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Vaginal Strep in a Non Pregnant Woman
Hi, I had been having lots of itching, burning and a brownish discharge for two weeks after a fun sex filled weekend with a boyfriend whom I only see every two months or so. This happens often and I have always treated it as a possible yeast infeciton. This time it didn't go away and so I saw my ob/gyn. She took a culture and found strep B, which has nothing to do with Strep A that creates strep throat. She said she could give me antibiotics to make it go away but then I would get a yeast infeciton from the antibiotics and then we'd have to use another cream etc. She said just to let it ride it's course. Now it's been three and ahalf weeks and it's better but not all healed. Does anyone have any ideas about treating this or preventing this? Every article on the internet has to do with Strep B in prenatal women (when it is very dangerous for the baby) and nothing about Strep B for regular women in their 40's like me :) Thanks, I'd love to hear from anyone who has ever been treated for this disease or any doctors out there.
For the last month I've been noticing milky white discharge and a slight oder that I could sometimes smell trough panties and pants as well as some itching. They started to ebb as my period approached. 1 week ago today I did my usual Brazilian waxing. Later that day, I douched with my typical brand I use before and after my period, and it burned like heck all inside of my vagina. I dismissed it as maybe they had changed their formula.
Later that night, my boyfriend (having not yet had a shower) and I had fairly rough sex for an hour straight and we were both quite raw. I noticed a small tear on the thin/tight skin at the bottom of my vaginal opening (where I often get tears from sex or hastily placing a tampon, etc), but I thought little of it. The next morning we were both still rather raw and it burned the tear/cut when I urinated. Later that day (Saturday), I was stuck in the cold pouring rain for 2 hours in very tight (non-cotton) leggings. Later that night, I started my period, but we decided to have sex again despite both of us being sore. He ejactulated inside of me for the first time, and I rinsed it out with warm water immediately. The next morning we were both even more sore and raw, and I noticed the burning was worse when urine hit the tear. I also noticed another small tear on the side of my vaginal opening. Urinating was becoming worse. I also noticed some yeast infection, so I started taking Apple Cider Vinegar baths every night and it eased the pain and the yeast went away. But the tears, itching and milking period blood discharged stayed.
Over the next few days, another tear appeared on the other side of my vagina but not directly across. Then I started swelling, and some of my hairs had started growing back and causing ingrowns, and I noticed even more tears appearing. The pain from urinating on them was causing me to nearly pass out. To the point I spend most days in tears, and can only pee when in a bathtub full of warm water.
I finally got in to see a doctor (Wednesday) and explained what was happening. He took one look and said "these look herpetic."
I aske "really? Even though they aren't clustered together, aren't ulcers, aren't puss filled, and my last test since my last partner came back negative?"
He replied "the ingrown hairs are throwing me off. Do you wax INSIDE the labia/lips? Is that a thing?"
When I replied yes and that I'm most prone to ingrowns in that area, he said "then it might be BV. I'm going to take a swab test to be positive."
(I had found a post from a girl with identical symptoms and tears, who's doctor could never figure out what it was. They got it to go away with an antibiotic, antiviral and topical lidocaine for the pain)
He concluded my visit with saying it's probably just BV but taking blood work to run a full STD screening just to be safe as I am exposed to bodily fluids with my job. He prescribed me Doxycycline, Fluconazole, Valtrex, Metrogel, and lidocaine. He said I could wait on the Metrogel and get it if it doesn't clear up.
The last 2 days I have noticed more severe pain (not when I urinate as the lidocaine helps alleviate that) but from significant swelling and general pressure, as well as pain in and around my anus. Still no ulcers or clusters or typical herpes symptoms. The last 2 days I noticed flu like symptoms. Everything I've read points to about every single infection and disease and logic tells me it isn't herpes, but that seed of doubt is there that maybe my last test was negative and it's just been lying dormant in my system.
To add to my thoughts it might be bacterial and not viral, I haven't been taking my probiotics for a month as I normally do, been eating a ton of sugar and carbs everyday, douched (which can kill off the good bacteria that fight the bad), drinking more alcohol than normal, was in soaking wet tight clothes for 2+ hours, was ejaculated in (semen lowers the alkaline levels so your body has a harder time fighting infection/disease/cancer), and I'm already prone to candida overgrowth.
