My VJ hates me. :(

[swampmermaid.livejournal.com]

Hey SuperStars,
Can someone please, please help me?
I got diagnosed with BV waay back in September 2011, finished the course of antibiotics, and it came back after a few days. I went back to the doctor in December (I know, I let it wait longer than I probably should have. >_<), got another round of antibiotics, but this time, I was diagnosed with both BV AND a yeast infection. I finished both rounds of antibiotics, but the itching was still there, so I went back for yet another appointment. This time, it was just a YI, so I was given a Diflucan and used the 3 day Monistat cream in tandem with it. My YI STILL wouldn't go away, so I went back again, and was subsequently tested for HPV-2, gonorrhea and syphilis. I was also given two Diflucan pills and used the 7 day Monistat with it.

Everything came back negative on my tests, and a few days after treatment, my YI is still there. I went back this last Tuesday (coincidentally, Valentine's Day), and was given nystatin powder and another 2 pill round of Diflucan (I was originally prescribed the nystatin pill to insert vaginally along with the powder, but my pharmacy was out of stock :/). Would it be safe to use the Monistat 7-day cream with the Diflucan and nystatin powder externally?

Today, I went in for another blood test, this time to test for diabetes. I don't understand why this is still going on, and it's ruining my life. I've been taking acidophilus supplements, garlic supplements, and folic acid, and nothing seems to work. I wash my underwear in hot (boiling) water, haven't been using soap/perfume, wear loose-fitting clothes, the full nine yards. I'm not sexually active (haven't been for about 7 months, and it's been 7 months of vaginal hell) and haven't been m-bating. Does anyone have any idea what's going on down there/have any other suggestions for getting rid of this? I feel like I've tried everything. I know YIs are such a common thing on here (and I'm really sorry if someone has posted about this before; I just need some advice) but this has made my life a living hell. Anyone else having the same problem? I feel so depressed, alone, and scared. :(

Comments

[shallnotfalter.livejournal.com]

This is probably really going to scare you, and for this I'm really sorry.

I had the same problem - seemingly endless YIs, BV issues, recurring for MONTHS.

Aaaaaaaand then I found out that I'm actually diabetic. I really hope that's not the case for you and that it's something super-quick, but if it is the case for you, you're definitely not alone.

[patchworkorange]

If you find out this is NOT caused by anything else and just an angry vagina problem, try inserting boric acid capsules for 3-5 days, even up to a week-10 if you feel the need.

Boric acid keeps our pH at the healthy acidic level that keeps other things in check.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help...but getting antibiotics etc really causes more havoc then I think it's worth- never ending cycle.

[niki28.livejournal.com]

My partner and I gave a YI back and forth to each other for quite some time. I was doing a once weekly boric acid suppository (sp?) as a preventative and when I did have a YI I would insert one every night. When my partner and I broke up I never had the problem again. I think if he had been treating himself it would have stopped the cycle.

Diet?

[dkwgdk.livejournal.com]

Ugh, this sounds really awful and I'm sorry that you have to deal with it. I have several questions / ideas, for what they are worth.

First--when you are visiting the doc, are they testing you for BV and YI? Or are they saying you have them based on the itching? I ask because I had itching that was caused by some mild contact dermatitis from my detergent. It appeared suddenly, and when I treated it with Monistat, I was also allergic to the Monistat. You can imagine how much that sucked. I strongly suspect that a lot of folks who have "chronic" BV and YI infections are actually experiencing allergic reactions to the treatments or to things in their environment. BUT if you are getting tested and those tests are positive? Clearly that's not the reason.

Idea 2: Even if you are not actually diabetic, you may find that reducing the amount of starch and refined sugar in your diet helps control the itch. The most explicit version of this approach is the Candida diet, designed to deprive the wee beasties of the sugar they need to survive. However, just reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your diet (by eliminating wheat, soda, etc) can help a lot.

Hope others have more suggestions, but just wanted to throw that out there.

[brigittefires.livejournal.com]

In your position, I'd probably get super serious about treating it, beyond just pills. I'd start off with douching with a peroxide solution until it cleared up a bit, then going to Apple Cider Vinegar for a few more days, as long as 3 days after symptoms were clear.

WARNING: What I am about to say goes against every piece of advice people typically give, so bear in mind that Your Mileage May Vary!!

Have you ever heard the phrase Cotton Kills? It comes up a lot in the camping world, because if you get wet while wearing cotton it just won't breathe. Your body spends a lot of time and energy trying to dry it, and you can get hypothermia. What does that have to do with anything?

I was wearing cotton underwear, constantly getting infections, the discharge from infections and general daily whatever when I wasn't infected just made my underwear damp. All. The Time. It wasn't until last summer when packing for a camping trip that I suddenly realized that with the dampness of my underwear, there was probably no air flow.

That being said, going commando just results in splotchy pants crotches and skirt backs, plus the joy of sticky-damp thighs rubbing constantly. No joy there.

I have switched almost exclusively to non-cotton underwear, specifically nylon microfiber. Suddenly, no itching! I still have to wear leggings under everything because I can't find girl-boxers anywhere, and if I wear the cotton-based leggings too many days in a row it gets swampy in there. I'm slowly switching over to athletic gear for leggings, and the synthetic stuff that wicks away moisture has been great. My vag has never been so happy.

[swampmermaid.livejournal.com]

Thank you all so so much for your support & advice.
I think part of it might be attributed to my diet...living in the south, I'm kind of limited as far as my diet is concerned (lots of fried food, processed sugars, carbs, etc.)
It's so hard to find healthy food here that's not exorbitantly expensive...pretty much all we have here is Walmart.
I have been experiencing some lower abdominal pain as well; not sure if that has anything to do with my problem or not. Last night it hurt so bad that it woke me up. :(
It feels like really bad bloating/gas or cramps, but I'm not on my period. This is making me so miserable.