Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with infection

Undiagnosable female issues.

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:09:53 -0800

I know you are not my doctor. I'm having a female issue that my OB/GYN can't figure out. I need ideas on how to approach this situation. I have a vaginal irritation. The skin feels raw and irritated on the outside and around my anus.

Also, my feet feel itchy. I don't know if this is related.

In October, I had a UTI and was on antibiotics. I haven't felt right since then. I have been tested for everything, and all tests have come back negative. The test came back negative for: yeast, bacteria, and stds. I had two swabs and a blood test. I don't have any sores and actually the irritation is barely even visible. I have been to my OB/GYN 3 times and my primary once. My OB/GYN has given me a cream for a yeast infection and also a corticosteroid. Neither has worked.

On my last visit, my OB/GYN referred me to a specialist who can see me in late March. This is not acceptable.

So, what should I do? Does anyone have any other ideas? I am considering trying to go to a different doctor, but I am assuming it may take a little while to get an appointment.

My doctor also offered to do a biopsy, but says it will be painful especially in that area. It didn't seem like she was encouraging me to get the biopsy.

Any suggestions on how to approach this situation would be great. I'm very frustrated that I can't figure this out and get it resolved.

Keep bottle closed at all times

swrittenb — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:32:46 -0800

What are the risks of leaving a bottle of contact lens solution open on the counter regularly? The bottle itself says to "keep bottle tightly closed at all times," and not to touch the tip to any surfaces. We've been doing the latter, but leaving the lid off for convenience during the day. The bottle has a small tip, with a tiny hole, though it is a big bottle of solution. After borrowing a friend's bottle in a pinch, we found that the next morning, it seemed like our lenses were soaking in stinky swamp water. That was a bit of a scare! Ours has never been noticeably bad, and we didn't even give it a second thought until that scare. Now I'm paranoid, and imagining a slimy coating running over my eyes every time they go in.

Please help us convince ourselves to keep that dang bottle closed during the time we're not using it, or let us know why we're actually not at that much risk! Scary infected eye images and bacteria pictures are welcome. Eek!

How do I find a good doctor?

Jsn7821 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:53:59 -0800

How do I find a good doctor to look at my wrist? My right wrist has been undergoing various minor traumas over the last few months. Basically a small puncture wound became a problem when I landed on my wrist playing frisbee and pulled something. A few weeks went by and it seemed to be healing, but then I re-injured it working in my yard. It's been about 2 months since the frisbee incident, and the actual area of interest has moved a little, getting closer to my wrist, ceased to make progress, and has become a small puffy area, red and bruised, about an inch in length. Maybe there is some sort of infection going on, I am not sure.

I can do just about everything I need to with my wrist, which is why I haven't sought out medical attention yet, but I have somewhat limited range of motion, and something like rock-climbing is completely out of the question.

Anyway: I just moved from WA state to Hawaii and don't know of any good doctors out here, and it looks like anyone near by isn't covered directly by my health insurance. I still have 60% coverage for non-covered doctors though, but I want to make sure I visit someone worthwhile if I am going to be spending a lot out of my pocket. I think what I want is an "osteopathic surgeon", but I am not sure.

I really want my wrist to heal. How do I find a good doctor?

Look into my...ear

bilabial — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:51:38 -0800

YANMD filter. I have had an earache for...a long time. I need a super low cost ENT type visit in the miami/fort lauderdale area. I've been taking ibuprofen and benadryl to faciltate sleeping at night. This was fine with me until it stopped working.

I'm under employed and uninsured (working 11-15 hours/week, had a hopeful job interview today). Minute Clinic at cvs (a drugstore chain here in Florida) is the cheapest option I can find, but at $62 for the visit, that's just not affordable. I do not have a credit card. I'm not in need of emergency room care, so please don't suggest I go there. I'm not currently enrolled in college classes, so utilizing campus health is not possible.

My google fu is failing me and at the moment my ear hurts so badly that chewing is uncomfortable. I can't put this off until I get health insurance or find a winning lotto ticket in the gutter.

