Sorry to Be Yucky, Anyone Have a Yeast Infection Every Month?

Dear S.,
Yeast infections are the absolute very worst torturous things to ever happen to a woman. They are miserable!
Some things to remember are that antibiotics can cause them. Wearing non-cotton underwear can cause them. Fluctuations in temperature or hormomes can cause them.
And, believe it or not.....your own husband can cause them.
Air yourself out as much as possible. Avoid nylon or synthetics as much as possible. If you are using tampons, try switching to pads. At night, put towels or something under you that you can wash in the morning amd use nothing. Not even panties. I know it sounds gross, but you've got to get the wackness out of your hoo-hoo. If you are already out of kilter, tampons just keep all of that inside of your body and it's not good.
The other thing is to get medicine for your husband too.
I literally could have DIED the first time my mother-in-law confided in me that she had been having major yeast problems and it turned out that she and my father-in-law were passing it back and forth every time they had sex.
"Gee, Grandma, I'm so glad you came to have a visit with me and the baby today."
I was a little creeped out, but the truth is, that even in their 70's, they both had to get medicine. And it took care of it.

I wish you the best.

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S.,

I just wanted to let you know that I had them often. One reason you can get them- is your hormones. After being pregnant and myself also nursing, I too had problems. Now that I have stopped breastfeeding after 14 months. I have not had any problems. Again it could be your hormones. I understand this does not give you a straight answer, but when I found that out- it made much since.
I too have a 16 month, and a 4 year, 10 year and 14 year

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I used to get them all the time, but about 2 years ago I started eating yogurt everyday and I haven't had one since. Make sure you get yogurt with a variety of active cultures. Not all yogurts are the same. Trader Joe's has great organic yogurt full of all the good bacterias for pretty good prices. I buy the big tub of organic, lowfat, plain (so no added sugars) and make a smoothie for breakfast most mornings with that and frozen berries. Super yummy, fast and no more yeast problems!

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S.,

Go see your OB/GYN as this may not be just a yeast infection. There are several types of infections you can get that are totally treatable with Rx not over the counter medications. The reason I recommend this is that the timing of your infection has been the same two months in a row right when your body is preparing for your cycle, which is exactly how those other infections behave. I had a similar problem after giving birth to my second child...I had to wait to treat it until I was done breastfeeding, but when I did get to take the Rx it cleared up right away.

Good luck!
--C.

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If you have been on antibiotics some of them will give you YI's. Keflex is one of them. Our bodies go through so much hormonally being pregnant , giving birth and breastfeeding that it takes time for it to all get back to normal. Eat yogurt daily.

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What a pain, my friend is very much like you. And, for the rest of us it is a pain every now and then. You might want to stay away from yeast..in foods. Maybe you are already but I have one now and staying away from foods that contain yeast is not easy. But it is worth a try.

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I go through this from time to time, too... At the same time of the month, the week before my period. It absolutely sucks! I don't have any advice for you, because I haven't been able to solve the problem myself. But I wanted you to know you're not alone!

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Hi,
I had a very similar experience many years ago (yeast infection which actually started a few months after my second baby was born and I was nursing her, and which went on for months without respite)...Like you, I had never had many yeast infections before. Of course the standard remedies stopped having any effect at all. I was advised by a health food worker to take Capricin (in a fairly large dose as I recall; two pills 3x a day) and to go on a very strict diet, which was hard to do but I was really motivated as I was losing my mind with the yeast.. I had to stop eating wheat, anything fermented (vinegar, soy or sauce, mustard, etc), potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, no alcohol or sugar,etc. I could eat brown rice and other grains and green vegetables but not a lot of anything and the advice was to not eat the same thing more than a day The really hard part was the lack of vinegar or soy or anything to make food tasty... But the yeast actually cleared up in a couple of weeks and did not return! Capricin is a supplement available at health food stores and I think is often recommended for anti fungal support. By the way, a few years ago I had a bout with the cycle you have now-yeast showing up right after I ovulated and then going away with my period. I controlled it with the Capricin. Best of luck to you, I know it is wretched.

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I don't know what your diet is like, but it would be very helpful to you to eat NO sugar, not even fruit for awhile. Eat as many fresh vegetables as possible (organic is always best). Then go to your nearest health food store and buy some PB8 (8 different probiotics--acidopholous is only 1) and take as directed. Also beverage-wise it would be good to drink only water and teas. Pumpkin seeds are a good thing to eat as well. If there is any way that you could do a cleanse, I highly recommend the colon cleanse from Blessed Herbs (www.blessedherbs.com). Good Luck!

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Hi S.!

I'm so sorry.....I HATE yeast infections!!!!

Years ago, my Dr told me that during the summer, things get "sweatier" and produce more yeast. It's super important to change underpants more often, and clean yourself more often, and wash any pantyhose after one use. I clean and change 3 times a day because I do not want another infection. They have those "travel vaginal wipes" now, so that helps alot.

