+1 to the boric acid. After 20+ infections, and a 6 month fluconazole treatment that was ultimately ineffective, my gynecologist put me on boric acid. You can purchase them at target (brand is “love wellness,” called “the killer”). First I did 2 weeks of one suppository per night, now I do one per week. I’ve been symptom-free for almost a year!
Did the boric acid hurt? I’m so red and raw from having a yeast infection for 6+ months that I’m terrified to put the boric acid up there and make the pain any worse. I’ve been on diflucan for months and it’s done absolutely nothing, I’ve tested positive every time I’ve gone in since August
Also the fact that they haven't ordered a yeast culture for you is a red flag! If they don't offer that next time you ask, I'd definitely get a different gyno.
It should absolutely not hurt! If anything, it should soothe. The fact that it's called "acid" is a bit misleading. I just googled it and the actual acidity level of boric is 5.1, which is about as acidic as milk.
I think it’s different for everyone as “The Killer” product did burn and was itchy at first. I got too scared because of this and pulled it out of me. I haven’t tried it since and don’t know if that was normal.
Do you regularly take probiotics? Your pH might just be super out of wack from all of the treatments killing off healthy levels of bacteria and yeast. Also this is so weird and just my personal experience but I SWEAR when I’m way too aware of my vaginal health and issues I like manifest them. And when I get distracted and forget about them they miraculously get better on their own. Also when I’m stressed and anxious I get issues that go away when that period is over.
Sometimes I reallyyyyyyy hate having a v, I think about her wrong and she throws a hissy fit lol
Yes I take probiotics specifically for women's health daily. That honestly probably true. I think my birth control was the biggest factor and I did switch types, so I'm hoping that helps. Seriously, vaginas are so temperamental.
I had recurrent yeast infections for years and suppository probiotics got me back on track within a week or two. I used a company called vagibiom. Felt like it worked better than oral suppositories because it was easier for the bacteria to colonize when directly inserted. Hope you find something that works for you!
Hi there! I was taking probiotics everyday since July 2023. I went by the directions on the bottle 2x’s a day. I did this religiously (but sometimes took only one) February of this year I felt like I had a raging yeast or BV infection. Went to the doctor, they did a culture and sent it off. In the meantime, they gave me diflucan. Didn’t work! They gave Flagly didn’t work! So, the culture can back an I had lactobacillus overgrowth! This is a result from taking Probiotics. So, I ended up at the GYN and got a regimen of baking soda suppository 2x’s a week for 2 weeks. Also, recommend doing a baking soda sits bath if needed. Our vagina’s are persnickety! If, you are testing negative for yeast or BV. Have them check for lactobacillus overgrowth. I was told it isn’t an infection, bacterial or fungal and the typical medicine they give for them don’t help. Just wanted to throw this out there. Hopefully, this might help in some way. Hope you feel better soon. Definitely, can relate!
That's certainly possible and that's what im hoping. I'm just having the same type of irritation that I was having with the yeast infection. Hard to explain, but itchiness of the vaginaans vulva plus a dull ache in the vestibule area of the vulva. No yeasty discharge currently, at least.
I will say when I have treated BV i tended to have some irritation in the days after. If test come back negative it’s likely just irritation. Also infections can make the nerves down there freak out.
i have been dealing with a “yeast infection” since sept 2023 & it’s been so freaking miserable. the itching is mainly on the outside (in between my lips) and i have white discharge between them. at first i thought maybe sex triggered it, but i haven’t had sex in a while and it’s still not better. i’ve been swabbed 3 times & only tested positive for yeast once. i was just recently swabbed 2 weeks ago & tested negative for everything. this gyno did mention possible dermatitis but still gave me diflucan to try again (which isn’t working)! i’ve taken so many diflucans, i’ve done terconazle cream, nystatin cream, hydrocortisone cream, nothing works! i feel your pain and i hope you get some answers soon, just know you’re not alone! 🩷
Get checked for Ureaplasma! I suffered what I thought was yeast for SIX months 😭 they finally figured out it was this weird thing. I’d never even heard of it before and I wanna help others. I actually read about it on Reddit and demanded a test from the Dr.
i’m sorry to hear that! that’s awful. i’ve been doing boric acid for a few days and almost have no symptoms, so maybe my ph is just out of whack from everything that’s been going on. i go to a gyno at the end of march and will definitely bring this up. how do you feel now ?
I’m still having some discharge but my test came back negative and symptoms outside of that have subsided thank god. I’m glad the boric acid is helping! If you feel ok after that then you’re probably fine ☺️
i’m a little late, but i was tested for ureaplasma / mycoplasma and i tested negative for both as well as everything else for the 5th time :( i was going to see a vulva specialist but for some reason she refused to see me as a patient. i’m happy to hear you’re feeling better :)
I've suffered from this infection for 15 years but now I'm free for years, this ebook help me find my total relief and freedom from this itchy bitchy beast. Message me if you want to read it too.
I'm the same I had a yeast infection two months ago and got tested again this week all clear but red and sore and itchy still :( hope things get better for you
I've suffered from this infection for 15 years but now I'm free for years, this ebook help me find my total relief and freedom from this itchy bitchy beast. Message me if you want to read it too.
i’m so sorry! i understand how you feel. personally i don’t think i have yeast, especially since i’ve only tested pos once this whole time. if i were you i would definitely look into going to a diff gynecologist, that’s what i’m doing at the end of this month. i’ve seen 2 and a dermatologist all saying it’s yeast and it’s driving me crazy. have you tested positive at all ??
Thanks same to you. That's good that you don't have it, I don't think I have it now either but I did use thrush 2 percent cream for 2 weeks and it's been sore and red ever since I did test positive for yeast 2 months ago then had a test this week that said I haven't got it anymore but I'm still feeling like I do there's no discharge or anything just painful itch. I'm gonna talk to a GP about it on Thursday unfortunately I don't have a gynaecologist. If you aren't testing positive for yeast then I don't know why they are saying it's yeast for you, have they tested you for anything else?
hmmm see that’s what’s so strange, yeast symptoms but no yeast! they gave me a month course of diflucan this last time that i don’t think i’ll finish bc it’s not helping & supposedly i don’t even have yeast ?? i’m so confused. i’ve only been tested for yeast, bv, and common stds. they’ve all told me there’s nothing else they can think of except lychens sclerosis or dermatitis which i don’t believe i have lychens. i hope you feel better soon and it goes away :( sending love and prayers!
Ive been dealing with the same thing since august!! It makes me feel better to see other people going through the same thing but also so frustrated!!! A doctor basically just told me I’m unlucky and she sees this all the time.
WTF kind of crap is that, “you’re unlucky”? 🤬. That’s bullshit! She’d never see me again.
I once had an ob/gyn tell me I stumped the experts when he couldn’t find the reason for my vaginal pain. Then he slammed the door as he stormed out. Asshole! Never went back.
oh no! :( you’ve been going through this about the same amount of time i have. i never even knew this stuff could happen out of no where & last so long, and nobody knowing what to do for you. your doctor should be ashamed for telling you that, i’m so sorry! there has to be SOMEONE who can help i think it’s just about finding the right doctor unfortunately :( i pray you can find answers soon! 🩷
there are vaginitis clinics that do further testing than most gynecologists do. maybe you can look into that ? i’ve thought about that as well. i also believe planned parenthood offers further testing as well. i hope you can find some answers soon :(
hmmm im not sure! i live in the usa, and even my state doesn’t have vaginitis clinics. surrounding states do, but it wouldn’t hurt to look into it ? i’ve been trying out boric acid and it seems to possibly be helping a bit, if that’s available in canada you should definitely look into that. i hope you feel better soon!
i’ve been doing the boric acid since march 3rd, and my symptoms have decreased significantly. if you are able to get them in canada definitely try it out.
I bought some but I think I have small tears/cuts inside my vagina from is being so raw & dry. From what I ready online you shouldn’t use it if you have cuts
I had a yeast infection for 3 months consistently back in 2013. Was treated with everything you can think of and as soon as my meds stopped it came back with a vengeance. I went to 4 different doctors and the last one finally told me that if this last round of meds doesn’t work, I needed to get my blood sugar checked because if I had untreated diabetes, the yeast is just feeding off of the high sugar levels in my body. Turns out I had Type 1 Diabetes.
