yeast wont go away!

[BECCA49]

i had a yeast infection for a while and then used monistat and it seemed to get rid of it..it was still a tiny bit swollen but all the other symptoms went away. then the other night it got more swollen just like it did before but not as bad as it used to. i'm pretty positive it is a yeast infection because it has every symptom i've looked online for. i think it was caused from antibiotics which i use every day. i really would like to avoid going to the doctor's. could the medication possibly not gotten rid of it completely? should i use the medication again? could the medication have made it come back? pleaseee help..thank you!!

[ICNDonna]

My suggestion would be to see your doctor first to be sure what you have is still a yeast infection. There are some oral medications that are more effective for yeast, but you really should verify that's what's wrong.

Donna

[Katrina]

Well one possibility is Monistat and you don't get along well. Most patients with IC cannot tollerate yeast creams. I agree that going to the doctor is your best bet since you want to verify that what is wrong is a yeast infection....if so you may want a presciption for an oral med instead. Feel better soon!

[Sarojini]

I know I definitely cannot tolerate Monistat cream, and usually use either Nystatin or Diflucan (both are by prescription only). You should definitely go see your doc and make sure the infection really is yeast before you use Monistat again. Other types of vaginal infections can mimic yeast, so you want to make sure you're using the right treatment. Good luck!!!

[BECCA49]

Thank you all so much, but I'm afraid to go to the gyno. Could I go to a normal family doctor??

[Sarojini]

Often, yes, family doctors will take care of routine gynecological issues (I know the docs at my family practice do). However, if it is serious or beyond their experience they refer to a regular gyno.

Are you afraid to go to a gyno because of the pelvic exam? If so, unfortunately, your family doc will likely need to do one as well to accurately diagnose what is going on there. If it is fear of the pelvic exam, please check out

http://www.ichelp.com/FeatureArticles/MakingPelvicExamsEasier.html

from the Interstitial Cystitis Association. This has many, many tips on how to make your exam less painful and a lot easier.

[Kathi]

You might try acidophylis pills. They help restore the body's natural ph. My daughter had a stubborn yeast & that's what her doc recommended. It worked. Kathi

[BECCA49]

Really? Thank you, Kathi! I will try it. Do you know where I could buy them? Do you know if it will make the yeast go away or will I have to use monistat again? Thank you so much :)

[mela414]

I'm having the same problem with stubborn yeast. I had it about 2-3 weeks ago and had to treat it with Nystatin tablets and diflucan. It took a while but it finally subsided. I was also eating plain yogurt but it was flaring my IC and I had to stop. I've slacked off the acidophilus because I didn't think it was helping. I guess I probably wasn't on it long enough or I didn't have a good enough brand. anyway, the yeast is back as of yesterday and the pain returned. I quickly put a Nystatin insert in and took diflucan. I guess I should have listened to the dr who wanted me on diflucan once a week for the next 3 months to help keep the yeast away. I was getting side effects from the diflucan so I chickened out and didn't take it. Last night I took half a pill instead and have less side effects of dizziness today. Keeping the yeast at bay is hard but is something we have to do as it really flares up the IC. I also noticed that whenever I get sick with a virus (which is often) and my immune system is down the yeast seems to come back faster.
If anyone knows of a good probiotic that does NOT contain FOS please let me know. The one that I am using now is by Twin Labs and I don't think it is strong enough....but......I can't take anything that has FOS and I am allergic to molds and FOS is fermented on molds! This I learned through a lot of hard work and getting sick with certain probiotics ands upplements fermented on molds.
OH well...............here we go again! :(

[icnmgrjill]

Yes, yeast can become resistent to many medications. My last whopper of an infection was completely resistent to Monistat.... I had to use Mycelex to kill it. Unfortunately, mycelex is now discontinued... so I pray I don't get anymore! Good luck and remember that you have to also stop feeding the yeast... by reducing, massively, your sugar, bread, pasta, carb intake!

There's a wonderful book called "The Yeast Connection and Women" that you might find very helpful. It sure helped me!

Jill :)

[mela414]

Jill,

I've spent all day today re-reading "The Yeast Connection" and also reading "The Yeast Syndrome". I don't eat breads, pastas.....etc As I have pretty much gluten free. I've also eliminated rice and cakes.......but...it keeps coming back. I am starting to accept the fact that it is probably more systemic and I need to address it with preventive meds. I DO have a little honey lately in a tea that I found my IC can tolerate. So, I am not completely sugar free but am nowhere near what other people normally consume in the sugar department. My gyn wants me to go on diflucan once a week for about 3 months and see how it goes. I am thinking I probably need something additional as the Diflucan never really took care of yeast for me.........oh well....I could go on and on. It is so hard to fidn some balance with it and in the meantime when it does creep back it causes such pain!
:(

[Kathi]

You can get acidophlis any where they sell vitamins. Even Walmart. Kathi

[mela414]

Hi Kathi,

Your signature "one day at a time is so appropriate!" that's how I've been living my life.
I HAVE been taking acidophilus but I still think I need more. The brand that I take is Twin Labs and I don't think it is that strong. I haven't been able to tolerate a lot of the other brands because some of them have other stuff in them that don't agree with me. I noticed that I was starting to get thrush on my tongue and the smae time that the vaginal yeast started. So right now the pelvic pain is bad but I am taking the acidophius....and diflucan and also started a tiny dose of Nystatin this afternoon.
It's just so hard to get it under control!
I hope that you are doing well. :)

