TMI at my wits end … peri menopause?

[Aadamsfamily]

Hi just after some advice because I’m struggling to get any medical help.

A few years ago I noticed I wasn’t discharging much. Used to have text book discharge … liquid, milky then eggy then a full flow period.

when I stopped discharging I noticed my periods were still on time but the blood was sort of stuck. Would only come out when I went for a wee or number two.

a couple of years later I noticed my discharge, which at this point was only every really thin and runny had a smell of vinegar/ fish.

periods were on time but less blood. Still a 7 day cycle but not much blood.

more recently the smell is fishy, barely any discharge, really smells when I have intercourse and for the last two months I’ve had a two day period as opposed to a 7 day period.

I’ve also noticed in the last month that my body odour is quite … vibrant! I can smell me. I’ll take a shower and I can smell the BO. No one else can smell it on me. Though once when I did bleed my kid did say ‘eurgh what’s that fart smell’. My period smells like rot. My discharge smells like fish. Sex just isn’t great because I can smell it. Thankfully my partner has no sense of smell so he doesn’t notice any smell. But I can smell it and I don’t enjoy being intimate anymore.

I’ve been tested for BV and STDs and they’re all negative. My bloods are fine.

my GP doesn’t know what’s wrong and because I’m 33 they’re not exploring it any further. I feel really down trodden and not sure what to do.

any advice? Is it just age? Is this normal? Thanks

Could it be this: Trimethylaminuria ('fish odour syndrome') - NHS

How long have you been with your current partner?

Have you done a pregnancy test?

Is there any chance a tampon has been left in, string got lost etc? I'm clutching at straws with this one, but I know sometimes they can be different to see, even with a speculum exam.

You're 33 I cannot believe this is being dismissed because of your age! If the dr believes you're in peri then are you being offered further tests? HRT? Early 30s is on the young side to be entering perimenopause, have you any other symptoms?

I'd be going back to the GP, have you had a scan to check your uterus and cervix are clear? Have you got private medical through work at all that you could look to use if the nhs are going to be so utterly useless?

Thanks for your responses .

no tampon. I use re usable pads. Not pregnant. Been with partner for 10 years. I don’t have or can’t afford private healthcare . I’ll return to my gp and badger them but they always tell you it’s normal or tell you it’s anxiety. The symptoms are so in your face it’s quite hard to ignore. Is it worth taking a used sanitary towel in a nappy sack to prove my point? The rotting smell really worries me. It’s really bad and quite gagging. I imagine this is what decomposition smells like.

Any hot flushes or feeling warm all the time?

I’m not a medical professional - I only speak from my own experience. I think it possibly is bv even if your tests are coming back negative. I had chronic bv for years and years - tests were usually (but not always) negative, but symptoms remained. My symptoms were watery discharge which was fishy, rotten, or onion like. But always really disgusting. I used boric acid pessaries in the end and it got rid of it. It might be worth exploring treatments; using a good probiotic/some inserts from Boots (can’t remember what they’re called)/boric acid and coconut oil homemade pessaries. My advice would be to try home treatments for bv and see if your symptoms respond.

Have they checked thyroid? I'd also be asking for an ultra sound of womb

Buy some bv pessaries and use for a week. You don't need a prescription. See if they help, I think they might based on what you describe.

I started with this out of nowhere in perimenopause. I know exactly what you mean. It's grim. Like very rotten cabbage. I got an ultrasound but it was nothing sinister.

I didn't want antibiotics but I now take Holland and Barrett intimate health probiotics and they're fab. Totally sorted this out. It does come back after a while if I don't keep up with them but a tablet a day seems to keep it at bay.

I have a copper coil and wondered if that was part of the issue.

thank you so much. I know you said you can’t remember but is there any chance you could rattle your brain and provide me with the names of what you used? Because I’m going to try it. I just came across something that mentioned boric acid. I’ve been using optibac pro biotic because optibac has always been great for me but it just isn’t working . I’m so desperate I’d try anything at this point including the pessaries.

I’m due to go in for a blood test but I’m on a waiting list and I’ve been told ill have to wait three months.