I have a broward county bus pass and a bike. I could use the Miami buses. I might be able to get a ride someplace from a friend. So, transportation is a challenge, but less of a barrier than money.

Is there a clinic with a sliding scale? Does anyone have a doctor friend in Miami who could look into my ear and say, 'yup that's infected.' (I've had a lifetime of ear infections. I'm 70% certain that's what it is. Of course, I'm not a doc, and even if I were, I'm not physically able to look into my ear. So my guess at what the problem is doesn't amount to much. What I know is, it hurts and before I consider drinking myself to sleep, I need to see a doctor.)

Found the "bullseye", now what?

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:21:21 -0800

After a week of what was diagnosed as some form of Viral Syndrome Meningitis, I just found a big target-shaped rash on the back of my leg. Looks just like the pictures. This started on Sunday of Labor Day weekend after camping. Now that I'm pretty sure it's Lyme Disease what should I ask for and do first? I'm about 10 days into the infection. My doctor is on vacation so I've been getting bounced around. I have an appointment with her back-up who I saw last Wednesday. When I saw him then the rash was a solid purple, like a bruise. It's sort of migrated to the edges forming a target with a dark center and outer ring. I'm almost positive this is Lyme Disease and he wants me in the office at 8 in the morning. I know I want antibiotics but what else do I want and need to know? I understand there's an advantage to catching this early. How do I maximize that advantage? Throw away account at metathrowaway@gmail.com for anything you'd rather not share.

Drugs are bad, mmmkay?

inoculatedcities — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:29:27 -0800

Recommend an excellent, comprehensive book on the history of antibiotics? After burning through Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson's Napoleon's Buttons and Michael Pollard's The Botany of Desire I've decided to seek out books with a similar, historical approach to other interesting molecules.

In particular, I'd love to read a comprehensive history of antibiotics (especially a technical one that's not aimed at lay audiences/bestseller lists like the admittedly still quite good books I mentioned above). I know Thomas Hager's The Demon Under the Microscope is a popular book that chronicles the discovery and history of sulfonamides, but I'm looking for something that covers the whole spectrum of modern antibiotics. Any recommendations would be most appreciated.

Poor Zoe. :(

miss lynnster — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 09:55:36 -0800

I know you are not a vet. But is there any way to cure a dog's ear infections without antibiotics and a trip to the vet? My poor pup has horrible allergies and has had at least five major ear infections in the last few years. She's on good food and stuff, but still gets them even though I take really good care of her. Unfortunately, I ran out of the ear medicine I had and the vet won't give me more without a full exam. Thing is, I really can't afford it... feels like every time I go to the vet I end up spending twice as much to get Zoe well as I expected and I just don't have it to spare right now. I haven't had the cash to take *myself* to the doctor in two years (mainly 'cuz I'm spending $400 a month on health insurance - sigh) but I keep finding myself needing to take my dog.

I still have plenty of the prescription ear cleaner and I've been cleaning her ear out since yesterday, but the poor thing is just *sooooo* miserable it's breaking my heart. She's trying so hard to be good but is clearly in pain.

Is there anything I can do to help her heal... or do I have to pull out my credit card? I'd rather not. I wish I had the cash, but I don't. And I know this ear problem is going to happen again within about six months too, which is frustrating. I don't want to be a bad puppy mom. Sad puppies suck. :(

Boil Remedy in Japan?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:36:14 -0800

Help! I'm in Japan, and I have a painful boil on my back from several weeks of carrying around a heavy backpack. I used this and Neosporin a few years ago in a similar situation in the US, but I don't know what to look for at a drugstore here. Any ideas? (I can speak only a tiny bit of Japanese, but I can read Katakana, in case that might help)

Vectors of Computer Virus Infection

mary8nne — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:08:37 -0800

What are the common form of Computer Virus spread these days? I remeber back in the day it was all about Word macros, then Outlook attachmets auto-running, but therse days is it all Internet Browser Exploits? How does your computer get infected these days? Can you get a virus just by visiting a webpage (but not running any aps / agreeing to intall anything)? Do viruses these days need you to explicitly agree to run something?

