I have bacterial vaginosis; had no idea!!

[Mommy's Angel]

Some antibiotics have to be taken with food because they are a bit more potent. I don't think you "have" to take flagyl with food, but I do.

Another thing, which I'm not sure everyone knows is you CANNOT drink alcohol while taking this med. You will get DEATHLY sick because the combination is believed to have the ability to block the body's breakdown of alcohol, leading to an accumulation of a substance called acetaldehyde in the blood stream.

Side effects include nausea, vomiting, flushing of the skin, tachycardia (accelerated heart rate), shortness of breath, and even death if you drink alcohol while on flagyl.

So make sure your not drinking with it. Otherwise take with food. Maybe that will help your stomach problems.

 

[Allie84]

LOL Tink!!! Thanks.

Thanks Mommy's Angel. No, definitely not drinking!!! Yikes, sounds scary. I have been taking it with fodd but maybe a bit more would be good.

I laid on my left side and the pains went away so I'm thinking regular preganncy pains or round ligament.

I do have a headache, but I've been getting headaches often the past few weeks anyways so I can't really blame the antibiotic.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

LOL Tink!!! Thanks.

Thanks Mommy's Angel. No, definitely not drinking!!! Yikes, sounds scary. I have been taking it with fodd but maybe a bit more would be good.

I laid on my left side and the pains went away so I'm thinking regular preganncy pains or round ligament.

I do have a headache, but I've been getting headaches often the past few weeks anyways so I can't really blame the antibiotic.

Nope, headaches and round ligament are normal pregnancy issues. The only real side effect most talk about with flagyl is the metal taste in their mouths. Which may be sensitive to your tummy.

 

[ProudMum]

if they dont routinely test for it and BV doesnt always cause symptoms what happens if you've got it and are not aware of it?..

what effect does that have on your pregnancy??

 

[Cherrybinky]

Hi, I did a post on this last week as I noticed a strange smell too over a 2 week period. I had no discharge, no itching nothing else just an ammonia smell. I was aware it could be BV so went to the Drs. She took a swab and Im still waiting for the results. She said its very common nothing to worry about but may need anti biotics if its BV or a similar infection.

If you DO have it and have no symptoms, it wont really do much at all until towards the end of Tri 3 it can cause premature labour and blood poisoning for the baby but they usually just put a drip in of anti biotics and its sorted out.

My Dr told me its nothing serious and not to worry and they dont do further tests till nearer birth.

 

[Lara310809]

Wow, thanks for posting. I have had smelly discharge, but didn't realise it could be something dangerous.

 

[ProudMum]

hmm.. so if it goes completely undiagnosed...does it cause serious harm? ive had 2 boys, both overdue and over 8lb... never heard of it in my previous pregnancies.

 

[Allie84]

ProudMum, I wouldn't worry. I read a few medical journal articles on this because I'm a bit obsessive and it appears that asymptomatic cases don't benefit from treatment anyways. Whatever that means. It has been concluded that it's not worth testing everyone for, just people with a history of preterm or problems, who are high risk, or those with symptoms. What I read is if you have symptoms, it's best to treat it.

I'm kind of in the limbo group because I had no smell, had no discharge I would consider unusual (it was white, a bit yellowy, a bit wet). The only thing that tipped off my midwife to check is I was a bit itchy, and even that was only once a day or so I would notice it.

One thing though, is that since I've started the antibiotics my discharge has completely stopped.

 

[Cherrybinky]

I wouldnt worry either

To be honest, i wouldnt have thought a thing of it at all if it hadnt been for the strange smell. The Dr said I had lots of discharge which wasnt normal but Ive read so much on it and apparently it is quite normal.

 

[mummydeb]

have not read all the posts yet sorry.
just wanted to say dont feel bad or dirty and try not to worry with my dd i found out i had cylamidia when i was 15wks preg of my ever so kind ex husband cant blame him though as we split up for a while before we got married and i didnt find out untill 15wks so i had it a long time and my dd was 8 days early and fine.
im sure all will be ok as you are taking meds now.
also with this baby iv had strange discharge a bit green had swaps done at 7wks preg and didnt hear anything back

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Hi, I did a post on this last week as I noticed a strange smell too over a 2 week period. I had no discharge, no itching nothing else just an ammonia smell. I was aware it could be BV so went to the Drs. She took a swab and Im still waiting for the results. She said its very common nothing to worry about but may need anti biotics if its BV or a similar infection.

If you DO have it and have no symptoms, it wont really do much at all until towards the end of Tri 3 it can cause premature labour and blood poisoning for the baby but they usually just put a drip in of anti biotics and its sorted out.

My Dr told me its nothing serious and not to worry and they dont do further tests till nearer birth.

This is inaccurate as I had PTL and lost my son at 22wks with BV wreaking havoc because my cervix was compromised. The truth here is that if you have a compromised cervix where there's ANY kind of a small opening, BV can come in at any time. Once BV has access, it will cause inflammation and infection which can lead to the amniotic sac to bulge thus causing dilation and an inevitable outcome.

