Question for the ladies???Please help!

[Ihurt]

Hi everyone.

Ok, as you all know I had a colonoscopy done this past Friday and gastro said it all looked normal. I have issues with my bladder as it is ( Interstitial cystitis) and also am prone to UTI's. I have to be on low dose antibiotics daily to prevent UTI's, I have been on them for the last 5 years.

Well yesterday I noticed I was having some vaginal discharge. Nothing new, I mean we all get discharge. Well I happened to smell it and it had a not so nice odor. Well I went out and bought one of those vagisil test kits that can test your vaginal PH to see if there is an infection. Well mine tested positive. So I called my gyne and she was out for the day. I then called my regular doctor and talked to the nurse and explained it all to her. She said Yep, it sounds like you have bacterial vaginosis. She prescribed to me a gel you put up there called metrogel. It is flagyl but in the vaginal form.

Ok, Here is thing, I am 100% certain this vag infection is due to that prep and all the diarrhea I had. I mean I have NEVER had BV ( bacterial vaginosis before). I know some women can get it after they are sexually active, but I have not even been sexually active in a long while due to all these health issues I am dealing with so that is not the case either.

Here is the thing, I was soooo careful when I was having all that water poop from the prep. I held a clean paper towel over my vagina everytime I went! I was very careful. How did this happen?? My colonoscopy supposedly came out clear, the gastro did not see anything, he said it looked normal. I mean is it possible that there is a fistula in my colon to the vagina that could have let some of that water poop leak in my vagina when I did that prep?? I mean I cannot figure out how I could have gotten this BV infeciton. I mean I did have the test right after my period ended so that could have played a part too in terms of my vagina being vunerable at that time, I just don't know. My gastro says he thinks I have a bad case of IBS and that is what is causing all my intestinal pains. I am not so sure. I just have never known anyone with this bad of pain with IBS! I don't know what to think..

Would the gastro have seen if there was a fistula to the vagina during the colonoscopy if there was one? I mean would there have been some sort of redness or something there if there was one there?? I mean I am just so frustrated right now. Nothing can ever go smoothly for me! Here I was thinking, maybe, just maybe I got through this colonoscopy without any repercussions.... NOT!!!!
I have never had anything like this before( BV). Anyone else deal with this? I took the first dose of metrogel last night. I just don't like the idea of using this crap down there as they say when you kill off the bacteria down there, then you will likely get a yeast infection and it becomes a viscious cycle, you get BV, take meds to kill that, then you get a UTI, then a yeast infection, then BV again, and it goes on an on. This is NOT what I need. Any suggestions ladies on how to combat this thing before it gets out of control? Already my bladder is starting to act up too! So now I got an upset vagina, upset bladder and upset intestines!! I mean what Fresh hell is this that I am in all due to the colonoscopy which has given me NO answers!!!:ybatty:

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I think fistulas can sometimes be really small, so it's possible that if you have one that it could have been missed on the colonoscopy. I don't know what the odds of that happening are though. I would definitely call your GI and ask about the possibility of a fistula. Hopefully they can figure it out.

For what it's worth, whenever I take antibiotics for a UTI, about half the time I end up with a yeast infection. Something about certain antibiotics cause an over-production of yeast down there. But it sounds like this isn't the norm for you even being on antibiotics long-term, so that probably isn't it. At any rate, definitely call your GI. If they took pictures during the colonoscopy, they may be able to review those and see if they can see any evidence of a fistula. If you have a gynecologist, it wouldn't hurt to call them too. You may just be really unlucky and have something new/unrelated to the bowel & bladder issues, although that doesn't sound very likely to me either. At any rate, I hope you get it figured out soon! Good luck and hang in there!

 

[Ihurt]

Hey Cat-a-tonic,

Thanks so much for the reply.

My gastro doc said when I talked to him before that he thinks this is all a bad case of IBS. I do not think he took pictures, but if he did I did not see them. I will ask him when I see him next. I mentioned fistulas to him before and he said No, he highly doubted it. I just dont know what to think. What I am having gyne wise now is a bacterial infection not yeast. I have never had this bacterial vaginosis before though. I mean I am trying to figure out how I got it. Supposedly it is a disruption of the flora in the vagina where there is too many bad bacteria's verses good ones. The only thing I can think of is that when I had the colonoscopy prep, I had just got over my period and I know this is a time where women are especially prone to getting BV or yeast I think so maybe with the whole prep and diarrhea it was enough to shift the bacteria in the vagina, But I just don't know.

My gastro doc truly does Not think I have Crohn's. He thinks it is all IBS. He said because I have had a normal MRE of the small bowel, normal CT scan(with only vein contrast, Not the oral cotrast), and blood works are normal, he said this is pointing more to IBS. I just cant believe this is IBS with all the pain I have. I just don't know. And now this whole vaginal infection and now my bladder is starting to kill me I am a total mess! I mean I may even have a UTI brewing here and if that is the case I am screwed! I mean I would absolutely HATE to up my antibitoics, especially after doing all the prep for the scope. I mean I don't want to wipe out any more gut flora than I already have. The last thing I need is to get C-diff or someother crap. I am just so disheartened right now. I feel like I am worse off than before the colonoscopy and still have NO answers!

 

[Grumbletum]

Sorry to hear you're having issues. A colonoscopy is not the most effective test for discovering fistulas. An MRI or CT scan have better results.

