Im in France and i am sick, im working here for a year. I have a chronic yeast infection that wont go away even with prescribed drugs, it always comes back. Today they sent me to the lab to do a pelvic exam, it was horribly painful. The lady kept saying thats not normal. Could a yeast infection do that, or could it be something like fibromyngalia (sp?). Other symptoms, tired all the time, headache, depressed, i catch everything. Im 25. And what if i have AIDS? Thank you for asking.
The combination of being tired all the time, headache, and depression all at the same time are listed as possible toxic side effects of many medications, however, if you're not on meds then of course the cause lies elsewhere.
I found these 29 Comments on
"How to Treat a Yeast Infection Naturally" at ehow.com:
by eHow Friend on 8/8/2006
Yeast be gone - I've gotten great results with both tea tree oil and hydrogen peroxide douches (alternating with 1-2 tablespoons of tea tree oil to 1 quart of water and 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to 1 quart of water for about 5 days straight). I also started taking acidophilus pills, 1 billion per capsule, three times daily before every meal. I will make it part of my daily routine after I'm cured as prevention.
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by eHow Friend on 6/30/2006
Cranberry juice - As soon as you begin to feel the effects of a yeast infection, start drinking cranberry juice, at least one liter a day for 5 days.
I have tried a lot of the normal medicines and they didn't work well.
This one does, is much cheaper, and the added advantage of loving the drink anyway helped.
Of course measures to correct the reason for the getting the infection are necessary too. But it does help the symptoms.
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by eHow Friend on 3/17/2006
Hydrogen peroxide for yeast - I have had recurring yeast infections for 2 years now. It just developed out of the blue. I usually get about one a month. Anyway, diflucan no longer works on me, even though I had started taking three at a time. I am sick of relying on the creams and my doctors who have been no help at all. I was actually told that I would be fine living with a yeast infection my whole life! I tried the hydrogen peroxide in a turkey baster, diluted with water, and it worked! I did it for a week, twice a day, and I laid down and tried to keep it inside for a minute or two. I used one cup of water and 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide. I really recommend this because now I don't need to go to the doctor, as the over the counter creams never had worked for me, and it's way, way, way cheaper. I swear, the medical industry is all about money, this worked just as well, and it was 47 cents. Also, after my yeast infection is gone, sometimes I still feel slight symptoms, and I go to the doctor and they tell me I'm imagining it. After hydrogen peroxide, though, I did not feel anything left over at all. I feel great and liberated!
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Acidophilus supplements - I had been taking acidophilus supplements the last few months solely to maintain a normal level of bacteria. When I stopped taking them I got a yeast infection, the first one in years. If it ain't broke don't try to fix it I guess.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Buttermilk - A friend of mine said to douche with buttermilk. I thought it was kind of crazy, but it works!! Let the buttermilk get room temperature. Using a douche bottle with a twist top (Summer's Eve), fill the bottle with buttermilk and douche. You will feel the relief in no time. May have to use 2. But it's cheap, and it works.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Hydrogen peroxide and yogurt - Douching with hydrogen peroxide mixed with water (1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide to 1 cup water) has been the best remedy for me. I've been suffering for years, and no over the counter or prescribed medications have worked. Another method involves non-fat, plain yogurt. Buy tampons and discard the actual tampon, save the cardboard applicator. Fill the applicator with yogurt and freeze it. Next time you have an infection, take your ready-made applicator and tear away the cardboard, leaving the tampon-sized frozen yogurt. Insert the yogurt into the vagina overnight or during the day. You may need to wear a panty liner for when it melts. I've also filled an icecube tray with yogurt, so then I had little balls of yogurt to insert later. These work well for me. The hardest part is explaining it to anyone else who uses the freezer. Good luck!
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Yeast infection cocktail - I did this once and it worked great for me. After spending about 2 years in agony from chronic yeast infections (that unlimited OTC and Rx drugs could not seem to help) I did my research, then eventually created my own concoction: Get a turkey baster for a douche applicator. Fill the baster with warm water and a mixture of 1)tea tree oil 2)vinegar and 3)hydrogen peroxide. Make sure that you dilute this sufficiently or else it will burn. Put your finger over the tip of the baster and shake thoroughly. Do this twice a day until symptoms disappear. There is no set amount of how much you should use, just try to use equal parts and use enough water!On top of this, drink a lot of cranberry juice and take Ibuprofen for swelling. The infection will usually go away after just 1 day for mild cases, and 2-3 for the more full blown infections. Hope this works for you too!
