Bacterial Vaginosis

[twe0708]

and if so how were you treated? I am thinking I got this because I wasn't receiving enough nutrients from my food before being diagnosed, but that was over 6 months ago and I don't have any symptoms just a test that says I have it. I read some where that increasing Folic Acid to 800 mg a day has helped other women. My doc gave me metronidazole 500 mg to tack 2 x a day but it does horrible things to your body like make you tired, anxious, diarrhea, mood swings etc. Is it really worth it to take something that will wipe you out when you seem to be feeling fine. Plus I am getting ready to leave on a cruise and with these meds it's a big NO NO to drink. Any thoughts?

[burdee]

and if so how were you treated? I am thinking I got this because I wasn't receiving enough nutrients from my food before being diagnosed, but that was over 6 months ago and I don't have any symptoms just a test that says I have it. I read some where that increasing Folic Acid to 800 mg a day has helped other women. My doc gave me metronidazole 500 mg to tack 2 x a day but it does horrible things to your body like make you tired, anxious, diarrhea, mood swings etc. Is it really worth it to take something that will wipe you out when you seem to be feeling fine. Plus I am getting ready to leave on a cruise and with these meds it's a big NO NO to drink. Any thoughts?

Are you taking oral flagyl or a vaginal suppository or what? I took metronidazole (flagyl) for an intestinal bacterial (clostridium difficile) infection. That drug has miserable side effects (nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, etc.). All the psychological effects may be caused by constantly feeling physically awful. If I were leaving on a cruise and taking oral flagyl, I'd ask my doc for another antibiotic drug with milder side effects. However, I want to also ask:

Are you taking probiotics while you take flagyl for the vaginal infection? If not, you may get an intestinal (bacterial dysbiosis) infection after completing the flagyl treatment, because antiobiotics kill both good and bad bacteria in our guts. If you don't replenish the good bacteria, small amounts of bad bacteria can overwhelm the remaining good bacteria in your gut and cause another infection.

SUE

[Roda]

I was told I had it at my first ob visit with my first child. They prescribed me what I think was flagyl but I had to wait until I was at least 12 wks along before taking it. From what I understood from the doctor at that time it was important to treat it. I was told there was a link between preterm labor and the BV. I did end up with preterm labor at 32 weeks, but I think it was from dehydration because I had gotten the flu. I had another bout of preterm labor about 1.5 weeks later and was put on procardia and bed rest until 36 weeks. So I'm not sure if it was related in my case, but it was treated.

[twe0708]

Are you taking oral flagyl or a vaginal suppository or what? I took metronidazole (flagyl) for an intestinal bacterial (clostridium difficile) infection. That drug has miserable side effects (nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, etc.). All the psychological effects may be caused by constantly feeling physically awful. If I were leaving on a cruise and taking oral flagyl, I'd ask my doc for another antibiotic drug with milder side effects. However, I want to also ask:

Are you taking probiotics while you take flagyl for the vaginal infection? If not, you may get an intestinal (bacterial dysbiosis) infection after completing the flagyl treatment, because antiobiotics kill both good and bad bacteria in our guts. If you don't replenish the good bacteria, small amounts of bad bacteria can overwhelm the remaining good bacteria in your gut and cause another infection.

SUE

It's oral and I have decided to wait until after my cruise because I don't want it to wipe me out. I also read on a website that people have tried taking 800 mg of folic acid a day and it has helped them so I am going to give this a try before taking an antibiotic that is so hard on the body. Plus I think I will get tested again when returning from my trip just to make sure the diagnosis was right and they didn't leave my swab out too long which could have contaminated it. The only thing I am experiencing is mild stomach cramping that comes and goes so not sure what it's from bc it's not a symptom of my diagnosis. I will look into the probiotics. Any recommendations on a brand?

[burdee]

If you're experiencing stomach cramping, but are not taking flagyl, your bacterial infection most likely causes the cramping. If you really have BV, folic acid won't kill the bacteria. Probiotics might 'crowd it out'. However, you probably need some kind of antibacterial drug or herbal supplement (like caprylic acid) to eliminate the bacteria causing the BV. Did your doc say what specific bacteria you have?

