Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with yeastinfection

dog ear infection

Countess Elena — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:41:16 -0800

My little dog seems to have an ear infection -- head tilting, ear-scratching, ear-shaking, general sadness. She has a vet appointment Saturday, for an unrelated follow-up, and I will tell the vet about it then. In the meantime, would it hurt her to give her some of the miconosol eardrops (1%) I have left over from when this happened before? They have an expiration date of 9-2011, which isn't great, but probably just means it would be a little less effective. She'll certainly be looked at this weekend, and in any case I know it may not be a yeast infection, as it was that time. I just want to be sure that this isn't the kind of treatment that you definitely don't want to give unless it's necessary.

(I know, I feel responsible. She haaates having her ears fooled with, so they don't get washed much. When a dachshund wants to hide from you, they stay hidden.)

I didn't think the infection was THAT bad.

lemoncello — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:20:36 -0800

Did my doctor just prescribe waaaay too much medicine? I asked for a diflucan prescription for a yeast infection. I just picked up the medicine from the pharmacy and got 30 tablets of fluconazole (150 mg) with directions to take one every day. My past experience has been that this is a one-dose medication. Am I missing something here or did someone make a mistake?

How to deal with a yeast infection when I can't see a doc right away?

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:28:26 -0800

I think I have a yeast infection but I'm having a hard time getting a doctor's appointment anytime soon. Advice for what to do in the meantime is appreciated! I've been having some discomfort which, upon much googling, seems very likely to be a YI (itchy, ouchy, peeling skin, discharge, etc) and the conditions seem right for it (I've been taking antibiotics recently, well currently, for a different illness.) I've never had a yeast infection before so it didn't occur to me right away, but now I'm fairly certain that's what's going on.

Anyway, due to frequently-changing insurance I don't have a regular primary care physician or gynecologist. So far I've been having pretty bad results calling the gynies listed through my insurance- the best I've been able to get so far is an appointment for a week from Thursday! I called Planned Parenthood too, thinking they'd be able to help me out but apparently they are booked through October. Shit!

So, I was going to just go get an OTC remedy from the drugstore and hope that helps until I have my doctor's appointment. But after perusing several threads on here regarding the topic, there seem to be mixed opinions on the OTCs and I'm not sure what to do.

So my questions are basically:
-What OTC medication has worked best for you/ would you recommend/ not recommend?
-Or, is this the type of thing I can get taken care of through a "Minute Clinic" type place (as in, they will prescribe me diflucan or whatever it is without an exam?) If so, where specifically might I be able to do this (In chicago?)
-Is the antibiotic going to make it worse? (I've been taking it for an upper-respiratory type infection but it doesn't seem to be working anyway, I'm guessing it's viral, so it seems kind of pointless to keep taking it if it's causing other problems for me.)
-Is waiting week+ to see a doc about this a big deal? It seems annoying for sure but I don't know what else I can do.
-I've seen some posts about putting yogurt in various places and while I appreciate the intent it kind of skeeves me out and I probably won't be doing that.
-Any other advice to get me through it appreciated.

(also, in case you were wondering, although I think it's YI, I have been fairly sexually active recently and have taken that into account- I'm due for STD screenings anyway so I will address that at my doctor's appointment. Just in case it's not what I think it is. But I'm pretty sure it is.)

Please feel free to email me at MetaNonymous54321@gmail.com !

During a visit to the ER, the doctor on duty prescribed medication that is virtually impossible to administer.

triceryclops — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:06:09 -0800

During a visit to the ER, the doctor on duty prescribed medication that is virtually impossible to administer. The original reason for the visit to the ER came after my girlfriend borrowed my bike 5 days ago, slipped on the pedal and fell onto the crossbar. This resulted in some fully expected pain that lasted a few hours. This happened to come right at the beginning of her period.

By yesterday morning, the pain had worsened to the point where she said it felt like pins in her urethra and labia minora. We went to the ER where they determined after a short observation and X-ray that it was a relatively minor contusion that felt worse because of its location. They advised on a normal regimen of ibuprofen.

