Are Vaginal Yeast Infections Like A Std
No, vaginal yeast infections are usually not spread by having intercourse . Common triggers for a yeast infection are menstruation, pregnancy, antibiotic use, having diabetes or a weakened immune system, but sex is unlikely to be the cause. However, if your partner has a rash, itching or discomfort in the genital area, a healthcare professional should be contacted to find the cause of the symptoms. The healthcare professional should be informed that you are treating a vaginal yeast infection with MONISTAT®.
Things You Can Do To Prevent Internal Bv Or External Symptoms
1. Avoid douching and using perfumed products internally. Potential allergic reactions can cause itching, burning, and even abnormal discharge that mimics infection. Explore more reasons why these products should be avoided at all costs.
2. Do not use home remedies internally. Women try all kinds of interesting things to remedy BV. Symptoms cause such stress that they resort to placing things like apple cider vinegar, garlic, tea tree oil, yogurt, boric acid, and hydrogen peroxide into the vagina in a race for relief. As you can imagine, this is a terrible idea. Please do not do this.
We never recommend using anything internally to clear symptoms. Period. Doing this can exacerbate symptoms, and the products effects on vaginal pH is not healthy. Its normal for the vagina to clean itself. Whats not normal is an infection, and thats when you need to call your doctor.
External issues are similar. After researching home remedies, you can try applying something like apple cider vinegar on a towel or wipe to the vulva at your own risk. However, many women cant tolerate these substances down there, not to mention their benefit doesnt last long anyway.
So, youll want to try sticking with natural fabrics like 100% cotton or wool, or at least undies with natural lining.
6. Cut back on cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes has an anti-estrogenic effect and alters levels of healthy vaginal bacteria, which increases your odds of infection.
What Are The Symptoms Of Bacterial Vaginosis
Up to 84% of people with bacterial vaginosis dont have symptoms. If you do, you may have:
- Off-white, grey or greenish color vaginal discharge .
- Discharge that smells “fishy.”
- “Fishy” smell that is strongest after sex or during the menstrual cycle.
- Rarely, an itchy or sore vagina.
BV symptoms are similar to other infections. Its important to visit your healthcare provider to determine if what you have is BV or another vaginal infection.
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Descriptive Analysis Of Nugent Scores
Figure 1 shows how the frequency of BV positive readings and changes over time were used to divide the women into four BV groups. Group A had BV on less than 15% of readings and no significant differences between cycles. Groups B1 and B2 showed some significant differences between cycles with between 16% and 30% of readings BV positive for group B1 and between 50% and 70% of readings BV positive for group B2. Group C were BV positive on more than 70% of readings and had no significant differences between cycles. In summary, group A represents those with a stable low frequency of BV and group C those with a stable high frequency of BV. Group B represents those whose BV pattern changed with B1 generally having a medium to low frequency and B2 a medium to high frequency.
Figure 1
For each woman, the proportion of readings with BV and intermediate flora whether there were changes over the four cycles and the BV group into which she was categorised. Shaded bars, BV open bars, intermediate BV open circles, significant change in BV over four cycles.
To illustrate the types of pattern seen, figure 2 shows smoothed Nugent scores plotted over time for one woman from each of the four BV groups. A pattern for increased Nugent scores at the beginning of each menstrual cycle is apparent for the women with lower frequencies of positive BV readings .
Figure 2
Symptoms Of Bacterial Vaginosis
Often there are no symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. Some women may notice a change in the normal secretions from the vagina.
This discharge will usually be white or grey, thin or watery and have a strong, unpleasant fishy smell. This can be more noticeable during and after sex, and during periods.
Bacterial vaginosis does not usually cause itching or irritation.
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What Is Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis
If youre in the midst of a battle with BV, you know the process: Hit the self-checkout line with over-the-counter suppositories, take a break from sex, sleep without underwear, and avoid hot baths. When that doesnt work, a trip to your doc for antibiotics such as metronidazole or clindamycin in the form of oral pills or a vaginal gel can sometimes do the trick, despite common side effects like nausea and spin-off yeast infections. However, 80% of women who go in for treatment end up with another infection within three months, according to a 2020 review published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.
Many women experience an endless cycle of BV episodes.
For decades, bacterial vaginosis has been treated with antibiotics to eliminate the harmful bacteria, but often this does not fix the underlying problem of an imbalanced vaginal microbiome, and many women experience an endless cycle of BV episodes, Dr. Hemmerling says. Recurrent BV might happen when the infection isnt fully treated, something messes up the balance of your bacteria again, or a layer of microorganisms known as a biofilm forms to protect BV-causing bacteria.