[BECCA49]

Thank you to all of you! You have helped me alot. I'm alot more informed on yeast due to this message board and other research! I've started taking Acidophilus pills and garlic tablets every day 2-3 times a day. It seems to be keeping the yeast under a manageable condition, but it hasn't worked to relieve me of it completely. I've only been taking it for about a week though. Does anyone know how long it could take for it to work, if it's going to work at all? I've also tried twice inserting pure garlic for about an an hour and a half or so, but it didn't seem to help. Thank you every one :)

[Katrina]

I don't really know on the time of that sorry. Don't give up though. I take Acidophilus and when symptoms AZO Yeast...sometimes I'll go to the prescribed Diflucan too but taking the Acidophilus has helped a lot for me. :kiss:

[July]

Katrina,
Do you recommend a certain brand of Acidophilus?

[Katrina]

I only know right now that I have been using Spring Valley. It is the only brand I have tried. I hope to be learning a lot more about probotics in the near future since they are a treatment for my form of Inflammatory bowel Disease. I will share more info when I learn it.

[mela414]

I think I have to take larger doses of acidophilus as the yeast keeps coming back and causing me to flare! I also need to take Nystatin vag tablets one or twice a week to keep it under control. any other ideas??? short of not eating! every so often I cheat with a little cookie or a teaspoon of icecream but this is ridicuous! I can't seem to get it under control! There are people out there who eat ice cream by the gallon and cookies by the box!!! and they have no problem........... this is really messed up!
sorry...........feeling pretty defeated about this yeast probelm :(

[Katrina]

Good luck! I hope the acidophilus increased dose works out for you?? Is the problem just vaginally or oral too? Keep me updated! :grouphug:

[mela414]

Katrina,
Vaginally is the killer. I can't seem to get it under control! It seems that I need to take Nystatin vag tabs every 3-4 days to keep it at bay so that it doesn't cause terrible pain!
I haven't taken antibiotics in ages but......when I did I would wind up with oral thrush. Although, every so often my tongue does get a little more coated it is nothing like when I had Thrush in the past. I think the acidophilus has been helping my tongue but not vaginally. Hopefully the increase in probiotics will make its way there too. I think it is helping my intestinal tract as I am more regular now.
I don't take the diflucan weekly as my gyn prescribed because of side effects and I didn't feel it helped the yeast for me. I also think it might have caused an ICflare but then again it could have just been the yeast aggravating things.
Thanks for thinking of me and let me know if you think of anything.
:)

[Katrina]

Well, I am glad you upped the acidophilus...I would talk to your doctor about how that is helping. It is used as a treatment for some forms of Inflammatory Blowel Disease...and if it helping you be more regular I am hoping that you don't have that.

((hugs)) If I find out anything I will let you know. :grouphug:

YEAST LIST: Boric Acid, Aci-gel (insert it at night, it maintains the ph of the vagina & yeast can't live when there's an acidic environment - or can use apple cider vinegar in water TAKE CAUSION IF YOUR URETHRA IS SENSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!) and also washing externally with tea-tree oil diluted in water. \acidopholous tablets, a wet towel with s AZO yeast, http://www.ghtbiz.net/rescue/nocandida/lead.html, Any probotics, Flora-Q The Flora-Q is made by Kenwood Therapeutics. It contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus paracasel, and Streptococcus thermophilus -- these are all bacteria that normally live inside your digestive tract. What you do is take a capsule a day for a few days during antibiotic treatment and then a couple afterwards, and this replaces your normal flora, making it much less likely to to get yeast infections. http://www.ic-network.com/iclifestyles/july01.html

[liznazz]

I am experiencing a similar problem now. I was treated for yeast the end of September with diflucan for a week. I also take acidophollus and other probiotics. I developed another yeast infection last week. My gyno gave me more diflucan, but despite all the probiotics, I made an appt. to see him in December to discuss this issue... driving me crazy!! liz

[Katrina]

Liz...or anybody...if you learn anything that I don't have on that Yeast list let me know!
:grouphug:

[mela414]

The thing that helps me most is taking the nystatin vag tabs weekly...sometimes even twice a week. If not, the yeast will get to a point that it irritates the pelvic area and causes horrific pain. My gyn said there are some women who make it more than others....like diabetics....and have to be on something prophylactically long term. Of course diet is key as well as probiotics. I can't take the creams as I get chemical irritations which are probably worse than the yeast.... pain wise!
Katrina, abut the PH thing.....about 5 years ago when I first saw Dr Whimore for my IC she said that my urine was acidic and my vag PH was too basic. She put me on the aci-gel but I don't remember how I reacted. I had so much going on at the time. It was right around my hysterectomy. I may have tried it again a few years ago but I remember stopping because I was reacting to the Vag yeast creams so badly that I was afraid to continue with the Aci-gel. I may have to give it a try again.
I pray there is nothing in there that will irritate and cause a chemical burn.
Thanks for the advise. If I learn anything else I will keep you posted.

[July]

Hi Mel,
That pain from yeast can drive me to tears! Have you tried Azo-Yeast? I'm trying it.

[mela414]

NO not yet.........but I just mght have to. If you use it first let me know how you make out.
Good luck!

[Katrina]

I like AZO yeast...I find it helpful. Most ICers can't tollerate the creams :(