When do you begin your cruise? How long is your cruise? I suggest you treat that infection ASAP, because it can damage your body or even spread to your intestines. There's a website of patient comments about experiences with flagyl. Just 'google' flagyl patient comments to get that site. Many people were prescribed flagyl for BV. You might read a comment where the patient asked for a substitute treatment. That's how I learned that vancomycin was a more effective treatment for c-diff.

I use HLC High Potency (freeze dried) probiotic capsules which contain 8-12 billion live, good bacteria per casule. That brand also offers a really high dose (127 billion per dose) powder packet in a 7 day treatment container, which I took after every antibiotic treatment. (I've treated 4 different bacterial infections, about one a year for the past several years.)

SUE

[twe0708]

If you're experiencing stomach cramping, but are not taking flagyl, your bacterial infection most likely causes the cramping. If you really have BV, folic acid won't kill the bacteria. Probiotics might 'crowd it out'. However, you probably need some kind of antibacterial drug or herbal supplement (like caprylic acid) to eliminate the bacteria causing the BV. Did your doc say what specific bacteria you have?

When do you begin your cruise? How long is your cruise? I suggest you treat that infection ASAP, because it can damage your body or even spread to your intestines. There's a website of patient comments about experiences with flagyl. Just 'google' flagyl patient comments to get that site. Many people were prescribed flagyl for BV. You might read a comment where the patient asked for a substitute treatment. That's how I learned that vancomycin was a more effective treatment for c-diff.

I use HLC High Potency (freeze dried) probiotic capsules which contain 8-12 billion live, good bacteria per casule. That brand also offers a really high dose (127 billion per dose) powder packet in a 7 day treatment container, which I took after every antibiotic treatment. (I've treated 4 different bacterial infections, about one a year for the past several years.)

SUE

Hi Sue,

The doc said it's Gardnerella Vaginalls but I don't have the discharge or odor that it talks about on the Internet or any other symptoms, just the mild cramping. I just went in for a yearly checkup and this was my dx. My cruise is this Sunday and it's for a week. I did see the website about comments and they are horrible. There is no way I can take the meds and cruise without it ruining my trip. I will check our local health food stores for the items you mentioned above. We do have a whole foods if the mini health food store doesn't carry what you recommended. The cramping isn't real bad and I have had it on and off for months so hopefully another week doesn't do too much damage. Thanks for the help.

[burdee]

Hi Sue,

The doc said it's Gardnerella Vaginalls but I don't have the discharge or odor that it talks about on the Internet or any other symptoms, just the mild cramping. I just went in for a yearly checkup and this was my dx. My cruise is this Sunday and it's for a week. I did see the website about comments and they are horrible. There is no way I can take the meds and cruise without it ruining my trip. I will check our local health food stores for the items you mentioned above. We do have a whole foods if the mini health food store doesn't carry what you recommended. The cramping isn't real bad and I have had it on and off for months so hopefully another week doesn't do too much damage. Thanks for the help.

I can't tell from your comments whether or not you began the flagyl treatment. Did you ask your doc whether there is a milder drug or herbal treatment for your infection? I agree that you can probably wait till after the week long cruise to take flagyl. I have no experience with that bacteria. I had 4 intestinal bacteria, a parasite and candida, which were all successfully eliminated after stool test diagnosis and treatment.

As I mentioned, I took flagyl for c-diff, but the c-diff recurred. I should have never agreed to another 10-day course of flagyl, when that didn't eliminate c-diff after the first 10 days. I was so sick after 6 days of the second course that I couldn't eat. I don't think we should feel worse from antibiotic drug side effects than we feel from the infection. I'm so glad I could get vancomycin (a much stronger, more effective treatment for c-diff) through my HMO pharmacy. Vanco is VERY expensive, because there's no generic form available yet.

I just googled 'gardnerella vaginosis' and read that is treated with either flagyl or clindamycin. Clindamycin treatment often precedes (or causes) c-diff infections by destroying all the patient's good bacteria. So I'd suffer through flagyl, rather than risk a c-diff infection. Those are difficult to eradicate, because that bacteria produces antibiotic resistant spores which cause recurrence after treatment. I had 6 recurrences before I learned how to eradicate the spores.

SUE

SUE