BV and IBS? Can BV cause IBS/stomach issues?
Posted , 8 users are following.
I hope that someone can shed some light on my situation. I'm a 39 years old female. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with BV. I started having debilitating UTI's all the time and a lot of vaginal dryness during sex. Until one day the pain in my pelvis/UTI was so bad that I had to go to an urgent care facility. They misdiagnosed me at first and said it was a severe UTI and sent me home with antibiotics. However, I knew something was not right and went back, I was lucky to have a good doctor who examined me and did a swab. They called me back and said I had a BV. After two years of going to various doctors who did absolutely nothing to help me, did not listen, but dismissed me with a tube of metro gel, I still struggle. However, just when I thought BV was bad enough, I also developed digestive issues into a second year of struggling with my BV. I have symptoms of IBS and constantly go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea, false urgency and stomach pains. I went to see a gastroenterologist who performed blood tests, stool tests, infection tests and found absolutely nothing. He just shrugged me off when I mentioned bacterial dis-balance in my body and that it could somehow be related to my gynecological issues. I'm wondering if my BV and stomach/degestive issues could be set off by hormones or perimenopause? My BV is not a typical BV with odor or discharge but rather due to vaginal dryness (which causes pain during sex), I also have very low libido, digestive issues that I mentioned above and recently heavier menstrual cycles and strange migraine/headache pains? I'm desperate and just booked another appointment with yet another new gyno and will insist on testing my hormones and possibly check me for endo, which I know can mimic digestive issues. Maybe it's my hormones that are causing this chaos with my BV and stomach issues. If anyone has/had a similar experience I would greatly appreciate your input or experience with this!
0 likes, 12 replies
jen78653 layna68454
Posted
Yes,
Mine actually started with IBS and then BV and UTI. I also had everything checked out with gastro and she said it was hormones and anxiety (which i developed during perimenopause). I never had BV in my life either and it is another gift of perimenopause. I would go see a urogynocologist or infectious disease specialist to help with your BV. They will test you for everything and come up with a plan to help.
Good luck.
layna68454 jen78653
Posted
Thank you for your reply! It helps to know that I'm not along in this nightmare situation. If you don't mind me asking, did addressing your hormonal issues help resolve your digestive and BV issues?
jen78653 layna68454
Posted
Layna,
i take a daily probiotic for my IBS and that helps. in addition, i used a five day course if metrogel and then went directly into seven days of boric acid. i take boric acid before and after my period and once a week to keep bv at bay. No specialist could prove it was hormonal and some offered hormones but i was too afraid of the side effects. 😃
Abcde22 layna68454
Posted
im having same exact issues but havent seen doctors yet
layna68454 Abcde22
Posted
I hope you feel better soon, you're not alone in this nightmare. I will be going to a new gyno soon to check my hormones and see if it might be contributing to these issues.
Miami29 layna68454
Posted
Hello,
All that you have mentioned, is happening to me. I believe the digestive issues are what caused the bv. its coming from there. i just cant figure out how to fix it. Keep me updated. thanks
layna68454 Miami29
Posted
I hope that we will find a solution soon! I will be seeing a new gyno in three weeks and we ask to check my hormones. I will keep you posted if I find out anything new. Thank you for the reply and I hope you feel better.
layna68454 Miami29
Posted
I know it's definitely coming from the gut-or the hormones could be triggering the gut. Probiotics did not work and made the stomach feel awful, I tried many over the years and I also think that probiotics contributed by messing up my gut even further by causing more dis-balance. Right now I'm trying to eat as many fruits and veggies s possible and making smoothies in my bullet to see if it will restore the natural flora in the gut. I just borrowed a book called "Mind and Gut Connection" by Dr Meyer, it talks about how to restore one's digestion so I'm hoping it might give me some helpful tips. I also watched a holistic lecture and it was suggested to try B-vitamin complex+ vitamin C (400 ml per day) and some sort of an antioxidant like spirulina or chlorela for the course of three months.
yellowbird45 layna68454
Posted
im going thru similar issues with menopause. i have excessive discharge and odor at times
i take herbs specifically for menopause and the bv
danielle_2737 layna68454
Posted
this sounds awful! im so sorry . im also 39 and ive been fighting recurrent bv for three years next month.
ask your dr to run a full culture panel. it could be a different bacteria causing all of your troubles. yesterday i saw a new dr and she was the first to mention this panel. im hoping it comes back with some i formation that will finally help me. i also asked her to send my urine out bc something is up i just dont know what.
layna68454 danielle_2737
Posted
Thank you for your comment and the tip about the full culture panel. I've asked doctors to test me for different bacteria before but it all fell on deaf ears-they just do a basic swab for BV and STDs and the end of story. One doctor actually got angry and started yelling at me that BV is just a BV an there's no difference in bacteria or types of BV! Shows you just how "competent" some of these "professionals" are. Anyway, I'm crossing my fingers and hopefully will get somewhere after two years of this nightmare. I hope you find some answers and wish you a good health!
Mimi777 layna68454
Posted
Layna,
have been going through a similar struggle as you and i am convinced that for one I have IBS and also that what ever is going on with my stomach is causing me to have a recurent BV . I have spent the past 12 months reading about it obsessively . The infuriating thing is that , although it keeps happening and I am sure I'm not the only one, the gynecologyst simply shrug and prescribe yet another antibiotic last year alone i went through 5 rounds of antibiotics . The matter that lacks logic and attention is the constant cycle of killing bacteria and the anxiety that goes with it just makes IBS worse which in turn possibly causes BV. . Boric acid treatment after a solusec seemed to keep me BV free for 6 months . That also came with its own set of frustrations but at least something worked for awhile .
It has been 9 months for you, what has changed if anything?