About 8 hours after we left the ER, the condition worsened, became even more painful, the affected area became more swollen, there was a small amount of blood in her urine (possible related to menstruation), and a white discharge with an odor she was not familiar with We decided to sleep on it until it became unbearable so we went to the ER again.

This would be a good time to mention that my girlfriend has Vaginismus of the psychological variety. If you are not familiar with the condition, it's where the vagina will reflexively contract when any foreign object tries to gain entry. She has in the past compared it to trying to keep your eye open as you see a pencil coming towards it. The difficulty of trying to do this is compounded by it being extremely painful. She tells me that many doctors, even OB/GYN's have trouble fully understanding the issue, so I knew we might run into a little problem with the ER doctor if he needed any cultures or swabs.

And that's exactly what they needed. As expected, he seemed to not understand why putting as much as a q-tip in there was so hard. After about 10 minutes and a lot of tears and hand holding, she was finally able to provide the needed sample.

In the end, she tested positive for a Yeast infection and he prescribed Monistat 3 for this. He also prescribed an antibiotic for bacteria found in the urine. My girlfriend has never used monistat 3, which we found when we opened the box, which requires application with something considerably larger than a q-tip. In the past physicians, being aware of her vaginismus, have prescribed a topical cream in tandem with oral medication.

We are at a loss for what to do. We have already paid for two ER visits. We are currently a couple of nearly broke students and cannot pay any portion of her deductible to go to a physician. Is there any recourse we can take that won't result in having to pay for another ER visit?

Lady Trouble

palacewalls — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:07:44 -0800

My fiance is concerned that her vaginal infection has been misdiagnosed/mistreated. She gives a thorough description and snowflake details inside. Please help! Symptoms: Beginning 2.5 months ago, yeast infection type pain/discomfort/itching/sensitivity/discharge. It has changed a bit over this time, but those are the general symptoms.

Home care: I occasionally get yeast infections and felt one beginning, so purchased a one-day over the counter suppository (which has always worked until now). Two days later i did not feel better, so I took another one. Two days later still no good.

Doctor #1: I go to my lady doctor and she confirms that it is a yeast infection (by looking under a microscope). I take a course of oral anti-yeast antibiotic. Finish that, still no good and I find a new doctor.

Doctor #2: New doctor prescribes three rounds of suppositories (two different kinds over two months), orders two lab testings (also tested for gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc). She recommended I take some time off of meds and is now prescribing boric acid suppositories.

More specific: She looks under microscope and says it looks bacterial, which is why the meds have not been working. Ido a round of evening suppositories (7-10 days) and still don't feel right. I do another round, and still not right! She prescribes an alternate anti-bacterial suppository (perhaps the bacteria got wise to this one). At that time she also takes a swab for lab testing. I begin the 3rd round of anti bacterial meds, but a few days later she calls to tell me to that the recent lab tests don't show bacteria, yeast. She says I still need to finish the meds.

I finish them, confused and kind of worried about what the heck is going on (not in horrible pain, but uncomfortable). I go back to see her. She looks, says it looks a little irritated and to take a while without meds (as the lab shows nothing to treat) and let it try to re-balance itself. She swabs me again, sends to the lab and it again shows nothing. One week goes by, and I am still a bit irritated deep in there and slightly itchy on the exterior.

Today she prescribed boric acid suppositories to balance things out (14 days, 2x a day, then 7 days a month for 6 months!). I will see her tomorrow and am going to ask her what else could be possibly going on and if there is someone else I should see for a second opinion?

So: Was the early mis-diagnosis of yeast infection the issue (delaying the proper care for bacterial infection and intensifying it)? Are my lady parts just out of sorts with all this crazy medical attention and therefore needing time to settle back to normal? Is there something else entirely going on that I should get tested for?

Make the itching stoppp

Anonymous — Mon, 23 May 2011 10:44:30 -0800

Any last-ditch yeast infection treatments that worked for you? Also, has anyone experienced persistent recurring yeast infections on Synthroid or other replacement thyroid hormones? I've tried everything, it seems. I've completely upended my diet to stop eating sugars (I am the kind of person for whom dessert makes life worth living so this has been a huge and horrible change), quit drinking alcohol, multiple courses of Diflucan. I'm going panty-less whenever possible, taking probiotics twice a day, blowdrying my pelvis silly when I get out of the shower. My husband even went in and got his own Diflucan to take. Yet this yeast just keeps popping back up. I woke up with that familiar tingling sensation this morning and basically wanted to die.

