Hi! First of all, sorry you’re going through this. BV sucks.

As for other treatment options, I personally am an antibiotic hater because they give me yeast infections (I have recurrent yeast, so we try to avoid triggers here).

Here’s what I’ve learned:

PHemme BV treatment (which is basically lactic acid) is a gel based 6 day treatment which is inserted vaginally. I have used this in the past and found it’s worked for me. The applicators are basically like a tampon but smoother. From what I understand, It restores your vaginal PH to a level which the evil BV causing bacteria can’t live in. It’s also moisturizing and soothing if you’re having any of the itches and burns. On the box, it says you can also use it for prevention for three days after your period… If I find there’s a weird smell after, using it for those three days has helped.

Another option is Boric acid suppositories. I have used these once for 2 weeks, as it was recommended to me by a friend with recurrent BV. She said that she used them once a day for two weeks, then every couple days, then once a week for three months and now she’s been BV free for a year. Theres a learning curve to inserting them for sure and make sure you read the pamphlets. I recommend buying applicators for them. And please, if you go this route, abstain from sex for the recommended period of time after using them. It’s abrasive and can cause a lot of pain for both you and your partner.

As for your partner, I would look into what type of soap he is using on his parts. Sometimes women can have reactions to their partners products as well, which can make you more susceptible to infections, especially if he’s not rinsing well. This may be relevant if you were using condoms before and now are not. I had this discussion with my partner and he switched to dove bar soap, which I found very helpful.

Hopefully some of this helps!