Immunosuppressants & Recurrent BV
Wed, August 06, 2025 1:54 PM
Female, age 30 - been struggling with recurring BV (bacterial vaginosis) for about 6 years, wondering if anyone else has dealt with this while taking immune suppressing medications?
BV is an imbalance of natural bacteria/pH in the vagina which can cause pain, itching, discharge, and odor. When it's happening for me it's very self-esteem damaging. Physically uncomfortable all day, and at times others around me notice the smell. This impacts my sex life, work, exercise, sleep, social life, and more. I've had Crohns for 20+ years and been taking Remicade & Azathioprine for the last ~13 years – both meds are immunosuppressants.
I've seen my PCP and gyno dozens of times for recurring BV and it feels hopeless at this point. For the first few years I was getting BV every 1-2 months. Every time the doctor prescribed Metronidazole (tried pill and gel). It did work, but only for a couple weeks. Each treatment was followed by a yeast infection, and more prescriptions to treat that....which led to another BV case. Same cycle of treatments over and over again, we did try Clindamycin once which caused pain for me. Years of these prescription meds led to a doc suggesting I use Boric Acid (OTC) at home as needed. This does help, but it's always temporary.
It's very tough for me to narrow down what's causing this for me because there's so many risk factors: sex (1 partner), saliva, lube, tight clothing, sweat, IUD...I'm curious to know if having a lowered immune system may also be a factor in my flora getting unbalanced. I've talked to my GI doc about this too, but he didn't have any input on vaginal health.
Joined Aug 6, 2025
Mon, November 17, 2025 9:13 PM
Reply posted for crohnsoutside.
Struggling with recurring BV can be very frustrating, especially when combined with immune-suppressing medications like Remicade and Azathioprine for Crohn's disease. I have dealt with similar issues and it definitely affects many aspects of daily life. It is important not to give up hope. Sometimes finding an approach that breaks the cycle, whether through different treatments or even lifestyle changes, can make a difference. By the way, playing Slope online can be a good temporary distraction and stress relief.
kubary99Joined Nov 17, 2025
Wed, November 12, 2025 10:42 PM
Reply posted for crohnsoutside.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I can relate to the frustration of recurring BV, especially while managing other health issues. It can feel overwhelming, and the impact on self-esteem and daily life is so real. I'm glad to hear the Boric Acid provides some relief for you—sometimes we have to find what works best for our bodies. Geometry Dash
IsobelTalbotJoined Nov 12, 2025
Tue, November 11, 2025 12:00 AM
Reply posted for crohnsoutside.
Some people find success with probiotics specifically designed for vaginal health. Also, I know it sounds strange, but maybe there are some resources for complex bacterial ecosystems out there that could shed light on similar imbalances, perhaps something unexpectedly related to, say, the management of a farm, like figuring out how to prevent issues with Eggy Car simulations or something? It might sound ridiculous but I bet some of the research on maintaining healthy bacterial colonies could have cross-over applications! It's worth exploring anything at this point, right? I really hope you find some relief soon.
Rennia1321Joined Nov 10, 2025
Wed, September 24, 2025 10:33 PM
Reply posted for crohnsoutside.
A weakened immune system might make it harder for your vaginal flora to stay balanced, especially after antibiotics. Have you looked into vaginal microbiome testing (like Evvy)? It might give more insight into what’s going on. You're not alone in this — hope you find lasting relief soon.
clydedavidsonJoined Sep 24, 2025
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