What’s Normal and Not: Excessive Vaginal Discharge Doesn’t Always Come with Other Symptoms

She stopped taking birth control after two years and, based on chunky white vaginal discharge, recently thought she suffered from a yeast infection. But she had no other symptoms. She’s not sure if this discharge is normal is not, and the answer is no. What she suffers from is hormonal imbalance and an unhealthy vaginal environment caused by long-term birth control use.
Case #: 1225
Concern：
I was in a two-year relationship, and when it ended I stopped taking birth control pills to give my body a rest. I thought I had a yeast infection recently and took an over-the-counter 24-hour cure. Four days later, it still seems to be a problem.
Discussion：
My discharge is very creamy, white and chunky. It’s thick, almost like tissue. I do not have any itching, burning, odor, or other symptoms. My sister says this is just normal ovulation discharge because I decided to get off birth control, but I am not sure. I wanted to get feedback from someone who has more knowledge.
Like the women who endure it, vaginal discharge exists in variety. It is essential to the vagina’s health under the right circumstances – that is, clear or milky-colored fluid with a thin and/or stretchy consistency helps expel bacteria and toxins. When discharge varies from this state, it can be a sign of infection.
One of the most curious aspects of discharge is its fluctuating nature. Such fluctuation does not hint at health problems, but rather depicts the way in which a woman’s body is constantly changing. Discharge increases during arousal and becomes thicker during ovulation. This means that hormones influence vaginal fluid and, as such, so too do birth control pills.
Hormones and Your Vagina
One of the most prominent female hormones – estrogen – helps induce vaginal discharge. In turn, that discharge is partly composed of bacteria that cleanse the vagina. One of the ways in which estrogen amps up vaginal discharge is by increasing the body’s production of lactic acid. This chemical also stimulates cells in the vagina to produce glycogen. The result is a complex fluid that works on many different levels to promote healthy cells and stabilize the vagina’s environment.
Birth control pills contain synthetic hormones that mimic those produced by the body. These chemicals, estrogen and progestin, can interfere with a woman’s natural functions and cause side effects like excessive discharge. Not only do they upset the delicate balance of those hormones already in the body, but with time they also fatigue the liver and accumulate in cells.
The liver is designed to filter everything that goes into the body. This includes prescription medications like birth control pills. While the liver does a phenomenal job at metabolizing food, drink and drugs, it can at times lose the ability to keep up. You must remember that birth control only adds to your body’s hormone levels, meaning estrogen and progesterone can quickly become imbalanced. Of particular concern is estrogen, which has varying effects on the body and liver. Once this chemical accumulates in the body, a woman can experience a catalogue of unpleasant side effects.
Identifying Your Discharge
When it comes to vaginal discharge, you must be able to identify what’s healthy. The keys here are color and consistency; clear, milky white and/or stretchy fluids are normal. In addition, vaginal discharge at the time of ovulation does not turn chunky. Instead, it becomes stretchy. This gives way to a pasty consistency once ovulation is finished. The discharge you describe points to infection, which can also ensue from long-term birth control use. Even if other symptoms aren’t present, the consistency is a tell-tale sign.
Oral contraception alters the vagina’s pH levels to create a less acidic environment. The result is increased growth of unhealthy bacteria that causes symptoms like increased vaginal discharge. Therefore, women on birth control are at risk of excessive vaginal fluids from two different causes: estrogen accumulation in the body and changes to the vagina’s pH levels.
Stop the Discharge
Because you’ve already stopped taking your birth control, the next step is to rid your body of toxins and get your hormone levels back to normal. An herbal detoxification formula can achieve both tasks without the harmful effects of chemicals. (TRY: Vaginal Detoxification & Infection Relief) Ingredients like Fenugreek, Mexican Wild Yam and Bupleurum Chinense increase the growth of healthy bacteria to reduce infection. They also work in conjunction with the liver to eliminate excessive hormones and cleanse your body. You will ultimately achieve greater health and also bid farewell to the discomfort of unseemly discharge.

What to do

Vaginal Infection Relief & Detoxification Formula

Antibiotics and birth control pills can alter the balance of the ‘friendly’ micro flora that subsists in the vagina. Pathogens from these drugs can result in yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis, with symptoms ranging from abnormal discharge,...