After knowing this information from my Dr, it makes sense that you have YI's most when your period is finished. We are "sweatier" (& more miserable) during our periods....reaction....brings out the yeast.

If nothing else works, then you will probably have to go to the Dr.

Hope things get better!

:o) N.

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I've heard of this happening at the same time every month. I believe it's caused by a flucuation in your hormones that occurs before you start your period, which then causes your body's PH level to become unbalanced. Perhaps your doctor could prescribe something, as a preventative, that you can take each month the week you think your yeast infection will occur.

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I would make an appointment with a homeopathic physician. They will prescribe an appropriate remedy to stop the yeast infections once and for all.

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Hi S.,

I may be wrong but couldn't yeast infections be a precursor or a sign of diabetes? I would check with my OBGYN. It would take a simple blood test. Kim

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just wanted to give a vote for looking into the candida diet. whether or not this is the cause, it will only help, and help you be aware of how much sugar foods you are eating. there are so many things that act like sugar in our bodies and i really think the american diet keeps most of us with some form of yeast issue. also, if you are not into traditional yeast products, i got a great one at my local herb store. it is just some sort of ph-changing suppository and it worked right away -- plus, no creams. good luck.

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Hi S.

I saw that someone else mentioned it as well (capricin) also known as capryl.. you can buy the supplements in the health food store and YES, they work wonders. However, because they are killing off the yeast, if you decide to take them, try ONE at first and drink LOTS of water on the day you do it.. again, because they are killing off the yeast, if you don't drink a lot of water, you could get a slight rash. I found that even one pill offers immediate relief.. but even if you take them and they do clear the yeast, it's best to also take a look at your diet and see what foods may contributing to the yeast growth, for me.. IF I do too many sweets and vinegar (which has invisible mold) due to the fermentation, it can trigger a yeast infection. basically, I just try and stay clear of white sugar .. good luck to you!!

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i used to get frequent yi as well and now i don't. i do take probiotics regularly and i have stopped using the keeper (a menstrual cup) this could have been the culprit. i also started using a homeopathic lubricant that is called Homeopathic Feminine Yeast Formula by sympathical formulas. hard to say what worked. think about anything that comes in contact with your vagina and make sure you are not reinfecting yourself. true that sugar adds to the problem but i found stress to be the only variable that really made a difference for me. the best remedy i ever found was borric acid suppositories. ask your doctor to perscribe this they are amazing!!! no gooey mess and they work in about one day! if it turns out to be a bacterial infection i have heard that tea tree suppositories are great and they can be picked up at whole foods or a health food store. good luck i know it sucks!!!!

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get checked out by your doc. recurrent infections can be a sign of all kinds of stuff. Also it's really common for bacterial infections to be mistaken for yeast so you'll want to be checked for that as well.

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Eating highly sweetened yoghurt is not the best way to get probiotics. Mainy mainstream brands don't put enough in or they aren't live, and the sugar in them helps to feed the bad bacteria in your gut anyway. You can get live probiotics in capsules at a natural food store or you can try plain yogurt with fresh fruit, but make sure it's a good brand like Strauss. Also drink lots of water and it couldn't hurt to drink green tea, unsweetened. Garlic in large quantities is also good, raw or lightly sauteed. (I used to mash raw garlic and put it in applesauce or plain yogurt several times a day to stop a cold from taking hold, it actually works. For anything bacterial, fungal, viral.)

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HI S.,

You aren't being yucky and you aren't alone... ughhh... hormones!!! In addition to the great advice everyone else has given, I would also pay close attention to your diet. (I didn't read all the posts so I don't know if anyone said this already). Certain months I have more or less pms and I really have to watch my sugar intake about a week before my period. Not easy when that's when you crave the most!! This also happened to me during my two pregnancies. I guess just some shift in the hormones that causes more yeast, I don't know.

Hope it helps and you find some relief!!

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S.,
There are many over the counter creams you can use. I had a yeast infection from the material pants I wore. Gynolotrimen works great. No creams are cheap, but it does work. They also have a pill that can be prescribed by a doctor. I don't remember the name of it, but its only one pill.

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I agree to have it checked out by you OB/GYN and if it turns out to just be recurring yeast infections, high quality probiotics (not just acidophilus) would definitely be in order. Another option (which you can do in conjunction with the probiotics) is a cleanse. I highly recommend "Renew LIfe" products. You can find them at Vitamin Shoppe and many other health food / supplement stores. They have one specifically for candida as well as one for candida and parasites (which I like.)

There is also a great book called the "Yeast Connection Handbook." It has a great amount of information on dealing with candida.

I've been through what you're going through, except it was while I was pregnant, so I have a great amount of sympathy for your frustration. Good luck, and feel free to ask me for any further clarification or other ideas.