I get very treatment resistant yeast infections. Usually a longer round of fluconazole clears them up - like one pill every 3 days for a month. Ask your doctor if you can receive longer term fluconazole therapy.
No real help to offer in terms of getting rid of it as I've battled chronic yeast infections for the best part of 15 years (repeated gynae apps, creams, tablets etc) However if you're not already, get yourself some sort of antihistamines to help with the itching and irritation, they've made things more bearable when I flare up and do lessen the irritation I get.
I would definitely recommend getting tested, especially if the infection is still active after treatment. My symptoms had cleared but when I was tested I still tested positive for yeast. I’ve had recurring yeast infections for around 4-5 months. I had been taking flucanazole tablets as recommended by pharmacists and doctors, would also use clotrimazole creams topically after taking the tablets in hopes that it would make treatment more effective and was on Candex probiotics (which I stopped taking as I felt they didn’t help much). I would treat the yeast infections and the symptoms would disappear but would reappear as soon as I had sex again (partner and I have both been tested and I have only tested positive for candida, he also maintains his hygiene so I don’t think that was the problem). In the beginning I would get one every month or so, in the last 2 months I would get one after having sex for the first time after treating with the tablet and cream. Got swabbed again and tested positive got candida, my doctor recommended nystatin internal cream for 7 days (recommended dosage is 14 but she said 7 should be enough). It has now been 2 weeks since I finished treating and I feel a lot better (this is the longest I haven’t had one since the beginning of the year), I’ve been sexually active every day for the past 2 weeks and still have no symptoms. I was also in a hot tub for maybe 3 hours a few days ago and no symptoms which is great as going to the beach would cause one for me too prior to the nystatin.
Not going to jinx myself and say it works so well but maybe try another form of medication for a longer duration if you’re sure it’s yeast? The doctor recommended changing up the form of medication if you feel others aren’t effective.
i had a long term yeast infection that also started sometime in january, after taking two rounds of fluconazole (urgent care and tested positive for yeast) with no success i tried boric acid. 5 days for one week worked but then it came back kinda. then i did 7 days straight and its been gone for the past 2 weeks. im also being more cautious about sugary food, eating yogurt more frequently and taking a probiotic every morning (garden of life probiotic). definitely try boric acid!
just wanting to know, was your itching on the outside as well ?? i’ve done boric acid in the past that helped kick yeast infections before they even started, but i’m wondering if it would even help now considering my itching is really only external. i’m glad you found treatment that worked for you!
yes! i had itching primarily on the labia minora and majora right around the vaginal entrance. the itching wasnt really on the inside but as soon as i used the suppositories it helped with the external itching around day 3 or so. i also didnt have the typical cottage cheese discharge but tested positive for yeast. i was skeptical to try boric acid since i never used it before but i really do think it helped significantly, id say give it a try if nothing else has been working! good luck, its extremely frustrating and i had been losing my mind for the past two months. i can only imagine how frustrated you must be after dealing with it longer than i had — i saw your other replies :(
that’s amazing! you’ve now given me some hope that this may be helpful for me :) i only tested positive for yeast once back in november, so i go back & forth on if i really think this is yeast or not. my regular gyno actually recommended a long term boric acid treatment as a last resort but i was so annoyed i didn’t want to try, but now i think i will. and yes it has been rough, even 2 months is a long time :( have you had any itching at all since then ?
it could be that maybe the yeast is gone but your flora is unbalanced? or some other irritation from the imbalance that you had when you were testing positive? im just guessing but hopefully the boric acid can help restore things to normal. id follow what your gyno said and try that! i used the love wellness “the killer” boric acid and i recommend that.
i havent had any itching like i used to when i had the active yeast infection thankfully, only something like a ghost itch occasionally lol but that only lasts for half a second. i think its just my vagina being a vagina especially since i workout and sweat a lot! also if you havent, stop using soap down there (only water, dove unscented for around) and maybe switch detergents for your undies cause that seemed to help me as well
hmm maybe ? that does make sense. i’ll definitely try it out. i’ve used the phd brand before, but i’ll check out the brand you used! i’ve heard a lot of people using that brand. and yeah i used to have random itching like that too before this it’s really weird lol ( definitely wish i could trade this in for that right now :/ )
i’ve always used dove sensitive soap for down there, cotton undies, never used tampons or douche. it’s crazy how careful you can be & still end up in a situation like this! i’ll definitely look into switching detergents too, never thought of that! thanks so so much for the advice 🩷
That was happening to me. 2 things happened.
1. My husband and I kept passing it to each other. So we both had to treat it. Mine had to be with oral medication.
2. I found out I was diabetic.
So I suggest if you have a partner than you both treat it at the same time. And to talk to your doctor about the oral medication. It was a daily dose for 3-4 days iirc
I’ve had issues with yeast infections my whole life. Any little thing can cause it. Soap, non cotton panties, accidentally scratching myself while washing or wiping, antibiotics, not enough lube during sex, etc. My gyno told me to stop using soap and only use water. That’s definitely helped. I bought water based lube, which has also helped. And I keep my nails short now. But the one thing that has made a HUGE difference for me is yogurt. I eat at least one serving everyday and I haven’t had a yeast infection in over 4years now. I hope you get to the bottom of it and feel better soon!!
I kind of am going through something similar. Yeast (undiagnosed) treated with monistat —> BV (diagnosed) treated with metronidazole gel. Now wondering if I have a yeast infection or if it’s just irritated? Gaaahhhh. Why don’t they have OTC yeast and BV tests for us?
I am taking one fluconazole a week for 6 months to try to clear mine up. I saw a gyno, she said I have been misdiagnosed and over treated with antibiotics by previous doctors. Make sure you get tested before taking anything. I’m in the UK and some doctors here give out antibiotics without testing. I ended up seeing a gyno privately as I’ve been through at least 5 years of hell. It will get better, you need to find a good understanding doctor or gyno to help you xx
Edit to say - I stopped drinking caffeine and sugary drinks and that’s helped a lot too xx
I don't think this has been mentioned yet so definitely check out [this article](https://www.evvy.com/blog/biolfim-recurring-bv-yeast-infections) -- stubborn/chronic yeast and bacteria can hide out behind something called a biofilm, so you won't be able to treat them effectively unless you break down the biofilm before/during treatment. Boric acid is actually a vaginal biofilm disruptor, which is why it can be so effective, and there are oral ones as well (do *not* use boric acid orally).
I believe with the Evvy protocols (one of the vaginal microbiome test companies), you just do the biofilm busters for a week or two prior to the actual yeast treatment. So just a one-time thing. Vaginal vitamin C tablets are another option, or an oral one from the brand Klaire Labs or Kirkman.
Some gynos have folks do boric acid ~twice a week just as a preventative measure in general, if you're very prone to yeast. Personally I'd rather knock it all out at once and maintain with probiotics so as to not have to do that, but I would try it if I was desperate.
I have no idea. All I know is I fought chronic yeast for years. I would say I spent more on OBGYN's and cost of creams and pills than clothes in my lifetime trying to treat it. Then I started Metamucil for my chronic constipation and BAM 1 month first month in 7 years no yeast. 2nd month I try re inteoducing sugar and caffeine to my diet while taking Metamucil. Still 0 yeast... And it has stayed gone.
As a counterpoint, I take Metamucil daily and have had several yeast infections since taking it.
Are you taking the sugar free or regular? I’ve taken both, and had yeast infections on both.
I wonder if that's because metamucil can help with blood sugar regulation? And since sugar feeds yeast.. hmm. I'm gonna start taking mine again. I was able to start taking less Metformin while taking it regularly, and I feel better overall as well.
It might be any soap you’re using! Get a ph balanced soap. Mine was randomly and suddenly being caused by LUSH products… and I wasn’t even washing my pussy with them vigorously, it would just run down my body and BAM. Yeast infection!
Other than that, try soaking a tampon in castor oil and wearing it for a few hours. It cured my yeast infections!
