Re: ketaconazole/yeast/three lac

[Guest guest]

I believe I have read that one of the most common reasons for out of

control yeast problems in women today is that it is far too easy to use

and abuse yeast meds (because they are now over the counter) WITHOUT a

CONFIRMED yeast infection. Did the doc even do an internal to see if

there was an overabundance of yeast?

Just my opinion, but I think you are right to not take the med until you

have a confirmed yeast infection. There are other things that can cause

redness,itching and irritation of the vulvar skin (non specific

vulvodynia is one of them!) that aren't yeast.

Can you maybe try a hydrocortizone 1% from the drugstore. The one I

use is in petroleum base and causes me far less irritation that any

other brand with more ingredients. The box is yellow and red,b ut for

the moment the name escapes me, though I THINK it might be CORTIZONE.

Good luck

DUsty

ketaconazole/yeast/three lac

Hi, I just posted this in the vulvodynia support group, but wanted

to post it here as well.... thanks for any advice!

hi everyone,

i still have my symptoms of a yeast infection (itching, irritation,

redness). i finished the nystatin at the end of last week, and went back

to my regular gyn. (who really doesn't know about vulvodynia,

etc.) I am going back to see my specialist next week, so I really just

wanted him to do a culture to see if it is still yeast. He said that

because I still looked irritated that he didn't want to put me through

that, and he looked at me and said it still looks like a bad yeast

infection. He prescribed me ketaconazole (200 mg each pill) to take

twice a day for 10 days. Has anyone ever used this? I think nizoral is

the brand name of it. I haven't started it yet, as I wanted to talk to

the specialist first ( Spadt). I wouldn't want to take something

very strong, and have it not be yeast, and do more harm that good. I

don't really trust anyone, but her when dealing with this, as I know she

knows her stuff!

Also, I asked him the difference between a yeast infection and a

bacterial infection. He told me that most likely you will not have any

symptoms with a bacterial infection that you do with yeast (the itching,

irritation, etc.) With a bacterial infection you just notice discharge,

it has a strong odor, and is a different color than the yeast. FRom some

posts last week, a lot of women indicated that a yeast and bacterial

infection have a lot of the same symptoms, so I am confused.

Lastly, I am taking Three Lac - have been taking it once per day for the

past 8 days, but today am going to start twice per day. I am not sure if

it is okay to use the ketaconazole with the Three Lac, if I do start on

that. I was using it with the nystatin, but I had heard stories of a lot

of people using the nystatin in conjunction with the Three Lac, and I

don't think the nystatin is quite as strong as the ketaconazole - 200

mg, 2x per day seems strong though. There are warnings that came with

it, that your liver needs to be closely monitored while taking it, etc.

It just scares me to take this medicine, but yet I do want to kill the

yeast if that is indeed my problem now! As I mentioned before, I am very

tiny (I think I only weigh 85 pounds at this point - since I am avoiding

sugar, carbs, due to damn yeast!) I sometimes wonder if the Three Lac 2

times per day, as well as the meds, are too strong on my body.

I haven't noticed the Three Lac helping yet, but I do notice it helping

with my bowel functioning. I am not sure if it is that or the gluten

free diet, or a combination, but just thought I would mention that. I

have gone to the bathroom (bowel movement) 12 days in a row, which is

amazing for me!

Please help - any advice, recommendations, etc. are appreciated (as

always).

Maureen

Please discuss all methods of treatment with your practitioner. NONE of

this is to be taken as medical advice but merely opinions offered!

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[Guest guest]

Dusty,

No, he hardly even looked at me and just more or less said that

since it was a yeast infection 5-6 weeks ago (confirmed by a

culture) that it must still be a bad infection, and prescribed the

med. (This was after I told him that I could not use creams and he

told me that diflucan was the only oral antifungal! I then had to

explain that I was on oral nystatin and he politely excused himself

from the room and asked if i ever tried the nizoral. I know he

didn't know about it, but he just prescribed it.)

I think I may wait until I see Spadt, unless it gets

unbearable. I know at this point (since she hasn't seen me in

awhile) she can't really offer much advice to me over the phone.

Thanks for the advice,

Maureen

[Guest guest]

Dusty,

No, he hardly even looked at me and just more or less said that

since it was a yeast infection 5-6 weeks ago (confirmed by a

culture) that it must still be a bad infection, and prescribed the

med. (This was after I told him that I could not use creams and he

told me that diflucan was the only oral antifungal! I then had to

explain that I was on oral nystatin and he politely excused himself

from the room and asked if i ever tried the nizoral. I know he

didn't know about it, but he just prescribed it.)

I think I may wait until I see Spadt, unless it gets

unbearable. I know at this point (since she hasn't seen me in

awhile) she can't really offer much advice to me over the phone.

Thanks for the advice,

Maureen

[Guest guest]

>

> Also, I asked him the difference between a yeast infection and a

> bacterial infection. He told me that most likely you will not have

> any symptoms with a bacterial infection that you do with yeast (the

> itching, irritation, etc.) With a bacterial infection you just

> notice discharge, it has a strong odor, and is a different color

> than the yeast. FRom some posts last week, a lot of women indicated

> that a yeast and bacterial infection have a lot of the same

> symptoms, so I am confused.

