Why wont my BV disappear?

BV may return if you did not complete your course of antibiotics. However, even if you have completed a full course of antibiotics, BV returns within three months in many women. If it does come back, a repeat course of antibiotics will usually be successful.

Is it normal for BV not to go away?

Bacterial vaginosis often clears up on its own. But in some women it doesn't go away on its own. And for many women it comes back after it has cleared up. Antibiotic treatment works for some women but not others.

What happens if BV treatment doesn't work?

BV that does not resolve after one course of treatment may be cured by a second course with the same agent. Another option is to switch to another agent (ie, metronidazole to clindamycin, or clindamycin to metronidazole) as other concomitant organisms may respond better to an alternate medication.

Does BV ever go away completely?

At times, BV will go away without treatment. However, treatment can help avoid the increased chance of some serious health risks associated with BV, including: Getting or transmitting HIV; Delivering your baby too early if you have BV while pregnant; and.

What happens if you leave BV for too long?

Most often, BV does not cause other health problems. However, if left untreated, BV may increase your risk for: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Pelvic inflammatory disease where BV bacteria infect the uterus or fallopian tubes.

Understanding Bacterial Vaginosis

Why wont my BV go away after treatment?

Within a month, antibiotics clear up to 85% of bacterial vaginosis cases, yet for over half of these patients, BV will return within 6 months. This is thought to be in part because the antibiotics don't fully eradicate the pathogenic microbes, leaving BV-associated bacteria to regrow in the vagina following treatment.

How long can BV linger?

While the infection may go away on its own, most doctors use antibiotics to treat it. You may have been prescribed pills or vaginal cream. With treatment, bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 5 to 7 days.

How do you treat long term BV?

Recommended treatment for recurrent BV consists of an extended course of metronidazole treatment (500 mg twice daily for 10-14 days); if ineffective, metronidazole vaginal gel 0.75% for 10 days, followed by two times per week for 3-6 months, is an alternate treatment regimen.

Why is metronidazole not working for BV?

Second, the bacteria that either cause BV or cause the anaerobic overgrowth may have become relatively more resistant to metronidazole (the most common treating agent) or to clindamycin (the other common treating agent). Third, this infection may be reintroduced back into the vagina as a result of reinfection.

Why does my BV keep coming back after antibiotics?

The first course of antibiotics isn't always enough to cure this infection. Talk to your healthcare provider if your symptoms don't clear up. The answer may be a combination of additional medication, lifestyle changes, and new hygiene practices.

Is it possible to have BV for months?

Some women suffer from chronic (recurring) bacterial vaginosis. Medicine can clear up the infection, but it returns again after a few weeks. Some women report that bacterial vaginosis returns after their period each month. Or it can return after they have sex.

Can BV go on for months?

For people who initially improve after initial BV treatment, approximately 1 in 3 will have a recurrence of BV symptoms within three months, and more than half will have a recurrence of symptoms within 12 months. Symptoms may return because of a new infection or relapse (return) of the prior infection.

Can BV still be there after antibiotics?

Around a third of women who take antibiotic treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV) find that the problem recurs within the next two to three months. Some strains of BV organisms may have resistance to some antibiotics. You should return to your healthcare provider and describe the problems you are having.

Can BV last for months if untreated?

Once you start treatment with a simple course of antibiotics, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) usually go away within two to three days. While in some cases it can resolve on its own without treatment, it can take longer to clear up and it can come back.

How can I prevent BV permanently?

Which probiotic is best for BV?

Which probiotics are best for BV? Lactobacilli-based probiotics such as Lacticasebacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus reuteri are best for treating BV.

Why do I get BV every time I sleep with my boyfriend?

Not using condoms or having new or multiple sex partners can sometimes increase a person's risk for developing BV. "Sex sometimes leads to BV if your partner's natural genital 'chemistry' changes the balance of bacteria in your vagina and causes the bacteria associated with BV to grow,” Dean explains.

What do you do if metronidazole doesn't work?

Metronidazole doesn't work for everyone. Tinidazole, Solosec, Cleocin, Vancocin, and Alinia are some metronidazole alternatives. Get the full list here. Metronidazole (brand name Flagyl) is an antibiotic that is used to treat a variety of bacterial and parasitic infections.

What can cause metronidazole not to work?

Metronidazole belongs to the class of medicines known as antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.

How many times can you take metronidazole for BV?

Metronidazole is available as an oral pill or vaginal gel; the choice of pill or gel is based on the person's preferences. The oral pill is taken twice daily for seven days. The gel is inserted into the vagina at bedtime for five days. Both treatments work equally well.

How long is too long for metronidazole?

If you need to take metronidazole for longer than ten days, your doctor may want you to have some tests. Make sure you keep any appointments that your doctor gives to you.

Does metronidazole always cure BV?

BV is treated with antibiotics, of which oral and vaginal formulations of metronidazole or clindamycin are most commonly used. Although short-term BV cure rates of multiday oral and vaginal metronidazole regimens are 65%–90%,^{11, 12} recurrence rates are high.

How do I know if metronidazole is working?

For most infections, you should feel better within a few days. With serious swelling, including dental infections, the medicine will start working within a few days but it may take longer before your symptoms start to get better.

Why does metronidazole take so long to work?

by Drugs.com

Metronidazole starts to work 1 to 2 hours after you take it, because it is quickly absorbed, and it reaches its maximum concentration after 20 minutes to 3 hours. But it may take a couple of days before you start to feel better or notice an improvement in your symptoms.