If you are 'really really careful' about what you do and do not run then do you really need Anti-Virus software / Spyware etc?

I recently seemed to get infected with this Antivirus Pro but I'm not sure where it came from. It could have been a Facebook thing.

Powder your bum with food.

Foam Pants — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:15:24 -0800

Starch is food. So, why do we put cornstarch on skin to prevent, and dry up, topical skin infections, like diaper rash? I know from experience that it works. Why can't the infection use the starch as a food source?

My hairdresser has HIV.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:14:16 -0800

My hairdresser just learned that she has HIV. Should we do anything differently? My beautician still intends on doing hair, and I still intend on being her client and supporting her however I can. I'm not paranoid about being infected with HIV, but are there any precautions I/she should take? I'm thinking no--apart from not coming around her when I'm sick--but just thought I would ask. I'm sure I can talk about it with her, but at the time it was more about listening and being there for her, not asking about technicalities. Thanks

Occasional deep coughing problem after chest infection

lndl — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:43:07 -0800

Why am I occasionally getting coughing/breathing problems still when swimming after a 2 week course of antibiotics for a chest infection 2 months ago? ( I am very fit). Ok, it's a bit complitcated. I'm a 46yo male. I've had mild asthma for about 15 years. (Rarely affects me, I avoid triggers and am very fit).

Usually the only problem is if I get an infection (flu) that might subsequently reach my chest. This happens maybe once every 2 years, as it did 6 weeks ago. I always immediately go to my GP, get an antibiotic and fine.

However after the last time, the first course of Antibiotics didn't clear the infection, so I did a 2nd course (6 days each). I don't ever recall taking 2 courses before. (I always take natural yoghurt after antibiotics to replenish intestinal flora and alleviate tiredness also).

Anyway, problems still arise. Here's how: I'm a long distance swimmer. I train between 1 & half to 2 hours a day, 6 days a week normally, with occasional longer swims (in the pool at this time of year).
A couple of times after this course for a few weeks, when doing some explosive sprints, I started to cough, getting a feeling of mucus/matter deep in my lungs. Intensive intervals didn't product the same coughing effect.
Last week I was doing a 10km, 3 and a half hour straight swim, constant speed, for distance training. I started to get a "tickle" in my throat at about 2 hours and was constantly coughing for the next hour and a half. I finished my swim but it was tough, all that coughing under water, affecting my oxygen levels. I was apparently very pale after the swim.
About 7 hours later, I had a very difficult coughing fit for about 10 minutes, feeling like I was trying to "clear" mucus from my chest. It left me with sore lungs for the next 2 days. (The training day after a long swim is easy and the day after that is my rest day).
Tomorrow I'm due a 12km 4 hour swim. I'm nervous the same thing will happen again although I've been fine all week.
I would go back to my GP but I've been unemployed for almost a year now and can't afford it at moment without a more concrete reason.
Any thoughts appreciated.

Should I worry about this bite?

trillian — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:08:27 -0800

Cat bite that broke the skin: Should I worry yet? I was bitten by a cat about 5 hours ago. It was a hard bite and broke the skin. There was some bleeding, and it didn't stop right away after I washed it and put a band-aid on it. (The cat was vaccinated for rabies last year, so I don't have to worry about rabies. I have a recent tetanus shot as well.) I'm starting to get worried, though, especially because I've been Googling "cat bite infection"... The bitten finger is painful/sore, looks a tiny bit swollen, and most worrying of all, feels noticeably warmer than my other fingers on that hand (which are freezing because it's cold here today). Should I just keep an eye on it? Call the doctor? (I have health insurance and I filled out an accident report at work, where it happened.) For those of you who have been bitten by cats and developed infections, what happened leading up to that?

