Yeast infection woes..

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive August 2007: Yeast infection woes..

Oh yeah, doncha just love it? I've been lucky enough not to get them except very rarely (I think this is only the 3rd in my life), but man, I am suffering!!
I just wanted to say, as part of our ongoing Product Research and Reporting Service, the Monostat suppository that is supposed to "stay in place" and be easy and wonderful and all that, was pure torture to me yesterday. I put it in in the morning, and about two hours later, the burning from the medicine leaking down (sorry to be disgusting) was almost enough to drive me to tears. Working late didn't help. I could barely sit, stand, do anything, there was so much burning.
I'm good this morning (still hurts a little, but no fire in the panties), and am thinking of going back to my stand-by yogurt treatment.
Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that when the product label says something like, "may cause mild burning or discomfort," BEWARE!!!!

By Marcia on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 10:27 am:

Janet, it's best to use it at night when you're just going to be lying there. You'll be pretty wet when you get up in the morning, but the day should be ok. I've never had a problem with burning from it, but everyone reacts differently. Hope you feel better soon. They're nasty.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 11:10 am:

Monistat definitely makes me burn and I'm talking about the cream. I know there is another brand out there, that I've used, that doesn't make me burn, but I can't remember the name of it. I just looked at Walgreens' website. It might be the clotrimazole that works better for me. Using Monistat is almost worse than the yeast infection. Knock on wood - I haven't had one in a long time.

By Rayelle on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 04:01 pm:

Yep, veteran sufferer here. That stuff burns like crazy. I am vulnerable to them, anti-biotics, pregnancy, no apparent reason. I was tested for diabetes last year because I got one every month for 6 months in a row. 2 doctors told me it was likely due to hormone changes around my period and I had to "live" with it. Women doctors too! Yet another positive side effect to my new gluten free lifestyle- yeast infection free as well. Hope you feel better soon!

By Anonymous on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 04:15 pm:

Just a thought for those of you experiencing repeated yeast infections... There was a time in college when I got frequent yeast infections. I had never had them before but suddenly kept getting them repeatedly one semester. The campus doctor suggested my boyfriend get treated as well. She said it was possible for BFs and GFs to swap yeast infections back and forth.

Male Yeast Infection: Can I get it from my girlfriend?

By Bobbie~moderatr on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 05:03 pm:

Anon, I have known a few couples in my life that have had this issue.. One it took years and a good doctor to discover that her husband was a carrier and that he kept re infecting her... She would just get herself cleared up and get another one. She also discovered that they were having issues with getting pregnant because his sperm count was effected by the infection.

Good luck Janet.. On a better note, how have you been?? Kids ready for school??

By Karen~admin on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 05:57 pm:

I've been prone to them since I was about 16 or 17 years old, so I hear ya, sistah! They are miserable!

Ditto Marcia, on using the stuff at night though.

Even better if you can get your doc to call in an Rx for Diflucan!!! Works wonders, one pill, expensive but SOOOOOO worth it.

Hope you feel better!

By Imamommyx4 on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 09:54 pm:

I'm a Diflucan fan and it is generic now. Yeah!

Also, home therapy--buttermilk douche. Pull good, ole cold buttermilk up in something like a turkey baster (never use it again on the turkey) and douche away. Cool, soothing and gets rid of the yeast infection. Usually have to repeat daily for a few days.

By Marcia on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 10:58 pm:

Another good idea would be to do a garlic and acidophilus cleanse. Garlic gets rid of yeast overgrowth, and acidophilus replenishes the good bacteria. In the long run, this is much better than any antibiotics, because it takes care of it throughout your body. Yeast can present itself in so many ways, such as mouth sores, acne, diaper rash, tummy troubles, runny noses, etc. There's a book called The Yeast Connection that will give you lots of good info.

By Karen~admin on Sunday, August 12, 2007 - 08:39 am:

Marcia, I'm familiar with that book. Many people don't know that yeast can be systemic. My sister had such an overgrowth of yeast in her body years ago, that she was on 6 WEEKS of Diflucan therapy daily to totally get rid of it. It made her so sick!!

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, August 12, 2007 - 10:02 am:

The diflucan made her sick? I think it's hard on people's livers and one of the docs I work with, doesn't like to prescribe it. He had a patient who had a problem with it once.

