How do you know when it's gone?

[catsrus]

I got yeast infection. Don't know how long I had it before I went to the Dr. becasue this is my first experience with it. I guess I had the burning & itching symptoms for about 4 months, but I blamed razor burn, sandpaper toliet tissue at work, etc. Anyhow, how do I know when it's gone? I've read anything from 3 days to 2 years!!! Once I went to the Dr. of course she prescribed a pill for it. I also ordered the Candida Cleanse product since it says it gets the good bacteria going again. I've been LC for 5 years now, so diet is already pretty much okay. What else to I need to do? But, my biggest question (which I can't seem to find the answer to in all the information I've read on this) is HOW DO I KNOW WHEN IT'S GONE?

[NewRuth]

Good question. Hopefully, an expert will answer. Mine would be to go to your doctor for a re-test.

[capmikee]

Has anyone here ever gotten rid of candida?

I've certainly gotten rid of some symptoms, like itching and burning in private areas, furry tongue, and some degree of fatigue, fogginess, and digestive discomfort. But I've never been completely free of trouble.

[catsrus]

I'm still wondering about this. The Dr. won't give me another dose of pills without taking another culture (and me paying for another office visit). I can't see that the "yeast cleanse" & "probiotics" and "digestive enzymes" are doing anything. Likewise the Activia live culture yogurt (tastes good, but I'm not sensing any change in anything). I still have some burning and itching, which is actually increased when I apply the Monistat 7 cream. I wonder if I should discontinue use of that?????? And I'm still looking for any more advice on this. Thanks.

[Nancy LC]

If you still have burning and itching after going through a course of Monistat then perhaps you don't have a yeast issue. There are other infections that can cause those symptoms. Anytime I have had yeast infection it always responded to Monistat.

It could even be a different variety of yeast. I heard about a lady once that actually got a baker's yeast variety (I guess one needs to wash their hands BEFORE going to the bathroom too) and it was hard to kill.

Not to scare you too much, I think immune compromised people have particularly difficult times with yeast. Isn't that why AIDS patients get thrush?

But anyway, if you've used a full course of Monistat and you still have it, then you probably need to see the doctor.

But WAIT! Lightbulb moment... seems like I recently saw some OTC vaginal infection test kit... searching...

Yup! Vagisil makes one. Vagisil Screen Kit for vaginal infections.

The Vagisil Screening Kit is an in-home test that allows a woman to screen for the presence of vaginal infection by measuring her vaginal pH (FIGURE 1). Adult women commonly develop vaginal infections, but the symptoms they experience lead many of them to believe that they have a yeast infection and self-treat it with OTC products.1 Sometimes, what appears to be a yeast infection may actually be a bacterial infection, which requires treatment by a health care practitioner (HCP).1 Typical symptoms of vaginal infection include burning, itching, unusual odor, and discharge.1
So I guess it checks for PH levels. If you have 5.0 ph then you have a bacterial infection, not a yeast infection.

[capmikee]

Likewise the Activia live culture yogurt (tastes good, but I'm not sensing any change in anything).
If yogurt isn't helping, you might consider looking for some dairy-free probiotics. Dairy, even yogurt, can actually make candida worse. Wifey and I use a combination of probiotic pills and sauerkraut/kimchi/coconut milk yogurt for probiotics.

Several years ago, my wife and I were passing yeast back and forth to each other constantly. We were both on anti-yeast creams nonstop. The creams helped, but it always came back. When we went gluten-free, dairy-free and low-carb, it finally went away.

[Tocro]

I have this systemically and the doctors do not treat it because "my mouth appeared normal" the last time she saw it, however I was reeling over in lower intestinal pain. Later, it moved out onto my external private parts so they prescribed me topical creams but that is not treating the main INTERNAL problem where this problem originates! My gastro doctor said the intestinal pain would go away on its own, which it did but I need to stay on this impossible never ending diet.

I was out of work for almost a year because of this but that was when I first was exposed to it. I was on proper med's then but it took awhile to heal.

So no, I haven't yet. I've had it about 3 years now and unable to completely get rid of it. The only thing that really works is Threelac but it's so damn expensive. It's the only thing that makes me feel completely normal.

I'm still trying to get on some prescription Anti-fungals to do a dual attack along but my doctor refuses to believe I need them. I might just order them off the net. It's not very legal but oh well, my health is more important.

Doctors still take this condition way to lightly because it will attack then go in remission over and over and over again. It's a very frustrating condition to get rid of 100%.

[catsrus]

Is Threelac a prescription?
You can get prescriptions off the internet? Please PM me with information on that.