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Hydrogen Peroxide - I have had yeast infections for years. I have had every test under the sun to see what the cause actually could be. The results for everything were negative, leaving me discouraged. My body decided to become allergic to all creams, and the diflucan pill eventually became non responsive. I was about to give up all together until I read that someone had used a hydrogen peroxide douche (2 tablespoons) with water. I tried it. It worked! Thank goodness it did, I don't have insurance. This concoction cost peanuts compared to the over the counter medications. I use it twice a day. If I feel it is extremely bad, I might add 3 tablespoons (rather than the two tablespoons). I feel great instantly! It really is a miracle.
Acidophilus pills are a good supplement to take when feeling the yeast effects, too. Stay away from sugar!
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by Cynthia March on 11/22/2005
In the kitchen potion - In a jar, mix 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup cider (or distilled) vinegar, and some garlic. Drink about a cup a day. Add water to curb taste. I used this once, and I haven't had a problem in over a year.
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by Janelle Thompson on 11/22/2005
Hydrogen Peroxide - Using hydrogen peroxide on the infected area can reduce symptoms - but don't use if the skin is already irritated from scratching.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Combat recurrent yeast infections - Health food stores now carry tea tree suppositories and acidopholus suppositories, both for vaginal use. After using tea tree supps' for 6-7 days, follow up with acidopholus supps' to re-establish balance of healthy bacteria in your private areas.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Gentian Violet - part two - The tampon may leak a little so be sure to wear a pad unless you want to stain your panties deep purple. It usually takes about 3 days of gentian violet to alleviate the pain and irritation. It is less messy & cheaper than OTC yeast infection treatments.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
acidophilus - i also had no insurance and wasn't about to spend anymore money at the dr's office. i made sure that my yeast infection was not anything else before i tried this. as weird as this sounds, i inserted 3 acidophilus pills into my vagina and than ground 3 more of the pills up into a fine power. i put the powder topically on my vagina to take care of any itching. to my amazement, this has been the only thing that actually work. i did it for about a week and my infection was gone!
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Sulfur baths - Having had chronic yeast infections for 5 years and trying everything the clinic could throw at me, I went on holiday to Turkey and had a sulfur bath. It was an instant cure and the infection didn't come back for six months. Since then I have kept it at bay by using KY Jelly (internally) when I get the first symptoms. It balances PH and usually sorts it out in a couple of days. If worse, I use Aci-jel, but this can be sore if used for more than two or three days. But, the sulfur is a winner. Someone should produce it for the bath. Smelly, but very effective.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Boric acid suppositories - Buy boric acid and empty capsules from your natural pharmacy and insert one nightly at the very first sign of itchiness or discomfort. Don't wait for a full yeast imbalance to develop. Continue this for 3-4 nights or until all is clear. This treatment is a great preventative, too. Do this once every week or two, or at the time of the month you might normally be susceptible (even if there aren't any symptoms).
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Hydrogen Peroxide Douche - Use 1 tablespoon of peroxide to one cup of water (at the temperature of your liking). Use it up to twice a day for up to seven days. Effects will be seen almost immediately.
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by Nikki on 11/22/2005
Westcort cream - Go to your doctor or walk-in clinic and ask for westcort cream. It's not too strong, so it doesn't irritate your vagina even more.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Gentian Violet - Gentian Violet can help alleviate the pain and irritation of yeast infections. The best way to use it: insert a tampon, still in the applicator, into the bottle and let it soak for a few minutes. The cotton will absorb it. Then insert the tampon.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
Warning: Boric Acid - Boric acid is poisonous and should not be taken orally. I think some research is being done using boric acid in suppository form. But please, do not take it orally.
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by missrachel on 12/14/2006
I recently had a case of vaginitis. It was somewhere between irritant vaginitis and a yeast infection. All the irritation was external, but I had a lot of discharge that seemed to be a mild case of yeast overgrowth. I didn't have the money to pay a doctor who's only going to tell me to go out and buy an OTC product anyway (what a racket!). So, what I did was fill a warm bath with 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup vinegar and sit in it for 20 minutes. I did this two days in a row right before bed. By the morning after the 1st bath, I felt so much better. By the morning after the 2nd bath, all the itching, burning, and tenderness was gone! Plus, the only discharge I had was normal and clear. Vinegar is the best thing to bring back the vagina's normal pH. And it works even if you don't douche with it.
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by eHow Friend on 8/8/2006
Boric acid - I have horrible recurrent yeast infections. I have tried everything from Rx drugs to over-the-counter anti fungals. None of these have worked. For me, the best thing to treat and lessen the yeast infection is boric acid suppositories twice a day for 7 days, and a hydrogen peroxide douche.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
The garlic clove - Garlic really does work. I was skeptical, but I tried it. The clove was only in my vagina for about 5 or 6 hours and the discharge is completely gone the next morning.
