I decided to create a new thread because it looks like my original thread is going to expire soon. The thread turned out to be very long with a lot of women involved so I thought it would be nice to continue the conversation in a part 2.
Anyway, just a quick update on my status; I feel like I am moving in the right direction. As you all know I had my second follow-up appointment with Dr. Stewart on the 20th. The appointment was bitter sweet I would say. First off, I ended up taking about 7 cultures by choice(at home) when she told me to do one, because I figured the more the better chance something positive would show up. So far only, 2 culture results came back and at the visit Dr. Stewart told me the 2 results were NEGATIVE. STILL, I am testing negative.
I found this to be very dissapointing because I realize that the first step needs to be a diagnosis. After Dr. Stewart examined me and looked at my discharge under the microscope, she looked completely stumped. At this point she looked like she really didnt know what was wrong with me although I could tell she didnt want to say it. At this point, I wanted to just cry. Its the worst feeling to know that I stumped the greatest specialist around. But unlike these other unhelpful GYNs, she was still positive and was really thinking hard instead of just giving up and being quick to kick me out. She wasnt like that at all and I really love her for that. She then made a suggestion that made me feel better. She asked me if I wanted to try boric acid suppositories and I gratefully said yes.
So here I am now doing the boric acid treatment. Tonight will be my second night on boric acid. My gut feeling has been telling me for a long time that boric acid is what I need to try so I am happy I am finally on it. I am inserting them nightly for 14 days and PRAYING that this is it. I am praying that the Boric Acid will knock this issue (whatever it is) out and out for good! I am praying that this is the solution and that I will soon be cured.
Last night, the feeling down there was kind of strange, differnet. It was soothing yet "stinging" feeling at the same time. I do already feel some slight relief which is a great feeling. I can only pray that it gets better from here on out. Those of you who used boric acid, what did it feel like down there while on it? How could you tell it was working for you?
In addition, I am watching what I eat while using the boric acid and trying my hardest (eventhough this is REALLY hard for me) to avoid bread and sugar because deep in my heart I still BELIEVE this is a yeast problem (non-albicans resistant yeast to be exact). Do you ladies suggest that I use probiotics while using the boric acid as well?
Anyway, I hope this helps you ladies. All of you ladies are in my prayers, hopefully I am in your prayers as well. Stay strong and positive. I will keep you all updated on my status. Much Love. <3
While I was doing the boric acid suppositories, it was going pretty fine in the beginning; I didn't experience anything odd. It was only when I kept doing them over and over again, I would experience a watery discharge first thing in the morning when I stood up and a slight burning when it came out, and since the boric acid was thinning out the discharge and killing everything in it's path, I experience absolutely no discharge after a while. Dr. Stewart actually said there was little to no lactobacillius under the microscope. It was a bad idea for me to keep taking it over and over again like I did.
Your probably more sensitive to the suppositories if your already dealing with having pain and irritation vaginally.
I personally do recommend that you take a probiotic. I think it's a great idea for anyone to take probiotics since it's good for the digestive tract and keeps a constant flow of the "good" bacteria in the body helping it fight and prevent infections among other things. Fem-Dophilus and RepHresh Pro-B would work the best for you. Have you read the Yeast Connection yet? You should try the Synergy Kombucha drinks it's also a good source of probiotics. Maybe they have it on your campus.
What kind of questions did you ask her during your visit?
Thanks for noticing that the thread may expire soon. I sure hope you get relief from the boric acid. I am in the exact same boat as you. Symptoms the same and no positive yeast results. I did start to cry when my doc said that she was stumped.
I will tell you that I was convinced for a very long time that it was yeast and I did Diflucan and the diet twice. Both times it was for at least 4 weeks. Every time I did it I ended up with BV. I have been eating whatever I want lately and I see no difference. But it is still good to try. And it is better to eat that way. I admittedly felt better in general when I was on the yeast free diet. I did it hardcore. I lived off of vegetables, meats, eggs & nuts.
Good luck. Keep us up to date. The earliest I could get in with my doc was 4 weeks later. I will be seeing her in another week. But I have no thoughts that I will get very far right away. Last weekend I went through a mourning where I came to the conclusion that this will be with me for a very long time. I am not giving up, but I also know that I will not find a solution easily.
Hi SweetPea!
Nice to hear about your appt with Dr. Stewart. I read her whole book searching for answers too. Well, as i told you in another thread I used a lot of meds with little results. I did not use boric acid, BUT my gyn prescribed thuja suppositories (they call ovules in Brazil) 10%, and so far it has been the only thing that reduced considerably my discharge. Itching and burning are getting better too. I am waiting to finish the 7 of them to check if the yeast is gone (or whatever it is that is driving me insane). As I told you i had cytolitic vaginosis because of excess of Acidophillus. The discharge is slightly different, but as uncomfortable as candida. So, my experience with overdosing on probiotics was not successful to treat the problem, and created me even more discharge. But a lot of people get good results.
