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Hey all,
I have been biking (mostly MTB, lots of commuting, a bit of road) for a couple of years. About a year ago I moved to Washington DC, which has a hot humid summer climate. This summer I have been riding a lot and have also gotten several yeast infections. I'm wondering about the possibility that they are related to the amount of time I've been spending on my bike in bike shorts in hot humid weather. Has anyone else had any similar problems?
Earlier this year, it seemed like I'd get infection after infection, after just making a 200 mile move 'north' ... Oregonian winters are wet, but I don't know that that justifies it.
The Y/i thing and humidity/time in the saddle DEFINATELY correlate. Some things I made sure to change/do:
1. take off the damp/sweaty chamois/shorts ASAP after getting home, rinse off in the shower and dry well.
2. Make SURE when you treat them, you get them GONE. My first 3 were actually (according to the gyno) were recurrances of the 1st, which hadn't been 'properly' treated. (don't putz around and waste time with yogurt and home remedies most of the time)
3. do NOT use antibacterial soap 'down there'. (had no idea GF's soap was such, and.. um... yeah.)
4. wear boxers or similarly airy, breatheable underwear as much as is practical, esp. after a ride.
5. This one's weird, but when you start 'feeling one coming on' or are in doubt, an individual little clove of garlic, with the papery stuff removed, put 'up there' is the most effective 'home remedy' I've tried, and will head the infection off before it turns into a full-blown pain in the ***.
Hope this helps...
I wouldn't wish those things on anyone.
I highly recommend the book "The Yeast Connection and the Woman" by William G. Crook, M.D. It will put a whole new paradigm out there for you :)
I would agree with the others there is a direct relationship between cycling and yeast infections. I suffered from these nasty infections for almost 2 years before we (new gyno and myself) finally found a cure. Here is what my gyno recommended:
1. don't wear your biking shorts any longer than you have too. I now carry a pair of street shorts to change in as soon as I get off the bike.
2. don't wash your gential area with anything other than a baby soap.
3. douche with buttermilk - you need to reculture your vaginal tract. I had up to this point been eating yogurt everyday along with taking oral acidiphilus. My gyno told me this was great for my digestive tract but the healthy bacteria stayed there it never makes it way to your vagina thus the buttermilk douche for it allows for a "direct route" to the problem area.
4. I had to use a three day treatment of difulcan (sp?) as well as a topical vaginal cream - terconazole. My gyno recommended I apply the prescription cream to the external region before every ride and on long rides to reapply at some point during the ride.
I certainly understand what you are going through and I hope you find a treatment that works. It took me several doctors and many different treatment options to finally find the one that works for me. Knock on wood I've been free of yeast infections for 5 months now. I know that does not seem like much been after fighting them continuously for 2 years it seems like heaven.
[QUOTE=Kitsune06]5. This one's weird, but when you start 'feeling one coming on' or are in doubt, an individual little clove of garlic, with the papery stuff removed, put 'up there' is the most effective 'home remedy' I've tried, and will head the infection off before it turns into a full-blown pain in the ***.
Oh yeah, I posted on this a while ago. Very effective.
Tip: Thread embroidery cotton (or regular cotton doubled) up and back down thru the garlic clove and tie the ends together. Unless you feel like a frusrating half hour in the bathroom trying to get a hold on the by now slippery little f--ker!
...you know, I've never had a problem. Good idea, though.
I'm full of them; good ideas,not lost garlic clovesQuote:
Originally Posted by Kitsune06
I've had lots of YI problems. Mine are pretty tenacious. Diflucan doesn't seem to help much. And I've had lots of other heavy duty drugs prescribed.
I didn't really seem to see much coorelation between cycling and YI in my case. My YI didn't let up much even when I was doing 6 weeks of hiking in loose shorts in a desert climate.
One thing I found that works well for me (and I've tried everything) is a warm bath with 1 to 2 cups of apple cider vinegar in it (no soap). The ACV puts the proper pH in the area, which the yeasties don't like. I sit in it for about 1/2 hr, reading a book.
I also found a product at w*mart called Azo Yeast. It's a homeopathic tablet. It was $5/60 tablets and worth a try.
The garlic on a string is also a good idea.
Right now things are going pretty well with me.
I've been sitting in the ACV bath every couple of days to keep it that way.