UTI + discharge?

faeuboulanger — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:24:07 -0800

Urinary tract infection? (potential TMI filter) For the past 4 or 5 days, I've been displaying a the signs of a UTI (mostly, burning when peeing, wanting to pee a lot, and some burny discomfort located around my urethral opening). I've also noticed some white, leucorrhea-like discharge. I realize this is often this sign of an STD, but I'm 99% certain it's not an STD. I suppose it could be a yeast infection, but I don't have any itchiness to speak of. I've poked around the interwebs, and couldn't find any connection between UTIs and discharge. Today, I started drinking copious amounts of cranberry juice, which, within a few hours, reduced my discomfort, desire to pee, etc. So, that leads me to think it's a UTI, but the discharge is really freaking me out. Any thoughts on what this might be?

When am I gonna flush out this Thrush?

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:09:57 -0800

I was diagnosed with Oral Thrush and am being treated with Diflucan. How long before I'm back to 100% normal? Quick info: I had a bad case of bronchitis and was treated with a Z-Pack, Prednisone, and an oral steroid inhaler. Unfortunately I was sick during the busiest week of the year for me, work-wise, and my body always hates steroids (I cannot sleep EVEN with sleeping pills, get angry/cry easily, feel horrible, and generally eat too much).

The tipping point must've been eating roughly an entire bag of jelly beans last Tuesday. By Thursday, my mouth looked... scary as hell.

The doctor prescribed me 10 days of Diflucan, and this is day 5. The back half of my tongue still is kinda gross, but more importantly, has stayed in some kind of bad tasting/bad feeling stasis since roughly Saturday.

The doctor gave me no dietary restrictions or special instructions; however, as per my Internet research goes, I have tried to severely limit carbs, sugar, vinegar (all my favorite things!), and dairy (severely limit = less than or approximately 1 teaspoon or 1 serving per day of each "forbidden" thing). I've eaten at LEAST one clove of fresh garlic a day, sometimes as many as 3, often raw. Yogurt, too. I am taking acidophilus and flax seed supplements, brushing 3-4 times per day, flossing, and drinking water with fresh lemon squeezed into it.

My last dosage will be Saturday. I'm hosting a dinner-type party this Friday and am praying that my symptoms will have abated by then... so basically:

1. If you've had this, how many days before you actually had NO symptoms left? The Diflucan hurts my stomach, but I'm eating ok and have not lost weight.

2. Is there anything else I could be doing to speed this up? I've greatly increased my sleep/relaxing time, but am still doing moderate exercise (walking 3-4 miles a few times a week).

3. If I eat sugar/bread the last day of my dosage, will I sabotage the whole thing and re-infect myself? I promised my group a fabulous, sugar- and bread-laden brunch this Saturday, and am celebrating Valentine's with the gentleman caller this Saturday. It would KILL ME to not ingest any sugar. Well, kill is a strong word, but I would be seriously unhappy about it.

4. How soon can I kiss my significant other? As soon as the symptoms abate, or what? The doctor said kissing's fine as long as he's not "halfway down my throat" but I am wary.

Other factors: myself and the bf are tested HIV negative as recently as this week; I do not have any autoimmune diseases; I don't have any trouble or pain swallowing or white spots on the back of my throat; the front half of my tongue is pink and doesn't hurt and I have no fever, just a sort of general malaise feeling. Thank you!

Mosquito borne blood infection

singingfish — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:55:12 -0800

What do you think the probability of catching a blood borne disease would be from swatting a mosquito filled with fresh human blood of unknown origin? Another way of stating the same question: Would the risk associated with driving to the pathology centre to get tests exceed the risk of infection?

Do I need to use two tubes of antibiotic eye ointment?

Mayor Curley — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:05:34 -0800

The pediatrician says my two-week-old baby has a potential eye infection-- her left eye isn't draining properly yet. The pediatrician prescribed erythromycin ointment. Coincidentally, about three weeks ago, our cat was prescribed erythromycin for her eye infection, which is now long cleared. I still have about four-fifths of a tube. Is there any reason that I shouldn't use the cat's ointment on the baby? It seems like a waste to open another tube of the stuff.

Do I have an inner-ear infection, or something else?

Effigy2000 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:18:20 -0800

Do I have an inner-ear infection, or something else? I'm a 30 year old guy. For a few months now I've had a weird feeling in my head, best described as a momentary feeling of dizziness. When it happens, it only happens for maybe a second or two.