Besides putting a dent in your self-esteem and disrupting your work and sex life, recurrent BV can also lead to serious complications. Once the imbalanced vaginal microbiome is overpowered as a line of defense and bacterial vaginosis sets in, other bacteria and viruses can grow, says Dr. Hemmerling.
What Is Bacterial Vaginosis
First, lets talk about what its not. Its not a sexually transmitted infection, although it is often lumped together with such classifications when youre looking for information on it.
It doesnt make you dirty. And it should no longer be a hushed infection that many women deal with behind closed doors and in shame.
As my nurse practitioner at Planned Parenthood explained, its simply an imbalance in your vaginal bacteria. When your pH levels become too high the good bacterialactobacillicant keep up with the bodys productions of naturally occurring bad bacteria that thrives and takes over in high pH environments.
Thats it. An imbalance. Nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, BV is the most common infection in women aged 15-44.
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Are Lactobacillus Tablets An Effective Treatment For Bacterial Vaginosis
Lactobacillus suppositories and oral tablets are sold in some health food shops, for use in BV.
Orally consumed probiotics are believed to reach the vagina via the bowel. There is some evidence that this can be helpful in treatment and in prevention of BV. These studies suggest treatment needs to continue for at least two months. Other studies don’t show a clear benefit. Overall, specialists feel that there is not enough evidence in its favour to suggest it over other treatments.
Intravaginal lactobacillus treatment seems as though it ought to be an obvious solution – why not put the right bacteria where they are meant to go? However, results of studies on vaginal treatments with lactobacilli are also mixed, with some studies suggesting this treatment is effective and others not.
Before Using Metronidazole Vaginal Gel
Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start using metronidazole vaginal gel it is important that your doctor knows:
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine or to a skin preparation.
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Effect #: Antibiotics Can Disrupt The Estrobolome
Antibiotics have an impact on gut bacteria they will kill the opportunistic bacteria but unfortunately theyll also take down the good ones too. More accurately, antibiotics disrupt the estrobolome, which is a specific group of microbes that determine how estrogen is utilized in the body.
In people with healthy microbiomes, the estrobolome bacteria easily break down the estrogen that the liver sends to the gut allowing the body to dispose of it. But when the estrobolome becomes compromised, the broken down estrogen metabolites can be turned back into active estrogens which are then reabsorbed into the blood stream, creating estrogen dominance.
The thing is, when estrogen levels change in the blood, it affects your pituitary gland function. The pituitary gland secretes FSH and LH based on the level of estrogen in your blood. If your estrogen is too low or too high, your brain gets the wrong signal and doesnt produce the right amounts of FSH and LH. This misfiring will totally mess with your bodys ability to ovulate when its supposed to, and lead to a wonky period.
Antibiotics For Bacterial Vaginosis
Oral antibiotics are the first-choice treatment in pregnant women with BV.
Metronidazole tabletsA full course of metronidazole tablets is the common treatment. Metronidazole is an antibiotic. This clears BV in most cases. It is important to read the leaflet that comes with these tablets for the full list of possible side-effects and cautions. The main points to note about metronidazole include:
- The usual dose is 400-500 mg twice a day for 5-7 days. A single dose of 2 grams of metronidazole is an alternative, although this may be less effective and may cause more side-effects. It is important to finish the course you have been prescribed, and not to miss any tablets.
- Some people feel sick or may be sick when they take metronidazole. This is less likely to occur if you take the tablets straight after food. A metallic taste is also a common side-effect.
- Do not drink any alcohol while taking metronidazole, nor for 48 hours after stopping treatment. The interaction of metronidazole with alcohol can cause severe sickness and vomiting, and may also cause flushing and an increased pulse rate.
- Metronidazole can get into breast milk in small amounts but will not harm your baby, although it may make the milk taste different. The manufacturer recommends that if you are breastfeeding you should take the 5- to 7-day lower dose course of metronidazole rather than the single large dose.
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How Do You Get Bv
Researchers are still studying how women get BV. You can get BV without having sex, but BV is more common in women who are sexually active. Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners, as well as douching, can upset the balance of good and harmful bacteria in your vagina. This raises your risk of getting BV.1
Antibiotics Birth Control And An Early Period
confused asks:
I have been on Amoxicillin for about 2 weeks now. I finished my prescription a few days ago and now my period is 2 weeks early. I am on birth control and I know antibiotics can interfere with it, but I was just wondering if maybe they caused my period to be early like that. Should I be worried something is wrong? Thanks in advance for the help!!
Sarah replies:
You’re right, some antibiotics can interfere with hormonal birth control. Amoxicillin is noted as one of those antibiotics. It might cause your birth control to be less effective, so you’ll want to make sure to use a backup method during any sexual contact until you start your next cycle of pills. This will help provide you as much protection as possible. Whether you’re noticing “odd” symptoms or not, it’s probably wisest to consider your birth control compromised during any cycle where you’ve been on a medication that could interfere.