I used to get yeast infections and I tried everything - definitely after a ride I would get out of my wet shorts as soon as possible. I avoided yeasty food products such as bread, and kept myself very clean. Since menopause, no more yeast problems. Heck I can wear wet shorts all day long (not that I want to). I think for alot of women yeast infection are tied to the monthly cycle. Have you noticed that? If so, know that just before your period starts, you need to try and keep yourself dry and clean, avoid yeasty food products, maybe use a chamois creme that protects and keeps you dry during rides.
I asked my OB-Gyn and she said some women have yeast infections at EVERY cycle. In this case, she suggested getting a box of 7-day Monastat in the suppository form. She said to use one suppository each month as a preventative right before that point in your cycle when it happens.Quote:
Originally Posted by bcipam
That's not my case. My YIs are almost always stress-related. After my car accident last year, I had YI almost constantly for six months. Boric Acid worked to kill the infections, but they invariably kept coming back until my stress levels came back to normal.
How long do you leave the garlic clove in before taking it out? I did use the string, but I poked two little holes in the garlic and threaded the string through and tied the ends. I think it will work pretty well.
Thanks for all of the suggestions, they all sound good.
Overnight, then another one in the morning, and so on. Should not take more than 2 or 2 1/2 days. )
I was never a chronic sufferer, have no idea why I got 'em when I did. But this worked for me
Good luck!
Mine were linked to stress and my cycle. When I'm really, really stressed, if I actually manage to have my period, I'll have a yeast infection, too. :eek: It's scary to be so stressed you skip, but spot with the infection. That was what terrified me to the point of using home remedies along w/ the diflucan b/c the diflucan didn't seem to be doing much. Another thing I've done and seen great results from is douching with 1c warm water and about a tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Don't douche when you're healthy, it'll screw up your biological balance, but I did it before starting treatments, whether with garlic or monistat, to clean everything up and (at least in my mind) make the treatments more effective, because yeast is anaerobic, and the h202 will kill it pretty handily.
I skipped the hiatus week of my oral contraceptives one month. This resulted in my first-ever yeast infection and first-ever migraine within the same day, a week later. I can't say if everything was related, but I took it as a sign not to mess with my cycle.
I feel the second one coming on--what have I started?! Moreover, good topic timing!
[QUOTE=makbike]
3. douche with buttermilk - you need to reculture your vaginal tract. I had up to this point been eating yogurt everyday along with taking oral acidiphilus. My gyno told me this was great for my digestive tract but the healthy bacteria stayed there it never makes it way to your vagina thus the buttermilk douche for it allows for a "direct route" to the problem area.
How often do you douche with buttermilk?
Thanks to everyone for your helpful advice. Am now on a course of diflucan but want to remain yeast free in the future so will be doing the vinegar baths as well as getting out of my shorts immediately.
Also, does DH stand for "Doting Husband" or Dumbass Husband"?
It can mean either of those or 'Dear Hubby'... it all depends on the situation. =)
Jenjt:
My gyno recommended I used the buttermilk treatment every other night.
Good luck and I hope things clear up quickly for you for I feel your pain and discomfort.
Yes.Quote:
Also, does DH stand for "Doting Husband" or Dumbass Husband"?
Also Dumb $Hit. Sometimes spelling is optional. :D
MomOnBike
(professional wordsmith)
oh the helpful things you learn on this forum! I've definitely noticed an increase in YI and also bladder infections since I've taken up riding again. My husband will think I'm insane, but I think I'll be trying the garlic soon. (insan-er, anyway) I can't picture using the butter milk, though. Doesn't it leave a seeping mess?
Laura:
I can honestly say the buttermilk douche was not messy and during a nasty bout of the yeastie beasties it actually felt pretty darn good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by makbike
In perpetuity?? Or is this not a preventative treament and is rather a treatment treatment, so to speak.
Thanks.
[QUOTE=margo49;115247]Can the garlic be used as a preventative?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitsune06
I typically like to get out of my bike shorts as soon as I come off the bike, but on Sunday we plan on riding/stopping/riding/eating/riding etc. for most of the day. Weather forecasts call for some heat, hence... sweaty shorts.
I would like to ward off the Yeastie Beasties before they attack.
