Being prone to yeast and IC - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

***Julie B*** · 01-14-2005, 04:20 AM

I am constantly trying to figure this out. (Where do we send our theories to these researchers to test this stuff???

)

I know that if you destroy the good bacteria in your body that you get yeast because the yeast is not held in check by the bacteria.

Well, how's this for a thought? If IC is an auto-immune disease........that means that the immune system is on OVERdrive and attacking the wrong things.............I know that when I have hayfever my IC gets worse. So...........is it possible...........that some ICers have bodies with this revved up immune system that destroys the GOOD bacteria, leaving them more prone to yeast?

Any comments?

***Katrina*** · 01-15-2005, 12:36 AM

Ok, here is what I have learned since my doc diagnosed me with a weak immune system and I researched that. Weak, as far as your immune system is conserned can also mean dumb (thus attacking the wrong thing). That in itself should make us more prone to yeast infections. My theory being there is something wrong with our immune system weather our bodies attacked good bacteria or not we may still have that problem. Not that you are wrong....your theory makes yeast infections even more likely...good point.

**ICNJess** · 01-15-2005, 10:43 AM

I am interested in the auto-immune theory, because I am a chronic Y.I. sufferer, and it is so frustrating!

alon1 · 01-18-2005, 07:26 AM

Hi! I have been reading the posts on yeast infections. Has anyone been diagnosed with systemic yeast infections? I was diagnosed with this 3 years ago. It comes and goes usually orally(in my mouth, my tongue and lips) I go the the dr. they do a mouth scraping and then they say, "well it's flaring up", like I did not know this already. They give me Diflorucan(spelling?) and my mouth gets better. Has anyone noticed that Elavil or other treatments or meds cause the yeast infections to "flare up"? Just interested in any info. Thanks

***Katrina*** · 01-19-2005, 07:50 PM

Alon that is new word to me although I have a constant prescription for Diflucan and my mouth is often most vulnerable. The thing for me is that I am also always on antibiotics so I guess mine is explained by that. On your lips too really sounds like way no fun.

I hope you get all the help you need. I am interested to know what that is and what it is like for you.
Take Care

alon1 · 01-20-2005, 02:53 PM

Katrina,
Thanks for the reply. Systemic yeast infection is supposed to be a yeast infection that is yeast that is actually in your blood stream, and possibly in other organs. At least this is what an infectious diease specialist told me. He said that there is really no way to clean it out of your system, except to stop all sugar for a year or more. There is no way to do this, I tried for 1 month and there is nothing that you can eat. Everything has natural or processed sugar in it. It's impossible! Thanks

**ICNJess** · 01-20-2005, 04:12 PM

I had it in my mouth once, after a long bout with bronchitis and strep throat and antibiotics. I had this stuff I had to rinse with.

I had never heard of the systematic type...is it possible to have that with just having it in your vaginal area?

One other thing I wondered about Yeast Infections and the cause;

Could they be developing in ICers so much because we are constantly going to the bathroom--so it is more moist than normal? I just wonder about that.

peiti · 01-20-2005, 06:01 PM

For me, yeast infection is definately related to IC. My IC symptoms started 11 years ago when I was 23. Before that, I never had any health problems, no urinary frequency, no yeast infection......

4 years ago, I was suffering from recurrent vaginal yeast infection. I had to see my Gyno every week because once I ran out of Diflucan, the yeast came back immediately. This problem had lasted about one year, and my Gyno didn't know what to do except kept giving me Diflucan. He even asked me to have HIV and Diabitics test. Thank God, both results were negative. I was so frustrated at that time. I couldn't eat anything that tasted sweet, because the itch came back a few minutes later.

During that time, I was on DMSO2 treatment. The doctor who precribed instillation asked me to switch to oral MSM (DMSO2). He didn't know I had yeast problems. I followed his advice. In the beginning, 2.5 grams of MSM a day did bother my bladder a little bit. However, a week later, I found the yeast problem was gone. I kept taking MSM for a month, and finally the yeast subsided.

I really don't know why MSM helped so much. After that month, I never went back to see my Gyno for yeast problem. Everytime, I felt a little bit itchy downthere, I would take a capsule and felt better again.

Sorry about this long letter, just want to share my own experience.
p.s. I don't think my yeast problem was from antibiotics. I was never put on antibiotics for my bladder symptoms after my dr diagnosed me with IC 10 years ago.

***Katrina*** · 01-21-2005, 04:06 PM

Hi Peiti! Nice to see you around! Interesting stuff.

Alon, thanks for explaining that. That does sounds awful!!!!!! I have had a lot of difficulty getting rid of yeast infections before....and to give up sugar completely is always way tooo difficult. Man, Sorry you had to go through that.

Jess, your theory on why we get so many yeast infections is definatly possible. With so many reasons no wonder we are suffering from them!