Yeast infection, bacterial vaginitis *and* a UTI … is my vagina committing suicide?
No, I don’t really think my vagina’s trying to off itself, but clearly, I’ve made it very unhappy somehow.
I’ve had a yeast infection for 7 weeks and had tried everything to get rid of it. Even 5 doses of Diflucan in a row couldn’t kill it off. (I did all the eating yogurt and taking acidophilus stuff too.) I thought it was a resistant strain, until today, when I went into a doctor for like the fourth time.
Before this visit, I hadn’t had a full exam done down there — just quick swabs to check for yeast. Well, today, the doctor checked me out.
Her initial reaction?
"Oh my." She found yeast, but she also found a bitchin’ case of bacterial vaginosis. Oh…I also tested positive for what I can only assume is a pretty new UTI (since I haven’t experienced any UTI symptoms yet).
I’m taking Diflucan, Flagyl and Cipro to take care of all my problems now, and the doc says the only reason Diflucan didn’t kill the yeast last time around was because the BV was making my vagina a veritable breeding ground for nasty lil’ microbes.
Whew! That was long-winded. So, on to my questions:
Have any of ya’ll had any combination of yeast infection, BV and/or UTI at the same time before?
Does anyone know how to explain what might have caused both these problems to arise at the same time?
Any advice on how to prevent both BV and yeast infections in the future? I’m taking a probiotic with nice, friendly "good" bacteria in it already and have amped up my yogurt consumption. Any tips besides that?
By the way, if anyone tells me to "stop sleeping around" or to "shower, dummy," go play in traffic. I’ve had the same partner for 2 years, and we use condoms, and I shower and clean really well (but not with soap because that’s a healthy vagina no-no) daily.
Hey guys…no need to bother telling me how to treat yeast infections, by the way. I’ve had this one for 7 weeks and have researched EVERYTHING. (Turns out, the BV was the only reason the YI wouldn’t go away.)
And to the first answerer … I agree. The world is totally dying.
Filed under: Bacterial Vaginosis
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Wow..
I have never had a UTI, but I have had a yeast infection and BV together at the same time. It wasn’t fun, and I thought I had a stubborn strain of a yeast infection. I was given a cream to insert into my vagina for the yeast infection and pills (I don’t remember the name) for BV.
Have you tried the AZO brands? They are pills in with the vitamins or feminine products (depending on what store you go to). They are about 6 dollars, but they really help. I use the AZO Yeast and it prevents me from getting yeast infections (and I never eat yogurt!). Every time I even feel a little itch down there, I swallow one of the pills and it goes away!
I know they make AZO UTI too. I heard they work well at preventing and treating the symptoms (but it doesn’t cure the UTI or yeast infection), but I’ve never had a UTI so I don’t use them. Drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry supplements can help prevents UTI’s as well.
As for your BV, my doctor said I got it from wiping wrong. I know it’s gross, but hey, I’m not the only one who does it. Make sure to wipe front to back (even though it’s easier to wipe back to front). Your feces particles can get in your vagina and can cause BV. Seriously. It’s gross, but thats the most common cause of it.
I hope I helped! Good luck and I really recommend the AZO products at preventing yeast infections and UTI’s!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGG Whats wrong with people! the world is dying
i’ve been cleaning my vagina with an anti bacterial soap since i can remember. and i’ve never had any of these problems. maybe that is why your getting them?
i was always told to clean with a soap with no fragrance. ??
but i ‘ve never had any other problems besides a uti that i get occasionally.
Hmmmm…either you’ve been doing some really crazy things with your vagina or something really odd is going on somewhere else. You need to get your doctor to get out from between your legs and look at the rest of you. Why is your body suddenly so vulnerable to these infections? That’s the question that you need answered.
Are you sure you didn’t try something really crazy like using a peppermint candy as a suppository before oral sex? Do you use condoms every time? How is your boyfriend feeling?
Wow, that does not sound like a very pleasant thing to be going through!
I have never had a combination of the three, but there was a period of 2-3 years where I was having constant yeast infections. No sooner would I get rid of one, then a few weeks later I would have another. The over-the-counter medicines weren’t working at all, and even though the Diflucan worked, it didn’t stop it from coming back a few weeks later. Regardless of the season it kept coming back in cycles, and I was extremely fed up.
Like you I had tried eating my weight in yogurt, made sure I didn’t sit around in a wet bathing suit, dried off "down there" thoroughly after each shower, didn’t use irritating soaps, etc. Those things did help with the severity of the infections, but did not stop them from happening.
Finally, since I was seeing my gynecologist anyway because I was going to start taking birth control pills, I asked her if she had any idea why I was having so many infections. She said that women who have really irregular periods (like I was having) often have problems with yeast infections, because the hormones disrupt their whole reproductive system and the pH of their vagina is wacky, making it a real breeding ground for persistent infections.
They did an ultrasound on my ovaries and uterus and discovered that I had a fist-sized ovarian cyst… a major cause of hormonal disruption! Once the cyst went away, so did my yeast infections, so for me at least I believe that was the reason.
If you don’t think your hormones could be a potential cause (I was having a lot of abdominal pain, thought it was constipation… surprise, cyst!), take a look at your diet. Do you eat a lot of sugar? One of the things my general doctor suggested to me before I saw the gyno was to cut down on my refined carb and sugar intake, because too much sugar will mess with your body’s pH and make you more susceptible to yeast infections. Also, if you use pads during your period, try using tampons because the pads create a moist environment, which will definitely help any potential violators grow and flourish.
Finally, make sure you are wearing 100% cotton panties. Polyester does NOT breathe, and will trap moisture close to the skin. Cotton breathes and keeps you dry. If you already wear 100% cotton, try changing them more often. I am not suggesting that you are nasty and don’t change them enough… it’s just that some people have very sensitive areas, and what is "enough" for everyone else might not be enough for you.
Anyway, I hope that helps, and good luck in the future!
I’ll just add a couple of thoughts:
1 – have you been checked for diabetes? Frequent infections are a common symptom, and often they are difficult to treat while blood glucose remains high and uncontrolled. Don’t assume that because you eat well, exercise, and are not overweight that you can not be diabetic – lots of people are surprised by a diabetes diagnosis that way
2 – condom use, ingredients in some lubrications, and often the use of spermicide, can encourgae vaginal infections. You might want to stop the use of spermicides completely, change to a lubricant with different ingredients, and/or change the type of condom material being used. My wife’s GYN had us change what we were using and it has worked out very well