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

Contributor: mistressg mistressg
I seem to be fairly susceptible to infections. For the past two or three years I have gotten a few yeast infections a year, and for a while was getting B.V. as well. I have tried many things to make them stop and been on several medications. The yeast infections still occur, but luckily the B.V. had seemingly gone away completely for over a year...until today! I went to the doctor thinking I had another yeast infection, but it turned out much to my dismay to be B.V. and now I am on metrogel for a week.

I am wondering if anyone else here has had this problem or issues with getting B.V. I had to wonder if it had something to do with toy cleaning. Does anyone think that could be a possibility? Because I am really desperate and at a loss. I haven't had sex in almost one month, but I had been masturbating recently with my Vibrating Champlette and my Twisted Hearts vibe. I've washed them with water after every use, and then sprayed them down with Before & After or used my Eden toy cleaning wipes. Is there something else I could do to make sure they are clean? Since the Twisted hearts toy is not somewhat porous, should I just get rid of it? I don't want to use the toy and reinfect myself.

Thoughts?! I need help!
01/09/2012
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Contributor: Ghost Ghost
First of all, if you're super susceptible to infections in general, I'd get rid of porous toys. The cleaning wipes can leave a residue on toys, but if you wash them with water before use, it shouldn't be a problem (as the residue is water soluble).

Most people are more susceptible to either infection by bacteria or by yeast (fungus), but not both. I've found that infection is often related to dietary trouble and change in vaginal pH. Have you considered taking a probiotic supplement? Pills work best, as most bacteria are destroyed in the stomach before even reaching the gut unless they are protected by a capsule. Have you had any other dietary or medication changes since a little before these infections began?

Really, I find most often it's a vaginal pH issue. The more you take antibiotics to kill your current infection, the more you kill "helpful" bacteria, as well. Helpful bacteria can actually lower the population density of both harmful bacteria and yeast. Try the supplement!
01/10/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
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?!
01/11/2012
Contributor: Ghost Ghost
Even if you just use a toy "externally", there are still bacteria and fungus living in the regions surrounding the vaginal entrance. Thus, those toys can still pick up hitchikers! If you can't get to water, perhaps you should keep a little stock of baby wipes (one of the nicer brands), which tend to be very easy on the skin and don't tend to leave as much residue.

As for the supplement, make sure you get a high quality one (I recommend Accuflora) and that you keep taking it, even after the problem clears up (which can take a long time in some people). If it's a recurring problem, you can't necessarily expect your body to just act normally once you stop adding good bacteria. I've been taking the pills for two years now and I have never had one infection, of either variety (I previously had a seemingly incurable yeast infection). But, everyone is different!

There are other things to consider as well:
- If you have unprotected sex with a partner (or multiple partners), those people can actually contract yeast infections/BV and then give it right back to you.
- Smoking alters body chemistry, and can lead to infection.
- Diet can have a dramatic effect: drink lots of water and eat a lot of vegetables (the same things that are good for all other problems, lol).
01/11/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Ah, thank you so much , Elnoa!

I was hoping to get some feedback from somebody who was familiar with the issue! Higher brand baby wipes? Such as? I'm not really familiar with baby wipes.
Where would I be able to find Accuflora? Is it expensive? Is it just a probiotic supplement?
01/11/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
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.
01/11/2012
Contributor: Ghost Ghost
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).
01/11/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
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 ... more
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...
01/11/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Ghost
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 ... more
Okay. I will have to look into getting Accuflora as soon as physically possible. The trouble is that I am at school full-time with no way of getting a job, and my mother is also currently unemployed so my Eden commissions are my sole source of any money at all, and when I make less than $20 some months, it's hard to get a lot of things I need. Right now I have to choose between textbooks for this coming semester and getting these pills. Honestly, if anything is going to help this situation, I'm going to go with the pills.
01/11/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
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 ... more
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.
01/11/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
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 ... more
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!
01/11/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
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 ... more
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.
01/11/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
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, ... more
Do you think it would be okay to get a Hitachi Magic Wand? I notice there are many silicone attachments for the head of it. It seems to be a well-loved toy.
01/11/2012
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
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 ... more
I had a million yeast infections as a teenager too...

