Solving Cytolytic Vaginosis: Beyond Dalacin

Dear Aunt Vadge,

Pain, yellow discharge & spotting. Gynecologist diagnosed Doderlein’s Cytolytic Vaginosis & prescribed [antibiotic] Dalacin. No improvement in 2 weeks, so what else can be done?

Regards
Unimproved
________

Hi there Unimproved,

Doderlein’s cytolytic vaginosis is also called lactobacillus overgrowth syndrome, which is a severe overgrowth of certain lactobacilli species, usually L. crispatus, in the vagina.

While normally lactobacilli are heralded as the saviours of the vagina, they, too, are bacteria that can grow out of control in certain circumstances and cause damage to vaginal cells.

You mention you were prescribed Dalacin, which is an antibiotic used to kill what are known as gram-positive bacteria, such as lactobacilli.

Dalacin is usually only prescribed for serious infections like staph and strep (related to aerobic vaginitis (AV)). However, your doctor would have anticipated this would help. Because your symptoms remain, this may indicate that you were misdiagnosed or have another underlying condition.

At My Vagina’s vulvovaginal specialist clinic, we have found that CV and AV tend to switch from one to the other quite easily, due to underlying factors that include an abundance of energy sources or substrates linked with other health conditions and genetic mutations.

Dalacin is a strong antibiotic, and is supposed to kill lactobacilli, so if it hasn’t improved your symptoms, please see your doctor before trying other treatments.

There is a first-pass treatment which can be found on the lactobacilli overgrowth syndrome page involving a simple and cheap douche with baking soda to modify the pH (acidity) of the vagina, to discourage the overgrowth.

The baking soda treatment for CV doesn’t always work, and if so, schedule a consultation with a My Vagina practitioner who understands the underlying causes of CV and AV and can help.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge