Yeast infection

[Shashi]

I'm not sure where or who to ask this and thought maybe some of you ladies might know. I have a chronic yeast infection. Even with the over-the-counter treatments from the drug store, it doesn't go away. My gyn prescribed me diflucan, but it's just one pill. Will just one pill really cure a chronic yeast infection? What other things could I do for it?
I've already tried oil of oregano, both internally and externally; but taking the capsules makes me exhausted and depressed, and external applications don't seem to be working at all.

Thanks,

Lisa

[tlrosbach]

Hi. I see a natural doctor from time to time and they do not believe in using those over the counters for yeast infections because all it does is supress the yeast and keep it in your system. There are pills at the natural health store that can rid your body of yeast. Of course, some other things that you can do is avoid sugar and flour.

[samandmattsmom]

My doctor always prescribes me 2, if not 3, at time, depending on the severity of the symptoms. One never clears it up for me because it does not totally kill it out. I take one, and then 2 days later, I take another one, and it usually takes care of it. I also eat a lot of yogurt that helps to keep things in check. The OTC stuff never works for me either!

[cosake]

Has your doctor tested you ? The reason I ask is that I get yeast infections, get tested and treated for them by my doctor, and then they often turn into bacterial vaginosis, which has very similar symptoms. Sometimes I even have both infections at the same time.

My doctor sometimes does diflucan for the yeast - usually one dose will clear it up for me. Or I use prescrip cream - not OTC. Then the BV is treated with metrogel.

Whenever I have had a yeast infection that didn't seem to clear up, it usually turned out to be that it turned into BV.

One doctor had me take acidophillus (sp ?) when I was taking an antibiotic to help prevent a yeast infection. I don't like yogurt.

[Toomnyhats]

Has DH been tested for a yeast infection? Many yrs ago I read that husbands sometimes are the culprit in their wife's chronic infection. And they aren't affected the same way we are so he may not even be aware of it. Worth considering ...

Try garlic, ingested internally. Garlic is a natural antibiotic & won't kill the good bacteria. You can take OTC pills/capsules, but only if they have the garlic smell - stink=healing properties. (Puritan's Pride has some good capsules.)

A much cheaper alternative (if you can stomach it) is to crush a fresh clove of garlic & swallow it! I use a garlic press, crush it into a spoon, then swallow the pile of garlic with water, like it was a pill. Don't swallow a whole clove (it makes me extremely nauseous) - too hard for the stomach to digest.

[Lori Lee]

I have dealt with chronic yeast for years. I find the best thing I have used is Three Lac and even the Five Lac. You can find it at stopyeast.com they are probiotics (sp). My gyn tried the Diflucan I had to use it every two weeks for 2 or 3 times. I believe that Diflucan can be hard on your liver.

The one thing about the probiotics is that there is a cleansing reaction and when the yeast starts dying off it causes toxins to be released in your system. It is important to keep your bowels moving so you may need to take fiber or something to keep that moving.

Hope you have relief soon.
Blessings,
Lori

[Hartzmom2]

Are yeast infections commen in MS?? I have never had one before, and i think i have one now.. I was diagnosed in May, and have started Rebif, and am also taking Vit d3, calcium and a multivitamin. maybe one of these can cause a yeast infection??

[DianeD]

Oi!

I have a horrible itch which it was hard to define where exactly it was. I went to the family doc who examined me and said 'probably a yeast infection'. I don't find probably to be encouraging, but I would have done anything at that point.

I took the diflucan treatment twice! No results. So I went to the GYN who gave me another yeast medication and we went through 3 types of cremes. The last one, Alcortin A is supposed to be the Cadilac of cremes that kills yeast, bacteria and fungus. I've used it for a month to no avail. Meanwhile I'm awakened at night with an intense itch, which is more in the vicinity of the urethra(no it's not a UTI). Have you ever tried to look at your own 'bits' with a mirror? Really it's pretty comical, but not really a laughing matter.

To make things worse the 'ITCH' has now migrated to my right foot (the arch). There is no rash, just an awful itching. I've had to take sedatives, pain killers and even sleeping pills and still the most relief I've gotten is maybe two hours.

AND the itch is generally at night :-(. I already suffer from fatigue, so imagine what this doses to me! By the way both itch sites are on the right side, always in the same place.

Tomorrow I go to my Neuro. This should be interesting;I can see him looking puzzled in my mind and I'm dreading the visit. Seems like i am in a lose/lose situation. If he thinks it's a nerve issue the drugs you get ( I'm told) make you sleepy.