Just found out about GBS an hour ago. Am wondering if this is what I (as well as that girl from the other post) possibly have? Won't get my test results for another 5 days. Still in pain. Taking the medications WITH my probiotics
Later that night, my boyfriend (having not yet had a shower) and I had fairly rough sex for an hour straight and we were both quite raw. I noticed a small tear on the thin/tight skin at the bottom of my vaginal opening (where I often get tears from sex or hastily placing a tampon, etc), but I thought little of it. The next morning we were both still rather raw and it burned the tear/cut when I urinated. Later that day (Saturday), I was stuck in the cold pouring rain for 2 hours in very tight (non-cotton) leggings. Later that night, I started my period, but we decided to have sex again despite both of us being sore. He ejactulated inside of me for the first time, and I rinsed it out with warm water immediately. The next morning we were both even more sore and raw, and I noticed the burning was worse when urine hit the tear. I also noticed another small tear on the side of my vaginal opening. Urinating was becoming worse. I also noticed some yeast infection, so I started taking Apple Cider Vinegar baths every night and it eased the pain and the yeast went away. But the tears, itching and milking period blood discharged stayed.
Over the next few days, another tear appeared on the other side of my vagina but not directly across. Then I started swelling, and some of my hairs had started growing back and causing ingrowns, and I noticed even more tears appearing. The pain from urinating on them was causing me to nearly pass out. To the point I spend most days in tears, and can only pee when in a bathtub full of warm water.
I finally got in to see a doctor (Wednesday) and explained what was happening. He took one look and said "these look herpetic."
I aske "really? Even though they aren't clustered together, aren't ulcers, aren't puss filled, and my last test since my last partner came back negative?"
He replied "the ingrown hairs are throwing me off. Do you wax INSIDE the labia/lips? Is that a thing?"
When I replied yes and that I'm most prone to ingrowns in that area, he said "then it might be BV. I'm going to take a swab test to be positive."
(I had found a post from a girl with identical symptoms and tears, who's doctor could never figure out what it was. They got it to go away with an antibiotic, antiviral and topical lidocaine for the pain)
He concluded my visit with saying it's probably just BV but taking blood work to run a full STD screening just to be safe as I am exposed to bodily fluids with my job. He prescribed me Doxycycline, Fluconazole, Valtrex, Metrogel, and lidocaine. He said I could wait on the Metrogel and get it if it doesn't clear up.
The last 2 days I have noticed more severe pain (not when I urinate as the lidocaine helps alleviate that) but from significant swelling and general pressure, as well as pain in and around my anus. Still no ulcers or clusters or typical herpes symptoms. The last 2 days I noticed flu like symptoms. Everything I've read points to about every single infection and disease and logic tells me it isn't herpes, but that seed of doubt is there that maybe my last test was negative and it's just been lying dormant in my system.
To add to my thoughts it might be bacterial and not viral, I haven't been taking my probiotics for a month as I normally do, been eating a ton of sugar and carbs everyday, douched (which can kill off the good bacteria that fight the bad), drinking more alcohol than normal, was in soaking wet tight clothes for 2+ hours, was ejaculated in (semen lowers the alkaline levels so your body has a harder time fighting infection/disease/cancer), and I'm already prone to candida overgrowth.