My doctor's next plan is to take me off Nuva Ring, which I really don't want to do. I like Nuva Ring and I've been on it for 7 years without incident up to now. Right before these infections began, I started taking Synthroid, and I'm wondering if that might be exacerbating things.

I know you're not my doctor, and my doctor is very much involved here, but it seems like every doctor has a different approach to treating persistent yeast, and if anything weird worked for you that let you stay on the HBC you liked, I would be glad to try it. Thanks!

Ugh, sad and yeasty...

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:46:16 -0800

Help me deal with my emotional reactions to thrush. (NSFW) Don't worry, YANMD and I don't expect you to be, I have seen a doctor and I've been diagnosed with vaginal thrush.

I've tried several over-the-counter and prescribed treatments, all of which work for the period of the treatment but the discharge returns within a few days. It isn't very itchy anymore, just embarrasingly white sticky stuff. I have the feeling it's a mild yet stubborn bout of yeastiness.

The problem is that it's been recurring for over a month. It's embarrassing. Each time it comes back I get very emotional and worry about it ever going away.

I'm in a relationship and the indefinite no-sex rule really upsets me. We're going on holiday and I was hoping it would be sorted by now. My SO is super-supportive and manages to make me feel unpressured without feeling unwanted, but it depresses me regardless.

I don't want to search the internet for any more tips/anecdotes/support because, frankly, they're neither helpful nor supportive. Often they're distressing tales of marriage near-breakdowns due to no sex and low self-esteem. I will definitely be eating more yoghurt, though.

So please, without scaring me any further, help me find coping strategies for the weeping and lack of sexiness in my life. If you've been in the same situation, please share.

sudsy mug

WeekendJen — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:22:55 -0800

Will beer soap disrupt my girl parts? I bought some beer soap from a soapmaker. The beer used in it is Guinness. Is this safe for me to use on my parts? Could yeast transfer and cause an infection? (I am not especially prone)

I realize this question is a bit rediculous, but hopefully someone with soap science or beer science knowledge can assure me that I'll be fine.

Please please me. But don't turn me into a loaf of bread.

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:36:33 -0800

You are not our doctor, but my husband's doctor insists that it's impossible that he's been giving me yeast infections from cunnilingus. Evidence suggests otherwise. Have you experienced this before, and were you able to stop the vicious and yeasty cycle? Every time my husband goes down on me, I get a raging yeast infection. There's a pretty obvious and direct correlation: inevitably, I'll get itchy, wonder what's up, and realize that he went down on me about a week before. Monistat (or, if I'm feeling motivated enough to go to the doctor, diflucan) always clears it up without a problem, and this isn't a huge part of our sexual repertoire--in part because of this problem--but, well, I'd like it to be, and I'm getting frustrated by the whole thing.

My husband has celiac disease and, in the past, has had symptoms of oral thrush, which he's never been really treated for. A few months ago, he went to the doctor to ask about this--after I'd gotten yet another yeast infection from oral. The doctor looked at his mouth, decided that the yellow stuff on the back of his tongue wasn't yeast related, told him to use a tongue scraper, and then told him that I'm probably just prone to yeast infections and that we should use a dental dam from now on.

I was a little flummoxed by this, and a bit surprised that the doctor didn't just give him a diflucan (especially as I've had plenty of doctors just hand them to me whenever I've gone on antibiotics as a prophylactic; I'm surprised they'd be so reluctant!). I've only ever had vaginal yeast infections under two conditions: when I was on antibiotics, or after oral. I never seem to get them from intercourse alone, or from manual sex, or just normally. In fact, I never even had one until I was twenty or so, after he went down on me for the first time. However, the doctor told my husband that it was probably just "the way that I am" (for what it's worth, I've never been with another partner, so I'm not sure if it would happen with someone else). I do sometimes get tinea versicolor (something I've had in the summer since childhood)--my husband told the doctor this, and he seemed to take this as confirmation that the problem is all on my end, so to speak.