Different combinations of hormonal birth control and various antibiotics/medications can have different effects on different individuals. Some people may notice some menstrual oddities, others may not notice anything different at all . From my own personal experience , I never had a cycle where I took any sort of antibiotics where I did not have breakthrough bleeding and then generally an early withdrawal bleed when I was on the pill. My body just seemed to be particularly sensitive to the interaction. It may be a similar case for you.
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Living With Bacterial Vaginosis
Some women suffer from chronic bacterial vaginosis. Medicine can clear up the infection, but it returns again after a few weeks. Some women report that bacterial vaginosis returns after their period each month. Or it can return after they have sex. Talk to your doctor if you have chronic bacterial vaginosis. Your doctor may suggest certain lifestyle changes that can help, like taking probiotics.
Symptoms And Causes Of Bacterial Vaginosis
Some women have no symptoms at all. For those who do, symptoms usually include:
- A strong, fishlike odor, especially after sex.
- Thick or frothy discharge, usually white or grayish
- Itching, burning, or other pain
So what causes it? While its the most common vaginal ailment, the causes are largely unknown. While having a new sex partner and douching are thought to increase your chances of bacterial vaginosis, these arent the only factors, and they dont always cause it.
The Center for Disease Control warns of serious health risks if BV isnt treated. These include:
- Increasing your chance of getting HIV if you have sex with someone who is infected with HIV
- If you are HIV positive, increasing your chance of passing HIV to your sex partner
- Making it more likely that you will deliver your baby too early if you have BV while pregnant
- Increasing your chance of getting other STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. These bacteria can sometimes cause pelvic inflammatory disease , which can make it difficult or impossible for you to have children.
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Is Bv A Sexually Transmitted Disease
BV is not a sexually transmitted infection, according to Dean. However, having sex with a new partner, or multiple partners, may increase your risk for BV. “Sex sometimes leads to BV if your partner’s natural genital ‘chemistry’ changes the balance of bacteria in your vagina and causes the bacteria associated with BV to grow. If you have BV, your sexual partner with a penis generally does not need treatment for BV. BV may spread between partners with vaginas,” explains Dean. “Although BV is not an STI, having BV increases your chances of becoming infected with an STI, including HIV, if you are exposed to one. If you are HIV positive, untreated BV increases your chances of passing HIV along to your sex partners.”
Medical Treatment For Bacterial Vaginosis
The most common treatmentand one I have intimate, first-hand knowledge of thanks to years of recurrencesis metronidazole. Your doctor will perform a vaginal wet mount and, if you do have BV, give you 7 days worth of metallic tasting, chalky pills to take every 12 hours, not to be mixed with alcohol. For many women, these pills do the trick and they can go on with their lives.
But then, there are the rest of us. According to the Mayo Clinic, even after treatment, BV is likely to recur within 3-12 months. Doctors can prescribe a more rigorous round of metronidazole in a gel form, administered directly into the vagina over the course of two weeks to six months, depending on the doctors recommendation.
For me, neither worked. And I dealt with BV coming back every 68 weeks for almost a decade. It was a vicious cycle of treatment that wiped out all bacteria, followed by an occasional yeast infection which was then treated, only to come back to the bad bacteria over-multiplying once again because my body was never given the chance to let the good bacteria flourish. And while its up to you and your doctor whether you take the antibiotics, I have come to realize that there are other things I can do to make sure that the bacterial vaginosis stays away once the antibiotics have done their job.
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What Can I Do About Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis
If your symptoms come back and you did not have a test using a sample of your vaginal discharge taken initially, your doctor or nurse may suggest that they take swab tests now. This is to confirm that it is BV causing your symptoms.
BV may return if you did not complete your course of antibiotics. However, even if you have completed a full course of antibiotics, BV returns within three months in many women. If it does come back, a repeat course of antibiotics will usually be successful. A small number of women have repeated episodes of BV and need repeated courses of antibiotics.
If you have a copper coil for contraception – an IUCD – and have recurrent BV, your doctor or nurse may suggest that they remove your IUCD to see if this helps to improve your symptoms. You will need to consider alternative contraception measures.
If you have a same-sex partner then, even if she has no symptoms, treating both of you at the same time may reduce recurrence.
You should also take particular notice of the advice not to use douches, bath additives and vaginal deodorants. Long-term use of metronidazole gel is sometimes advised. Specialist guidelines in the USA recommend using twice-weekly for up to six months. UK specialist guidelines are less certain on the frequency and duration of preventative treatment, and your doctor may want to talk with a specialist for advice on this.