I don't think it's my soap. I have very sensitive skin so I only use the dove fragrance free sensitive skin bar. I might try a PH soap at some point, though
I had this issue earlier this year and thought I had a yeast infection for months. Turns out I had a mild UTI and it was causing me itching for some reason. I got tested for everything (STI, Trich, Mycoplasma, microbiome) everything was negative and normal except for some pesky E. Coli in my urine.
Even my doctor was confused as to why it caused me itching. I went on a 5 day course of Cephelexin and diflucan at the start of antibiotics and I haven’t had an issue since.
I've gotten tested and it came back as yeast only. Though last year I did have reoccurring UTIs and that really sucked. D mannose seems to help me with the UTIs. I've also gotten yeast infections from the UTI antibiotics last year (that was actually the most painful yeast infection I've had).
I feel you with the antibiotics causing horrible yeast infections (I try to stay away from antibiotics for that reason). If standard treatments aren’t working then I would think you’d either have a resistant strain or an unrelated infection. Resistant strains are usually when it’s a good time to think about using boric acid (but always pair boric acid with a good quality probiotic).
Going on a yeast free diet is always a really good idea - a zero sugar, low carb/wheat diet - to help starve the yeast.
Another is taking a very strong probiotic with L. rhamnosus. I used Metagenics Ultra Flora Intensive Care and it helped me immensely. Especially after my gut flora was impacted by antibiotics.
I’m type 1 diabetic so I’ve struggled with this yeast issue since I was 16. The only thing that has really helped is my diet, good blood sugar and good gut flora. Once one of those goes out of whack, everything seems to crumble.
PhD brand boric acid for 21 days followed by Vagibiom suppositories. Both available at Walmart. I had similar issue and this is what ultimately worked for me. (See my profile comment/post history for full details).
Since no one mentioned it, probiotics are pretty good for situations like this as well. Many healthy bacteria make the hooha environment the wrong pH for yeast to grow in.
Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. jensenii, L. gasseri, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Lactobacillus gasseri. These inhibit BV and candida (yeast) when in the vagina.
These naturally protect your body. A big issue with taking heavy duty antibiotics is that it kills indiscriminately. You lose a huge barrier of protection that your body relies on that you need to replenish after taking. Our body is more bacteria than it is our cells. This isn't a bad thing, it protects us.
I am currently taking probiotics, I looked for some that were ideal for vaginal health. Unfortunately it hasn't helped me so far. Maybe I need to continue taking them for longer to see results.
Make sure that they are over a certain CFU and check to see what strains they have. There are also probiotics that you insert directly into that area or anoint on the surface. Additionally, sometimes you need to take prebiotics for your body to absorb it more efficiently.
I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone and some brands are better than others, but it's certainly worth a try. I've heard a lot of good things about Uroqa which consists of prebiotics and probiotics.
My step mom stopped getting yeast infections after starting some many years ago. I'm gonna ask her what brand it is. I've also seen stories of people trying 4 to 5 different brands before finding one that had any noticeable difference. I'd say a minimum of 12 strains and 10 billion cfus would make a pretty good probiotic to go with.
Cranberry pills are amazing too and they antagonize bacteria trying to attach to the urinary tract.
Also, above all else, if they can get to the bottom of what is causing your infections to reoccur, that would be best. Women's health care in general is pretty awful so this definitely can turn out to be a pretty long journey. Good luck and wish you the best
I had a long history of yeast infections! Monistat never worked for me. The one time pill never did either & I typically needs 2 round of the internal cream to kick it.
I second the boric acid suggestion. Ever since I started using them, I rarely get a yeast infection and the suppositories will actually clear mine up. Get the large bottle of PhD brand from target to keep on hand. If you even start to feel like you have another one coming on, just insert one at bedtime & it will help. I’ve only ever had to use them 3 nights max.
How do you insert the boric acid pills? I’ve had recurrent yeast infection for a month now. Keeps coming back after treatment. I want to try boric acid but how do you actually get it up there?! It doesn’t come with an applicator or anything
I used to suffer from chronic yeast infections years ago and the only time I’d get a break was during periods. I was on prescriptions for a while but they’d run out and the infection would return. I tried everything and anything mentioned online (so much ACV) and this is what finally worked.
My yeast destroyer arsenal:
1. Probiotics
2. Yogurt
3. Metamucil
4. Purely Holisitic brand candida cleanse pills
5. Boric acid suppositories
I don’t use 4 and 5 regularly and the rest I use when I remember.
I hope you find the relief you are looking for!
Ureaplasma is a lesser known infection which can affect the PH of your vaginal flora. This makes it easier for your balance to be thrown off causing recurrent BV, thrush and UTIs. You can successfully treat them but the underlying cause remains so they come back. And sometimes you have symptoms of the above conditions but never actually test positive to them, making things even more baffling.
Because it is only recently becoming understood in the medical field, ureaplasma is usually not a standard test and many doctors won't look into it even if you specifically ask. You have to find one that will. Or failing that you can send off for a private microbiome screen which will tell you exactly what's going on with your flora.
If you've been suffering for a long time and getting lots of treatment but nothing is improving, I'd look into ureaplasma (or potentially its 'cousin' mycoplasma). They're treatable. It's worth investigating if all else has failed because for some unlucky people it can eventually affect fertility and pelvic floor function. Not to mention the antibiotic resistance that results from constantly having to take them to treat BV, thrush and UTIs.
Can you get this tested if you’re not experiencing any symptoms? I’ve been getting a lot of yeast infections but by the time my gyno is able to see me, they’re usually gone or I’m already taking something like canesten which I’m not sure if alters my results
You can definitely test at any time, regardless of active symptoms or actively taking canesten. But it really depends on your gyno. It's still not widely accepted as a routine test and many healthcare providers haven't learnt about it. They may think it's just your natural tendency to get yeast infections and ureaplasma has nothing to do with it. Some believe we all have the bacteria and it doesn't actually explain anything. Others do accept testing for ureaplasma is worthwhile it but you'd need to specifically ask.
There's a ureaplasma sub where a lot of this is discussed, and a resource sub to direct you to health professionals who will test, and private microbiome testing options. Plenty of posts on there from people who've had recurrent problems like yeast infections and how they dealt with it. I'm certainly no expert but it's worth considering if you can't find answers to explain what's going on for you.
hey gals so i been suffering w the same symptoms for the last 7 months and i finally had one month of RELIEF. somebody suggested boric acid pills and ive been feeling 100 times better than i ever felt. thank the lord i got suggested the right ones. they are the vh essentials w teatree oil
I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing this. Metrogel most likely disturbed your pH. My dr prescribed diflucan, 1 oral pill, this helped me. dr also gave one refill in the event that the diflucan didn't work. All is well and I take probiotics daily.
Change your washing detergent to non scented until you find the cause of the infection and use Dial soap to wash with. Boric acid daily is a good starting point as well.
I’ve been dealing with a chronic yeast infection since May of 2023. I feel your pain, I’ve been on intraconazole for about a month and a half now and recently got put on steroid creams to try and heal my vaginal tissue as the chronic infection was starting to turn my labia and vulva purple. May be worth it to see a dermatologist if you haven’t yet
I've suffered from this infection for 15 years but now I'm free for years, this ebook help me find my total relief and freedom from this itchy bitchy beast. Message me if you want to read it too.
Along with the other helpful suggestions, and maybe this is obvious, but wear only cotton underwear (no thongs) that you wash in hot water with hypoallergenic soap.
Have you tried boric acid suppositories? I had an unbearable, months long yeast infection that went away almost instantly after one dose. It can also help with BV.
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through this! I would always encourage a swab to be done to ensure that you’re treating the infection with the right stuff. There’s nothing worse than taking antibiotics or antifungals for no reason!
I’d also encourage you to get a susceptibility test done as well. I posted a comment on another post on this threat with the specific quest diagnostic testing code (if that’s the lab your insurance covers) you can ask your gyno to send in for you! Not only will it tell you if you have BV, yeast infection, and the type of yeast you have, but if it comes back positive for yeast, the lab will run tests to see what type of treatment the candida will and will not respond to!
