Just for the record y'all, fyi, I found the cause. It was like was said about the body's natural lubricant picking up bacteria, *but* it's also my PREMARIN cream
I finally put 2+2 together....I started out using Estrace cream...but over years it kinda just stopped working. I can't remember how I knew it was a fail--maybe spotting, painful intercourse--something...so I had my ob/gyn switch me to premarin vag cream.
Anyone who uses it(it's made from pregnant mare urine I heard, hence the name) will tell you it smells kinda funky within hours of coming into contact with your body...and if you're inserting a syringe full a couple times a week and slathering it on your lady-bits as I was told to, it tends to get absorbed all down there and into your blood stream, and into your urinary system. So I'm totally getting why the lubrication coming from my urethra smells funky--between regular old bacteria and stinky-horse pee, I'm a walking funk factory (just typing this makes me want to go bathe--repeatedly lol). But it's kinda a catch 22--if I don't use the Prem cream, I tend to get dry down there and the longer I go without it, the more my fluffy lady parts kinda shrivel and look 'old'..I don't want a pruny cooch, so I'm staying with my vag cream.
The probiotics have helped with the bacteria and basic out-of-balance odor problem...and the Monistat freshness ph super mega vag suppositories thingies...but the smell comes back whenever I'm on the Premarin vag cream, so I believe I've found my culprit!!
When I go back to the doc in a month or so, I'll see if there's another vag cream I can try. I may go back to the Estrace but it's now tier 3, while Prem is tier 2. I've considered those low-dose rings but I don't know that my gyn thought they were compatible with my hormone pills--I think last time we spoke, she preferred I use a vag cream in conjunction with the pills.
Oh and def right about the water-based lubes...def throws my body out of whack. I've switched to a silicone one I have and it's ok for dilating, but for general vag maintenance, i'm going back on the coconut oil I'd been using a while ago.
Just as an aside--I never had these probs in Australia. I could get Acigel over the counter for like $7 and could rebalance my ph when I was out of sorts and life was good. Here in the states, all you can get is that stupid RePhresh stuff which is like twice the cost and all 6 applicators don't even add up to a quarter the size of a tube of acigel. We're really getting boned in the States when it comes to decent, affordable healthcare.
Anyways, problem solved. I'll keep y'all posted as to what vag cream we ultimately decide on at my doc visit.
TY for the entire discussion--been super helpful!!!
Hugs
JS