I already sleep way too much, so I'm so worried.

Wouldn't you know in two weeks my son and family will be here on their home leave. I only get to see him and my grandchildren once a year and right now I'm probably in the worst condition they've seen me in. I so don't want the Grandkids to see me like this and remember me as I am right now.

Diane

[cosake]

DianeD - "probably" shouldn't be part of the test results. There are very easy tests that tell if you have a yeast infection or not. If doctor couldn't tell you 100% that it is yeast, s/he shouldn't have prescribed all of those meds.

I recently had yeast infection that turned to bacterial infection with almost the same symptoms. The doctor only knew from my test results.

After the infections cleared up, I had itching at night time, but only in my bikini area. It's very weird, but it's finally almost cleared up. I was thinking it was some MS symptom.

I hope that you are able to enjoy your family's visit. Do your best, but don't overdo it. They will understand.

[Shashi]

Thanks for all the input, ladies. I took the one pill and it seems to have helped. I never really had a lot of itching or anything anyway. I really didn't know I had the infection until my annual exam.

If I start having symptoms, I do have an open-ended prescription for the diflucan, so I can take it any time I need it.

Thanks again and hugs to all.

[DianeD]

Cosake, I had a lot of inflamation and I'd guess it was hard to tell.

I think the doc was trying to help me out and hopeful it was the answer. My itch is almost intolerable, especially considering where it is.

The GYN did do some testing though he said it might not show what the problem is. The creams treat bacteria, fungus and yeast.

The doc wanted to at least help me with the itch, but none even touched it and it gets so bad it wakes me in my sleep even if I've taken a sleeping pill or pain med.

Pain and itch react to much of the same stuff.

So....today I went to the family doc for blood work and in the afternoon to the Neuro to talk with him about the mysterious itch. He thought it was unlikely that this is MS related, but he said 'with MS we are constantly finding out new things'. He didnt think it was at all typical of MS neuropathy.

Anyway the long and short of it is that now I have to go for yet another MRI. Since my balance is really off right now, I guess this is a good idea. Meanwhile he has given me Cymbalta to replace my citalopram with the hope this may help me.

Shashi, my itching is intense it makes my leg weak and shaky. I've tried every topical cream, spray and ointment I could lay my hands on.

What I worry about when the kids are here is that I will be up walking the floor all night (done that a lot ) and will not be able to stay awake during the day.

Thats the other weird thing about this, it's always at its worst at night!!! This is so crazy it's embarrasing to talk about :-/

Just have to grin and bare it for now. Thanks thoug for input.

Diane

[beagdearg]

Hi Shashi

I wanted to share with you what has helped me w/yeast infections. I've had them for a majority of my life and just 6 months ago I found a good ob/gyn who gave me an instant cure. The Diflucan only worked for me for maybe 3 days; so no that isnt it.

He prescribed for me boric acid suppositories, 500 mg taken vaginally twice a week. This can be filled at a compounding pharmacy or you can find the ingredients at health food stores (boric acid, caps and cap machine) and do it yourself. Its hard to find a good dr who will listen and who has the knowledge about meds that are not mainstream.

Also, only cotton undies, only white/fragrance free soaps (including detergent). White toilet paper.

I wish you the best! I hope this trick can work for you as well. I was at my wits end about this problem til I found the cure.

[billiejeane]

it's called candida. And most people with autoimmune have systemic candida that the regular docs wont tell u about. get a probiotic,take it 3x's daily.

[voodoo]

Itch that won't quit

Suggestions: pour vinegar on a wash cloth and hold it against the effected area for a short time, just til it starts to hurt/burn. Then shower and rinse well. I have no scientific reasons for this - but it worked for me after nothing else would help for severe pain and itching in this area. Was not helped by any antibiotics or yeast treatments.
This is just my experience - please be careful, as some people may find this treatment more painful than the original problem.
I take cinnamon supplements to prevent yeast infections that I usually get while on antibiotics.

[Sissy]

I hope it's not to late to post on this topic? I have been on the Diflucan for a week now. 1 pill daily and I'm supposed to take it for another whole week.?? Is this normal? I have never had a Yeast infection before even though I am a diabetic.

I have pain on urination ( like with a UTI) Itching is horrible but mine is in the bikini area not vaginal area. I have scratched and made it bleed (in the creases of bikini line). Believe me, I do not have a bikini line! But you get the idea! I am miserable and now the UTI !!