 

[prettykitty]

Hi Ihurt -- sorry this is causing you distress! First, I want to say that I am not a medical professional, so please take that into consideration!

Although BV is associated with intercourse, it is not necessarily caused by intercourse. It is possible to get BV without ever having had intercourse. It can also be associated with taking baths, ********, use of soaps or other hygiene products -- anything that disrupts the normal vaginal flora.

It is my understanding that the bacteria that cause BV are not the same ones that are usually found in the intestinal tract. So my guess is that it was not caused by poop-crossover.

But it seems plausible that the colon prep was related -- diet can affect the vaginal flora, so it's possible that the restricted diet you had as part of the colon prep could have been a factor, combined with the stress of all the uncertainty related to your diagnosis, the timing of your cycle, the antibiotics you take for your cystitis... all of this could have contributed to a change in vaginal pH, allowing the bacteria that cause BV to take over.

I hope this gives you some relief -- getting BV is not a sign of being dirty or unhygienic! It's a pretty common thing that happens sometimes, by no fault of your own.

Hope you are able to see your GYN soon, and that he/she is able to give you some relief! Good luck!

 

[Ihurt]

That's just it, I had a small bowel MRE and a CT scan and the colonoscopy and the blood work and stool calprotectin test and they say they are normal. My gastro keeps telling me that he would have seen disease in the colon and with the biopsies if I had crohns. I just don't know what to think. I am not sure if this vaginal issue is related to my GI issue or not. It is just odd how the vaginal infection ( BV) came about right after I had the colonoscopy( and drank that prep and had all the water poops). I don't know if there is a connection or not.. I mean I just wondered if it is possible I got this bacterial vaginosis from a possible tiny fistula from the bowel to the vagina thinking that is how the bacteria got in there?? I may be way off here, I just don't know. I mean I have never had Bacterial Vaginosis before so this is new to me. I am so bummed out by it and all the pain I am in with my bladder, vagina and intestines now! I regret having the stupid colonoscopy now. I mean I still have No answers except for he thinks I Have Severe IBS. I just don't know. I hate the whole IBS thing. I mean what is IBS anyhow?? It is just like when I was told I had IC( interstitial cystitis), all that means is they have NO clue what is wrong! So fed up here! I am about ready to just abandon western medicine altogether. They really do not know much and they usually always make matters worse it seems for a lot of people...






=Grumbletum;632865]Sorry to hear you're having issues. A colonoscopy is not the most effective test for discovering fistulas. An MRI or CT scan have better results.[/QUOTE]

 

[Ihurt]

Thanks prettykitty for the info, I do appreciate it and am understanding a bit better about this. My regular doctor just called a script in for something called metrogel that you put in the vagina. I used the first dose last night. My bladder is also not in a good way either today. Not sure if it is from the metrogel irritating things or what. I have been reading everywhere that using the meds to treat this BV only makes it worse since you are killing off ALL bacteria, good and bad. I am trying to look into natural ways to combat this but am not sure about them. I just do not want this to turn into a vicious cycle.

I think maybe you are right, maybe with the diet change and the whole stress of the test and it being right after my period could have triggerd things, I don't know. I just want to be able to get rid of this without it becoming chronic as many women have this issue once they get this it seems. Plus me being on low dose antibitoics is Not helping matters I am sure.. I feel like I cannot win.

Thanks again for the info and support, I do appreciate it.

Hi Ihurt -- sorry this is causing you distress! First, I want to say that I am not a medical professional, so please take that into consideration!

Although BV is associated with intercourse, it is not necessarily caused by intercourse. It is possible to get BV without ever having had intercourse. It can also be associated with taking baths, ********, use of soaps or other hygiene products -- anything that disrupts the normal vaginal flora.

It is my understanding that the bacteria that cause BV are not the same ones that are usually found in the intestinal tract. So my guess is that it was not caused by poop-crossover.

But it seems plausible that the colon prep was related -- diet can affect the vaginal flora, so it's possible that the restricted diet you had as part of the colon prep could have been a factor, combined with the stress of all the uncertainty related to your diagnosis, the timing of your cycle, the antibiotics you take for your cystitis... all of this could have contributed to a change in vaginal pH, allowing the bacteria that cause BV to take over.

I hope this gives you some relief -- getting BV is not a sign of being dirty or unhygienic! It's a pretty common thing that happens sometimes, by no fault of your own.

Hope you are able to see your GYN soon, and that he/she is able to give you some relief! Good luck!

 

[ashleigh]

have you ever looked into PID, ive had it four times while currently being diagnosed. can be caused by normal bacteria turning against you (what mine is)
syptoms are: discharge, abdo pain, loss of appetite, naseua, extreme tiredness, dehydration ?

hope you find out soon x

 

[Ihurt]

I asked my gyne about that and she said that PID usually causes severe pain upon pelvic exam. She also said there would more sever pelvic pain. I just don't know. This is so frustrating.

have you ever looked into PID, ive had it four times while currently being diagnosed. can be caused by normal bacteria turning against you (what mine is)
syptoms are: discharge, abdo pain, loss of appetite, naseua, extreme tiredness, dehydration ?

hope you find out soon x

 

[ashleigh]

There is a sun forum on here for gynae problems and ibd, I found it very helpful

Hope you feel better soon

Xx