Q. I have irregular periods with increase in weight and BV. Kindly help.

Hi doctor,

I am 22 years old. I have a problem with irregular periods. Firstly, I began my menstrual cycle much later than most girls. I started only at the age of 16 years. Recently, I have noticed that I no longer get a regular period and it has been happening for around eight months. Ever since I turned 21, I started gaining weight rapidly and that is when I noticed my period was not normal anymore. I track my cycle but when it is supposed to come I will get brown discharge a few days before the expected date of my period and sometimes that will last two weeks. It has an offensive smell, sometimes sour smell but I am afraid to go to the doctor or for my mom to find out. Sometimes I notice red spotting when I wipe and think it is my period but it never comes. I used to have really bad cramps with my period before and bleed heavily for the first two days of my period. Sometimes I would have a period for three to five days long and the longest recorded was nine days.

I am sexually active but I have only been with one sexual partner for the past four years who is tested negative for any STIs or STDs. I am not on any contraceptives, but I have used emergency contraceptives twice about two years back. I have had BV and a UTI and ended up having to secretly see a gynecologist who gave me Metronidazole tablets as a course of antibiotics and a vaginal gel to use in conjunction. The BV went away but it keeps coming back. I cannot afford to always go to a doctor for a prescription for antibiotics so I have opted to irrigate my vagina with diluted hydrogen peroxide 3% and water. The fishy odor goes away but as soon as I have sex with my partner, it comes back and it is embarrassing. Can you please assist me, is it possible to find a solution without going to a gynecologist?