So I had tonsilitis and took antibiotics. The antibiotics gave me thrush in my mouth, a yeast infection, and worsened a Bacterial Vaginosis condition that I previously. Now the doctor at the clinic just put me on antibiotics again for the BV. I’m reading all this stuff online about how the antibiotics don’t work, etc. I’ve been taking folic acid supplements, acidophilus, and eating yogurt like it is going out of style. There has to be something! The odor is so bad I can smell it through my clothes. Someone please help!!!

I am a nineteen year old female. For the past fourteen months, I have gotten around 8-9 vaginal infections.

My doctor first believed it to be a yeast infection and prescribed Diflucan. This worked but the infections kept coming back, usually one every two months or so. I went back, this time seeing another doctor in the practice, who believed it to be a yeast infection, although a rare strain. She prescribed some sort of cream, which did the trick. For two months. When it came back AGAIN, I returned to the doctor (a third one, in fact) who finally diagnosed it as bacterial vaginosis. He gave me Metronidazole, which worked. Again, for two months.

I went back the most recent time completely fed up. I asked to be tested for STDs (as I became sexually active around fifteen months ago). The test came back completely negative.

My doctor (the third one) said I’m just unlucky and that I happen to have vulnerable pH. My pH is apparently easily disturbed and any slight disturbance results in infection. He recommended I use an over-the-counter product called Rephresh. I did. Again, two months later, the infection came back. This time the doctor just called in a prescription for the pill form of Metronidazole with up to five refills to use when needed, along with the advice to keep using the Rephresh.

I am at a complete loss. I started my periods when I was twelve and from ages twelve to eighteen I went by just fine with I think maybe two very mild yeast infections. Suddenly at age eighteen, I became cursed with a seemingly ENDLESS stream of bacterial infections?

I am almost POSITIVE that this steady stream of infections has something to do with becoming sexually active. I have had sex with two people – one of them, just a one-night mistake, the other, my steady boyfriend of almost one year. He was a virgin before me and we have both been 100% monogamous throughout all of our relationship.

In 99.9% of all my sexual encounters, including my one-night stand, I have used condoms. Could my infections possibly have something to do with an allergy to latex or some other chemical in the condoms?

Or, perhaps, are all three of these doctors WRONG? Is there perhaps some sort of underlying condition that I might have?

Or, assuming my doctors are RIGHT, is that… it? Am I supposed to live the rest of my life buying the expensive Rephresh and running to the pharmacy in misery every two months? Isn’t there something else I can do? Would eating more yogurt help, even if the infections are bacterial and not vaginal? Would any types of yogurt be more beneficial (organic vs. non, soy vs. regular)? Are there any vitamins or supplements I can take? (I already take a multivitamin once a day.) Any other foods that would make a difference?

I am very hygienic. I wear 100% cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes; in the winter, I usually wear tighter pants but I do not sweat and never end up with any dampness. I do not use douches or sprays or powders. I do not use pantiliners. I use the appropriate sized tampons for my flow and change them frequently and I always use pads when I go to sleep. I do not use any overly fragrant soaps or shower gels on my vagina; I instead just rinse very thoroughly with nothing but water every time I shower, which is once a day.

I’m just so completely miserable. This is all the information I can give; I really hope someone can make sense of it and help me.