Another yeast infection thread

[honeylust]

So how do you know if you have a yeast infection or not??? I don't know how to tell. And what's a good way to treat it?

[Rinky vs.4.0]

Best way, is go to the doctor just to be sure.

But usually your vulva will be itchy and sore and you'll have a cottage-cheese type white lumpy discharge.

[honeylust]

Hmmm. I don't have those, but the thing is, I have a lot of discharge every day. I know that some is normal, but every day? Having to wipe it out of my underwear? :t Don't know if that's the norm or not.

[i am a cat.]

Definitely go to a gyno if you think you may have a yeast infection!

This spring, I was too embarrassed to go and by the time I finally went, I had a *raging* yeast infection along with a bladder infection.

I missed a week of school because I was so miserable. I couldn't sleep because I was so uncomfortable. :( I just sat around and cried.

Please, please, please... If you think you may have a yeast infection, get yourself to a doctor. I would so not want what happened to me to happen to anyone else!

[Christine]

Callie,

I think what you're experiencing is pretty normal. I have it every day too, some days more than others. And if that's your only question, I'd imagine you're fine. But if you have any other symptoms, you should probably see a doctor, if only for peace of mind.

Feel free to pm me if you want to talk more. :)

[CharlitSumtymz]

I agree with mooncake. If that's your only concern, I'd say you're fine. Discharge is a perfectly normal thing. Some women have it more or less than others, so you can't necessarily judge by what a friend will tell you. Have you recently gotten on birth control? I know that made a big difference for me as far as the amount of discharge I experience.

You only need to worry if the consistency, like others have said, is thick like cottage cheese. And if you itch. Anytime you have a constant itch you should probably get yourself checked out.

Otherwise--you're okay. Just use a pantiliner to avoid messing up your underwear, so it's not such a pain.

[MarieC]

Well it gets annoying when you have to wear a pantyliner everyday sometimes...

I think other signs are if there's pain during intercourse, and the clitorus is pretty red and stuff, I think you probably just have a common problem though so don't worry too much.

[cosma]

I missed a week of school because I was so miserable. I couldn't sleep because I was so uncomfortable. I just sat around and cried.

thats me, right now. and no matter how many times i use monistat it just wont go away. i cant afford to go get Diflucan..i just did it twice last month. its not normal to get yeast infections as much as i do. (atleast 2 or 3 times a month)..and theyre BAD. really bad. not just a little itchy and burny..bad enough to make me sit around all day with an ice pack between my legs.

somethings wrong with me. :a

[CharlitSumtymz]

Cosma--

Is it possible that maybe you have another type of infection, and that's why the treatment isn't working?

When I had a yeast infection a few years ago, the doctors gave me cream for a bacterial infection, and that didn't work for me. Perhaps your situation is the other way around.

[cosma]

Originally posted by CharlitSumtymz
Cosma--

Is it possible that maybe you have another type of infection, and that's why the treatment isn't working?

When I had a yeast infection a few years ago, the doctors gave me cream for a bacterial infection, and that didn't work for me. Perhaps your situation is the other way around.

i have a lot of female type problems like that--ive actually had so many bacterial infections that i cant remember how many...i definitely can remember what each problem feels like..and this is definitely a yeast infection.

i went today and got acidophilus pills at GNC..the most potent ones i could find. ive never taken them before, but im pretty sure they'll help.

i looked at the first bottle, and it said each tablet produces 500,000 cells...then the next bottle said produces 5 million cells....then the last said it produces 1.5 billions cells. i got that one. :p

[vivaldi]

Originally posted by cosma
thats me, right now. and no matter how many times i use monistat it just wont go away. i cant afford to go get Diflucan..i just did it twice last month. its not normal to get yeast infections as much as i do. (atleast 2 or 3 times a month)..and theyre BAD. really bad. not just a little itchy and burny..bad enough to make me sit around all day with an ice pack between my legs.

somethings wrong with me. :a

ohhh, I feel your pain. A couple of years ago, I got a yeast infection that would <b>not</b> go away. :( It was horrible! I even resorted to ice, like you mentioned. Here's the strange thing-I never had the yeast-related discharge. But when I went to the gyno, they told me you don't necessarily have to have that symtom. I got something like Diflucan--didn't help. Then I was dumb and bought and over the counter medication, which I later found out can actually make yeast infections worse :t I was thinking, what the fuck?? Anyway, I was finally prescribed Nizoral, which I had to take for 6 months. It was basically like dropping an atomic bomb in my body, lol. That seemed to finally clear it up, but I couldn't have sex for MONTHS....I think partly because of the yeast, and partly because I'd gotten so nervous about it being painful that I couldn't relax. MY gyno seemed to think the latter was the case, and I was getting tiny tears in my vagina. Who knows? I just know that it was torture.