We've tried using saran wrap as a dental dam, which I guess was, like, uh, kind of okay. But sort of not really. A week ago, we ended up getting caught up in the heat of things, sixty-nined (how do you even use a dental dam if the woman is on top?!), and here I am, again, with a raging yeast infection.

I've asked my husband to go to the doctor and ask for a diflucan directly. But thanks to his doctor, he's now extremely skeptical that it will make a difference, and thinks I'll just have to resign myself to a dental dam (ugh) every time.

Have any mefites ever experienced something like this, from either end? Is it possible that some women are just, like, set up to be yeast machines any time a guy goes down on them? If you've been in this situation, did fluconazole or another pharmaceutical help? Is there anything we can do (either individually or both) as a prophylactic measure so that this doesn't happen any more?

Oh, and before you say that he needs to cut out all bread products/sugar, he doesn't eat anything with yeast in it already, and he has a ton of food allergies. If we cut out any more food groups, he'd probably starve to death.

Please hope me, metafilter. I love oral sex, and this is making it suck.

Is this a yeast infection or am I overreacting?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:25:44 -0800

Is this a yeast infection? WAAAAAAAAY TMI inside. I'm kinda an anxious person to start with.

I've been taking this antibiotic, Cephalexin if it matters, for my acne for about 2 weeks now... and for the past two weeks I've noticed a bit of a change in my discharge. In my opinion it smells distinctly more yeasty than usual and it's kinda thicker, but (this is really tmi) it's not like I'm constantly dripping thick white discharge, I only see it when I'm pushing a little whilst using the bathroom. It comes out in globs but I would definitely NOT describe it as cottage cheese like. I've had thick white discharge before and it's rather normal for me at some parts of the month but it usually doesn't come out in globs like that. Otherwise my discharge is fine though: I don't really notice anything different in my underwear, I'm not dryer than usual, and when I get aroused it's the same stuff as usual and the same amount.

So really my only discharge related symptoms are the kinda strangely yeasty smell and the kinda thick white discharge sometimes.

Otherwise I have no symptoms. No itching, burning, blah blah, nothing.

Also, I've been seeing these "symptoms" since a day after I started the antibiotic, and I went to the doctor and had a pap smear done about four days after. I stupidly didn't mention gee maybe I have a yeast infection, but I did mention I was concerned about getting one. I figured either she would test anyway or she would notice.

I would feel kinda foolish going back to the doctor two weeks later for symptoms I also had when I went to the doctor two weeks prior.

I have also been taking some acidophilius I got at the grocery store since I started taking the antibiotic. It wasn't refrigerated at first but it says it should be refrigerated after opening.

I'm starting to get really frustrated. I'm concerned about my boyfriend touching me then getting some in his mouth then getting an oral yeast infection (also unless I give him every little detail like I did here a yeast infection sounds like a gross thing, with cottage cheese discharge and such. If, as a dude with no experience with yeast infections, my girlfriend thought she had a typical one I wouldn't want to touch her).

So, I figure either I have a yeast infection and my doctor is incompetent or something, or I don't and the fact I'm worried about getting one whilst on this antibiotic is making me imagine my "symptoms" as being worse than they are.

So questions are, does this sound like a yeast infection to you? What are the repercussions of letting my boyfriend ingest my fluids? If this was a yeast infection would my doctor have been able to tell when she did the pap smear, and would the pap smear test for yeast anyway? She didn't say anything, but she knew I was concerned and she knew I was taking an antibiotic.

Thank you.

Best treatment options for yeats infection?

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:32:44 -0800

I have my first yeast infection after many years of thinking I was invulnerable. What's the best way of treating it given that my ladyparts are extra-sensitive due to lichen sclerosis? I can see that Monistat is available over the counter in 1 day, 3 day and 7 day formulations, and given that it can take up to 7 days for the infection to clear even with a 1 day application, I'm inclined to go for the 7 day treatment rather than bomb the area with a higher dose of meds over a shorter period. But is there any reason to believe that a more concentrated dosage might be a more effective way of treating this?

I have a doctor, but she's unavailable until late next week. It's taken me three days to finally realize what was ailing me, so I'd like to start treatment ASAP. I'm making an appointment with her nonetheless in case this is something else besides yeast.