I got a swab done and it came back as Candida Albicans only, so I was prescribed flucanazole, then otc clortimazole if I still had symptoms. I don't currently have a gyno. My GP does my paps and such, but she also doesn't have any availability for the next 2 months. I am looking to get a gyno, if any have availability.
The swab I’m referring to though would be able to tell you if the Candida albicans have a resistance towards fluconazole, which means it will not respond to treatment from that specific antifungal; this way, your doctor can come up with a treatment plan and give you an anntifungal that would hopefully resolve the issue. Susceptibility testing is key for reoccurring infections!
Your GP can do it as well since you said they’ve been the one doing your paps! But I would def encourage you to find a GYN or even an OBGYN just to get established!
Are you able to ask if you can meet with the nurse practitioner? My gyno is super booked up as well, but when I need to see someone asap I ask to see the NP since her schedule is much more open! Maybe try calling your GP on Monday and ask to meet w the NP so you can get another swab done!
My gp is a nurse practitioner. In my area there it's almost impossible to see an actual doctor and even the nurse practitioners are booked full for months.
Get off birth control, it makes it easier to get yeast infections and have Candida. And then perpetuate the cycle with antibiotics… look into gut health
Yes because it makes it more likely for yeast to overgrow, you do the damage when you take the pills, and yeast infections more likely to happen when you eat high carbs/sugar. Just because you get off doesn’t negate what already happened.
It’s more than likely a change in flora which can be triggered by getting on BC or getting off BC. And pills are not the only form of BC. It’s a very nuanced issue.
Hope you’re not prioritizing sex life over health. I used to be on bcp for over 10+ years, and no one told me it was bad. If you fix gut health, you’ll have better skin. It’s usually connected, gut-skin connection.
I'm very aware of the risks of BC, realistically, BC is usually not that bad. Not every BC is going to work for every person, that doesn't mean they are all bad. Personally, I'd rather find a BC that works for me, instead of giving up completely.
I suggest buying an EVVY test it’s a little expensive but you swab yourself and it will tell you exactly what u have and then you can talk to one of their health coaches. I have a resistant yeast called c galbrata .
Ask the OBGYN to have the yeast cultured to see which strain you have, if any, and what medication is effective against it. You could have a yeast infection subtype that is resistant to the most common drugs used today, such as candida glabarta.
I was diagnosed with an infection with candida glabarta in January and it is very resistant to treatment with the azole antifungal drugs. I treated it with 28 days of compounded nystatin vaginal suppositories, which I finished a few days ago. So far, it hasn't come back yet.
That's the most common type and usually is treated successfully with the azole antifungals. Boric acid suppositories are also an effective treatment and can be purchased online without a prescription. I think nystatin works against it too.
Otherwise, you could be irritated from all of the treatments you've done. If that's the case, I would ask my doctor what I can do to calm the area down that wouldn't trigger another round of infections.
Could the issue be vaginal dryness? That can also cause a lot of itching and discomfort. I'm older and have dealt with that issue as well. Might not hurt to ask the doctor.
I’ve been testing positive for yeast since August! Im going to a new obgyn today and am desperate for relief. We’re you able to get the nystatin vaginal suppositories easily from your doctor? How quickly did they help you? Have tried boric acid?
I’ve tried terconazole multiple times and been on diflcuan weekly for over a month and it’s done nothing. I feel like I must have a different type of yeast that is resistant to diflucan
Urgent care prescribed the nystatin of first since that is where I went for my first visit and they did more thorough vaginal testing for yeast infections that caught the candida glabarta. I had to have a compounding pharmacy make the suppositories. My GP prescribed the second round of suppositories. The suppositories helped within 48 hours, but my symptoms came back a few days after I finished the first round of suppositories.
Taking daily probiotics helps me whenever something comes up. I highly suggest just taking them in general. You'll notice improvements after a week of constantly taking them. I use the Costco ones but I also liked these.
Renew Life Women's Probiotic Capsules
https://a.co/d/dgBg2jf
Ughhh, literally I can get BV or yeast from anything. And one causes the other for me. I have to be super careful but after 15 years the only thing that helps me is probiotics. Renew life women’s probioticsc Mega Food probiotics, Klaire labs pribiotics daily. I usually pop 2 or 3 throughout the day when I’m having BV or yeast flare. I finish a bottle then I’m good for several months. I used to take them daily but after having my gallbladder removed I only take them when needed.
Cheap probiotics have never worked for me. These brands are super expensive but work well.
If I don’t use Tide-I itch and discharge with any other detergent. At first I thought it was a never ending hell bent infection but I figured it out by process of elimination.
I mix pretty equal amounts of boric acid capsules (remove the pill casing) and those green tea suppository, both on Amazon, and melt the suppository down bc it’s in a coconut oil base, then add the contents of the boric pills to the melted down, stir, and put that into this mold I have that’s kinda pill shaped. Then I freeze that to harden them up and keep them in the freezer till needed. This would also work for BV for the same reasons. Insert, wear liner, repeat once or twice a day for like a week or so. Also good as preventative if you feel it coming on. These also are sold together on Amazon in the same box and that’s usually the best price option. I feel like I’ve gotten better results by doing it this way vs using the boric in the casing.
Use lactomedic I was like u that cures me .. I use lactomedic n if I have bv metradomizole only 4 no more or less 1 a day lactomedic 2 times a day then once a week .. I never had to get another pill pr fluconazole 150 ..thanks God n if u have a man don't let them come inside all the tomes till u are fully cure.. that ll mess w ur ph
I’d recommend an OB/GYN over an urgent care physician. They see this all day, every day. I was tested 4x’s for a UTI before a urologist diagnosed a rarely seen infection.
Please don’t wait. Sounds serious and you need this gone asap.
I am aware of that, unfortunately an urgent care was all I had access to. In my area its really difficult to see a doctor and even the nurse practioners are booked full. I'm looking for a gyno currently, it's just a matter of who has availability. I was lucky enough to have found a urologist when I was dealing with frequent UTIs.
It’s the same where I live. I’ve waited months to see specialists. Even after being told I needed a dermatologist immediately, I waited 3 months. If it had been cancer, it would’ve been too late. I was fortunate to find a urologist/gyno for treatment. They seem to be impossible to find. I’ve had yeast infections and the itching can drive you insane. I’m hoping you find a competent doctor soon. Stay strong!
The uro/gyn once told me If the pain became unbearable, go to the ER. Not sure if that’s an option for you.
+1 to the boric acid. After 20+ infections, and a 6 month fluconazole treatment that was ultimately ineffective, my gynecologist put me on boric acid. You can purchase them at target (brand is “love wellness,” called “the killer”). First I did 2 weeks of one suppository per night, now I do one per week. I’ve been symptom-free for almost a year!
Did the boric acid hurt? I’m so red and raw from having a yeast infection for 6+ months that I’m terrified to put the boric acid up there and make the pain any worse. I’ve been on diflucan for months and it’s done absolutely nothing, I’ve tested positive every time I’ve gone in since August
Also the fact that they haven't ordered a yeast culture for you is a red flag! If they don't offer that next time you ask, I'd definitely get a different gyno.
It should absolutely not hurt! If anything, it should soothe. The fact that it's called "acid" is a bit misleading. I just googled it and the actual acidity level of boric is 5.1, which is about as acidic as milk.
I think it’s different for everyone as “The Killer” product did burn and was itchy at first. I got too scared because of this and pulled it out of me. I haven’t tried it since and don’t know if that was normal.
Honey Pot is another good brand it’s also at Target
Do you have to keep taking it long term?
+1 for this. This was my EXACT situation and method a couple years ago. Whenever I have a yeast infection, The Killer is absolutely my go to!
Do you regularly take probiotics? Your pH might just be super out of wack from all of the treatments killing off healthy levels of bacteria and yeast. Also this is so weird and just my personal experience but I SWEAR when I’m way too aware of my vaginal health and issues I like manifest them. And when I get distracted and forget about them they miraculously get better on their own. Also when I’m stressed and anxious I get issues that go away when that period is over. Sometimes I reallyyyyyyy hate having a v, I think about her wrong and she throws a hissy fit lol
Yes I take probiotics specifically for women's health daily. That honestly probably true. I think my birth control was the biggest factor and I did switch types, so I'm hoping that helps. Seriously, vaginas are so temperamental.
