Anyone else get this while taking abx (I've gotten while on Ceftin, Tindimax and Levaquin) and have any recommendations for dealing with it in the long term? A couple days of Flagyl helps, but as soon as I run out, it's back.
I haven't eaten sugar in 8 months, no simple carbs, so I know it's not yeast related.
What's a girl to do??
Posted by FuzzySlippers (Member # 13658) on :
I've had tremendous success with two products for vaginal infections (both vag. yeast and BV). The products are Yeast Arrest manufactured by a company called Vitanica. The other product is CandaClear manufactured by Pharmax.
The Yeast Arrest are vaginal suppositories that contain boric acid and two herbs that have antimicrobial properties and also heal tissues and aid the vaginal immune response.
The CandaClear is also a vaginal suppository. It's a vaginal probiotic. It contains a couple of strains of lactobacilli.
I alternate these two remedies depending upon what my needs seem to be. Of course, if the BV is bad enough, it's usually advised to get treated by your doctor. But for the chronic-type symptoms that just keep recurring, I found the Yeast Arrest and CandaClear to be lifesavers.
I told a couple of my doctors about these products and they are now recommending them to their female patients with chronic vag. issues.
There are also some oral probiotics that can be taken which evidently will increase the vaginal flora. One by Jarrow called FemDophilus is one that comes to mind. I think Renew Life has an oral probiotic out now that is designed to help increase healthy vaginal flora as well.
Fuzzy
Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated in any way with the manufacturers I mentioned above. lol
Posted by Stoli (Member # 11175) on :
Great advice. Thanks!
Posted by Peacesoul (Member # 13709) on :
Oh yeah. I was getting them allllllllllll the time. 10 times a yr for like 4 yrs. Two tricks, boric acid suppositories and use a condom (no sperm in the vagina) while having ses. I also take baths with tee tree oil. I have not gotten one in over 7 months and I'm on a lot of abx and never got then while on abx.
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
Yes, I have the vaginal itch in cycles. I haven't done abx in over 4 yrs. I did take tons of probiotics while doing abx and remain on them ever since I quit the abx.
I've never had the discharge, just the itching and inflammation.
I'm due for my annual next month and I had already decided that I was going to have gyn do some vaginal wall scrapings for testing for bacteria. I really think my sx are bacterial in nature and not a yeast problem.
But who knows? Who knows if the dumb lab they use will know what bacteria they are looking at? It might be one more duh for the good old Lab Corp.
I am going to try vaginal probiotics after the exam to see if they will help.
Does anyone else seem to be having this sx due to herx like reaction?
Pam
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
Peace, interesting post. I wondered if my husbands sperm irritated me also. I know he is not carrying any disease due to the fertility thing we did some years ago.
But we could be passing back and forth some type bacteria. Condoms, we will have to consider that.
Pam
Posted by Peacesoul (Member # 13709) on :
Pam, some women actually have allergies to some sperm. Also sperm plays with the PH in the vagina.
When I am careless and don't have my guy pull out, I get yeast or the BV. When he pulls out, I'm ok.
BV is also killed when taking flagyl. With BV, you don't always get discharge or burning. The one biggest symptom is a FUNKY smell right after sex. That smell is very specific and is a 100% dx for BV.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
This one beats all. I had BV this summer was treated w/ one antibiotic and it did not resolve. Treated w/ Flagyl and it resolved but came back w/in a week.
Read on a midwivery site that garlic would work. So I took a clove and cut it in half. Wiped it around the outside and inserted inside w/ a piece of gauze.
Infection went away and has not returned. Did 2 nites of this.
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
Very interesting Peace. My husband and I couldn't get pregnant 22 yrs ago. We went the fertility specialist and they did all these tests.
They determined I was allergic to his sperm. They tried to by pass that by doing injections of his sperm directly into my uterus. We tried that about 4 different mths and gave up.
My body probably continued to attack the little guys. Not only that but there was some issue as to why my uterus wouldn't hold an fertilized egg.
I tried some drugs to keep the uterus doing what it was suppose to do. But it wasn't meant to be.
I was one of the unlucky females in the early 80's that used the IUD for birth control. This was after my daughter (1st marriage) was born and I couldn't do birth control pills. The IUD's caused lots of pelvic inflammatory disease issues that my uterus never got over.
So you might be right about the allergy thing. I'll see if bacteria related next month. Thanks for the info.
Pam
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
feelfit, interesting. Garlic is suppose to be a great bacteria fighter?
Pam
Posted by FuzzySlippers (Member # 13658) on :
Peacesoul is right, sex can change the vaginal Ph making it more alkaline. Vaginal Ph is at its healthiest when it is slightly acidic. That's when it can fend off infection. Whenever the Ph changes to alkaline, that's when we're more prone to vaginal infections. Some things that can change Ph making it more alkaline are sex, menstruation, antibiotic usage, even some of the spermicides and lubricants, etc.
The vaginal flora (lactobacilli) that normally reside in the vaginal also help keep the Ph acidic. When antibiotics are taken, the lactobacilli populations are reduced (or wiped out) and that leaves room for too much alkalinity and vaginal infections (both yeast infections and BV infections).
For those of you interested in getting complete vaginal cultures/testing done, the Genova Labs does a Comprehensive Vaginosis Profile. You usually have to request that your doc do this test. It will detect and identify all yeasts, bad bacteria, vaginal Ph, and the population of good flora (lactobacilli). I've found that many times the normal vaginal testing done through LabCorp for example didn't provide enough information (or gave false negatives).
Fuzzy
Posted by cjnelson (Member # 12928) on :
struggled with these for years too!!!! Chronic BV's - flagyl only thing that worked. now i have added a vaginal support probiotic ALONG with my normal probiotic and that has helped tremendously!!!!!!!!
Ulimate Care - Vaginal Support
Posted by Stoli (Member # 11175) on :
Thanks for all the great suggestions!
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Years ago I had a very bad yeast problem, when ever I got the yeast under control, I had a bacterial overgrowth.
It took about 6 months of a very strict yeast diet, diflucan once a week, and a few short courses of antibiotics. Unfortunately, I can't tell you the abx I took because this was about 8 years ago and I never thought to remember it.