I certainly understand your concern. I don't know if you doctor checked for a bacterial overgrowth. I know that when that happens to me, I get this awful smell that just won't go away. I was finally put on Relagard. It is a cream that helps that part of the body re-adjust its pH levels. It always happened to me when my blood sugars were off (whether too high, or too low). I would use that a couple of times when I noticed it and it would clear itself up. After that, my doc did tell me that washing that area with soap and douching was a BIG no no. The "self-cleaning oven" idea was right on. I hope this helps you. Oh, and by the way... you can get an over the counter version called RepHresh. It's usually with the womanly supplies. It costs about $10 but was well worth it for the peace of mind.