Bacterial Vaginosis?

So, last month I went to my doc because my boyfriend smelled some odor 'down there'. I was told I had bacterial vaginosis. No, it is not sexually transmitted, and my boyfriend is the first guy I've been with in a long time.

I took my meds they gave me and the problem seemed to be fixed but, the symptoms started again. I went back for a follow-up to be sure if it had gone away or not. It either did and I got it again or it has not gone away at all...

My boyfriend and I don't use condoms. Pregnancy is not a concern and we have both tested clean for STDs, so we don't wish to use protection.

What is going on and why does this persist? I am a VERY clean person and I don't understand why it is still going on? Any advice, tips or experience?

Please, no sarcastic comments.

The best way to prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis is to treat the initial episode with the most effective regimen. Metronidazole (500 mg orally twice daily for 7 days) has the lowest recurrence rate among antimicrobial regimens for bacterial vaginosis :
When bacterial vaginosis recurs, providers should confirm the diagnosis , identify and control risk factors for recurrence while retreating bacterial vaginosis . If the diagnosis is confirmed and retreatment falls, consider suppression with metronidazole 0.75% vaginal gel for 10 days followed by twice weekly administration for 4 to 6 months . No evidence supports treating sexual partners or administering oral or vaginal Lactobacillus acidophilus, but recolonization with vagina-specific lactobacilli (L crispatus and L jensenii) is undergoing Phase III clinical trials.

Bacterial vaginosis occurs when the acidity of the vagina changes, causes of this may include: -

* Sex without a condom, when semen enters the vagina.
* Using too many perfumed soaps or bubble baths.
* Douching (washing out your vagina).
* Using the coil / I.U.D.
The acidity (pH) of the vagina alters at different stages in the menstrual cycle and this may be another reason why the bacteria multiply. However, bacterial vaginosis can develop without any of these causes.
Bacterial infection tends to occur in women who have regular sex. The infection DOES NOT get passed on to the man.
MAY BE YOU CAN AVOID SEX FOR SOME DAYS AND THEN CONTINUE ONCE YOU ARE FULLY CURED

Treatment options for recurrent bacterial vaginosis are currently limited. Tinidazole MAY BE a useful option in women with recurrent bacterial vaginosis.

DONT WORRY
GET WELL SOON

i got this from a website

It is not very clear how a woman gets BV, however women are at an increased risk with multiple sex partners, douching and using an intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception. While doctors do not know how much sexual activity plays in the occurrence of BV, it is known that women who have never had sexual intercourse are very rarely affected with this infection.
go to gurl.com for more info
gurl.com
BV is a very common infection for women. It occurs when the balance of "bad" bacteria outweighs the "good" bacteria in the vagina. Recurrence of BV is also quite common, so don't take it too personally. Retreatment is normal. When you go for retreatment if you tried the oral treatment the first time (most often, metronidazole), maybe you could try the vaginal cream (Metrogel) instead and see if that clears it up better.
You might try abstaining from sexual contact during treatment.
Sometimes the infection can be triggered by another medication that you may be taking or maybe the pH of the vagina is being disrupted by over cleansing or use of irritating products. Anyway, I know it can be frustrating, so I hope that you get this sorted out soon. :)
Although it is common and can be because the balancte of bad bacteria is high because good bacteria is low, and no it isn't considered STD bu that does not mean that that your boyfriend can not reinfect you even if he has no symptoms. If you have finished the flagile and are still not better or if you have another infection it may be that your getting reinfected from your boyfriend. To solve the good bacteria vs bad...thing like probiotics are looking into the ph of your vagina contributing may help!!!!

Hope you feel better soon!