Canesbalance Bacterial Vaginosis Vaginal Pessaries 7s

Canesbalance BV Vaginal Pessaries – a 7-day treatment for the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis: unusual fishy odour, grey-white discharge and discomfort.

  • Lactic acid restores the vagina’s natural pH
  • Glycogen feeds the good bacteria to help prevent recurrence
  • Inserted with a finger – no applicator to dispose of
  • Complete 7-day course, no prescription needed
  • Discreetly dispatched by a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy

£14.49

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Canesbalance BV Vaginal Pessaries are a 7-day treatment for the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis — the fishy odour, the thin grey-white discharge and the discomfort. They contain lactic acid and glycogen and are inserted with a finger, with no applicator to use or dispose of.

First, is it BV or thrush?

These two get mixed up constantly, and treating the wrong one wastes a week. The distinguishing symptom is odour versus itch:

  • Bacterial vaginosis — thin, watery, grey or white discharge with a distinct fishy smell, often more noticeable after sex. Usually little or no itching.
  • Thrush — thick, white, cottage-cheese-like discharge with marked itching, soreness and stinging, and generally no smell.

They have different causes. BV is an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria that pushes the vaginal pH up out of its healthy acidic range. Thrush is a yeast (candida) overgrowth. That is why an antifungal such as a Canesten thrush pessary will not clear BV, and a lactic acid product will not clear thrush. If you have both together — which does happen — they can be treated at the same time; ask our pharmacist. Our full Canesten thrush range covers the antifungal side.

How the pessaries work

Each pessary delivers lactic acid, a postbiotic that returns the vagina to its normal acidic pH — the environment the bacteria driving BV cannot thrive in, and the change that relieves the odour — together with glycogen, a prebiotic that feeds the lactobacilli, the good bacteria whose recovery is what keeps BV from returning.

They are a medical device, not an antibiotic. That means none of the metallic taste, nausea or alcohol restriction associated with metronidazole, the prescription antibiotic used for BV.

How to use them

  • Insert one pessary each day for 7 consecutive days. The pack is a complete course.
  • Use them at bedtime — lying down afterwards helps the pessary stay in place and dissolve where it should.
  • Insert one pessary deeply into the vagina using your finger.
  • Wear a panty liner: some leakage overnight is normal.
  • Finish all 7 days, even if the odour clears after two or three. Stopping early is one of the commonest reasons BV comes straight back.

Pessaries or gel — does it matter?

No, not clinically. Canesbalance pessaries and the Canesbalance BV vaginal gel contain the same actives and run the same 7-day course. The choice is entirely practical: the pessaries are inserted with a finger and there is nothing to dispose of, which many people prefer and which travels more discreetly; the gel comes in pre-filled applicators, which some find easier and less messy. Pick whichever you will actually use for the full week.

What causes BV, and what makes it come back

BV is not a sexually transmitted infection and it is not something you catch. It is an imbalance in the bacteria that naturally live in the vagina. Common triggers are anything that disturbs the vaginal pH: douching, perfumed washes, bubble baths, scented wipes, harsh detergents, and semen, which is alkaline. Washing with water only, avoiding internal cleaning entirely, and completing the full course each time are the practical things that reduce recurrence.

When to see a doctor rather than self-treat

  • This is your first episode and BV has not been diagnosed before
  • You are pregnant or might be — BV in pregnancy needs proper assessment
  • You have pelvic or abdominal pain, fever, or bleeding between periods or after sex
  • There is any chance of a sexually transmitted infection — a BV treatment will not affect chlamydia or gonorrhoea
  • Symptoms persist after a complete 7-day course, or BV keeps recurring

Buy Canesbalance pessaries online

Bury Healthcare Online is a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy (registration 1126145). Orders are dispatched discreetly, and our pharmacist can help you decide whether your symptoms point to BV or thrush before you buy. Browse the full women’s intimate health range.

Always read the instructions for use before use. If symptoms persist or recur, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.

Medically reviewed by Hassan Khan, MPharm, Independent Prescriber — Superintendent Pharmacist, Bury Healthcare Online (GPhC-registered pharmacy 1126145). Last reviewed: July 2026.

Canesbalance BV Pessaries FAQs

Can BV and thrush be treated at the same time?
Yes, and it is not unusual to have both. They need different products, because BV is a bacterial imbalance and thrush is a yeast overgrowth – a lactic acid treatment for the BV and an antifungal such as clotrimazole for the thrush. Ask your pharmacist before combining treatments so the timing is right.
How do I know if it’s BV or thrush?
Go by odour versus itch. BV gives a thin grey or white discharge with a fishy smell, often stronger after sex, and usually little itching. Thrush gives a thick white discharge with intense itching and soreness, and typically no smell. Treating the wrong one simply loses you a week.
How do you use Canesbalance pessaries?
Insert one pessary deeply into the vagina with your finger, once a day for 7 consecutive days, ideally at bedtime so you are lying down afterwards. Wear a panty liner, as some leakage is normal. Complete all seven even if symptoms clear sooner.
Are the pessaries as effective as the gel?
Yes. Canesbalance pessaries and gel contain the same active ingredients and run the same 7-day course. The difference is only how they are inserted – the pessaries with a finger, the gel with a pre-filled applicator. Choose on preference.
Is Canesbalance an antibiotic?
No. It is a medical device that works by restoring the vagina’s natural acidic pH rather than by killing bacteria pharmacologically, so it avoids the metallic taste, nausea and alcohol restriction that come with metronidazole, the prescription antibiotic for BV.
Is bacterial vaginosis an STI?
No. BV is an imbalance of the bacteria that naturally live in the vagina, not an infection passed between people. It is more common in people who are sexually active, and semen being alkaline can trigger it, but male partners do not need treating.
Can I use them during my period?
It is better to complete the course outside your period, as menstrual flow washes the pessary out and reduces how well it works. If your period starts partway through, ask your pharmacist how best to continue.
Why does BV keep coming back?
Recurrence is common because the pH imbalance is easily re-triggered. Avoid douching, perfumed washes, bubble baths and scented wipes, wash with water only, and always finish the full 7 days. If BV keeps returning, see your GP or a sexual health clinic – recurrent BV has options that need a prescriber.
Can I use Canesbalance if I’m pregnant?
Speak to your doctor or midwife first. BV during pregnancy is associated with complications and should be properly assessed rather than self-treated.
What if the symptoms have not cleared after 7 days?
Do not just repeat the course. See your pharmacist or GP – persistent symptoms need reassessing, both to confirm it is BV and to rule out a sexually transmitted infection, which this treatment will not affect.

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