This usually only happens in a small number of circustances, namely;

* When I get up out of bed
* When I turn over in bed
* If I turn my head too quickly
* If I look up for longer than around 5 seconds

This all started about 4 months ago. I googled the symptoms and everything I read seemed to suggest an inner-ear infection. The Wikipedia page on Labyrinthitis seemed to suggest it would go away on its own within 6 weeks. And, for a time, it did seem to be getting better. But in the last week it's come back, almost as bad as it was when I first started feeling it.

This alone is cause for concern. But within the last fortnight or so, something else has happened which has given me cause to wonder if it is an inner-ear infection or possibly something else. It's likely the two things are unreleated, but I need to ask anyway (y'know... just in case they ARE).

There was a movie I watched a couple of weeks ago (can't remember which one for sure but I think it was American Gangster) where there were a lot of flashing lights (flashing on and off very quickly over and over again) for a minute or two. While watching it I started to feel really dizzy, a little sweaty and felt like I was going to pass out. Once the lights stopped I started to feel fine again. Then last weekend I was at a heavy metal concert where there were a lot of flashing lights and I started to feel the same way again. Again, once they stopped I felt fine.

That's never happened to me before. My first thought is epilepsy but this has only started in the last week or two. Hell, I remember playing some Killer Japanese Seizure Robot game (the actual name escapes me at the moment) back on the SNES when I was younger and I felt fine. I'm assuming that this bit of self-diagnosis is way off base, but that's what this question is for, right?

Anyway, yeah, I'm going to go see a doctor soon, but work is really, really busy at the moment and I don't have a lot of spare time so it will have to wait around a week or so (sadly). In the meantime, I thought I'd post this question to see what the hive mind's medicos thought might be going on, to give myself food for thought (and to better inform myself) before I do actually go see a GP sometime in the next week.

GP says it's thrush - is it?

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:09:04 -0800

The doctor says I have thrush. Five pessaries or so later, it hasn't gone away. What;s going on? I've been having thrush-like symptoms since being given antibiotics for cystitis a few months ago - a bit of soreness during sex, discharge, yeasty smell. I;ve been given oral tablets, pessaries and creams; I'm doing all the things one should do to prevent it, and it's not going away. The doctor took a swab and said it was thrush, so why won't it work? Recently it's got worse - more itching, vinegary smell, yellowy discharge, vulva very tender to the touch (eg wiping after the loo) and when I had sex it felt like I'd been ripped inside for hours afterwards. It's driving me insane and bipolar meds make sex an odd area enough! I've had thrush before (antibiotics seem to bring it on) but it wasn't this bad. What to do, other than go back to the doctor and be given yet more pessaries?

Ear infection: please help!

high0nfire — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:28:53 -0800

For an outer ear infection, how do I get the medication drops safely past the pus to the infected ear canal? So 3 days ago I started to feel a tinge of pain between my ear and jaw hinge. I did the wait-and-see for a day and it got worse pretty fast. I have old vicodin that still works that I was taking for the pain (when I needed to sleep and focus on work, ear pain is terribly distracting) So I go to the doctor, he looks in my ear canal and says "yes it looks enflamed" and prescribed me the Neomycin/Polymixin/Hydrocortisone drops. The first couple applications were pretty easy, I could feel them drip down the canal, all was good. After two applications, I thought I could feel some blockage in the ear canal. here is where my stupidity begins.

I get the bright idea to flush my ear out with warm water to try and flush the pus/wax/whatever out so the medicine can coat the entire canal. Well i sort of went crazy. Probably 20 minutes of flushing ensued, with no payoff wax-boulder tumbling out. After I gave up, I used a hair dryer on low to dry my ear off, didn't use a q-tip or anything.

