A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Hi I am a female 18 years old. I started taking birth control about 4 months ago and I think at about this time me and my bf noticed my private having a sour smell . I never use to notice it until we had sex but now I notice it without even having sex. He usually says something about it and it makes me very self conscious. Since then it's still been having that smell and it sometimes releases a white discharge. When I'm walking sometimes I feel like air comes out of it and this is usually when the discharge comes. Ive been on antibiotics before and am on the pill like I said so is this an effect from those or something serious? I don't want to keep putting it off only for it to become worse! Has someone experienced this? Does anyone know what it can be?! I'm nervous to talk to my mom about it and the doctor :/ help please!
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discharge, the pill, vagina Reply to this Question
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Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (8 March 2012): If the change happened round about the time you started taking the pill then it's most likely nothing.
The pill works by prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation), but it also thickens the mucus in the neck of the womb, so it is harder for sperm to penetrate the womb and reach an egg.
If you're concerned then go see a gynaecologist and they will do a smear.
I had the same thing happen when I changed pills a few years back and was convinced I had a yeast infection - went to the doctor twice for tests but all came back negative.
A
female
reader, shanana +, writes (7 March 2012):
It's probably VB or vaginal bacteriosis, I think I spelled that right. Go see your doctor. It's no big deal he can put you on the correct antibiotics.
Sometimes his fluid can cause you to get an infection. I suggest you continue using condoms.
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A
female
reader, Tisha-1 +, writes (7 March 2012):
 To echo So Very Confused, NEVER douche! If you have an infection, it actually can lead to pushing bacteria into your uterus and causing pelvic inflammatory disease over time! Bad bad bad idea!!!
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (7 March 2012):
 Having sex regularly will change your scent. The interaction with your partner will affect you. I never realized this till my current partner.. Also the change of adding the BC pills can affect it as well.
I strongly disagree with Sweet-thing about the douching however. My gyn and most gyns recommend NOT douching as the vagina is self cleaning… do not put soap inside your body either… just the outside.
If you have smell and discharge it’s time for a GYN check up. It’s probably a yeast infection (white discharge is often yeast) and that is VERY easy to clear up but the first time you have one you should see the doc to rule out a bacterial infection such as Vaginosis.
FWIW antibiotics can CAUSE yeast infections.
Yeast lives in our bodies all the time. You can get yeast infections on your skin… Babies who have THRUSH in their mouths have yeast infections.
it’s nothing to be ashamed of so make an appointment with the gyn to get checked out.
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A
female
reader, Honeypie + ♥, writes (7 March 2012):
 I will echo the other aunties, go see your doctor.
It can easily be a simple PH imbalance, but better safe then sorry.
And DO NOT forget that if you get antibiotics you need to use condoms.
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A
female
reader, Tisha-1 +, writes (7 March 2012):
Sour smell and discharge usually indicates an infection. You will need to see your doctor for a diagnosis and proper treatment. The antibiotics may have altered your natural bacterial balance.
Don't be nervous, this is all in a day's work for your average gynecologist! Be brave, be smart!
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A
female
reader, Sweet-thing  +, writes (7 March 2012):
 I assume you keep the area clean, using soap and water daily and douche at least once a month? Maybe you have developed a yeast infection around the same time you started taking the pill. Go back to your physician. There's a simple test he can run to check you for this. The pill can sometimes mess with your hormones, but I've never heard of it causing a foul odor. I think there's something else going on there. Good luck.
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A
male
reader, JustHelpinAgain  +, writes (7 March 2012):
Because you started taking the pill does this mean you stopped using condon? If you use condoms you could stop taking the pill or change brands but from my experience smell and discharge from a vagina is an indication of some kind of infection. Vagina's, when used get infected just like other body parts- eyes, ears, throat, anus, etc. Doctors are trained to fix us - it is their job!!!
If you are not so shy that you have sex then you shouldn't be too shy to go to a doctor and say I have a problem with my vagina!
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (7 March 2012): You need to go to a gynecologist to see what is going on. It could be something as simple as a yeast infection. Birth control pills and antibiotics can change the ph in your vagina and cause yeast infections. Eating unsweetened yogurt, drinking chamomile tea, eating garlic and or applying these to the area will help if it is yeast. You should also wear cotton underwear and loose clothing. You also need to follow a diet low in processed white sugars if you have chronic yeast infections. Get tested for hiv also if you haven't, that can cause chronic yeast infections.
Why did I get a yeast infection?
Many things can raise your risk of a vaginal yeast infection, such as:
Stress
Lack of sleep
Illness
Poor eating habits, including eating extreme amounts of sugary foods
Pregnancy
Having your period
Taking certain medicines, including birth control pills, antibiotics, and steroids
Diseases such as poorly controlled diabetes and HIV/AIDS
Hormonal changes during your periods
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A
female
reader, person12345 +, writes (7 March 2012):
 You should never be nervous to talk to your doctor about this. They deal with this kind of thing all the time. While it's a big deal for a non-doctor, when they spend a huge amount of time around bodily fluids and smells, they become desensitized to it (judgement-wise at least).
You should talk to your doctor about switching to another pill to see if that helps.
Also worth noting, antibiotics can make your pills ineffective, so talk to your pharmacist anytime you take them to check if that particular antibiotic will interact with your pills.
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