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I have a friend who was constantly having yeast infections and when I joined Natures sunshine products I found a natural medicen that works to ward off yeast infections it's called "Silver Shield" and it cures yeast infections fron the inside out including but not limited to toe fungal infections and yeast infections. You might also check if you have diabetes which just means you're urinating your excess sugars and that feeds the bacteria naturaly in the vagina, thus causing yeast infections.

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I used to have this problem. I fixed it by using perfume free detergent, and not eating any wheat or fungus foods. It got so bad that I had to get prescription medication for it. I would also add acidophilus to your diet, cause that could help too.

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S.,
I can completely understand what you're going through! I once went through chronic YI for over a year!!! It was completely miserable. Here are some things I did:

1. Use only non-perfume laundry detergent and forget the softener papers in the dryer too (at least for the underwear/towel load...I have an underwear/towel load of laundry that I do separately). A doc once told me that the perfume scents in these items can be really irritating to the vaginal area.

2. During a YI I switched my washcloth daily....also I never share a washcloth with my husband anymore either.

3. Eat yogurt daily. I know people that have inserted plain yogurt directly in the vagina (I was never brave enough), and they swear it worked.

4. Also, visit the OBGYN more frequently when you think you have a YI, because what I realized is that sometimes when I was treating what I thought was part of my chronic YI...really had turned into a bacterial infection because all of the yeast had been "killed" off...

5. Use a mirror to get familiar with your vagina. You can eventually tell what your YI discharge looks like vs. your normal discharge and/or if you're just irritated/itchy.

6. Sometimes I would sit with a cold pack against my vaginal area (through clothing of course). This eases the itching for a bit.

7. Sleep without underwear to let it air out.

8. As a baby, my mother was told to let my bottom area air out in the sun for a few minutes. Now, as an adult I never did this because I don't have a private yard area to do this...but when I was a baby my mother said this really helped (I'm not sure what it is...but hey...whatever works :-).

8. Change your clothes as soon as possible after a workout, walk, or plain old sweaty outing.

9. Use a cool setting on your hairdryer to really dry the area after your shower. This way you don't have to dry with a towel, which can just make your vagina more itchy and irritated.

10. Pat the area with toilet paper after you pee. Don't wipe which can hurt and irritate it also.

I hope some of these will help you. Thanks for bringing up this subject. I think it's hard to ask the embarrassing questions, and we don't realize then just how many other people live with similar problems.

Here's wishing you some swift relief,
Denise

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I also get a yeast infrection about the week before my period if I am at all run down, stressed or the like. It has been like this for years with me and the easiest cure is a good quality probiotics - get them at your health food store and take them daily as soon as you feel the slightest itch starting. Also cut down on your sugar intake at this time too. Good luck.

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I don't think you're yucky - I got a yeast infection in May and thought I would die. I hadn't had one for years. I don't know what caused it but I was able to get rid of it. Here is what I did - I e-mailed my Dr. immediately and she perscribed the Rx pill for the thing - she gave me three of them (normally one pill is supposed to do the trick) but I took each of them - one each day. Along with the pills I applied the cream topically until the itching went away and inserted it vaginally each night for a week. By day 5 it was cleared up but I finished up the cream. I also stopped wearing underwear for a couple days and wore skirts - I see this wouldn't work when you get your period, but it was immensely relieving to have nothing touching me there! ALSO I did a Sitz bath each evening and morning with Epsom salts. My theory with the salt was that yeast feeds on sugar and dies with salt when making bread - don't know if that worked the way I thought it would, but I did it and it felt so goooood!

Eat plain yogurt (you can insert it vaginally too if you dip a tampon into the yogurt - saw that on Oprah although I didn't do it myself) and take some acidopholus - stay away from sweet foods and yeast bread (even tortillas have yeast these days) all could help you out.

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I had them monthly when I was taking birth control pills. Once I went off them they went away, but my doctor would never say there was a connection. If on birth control maybe you need to try a different formula. Hope this helps...sorry I know how miserable you are!!! L.

Have your thyroid levels checked. I had chronic yeast infections until I got on thyroid med.

I was having a lot of yeast infection problems as well until about a year and a half ago. I started taking these new supplements called Vi-Pak. They come in packages marked AM and PM so they are already pre-packaged and ready to grab and go. Perfect for busy Moms. One of the results from these I have noticed is that the yeast infection problem is GONE! I have had so many other positive results, I became a distributor of the product. (if you asked me to tell you which ingredient made the difference, I couldn't. I just know it worked.:)

You can visit my website at www.shopvisalus.com/brendagus

Look in the products tab for the Vi-Pak. We have lots of other great products that might interest you and your family.

Best wishes to you with whatever treatment you choose. Yeast infections are no fun. I'm glad mine are gone.