Bacterial vaginosis?
SoberAsADuck asked:
Hi. I’ve just begin taking antibiotics after being diagnosed with BV 2 days ago. What’s the best way to know if my infection has cleared up after taking anbiotics? Are there any harmful side effects of antibiotics, and when do symptoms usually start to go away? Can I still have sex, or do I need to wait until the infection is gone/my prescription is finished?



vaginal odor
Antibiotics can definitely cause yeast infections. They deplete the good bacteria that normally thrive in our vagina and cause the bad bacteria to grow at record speeds. The most common symptoms of a yeast infection is vaginal itching (mild to severe) and clumpy vaginal discharge that has the consistency of cottage cheese.
If you choose to go the traditional route for your treatment (antibiotics), it would be wise to have a follow-up appointment with your Dr. to perform a retest following completion of your prescription to verify that your infection has indeed been cleared. I would suggest waiting approximately 2-3 weeks, as this seems to be the average time that a re-infection is likely to occur.
Ways to prevent vaginal infections have a lot to do with diet, so if at all possible, try to limit your sugar intake and replace sugary drinks with water and sweets with fruit. Processed foods also tend to increase the amount of candida we produce (we already produce some normally). Make sure that when you and your partner are intimate, you always use condoms, because men can get yeast infections, also, and the last thing you want is to continue passing the infection from one person to another, back and forth.