My wife gets home, looks in my ear and says "there's no wax/pus blockage, but your ear canal looks about 1/3 the width of the other one". So I go to bed and in the middle of the night I wake up (probably 4-5 hours after the flushing) and my ear canal is totally blocked. It's swollen shut and sounds like I have one of those -30db earplugs in my ear. Also the pain is way worse, so now I have to take a 2 year old vicodin to function, which does the trick fine but once it wears off i'm in pain city again. The problem I then discovered was that I can't get the drops to go down my ear-canal. I'll sit there with my head tilted for like 5 minutes, then straighten up and out they come.

So i go back to the doctor today (different doc, thanks HMOs) and tell him the story about the flushing and what not. I don't tell him about the vicodin cuz I know it's illegal cuz the prescription is expired and I know not telling him was a mistake. So he takes the ear-looker-inner instrument and plunges it (much like a jilted lover would a dagger into their betrayer's heart) right through my swollen-shut canal (OUCH!) and says "yeah it's infected... you might also have a middle ear infection too but I can't see through the outer canal so lets put you on 10 days of amoxicillin just to be safe".

An hour later (the vicodin was worn off) my ear hurt SO friggin much, i'm not sure how much of it was from the infection or the breaking of my ear-canal-hymen by the good doctor. My wife tried to apply the drops but she said the ear canal was very tight and spackled with yellow pus. So the medicine just sits on the mouth of the canal and doesn't go down. It might have gone down a LITTLE, but after 15 minutes of wiggling my ear , pulling the lobe around trying to let the medicine work it's way down, sitting up still put drops of the medicine onto my shirt collar. The second doctor was positive that my wife could drip the medicine into the canal and work it right down. Maybe the pus really formed after he shoved the instrument down the canal?

Anyhow, maybe most of this was uneccessary to write down. My ultimate question is: I'm on the amoxicillin AND the drops. The drops are blocked by the swollen canal and yellow-pus. How can I get the medicine down in there? They say don't put anything in your ear (and i think flushing with warm water made things worse, maybe i just did it too much) so what do I do?

If a medical professional could give some advice, it would be greatly appreciated. I assume I have to move the pus out of the way, right? I can't think of any other way. What I sort of think you will say is "you have to move the pus out of the way, so let your ear get wet in the shower and apply the medicine immediately"

Ear infections really suck, thank you in advance for your advice.

In retrospect, they probably would have prescribed me pain medication...

Infertility or Infection?

marypj — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:09:01 -0800

green mucus during ovulation but pap smear comes out negative two days and during my ovulation days, I use the restroom and see a green mucus and sometimes it hurts when we have intercourse. I've had a pap done and the results came back negative. I know that during ovulation, I should have a light clear almost egg white mucus. It has to be an infection but I don't know what it could be and I'm worried that this may be the reason why my husband and I haven't been able to conceive.

Icky nail infection in NYC: Derm recommendations in midtown?

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:10:26 -0800

Manhattan dermatologist who can see me this week to handle an out of control icky infection (classic manicure-from-hell scenario)? The closer to Grand Central-ish, the better! So when I first noticed my fingernail was infected - due to the throbbing and rapid expansion of a whiteness growing beneath the nail plate - I went to see an urgent care doc in midtown who put me on antibiotics and advised hot soaks in water, betadine, and hydrogen peroxide.

It's been weeks and despite religious adherence to this regimen (although I *have* perhaps made it worse by wearing bandaids which trap moisture), my nail is thisclose to falling off. I googled this and apparently it may be that yeast have invaded.

Anyhoo, I'd like to have a real dermatologist take a look at this ASAP before it gets any worse. Can anyone recommend a plain old medical dermatologist in midtown (40s or 50s) that might take me this week?

I'll be doing my fair share of calling around but I have literally zero time from 8am to 7pm.

Thanks so much for your help!

Oral thrush - vaginal yeast?

crunch buttsteak — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:54:17 -0800

I was diagnosed today with oral thrush. How did I get it? Can I pass it orally? Other-than-orally? More inside. I've noticed there are a lot of yeast-related AskMe questions, and there seem to be a lot of yeast-knowledgeable folks here. So, here goes.