DO YOU START TO SMELL SUSPICIOUS AFTER A GARLIC CLOVE SESSION?
like the idea of 1/2 hr bath with a book,whether you've an infection or not!i get thrush when stressed,sure as eggs is eggs.so maybe this bath idea is more fuel for switching the taps on:)
I am very prone to the Yeasty Beasty, as well. For me, the vaginal yeast is always somewhat related to intestinal yeast overload and I'm just an itchy gassy mess at that point. What works for me:
1. Cut out the refined sugar and processed carbs for a while. Really, it's best for me to avoid the stuff in general, but I always end up eating more than I should. Some of the worst yeast infections (and UTIs, for that matter) have happened during the holidays with all of the candy and desserts and starchy foods. The only times I can get away with eating a lot of refined carbs is before, during, or immediately after an intense ride. It can also help to avoid fermented and pickled foods, as well.
2. Keep my intestines happy by making sure I consume a lot of good friendly flora. If I'm really yeasty I'll also take a supplement called caprylic acid which is a natural antifungal. No matter how careful you are with hygiene, the bottom line is that if your body's conditions favor yeast in one department, it will be favored in the other department as well.
3. Topical treatments: acidic rinses/douches with vinegar or lemon juice, topical application of live cultures such as plain unsweetened yogurt or buttermilk, etc. Boric acid capsules and garlic cloves for really full-blown cases. All good stuff. I often use an OTC anti-yeast cream as my chamois cream anytime that I'm cycling and feeling borderline itchy.
3. No soap, bodywash, etc. Period. The vagina is made of mucous membranes very similar to those that line your mouth and eyes. Would you wash your mouth or eyes out with soap? :eek:
4. Vaginal pH management - this is the most important part. A happy vagina should be nice and acidic (~3.5-4.5 pH) to discourage yeast and bad bacteria and to encourage good flora like acidophilus (acid loving). Some common alkaline invaders are soap (see previous) and semen. That's right, the ol' demon seed :rolleyes: is an alkaline material designed to counteract the acidic environment in the vagina so that the little swimmers can penetrate our fortress. If you frequently come into direct contact with this material, it's a good idea to swish the stuff out with plain water or a slightly acidic solution postcoitus. If you do use a barrier method with spermicide, you might want to flush that out too as it can kill your friendly flora too.
BTW, your pH is more alkaline in the week before your period, which is why it is more common to have yeast infections right before or during your menses. It also changes during pregnancy which can lead to more frequent yeast infections to add to the discomfort.
thats the second time in 2 weeks ive heard of caprylic acid supplments,what exactly is it?
Here's an indelicate question.
If you don't use soap, how do you eliminate odor?
I don't want to smell like garlic OR buttermilk! I'd prefer not to have an odor at all.
Karen
It's a fatty acid derived from coconuts that is a natural antifungal. Here's the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprylic_acidQuote:
Originally Posted by hellosunshine
I find that I get far less odor by washing with water only all over my body, pits n' pubes included. Granted, I don't smell like flowers or vanilla or phthalates either for that matter, but I don't stink. By the end of the day I may have a light faint odor but it is not offensive to others (and yes, I have asked others for their unbiased opinions).Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuckervill
When I used soap, I'd smell great the first half of the day and then stink the last half. I think soap is just too disruptive to the natural oils and bodily secretions and it causes your body to just secrete more of them in response to being stripped squeaky clean.
Now, the garlic smell is one reason I don't usually use the garlic capsules remedy until it's progressed to a full-blown infections. By the time I do use garlic, it smells better than what was happening before, so at that point it is the lesser of evils. I do somewhat prefer a diluted lemon juice rinse to a vinegar rinse for that reason, as well. That leaves behind a light lemon scent and doesn't have my DBF asking me "Honey, where's the salad?" :rolleyes:
HI. I know yeast infections are a big problems for riders and cyclists. My gyno just told me to stop wearing bike shorts. I tried that, but still get them. I decided to research this on my own a little more and found out that yeast infections can cause alot more harm to your body than just the burning and itching (which in itself, is enough to bear!!) It can also lead to pain in your joints, headaches, confusion, forgetfullness and respiratory problems. :eek: Anyway, if anyone is interested in learning more about it, I found a great report at http://infoaves.dmhmd.hop.clickbank.net. I read this and haven't had a YI in over a year. I'm sure not one to put garlic you know where, but I do believe in natural and healthy remedies!
Resurrecting this thread because I'm about to throw out a pair of PI shorts that I KNOW are starting the yeast infections. I don't wear them very often so I can pinpoint the infections to wearing them. I get that familiar feeling only after I've been wearing them on a good long ride or training session.
