It can indeed come back, and often does. Especially if your partner carries the same bacteria, in which he could be reinfecting you. I have read on the internet that there are a few herbs that work well to cure it. I have also read on the internet that using 3% hydrogen peroxide to wash out your vaginal cavity works well. You can type in "hydrogen peroxide douche" and find direction to do that if you want to try it.

I would reccomend eating plain natural yoghurt or greek yoghurt. It contains vast quantities of the acidophius culture which is also found in the yeast that causes ur infections.

Hope that helps

Hey girl I know how you feel get some vasigel pharmecy then ask you Dr. About macrobid used to treat uti's but it kills the bacteria quikly, yogurt... Any kind high in calcium. Mayber yoplait, tastes pretty good too. As soon as you apply that vasigel you will feel a lot better then you can get on the phone w/ the doc and get an appntmnt. Take care.

Yogurt is used to get rid of yeast infections, using yogurt to get rid of bacterial vaginosis will only make it worse. I guarantee this b/c I get bv after every period. B/c I have been getting it since I was 13 and know the symptoms my dr has given me a script with unlimited refills. Perhaps you should talk to your doctor about that. Also, if you'renot getting the gel to insert, but the antibiotics, try the gel, it works quickly, works well, and doesn't tend to take the bv to yeast.

Also what causes bv, it's when you dont' have enough good bacteria in your vagina to fight off the bad bacteria, it's the exact opposite of a yeast infection. If you deusche (however you spell that) it can cause it, having your period, taking the wrong types of antibiotics, so many things can cause it. It's a pesky little problem, but is so easily taken care of. Like I mentioned in my other post, that gel, it says to use it for 5 straight days, generally it clears it up within two to three so you can save on the gel b/c even with insurance it's costs $30.

I was just given a course af antibiotics to take, ive only had it once, thank god, I really dont want it again.

I was told I got it from being too clean... I dont douche but I give my self a good scrub with soap in the bath/shower, apparently were not supposed to do that as it messes with the ph balance.

Yea, that's what I meant when I was talking about the bacteria. You get bv when you don't have enough of the "bad" bacteria and get a yeast infection when you don't have enough "good". You should be real glad you only got it once. It's a pain in the butt to get it every month, not to mention costly. But hey, at least I know i'm clean. Lol

I have been suffering this ever since I've been with a fairly new partner and it is so awful, it is beginning to really get me down, so I sympathise and the symptoms can be pretty horrendous. Because BV is caused by a vaginal pH imbalance (vagina is acidic with ph of 3.8-4.3) anything which tips the pH balance over 4.5 is when naturally occuring bacteria in the vagina begins to get a bit excited and out of control, and begins to grow in vast numbers causing, itching, burning, general vaginal irritation, excessive watery discharge which may have a fishy odour, or just a general unpleasant odour from vagina. I find the antibiotics clear it up but the minute I have sex again it is back- probably due to my partners sperm (which is naturally alkaline) upsetting my vaginal pH.
Antibiotics are a quick fix and can then give you thrush as they knock out ALL bacteria not just the overgrown ones meaning your vagina can be lef tin more of a state than it was to start with.
I am currently in process of trying to get my partner treated for BV although NHS refuses to akcnowledge men can carry or be a direct cause of this problem. I have never had any issues with previous partners though, and as we are both STD free I think it could be some kind of random bacteria growth he may have or he might have freakishly alkaline sperm.
Either way I am currently using BIO-FEM Active Gel, which I couldn't find in the shops but got online- I think from pharmacy direct. Have been using it for nearly a week, and so far it has relieved my symptoms. Not sure if it has controlled bacterial growth in vagina yet, but am booked for a clinic appmt in a few weeks to see.
If your partners sperm is the reason your pH is being upset- this can also be a sign that your immune system isn't great as normally the vagina should be able to cope and adjust its pH around sperm. So I reccommend you start getting your 5 a day, take a vitamin and mineral supplement, drink plenty of water and maybe start tp take some Echinacea capsules just to give your immune system a kick start.
I hope for anybody out there suffering from this that you manage to sort it quickly, because it can be so depressing and so hard to get taken seriously by doctors who see it as no more than a mere nuisance that comes as part of being a woman.

After reading the above from Cranberry juice i feel a bit better knowing im not alone, i have only been suffering with BV for 3 months, but its 3 long hellish months, its so painful, im constantly in pain, my vagina in and out burns constantly and some times itches, however i dont get the discharge, but all the test results show i have BV, i am due to see a GYN in a week or 2 but after reading a lot of posts i realise that there isnt a specific cure and that some things work for people and some dont however at least i know im not the only one who is sufering. i do hope one day it goes away but im coming to terms with it and am just trying all sorts of stuff.... at the moment i am using balance activer gel every night and i am taking vitamins.... i am drinking lots of water..... it started to clear up a little but then i went out drinking and think this knocked it off balance a little, oh how it sucks to be a woman some times. Men never seem to get out wrong with them....