I pray that we all get results eventually, it seems like a dead end road, but we need to keep fighting.
I am happy to hear you are on the right track sweetpea.I wish I had Dr Stewart she sounds wonderful.I will give you all an update. I am actually scared to write that I am feeling alot better in case I jinz it, but I am actually starting to feel quite a bit better.I did baking soda sitz baths for 3 day's in a row and 1 day of a boric acid suppository.I don't have the sour milk odor anymore and I have less irritation.I stopped using the probiotic everyday and just take it twice a week.
I am hoping that I have things under control.I am very happy I came across this thread as it has given me hope.It is nice to know I am not alone.
While I was doing the boric acid suppositories, it was going pretty fine in the beginning; I didn't experience anything odd. It was only when I kept doing them over and over again, I would experience a watery discharge first thing in the morning when I stood up and a slight burning when it came out, and since the boric acid was thinning out the discharge and killing everything in it's path, I experience absolutely no discharge after a while. Dr. Stewart actually said there was little to no lactobacillius under the microscope. It was a bad idea for me to keep taking it over and over again like I did.
Your probably more sensitive to the suppositories if your already dealing with having pain and irritation vaginally.
I personally do recommend that you take a probiotic. I think it's a great idea for anyone to take probiotics since it's good for the digestive tract and keeps a constant flow of the "good" bacteria in the body helping it fight and prevent infections among other things. Fem-Dophilus and RepHresh Pro-B would work the best for you. Have you read the Yeast Connection yet? You should try the Synergy Kombucha drinks it's also a good source of probiotics. Maybe they have it on your campus.
What kind of questions did you ask her during your visit?
I'm hoping this boric acid works for you!
What do you mean you took it over and over again? I thought you only did it for 2 weeks. Im not having pain at all. Its a strange feeling. Now it feels less itchy and more sore/burning I guess. I hope that is a good thing. So far, Ive seen some discharge coming out but as of right now I dont see any discharge. I hope this is a good sign too. Im currently taking Pro-B but I need to buy some more Fem-Dolhilus. I ran out a long time ago. Is PB8 (probiotic acidophilus for life) acceptable too? Isnt it the same thing as pro-B?? As for questions, I asked does she think this could be non-albicans yeast and she said yes, possibly but its strange that Im not testing positive at all. I also asked her when they did the culture, if the test all types of yeast and she said yes they do and there are over 100 different types of species...
Hi SweetPea!
Nice to hear about your appt with Dr. Stewart. I read her whole book searching for answers too. Well, as i told you in another thread I used a lot of meds with little results. I did not use boric acid, BUT my gyn prescribed thuja suppositories (they call ovules in Brazil) 10%, and so far it has been the only thing that reduced considerably my discharge. Itching and burning are getting better too. I am waiting to finish the 7 of them to check if the yeast is gone (or whatever it is that is driving me insane). As I told you i had cytolitic vaginosis because of excess of Acidophillus. The discharge is slightly different, but as uncomfortable as candida. So, my experience with overdosing on probiotics was not successful to treat the problem, and created me even more discharge. But a lot of people get good results.
I pray that we all get results eventually, it seems like a dead end road, but we need to keep fighting.
I thought I had CV at one point, just wondering how is does the discharge look when you have CV? How are the symptoms different? I am experiencing a little less itching but more of a burning sensation now...are you experiencing this too? Please keep me updated....
I am happy to hear you are on the right track sweetpea.I wish I had Dr Stewart she sounds wonderful.I will give you all an update. I am actually scared to write that I am feeling alot better in case I jinz it, but I am actually starting to feel quite a bit better.I did baking soda sitz baths for 3 day's in a row and 1 day of a boric acid suppository.I don't have the sour milk odor anymore and I have less irritation.I stopped using the probiotic everyday and just take it twice a week.
I am hoping that I have things under control.I am very happy I came across this thread as it has given me hope.It is nice to know I am not alone.
Thank you! Glad to hear about your improvement as well. Please keep us posted and trust me you are not alone!
Thanks for noticing that the thread may expire soon. I sure hope you get relief from the boric acid. I am in the exact same boat as you. Symptoms the same and no positive yeast results. I did start to cry when my doc said that she was stumped.
