Hi Friends, welcome to my little part of the internet. This is a safe non-judgmental place where we aim to share information & provide as much online support as you need.
I have had the joy of running Serenity pH now for 4 years and have gained the trust and confidence of over 12000+ women around the globe. It is beyond clear to me that there are two main commonly held (mis)beliefs that cause most of the pain and trauma involved with having these conditions.
The two most damaging misconceptions are :
(1) a belief that thrush and Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) indicate that the woman doesn't know how to wash properly or is a sign of her being promiscuous and
(2) a belief that after treatment, thrush or BV are not meant to return & when they do return it means that the woman is defective or unlucky or even cursed!!!
Both of these widespread beliefs are totally incorrect and are instrumental in causing women with thrush and BV to suffer unnecessarily with feelings of stress, self-loathing and feelings of hopelessness. These two erroneous beliefs cause most of the hardship and depression that we see in the women who we help. In fact, these beliefs often cause more harm than the actual physical symptoms associated with having thrush or BV.
Many women feel 'broken' emotionally or have symptoms of PTSD due to the negative toxic beliefs they have about their own bodies. This is why the journey to wellness is not just about the treatment but also requires hearing the woman's story and validating her reality & experiences and then giving her the wonderful truth.
What is the truth?
Most Women merely have a pH problem that needs to be balanced. Yes, it's this simple!!!
And for what it's worth many of us have had times where sex was not involved at all or we had sex with only one partner and we still found ourselves dealing with thrush or BV.
Many of us never before had these vaginal issues until we became pregnant or gave birth or found ourselves with another physical illness that marked the start of the new health journey ahead.
Alternatively, many of us can't remember a time when we didn't suffer from chronic vaginal issues. (Me) No one has come here without first trying EVERYTHING in their power.
Most of us tried washing (did nothing or in some cases made things worse). Some of us tried changing our diets, clothing and even experimented with home remedies like inserting garlic, vinegar and yogurt.... salad anyone?
We have been to doctors, endless doctors who either told us that nothing was wrong or they prescribed antibiotics!
For many of us, the relief of being cured was short lived and we found ourselves trapped in the never-ending merry-round of taking antibiotics, and then contracting thrush (from the antibiotics). And repeat!!!
Sadly thrush & BV attract a negative stigma (worldwide) which is completely at odds with the actual science involved.
Why do we easily accept other similar body conditions involving bacteria?
E.g. (1) We don't feel broken and ashamed when our bad breath comes back every single morning (bacteria which can be controlled with toothpaste and mouthwash). No, we brush our teeth.
(2)We don't stress about having body odour after exercising... etc (bacteria requiring washing with soap). No, we just wash.
Well ........having a vaginal pH issue is very similar.... it is a natural part of our body that sometimes needs adjusting with boric acid ....simple right? We are just managing bacteria like we need to for every other part of our body.
Most of us gals with chronic pH issues can expect that our thrush and BV will return.
The reason is that many daily events can trigger our pH to become unbalanced (E.g. our period's high pH can cause our vaginal pH to rise once a month). This is simple science and knowing about our pH triggers gives us a better perspective on the situation.
Things are no longer 'out of control' but are in fact totally manageable. Knowledge is power and the truth does set us free! This is why I want every woman to know about their vaginal pH and to be proactive with their health care. We can achieve anything when we lift each other up!
I truthfully and sincerely feel blessed to have finally crossed paths with Sharon. Sharon has shown complete understanding, compassion, and empathy and continues to give me support and guidance. Discovering that Sharon was there for me when I was at rock bottom and feeling despair, confusion and pain, was such a welcomed relief in itself. I did not expect the ongoing support I received once I made contact with her. Now, on my journey of healing, its so very comforting to know I can count on her for support on my journey if I have any questions or concerns. Sharon is a wealth of knowledge and she is always happy to share what she believes will help from her o…