Yeast Infection Treatments

So it's Memphis in the summertime (miserably hot and humid), and while I've been between graduating school and starting a new job, I've had some spare time for training. I've been riding twice a day on most days for the past two weeks, which has done wonders for my fitness level, BUT has given me the mother of all yeast infections. I take a shower as soon as I finish riding (only rinsing that area, no soap), wear loose clothes, etc, but it's been four days now and this thing just won't go away :(

I found an old thread on here with a lot of at home-treatments that sounded good, but I'm also using the OTC 1-day treatment and the external pain relief stuff. I was wondering if any of you had successfully combined homeopathic remedies (garlic, vinegar, buttermilk, yogurt, etc.) with the OTC stuff. At $12.99 a pop, I don't want to be rinsing it out with buttermilk unless it's gonna help me get over this!

I'm going to do whatever I can over the weekend, but if things don't start improving, I'm going to the doc on Monday.

It's usually better to do at least a 3 day OTC treatment. Ideally use the 7 day OTC treatment. Yes, I *know* that it sucks a lot :(. The 1 day ones can work, but they can also result in drug resistant yeast. Not good. It's the same idea as antibiotics... you'll often feel better after just a few days, but you do need the full course of treatment to recover properly.

I would see a doctor now over trying home remedies. If a 1 day treatment hasn't knocked the infection down already, it may not be a yeast infection at all.

I went ahead & started the 7 day one & it immediately started to get better. I no longer feel like I'm using a pine cone as a tampon :eek:

When I get a YI, OTC products don't work too well for me. Some home methods that have worked well for me are:

Sit in the tub. Fill the tub with warm water about to your hip level. Add 2 cups apple cider vinegar (the kind from the grocery store is ok) and I also put in a squirt or twpo of povidone iodine solution (I get 8oz of it at w*lmart, it's more expensive elsewhere). The vinegar provides the proper acidic environment for the girly bits and the iodine sol'n is an antimicrobial. Get a good book and sit there for 1/2 hr. When I have a bad YI I do this am and pm. When not so bad, once a day. This really helps me a lot.

Another method that works well for me is to take a tampon that has a plastic applicator. I mix 1 part tea tree oil and 3 parts Vit E oil in a small squirt bottle. I dip the tampon tip into the abovementioned iodine sol'n and squirt a bit of the tea tree oil/vit E soln onto the tip and insert for up to 6 hrs. The tea tree oil is supposed to be good for YI problems.

I also take Azo Yeast tablets. ($5 for 60 tablets at w*lmart, I know w*lmart is evil, but I do get a few things there). I take one twice a day as maintenance and it seems to help keep the itchies under control.

Hope you feel better soon!

Andrea, sounds like you've had a very busy, VERY HOT summer. Congratulations on your graduation.

One of our old country doctors used to tell ladies to make a douche using straight buttermilk. Relief usually comes within 10 minutes and helps restore the ph levels. My massage therapist swears by this treatment.