B.V., infections, toy cleaning..Anyone? I need help!

I fought bacterial vaginosis infections for thirteen or fourteen years of my life. They started when I was a teenager. I didn't know how to take care of my toys properly. But, my doctor and I always assumed it was due to a huge shift in my pH balance during my period and that my use of tampons was encouraging bacteria growth. I stopped using tampons. I still got infections.

So then we went 'round and 'round trying to figure out what we were doing wrong. My husband works in a dirty, messy industry. We thought it was him not washing his hands before we played. We became diligent about that. Still got infections.

I literally tossed every scented product I owned out the door, started over with an entire collection of perfume and dye-free products. Still got infections.

The only constant here? Porous toys and improper care. I don't like condoms, so that wasn't an option. It wasn't until I got to Eden and started learning about the differences in materials that I was able to put a stop to it. All of my toys are high-grade TPR or 100% silicone. I clean them after every use, I boil them all once a week and I try to keep them off the floor as much as possible.

I've been BV free for a year and a half now. I'm even considering trying to use tampons again.

My advice is to ditch the porous toys you have now and start building a silicone collection today. I would be more than happy to help you pick something out as I actively go through the product lines to see what new things they have in silicone. Some of them are pretty expensive, but if you add up all of those doctor visits, the metrogel, and the weeks you can't have even a sip of alcohol it's more than worth it. less

Accuflora is an Acidophilus supplement that you take twice a day. It's about $20 on Amazon.com for 240 pills, but I know you can also get it at Costco and other markets.

As for baby wipes, all I meant was: don't buy them at the dollar store. Stick with some brand like Huggies or something, and get the ones that are alcohol free, fragrance free, lotion free and for sensitive skin. At target, you can get their "up and up" brand for pretty cheap, and they work just fine (the only complaint I've ever found is that they're not as "thick" as the other brands, but that doesn't matter much for what you'd be using them for). less

Oh goodness! Thank you, Stormy'! That all sounds too familiar. And yes, it's no fun being on break from college right now and I can't even drink at parties with my friends the last week I'm home!!

Ahh...All signs seem to point to getting rid of the porous toys. That you for being willing to help me pick out new toys, that's very sweet of you!
I've spent months on pills that did nothing at all for me, weeks on metrogel, and much time and money on doctors visits and prescriptions, only to have to go back to the doctor within a few weeks or months. It really does add up.

All the lovely, and very helpful responses that I have gotten to this post have made me love the Eden Community even more! I wasn't even sure anyone would reply at all. Thank you all so much!

Now to figure out what to do with the porous toys I have... less

You're so very welcome! Feel free to send me a PM anytime. I used to cry everytime he would hand me that prescription and then we'd argue about how I couldn't afford the gel and needed the generic pill version, which is the hardest pill in the world to swallow. It's incredibly bitter. One day he got angry with me and told me that he couldn't keep doing this and that we had to figure it out. He told me some of the lesser known nastier side effects of metrogel and the like. Like turning your tongue black. No thank you! So I just stopped doing everything.

The first toy I bought from Eden was rubber. Got an infection. Read a few reviews and picked a TPR toy. That went over well enough but I still felt the familiar symptoms and then learned about silicone. I've been home-free ever since!

As for getting rid of them? You can do one of two things, either toss them in the trash or send them into a recycling program. You could also drop them off at the recycling center but you might get a laugh or two and a quizzical look. less

Yes, I too have had the arguments with doctors over yet another B.V. or yeast outbreak. The worst being one instance of being told basically, by a female nurse, that it was my fault and I had to "examine my life and figure out what I was doing to cause this". I was offended and very upset. As though I am somehow filthy and doing something wrong? Like I enjoy going through this!
Black tongue?! Nobody had told me about that! Yikes! that makes me really nervous.
So many times I've found myself crying over being in this situation yet again. Not being able to afford the prescriptions, but needing to get them and hoping them work. Having to take oral and topical medications in some instances in hopes that it would really knock it out, only to be back to buying yet another prescription a week later. Just last night I felt totally helpless about this situation. Just had to go to the doctor again, hadn't had an infection in a month or two. Figure it would be yeast, since I haven't had B.V. in a while now, she runs some tests and comes back and says it's B.V. and I was stunned and depressed. Hopefully if I can get this Accuflora, and get rid of these non-silicone toys, then I can get on with my life and I won't have to worry about it. ...I hate that it seems so easy for most people, they don't have to deal with this, and yet this is a problem that I can't even afford to handle.

Ugh! Do I really have to get rid of my Pirate's Janine ring?! It's the best ring I've ever found! less

Yes, you need to get rid of them all. I know it really sucks, but you'll forget about them in the long run.