Even if they're not going to teach about sterilizing sex toys in sex ed classes, it seems irresponsible that doctors don't know that teenagers might not have good sex toy hygiene, and aren't prepared to ask questions or explain it.
01/11/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
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 ... more
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!!
01/11/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
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 ... more
i boil my toys and still get infections! so glad this worked for you... wish there was some magic blanket cure though.
01/11/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
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 ... more
garbage party!!!
01/11/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
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 ... more
jesus.. i freaking hate that pill too! the hardest EVER to swallow! so bitter and huge and makes me want to vom. god i hate it.
01/11/2012
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by aliceinthehole
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 ... more
Oh man, that sounds awful!

A gyno visit is only like $80 out of pocket, though... worth eating a few peanut butter sandwiches instead of eating out to get your BV cured, isn't it?

I used to get yeast infections a lot, but I've only had BV once---at *the same time* as a yeast infection. My gyno was nonplussed. "One happens with too low of pH and one happens with too high... how in the world did you get *both*?" But they both cleared up with the prescriptions she gave me (I think one was oral and the other was topical).
01/11/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
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 ... more
yeah, i've had some obnoxious conversations time and time again with nurses too...

"so you know to wipe front to back, right?"

"so you know not to use douches, right?"

like... DUH!!! wtf. i'm 25 and have been active for a long time, not 17 and naive and undereducated about the whole lot of it.
01/11/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
Do you think it would be okay to get a Hitachi Magic Wand? I notice there are many silicone attachments for the head of it. It seems to be a well-loved toy.
sure, you can boil your silicone attachments. as long as you always use a clean attachment, you should be fine.
01/11/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
@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!
01/12/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
I'm sorry you're suffering with BV, miste$$. I had it once and had to use metrogel, not a fun experience. Then we switched to a drug whose name I have forgotten, but it was bright orange and it stained everything I owned. I did get rid of the BV, though. This was years before I ever started using toys, but I was sexually active and had already had two small children!

In my opinion, nothing replaces hot water and soap to wash toys. Sprays and wipes are OK for "until I get to the bathroom" but really deep cleaning is necessary, I think even with toys that aren't porous. Bacteria can grow on any surface. If you live in a dorm, can you bring a small bucket (never used for anything else) of HOT water into your room, use it with soap and clean your toys that way? Or you could carefully take them into the shower with you, one at a time. I wouldn't use them after only wiping them with a wipe or using a spray, especially with a history of BV and yeast. I get yeast infections frequently, and they aren't much fun either. I knew the BV was different because I had been trained for knowing the... er.... aroma of it, but damn, it hurt! I mean I had actual pain during the BV episode.

I hope you heal soon, acidophilus will help while and after you are on the antibiotic and may even help make the yeast infections less common. I use an enteric coated acidophilus, because most forms of acido are killed by your stomach acid before they can work. The enteric coated ones don't open until they are in the alkaline environment of your small intestine, where they work best.
01/12/2012
Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
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.
01/12/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
@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 ... more
That really would be a great thing, if toys came with information on the best cleaning/storing methods for those toys to be as sterile as possible.
01/12/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Starkiller87
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 ... more
They've checked in the past, like 2 years ago, to see if I was diabetic or anemic and I was not. I haven't heard about a family history of diabetes manifesting as an off pH balance though. I'm not sure about that..
01/12/2012
Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
Quote:
Originally posted by mistressg
They've checked in the past, like 2 years ago, to see if I was diabetic or anemic and I was not. I haven't heard about a family history of diabetes manifesting as an off pH balance though. I'm not sure about that..
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.
01/12/2012
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Starkiller87
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 ... more
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.
01/12/2012
Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova
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 ... more
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.
01/12/2012
Contributor: mistressg mistressg
Quote:
Originally posted by Starkiller87
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 ... more
You should try unlubricanted condoms then!
01/12/2012