Chronic Yeast Infections

Let me ask you something? Have you received any cortisone shots in your back or any where else on your body? If your yeast infection is internal and not on the skin itself, then you will need to cut back on the yeast and sugar that you consume. There are also other herbs that can be taken to help but I would discuss these herbs with my doctor first. Also, have you been taking any antibiotics? It can cause a yeast infection... If you want, send me a private message.. I will help you get to the bottom of this. Its something I've been researching for over a year now!

I would love to send you a private message but I am not sure how to do so.
I am unsure of having any cortisone shots.. the only shots that I am aware of having was the shots that I had when I was in premature labor with both pregnancies to help the lungs grow faster (my son is 8yrs & my daughter is almost 4yrs). I was on the depo shot for birth control for the 4yrs between my son and daughter. The problem started between the children and I assumed it was caused by the birth control shot. My doctor didnt agree but since we were ready to have another baby I got off.
I didnt have any troubles with the infections during my daughters pregnancy until late in the pregnancy, around the 7th month. But I was able to get rid of it completely with an over the counter drug, monostat.
I was on meds after she was born because one week after she was born I had my apendix removed. So I was on strong pain meds for the time in the hospital and for about a month after the removal. Since then I havent been on any meds. After her delivery I had the odd infection but nothing like this. Then last october it just went totally crazy on me and I havent been able to get rid of it. Any meds the doctor gave me only takes the edge off and then it gets real bad after the meds are done. Worse then before the meds. So I have decided to not go that route any more!!!
I have been talking with a dietitian and she has suggested no sugars, only small amounts of rice or gluten free breads, no alcohol, and to eat lots of plain organic yogurt in the morning with chia seeds and blueberries. She has me drinking a vitamin C energy drink twice a day, 2 probiotics first thing in the morning 15 mins before eating breakfast to adjust my blood sugar levels. She also had me using Progesterone cream once a day to help with my irregular periods. My periods come and go as they please. when they come it lasts for about 3-4 days.. then its gone for 2-3 days and then it comes back as a dark brown colour for another 2-4 days. very odd!
She also has me taking 2 Plant Enzymes (in capsules) with every meal and 1 Pancreatic Enzyme (in capsules)with every meal.
So far it seems to be helping but then 2 days ago it all flared up again.. very discouraging..

My doctor has sent me to a gynecologist but he seems to just want to treat it with meds again and again.. and thats not helping me at all. and other then that he has canceled on me twice so I havent been able to see him in about 4 months. My family doctor is NO help either. He just says that this is normal.. and its NOT! I dont know any other female that agrees that this is normal.
I am worried that maybe there is some underlying reason I am going through this.. cancer or something..
I am not usually an unhealthy person. I am 30 yrs old, physically active every day, weigh 125 lbs.
Any information you can give me is greatly appreciated!!! I'm totally at a loss!
Thanks so much for listening to me and getting back to me so quickly.

Jen

I have the exact same problem. I have not tried such extreme diet measures although I don't drink alcohol, and have avoided sugar and yeast products since having this problem. Mine started when I was pregnant with my daughter in 2007 and I assumed (and was told) that it would stop being an issue when I gave birth. When I kept getting thrush I was told that when I stopped breastfeeding and all my hormones settled down it would stop. None of this changed anything and I am still getting thrush! The GP and Gyno have both swabbed me more than once and done all the tests they can think of (STD's, bacterial) and it all just showed up regular thrush! I also have only had sex with my husband and we even have tried treating him a few times along with me and staying away from sex incase he was infecting me. The Dr. said this was unlikely and sure enough, it didn't help at all and the thrush came back even while not having sex. I have never had this problem before and do not accept what the GP told me... "Well you are just one of those ladies who is going to always have thrush" WHAAAT?? I have no other health issues at all, have had no shots of anything other than vaccs.
One thing I do have is the exact same periods as you Jen!
If you find anything that works, write it on here please!!!!!!!!