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by eHow Friend on 11/22/2005
How to naturally treat a vaginal yeast infection - I noticed that some ladies had said to use/eat yogurt to help eliminate vaginal yeast infections. I totally agree with this. However, I just wanted to state that you should make sure that the yogurt is SUGAR-FREE. Sugar can help the yeast to grow more or even start a yeast infection in some women. Another good tip is to drink lots of cranberry juice to decrease your vaginal pH (make it more acidic) to prevent the growth of the "Candida albican" yeast. Good luck all! :o)
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by Cathy on 11/22/2005
Panty liners - When you have a yeast infection, use pantyliners. When you launder your underwear, pour on some liquid detergent and scrub wash in hot water and rewash in hot water.
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by mommymiller on 9/27/2007
I have suffered from yeast infections for several years. I believe its from being on antibiotics for so long. OTC creams and prescriptions no longer work for me. The doctor has even prescribed me a triple dose of diflucan, and it still didn't work. I decided to give yogurt a try, and I was amazed at how well it worked. I used it for only a few days and it cleared right up. I simply use a latex glove and fill the fingers with yogurt and then freeze it. I cut a finger off each night and insert it. The fact that it was cold very soothing. I also started taking an OTC supplement called acidophilus which is the same thing you get from yogurt. Please try it!
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by mirabug on 8/10/2007
I read one comment about using KY to treat an impending yeast infection, and would recommend against this practice. It could actually make it worse. KY, Astroglide, and most water-based lubes contain high concentrations of glycerin, sometimes also called propylene glycol. This ingredient is a form of sugar, and sugar feeds yeast. If you are prone to yeast overgrowth, look for lubes that say "glycerin-free". One example in Sliquid, carried in most adult stores, or ask for it, also available online. Another brand is Sympathical, may be harder to find in stores, but available online. This brand also has a yeast fighting formula as well.
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by bronzegoddes9 on 7/18/2007
Gentian Violet - had re-occurring yeast infection for six months finally doctor told me about the gentian vilet, can buy over the coutner for $5.00 and al you do is dip the tampon in the solution (make sure it saturates it) and insert in vagina. Doctors said do it for 3 days, at night (very messy) but works really well, felt better by next day. Also for all you women out there your man could be irrating you!!! Especially if he drinks alot of pop and sugary stuff! use a condem always! I have no problems since!!
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by Mommy416 on 7/4/2007
Well I took the advice on here and used the Hydrogen peroxide and water in a turkey baster. I was not too sure it was going to work. It sounded stupid. But, I was in so much pain and couldn't get to the store fast enough (every store around me is close since it's so early in the morning)and it worked!!!! Whoever thought of this is a life saver! I am going to do it twice a day for a week and see! I have suffered from this for 9 years and I am so thankful of this now.
Mary
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by eHow Friend on 6/30/2006
Yogurt works - I have to say I do get frequent yeast infections right before menstruation, the worst is getting over the counter treatments, which just make it feel worse before it feels better! I have done a lot of research and decided to try the yogurt. Plain yogurt active cultures-no additives or sugar. I just dipped a tampon (out of the applicator) into the yogurt and inserted the tampon. I felt instant relief! I did it twice, once in the morning and again around 3 PM. The fact that the yogurt was cold really helped and I feel as if it is gone today (I tried it yesterday).
You may want to wear a panty liner as it can get a little messy. I am still going to do it two more times today, just to make sure. Also, I drank a lot of cranberry juice and took AZO yeast (you can find it at drug stores by the pregnancy tests). Hopefully this works for you! I was skeptical, and a little weirded out, but it really works!
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rahrah,
Since your situation has been 1) chronic and 2) the infection has not been cured with medication I tend to suspect it's reoccurrence could possibly be due to a physical cause such as within this information below extracted from wdxcyber.com. You supposed you might have already addressed these possible causes but since I don't know for sure if you have then I've listed them here:
wdxcyber.com:
鈥淭here are also several living habits and bodily care changes that are felt to help prevent vulvar skin irritation so that a secondary yeast vulvitis (as opposed to a primary yeast vaginitis) does not develop.
* Avoid pantyhose and tight pants such as jeans which trap moisture near the perineum
* After exercise or any sweat producing activity, bathing or swimming, make sure the perineum is air dried. Moist surfaces that rub against each other break down and provide an area for yeast secondary growth
* Wear loose, all cotton underwear (not cotton crotch panties) that absorbs body moisture.