By Angellew on Monday, August 13, 2007 - 10:19 am:

I got so many infections that I was ready to go crazy!!! I should have stock in the Monistat company!!!! I started taking acidophilus every day and I haven't gotten one in almost a year (knocking on every piece of wood in the area!) My gyno told me I would have to just deal with it too... but my primary care is the one who told me about the acidophilus... go figure! I swear by it now!

By Dandjmom on Monday, August 13, 2007 - 11:39 am:

I'm sorry what is acidophilus and where can I find it.

By Angellew on Monday, August 13, 2007 - 12:56 pm:

I found this to help explain it... God knows it does a better job than I can!!! And you can get it in most drug stores or health stores, like GNC.

Acidophilus—The Right Stuff

Lactobacillus acidophilus is your ally because it’s a type of good bacteria that helps keep candida in check.

When the level of acidophilus is down, candida starts growing like wild. This is frequently the case if you have recently taken antibiotics for an infection or are continuously taking them for acne. In the process of killing off infectious bacteria, antibiotics inadvertently kill off acidophilus as well, giving candida an extra chance to flourish. One way to get more acidophilus is to eat live-culture yogurt. Acidophilus also comes in supplement form.

Acidophilus capsules can help re-establish normal intestinal health. Take the capsules only when you have an active yeast infection or are having a problem with recurring infections.

Taking oral doses of acidophilus for just two to four weeks can help decrease candida in both your vagina and your intestines. That makes you less prone to repeat infections.

Look for acidophilus capsules that are refrigerated and contain at least one billion organisms per capsule. Two capsules before breakfast and two before dinner, one hour before each meal, for one month is recommended. At the end of the month, see your medical practitioner to be certain that the infection is gone.

Acidophilus capsules can also help with prevention. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, you can help prevent a yeast outbreak by starting the acidophilus capsules at the same time as your prescription. Continue taking the capsules for just two weeks.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 01:17 am:

Lactobacillus acidophilus is the bacteria that is natural to yogurt. (The live cultures they advertise on the carton!)

By Janet on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 01:24 pm:

So...the Monistat didn't do a lot of good. It's considerably better, but still there (just a bit). Will it eventually go away on its own?

By Karen~admin on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 02:23 pm:

Somehow I doubt it. Start taking acidophilus. Also, I noticed Whole Foods has some OTC acidophilus type stuff you insert, I believe. Sorry if it's too graphic. Can you call your GYN and ask them to call in an RX for Diflucan?? You take one pill, it works GREAT.

Which Monistat did you use? I know there are 3 day, 7 day, and single dose treatments. The single dose ones, I have found, never work. It sounds like maybe you did the 3-day? Also, Jen was getting these a lot with high blood sugar, and she couldn't knock it out and finally went to a doctor. You can have other fungal *infections* going on that need different meds, not OTC Monistat, etc. I believe Diflucan was prescribed for that too.

By Janet on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 03:03 pm:

No, it was the single dose. I just don't have time to go to the dr right now (I mean, not for this). My daughter is picking up some acidophilus tablets for me this afternoon, so I'll try that.

By Marcia on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 10:06 pm:

It will work best if you take mega doses of garlic at night, and then mega doses of acidophilus in the morning. The garlic will kill the yeast, and the acidophilus will replenish the good bacteria in your system. Do it for 30 days, at least.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 12:39 am:

**knock on wood** I've only had one in my life, and it was miserable!! Although, the 1 dose OTC worked fine in my case. Sorry to hear you're having such a tough time with this, Janet... yeast infections are never any fun!

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 08:31 am:

Wow Crystal, you are one lucky girl! I had my first one @ age 16. :-( Spending days in a wet swim suit while camping..........UGH!

By Chai~latte on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 08:38 am:

If Monostat didn't work there is another brand called Canesten, I think Bayer makes it.

By Angellew on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 09:43 am:

I have tried the one day and it NEVER words, AND it burns horribly!!! It's a total pain, but I always go for the seven day! It always works and it doesn't have the intense burn of the lesser day versions. I have had them so bad, for so long, that sometimes the Diflucan doesn't even work. The last time they gave it to me, I ended up using the Monistat with it and finally it went away!

Like I said, knock on wood... and really, I can't knock on enough... since the acidophilus, I haven't had one in a very long time!

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 01:38 pm:

Karen, I've paid for it with other female problems, but I always wondered how I got so lucky on the yeast infection front! My sister had one as a baby, and I remember going "What's everyone fussing about?!" because all of the women in the family were sympathizing. Little did I know, right?