Is the Monistat staying in there long enough?

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:59:16 -0800

Question about using Monistat for the first time - is the medicine staying in there long enough? I called my GYN with a suspected infection of some sort - vaginal itching and a heavier than normal (but clear) discharge, but no unusual odor. I've never had an infection before. The nurse told me to use Monistat 7 for a week and if it didn't get better, call back for an appointment.

The kind I'm using is a cream that comes in an applicator. The problem is, even if I pee immediately beforehand, once I use it I have a strong urge to go again. Usually within half an hour I have to give in, and I see some of the cream in the toilet. Then I'll go again anywhere from 2-6 hours later (I usually put it in before bed) and more cream will be in the toilet. My question is, is enough of the medicine staying in there long enough to do its job properly?

Itchily in love

teraspawn — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:52:50 -0800

Is there any sensible way to remove semen from one's vagina after intercourse? (nsfw) Some background: I am on the pill, my partner and I have both had recent clear STI tests, this question is not about contraception and YANA/MD.

We're in a LDR at the moment and only get to see each other for the odd weekend when we have time off work. Naturally in that time we have absurd amounts of sex. Besides the inevitable back pain, bruising, abrasions and dehydration afterwards (heh), I always seem to end up with a yeast infection.

It stands to reason that a sticky, alkaline, sugary substance coating the walls of my vagina, plus frequent, vigorous aeration would encourage dear ol' Candida albicans, and some googling seems to back that up.

Now, I'd rather live with the yeast infections than go back to condoms, but is there some way I could just clear the stuff out after we've done the deed? All I've heard about vaginal douching is that it is a Bad Thing and encourages and spreads all sorts of nasty infections, so I'm guessing that's not the way? Is there another solution?

Am I baker inside and out?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:49:20 -0800

Systemic yeast infection? I've got an appointment lined up to check. Symptoms after the jump. YANMD, but some advice would be appreciated. A few weeks ago, I attempted to treat a suspected vaginal yeast infection (with canesten 1 day treatment), and accidentally expelled the tablet before it had had a chance to dissolve completely. The slight burning sensation has been kept under control with intermittent use of clotrimazole cream, but I've noticed a few other symptoms cropping up that concern me:

1st: around the same time I treated the infection initially, I noticed a small area of dried, cracked and sore skin on my perineum. I only noticed because it started to bleed ever so slightly any time I had a bowel movement.

2nd: Straining bowel movements have become constant. I've added lots of fiber and water to no avail. My stools look like rabbit poop, except with bigger pellets. I'm still relatively regular (once a day or so) but it feels like I'm constipated.

3rd: I have 3 cracks in the corner of my lips that haven't come close to healing in over a week. There are also a couple strange patches of dry skin on my body that aren't responding to moisturiser. (on is on my shoulder for example, and about the size of a nickel)

Could any of this be related to yeast? Is it possible that I'm just reinfecting myself through vaginal/oral sex with my husband? He's uncircumcised and I've noticed that there's a off-putting scent under his foreskin that wasn't there before a month or two ago. Even if he's showered that day, it's kind of 'funky'. If he washes immediately before, it's not such a problem.

I've been checked as recently as 3 months ago for STIs and had a pap at the same time which came back normal. We are both faithful and committed.

I'm not on birth control or any other medication, although I did go through several rounds of antibiotics for a series of UTIs back in Dec/Jan.

Am I barking up the wrong tree here? What can I do to weather the storm until my appointment next week?

throwaway email: amiyeasty@gmail.com

How do I prevent yeast infections while taking antibiotics?

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:29:41 -0800

Has anyone prone to yeast infections been able to protect themselves while taking antibiotics? I want to start taking antibiotics (doxycycline) to treat my acne. It's my last resort. However, I am extremely prone to yeast infections. Will taking acidophilus supplements be enough? How much to take? I have been trying many, many routes to treat my acne, and I would now like to try doxycycline. However, a few years ago I absolutely devastated my good bacteria balance by taking a few rounds of Cipro, and I've been extremely prone to stubborn yeast infections ever since. Right now I'm clear, and I would like to stay that way.