That’s what frustrates me … I don’t feel like it’s sinister but it’s relentless and it’s making me really miserable and paranoid. And frankly it’s just disheartening that my young child notices the smell when I’m on my period. I don’t leave the house for fear of the discharge leaks and the rotten smell that follows. Nothing masks the smell aside from having to change.

Wondering , Have you used same set of pads for awhile? Could be that they need a boil wash to kill any germs that is causing smell when in contact with any fluid?
id also try the BV treatment over the counter and see what happens if it helps. You have my sympathy as nothing worse that thinking others can smell you xx

@Aadamsfamily I know how miserable it is. The gel that you can buy over the counter is Balance Activ. It didn’t work for me but it does work for some people so it’s probably a good place to start.
For probiotics it can be helpful to get one containing Reuteri as that’s apparently a good strain for vaginal health. Kefir, or live yogurt might also be helpful.
The thing that helped me the most (and actually got rid of it for me eventually) was boric acid, but I don’t know where this is available from anymore. I bought mine online. I got food grade Boric acid powder and empty vegetarian capsules. Filled them with the powder and added coconut oil to prevent bleeding.

Start with a full STD screen. If negative see a gynaecologist.

OP- order these BV pessaries off Amazon and give them a go for a week, see if your symptoms improve.

https://www.boots.com/canesbalance-bacterial-vaginosis-vaginal-pessaries-7s-10308215?utm_source=Ceon+Internet+ApS-575373&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Comparison+Shopping+Service+%28CSS%29&utm_term=&utm_content=&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=575373&awc=2041_1741302094_132e890e9e40b06190516dbf9d6a2517

Have you been given a 7-10 day course of oral antibiotics just to see if they do anything? If not, I’d probably push your GP for a course, despite your BV tests coming back negative.

I’m not sure whether peri menopause would cause these smells or not tbh, but something definitely isn’t right. Start with BV and go from there.

Good luck!

thank you so much. It’s at times like this that make me realise just how powerful and caring and helpful women are. I really appreciate all the advice and i will be getting the pessaries as suggested.

My last interaction with a male gyno put me off as after he had his hand in me he thought it was appropriate to flirt with me and it made me so uncomfortable I ran out of the surgery.

in terms of the pads - I bought a new set because I suspected this may have contributed to it but it didn’t change anything. I got the symptoms 6 months before I began using reusable pads however I will deep clean them and boil them just to be sure.

I had a mirena fitted as part of my hrt (i use estrogen patches) might be something to ask about. It stopped my periods which had turned hellish mid 30s

Try going to your local sexual health clinic - they don’t just deal with std’s but can check for things like BV and chronic/canesten resistant strains of thrush etc. and can check for other skin conditions that might be causing symptoms. Chronic thrush can cause a reduction in normal discharge because of the constant irritation (unlike “normal” thrush which typically causes more discharge).

If there is no chronic thrush/bv it’s worth asking about vaginal estrogen cream if you are dry to get your normal discharge back/help increase skin health down there.

There have been a host of articles in the press this week suggesting BV can be cured if a partner is treated - worth having a google

Just wanted to say thank you for all of your help. I took the balance activ pessaries for two nights so far and the smell has completely disappeared. The vaginal discharge is back but still on the very watery side but no fishy smell. I’m assuming it’ll take a while for things to return to normal in terms of normal vaginal discharge but I’m just so relieved. This has been years of battling and a slow but sure decline of my reproductive system. Irritated that it dismissed and felt gas lit by GP but hugely grateful for every person who responded on here. You’ve literally changed years of undiagnosed BV for me overnight . So thank you. Just wondering whether I should continue to take the full 7 day course of the balance activ or whether I should stop now the smell has gone?

That is great! I’m so glad you updated us, especially with such good news.
Personally I would do the 7 day course to try and reset things, but then always keep a box in your house and if the discharge starts to smell again then just use it for a day or two.

That’s great OP. Definitely do the 7 day course and order another pack and put one in after you’ve had sex. I have to do this to keep my BV at bay!