - antifungals may not make you feel as I'll as antibiotics.

Sounds like he's throwing your PH off. Cum, soaps, periods etc can do that. Balance activ pessaries are good.

You can get a BV test in Boots. If if is that, you should probably take the course of anti biotics though they are pretty horrid.

All the best op

I had this once, with one partner. It never happened with other partners, before or since - so I reckon there was something incompatible about our respective secretions.

I have had exactly the same problem. In my case it was a new partner (now an ex - years ago) and he was a heavy ejaculator. We used condoms and the problem stopped. He ejaculated a lot of very viscous (almost snotty) semen and I think it stayed inside rather than drain out after intercourse. I also wonder if he had an infection of some sort to make his semen so thick and "clotty". Have a look at his sperm in a condom straight after sex - is it clotty?
I have had several partners since and never had the problem with condom free sex - although I do admit that the problem from years back makes me prefer condom sex from a hygiene perspective.

It is also worth checking if the problem is sex related by going sex free (or condom only sex) for a week or so and seeing if you have any smell deep inside (finger or vibrator up to the top of your vagina) - if you are problem free, you can conclude that it is brought on by semen inside you (this is how I fathomed it out). When I had the problem, the smell came from the top of my vagina and was not noticable day-to-day - only when deep penetration took place.