I'm going to be taking acidophilus both orally and vaginally, but I don't know if that's enough and don't want to risk it. Has anyone had any experience doing this and succeeding at staving off the yeast?

Another Private Parts Question

jrichards — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:16:46 -0800

I'm not talking about bread... yeast question inside. I have a mild yeast infection that's been getting continually worse for a couple of days now. I keep going back and forth on how to treat it - mainly because the last time I used an OTC remedy I ended up with a bacterial infection that was WAY worse than the yeasty. (I seem to be pretty susceptible to BV, I very very rarely get yeast infections.) I've been eating plain yogurt and taking acidophilus capsules. I just bought some Yeast-Gard suppositories. Am I going down the wrong road here? I want relief STAT! What should I do?

How do I deal with the depression stemming from a really bad year?

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:56:17 -0800

I have been beset by crappy luck and chronic health problems in the past year. It's been extremely stressful, worsened by the fact these very health problems prevent me from employing my normal methods of dealing with stress. I'm spiraling quickly downward into mood-swings and depression and I don't know what to do. How did you deal with your stressful periods? In the past year, I've contracted HPV, had surgery to deal with the subsequent cervical dysplasia, developed bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections on multiple occasions, and due to the necessary multiple antibiotic regimens I'm now into the eighth month of a yeast infection that is not even responding to strong anti-fungals. In the past six months I've also managed to pick up ovarian cysts and chronic kidney stones. I have two sports injuries that prevent me from doing any exercise besides slow walking and just found out I have a repetitive stress injury in my forearms. I've had multiple emergency-room trips for some of these conditions, as well as one a few months ago for an absolutely vicious bout of food poisoning. To make matters worse, in the past year I've also been sexually assaulted and a victim of check fraud, both which were a multiple-month legal headache to deal with, not to mention the psychological toll.

My schoolwork is suffering. I'm completely stressed out--I have never had health problems and they're now all piling on at once. I could deal with any one just by itself, but the sheer mass of them is driving me crazy. I get a lot of relief from hard exercise, but the sports injuries prevent any form--really, any form, I've tried. I get relief from sex, but that's only been possible twice in the past three months due to the yeast infections. Can't drink because of the anti-fungals. Can't even bake, cook, pet my cats, or escape to the internet due to the RSI. I've tried coping with ice cream, but that provides short-term relief, long-term stress due the expanding waistline, and I gotta cut that out again in another effort to treat the yeast infection (I was on a meat-eggs-vegetables diet, the infection died down, I included the sugar again and it's come back with a vengeance).

I'm incredibly depressed. I'm getting inexplicable mood swings. I hate my sick, deteriorating body and want to escape it. I want to lie down somewhere and cry. I have had deep depression before, beat it, and have remained pretty optimistic and upbeat--but after a year of this shit I can't anymore. I've joked with my boyfriend that I hope I get cancer, as that would be a sure sign from the universe that it didn't want me in it and I could take it as a cue to just kill myself.

What did you do with your bad luck year? Do you have any suggestions for dealing with the stress (besides meditation--that hasn't worked)? I'm living my life waiting for the next thing to come around the corner and punch me in the face, while attempting to nurse the bruises I've already received. It's no life at all.

My anti-yeast infection diet makes me sleepy

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:42:22 -0800

I am on a no-sugar/very low-sugar diet to help combat a yeast infection. My diet consists of fish, a little bit of yogurt, good fats, and leafy greens and other non-starchy, non-sweet vegetables. Since I started it I crash every afternoon at exactly 2:00--right at the beginning of a class. How can I avoid this without resorting to coffee or high-glycemic foods? I figure there are two possible reasons for the crash: either my body isn't used to such a paucity of sugar, or I'm not eating enough meals. Usually I try to do 5 or 6 meals a day, one of them being a snack after lunch (like a energy bar or a piece of fruit). I've switched to 3 or 4 bigger meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack) since there's no convenient way to do snacks with the foods I CAN eat, as the quantities of spinach or broccoli it would take to make enough carbs for a snack aren't easily transportable around a college campus. I'm lost.