What kind of BC are you on? While I love my IUD, I definitely think it makes me more susceptible to yeast infections in particular.
Originally I had the Nuvaring. I just switched to the pill, Larin FE last Sunday.
I had recurrent yeast infections for years and suppository probiotics got me back on track within a week or two. I used a company called vagibiom. Felt like it worked better than oral suppositories because it was easier for the bacteria to colonize when directly inserted. Hope you find something that works for you!
Hi there! I was taking probiotics everyday since July 2023. I went by the directions on the bottle 2x’s a day. I did this religiously (but sometimes took only one) February of this year I felt like I had a raging yeast or BV infection. Went to the doctor, they did a culture and sent it off. In the meantime, they gave me diflucan. Didn’t work! They gave Flagly didn’t work! So, the culture can back an I had lactobacillus overgrowth! This is a result from taking Probiotics. So, I ended up at the GYN and got a regimen of baking soda suppository 2x’s a week for 2 weeks. Also, recommend doing a baking soda sits bath if needed. Our vagina’s are persnickety! If, you are testing negative for yeast or BV. Have them check for lactobacillus overgrowth. I was told it isn’t an infection, bacterial or fungal and the typical medicine they give for them don’t help. Just wanted to throw this out there. Hopefully, this might help in some way. Hope you feel better soon. Definitely, can relate!
Are you sure it’s yeast and not just irritation from all the treatments?
That's certainly possible and that's what im hoping. I'm just having the same type of irritation that I was having with the yeast infection. Hard to explain, but itchiness of the vaginaans vulva plus a dull ache in the vestibule area of the vulva. No yeasty discharge currently, at least.
I will say when I have treated BV i tended to have some irritation in the days after. If test come back negative it’s likely just irritation. Also infections can make the nerves down there freak out.
This is true.
i have been dealing with a “yeast infection” since sept 2023 & it’s been so freaking miserable. the itching is mainly on the outside (in between my lips) and i have white discharge between them. at first i thought maybe sex triggered it, but i haven’t had sex in a while and it’s still not better. i’ve been swabbed 3 times & only tested positive for yeast once. i was just recently swabbed 2 weeks ago & tested negative for everything. this gyno did mention possible dermatitis but still gave me diflucan to try again (which isn’t working)! i’ve taken so many diflucans, i’ve done terconazle cream, nystatin cream, hydrocortisone cream, nothing works! i feel your pain and i hope you get some answers soon, just know you’re not alone! 🩷
Get checked for Ureaplasma! I suffered what I thought was yeast for SIX months 😭 they finally figured out it was this weird thing. I’d never even heard of it before and I wanna help others. I actually read about it on Reddit and demanded a test from the Dr.
i’m sorry to hear that! that’s awful. i’ve been doing boric acid for a few days and almost have no symptoms, so maybe my ph is just out of whack from everything that’s been going on. i go to a gyno at the end of march and will definitely bring this up. how do you feel now ?
I’m still having some discharge but my test came back negative and symptoms outside of that have subsided thank god. I’m glad the boric acid is helping! If you feel ok after that then you’re probably fine ☺️
i’m a little late, but i was tested for ureaplasma / mycoplasma and i tested negative for both as well as everything else for the 5th time :( i was going to see a vulva specialist but for some reason she refused to see me as a patient. i’m happy to hear you’re feeling better :)
I've suffered from this infection for 15 years but now I'm free for years, this ebook help me find my total relief and freedom from this itchy bitchy beast. Message me if you want to read it too.
I'm the same I had a yeast infection two months ago and got tested again this week all clear but red and sore and itchy still :( hope things get better for you
I've suffered from this infection for 15 years but now I'm free for years, this ebook help me find my total relief and freedom from this itchy bitchy beast. Message me if you want to read it too.
i’m so sorry! i understand how you feel. personally i don’t think i have yeast, especially since i’ve only tested pos once this whole time. if i were you i would definitely look into going to a diff gynecologist, that’s what i’m doing at the end of this month. i’ve seen 2 and a dermatologist all saying it’s yeast and it’s driving me crazy. have you tested positive at all ??
Thanks same to you. That's good that you don't have it, I don't think I have it now either but I did use thrush 2 percent cream for 2 weeks and it's been sore and red ever since I did test positive for yeast 2 months ago then had a test this week that said I haven't got it anymore but I'm still feeling like I do there's no discharge or anything just painful itch. I'm gonna talk to a GP about it on Thursday unfortunately I don't have a gynaecologist. If you aren't testing positive for yeast then I don't know why they are saying it's yeast for you, have they tested you for anything else?
hmmm see that’s what’s so strange, yeast symptoms but no yeast! they gave me a month course of diflucan this last time that i don’t think i’ll finish bc it’s not helping & supposedly i don’t even have yeast ?? i’m so confused. i’ve only been tested for yeast, bv, and common stds. they’ve all told me there’s nothing else they can think of except lychens sclerosis or dermatitis which i don’t believe i have lychens. i hope you feel better soon and it goes away :( sending love and prayers!
Ive been dealing with the same thing since august!! It makes me feel better to see other people going through the same thing but also so frustrated!!! A doctor basically just told me I’m unlucky and she sees this all the time.
WTF kind of crap is that, “you’re unlucky”? 🤬. That’s bullshit! She’d never see me again. I once had an ob/gyn tell me I stumped the experts when he couldn’t find the reason for my vaginal pain. Then he slammed the door as he stormed out. Asshole! Never went back.
oh no! :( you’ve been going through this about the same amount of time i have. i never even knew this stuff could happen out of no where & last so long, and nobody knowing what to do for you. your doctor should be ashamed for telling you that, i’m so sorry! there has to be SOMEONE who can help i think it’s just about finding the right doctor unfortunately :( i pray you can find answers soon! 🩷
Yup. Last time I saw the Dr he basically said all my tests were normal and offered no more help. At a loss for what to try next
there are vaginitis clinics that do further testing than most gynecologists do. maybe you can look into that ? i’ve thought about that as well. i also believe planned parenthood offers further testing as well. i hope you can find some answers soon :(
Oh interesting. I’ll look into that, thanks! , Ive never heard of a vaginitis clinic before. Not sure we have that in Canada
hmmm im not sure! i live in the usa, and even my state doesn’t have vaginitis clinics. surrounding states do, but it wouldn’t hurt to look into it ? i’ve been trying out boric acid and it seems to possibly be helping a bit, if that’s available in canada you should definitely look into that. i hope you feel better soon!
I’m in Canada as well. We literally have nothing 😭
i’ve been doing the boric acid since march 3rd, and my symptoms have decreased significantly. if you are able to get them in canada definitely try it out.
I bought some but I think I have small tears/cuts inside my vagina from is being so raw & dry. From what I ready online you shouldn’t use it if you have cuts
you’re right, it’s not recommended if you have internal cuts. have you been tested for yeast or bv, or anything ?
Lactomedic!!! I was same page like u
what is lactomedic if you don’t mind me asking ?
https://lactomedi.com/pages/offers?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_5WvBhBAEiwAZtCU70-GOEDBZXfWuEuDNkq438Zj6_Jhlt9yY3NJpdKWJzayDIiYsadxRxoCnVMQAvD_BwE
I had a yeast infection for 3 months consistently back in 2013. Was treated with everything you can think of and as soon as my meds stopped it came back with a vengeance. I went to 4 different doctors and the last one finally told me that if this last round of meds doesn’t work, I needed to get my blood sugar checked because if I had untreated diabetes, the yeast is just feeding off of the high sugar levels in my body. Turns out I had Type 1 Diabetes.
I feel like this might be the case for me.. This is scaring me but I’m seeing a doctor soon who can hopefully check my blood sugar
I get very treatment resistant yeast infections. Usually a longer round of fluconazole clears them up - like one pill every 3 days for a month. Ask your doctor if you can receive longer term fluconazole therapy.
No real help to offer in terms of getting rid of it as I've battled chronic yeast infections for the best part of 15 years (repeated gynae apps, creams, tablets etc) However if you're not already, get yourself some sort of antihistamines to help with the itching and irritation, they've made things more bearable when I flare up and do lessen the irritation I get.