[svince6]

If you still have burning and itching after going through a course of Monistat then perhaps you don't have a yeast issue.

I just wanted to clear up that this is not necessarily true. Most of my yeast infections have not responded to over the counter treatments. I always had to get RX creme and then later I always got the pill (fluconazole). The doctor told me there are a lot of different types of yeast infections that you can get - some only respond to stronger medication.

What do you mean "how do you know?" Do you mean gone from the area, or completely gone from your system? Gone from the area for me was no more itching and burning, no more redness, or white discharge. But I would get them so bad I couldn't wear pants, would feel pain all the time, and had to miss work. I don't know about ridding Candida from your system.

I've had no probs since I went on Atkins.

Hope this helps some.

[capmikee]

My gastro doctor said the intestinal pain would go away on its own, which it did but I need to stay on this impossible never ending diet.
So sorry to hear that, Tocro! I hope it gets better for you.

It sounds like you need to find a "never ending diet" that is not impossible. What are you eating currently, and what part are you unhappy with?

[catsrus]

I looked at the threelac info online. Yep, expensive & similar to another program I'm already doing. So I'm not going to waste money on any more OTC stuff either. I wish is was easier to get in to see my doctor. I forget to call in the a.m. - as it doesn't burn & itch so much then, but by afternoon and night I can hardly stand it. I was wearing baggy pants to work, but this week thought I was better and could be a bit more sylish. Wrong!!
I guess my next thing to try is going dairy free - but I didn't see Cap's suggestion about that until just after I had bought milk and loaded up on Activia. I'm not willing to waste it; so I'll stick with my current program until it's gone. By then I feel like I've certainly given it a fair try.
SV66, I think I'd be finding me a different doctor. As well as trying to find a 'liveable' diet program.

[Karkel]

What Rx does Doc give beside Difluican ?

[lil' annie]

I'm still wondering about this. The Dr. won't give me another dose of pills without taking another culture (and me paying for another office visit). I can't see that the "yeast cleanse" & "probiotics" and "digestive enzymes" are doing anything. Likewise the Activia live culture yogurt (tastes good, but I'm not sensing any change in anything). I still have some burning and itching, which is actually increased when I apply the Monistat 7 cream. I wonder if I should discontinue use of that?????? And I'm still looking for any more advice on this. Thanks.


The burning & stinging from the anti-fungal cream is supposed to occur. It's the die-off. When the yeast infection is gone, then you won't get any burning sensations from applying it.

Have you been tested for diabetes?

I thought that reoccurring yeast infections were possibly indicative of insulin resistance?

[lil' annie]

Has anyone here ever gotten rid of candida?

I've certainly gotten rid of some symptoms, like itching and burning in private areas, furry tongue, and some degree of fatigue, fogginess, and digestive discomfort. But I've never been completely free of trouble.



You've been eating so healthy for so long, it's so sad that the candida isn't totally eradicated. With external skin yeasts, have you ever tried applying liquid betadine at bedtime? It does NOT stain clothing or bedding.

[capmikee]

I don't get it on my skin anymore, just digestive trouble and super-sensitivity to carbs.

[catsrus]

Hmmmm..... I thought I was finally DONE with it because I no longer have the burning & itching, but I sure do have digeestive problems. Seems I've tried everything for that & nothing seems to work.
With the itching part - I went back to the Dr. and discovered I was again had a bacterial infection, so was put back on anti-biotics (which I was almost scared to take, but I did) and finally got over that too. All the while I kept on with probiotics of course.
I would like to know more about the digestive problems part - I hadn't previously associated the 2.
Thanks for any responses.

[capmikee]

I think the digestive issues are one of the primary symptoms of candida. I get gas, bloating, and occasionally I get nausea and stomach cramps. Sometimes headaches, diarrhea or constipation. If I consume vinegar, wine, or sugar, I get dizzy, lightheaded, tired and short-tempered for up to 48 hours. I'm not 100% sure that's because of candida, but I think it's likely. And when I do the spit test, it's positive for candida.

[Melesana]

I wonder whether coconut oil - or coconut milk - would help, or even clear it up entirely. Coconut oil internally is doing a pretty good job of clearing up my ringworm from the inside. Sorry, OP, I'm not sure how to tell definitively that a yeast infection is gone. I know my ringworm is just about gone because it doesn't itch or erupt or get red any more.

Meg

[MizKitty]

camikee, please explain what the spit test for candida is?
Thanks

[capmikee]

Here's the link:

http://www.adhdrelief.com/CandidaTest.html