I will tell you that I was convinced for a very long time that it was yeast and I did Diflucan and the diet twice. Both times it was for at least 4 weeks. Every time I did it I ended up with BV. I have been eating whatever I want lately and I see no difference. But it is still good to try. And it is better to eat that way. I admittedly felt better in general when I was on the yeast free diet. I did it hardcore. I lived off of vegetables, meats, eggs & nuts.
Good luck. Keep us up to date. The earliest I could get in with my doc was 4 weeks later. I will be seeing her in another week. But I have no thoughts that I will get very far right away. Last weekend I went through a mourning where I came to the conclusion that this will be with me for a very long time. I am not giving up, but I also know that I will not find a solution easily.
Yes, this diet is super hard! I cant do it. When I try, I still always feel hungry and light-headed :-/ so Im just going to "cut back" instead of compeletly remove all anti-yeast foods for now...stay strong hun and please keep us informed on the appt!
my improvement was short lived it was nice to feel normal for a couple of day's though.It seems my symtoms returned after intercourse.I am so very depressed and frustrated.
SweetPea: It seemed for me the longer I continued doing the boric acid suppositories, the thinner my discharge got and it would also cause a burning sensation. This happened after my 14 days of treatment.
Fem-Dophilus and RepHresh Pro-B are basically the same patented strains of bacteria but under a different brand. However RepHresh Pro-B is more expensive for some reason, probably because it doesn't have to be refrigerated and because it's stabilized/freeze dried. Fem-Dophilus came out first but I think RepHresh Pro-B is becoming more mainstream since there's now commercials and advertisements for it etc.
PB8 or "Nutrition Now PB 8 Pro-Biotic Acidophilus for Life" isn't a brand that I was familiar with but I did come across it a few times. It seems appealing since it has eight strains of bacteria but I don't think it's specifically good for vaginal flora type issues. PB8 does not have the same strains as RepHresh Pro-B or Fem-Dophilus so it is not the same thing.
Donato and SweetPea:
I read about Cytolytic Vaginosis in Dr. Stewarts book and she actually said that it was debunked, or in other words Cytolytic Vaginosis probably doesn't exist. Apparently if lactobacillius were to overgrow they "would kill themselves off." To anyone that already has her book it is Chapter 13 Vag Itch, Continued - Lesser Known Sources of Vaginitis, page 245 titled "The Discounted Problem: Lactobacillius Overgrowth." You can read more about that said theory of lactobacillius overgrowth in the book. She actually says,
Quote:
"If your told you have an overgrowth of lactobacillius, you need another opinion. It's possible that your vagina needs time to reequilibrate after multiple treatments ... It's possible that yeast is still around but not seen on your wet prep slide ... there may be some other cause for your itching and discharge ..."
As I posted before I had a chronic itch for 5 years. I have found the answer to my issue now but just wanted to note here that when I thought my issue was yeast I saw a natural path who had me use Grapefruit seed extract. I put some drops with water in a spray bottle and sprayed it on my "area" and also took it mixed with juice 3x a day. GSE is amazing stuff...google it and add it to your treatment
About cytolitic vaginosis and Dr. Stewart book..yes, I read that AFTER I had my appt with my GYN (in Brazil). And i got confused with the info...The doctor in Brazil diagnosed me as having cervicitis and the pathologist found tons of lactobacilli in cytolisis , forming white clumps falling from the internal walls of the vagina. The thing is after stopping the Acidophillus it got beter in amount. I think my body produced too much, because now it seems more in balance. My pH is 4.5 now, but i still have discomfort....i will have it checked again for yeast, although my last exam didn 't show yeast. Maybe I have non-albicans as Sweetpea thinks she has.
To SweetPea;
The discharge when I had CV was glistening white, abundant and creamier than when I was treated for yeast infection. But if your exam shows you have just a little or no lactobacilli, I don 't believe you have CV at all. As i told you before, the thuja suppositories decreased my symptoms overall. I am looking for them here in New Jersey, but i can only find pellets (homeopathic stores). I brought the suppositories from Brazil, and they only lasted for 7 days, and I felt they were working well, especially with the burning.
I love the idea we can share our experiences here and figure out what is wrong with our bodies..
By the way, how long it took you girls to get an appt with Dr. Stewart?
Misty, what is your problem? I have come to the party a bit late and although I have read the entire previous thread I somehow missed that. I am glad you figured it out, but I would love to know what it is. The more I know about others that have been helped, the more hopeful I get about finding help for myself.
Thanks
Last edited by danangirls; 08-25-2010 at 04:39 PM.
I had chronic itch on my vulva for 5 years, was told it was yeast, wasnt yeast, they didnt know what I had...finally I was just diagnosed with dysplasia or VIN Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia.