Well...he has the degree and gets the money but he is incorrect about

yeast vs bacterial infections. While only some women have bacterial

infections with no symptoms, most bacterial infections do cause

symptoms. Almost the same symptoms as yeast. Burning, itch,

irritated skin. SOME bacterial infections do have an odor but not

all. Bacterial vaginosis has different color discharges based on the

bacteria that is causing it. I believe there are 3 or 4 different

bugs that are lumped into Bacterial Vaginosis (BV). Some discharge

could be white, some grey, some yellow, some green. Not everyone

gets the odor. I didn't get it when I had BV.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/SHPRC/ch3_vag.html

http://my.webmd.com/content/healthwise/87/21766.htm

The only way to tell yeast from bacteria is culture. If he is

trained to do his own wet slide under the microscope, he can see the

difference. OTherwise the labs can do it. pH is a good indicator as

well but NOT 100% accurate as people have had yeast in the bacterial

pH range and vice versa. It's a guideline but not diagnostic. low

pH is USUALLY yeast and high pH is usually bacterial. Yeast and

bacteria can be present at normal pH too.

I found this page which sells sticks to test the pH.

http://www.wdxcyberstore.com/phte.html

I have used Nizoral before. It has an effect on your hormones. I

get night sweats when I take it and it messes up my cycle timing.

This is from The Yeast Connection and Women's Health by Dr.

Crook pg 213

" Nizoral is known to suppress hormone production, especially at high

doses over an extended period of time. "

Lynn

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/17/04 6:44:32 PM, VulvarDisorders writes:

<< (This was after I told him that I could not use creams and he

told me that diflucan was the only oral antifungal! I then had to

explain that I was on oral nystatin and he politely excused himself

from the room and asked if i ever tried the nizoral. I know he

didn't know about it, but he just prescribed it.) >>

Hi Maureen,

I was surprised he prescribed (or was it Spaedt that did?) oral Nystantin to

begin with In some women, oral Nystantin might clear up an infection - but if

Diflucan didn't work, I doubted Nystantin would. It seems to work better

when it has direct contact with the infection. It's related to Monistat, if not

the same thing. I've never taken oral Nizoral for a vaginal yeast infection,

but I think you might have a better chance with it. But if it doesn't work,

you're going to have to try a cream if you're still testing positive for yeast.

At that point I think it's safe to say you're going to have to treat it with

a direct contact medication.

Debbie

Tiger

" And Staples Girls are so extraaaaaavagant...I just don't have that much

driiiiivvvvvvel... " - Alan, 2/12/03

[Guest guest]

Candi,

Sorry, I missed this message. So, the Three Lac is helping you go to

the bathroom also? I was thinking it would cause constipation, so I

was only taking one packet per day. I just started taking two per

day starting today, so I will see. I am seeing next Tuesday,

so I am trying to hold off on taking more antifungals until she sees

me. I am also hoping that the Three Lac will help me! Where did you

read that it was okay to take an antifungal with it? I just remember

reading some emails/testimonials from people who took oral nystatin

with it, but I don't remember seeing anything else, or info. from the

company.

Maureen

> ThreeLac WILL help you go to the bathroom regularly. I was thinking

I was fine because I typically go daily with a day in between here

and there if I dont eat much, but according to the ThreeLac sites

even once a day isnt enough! SHEESH!

> So you are ok and its good that you are going, also, ThreeLac is

natural and will not hurt you. It is safe to take up to I think its 4

packets a day and also the ThreeLac sites say that you can definately

take an antifungal with it. No worries there. Your doc should have

not just guessed that you had yeast because you looked like it. Did

he see that typical discharge or just the redness. Great tht you get

to see susan. WHEN? She will help. Just write down everything you

have done and for how long. I always do that for my docs .

[Guest guest]

Candi,

I didn't realize that you could also take a probiotic with the Three

Lac? I thought that the Three Lac served that whole purpose? What

probiotic are you taking? Why are you going to switch to Harry's

Probiotics after this bottle of Three Lac? I thought you were going

to cut back to two packets next month, and then keep taking one

packet for maintenance? Do you know how much Harrys probiotics are-

I remember going to the site, but I can't remember - was it $40 for

a bottle? How much is in the bottle and how much is WEndy taking?

Can I give you a call sometime - I have your phone number in an old

email that you sent me?

Maureen

[Guest guest]

Candi,

Did the gynelotrimin work for you? If I still culture for yeast, I

will probably use the nizoral (as long as agrees) and if that

doesn't work than I will just have to use a cream. Hopefully

between the Three Lac and using another antifungal, I can beat it

before it gets to that!

Thanks, Maureen

[Guest guest]

Gynelotrimin made me worse. So if you use it, be sure to try a small amount in

a small area first to see how it is going to affect you.

Ora

>Maureen, if you DO have to use somehting vaginally, I have had luck with

Gynelotrimin not burning me like the others. Its b een the only one. I am VERY

sensitive to creams, ointments etc. I can last 5 days on it before I start to

peel. I am abnormal. hehe I was told i peel becaus eof the FMS. Apparently quite

a few of the ladies in my group peeled from topicals as well. That made me feel

so much better because in the VV groups i was the only one. So you can probably

tolerate more creams than I can. My mom only will use gynelotrimin. Just make

sure if prescribes one that you had a reaction to you let her know.

>C~