Okay, went to the gyno today because this is my FOURTH yeast and bacterial (combo) infection this year. I need to know what the heck is going on. She really had no ideas - I don't douche, don't eat/drink much sugar, wear cotton undies, all that stuff.

The only thing I can come up with is the lubricant my bf and I use for manual stuff (we don't have intercourse). The water-based lubes all made me end up with infections, so we've been using silicone-based ID Millennium, with pretty good success. But who knows, maybe this last time it was enough to push me over the edge. Anyway, she gave me a handout on preventing these infections, and it says to avoid commercial lubricants since they all have chemicals and additives. It said to use pure vegetable oil, i.e. solid or liquid Crisco. I saw this and thought it was crazy! Wouldn't that make the perfect breeding ground for yeast and bacteria? Or not?

Well, I tried the K-Y Silk-E and had a HORRIBLE reaction to it - everything turned bright red and swollen, it itched and burned like crazy, and 2 days later I had a yeast infection. I've tried other water-based lubes like WET and ID, but it all had glycerin in it, which I'm told is very bad for someone prone to yeast infections (and I did have quite a few while we used those products).

The funny thing is, on this sheet that said to use vegetable oil, it said to use it WITH unlubricated condoms! I don't remember if it said latex or another material. Probably another material, because I always thought oil-based things would mess up latex too.

I'm very curious about this veg. oil thing. I'd try just about anything to avoid these damned infections. Anyone ever tried this?

That sounds insane! I have always heard that you are only to use water-soluble(?) lubricants!

I have read the both vegetable-based and mineral-based oils are equally bad for latex condoms. Joodles' Dr probably suggested it because she knew they weren't using condoms or having intercourse (I'm figuring if Joodles told us she wasn't having intercourse, she probably told her doc).
As for it being a perfect breedng ground for yeast and bacteria, probably only if you leave it there for a few months. :D

That's a no no I believe should be water based products...

Since you keep getting recurring infections my one question is have they considered that maybe your partner has these infections and is passing them back and forth to you. I assusme you are eating plenty of yogurt with live active cultures or taking acidophillis capsules to help prevent yeast infections. I find the idea of using shortening pretty unappealing for a lube but would not be totally turned off on the vegetable oil. I would think you would need a rather heavy towel under you though as that would be nasty trying to get it out of the sheets.

Well unless my boyfriend can carry a yeast infection on his hands and not know it, he's not passing it back to me. We don't have intercourse. I've been taking acidophilus pills, but these past 2 weeks I slacked off a bit. Guess I'll get back on that regimen again.

I think the problem is the birth control pills. I had never had an infection until the month I started taking them at 22 years old, and it's been a very very frequent thing since then. I'm on one of the lowest doses as it is, so I don't know what else to do. This is so frustrating!!

One thing's for sure... Crisco is a hell of a lot cheaper than any lubricant I've seen. I'd just be afraid of smelling like fried chicken afterwards.. yuk.

I eat loads of yoghurt, wear cotton underwear, don't douche, etc but I still get an infection at least once per month.
The only reason I can think for this is the pill.
I went on the pill last year in about August and a month or so later I started getting infections.
Then in February I changed to a low dose pill and started getting them twice monthly (one just before and one after my period).
Now, I have to take the pill continuously (not for this reason) and hope that it will put and end to this problem as well.
I'm not suggesting you do this, but I am curious to know.
Has your doctor mentioned you being on the pill as a possible reason?
I have seen about three doctors, and only one suggested to me that it could be it, the other two I asked and they didn't think it significant at all.
Hopefully you can find an answer. I am 19 and have had about 15 yeast infections in the past 8 months. I know how frustrating it is.

I feel ya girl! It sucks big-time! The doctor I'm seeing about this doesn't seem to think there's any correlation between the pill and the yeast infections, but I don't buy that. Nothing else in my life changed at that point; i.e. still using the same laundry soap, body wash, etc. And I wasn't at all sexually active until 7 or 8 months into the pills, and that's only been manual and oral. *sigh* I wish I had an answer... Well I guess you and I can take comfort in each other's misfortune, heh heh heh. Hang in there.

Seems like vegetable oil would be a big mess and then later on after sex, there would be all this goo dripping out. LOL. I dont know, but it doesnt seem too sanitary.

I could be way of base but I used to get a lot of yeast infections because my boyfriend at the time was not the most cleanly person on earth. Perhaps the reason you are getting infections is due to his not washing enough. Try washing hands etc before you start anything and it might clear up for you. It did for me.

Also, it is easy to transfer a yeast infection to someone else through sexual intercourse or foreplay and people have been known to give their lovers yeast infections in the mouth and hands. So you could be innocently passing it back to and forth and never know it. By washing your hands etc before and after intercourse you can reduce the risk of passing it back and forth.

[This message has been edited by augenblick (edited 05-06-2003).]

I agree about the pill. I suffered from several yeast infections and didn't know why. After the birth of my second child I went on the shot(lots of bad things have been said about the shot but I have had no problems). After about a year on the shot I decided to go back on the pill. After about 4 months I went back on the shot. After going on the pill I began to suffer from migraine headaches and yeast infections. It was at this time that I realized that I had not had a yeast infection while I was on the shot.

When I told my doctor that I was suffering from monthly yeast infections and migraines he recommended that I go back on the shot. His recommending the shot showed that he believed that there was a link between the pill and the infections.

I am happy to say that I have been on the shot for almost a year again and have not had a single yeast infection!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by augenblick:
[B]I could be way of base but I used to get a lot of yeast infections because my boyfriend at the time was not the most cleanly person on earth. Perhaps the reason you are getting infections is due to his not washing enough. Try washing hands etc before you start anything and it might clear up for you. It did for me.

Hi, I am her b/f, and I am quite clean, and no I don't have it on my hands, but thanks for the post...

water based lubes only with latex condoms!!!!!!!!!!!!
as far as recurring yeast infections-have your blood glucose level checked-diabetes can cause recurrant yeast infections-and be checked for other std's-especially AIDS-these are all things that can cause recurrent yeast infections-I'm surprised the gyno didn't suggest it! I don't mean to sound alarming but constant yeast infections should not be happening. another thing you caould have your doctor check is something called candida albicans-it's a systemic yeast infection in the body-but definately have all this checked!! and also-antibiotics can upset the normal level of yeast in our body too. hope this helps!

Blood glucose has been checked several times - normal. My mom's a diabetic so I'm always on the lookout for signs of it in me, but so far so good.

I haven't been exposed to any STDs, but was checked anyway and all was negative.

I'll have to check into this candida albicans thing. Is it a blood test? Can that be run anywhere, like at a Planned Parenthood?



[This message has been edited by Joodles (edited 05-06-2003).]

my mother in law has this condition-I believe it is a blood test that was done at her regular doctors office-but since it's yeast-maybe an ob could do it also-but it's not a well known condition-so don't be surprised if the dr. doesn't think it's necessary-if you've got the health ins. to have it done-insist on it-it's your health and if you don't look out for yourself-nobody else will! my mother is also a diabetic! something we have in common! that's pretty cool-but seriously-I hope it's really nothing! and I'm glad the std test was negative!! that's a load off the mind! well-good luck-and don't forget maybe this is just your body acting up.well-good luck and feel free to let us know how things go-googoodoll ;)