Oh and edited to add I had a biopsy done on the 13th of July and have started using my prescibed cream and I for the first time in 5 years am itch free
It usually takes months to get an appointment with Dr. Stewart. If your someone with a busy schedule, making an appointment with her can be kind of difficult considering you don't want to be menstruating and she only works certain days out of the week. She works at a hospital, and I think she is also an assistant professor at a college in addition to working at her medical branch Stewart/Forbes in Burlington, MA. All of the waiting is worth it since I know I'm in good hands. I suggest you consult with her if you want a second opinion.
Thanks, SwtSimplicity, for the info about the appts...as a matter of fact i need a third opinion, since I have already been seen by 2 doctors in 2 different countries with little results. Well, she is an expert, so I should try....
So I have finished the 14 days of boric acid. Unfortunately I am NOT cured but I DO feel a lot better. I could tell the boric acid was working, I felt better immediately and there were times I would wake up in the morning and almost feel good as new. The boric acid comepletely got rid of my abnormal discharge andmade it look overall really better down there (skin didn't have a "white film look" anymore). If just looked nice and clear down there. Towards the last few days, I was experiencing a increased burning sensation. I don't know why, I assumed it was just normal side effects from the boric acid. The very last day on the boric acid, my period came and it seems like this threw everything off because I felt an increase of irritation. At this point I couldn't tell what was going on because I always have an increased irritation when I get my period anyway. I wanted to continue to use the boric acid because although it burned a little, I felt like it working. Dr. Stewart wouldn't give me a refill she told me to come in. So here I am now. Feeling still irriated but not as much. I even tried a little tea tree oild again since that's the only thing that ever really made me feel better. I see Dr. Stewart tomorrow. I really don't kno what to expect at this point and I'm actuallu kind of scared that Dr. Stewart might give me a flat out "I don't know what's wrong with you" and give up on me. 8m scared I might have stumped the specialist. I feel like she is my only hope. She's the best around. Istill have faith thought tht she can help me and for some reason I have a feeling that I need to get back on boric acid again. Tea tree oil felt soothing to me but boric acid felt like it was really doing something and kiling whatever is in there. Anyway, I will write to you guys again after my appt. With her tomorrow. Much luv!
So I have finished the 14 days of boric acid. Unfortunately I am NOT cured but I DO feel a lot better. I could tell the boric acid was working, I felt better immediately and there were times I would wake up in the morning and almost feel good as new. Then there were times a fter I ate a "sugary/carb products, Id feel a little more irritated. I always felt the best first thing when I woke up in the morning.The boric acid comepletely got rid of my abnormal discharge andmade it look overall really better down there (skin didn't have a "white film look" anymore). If just looked nice and clear down there. Towards the last few days, I was experiencing a increased burning sensation. I don't know why, I assumed it was just normal side effects from the boric acid. The very last day on the boric acid, my period came and it seems like this threw everything off because I felt an increase of irritation. At this point I couldn't tell what was going on because I always have an increased irritation when I get my period anyway. I wanted to continue to use the boric acid because although it burned a little, I felt like it working. Dr. Stewart wouldn't give me a refill she told me to come in. So here I am now. Feeling still irriated but not as much. I even tried a little tea tree oild again since that's the only thing that ever really made me feel better. I see Dr. Stewart tomorrow. I really don't kno what to expect at this point and I'm actuallu kind of scared that Dr. Stewart might give me a flat out "I don't know what's wrong with you" and give up on me. 8m scared I might have stumped the specialist. I feel like she is my only hope. She's the best around. Istill have faith thought tht she can help me and for some reason I have a feeling that I need to get back on boric acid again. Tea tree oil felt soothing to me but boric acid felt like it was really doing something and kiling whatever is in there. Anyway, I will write to you guys again after my appt. With her tomorrow. Much luv!
SwtSimplicity:
How long did you use the boric acid in total?? Like how many days? Did Dr. Stewart give you a refil or did u make it yourslef?? I wanna to take it again....
Well ladies I feel like crying I am so depressed.I have had my symtoms for about 6 months now.I have tried many things the most recent boric acid suppositories usually they give me some relief and I was feeling alittle better until the 5th day.I don't think I will continue.I tried baking soda sitz baths and that helped for a couple of day's.I don't know what to do.I don't even want to visit my boyfriend cause I am in pain but I am too embarressed to tell him what is going on.Sexual intercourse does not usually make my symtoms worse but does not make them feel any better either.I have been experiencing a sour milk odor along with a white creamy substance it is not really a discharge because it does not exit my vagina,sorry for the graphics.
Still no word about a GYN appointment tired of going to my family Dr cause she saids there is nothing wrong.I hope we all find relief soon.
Re: Chronic irritation 
Re: Chronic irritation 