* Wipe front to back when you urinate or have a bowel movement. Bowel bacteria and yeast can cause vulvar skin breakdown and vaginal infection.
* Use tampons instead of sanitary pads. The chemicals in many pads can cause perineal skin irritation. Natural cotton pads that you launder in hypo allergenic detergent are alright to use.
* Do not shave the vulvar area. The pubic hair protects against chemicals making contact with the skin.
* Avoid all chemicals in the Vulvovaginal area.
* Follow a low carbohydrate diet with almost no simple carbohydrates, only a small amount of complex carbohydrates.鈥?
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Extracted from truestarhealth.com:
鈥淓ffective Treatment Options
Make sure you have a yeast infection before using any treatment for candidiasis. Misdiagnosis is common, and studies have shown that as many as two-thirds of all over-the-counter drugs sold for yeast infections were used by women without the condition. Using these drugs when they are not needed may lead to a resistant infection which is difficult to treat. Opting for OTC or prescription treatments for yeast infections, when indicated, may provide symptomatic relief but many are ineffective for chronic or recurring infections. Use the following tips to work toward a cure.
Remove the causal factor(s). If have been experiencing yeast infections since you started taking the pill, you may want to consider another mode of birth control because the pill does alter vaginal pH and hormonal levels. Avoid wearing wet bathing suits or tight underwear that is not cotton. Be sure to take antibiotics only when deemed necessary. Diabetics should attempt to control their blood glucose level as recommended by their doctors. If you are using inhaled steroids for asthma be sure to always rinse your mouth afterward. Finally, women with recurrent vaginal infections should encourage their partner to use treatments at the same time, as the infection may affect him without symptoms, and cause reinfection. Another option is to use condoms.
Change your diet. Yeast feed on sugar, vinegar, fungus and fermented foods. If you remove the food source, the yeast will die. Therefore, avoiding processed foods like white flour, white rice and anything that contains sugar (except possibly lower glycemic fruits) or yeast is very beneficial. Mushrooms should also be avoided and limit your intake of vinegars. Alcohol, too, must be avoided. Remember, being more strict with your dietary changes will reduce the time you have to follow the diet before you get favorable results, and cheating will allow the yeast to grow again!
Take acidophilus. Acidophilus is the friendly bacteria which lives in our digestive tract. Replenishing levels of this will help to counteract an overgrowth of candida. Be sure to follow any series of antibiotics with acidophilus supplements for twice the amount of time you took the prescription of antibiotics. For maximum results acidophilus should be taken on an empty stomach, such as when you awaken and before bed.
Take a product to kill yeast (antifungal agents). There are different strains of yeast which means that not all cases of candidiasis will respond to the same treatment. Begin using one or two products and switch to another if you do not see improvement. Continue treatment for four weeks to six months, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
* Garlic is a great natural antifungal. It can be taken orally or used as a vaginal suppository. It is usually taken at 4,000 to 6,000 micrograms of allicin (the active ingredient in garlic) one to two times per day.
* Capryllic acid is an antifungal agent that kills candida. This should be taken as directed on label. It is available in both capsule and liquid form.
* Olive leaf extract is an antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal product useful for yeast infections. Typical dosage is 500 mg three times per day.
* Grapefruit seed extract, also called Citricidal, is another effective antifungal agent.鈥?br>
Again, rahrah, thank you for asking. Tsark out. It sounds like you are suffering from a very compromised immune system from stress. You have to get your "head" in check or you will continue to have physical symptoms like this. You should consider a natural therapy to get rid of your overgrown yeast in your body. You can buy them at your local health food store and there are a ton to choose from. In the mean time, you may want to take up meditation or yoga, avoid caffeine and alcohol and start taking care of yourself. doesn't sound like fibro. FIBRO attacks the body as a whole. You could have pid, pelvic inflammatory decease, Dr's should be able to find this out easily enough. Stay away from a bath tub also, take showers instead. Wear cotton panties too. Best of luck to you Sometimes a chronic yeast infection can cause your vagina to become inflamed, and that hurts. the other answerer said that the symptoms like being depressed and tired and also headaches can all be caused by chronic stress. the chances of you having hiv or aids are very small, unless you had a lot of unprotected sex with dodgy people then i wouldn't make yourself worried over that. it's probably because you are mentally unhappy and your yeast infection is also bringing you down. when i get a yeast infection, usually in the summer, i stay away from anything sugary or sweet, and don't eat much for about 2 days, and it goes away by itself. sometimes food can have more of an effect than prescribed drugs. take care and good luck.x |