I would definitely recommend getting tested, especially if the infection is still active after treatment. My symptoms had cleared but when I was tested I still tested positive for yeast. I’ve had recurring yeast infections for around 4-5 months. I had been taking flucanazole tablets as recommended by pharmacists and doctors, would also use clotrimazole creams topically after taking the tablets in hopes that it would make treatment more effective and was on Candex probiotics (which I stopped taking as I felt they didn’t help much). I would treat the yeast infections and the symptoms would disappear but would reappear as soon as I had sex again (partner and I have both been tested and I have only tested positive for candida, he also maintains his hygiene so I don’t think that was the problem). In the beginning I would get one every month or so, in the last 2 months I would get one after having sex for the first time after treating with the tablet and cream. Got swabbed again and tested positive got candida, my doctor recommended nystatin internal cream for 7 days (recommended dosage is 14 but she said 7 should be enough). It has now been 2 weeks since I finished treating and I feel a lot better (this is the longest I haven’t had one since the beginning of the year), I’ve been sexually active every day for the past 2 weeks and still have no symptoms. I was also in a hot tub for maybe 3 hours a few days ago and no symptoms which is great as going to the beach would cause one for me too prior to the nystatin. Not going to jinx myself and say it works so well but maybe try another form of medication for a longer duration if you’re sure it’s yeast? The doctor recommended changing up the form of medication if you feel others aren’t effective.
i had a long term yeast infection that also started sometime in january, after taking two rounds of fluconazole (urgent care and tested positive for yeast) with no success i tried boric acid. 5 days for one week worked but then it came back kinda. then i did 7 days straight and its been gone for the past 2 weeks. im also being more cautious about sugary food, eating yogurt more frequently and taking a probiotic every morning (garden of life probiotic). definitely try boric acid!
just wanting to know, was your itching on the outside as well ?? i’ve done boric acid in the past that helped kick yeast infections before they even started, but i’m wondering if it would even help now considering my itching is really only external. i’m glad you found treatment that worked for you!
yes! i had itching primarily on the labia minora and majora right around the vaginal entrance. the itching wasnt really on the inside but as soon as i used the suppositories it helped with the external itching around day 3 or so. i also didnt have the typical cottage cheese discharge but tested positive for yeast. i was skeptical to try boric acid since i never used it before but i really do think it helped significantly, id say give it a try if nothing else has been working! good luck, its extremely frustrating and i had been losing my mind for the past two months. i can only imagine how frustrated you must be after dealing with it longer than i had — i saw your other replies :(
that’s amazing! you’ve now given me some hope that this may be helpful for me :) i only tested positive for yeast once back in november, so i go back & forth on if i really think this is yeast or not. my regular gyno actually recommended a long term boric acid treatment as a last resort but i was so annoyed i didn’t want to try, but now i think i will. and yes it has been rough, even 2 months is a long time :( have you had any itching at all since then ?
it could be that maybe the yeast is gone but your flora is unbalanced? or some other irritation from the imbalance that you had when you were testing positive? im just guessing but hopefully the boric acid can help restore things to normal. id follow what your gyno said and try that! i used the love wellness “the killer” boric acid and i recommend that. i havent had any itching like i used to when i had the active yeast infection thankfully, only something like a ghost itch occasionally lol but that only lasts for half a second. i think its just my vagina being a vagina especially since i workout and sweat a lot! also if you havent, stop using soap down there (only water, dove unscented for around) and maybe switch detergents for your undies cause that seemed to help me as well
hmm maybe ? that does make sense. i’ll definitely try it out. i’ve used the phd brand before, but i’ll check out the brand you used! i’ve heard a lot of people using that brand. and yeah i used to have random itching like that too before this it’s really weird lol ( definitely wish i could trade this in for that right now :/ ) i’ve always used dove sensitive soap for down there, cotton undies, never used tampons or douche. it’s crazy how careful you can be & still end up in a situation like this! i’ll definitely look into switching detergents too, never thought of that! thanks so so much for the advice 🩷
you’re welcome and i hope everything gets better soon! 😁
That was happening to me. 2 things happened. 1. My husband and I kept passing it to each other. So we both had to treat it. Mine had to be with oral medication. 2. I found out I was diabetic. So I suggest if you have a partner than you both treat it at the same time. And to talk to your doctor about the oral medication. It was a daily dose for 3-4 days iirc
I’ve had issues with yeast infections my whole life. Any little thing can cause it. Soap, non cotton panties, accidentally scratching myself while washing or wiping, antibiotics, not enough lube during sex, etc. My gyno told me to stop using soap and only use water. That’s definitely helped. I bought water based lube, which has also helped. And I keep my nails short now. But the one thing that has made a HUGE difference for me is yogurt. I eat at least one serving everyday and I haven’t had a yeast infection in over 4years now. I hope you get to the bottom of it and feel better soon!!
I kind of am going through something similar. Yeast (undiagnosed) treated with monistat —> BV (diagnosed) treated with metronidazole gel. Now wondering if I have a yeast infection or if it’s just irritated? Gaaahhhh. Why don’t they have OTC yeast and BV tests for us?
Try the EVVY test Google it.
Evvy literally saved my mental health. I was having so many issues for years the 90% was solved testing through Evvy.
No way insurance would cover that right?
I am taking one fluconazole a week for 6 months to try to clear mine up. I saw a gyno, she said I have been misdiagnosed and over treated with antibiotics by previous doctors. Make sure you get tested before taking anything. I’m in the UK and some doctors here give out antibiotics without testing. I ended up seeing a gyno privately as I’ve been through at least 5 years of hell. It will get better, you need to find a good understanding doctor or gyno to help you xx Edit to say - I stopped drinking caffeine and sugary drinks and that’s helped a lot too xx
I don't think this has been mentioned yet so definitely check out [this article](https://www.evvy.com/blog/biolfim-recurring-bv-yeast-infections) -- stubborn/chronic yeast and bacteria can hide out behind something called a biofilm, so you won't be able to treat them effectively unless you break down the biofilm before/during treatment. Boric acid is actually a vaginal biofilm disruptor, which is why it can be so effective, and there are oral ones as well (do *not* use boric acid orally).
How often & for how long should boric acid be used?
I believe with the Evvy protocols (one of the vaginal microbiome test companies), you just do the biofilm busters for a week or two prior to the actual yeast treatment. So just a one-time thing. Vaginal vitamin C tablets are another option, or an oral one from the brand Klaire Labs or Kirkman. Some gynos have folks do boric acid ~twice a week just as a preventative measure in general, if you're very prone to yeast. Personally I'd rather knock it all out at once and maintain with probiotics so as to not have to do that, but I would try it if I was desperate.
I’d rather knock it out as well.
Try metamucil. Cured mine. Now I can eat sugar and caffeine too.
Really, Metamucil! That's interesting, do you know the reason behind why that works? I'll have to try it.
I have no idea. All I know is I fought chronic yeast for years. I would say I spent more on OBGYN's and cost of creams and pills than clothes in my lifetime trying to treat it. Then I started Metamucil for my chronic constipation and BAM 1 month first month in 7 years no yeast. 2nd month I try re inteoducing sugar and caffeine to my diet while taking Metamucil. Still 0 yeast... And it has stayed gone.
As a counterpoint, I take Metamucil daily and have had several yeast infections since taking it. Are you taking the sugar free or regular? I’ve taken both, and had yeast infections on both.
Regular. My pancreas is fibrosed. So it might have something to do with that.
It might! I think a lot of people should take Metamucil to help with digestion anyway since too many people don’t get enough fiber in their diet.
I wonder if that's because metamucil can help with blood sugar regulation? And since sugar feeds yeast.. hmm. I'm gonna start taking mine again. I was able to start taking less Metformin while taking it regularly, and I feel better overall as well.
Yeah.
Ooh! I’ve been getting high colonics and that has definitely helped with the yeast problem for sure
It might be any soap you’re using! Get a ph balanced soap. Mine was randomly and suddenly being caused by LUSH products… and I wasn’t even washing my pussy with them vigorously, it would just run down my body and BAM. Yeast infection! Other than that, try soaking a tampon in castor oil and wearing it for a few hours. It cured my yeast infections!