Situation:
- Earlier in the week, I noticed my tongue hurting towards the front, like a canker sore. I've gotten canker sores on my tongue before.
- Around Tuesday, I noticed the papillae (?) on the right and left corners of the tip of my tongue were somewhat elongated, and whitish at the tips. Odd. I didn't have time to go to the doctor (the medical clinic/aid station, since I am in the Marines and live on base).
- Yesterday and more so today, the papillae on the left and right tip of my tongue are elongated and white. My tongue itself, in the same place, has shallow vertical cracks that hurt, esp. when exposed to toothpaste or stuff of that nature.
- I went to the Naval Hospital today. The doctor took one glance at my tongue, declared it oral thrush, and walked out. I got his assistant to go ask him a few questions for me while he was writing up my prescription for Nystatin.

Questions and given answers:
Q: Is it contagious? A: It shouldn't be, so long as I have been using the medication consistently for about two days. Also, periodically rinse with warm salt water.
Q: Could I have gotten it from my girlfriend? Through contact with her mouth or her vagina? A: The only way to tell is if my girlfriend develops similar symptoms of oral thrush.
Q: Can I transfer it back to her? A: Again, stay consistent with the medication, and "give it a few days" to be safe.

My questions to you: Were those answers correct? I wasn't able to sit down with the doctor and actually discuss with him the relationship between the fungi that cause oral thrush and vaginal yeast infections (which are supposedly the same). I personally don't think I got it from the gf this past weekend - we've been sexually active together since last year, and this is the first occurrence of its kind.

I would likely have to schedule another appointment simply to speak to another doctor on the subject, and that might not be feasible until next week. I am seeing my girlfriend again this weekend and, getting straight to the point, we kiss, we have oral sex, and we have sex. Is this a recipe for fungal disaster?

Lastly, should she visit the OBGYN for this? What are her risks? Should she be concerned? About what?

Thanks in advance for your input. I'll be checking back often so feel free to ask followup questions.

Ow

lunasol — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:31:17 -0800

Could this scab be infected? I bit it on the street in front of my house on Sunday, and scraped up my elbow (classic case of road rash). I soaked the wound for about a half hour or so, and cleaned it with soap and water, but there were still some dirt particles that would not come off.

Two days later, the wound had developed a nice, if painful, dry scab. It hurt like hell, but seemed to be healing. Yesterday, I noticed the scab was yellowish, but still dry. I have been applying antibiotic ointment and trying to keep it clean.

Today, however, two tiny parts of the scab have broken and started leaking yellow pus. The scab still hurts. It has, however, been getting a bit smaller.

I don't have any of the other signs of infection: no red line to my heart, no growing pinkish area, no heat, no bad smell.

I know that you are not my doctor, but to be honest, I would rather not spend the $50 emergency-room copay if this is "normal."

So I guess I'm not asking if it's infected, but whether or not this is "normal," or if it's something that requires immediate medical attention.

Six months after piercing, how can I get rid of this bump on my ear?

crosbyh — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:16:43 -0800

Six months ago I got the cartilage of my ear pierced, about half an inch down from the top. Ever since, I’ve had a small red bump on the exit hole of the piercing. It varies in size almost daily, is somewhat tender-feeling, and produces some white crud overnight. I soak it regularly but it doesn’t seem to help. Please help me de-bumpify myself! I had the piercing done at a reputable shop with a needle and, what I was led to believe, a high quality surgical steel barbell. I soak it in a sea salt and warm water mixture once a day (most days) and spray it with a similar mixture once or twice a day as well.

It doesn’t hurt all the time, but it makes the top third or so of my ear feel pretty tender, especially when I hold the phone up to my ear or wake up after sleeping on it. Overnight and sometimes during the day the piercing will produce some crusty white stuff, which I clean off with a Q-tip and warm water. It isn’t nearly as bad as what’s described in this post, but I’m worried that a worse infection could develop if it continues.

Is this something that will go away given more time? Is there something else that I should be doing to get rid of the bump? I heard from a friend that Tea Tree Oil can help make such a thing go away, but I’m reluctant to introduce anything new for fear of making it worse.