Wholly crap Fads!! You are the first person I have found with the exact same issues as me!! well, i tell ya, its nice to know someone else on this planet feels normal besides for this annoying issue that just wont go away! but ya it sure sucks! I wont accept what my dr and GP say either.. This CANT be normal! Us girls cant live the rest of our lives with this issue, something Needs to be done!
I have had one dr tell me I must have depression and that is what is causing yeast issues.. and I dont believe that either.. I dont feel any different then I did as a teen, actually I feel BETTER!!! (other than the yeast, cus i didnt have that then)
I'm lost too.. but if I find anything I will post it for sure. I will share it with EVERY female possible until my last day on earth.. Its not fair to live this way.. uncomfortable every day plus it is very hard on my marriage and I am sure if others have this issue it isnt helping theirs either. I will keep in touch and you please do the same.
I have researched this daily for almost a yr.. I dont know where else to go! a lot of the stuff on the net is crap info.. but to tell you the truth, I've contemplated actually stuffing yogurt up there just cuz someone said it worked for them lol.. I'm THAT desprit!

Hi again Fabs,
Here is what I have been told to do and have been following for the past month or so.. I gathered up everything and thought I would share it with you and hopefully it will help you as well. I have read a lot about this issue you and i both have. apparently if the yeast growth gets out of hand the yeast actually embed themselves into the skin and create spores. And because that happens you cannot get rid of it without changing your normal life. I have been talking with a dietitian her in my town and she is really helpful and seems to know what she is talking about, although I still keep searching for answers just in case.
I dont know about you but I have a huge issued with cravings.. I just attributed the cravings to me loving sugary foods and anything that is a carbohydrate.. but apparently that is happening because the yeast in my body needs those foods to grow and thrive. now when I say carbs (rice, breads, potatoes, chips, pasta, noodles, etc) you are probably asking yourself, why carbs. thats because your body only uses a small amount of the carbs you eat and the rest gets turned into sugars.. and sugars is what the yeast need to keep multiplying. so apparently sugars and carbs are a NO NO for 6 months to a yr or more.. depending on how bad you have the issue. sounds like you have it as bad as i do so i would say its gonna be a yr or so before we are over it.
Do you have night sweats and more hair loss by any chance?
I know I do.. that with my odd periods my dietitian says my hormones are out of wack too.. But I have read those are both symptoms of the candida (yeast overgrowth).
Another thing I am doing other than NO CARBS or SUGARS is no yeast and mushrooms (mushrooms are a fungus).
I take 2 probiotics 15 mins or more before having breakfast to let that get into my system.
I am told to eat a small amount of blueberries & pineapple with my ORGANIC 2% plain yogurt. and add 1 scoop of chia seeds. and I can have one slice of gluten free bread (in the frozen isle at most grocery stores). all of that is to get my blood sugar evened out for the day. (ive been checked, no diabetes)oh, and water.. no juice. oh, and on the bread have butter, not margarine.. its better fat for the bowels.
and with my breakfast, lunch & dinner I take 2 "Source Natural Daily Essential Enzymes *Digestive Aid*" and 1 "Source Natural Pancreatin 8X *Digestive Enzymes*"
Apparently not all probiotics are equal. she has me taking "Source Natural Life Flora *helps support a healthy colon*"
And to keep the bowels moving daily she has me on "Genesis Today Liquid Super CLEANSE" I am not one to complain about not going every day but apparently not going daily is a problem.

So far things seem a lot better.. I am not having the uncomfortable itching anymore and it stopped only a few days after changing my diet.. so did the bloating.. i was pretty bloated to from all the yeast growth.

oh, and I also take 2 of those probiotics before going to bed.. one or more hours after I have eaten last.

another thing that I have been doing is using PHresh after intercourse. it is expensive but the next day is such a relief.. i wish i could afford it for daily use
I get it at shoppers drugmart here in canada. I also use a cleanser that is like a body wash for the vag area..on the bottle it says the cleaners PH level is 5.5 which is the normal level a woman should be at.. our PH is not normal so the yeast is overgrown. I bought that cleanser at shoppers as well in the same place I got the PHresh stuff.. here is a link for the PHresh stuff so that you know what I am talking about if you go looking in your town.

