Yeast infections? Will they go away?

I have had horrible yeast infections for as long as I can remember. When I am not bleeding I have this to deal with! The over the counter stuff doesn't do didly-squat. Difflucan helps but only if I take it for three days and then after the next cycle I start over. After surgery, will this, too be a thing of the past?

Wow, wish I knew the answer to that one....I have the same problem. I see the doctor this Wednesday and I am going to ask him about that.....I'll let you know what he says

Hi There!

Have you asked your doctor why you are getting so many yeast infections? Perhaps there are things you could do to help prevent them.

My doctor once told me something I found interesting, when we were having a discussion about common over-the-counter medications which formerly were only available by prescription. He said that over half of all "self-diagnosed" yeast infections, for which women purchase and use an OTC remedy, are in fact not yeast infections, but "something else." No wonder the problem doesn't truly "go away" if that's the case!

If you haven't done so recently, it may be wise to stop buying OTC remedies and talk to your healthcare provider about the recurrent problem. You should not have to continue to be aggravated by this.

Many s to You!

I have been suffering from the same thing for a couple of years and was on Diflucan for 10 days and then after a few weeks the yeast returns. Noone can find a reason either. My heart goes out to you. I too wonder if this will improve after the surgery???

Diane

Well, my pre-op visit was moved to next Tuesday...so I did not get an answer to the yeast infection question.
I did search the internet some, and it seems to me that the removal of the uterus is not going to prevent yeast infection because the yeast infection is in the vaginal canal and seperated from the uterus by the cervix. So it makes sense to me that the surgery will not really effect the yeast infection. But of course I am not a doctor, so I am just guessing.
I get yeast infections mostly after taking antibiotics and Diflucan does work for me. If you take the Diflucan and it does not work, you really should ask your GYN doctor for advice. There has got to be something that can be done to keep the yeast away.
I have friends that swear by eating yogurt everyday.....I don't know how this is supposed to help, but they claim it does
If you talk to your doctor about it before I do, please share, I would love to know if there will be a change with the surgery.

Sherry

Yogurt does help prevent them. Sounds odd I know but my doctor recommends eating a cup a day.

Some things you might want to consider that could be causing a recurrent yeast infection and you aren't aware of are: tight fitting pants/jeans, wearing pantyhose all the time, and not wearing cotton panties. Also, if your partner has a yeast infection and has never been treated for it then they could be reinfecting you. Sounds silly but she swears that even men can get a yeast infection when exposed to the yeast buds although their symptoms are not exactly the same as ours.

My doctor said that it is best to wear cotton undies so that area can "breathe" better and not hold moisture in which makes it a perfect breeding ground for yeast (and bacteria). She also said to not wear tight fitting clothing because again, you are making a breeding ground for those little yeast buds by keeping moisture close to your body.

Don't know if you already knew any of that but I thought I would pass along what I have been told.

My doctor also recommended that I not wear panties at night when I sleep. He said that panties just keep you warm there and the yeast infection grows. Eat yogurt! Yuck but I learned to like it. Try Yoplait.

Yes, yogurt will probably help. Make sure you get a brand that says "contains active (or live) cultures" on the label. Yogurt contains "good" bacteria that helps our bodies keep yeast growth under control. When you take an antibiotic, it wipes out the good bacteria that we need along with whatever "bad" bacteria is causing an infection. The yogurt helps to replace the good bacteria. Eating yogurt will also help prevent any antibiotic-related tummy upsets.

If you don't like yogurt, you can buy acidophilus (sp?) or lactobacillus pills at health food stores and most grocery stores, drug stores, Wal-Mart, etc. They are types of "good" bacteria.

I concur with the yogurt thing. Diet can affect us. I know I've had chronic yeast infections, and it's made me self conscious.

You know, other than those insipid commercials, women don't really talk about these things over coffee (of course those International Flavoured ones we see on TV where the women have those "treasured moments").

I wonder, if men had the same symptoms, would they be talking about them with each other over beers (which would probably be the culprit in creating the infections in the first place)? I wager that if they had periods, they'd be bragging about that...

Hey, Fred, you got a tampon? Yeah, I'm on the rag. Major pain, man. High five! No, man, I only use Super Plus corks. What are you, a wimp? I bet you only spot. You sissy...

Eating fresh veggies, fruits, limiting or eliminating alcohol and tobacco and drinking plenty of water can help.

Chronic yeast infections may not be yeast, but something else. However, they can also be candida albicans and be systemic. In this case you need to tackle the the problem with diet and supplements and in cases like mine -- meds. Stay away from all synthetic and artificial sweeteners, (use Stevia), no breads, no cheese, no sugar. Eat fresh meats and vegies. I know that's what I had to do. I had the guidance of a physician who practices natural medicine (an MD) and understands the candida problem. AND yes, men do get this problem! Yogurt helps, but none that are sweetened. Make sure you eat those with live and active cultures -- or you can buy pro-biotics at the health food store.