Copper IUD likely caused my cytolytic vaginosis (yeast infection like symptoms)
Hi, want to share my experience here in case it could help somebody.
I’ve had a copper IUD (GyneFix) for almost 2 years. Occasionally during my cycle, I would get mild itching that felt similar to a yeast infection, but it usually went away within a day.
About 6 months ago, the itching became more intense and was nonstop. I tried OTC yeast infection treatments, but they didn’t help. Tried lactic acid suppositories, vaginal probiotics…
My only symptom was itching, no unusual discharge or anything else. Interestingly, the itching would completely disappear during my period, then return afterward.
My OB-GYN suggested that it might be cytolytic vaginosis (CV), or lactobacillosis, which is caused by an overgrowth of Lactobacillus. I was advised to douche with a baking soda solution for a few days, which did relieve the symptoms, but only temporarily. After couple of days, the itching came back. All vaginal swabs came back normal, which can happen with CV.
After a couple more months of unsuccessful treatments, I decided to have the IUD removed. I did another round of baking soda douching, and since then, I’ve been symptom-free.
I can’t say for sure that the IUD caused the issue, and I wasn’t able to find much research linking the two. But I wanted to share in case anyone else is dealing with persistent yeast-like symptoms while using an IUD that aren’t responding to typical treatments.