How to stop reoccuring yeast infections

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:45:04 -0800

I've had a yeast infection/yeast infection + bacterial vaginosis one to two weeks before my period for every month since December. I've read all the old AskMe threads and tried the home remedies on this page. I'm about ready to start scheduling a monthly appointment with the doctor to get my dose of antibiotics and buying Gynelotrimin wholesale (I'm allergic to Monistat). Help! I:
- go commando more often than is probably decent
- often wear skirts in combination with the above
- wipe with hydrogen peroxide when the itching starts
- have tried sticking yogurt, tea tree oil, hydrogen peroxide, acidophilis, and garlic in my cooter (not all at once)
- dry off with paper towels
- wash with Cetaphil
- don't take baths
- maintain a trimmed exterior
- pee/wash after sex
- take acidophilis
- cut down on sugar
- exercise regularly/sleep well
- use cotton underwear (when I wear underwear)

Given that I rarely got yeast infections before I started hormonal birth control, I'm almost positive it's due to the BC. I've tried Ortho TriCyclin Lo and now I'm on NuvaRing, and the yeast infections still come. But for convenience reasons, I would prefer to not abandon hormonal BC for condoms and don't feel ready to invest in an IUD (I'm worried about the spotting side effects).

So--short from that, is there anything, anything else I can try? I got myself waxed once and that seemed to help a little. I'm not a fan of the look, but I'm willing to do it if it produces results--has it helped anyone else?

Ugly discharge equals ugly bubbles.

kmennie — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 08:25:28 -0800

Bath bubbles change in the presence of a yeast infection. Why? When I have a yeast infection, the bubbles in my bath take on an odd characteristic. The edges of the normally round bubble patches become ragged; it's a bit reminiscent of the (detailed) outline of countries on a map. An (unsurprisingly?) clotted, curdled look.

This happens so reliably that it's a better early indicator of when something's wrong than anything else. The bubble alteration gradually decreases as the Monistat kicks in.

I use a baby body wash; no bar soap. Regular soap has been banned from the tub (allergies), so it's not a reaction to anything saponified.

What's going on there that makes the bubbles change?

And: would be fascinated to hear if anybody else has noticed this, though given the popularity of showers over tub baths these days, I'm not holding my breath.

Are yeasts nocturnal beasties?

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 10:40:12 -0800

Why do (maybe just my) yeast infections itch worst at night? Every time I get a yeast infection, the associated itching/sensitivity is pretty minor during the day; without fail, however, as soon as I get into bed at night, it attacks with a vengeance, often keeping me from falling asleep or waking me up scratching (bad, I know). Sometimes just getting out of bed and moving around will calm it down temporarily. Is the reason for this physiological or psychological?

To treat or not to treat (a potential yeast infection)?

tastybrains — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:42:57 -0800

Should I use an OTC yeast infection treatment? I'd prefer answers from women who aren't going to scare the crap out of me with worst case scenarios...if you think you can help, check out the Will the world end if I use an OTC yeast infection treatment even though I am not 100% positive that I have a yeast infection? The box has scary warnings not to...but I have reasons to believe it should be ok.

First and foremost, it's Presidents Day Weekend and I can't see my doctor until Tuesday at the earliest. So if I do have something else, I'm not going to postpone treatment by using the OTC stuff.

Second, I went to my gyno in late December. She said it looked like I had a little yeast and that if it didn't bother me I didn't have to do anything, but if it itched to get an OTC treatment.

I have never had a yeast infection before, and while I itched a little back around the time of my dr's appointment, it wasn't bad and I just ignored it. I've increasingly got itchier since then. I've had very little discharge and it's really no color whatsoever with no odor whatsoever.

Is it safe to assume that this is just a progression of the yeast my doctor saw in late December and that it's ok to use the OTC treatment I bought?

I'm a little nervous because I'm really anxious about health problems - if you tell me it might be cancer or rabies or bird flu, I am going to jump to the worst case scenario. So after reading on the box that a vaginal infection can cause permanent damage to your ability to have children - well, I'm freaking the hell out right now.

Would appreciate some advice!

Best methods of preventing vaginal yeast infection

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Oct 2004 21:07:47 -0800

Ladies of AskMe: Help! What are your best tried & true methods of preventing a yeast infection?