I also had some allergy tests done, and the doctor said the results suggested I have a sensitivity to yeast. Not really to the point that I should change my diet, etc., but he said if I get a yeast infection, it may be very hard to get rid of. From what I understand, this is a very controversial topic. There's a book out there called <i>The Yeast Connection</i> that basically says yeast can cause all kinds of health problems. Other people thing it'sa load of crap. Oh, and another one is <i>Candida-Related Complex</i>. The author discusses how she thinks birth control pills can be a huge factor in causing yeast infections. Which is great, since I started taking them again. Just gonna see how it goes. I can say that at certain times during my cycle, I feel irritation/burning. I'm having that problem right now..but so far it goes away after a few days. Sometimes I don't even notice it until I try to have sex. I'm trying to figure out if this problem is intensifying since I started taking birth control again *crosses fingers* I'd love to find a great doctor, but so far I haven't been able to...they just make me feel like a hypochondriac. I did find one gynocologist who <i>really</i> listened to me. But then I had to move away....very frustrating.

--Sarah

[cosma]

wow hon...that really sucks. i feel so sorry for you. the worst part is having your boyfriend be like "its just a yeast infection"..i mean..sure, some are benign. but some are REALLY bad.

did you ever try taking acidophilius??? get this....ever since i started taking it..ive had ZERO itching/burning. though i was in the hospital yesterday, unrelated to my yeast infections, I have PID. im on all kinds of antibiodics...which...surprise...will probably give me another yeast infection. :g so ive been doubling up on the acidophilus.
:O

if youve never tried it...maybe it could help. who knows.

:) thanks for sharing all that info. ;X

[vivaldi]

You know, I was taking acidolphilus at one point. I guess I've been doing so well overall for the past few years, I stopped taking it. I'll definitely keep that in mind though, if I continue to have problems.

I just wanted to share, because even though it's kind of unusual, I know other people must have had/are having similar problems. And I know just how frustrating it can be.

--Sarah

[Fluffy]

This'll sound like a bizarre question but is it possible to get a yeast infection via sex?

Thanks for sharing all that info Sarah. It seems like I always have an infection. I took Diflucan one time, and it helped for a little while but then of course, I got another infection. I wanted to pick up a copy of The Yeast Connection, as I've heard really good things about it. If nothing else, it might make for an interesting read. Some people do think yeast as a cause of illness is complete bullshit, but I'm not so sure.

Suppose I might look into some acidolphilus, I'm getting desperate for help.

[cosma]

jade--i promise you...if it helped me..it will probably help you. i get sever yeast infections like, 3 times a month. and they last like, a week. so its pretty much like a life long infection. the day i started taking them it was like, a total turnaround. its amazing.

go to GNC....they will have 3 levels of acidophilus available. get ULTRA ACIDOPHILUS. its 19.99 for 90 pills. each pill contains 1.5 billion live cells. take 2 a day. if you get an infection, take 4 a day (or if you start taking antibiodics). ive also heard, if you get a yeast infection, just put a capsule into your vagina. it will dissolve and go straight to the source.

good little bacteria, they are. :O

[cosma]

oh yeah...my doc says its VERY RARE to get a yeast infection thru sex...but possible.

symptoms can be made worse thru sex, but rarely caused by sex alone. :)

[Fluffy]

Guess I'll definitely have to give those bacteria a try then, it sure can't hurt the situation. I know how annoying sitting with an ice pack is (I didn't think anyone else did that).

I still swear I get yeast infections from my boy but alas, I can't prove it and I'm not sure he'd get treatment anyway.

[boundless]

Thanks for the advice on the acidophilius (argh, the spelling, LOL), Cosma. I'm going to pick that up as soon as I have some money. I have the worst problems with yeast infections, it sucks. And I do the ice pack thing, too!

And also, Cosma, I hope you are doing better, all things considered about your thanksgiving night.

*hugs* even though I don't know you.

[cosma]

:) wow, thanks hon! i appreciate that.

hopefully it will work for you! constant yeast infections are the worst. :g

i cant believe everyone does the ice pack thing. lol...i dont feel so retarded now. :b

[CharlitSumtymz]

I can relate, too. I don't get chronic yeast infections, though--I'm plagued with chronic urinary tract infections. Like 5 or 6 a year. I've probably had 20 or so in my lifetime (and I'm barely 21). I hate them! When they're at their worst, I'm only comfortable in bed or in the bathroom. This past July I was in the ER because I was peeing blood CLOTS, not just blood. I was in so much pain.

I totally sympathize with all of you!