Just found out about GBS an hour ago. Am wondering if this is what I (as well as that girl from the other post) possibly have? Won't get my test results for another 5 days. Still in pain. Taking the medications WITH my probiotics
Hi, I've been reading this for a few hours and although I'm happy that I'm not the only one I am annoyed that since 2009!!! There is no proper cure, why would they only treat pregnant women these symptoms are putting me under so much stress and irritation all the time. It is all confusing me because a lot of people have been saying it all started after they've had sex, but apparently you can't catch it through sex, however I've been seeing trends of people saying their boyfriend has diabetes and they think it is something to do with that, my boyfriend has diabetes also, but I don't want to ask him to get checked for it unless it really could be something to do with him because it will just cause a big argument, I've already made him get an std check and after that he said he never wants me to make him do that again because "he knew he was all clear, and that I should just trust him... I'm 18 and I really don't want to have to go through this the rest of my life, I'm currently on my first treatment of penicillin, although I haven't completed the course yet I'm pretty sure it's not going to do anything for me after reading all of these comments. I'm sick and tired of this as I'm sure most of you are but if anyone has found a proper treatment not just vitamins and putting garlic up there as experiments, I don't have the money for all this experimenting I'm just wondering if anybody can give me some proper advice or if anybody has found a proper cure, I've read from 2009-2013 and after that they all sort of said the same... The symptoms I've got is the itchiness, pure white discharge, and irritation, sex hurts and not only is there the stress of dealing with this ideation but it's getting it in the ear all the time from my partner asking when can we have sex again. Another thing, this could just be me, but the smell of what I've got isn't bad but it's a distinctive one and i remember when I first had sex with my boyfriend it is the same smell as what he smelt like (down there) I didn't think anything of it because it isn't a bad smell it's kind of bland but it is still the same as what I've now got, however he has no symptoms so really don't want to bring it up unless I am right, and one last thing we use condoms all the time so can I really catch it off him from just just touching each other down there- can you catch strep B and is there a cure??? Thanks
Hi guys,
Update from me: I'm still fighting this infection and it is worse than ever. Intercourse hurts very bad, I feel like I have glass in my vagina. I also have pain with urination. And still the thick white discharge. Will definitely update if I ever find a cure.
Update from me: I'm still fighting this infection and it is worse than ever. Intercourse hurts very bad, I feel like I have glass in my vagina. I also have pain with urination. And still the thick white discharge. Will definitely update if I ever find a cure.
Greetings Ladies, this evening I discovered these posts and I am very glad that there is so much information available; it provides the great opportunity to seek a solution. So far from what I have gathered strep b has nothing to do with strep a. It is a normally occurring bacteria in the lower intestine, that can become colonized and have negative effects if allowed to bloom when the bodies immune system is lowered and unable to keep its healthy bacteria at a 'normal' level. When strep b does in fact become colonized ( in either the female urinary tract, vagina , or men's urethra/ no pain accompanied for men) it often causes a series of side effects including: tenderness, swelling, redness, irritation, burning, itching and chunky, snotty, thick or creamy white, yellow or green discharge. It can also cause pain during sex, cramping, tingling, leg pain, back pain, irritability and anxiety and low self esteem(no doubt from prolonged symptoms). From what I can tell the bacteria seems to have patterns/waves/blooms where the infection can become very intense and pervasive followed by periods of hibernation/ dormancy. The numbers of no. Pregnant GBS carriers in North America has risen from approx 4%to 7% in the last 20 years and is now being seen in young women who are not pregnant or have not been pregnant as opposed to earlier statistics where GBS mostly occurred in menopausal women or pregnant women. Studies - although very few - show that women of African descent are more suseptable. GBS sis not an STD , although it is believed by some medical practitioners to be triggered by sex. Although many women who have suffered yeast and vaginitis often become carriers of GBS it does not mean that having yeast infections or vaginitis will ensure and increased risk of GBS. There is an undeniable link however, to women that have take. Antibiotics within the past 30 days and having GBS. So far from what I can tell this seems to be a vitamin/ hormonal imbalance issue that can mostly be fixed with regimented natural remedies/diet/ supplementation and excersize. Two years ago I was very ill and went to the ER, it turns out I was disastrously I'll with a cervical infection and that I was pregnant . They gave me antibiotics that were so strong they insured my child would have severe birth defects. Unfortunately I could not carry my baby to term and underwent a severely traumatic time in my life. A few weeks later I received a phone call from the doctor who nonchalantly told me I had GBS but not to worry about it. The following years have been vaginal hell. Every clinic has treated me for bladder infections or cervical infections etc., it was not until a few hours ago that I realized how very real GBS Is and how completely uninformed the medical community at large is ( special thanks to any practitioners who stay relevant and updated). I will keep you posted on my healing journey and methods. Thanks to all good luck!
Hi all, I am glad I have come across this site as I have just been diagnosed with a group B step infection. However my infection is in my anus. I was wondering if anyone else has the infection there. The itch in that area and perineum is unbearable. It is itchy constantly, I wake most night a couple of times with the itch. I have had this itch for over 5 years and have tried every lotion and potion. Only last week did I ask the doctor to take a swab (after being to a dermatologist who couldn't do anything for me). That test came back with GBS infection so I have been put on a course of antibiotics for 2 weeks. I really hope this is what is causing the itch. Is anyone else experiencing this itch in the back end?
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