Mystery of the Missing Garlic (TMI warning)

[swimming-duck]

Okay, so this might definitely be TMI, but I have my GBS test on Friday so I started on the whole garlic insertion thing last night. I dutifully put a string through it so that I could pull it out easily and inserted it last night after DH and I dtd. So, come this morning I go to fish it out and can't find a string anywhere. I dig and dig, no string and no garlic. I have absolutely no taste of garlic in my mouth (which I've heard is supposed to be there after having it in all night). I had my hubby look for it and he couldn't feel anything anywhere. I mean, there's not many places this bugger could go,  right? I used a huge clove too. I did get up a couple of times to pee last night and I'm wondering if it slipped out and in my groggy state I just didn't notice? But I'm nervous...I don't want to consider it gone and be wrong and have a piece of rotting garlic in my vag. I tried bearing down while on the toilet - nothing - I mean, just no sign. Nothing smells garlicy anywhere. I'm super perplexed. I'm thinking I'll go ahead and do another garlic tonight, but I don't want to end up with garlic build-up in my vag. I mean, it seems more likely to me that it's just not there and fell out last night, but what do you think? Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

[kawa kamuri]

Nothing is TMI when you're six million months pregnant. 

I never understood how a woman could lose something in her vagina. I mean, it's not an endless tunnel of mysteries. The first time I inserted a clove after finding myself GBS+ I almost panicked because I couldn't get ahold of it. I finally understood! I was sure I'd have to get my SO to dig it out. The only thing that prevented that scenario was me squatting and just barely grabbing ahold of it. With that said, I could always taste the garlic but I also cut off the entire outer layer rather than just nicking it or cutting it in half so YMMV. 

It's certainly possible that it slipped out in the night. It may be worth mentioning it to your care provider if you or your DH can't solve the slippery garlic mystery before you go in.    

[Bald_Bull's_Mama]

I thought I lost mine last week, too! Turns out, it fell out into the toilet. Lesson learned = use a brighter color of thread. Also, when I used a big one, I could feel it. The second time, I did half a smaller one. I'd have your midwife look for it while she's doing the swab. In the meantime, I'd continue to do new ones. I probably wouldn't dtd out of concern for it getting pushed further up there.

[mama_daba]

i have always used garlic when suspecting yeast infections and i have never used string and never lost one. i think it is fine to use no string at all.

[Snowflake777]

I've had moments of thinking I've lost them too. They either end up being really high up, or they've fallen out.

I bet it's just fallen out somewhere, either in bed or when you went to the bathroom.

[sharita]

Id say it probably fell out.  could have fell into toilet and sank down to where you couldnt see it.  Also could have slipped out in bed, ont he floor somewhere in between, no telling.  Willing to bet it isn't still in there though.

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by mama_daba 

i have always used garlic when suspecting yeast infections and i have never used string and never lost one. i think it is fine to use no string at all.

FWIW my pregnant vagina is greatly different than my non-pregnant vagina. At this point I can barely reach my cervix (when I can) whereas when not pregnant there is normally no place I cannot reach. 

[swimming-duck]

Thanks for all the support ladies. I feel a bit better. Still no sign of it so I'm thinking it's really fallen out. I can't seem to get anywhere near my cervix while preggo. I do have an appt. with my mw on Friday and I'm due for my GBS test, so if I'm still concerned then I could always have her check.

[Alenushka]

I have hear about garlic and GBS but I can't find any peer review double blind study results on the web. Am I missing something?

[jshannyn519]

Originally Posted by Alenushka 

I have hear about garlic and GBS but I can't find any peer review double blind study results on the web. Am I missing something?

I don't know that any have ever been done. But, we use all kinds of remedies and treatments for things without having peer-reviewed double-blind studies first. Is there a reason that this is necessary for you?
 

[LLtheTinkerbell]

Originally Posted by Alenushka 

I have hear about garlic and GBS but I can't find any peer review double blind study results on the web. Am I missing something?

We are all missing this study!!! I expect there are no studies because garlic is not a lucrative "drug" to study and put forth as a treatment for GBS. You will find lots and lots of anecdotal evidence that it has worked for lots of mamas though, which counts for something in my books.

Keep in mind that nothing is foolproof, not even ABX. See http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab007467.html. For me personally, if there is no reduction in infant mortality by taking ABX and many reasons why not to take them the choice is clear (I'm goin' for the garlic!) NB I absolutely don't blame women for taking the ABX route if that is what feels right for them.  

[mama_daba]

Originally Posted by kawa kamuri 

FWIW my pregnant vagina is greatly different than my non-pregnant vagina. At this point I can barely reach my cervix (when I can) whereas when not pregnant there is normally no place I cannot reach. 

that is interesting. i think mine is just not that deep ever since i have been able to feel my cervix my entire pregnancy but for me i can push the garlic out if i need to. when i was pregnant with my son i had a few times i worried i was getting a yeast infection and used garlic and never had problems getting it out. i guess everyone is shaped differently.

[lithigin]

Had my GBS test today and hope to avoid the garlic-stuffing and antibiotics, but I'll find out next week!

In a related story, I was backpacking through Europe with a girlfriend in college and went to take out my Nuva Ring on the prescribed day. No Nuva Ring. Those things are pretty big as they exit, and I cannot imagine how it fell out on its own and I didn't notice it in my underwear or in the shower! But about 8 years, one birth, and a reasonable amount of sex later, it seems to not have been hanging out in some dark corner up there. Still a mystery and a bit of a funny story, though!

[swimming-duck]

Wow - that's crazy about the missing Nuva Ring. Well, I guess I'm not the only "weirdo" that's had something gone missing from my vag then! 

[jshannyn519]

Originally Posted by swimming-duck 

Wow - that's crazy about the missing Nuva Ring. Well, I guess I'm not the only "weirdo" that's had something gone missing from my vag then! 

My sister said that she and her fellow OBGYNs pull all kinds of weird things out of women's vaginas all the time. Multiple tampons, small toys, really old condoms, and more.

[LLtheTinkerbell]

Originally Posted by jshannyn519 

My sister said that she and her fellow OBGYNs pull all kinds of weird things out of women's vaginas all the time. Multiple tampons, small toys, really old condoms, and more.

[kawa kamuri]

My mom worked L&D most of my life and yeah, she has a lot of interesting stories. 

[SuburbanHippie]

Originally Posted by Alenushka 

I have hear about garlic and GBS but I can't find any peer review double blind study results on the web. Am I missing something?

There will never be a peer reviewed double blind study for a home remedy.  There is no money in that.  Big pharma would never pay for something that would take away business from them.