And Jade--I do remember either reading or hearing from my doctor that you can, in a way, get yeast infections from sex. Well, that is, you can give it back to yourself numerous times. A man will show no symptoms that I know of, but can still be a carrier of the bacteria. If you have sex while you have an infection and then it clears up, it is possible to get another infection again from the bacteria that was transferred to him last time around. Sort of like when you have to throw out your mascara when you get pink eye. :l

You might want to double check that, however.

[Fluffy]

Originally posted by CharlitSumtymz
I can relate, too. I don't get chronic yeast infections, though--I'm plagued with chronic urinary tract infections. Like 5 or 6 a year. I've probably had 20 or so in my lifetime (and I'm barely 21). I hate them! When they're at their worst, I'm only comfortable in bed or in the bathroom. This past July I was in the ER because I was peeing blood CLOTS, not just blood. I was in so much pain.

I totally sympathize with all of you!

And Jade--I do remember either reading or hearing from my doctor that you can, in a way, get yeast infections from sex. Well, that is, you can give it back to yourself numerous times. A man will show no symptoms that I know of, but can still be a carrier of the bacteria. If you have sex while you have an infection and then it clears up, it is possible to get another infection again from the bacteria that was transferred to him last time around. Sort of like when you have to throw out your mascara when you get pink eye. :l

You might want to double check that, however.

Peeing blood clots? OMG you poor thing, I can't imagine!

I thought I read you could get re-infected with yeast because of your partner, I guess I'll have to do some research into that. If it's possible and whats causing my problem, I wonder how a doctor would treat that? With Diflucan maybe? Hmm. I suppose I could just ask my gyn when I go in but I'm always astounded at what doctors don't actually know. Thanks for the info.

- Erica

[esoterica]

I don't know if any of you eat yogurt to get the cultures (acidolphilus, etc.), but there is some stuff out there called Keifer, and if you like yogurt, this is basically "drinkable yogurt." It has a much more concentrated amount of live cultures per serving. It comes in tons of different flavors (I DON'T recommend Plain), and you can get it at any natural foods store in the milk/yogurt section. It comes in a jug much like a pint of milk.
My doctor says that it's even an natural alternative to antibiotics, cause those live guys "get in there and go to work on ya!"

Hope that helps.;)

[cosma]

it has more than 5 BILLION live cells??

woah. i might have to find this.:p

[*morning view*]

Right now i feel sooooo sick and miserable i have an yeast infection right now and i don't have anything to take for it.
I have the white discharge and everything.
I feel sooo sick I can't sleep all i wanna do is cry and cry .
I feel sore and teh itching won't stop.
It's veryvery disgusting :(
Can anyone help?
What causes this in the first place?


































:(

[cosma]

what happens is the natural yeast in your vagina has gone bezerk...it could be for a number of reasons...but anyways the yeast starts reproducing and growing like mad. and this is too much for the good bacteria in your system to handle.

what you need to do is either kill all the yeast (monistat)..or introduce massive amount of the "good" bacteria to even things out and get rid of the yeast. have some yogurt? dip a tampon in yogurt and put it in your vagina. im serious. make sure its sugarless yogurt.

or get up tomorrow and go to GNC...get ULTRA ACIDOPHILUS. (the most potent form) make sure it says ULTRA. its about $20..but youd pay about that for monistat anyways. and you can keep taking these..and they PREVENT yeat infections too. big bonus. :)

i swear..i get chronic yeasties and monistat has never worked for me like these pills do. it says take 1 twice a day..but with an infection ..take 2 twice a day.

works for me.

if nothing helps, get a prescription for diflucan.

anyways it will temporarily help to hold a washcloth with ice wrapped in it on your vagina..sounds scary but it gets so hot and irritated down there..this really helps.

fell better! :O

[Fluffy]

cosma's dead right about the acidophilus... It really has worked wonders for me. I'd recommend giving it a shot to any girl w/ chronic yeast probs... It works pretty quick too. Yay cosma for telling me about it :)

[cosma]

:O ;k

[jenniferblaufrau]

Originally posted by vivaldi <b>Oh, and another one is <i>Candida-Related Complex</i>. The author discusses how she thinks birth control pills can be a huge factor in causing yeast infections. Which is great, since I started taking them again. Just gonna see how it goes. I can say that at certain times during my cycle, I feel irritation/burning. I'm having that problem right now..but so far it goes away after a few days. Sometimes I don't even notice it until I try to have sex. I'm trying to figure out if this problem is intensifying since I started taking birth control again </b>
I quit taking BC pills for this very reason. About six months after I started taking them, I started getting recurrent yeast infections that would sometimes lead to bacterial infections. Only now, over a year after I quit taking BC pills, do I seem to finally be getting back to normal. :g I will never take BC pills again.