My doctor and I have a pretty good relationship and he was being more parent-like than anything, and he would never shame me. But, I did have a public health employee shame me and well, let's just say that when the governor found out about it, she was fired. If it happens to you, report it immediately and to anyone who will listen.

But chin up, there is a solution and you will need to change a few things but in the end it's not a big deal. less

I fought bacterial vaginosis infections for thirteen or fourteen years of my life. They started when I was a teenager. I didn't know how to take care of my toys properly. But, my doctor and I always assumed it was due to a huge shift in my pH balance during my period and that my use of tampons was encouraging bacteria growth. I stopped using tampons. I still got infections.

So then we went 'round and 'round trying to figure out what we were doing wrong. My husband works in a dirty, messy industry. We thought it was him not washing his hands before we played. We became diligent about that. Still got infections.

I literally tossed every scented product I owned out the door, started over with an entire collection of perfume and dye-free products. Still got infections.

The only constant here? Porous toys and improper care. I don't like condoms, so that wasn't an option. It wasn't until I got to Eden and started learning about the differences in materials that I was able to put a stop to it. All of my toys are high-grade TPR or 100% silicone. I clean them after every use, I boil them all once a week and I try to keep them off the floor as much as possible.

I've been BV free for a year and a half now. I'm even considering trying to use tampons again.

My advice is to ditch the porous toys you have now and start building a silicone collection today. I would be more than happy to help you pick something out as I actively go through the product lines to see what new things they have in silicone. Some of them are pretty expensive, but if you add up all of those doctor visits, the metrogel, and the weeks you can't have even a sip of alcohol it's more than worth it. less

Ohhh, thank you for replying!

Ugh. I have been trying, but it is not always easy to find toys that look really good that are non-porous. Also, I am confused since I have been using my champlette for internal stimulation and my twisted hearts solely as a clit vibe, yet now I have B.V.? Plus, I had tried using condoms over all of my even remotely porous toys, and was doing that for almost a year, but it gets hard to do every time.

As for washing toys before every use, I wouldn't have necessarily thought of that. But the thing is that I can rarely clean my toys with water when I'm on campus, so I tend to use toy cleaners. I have tried taking acidophilus capsules, that was a while ago. I was taking them for a few months. I've been considering trying it again.

Seems like so much maintenance for me to masturbate and use toys! It's very frustrating. Almost makes me want to give up on toys completely...but how could I realistically do that?! less

I fought bacterial vaginosis infections for thirteen or fourteen years of my life. They started when I was a teenager. I didn't know how to take care of my toys properly. But, my doctor and I always assumed it was due to a huge shift in my pH balance during my period and that my use of tampons was encouraging bacteria growth. I stopped using tampons. I still got infections.

So then we went 'round and 'round trying to figure out what we were doing wrong. My husband works in a dirty, messy industry. We thought it was him not washing his hands before we played. We became diligent about that. Still got infections.

I literally tossed every scented product I owned out the door, started over with an entire collection of perfume and dye-free products. Still got infections.

The only constant here? Porous toys and improper care. I don't like condoms, so that wasn't an option. It wasn't until I got to Eden and started learning about the differences in materials that I was able to put a stop to it. All of my toys are high-grade TPR or 100% silicone. I clean them after every use, I boil them all once a week and I try to keep them off the floor as much as possible.

I've been BV free for a year and a half now. I'm even considering trying to use tampons again.

My advice is to ditch the porous toys you have now and start building a silicone collection today. I would be more than happy to help you pick something out as I actively go through the product lines to see what new things they have in silicone. Some of them are pretty expensive, but if you add up all of those doctor visits, the metrogel, and the weeks you can't have even a sip of alcohol it's more than worth it. less

Oh goodness! Thank you, Stormy'! That all sounds too familiar. And yes, it's no fun being on break from college right now and I can't even drink at parties with my friends the last week I'm home!!

Ahh...All signs seem to point to getting rid of the porous toys. That you for being willing to help me pick out new toys, that's very sweet of you!
I've spent months on pills that did nothing at all for me, weeks on metrogel, and much time and money on doctors visits and prescriptions, only to have to go back to the doctor within a few weeks or months. It really does add up.

All the lovely, and very helpful responses that I have gotten to this post have made me love the Eden Community even more! I wasn't even sure anyone would reply at all. Thank you all so much!

Now to figure out what to do with the porous toys I have... less

You're so very welcome! Feel free to send me a PM anytime. I used to cry everytime he would hand me that prescription and then we'd argue about how I couldn't afford the gel and needed the generic pill version, which is the hardest pill in the world to swallow. It's incredibly bitter. One day he got angry with me and told me that he couldn't keep doing this and that we had to figure it out. He told me some of the lesser known nastier side effects of metrogel and the like. Like turning your tongue black. No thank you! So I just stopped doing everything.

