It was stressful to have something changing and not know what was going on. It affected my day-to-day, as well as my sex life, because of course I became pretty self-conscious of it. Had anyone else? She prescribed me Metrogel, an antibiotic with a funny little syringe-like applicator that reminded me of Push Pops. I applied the Metrogel every night for five days, and the smell cleared up right away. One thing that was somewhat difficult was not being allowed to have sex during the treatment.
Not being able to have sex made me want to have sex even more than I normally would have, probably. It was no big deal! BV is a common condition and nothing to feel embarrassed about. If you notice any unusual smell or discharge, check with your healthcare provider. Bringing knowledge of BV into public awareness helps prevent the stress that can come with having it.
Your provider can also perform laboratory tests on a sample of vaginal fluid to determine if BV is present.
BV will sometimes go away without treatment. But if you have symptoms of BV you should be checked and treated. It is important that you take all of the medicine prescribed to you, even if your symptoms go away. A health care provider can treat BV with antibiotics, but BV may return even after treatment. Treatment may also reduce the risk for some STDs. Male sex partners of women diagnosed with BV generally do not need to be treated. BV may be transferred between female sex partners.
Box Rockville, MD E-mail: npin-info cdc. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, Hillier S and Holmes K. Bacterial vaginosis. Doctors diagnose bacterial vaginosis by asking about the symptoms, doing a pelvic exam , and taking a sample of the vaginal discharge. The sample can be tested to find out if you have bacterial vaginosis. Treatment for bacterial vaginosis includes antibiotic medicine. Depending on the medicine prescribed, these may be taken either by mouth or in the vagina.
Antibiotics kill the "bad" bacteria that cause symptoms. But symptoms often come back after antibiotic treatment. Normally, there are a lot of "good" bacteria and some "bad" bacteria in the vagina. The good types help control the growth of the bad types. In women who have bacterial vaginosis, the balance is upset. There aren't enough good bacteria, and there are too many bad bacteria.
Experts aren't sure what causes the bacteria in the vagina to get out of balance. But certain things make it more likely to happen. Your risk of getting bacterial vaginosis is higher if you:. Bacterial vaginosis is more common in women who are sexually active. But women who aren't having sex can also get it. Here are some tips to help prevent bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis may be passed between women during sexual contact.
If you have a female sex partner, you may benefit from using protection and carefully washing shared sex toys. It is always important to practice safer sex to prevent sexually transmitted infections, whether or not you have bacterial vaginosis.
Preventing an STI is easier than treating an infection after it occurs. Bacterial vaginosis is generally not considered a sexually transmitted infection STI.
But if you are exposed to an STI while you have bacterial vaginosis, you are more likely to get that infection. Many women who have bacterial vaginosis don't notice any symptoms.
It doesn't typically cause itching. But it does cause:. The symptoms are similar to some sexually transmitted infections such as trichomoniasis , chlamydia , and gonorrhea and to a vaginal yeast infection. Bacterial vaginosis often clears up on its own. But in some women it doesn't go away on its own. And for many women it comes back after it has cleared up.
Antibiotic treatment works for some women but not others. Bacterial vaginosis usually doesn't cause other health problems. But in some cases it can lead to serious problems. Bacterial vaginosis can be hard to distinguish from other types of vaginal infection. Consider the following if you have any signs of vaginal infection.
Call your doctor now if you:. Call your doctor for an appointment if you:. It's a good idea to contact or see your doctor about unusual vaginal symptoms. If your symptoms are due to a sexually transmitted infection STI and not bacterial vaginosis, you may infect a sex partner if you delay treatment.
Doctors diagnose bacterial vaginosis by asking about symptoms, doing a pelvic exam , and taking a sample of the vaginal discharge. The sample can be tested for bacterial vaginosis. A sample of discharge is checked for bacteria, white blood cells, and unusual cells called clue cells. But bacterial vaginosis does not usually cause other health problems. However, if you have it while you are pregnant, it can cause complications.
While the infection may go away on its own, most doctors use antibiotics to treat it. You may have been prescribed pills or vaginal cream. With treatment, bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 5 to 7 days. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems.
It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:. Author: Healthwise Staff. Gabica MD - Family Medicine. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional.
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