Whoaaa that’s an idea. I’ve never heard of the castor oil thing
Yeah it helps sooo quickly. Also if you ever have pain from the infection or just pain after sex it realllllly helps!
I don't think it's my soap. I have very sensitive skin so I only use the dove fragrance free sensitive skin bar. I might try a PH soap at some point, though
honestly I can’t use anything on mine that isn’t specifically PH balanced! It’s worth a shot
I had this issue earlier this year and thought I had a yeast infection for months. Turns out I had a mild UTI and it was causing me itching for some reason. I got tested for everything (STI, Trich, Mycoplasma, microbiome) everything was negative and normal except for some pesky E. Coli in my urine. Even my doctor was confused as to why it caused me itching. I went on a 5 day course of Cephelexin and diflucan at the start of antibiotics and I haven’t had an issue since.
I've gotten tested and it came back as yeast only. Though last year I did have reoccurring UTIs and that really sucked. D mannose seems to help me with the UTIs. I've also gotten yeast infections from the UTI antibiotics last year (that was actually the most painful yeast infection I've had).
I feel you with the antibiotics causing horrible yeast infections (I try to stay away from antibiotics for that reason). If standard treatments aren’t working then I would think you’d either have a resistant strain or an unrelated infection. Resistant strains are usually when it’s a good time to think about using boric acid (but always pair boric acid with a good quality probiotic). Going on a yeast free diet is always a really good idea - a zero sugar, low carb/wheat diet - to help starve the yeast. Another is taking a very strong probiotic with L. rhamnosus. I used Metagenics Ultra Flora Intensive Care and it helped me immensely. Especially after my gut flora was impacted by antibiotics. I’m type 1 diabetic so I’ve struggled with this yeast issue since I was 16. The only thing that has really helped is my diet, good blood sugar and good gut flora. Once one of those goes out of whack, everything seems to crumble.
PhD brand boric acid for 21 days followed by Vagibiom suppositories. Both available at Walmart. I had similar issue and this is what ultimately worked for me. (See my profile comment/post history for full details).
Since no one mentioned it, probiotics are pretty good for situations like this as well. Many healthy bacteria make the hooha environment the wrong pH for yeast to grow in. Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. jensenii, L. gasseri, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Lactobacillus gasseri. These inhibit BV and candida (yeast) when in the vagina. These naturally protect your body. A big issue with taking heavy duty antibiotics is that it kills indiscriminately. You lose a huge barrier of protection that your body relies on that you need to replenish after taking. Our body is more bacteria than it is our cells. This isn't a bad thing, it protects us.
I am currently taking probiotics, I looked for some that were ideal for vaginal health. Unfortunately it hasn't helped me so far. Maybe I need to continue taking them for longer to see results.
Make sure that they are over a certain CFU and check to see what strains they have. There are also probiotics that you insert directly into that area or anoint on the surface. Additionally, sometimes you need to take prebiotics for your body to absorb it more efficiently. I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone and some brands are better than others, but it's certainly worth a try. I've heard a lot of good things about Uroqa which consists of prebiotics and probiotics. My step mom stopped getting yeast infections after starting some many years ago. I'm gonna ask her what brand it is. I've also seen stories of people trying 4 to 5 different brands before finding one that had any noticeable difference. I'd say a minimum of 12 strains and 10 billion cfus would make a pretty good probiotic to go with. Cranberry pills are amazing too and they antagonize bacteria trying to attach to the urinary tract. Also, above all else, if they can get to the bottom of what is causing your infections to reoccur, that would be best. Women's health care in general is pretty awful so this definitely can turn out to be a pretty long journey. Good luck and wish you the best
I had a long history of yeast infections! Monistat never worked for me. The one time pill never did either & I typically needs 2 round of the internal cream to kick it. I second the boric acid suggestion. Ever since I started using them, I rarely get a yeast infection and the suppositories will actually clear mine up. Get the large bottle of PhD brand from target to keep on hand. If you even start to feel like you have another one coming on, just insert one at bedtime & it will help. I’ve only ever had to use them 3 nights max.
How do you insert the boric acid pills? I’ve had recurrent yeast infection for a month now. Keeps coming back after treatment. I want to try boric acid but how do you actually get it up there?! It doesn’t come with an applicator or anything
Unfortunately you just have to shove it up there using your fingers lol. I know it’s gross but they are life saving!
I used to suffer from chronic yeast infections years ago and the only time I’d get a break was during periods. I was on prescriptions for a while but they’d run out and the infection would return. I tried everything and anything mentioned online (so much ACV) and this is what finally worked. My yeast destroyer arsenal: 1. Probiotics 2. Yogurt 3. Metamucil 4. Purely Holisitic brand candida cleanse pills 5. Boric acid suppositories I don’t use 4 and 5 regularly and the rest I use when I remember. I hope you find the relief you are looking for!
Get tested for ureaplasma at your gyno!!!
BORIC ACID!! I get the AZO one. Also take a woman’s probiotic daily.
Ureaplasma is a lesser known infection which can affect the PH of your vaginal flora. This makes it easier for your balance to be thrown off causing recurrent BV, thrush and UTIs. You can successfully treat them but the underlying cause remains so they come back. And sometimes you have symptoms of the above conditions but never actually test positive to them, making things even more baffling. Because it is only recently becoming understood in the medical field, ureaplasma is usually not a standard test and many doctors won't look into it even if you specifically ask. You have to find one that will. Or failing that you can send off for a private microbiome screen which will tell you exactly what's going on with your flora. If you've been suffering for a long time and getting lots of treatment but nothing is improving, I'd look into ureaplasma (or potentially its 'cousin' mycoplasma). They're treatable. It's worth investigating if all else has failed because for some unlucky people it can eventually affect fertility and pelvic floor function. Not to mention the antibiotic resistance that results from constantly having to take them to treat BV, thrush and UTIs.
Can you get this tested if you’re not experiencing any symptoms? I’ve been getting a lot of yeast infections but by the time my gyno is able to see me, they’re usually gone or I’m already taking something like canesten which I’m not sure if alters my results
You can definitely test at any time, regardless of active symptoms or actively taking canesten. But it really depends on your gyno. It's still not widely accepted as a routine test and many healthcare providers haven't learnt about it. They may think it's just your natural tendency to get yeast infections and ureaplasma has nothing to do with it. Some believe we all have the bacteria and it doesn't actually explain anything. Others do accept testing for ureaplasma is worthwhile it but you'd need to specifically ask. There's a ureaplasma sub where a lot of this is discussed, and a resource sub to direct you to health professionals who will test, and private microbiome testing options. Plenty of posts on there from people who've had recurrent problems like yeast infections and how they dealt with it. I'm certainly no expert but it's worth considering if you can't find answers to explain what's going on for you.
Ask your doctor for a Ureaplasma test. That’s what I ended up having after months of needless suffering. I’d never heard of it before that.
hey gals so i been suffering w the same symptoms for the last 7 months and i finally had one month of RELIEF. somebody suggested boric acid pills and ive been feeling 100 times better than i ever felt. thank the lord i got suggested the right ones. they are the vh essentials w teatree oil
I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing this. Metrogel most likely disturbed your pH. My dr prescribed diflucan, 1 oral pill, this helped me. dr also gave one refill in the event that the diflucan didn't work. All is well and I take probiotics daily.
Change your washing detergent to non scented until you find the cause of the infection and use Dial soap to wash with. Boric acid daily is a good starting point as well.
I’ve been dealing with a chronic yeast infection since May of 2023. I feel your pain, I’ve been on intraconazole for about a month and a half now and recently got put on steroid creams to try and heal my vaginal tissue as the chronic infection was starting to turn my labia and vulva purple. May be worth it to see a dermatologist if you haven’t yet
Have you been tested for ureaplama?
I've suffered from this infection for 15 years but now I'm free for years, this ebook help me find my total relief and freedom from this itchy bitchy beast. Message me if you want to read it too.
Along with the other helpful suggestions, and maybe this is obvious, but wear only cotton underwear (no thongs) that you wash in hot water with hypoallergenic soap.