I'd say if there's not a routine exam and your not really seeing or feeling anything that you should be STILL be okay. Once you feel itching, smelling or pain that's when you should get a swab test and be treated. EVEN if you had itching a week prior and you think it went away, BV doesn't go away on it's own. It needs the proper antibiotics before it will go. It's a VERY tough bacteria!

Now, that being said though, if anyone has lost their mucus plug or knows they are prone to Incompetent Cervix or PTL, THEN you should get checked out Maybe once a month to be sure you don't have it.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

hmm.. so if it goes completely undiagnosed...does it cause serious harm? ive had 2 boys, both overdue and over 8lb... never heard of it in my previous pregnancies.

Seeing as though I have never had a full term baby I couldn't answer this fully. I can tell you that the harm it CAN cause is for you to go into labor early. BV is something we ALL carry in our bodies. For most people, when it's treated it shouldn't be of any harm.

I DO however believe that having yeast infections close to pregnancy can cause your baby to have thrush in the mouth. So I would ask your Dr. for a swab test, get whatever you have treated and actually ask about that correlation to delivering with BV.

As I said, I never got that far and this is the first time I've not only passed 22wks, but 24wks for Viability. So I'm in new territory now.

 

[Cherrybinky]

Thanks MommysAngel, I was just repeating what my Dr told me and also a friend who has strep b/BV who is due in 3 weeks time.

 

[MommyMoore503]

Just got over the antibiotics for BV. It sounded scary at first but after talking to a few close friends who also had it during pregnancy I felt a lot better. Other than a nasty taste in my mouth from the antibiotics they gave me I'm all good. Well... I never had symptoms in the first place so I guess I'm all good Makes me a little self concsious though. Hoping the significant other didn't think something was going on and too embarrassed to say anything. Wow, that'd be awkward. Anyway, I'm sure you're fine. Our V's have a mind and a system all their own and anything can throw off the pH of it all. There is a product called RepHresh that I got at the local store here. It's a vaginal gel used to neutralize pH and make your who-ha feeling fresh and clean.

Hope everything goes well with you bump! Don't stress
xx
Suzy

 

[Ginaerhol]

i had that in my 2nd pregnancy the antibiotics are brill clear it right up...try not to wash down there with perfumed soaps and stuff and dont douche or anything as this takes away the natural bacteria and stuff which can cause it. Oh and DONT google stuff xxx

 

[ProudMum]

Just got over the antibiotics for BV. It sounded scary at first but after talking to a few close friends who also had it during pregnancy I felt a lot better. Other than a nasty taste in my mouth from the antibiotics they gave me I'm all good. Well... I never had symptoms in the first place so I guess I'm all good Makes me a little self concsious though. Hoping the significant other didn't think something was going on and too embarrassed to say anything. Wow, that'd be awkward. Anyway, I'm sure you're fine. Our V's have a mind and a system all their own and anything can throw off the pH of it all. There is a product called RepHresh that I got at the local store here. It's a vaginal gel used to neutralize pH and make your who-ha feeling fresh and clean.

Hope everything goes well with you bump! Don't stress
xx
Suzy

I just bought some of this rephresh stuff online myself as I am concerned about having undiagnosed infection.. anyway £14 later I read it cant be used?

 

[Cherrybinky]

ProudMum, go to the Drs its quick, easy and accurate. x

 

[ProudMum]

ProudMum, go to the Drs its quick, easy and accurate. x

I have health phobia Fear of drs

 

[MommyMoore503]

Like almost all products on the market RepHresh says to consult your doctor for their opinion on what's best for you but their site does claims that it works best during times where pH levels can go unbalanced such as after your menstrual cycle, after sex, and during pregnancy. My doctor has no concerns for me using this product. Here is the link to their FAQ..

https://www.rephresh.co.uk/files/html/faq.htm

Just got over the antibiotics for BV. It sounded scary at first but after talking to a few close friends who also had it during pregnancy I felt a lot better. Other than a nasty taste in my mouth from the antibiotics they gave me I'm all good. Well... I never had symptoms in the first place so I guess I'm all good Makes me a little self concsious though. Hoping the significant other didn't think something was going on and too embarrassed to say anything. Wow, that'd be awkward. Anyway, I'm sure you're fine. Our V's have a mind and a system all their own and anything can throw off the pH of it all. There is a product called RepHresh that I got at the local store here. It's a vaginal gel used to neutralize pH and make your who-ha feeling fresh and clean.

Hope everything goes well with you bump! Don't stress
xx
Suzy

I just bought some of this rephresh stuff online myself as I am concerned about having undiagnosed infection.. anyway £14 later I read it cant be used?

 

[Allie84]

Thanks again everyone. Good point about the perfume/soap....I have been taking baths with Radox and bath gel/etc every day this pregnancy and also washing down there, which I know realize was a bad idea! Since I got BV I'm taking showers, or if I take a a bath to relax using no soap (and not washing my hair).