So.. I think I have said everything that I am currently doing now. I think I might go back on the Yeast busters program.

the yeast busters cleanse is expensive too.. i did that for 3 or 4 months and it really seemed to be working.. and then i went to the gyno and he took a swab.. (had NO interest in the fact that i was on this diet or what i was taking) as he was taking the swab he told me i DIDNT have an infection.. but the test came back positive for yeast.. i got discouraged and stopped everything and now im kicking myself.. so I think im gonna go back on it and try that again.
If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

all you have to do for the diet is eat food that are loaded with colours.. choose a lot of green veggies.. I have 3 or 4 heaping servings of different veggies with my lunch and dinners.. along with fish or lean meats. absolutely NO sandwich meats, canned foods, tv dinners, or anything like that. If it wasnt grown, didnt walk, didnt swim, or didnt fly it is toxic for us.. that is the rule! and only olive oil and butter.. make salad dressings with olive oil, lemon, garlic, pepper, salt, and egg whites.. maybe if we do this together we can motivate each other and share recipes and stuff.. food is bland so we have to be creative.. i like making soups from scratch and freezing that to bring to work with a spinach salad.. stuff like that.. keep in touch and I truly hope i have helped some what.

WOW that is a lot of information, and great too! More than I could find out from my Dr or the internet. I do get massive carb cravings but just figured that was normal in life lol. I know with having the thrush on the inside, i have tested positive for it when I have thought it wasn't present at that time and the Dr told me that it looks like I always have thrush but just don't always have the symptoms on the outside. She said it doesn't matter but I hope that there are no long term health risks with constant thrush!? When I have any type of internal examination I get so embarrassed because whoever it is will always say "oh looks like you have thrush honey" or along those lines! So the spores thing sounds very interesting, I have not heard/read that before.
Night sweats and hair loss... YES! Ever since the end of my pregnancy (2008 start of year) of course hair loss after pregnancy is normal so I didn't give it a thought, but at night I drove my husband crazy by kicking off the sheets, making the room cold and then changing my mind and making it all warm again so I guess that would be night sweats.
I live in Australia so I am not sure if they have rephresh but am sure they will have something similar so I will look it up. I have just always had to put on fungal cream before and after sex in order not to be uncomfortable (yes sex life is suffering).
The diet option sounds very strict but I guess if it helps to get rid of this it will be worth it. Do you have to change your diet for life or is it temporary? I know that you said no sugars and carbs for 6 months to a year, but wouldn't it just come back after that if we stopped? With a toddler and a husband who will not have a carb-free etc diet this is going to be very hard and take lots of motivation for me!!

I hear ya!! man & kids LOVE carbs.. as do i LOL.
well from what I have read, and been told that after a yr or so the problems should be gone and we can lead a normal life.. and that is my drive to end this.. to be normal again!! I make extra veggies to take the place of my carbs that i would usually eat. its the only way to stay full longer. also, walnuts and almonds are great snacks in small quantities.. they are crunchy and keep you full longer. only get the nuts without the salts and flavoring on them. I take almonds and put them in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper.. and sometimes Cayenne pepper if i want something spicy and crunch.. then i bake them in the oven at 350F for 15-30 mins (rotate once in a while) and then let them cool.. they make a good snack during movie time
ya all of my problems came after my daughter too.. i think it started before her pregnancy but the changes in hormones with her made things a million times worse. my night sweats are so bad that when i wake up both the bottom sheet and the top sheet has to be changed.. i can ring my hair out as though i just got out of the shower.. its nasty!
ya my husband has been treated several times and the last time, like you guys, we didnt have sex at all and it still came back after our treatments, before we had sex again. and worse then before the treatment!! i was starting to worry about being allergic to him lol.. seems to get sore and flare up for a day after sex.. sometimes the outside rash is so bad my scare from the deliver of my daughter bleeds.. not much but it does.. nasty!

I too really hope this isnt something that is there because I have some sort of other issue going on and this is how it is presenting itself(cancer or something else extreme). I am determined to get to the bottom of this. I have an appointment in my Gyno in early sept (if he doesnt cancel for another month like hes done 2 times in a row)
I am going to demand a candida test be done.. blood work.. whatever.. i want things ruled out instead of just passing me meds when they only make things worse.

well i should get going.. after 11pm here and my kids will be up early.. have a great night!

Jen

See a complimentary doctor.it's an md but they study alternative as well.they gave me diflucan (prescription)fir one month.killed it.thank heavens fit complimentary doctors.there is a web site called endfatigue. That discusses this but the dr would be the easy fix.a.c.a.m othe web will guide you.good luck it's fixable.

So, JVesterback...how are you feeling now? Did that ever clear up yet? Do you still have an infection or is it an infection of the skin only?

I constantly had yeast infections when I was on the pill and after taking antibiotics. Once I had a hysterectomy I had no problems with it. This may not be helpful to you at this point, but I say this so that you know there could be permanent relief for you down the road!