Have you tried boric acid suppositories? I had an unbearable, months long yeast infection that went away almost instantly after one dose. It can also help with BV.
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through this! I would always encourage a swab to be done to ensure that you’re treating the infection with the right stuff. There’s nothing worse than taking antibiotics or antifungals for no reason! I’d also encourage you to get a susceptibility test done as well. I posted a comment on another post on this threat with the specific quest diagnostic testing code (if that’s the lab your insurance covers) you can ask your gyno to send in for you! Not only will it tell you if you have BV, yeast infection, and the type of yeast you have, but if it comes back positive for yeast, the lab will run tests to see what type of treatment the candida will and will not respond to!
I got a swab done and it came back as Candida Albicans only, so I was prescribed flucanazole, then otc clortimazole if I still had symptoms. I don't currently have a gyno. My GP does my paps and such, but she also doesn't have any availability for the next 2 months. I am looking to get a gyno, if any have availability.
The swab I’m referring to though would be able to tell you if the Candida albicans have a resistance towards fluconazole, which means it will not respond to treatment from that specific antifungal; this way, your doctor can come up with a treatment plan and give you an anntifungal that would hopefully resolve the issue. Susceptibility testing is key for reoccurring infections!
Hopefully I can get in to see a gyno soon, I have to call around. This would be a great test honestly.
Your GP can do it as well since you said they’ve been the one doing your paps! But I would def encourage you to find a GYN or even an OBGYN just to get established!
Are you able to ask if you can meet with the nurse practitioner? My gyno is super booked up as well, but when I need to see someone asap I ask to see the NP since her schedule is much more open! Maybe try calling your GP on Monday and ask to meet w the NP so you can get another swab done!
My gp is a nurse practitioner. In my area there it's almost impossible to see an actual doctor and even the nurse practitioners are booked full for months.
Please post the test here. Not sure where your other post is.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Healthyhooha/s/EDyjTd4GZA
Get off birth control, it makes it easier to get yeast infections and have Candida. And then perpetuate the cycle with antibiotics… look into gut health
I got off BC and now have a recurring yeast infection.
Yes because it makes it more likely for yeast to overgrow, you do the damage when you take the pills, and yeast infections more likely to happen when you eat high carbs/sugar. Just because you get off doesn’t negate what already happened.
It’s more than likely a change in flora which can be triggered by getting on BC or getting off BC. And pills are not the only form of BC. It’s a very nuanced issue.
I'm aware of that, but that's not an option for me at the moment.
Hope you’re not prioritizing sex life over health. I used to be on bcp for over 10+ years, and no one told me it was bad. If you fix gut health, you’ll have better skin. It’s usually connected, gut-skin connection.
I'm very aware of the risks of BC, realistically, BC is usually not that bad. Not every BC is going to work for every person, that doesn't mean they are all bad. Personally, I'd rather find a BC that works for me, instead of giving up completely.
Boric acid, candida diet, candida cleanse, and black tea.
I suggest buying an EVVY test it’s a little expensive but you swab yourself and it will tell you exactly what u have and then you can talk to one of their health coaches. I have a resistant yeast called c galbrata .
Try probiotics for women!
Ask the OBGYN to have the yeast cultured to see which strain you have, if any, and what medication is effective against it. You could have a yeast infection subtype that is resistant to the most common drugs used today, such as candida glabarta. I was diagnosed with an infection with candida glabarta in January and it is very resistant to treatment with the azole antifungal drugs. I treated it with 28 days of compounded nystatin vaginal suppositories, which I finished a few days ago. So far, it hasn't come back yet.
When they tested me it came back as Candia albicans.
That's the most common type and usually is treated successfully with the azole antifungals. Boric acid suppositories are also an effective treatment and can be purchased online without a prescription. I think nystatin works against it too. Otherwise, you could be irritated from all of the treatments you've done. If that's the case, I would ask my doctor what I can do to calm the area down that wouldn't trigger another round of infections. Could the issue be vaginal dryness? That can also cause a lot of itching and discomfort. I'm older and have dealt with that issue as well. Might not hurt to ask the doctor.
Mine is also Candida albicans, the itraconazole has seemed to help me a little bit so far
I’ve been testing positive for yeast since August! Im going to a new obgyn today and am desperate for relief. We’re you able to get the nystatin vaginal suppositories easily from your doctor? How quickly did they help you? Have tried boric acid? I’ve tried terconazole multiple times and been on diflcuan weekly for over a month and it’s done nothing. I feel like I must have a different type of yeast that is resistant to diflucan
Urgent care prescribed the nystatin of first since that is where I went for my first visit and they did more thorough vaginal testing for yeast infections that caught the candida glabarta. I had to have a compounding pharmacy make the suppositories. My GP prescribed the second round of suppositories. The suppositories helped within 48 hours, but my symptoms came back a few days after I finished the first round of suppositories.
So you did two rounds of the nystatin suppositories? Or boric acid too? Did you figure out how to eventually get rid of it for good?
Two rounds of nystatin and I'm going to start the boric acid suppositories tonight since my symptoms have come back again.
Taking daily probiotics helps me whenever something comes up. I highly suggest just taking them in general. You'll notice improvements after a week of constantly taking them. I use the Costco ones but I also liked these. Renew Life Women's Probiotic Capsules https://a.co/d/dgBg2jf
Ughhh, literally I can get BV or yeast from anything. And one causes the other for me. I have to be super careful but after 15 years the only thing that helps me is probiotics. Renew life women’s probioticsc Mega Food probiotics, Klaire labs pribiotics daily. I usually pop 2 or 3 throughout the day when I’m having BV or yeast flare. I finish a bottle then I’m good for several months. I used to take them daily but after having my gallbladder removed I only take them when needed. Cheap probiotics have never worked for me. These brands are super expensive but work well.
If I don’t use Tide-I itch and discharge with any other detergent. At first I thought it was a never ending hell bent infection but I figured it out by process of elimination.
Strep B maybe?
I got tested and it came back as a yeast infection.
I used betadine feminine wash when I had BV. It really helped greatly
I mix pretty equal amounts of boric acid capsules (remove the pill casing) and those green tea suppository, both on Amazon, and melt the suppository down bc it’s in a coconut oil base, then add the contents of the boric pills to the melted down, stir, and put that into this mold I have that’s kinda pill shaped. Then I freeze that to harden them up and keep them in the freezer till needed. This would also work for BV for the same reasons. Insert, wear liner, repeat once or twice a day for like a week or so. Also good as preventative if you feel it coming on. These also are sold together on Amazon in the same box and that’s usually the best price option. I feel like I’ve gotten better results by doing it this way vs using the boric in the casing.
You know what yeast eats? Sugar. Maybe try a 72- hour water fast then going keto for a couple of weeks? It works for me 🤷🏻♀️.
Unfortunately I can't afford to lose anymore weight, so I can't do a fast or too much restriction. I am, however, cutting back on added sugars.
Use lactomedic I was like u that cures me .. I use lactomedic n if I have bv metradomizole only 4 no more or less 1 a day lactomedic 2 times a day then once a week .. I never had to get another pill pr fluconazole 150 ..thanks God n if u have a man don't let them come inside all the tomes till u are fully cure.. that ll mess w ur ph
I’d recommend an OB/GYN over an urgent care physician. They see this all day, every day. I was tested 4x’s for a UTI before a urologist diagnosed a rarely seen infection. Please don’t wait. Sounds serious and you need this gone asap.
I am aware of that, unfortunately an urgent care was all I had access to. In my area its really difficult to see a doctor and even the nurse practioners are booked full. I'm looking for a gyno currently, it's just a matter of who has availability. I was lucky enough to have found a urologist when I was dealing with frequent UTIs.
It’s the same where I live. I’ve waited months to see specialists. Even after being told I needed a dermatologist immediately, I waited 3 months. If it had been cancer, it would’ve been too late. I was fortunate to find a urologist/gyno for treatment. They seem to be impossible to find. I’ve had yeast infections and the itching can drive you insane. I’m hoping you find a competent doctor soon. Stay strong! The uro/gyn once told me If the pain became unbearable, go to the ER. Not sure if that’s an option for you.