The first toy I bought from Eden was rubber. Got an infection. Read a few reviews and picked a TPR toy. That went over well enough but I still felt the familiar symptoms and then learned about silicone. I've been home-free ever since!

As for getting rid of them? You can do one of two things, either toss them in the trash or send them into a recycling program. You could also drop them off at the recycling center but you might get a laugh or two and a quizzical look. less

no! not too much maintenance. don't give up. just get glass, metal or silicone toys. i only ever use those kinds. i'm SOOO susceptible to yeast infections and have now had a BV for like... oh four months. been through 3 kinds of meds for it and... i dont have insurance to go to a real gyno, planned parenthood couldn't do anything more for me. so. i just have this BV.

get silicone, glass or metal toys and boil them between uses. don't use toy cleaner.


personally i've taken probiotic supplements... antibiotics to get rid of yeast infections, then immediately gotten BV. i keep going back and forth... just can't get a good balance in me! didnt happen at all when i was out of the country, living in italy, often eating vegan and/or macrobiotic meals.

sigh.


i'm afraid i don't have much advice for you other than the non-porous, boilable toys only recommendation.


good luck!! less

Yes, I too have had the arguments with doctors over yet another B.V. or yeast outbreak. The worst being one instance of being told basically, by a female nurse, that it was my fault and I had to "examine my life and figure out what I was doing to cause this". I was offended and very upset. As though I am somehow filthy and doing something wrong? Like I enjoy going through this!
Black tongue?! Nobody had told me about that! Yikes! that makes me really nervous.
So many times I've found myself crying over being in this situation yet again. Not being able to afford the prescriptions, but needing to get them and hoping them work. Having to take oral and topical medications in some instances in hopes that it would really knock it out, only to be back to buying yet another prescription a week later. Just last night I felt totally helpless about this situation. Just had to go to the doctor again, hadn't had an infection in a month or two. Figure it would be yeast, since I haven't had B.V. in a while now, she runs some tests and comes back and says it's B.V. and I was stunned and depressed. Hopefully if I can get this Accuflora, and get rid of these non-silicone toys, then I can get on with my life and I won't have to worry about it. ...I hate that it seems so easy for most people, they don't have to deal with this, and yet this is a problem that I can't even afford to handle.

Ugh! Do I really have to get rid of my Pirate's Janine ring?! It's the best ring I've ever found! less

@alice, I am so sorry you're having a difficult time with this. I truly hope it's BV and not trich. They mirror each other and if you weren't tested for trich you could be taking the wrong set of medications. If you can, please get re-tested for STDs.

@antipova, I totally agree that it should be covered by someone, but I'm not sure I would be okay with the school system doing it. Mostly because I believe they wouldn't bother or they would use shaming tactics in the process. But, it would be super helpful if toy manufacturers took it upon themselves to include instructions for proper care with all of those toys. So many things I've received, had no idea how to use, and there was no packet included. I hope you're over your battle with infections.

@mistre$$, as long as you use the silicone attachments, you should be fine!

Good luck ladies! less

I go through bought where I get both back and forth and cant get rid of them for a long time. Even before I started using toys, Ive gone to the gyno and they keep telling me Im doing everything right so they dont understand. A few gynos asked me if I had diabetics in my family, I told them a grandparent on each side. They each told me that sometimes instead of getting diabetes or something myself it can show up as something like really bad ph balances. Ive been told this so many times, its so weird. less

I know its weird but Ive been told that by 3 different gynos and 3 different places. Ive been checked repeatedly for diabetes, and it always comes up negative. Whatever it is, it really sucks. I switched to a mooncup from tampons to see if it helps recently. less

I had enough yeast infections when I was younger that they tested my blood sugar levels as well (and, I'm not diabetic!)

I didn't get the impression that diabetes manifested as unbalanced pH---I just thought that, with a lack of insulin, the sugar in your food doesn't get digested so there's a bunch of sugar in your urine, and since it's impossible to wipe every molecule, the yeast naturally in the vagina are like "oh hey, sugar!" and eat it and flourish way more than they're supposed to.

So doctors check teenagers with yeast infections for diabetes... but don't tell them to sterilize their sex toys.


Mine are pretty much better now. I pretty much expect to get a fresh yeast infection with a new sexual partner (going from not using latex condoms to using them always causes one) and also (since I've got an IUD) if a partner and I become fluid bonded I'll usually get one the first week of switching off condoms (I've only had 3 fluid-bonded partners, so that's not enough to make a scientific conclusion, but it's enough for me to have some monistat on hand). Since I haven't had any changes in my sexual activity patterns in a long time, I've been free and clear for a long time. less

I think I need to stop using condoms, I think it might be my problem. Maybe the lube on them. I just hate that planned parenthood wont give me the bc pills I want free only the ones they want to give cause they are cheaper for THEM to give away. And I cant get an IUD because I get infections too easily. It really sucks. less