A possible cure for BV?

Okay, last night was my 4th application of Balance Activ, and I'm noticing a slight improvement in my symptoms so far (I don't get the irritation some women get with BV, but I do have a thin watery discharge with an unpleasant odour).

There's definitely less discharge, but it hasn't gone altogether. Because the BA gel is watery and I use it at night, the next morning I have some liquid on my pants, but as the day goes on, there's a lot less discharge than there usually is for me.

The odour is less potent too.

So no miracles to speak of, but an improvement. And I still have 3 more applications to use.

The aim of the gel is to restore and preserve a lower pH in the vagina so the healthy bacteria that we need in there can grow and out number the unhealthy ones. So I guess this doesn't happen overnight. I'll post back here when I've finished the course towards the end of this week.

Is anyone else out there trying this? It'd be good to hear your experiences if you are.

Health and happiness to all

x

I hope the gel is still improving your situation! let us know how you are getting on. Would this be the gel that has just started being advertised on telly in the last month or so...it seems very new! I hope it works long term and not just some quick fix. I shall go and find the vids on youtube with Dr. Chris.

Could this be what we have been waiting for, my body doesnt want any more antibiotics with all the side effects they bring I dont know what is the lesser of the two evils...the joys of being a woman hey!

I am happy as hell to find I am not the only one with this problem. none of my friends seem to be aware of this condition, and look at me as if I am paranoid or just making it up when I tell them about it.

I send my warmest wishes to all fellow sufferers,

Sonia

*fed up of having pongy pants*

Balance Activ didn't work as well as I hoped it would. I applied it every night for 7 days, and yes there was an improvement - but not 100%, especially after I stopped using it. I've used it since then, maybe every 3-4 nights-ish, and the day after using it things are discharge and odour-free (I don't suffer with the itching symptom), so as a temp fix it's good, just depressing when it comes back!

So I bought Acidophilus capsules and am taking about 5 a day, along with folic acid. Again, there's an improvement, some dry days (which never happens to me) but then often a very damp day following it.

I know it can take time to replenish the good bacteria, so I'll keep going with the acidophilus. I'm thinking of inserting the capsules vaginally, which I think is fine so long as they're made of geletin, which dissolves in the body. Or you can soak a tampon in live yoghurt containing acidophilus and sprinkle the contents of an acidophilus capsule on before inserting.

Seems there are 2 important things in naturally treating BV:

1. Replenish good bacteria (so that's where acidophilus comes in)

2. Balance pH of the vagina, to support the good bacteria (what Balance Activ aims to do - but there are some home remedies like apple cider vinegar in your bath water - there's lots of info online if you Google. I'm avoiding adding links here because they don't always make it past the moderators)

How's everyone else doing?

I hope if anyone has any experiences (good or bad) they feel they can share.

Peace and good health, ladies!

There's a new-ish product called Balance Activ which is available in the UK - I got mine from Boots this morning - it cost £9.99 for 7 applications - it's a vaginal gel clinically proven to treat BV.

When I first heard about it I just thought it was another dud product you'd have to order online from a dud company trying to make money from our misery.

But if you Google the name like I did - you'll get links to videos on youtube with Dr Chris Steele (from This Morning) endorsing it, as well as that lady doctor who does the 'Embarassing Illnesses' TV prog on Channel4.

It sounds very very promising. I'm starting the treatment tonight and will post on here in the next few days with an update.

If you do nothing else, check out those vids - just to hear someone respected talking openly about BV is heartening.[/quote:f9f45771f4] hi there ive used ba and lady balance which is kind of the same thing but in tablet form but what goes in must come out if u know what i mean these things work short term but im still looking on net for more ways to deal with it good to know its not just us but lots of women suffer this just not many speak of it

I tried it too and there at first seemed to be a bit of improvement, but it stung quite a bit initially upon application and ultimately failed to cure the condition.

It was one of the worst things I had to put up with and I felt extremely self-conscious about it, considering I

have a boyfriend too, the problem seemed to put me off doing anything sexual with him.

I wasn't too sure on how to tackle this problem, I used vaginal washes to see if that worked, but it never.

So then I searched up on the 'Tesco' website 'Bacterial Vaginosis' and 'Balance Activ' came up.

I ended up buying it.

On the same day that I applied it, I could feel and smell a difference, I was completely astonished.

I have became more confident because of this and would recommend it to anyone who suffers from BV.

It works really well in a short amount of time.

I cannot count my gp visits , gynaecologist visits , visits to the family planning clinics under the guise of Thrush - personally I think this word is used rather too loosely. I have taken days off to attend hospital appointments undergone scans but worst of all this BV affected my sexual health I felt dirty unwanted no confidence in the sex dept. and had totally given up when like lots of you I went on a search.

I came across the new product to me at least and of course I thought its just another reincarnated med to make more money for pharmaceuticals only it gave me a new lease of life. Intently listened and watched to the Doctor on a short clip advising on this product , went ahead and bought it and started using it for the next 7 days and OMG ! What a difference this gel made less occurrence of the fishy smell by a large degree, no more itching , I have not spent any more money on vaginal hygiene products nor used up annual leave days and days off to get the same treatment ( that didn't work for me ) of countless no.s of antibiotics.

I feel better , certainly improved my sexual health by more than a milestone, less conscious of how I smell and I feel more confident.

I am most thankful for the cosmopolitan magazine where I found the article that led me to more searches regarding BV and for the small clip explaining what BV is and that it can be treated.

For more info google BV can't attach any links either , what surprises me is that over at least 3 years none of the GP's thought that it could have been BV , it could only have been thrush treated with antibiotics ??

Anyway don't ate my word for it try it and finish the dose what's the worst that can happen ? You can use it weekly or monthly to maintain the PH balance luckily I used it just once as the treatment it was only the other day I was thinking maybe I should use it for maintenance too .

I've come across your discussion because I've just used balance active pessaries and wanted to know if anyone else has had a similar experience. I've used the gel before, but wasn't all that keen on squeezing those little tubes, accidentally sucking some of the stuff back in if not handled deftly, always getting caught up in pubic hair, etc., so I thought I'd try the pessaries. Whatever the problem is with my vaginal flora, it doesn't stay sorted out for long, so I'm often trying something new. I have, by the way, also inserted gelatin acidophilus capsules, on the recommendation of one of my 'lady doctors' (I've seen a few with differing specialities in that department!). Everything works for a bit, but like I said, the problem always returns. I am menopausal, by the way, so that may have some part in exacerbating the situation.

Anyway, after the first three pessaries (of 7), the prickly, weeping, though not that smelly problem eased, but the fourth and fifth woke me in the night with very unpleasant itching and prickling. A bit alarming. I've not continued with six and seven. From the ingredients I can't see that there's anything that ought to be that irritating, and although the gel sometimes stung, this was much worse than that - like the pessary had sprung bristles. Has anyone else tried these and had a similar reaction? Or no reaction?

1-2 days: Wet discharge 15-20 minutes after inserting the pessary, and the smell definitely subsided, and the discharge sting a little when it comes out

3-4 day: Still have discharge but didn't sting as much, my vagina started feel irritated during day after the night with the pessary, but I usually just ignore it as I felt I'm determined to finish the recommended course

5-6 day: The discharge was less of a concern when everything down there is so irritated, slightly burning sensation when you touch it

7 day onwards: I couldn't WAIT to finish it, and even now when it's completed my vagina still feels bit irritated, red and some smell, I wonder if I have thrush/yeast infection, but I will wait few more days before getting medication for thrush.

UGH!

*note: It doesn't hurt when I pee