Should I just pitch them or is there some method of eliminating the fungus from the chamois? I think I've asked this question here before and it seems like the heat of an iron or bleach were the only sure killers of Candida.
Has anyone successfully eliminated yeast from their bike shorts with, say, a vinegar soak or something that won't ruin the chamois or fabric? Or should I just slather them with Monostat every time I wear them? :eek:
I'm not so sure the problem is that the shorts are infected (it seems like a good machine washing with soap would largely take care of the problem). Are you sure it's not somthing else about the shorts- perhaps the fit is tighter, or they breathe less well than other shorts- or the chamois is more absorbant- that causes them to make for better breeding conditions for the yeast?Quote:
Originally Posted by nuthatch
The chamois is thick and I think that's what started the whole thing, but I understand that the candida yeast can live in clothing kind of suspended until the right circumstances let it grow.Quote:
Originally Posted by anakiwa
Some people advocate killing it by ironing your panties, if they are cotton, or you will keep reinfecting yourself. That's why I'm so suspicious that the shorts are to blame. I can be yeast-free for weeks, then wear those shorts for a few hours and the next day - pow!
I kinda don't buy the concept of "reinfecting yourself". The candida albicans microorganism is present in and on our bodies all of the time. There is no way to fully eradicate it, it is always around. The key is making sure that your friendly flora have the upper hand and don't get outcompeted by the candida. I do agree with the previous poster that said maybe these shorts simply don't breathe as well and that could be tipping the balance.Quote:
Originally Posted by nuthatch
Or, here's another theory... just like antibiotics and antimicrobial soap can kill your good flora and let yeast get the upper hand, is it possible that this PI chamois contains an antibacterial/antimicrobial agent? I've seen this advertised as a feature on certain shorts and garments. They claim it's to maintain freshness, but I find that most things like this end up causing me more trouble in the end. :rolleyes:
Another possibility is that you are getting a type of allergic reaction to the material in the shorts or chamois and this is causing something like contact dermatitis which could certainly precipitate a yeast infection.
Well, it sure sounds like the best course would be to throw the shorts out. Whatever promotes the yeast seems to be particular to them, so out they go!;)
I have been wondering, since I am prone to YI, if there is such a thing as a fungicidal soap that would be useful. I have googled it in the past, but what I came up with would only be useful if I were a rosebush.
ALSO, I have read that after a ride a heat rash may be mistaken for yeast, which makes sense. Hot, itchy...
I often use a fungicidal cream (generic miconazole) anytime I'm feeling a little borderline. It makes a pretty good chamois cream, actually. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelle
In general, I'd just avoid any/all soaps. Soaps are usually alkaline and these raises your vag pH, which favors the yeast. Stay nice and acidic by rinsing with plain water and doing acidic rinses as necessary.
Hi, I am very prone to yeast infections, I use to get them all the time, now, only when I dont pay attention.
Basically your body gets them more often when your immune system is low because you partied, didnt sleep, stress, you were sick, vacation, etc... something you did that is not normal for your body and unhealthy.
But if on top of this you get on the bike and sweat, and dont clean and let dry right away... there is a problem, bacteria that comes from your body and the exterior starts affecting you.
So, be healthy as possible, use cotton underwear and cotton bike shorts, during the day use skirts to ventilate the area, not tight pants. Take a shower and dry right after you come back from any workout, the beach or being with your husband/boyfriend. Be always clean & dry.
Some girls like you and me have to be more careful than others unfortunately =(
Good luck!
Vero
Hi.
I'm a 28 years old, 5'9" 167lbs female. I'm in a monogamous sexual relationship and both my partner and I have only been with eachother ever since we were virgins.
About ten months ago, I came down with a vaginal yeast infection. It was not just any vaginal yeast infection. It was incredibly severe. It was, in fact, the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. There was a large amount of white growth all over the outside of my vagina. I can not even describe how painful this was, and the pain came on me very suddenly. I was screaming and crying…
I went to a doc where they prescribed me treatment with Cervugid Ovules - 3 courses. I did a research about this treatment and it is recommended by a lot of doctors from Europe for various sexually transmitted diseases like HPV high risk, Trichomoniasis Vaginalis and more. After i finished all 3 courses ( each cours – 12 ovules for 12 nights) I went back to the same gyno and she tested me for yeast again and it came Negative so I have been cured from this disease.
It's been almost 8 months since I finished the treatment and yeast infection has not returned…