My Itchy Bacterial Vaginosis Was Difficult to Treat Till I Tried Antibiotic Gel and Cream

Oral antibiotics treat BV, but I prefer topical cream or gel
At first they gave me hard-core antibiotics. I had a lot of side effects. My urine was really dark, I had to pee all the time. Horrible stomach cramps, bad headaches, dizziness, and a really awful metallic taste in my mouth; my ears were ringing. It was the worst! You can't have any alcohol at all. I couldn't even use mouthwash or I'd vomit. I took that same pill when I had giardia.

But later I could use topical antibiotic gel, which was great. It was much better than the oral antibiotics. It's clear, doesn't smell like anything, and it didn't make me vomit. This last time I went in for BV, the doctor gave me a new suppository cream that cleared it up instantly. That stuff is a miracle cream.

Then at my recent visit with my new gyno, I learned they have a new product available over-the-counter—you can ask your pharmacist. You can test your own pH to see if it’s a yeast infection that can be treated with Monistat (miconazole), or if you need to go to your doctor and find out if it's BV.

Obviously the creams are messier than taking pills. And the other downside is that, if they are made with oil, they can make condoms less effective. But I feel like the side effects of the suppositories were a lot easier to deal with than the side effects of the oral antibiotic. The messiness kind of reminded me not to have sex. I think it's important, when you have BV, to skip the sex. Give your body a rest.