BV treatment when you can't afford the medicine

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 4, 2026

Hi Aunt Vadge,

I went to the doctor with my aunt to get birth control – my parents are uncool with sex and all of that stuff. While there they tested me, and they called back and said I had BV.

They put me on Medicaid because my parents would freak if I went to the gyno. Medicaid never came through with the medicine because of a whole mix-up.

What do I do to fix my BV? I got diagnosed a couple of months ago, but I honestly think I’ve had it for years. I remember having a fishy odour for years.

Yours,
Mix-up

Hi Mix-up,

Thanks for writing, and good on your aunt for helping you sort out birth control and get you tested. Let’s get this BV handled, and let’s do it in a way that doesn’t need your parents involved at all, because this is your body and your business.

First, that medicine that never came through. The standard treatment for BV is metronidazole, an antibiotic, taken as tablets or a vaginal gel. I’ll be straight with you: it works about half the time, and even when it clears, it often creeps back within a few months. It’s still worth a go if you can get it, but don’t hang all your hopes on it.

Here’s why BV is such a pain to shift. The disruptive bacteria (led by Gardnerella vaginalis) band together into a sticky biofilm that shrugs off antibiotics and shoves out your protective bacteria, changing the whole environment down there. That biofilm is what causes the smell and the discharge. And you’re right, a fishy smell isn’t normal, but it absolutely can be fixed.

The best part for you, with money tight, is that most of what you need is free. Start with our whole section on bacterial vaginosis and our free treat-BV guide, which walk you through exactly what to do and why. There’s a fuller paid program (Killing BV) if you ever want the whole step-by-step plan in one place, but you don’t have to spend a cent to make a start. The treatment ingredients are cheap, and your aunt might happily pick them up for you.

One thing to steer clear of: the antibiotic merry-go-round. Round after round of antibiotics wipes out the very protective bacteria you’re trying to rebuild, which is a big reason BV keeps cycling back. The long game is rebuilding your microbiome, not just nuking it over and over.

And for anything down the track: if you can get to a confidential youth or sexual health clinic, they’re well worth knowing about. They see people your age constantly, they keep it private, and they won’t be ringing your parents. But if there’s nothing like that near you, or no way to get there or pay for it, you are not stuck. You can get a long way on the free guides above and a few cheap ingredients, quietly, at home, on your own terms. You don’t need pap smears yet either, cervical screening usually starts around age 25.

BV can really take the fun and the confidence out of your body, so don’t sit on it. You’ve got this, and you can write back any time you get stuck.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

This is general information and not a substitute for personalised medical advice.