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From: New Girl
Date: 07 Mar 2004
Time: 15:35:49
Remote Name: 80.225.204.58
That sounds like no fun at all. I can appreciate how desperate you must feel having been thru similar problems myself.
It is likely that the yeast infections and the UTI's are acting together in a cycle. Each time you get a UTI you get a yeast infection and vice versa. The best things you could try are the following:
1. Drink plenty of water. 2. Look at your diet. It sounds like you have a condition called candida. THis means essentially that the yeast is taking over your whole system from your digestive tract to your vagina and urinary tract. You need to cut out all forms of yeast from your diet, processed foods and the big one sugar. Any of these will "feed" the yeast and make it more difficult for your body to cope. 3. Try taking cranberry capsules, at least 5000mg a day - this should help with the UTI's. Although cranberry juice is a recognised help with UTI's you might be best not to drink it because tof the high level of sugar in it. IF you do, water it down. 4. Take acidophilus. This will help sort out your digestive tract and help a lot with the yeast infections.
5. Only wash using aqueous cream. Any form of scented soap will only give you a yeast infection or UTI. You should be able to pick up a huge tub from the pharmacist for very little cost. It will have the added effect of being very soothing.
6. If you bathe, don't use anything in the bath except: tea tree oil, 4 drops only, lavender oil 4drops only, 6 bags of camomile tea (Sounds strange but camomile is very healing). Juniper oil is supposed to help with UTI's but I have personally never found it to be that great. Using sodium bicarbonate in the bath is also very soothing for both UTI's and yeast infections. 6. It may sound obvious, but make sure you wipe after going to the toilet, front to back. Most UTI's are caused by bacteria contained in feaces getting into your urinary tract.
7. In terms of medication, my gyneacologist will always prescribe me with for yeast infections: Canestan HC cream to sooth your outer vagina, canestan (clotrimazole) pecessaries for internally. Over the years, I have found that these work best. However, as you are in a wheelchair, it might not be possible for you to use pecessaries. They are pretty grim, but the canestan 500mg pecessary only needs to be used once, and should clear up the symptoms of the yeast infection. I know that I have previously used another oral medicine for yeast infections apart from diflucan, but I can't remember the name. Will let you know if I have any inspiration. Another thing I have recently been prescribed is Trimovate cream by Glaxo. It is a steriod, and antibiotic cream the sort of thing you would use on excema. I didn't like it that much by my gyneacologist has had good results with it recently.
8. With the UTI's, if you are able, you can "treat" them in a 3 hour space, if you have the patience and someone to help you. You need to drink a pint of water every 20 mins for 3 hours. Take some ibuprofen (if you can) to help sort out the pain and the inflamation. It does require a lot of nerve and you will be on the toilet a lot. It basically will flush out the bacteria causing the UTI. However, in your situation, you might find this difficult.
9. Get tested for diabetes. Both regular UTI's and yeast infections are both symptoms of diabetes.
10. Take a look at what else you can do for yourself. Difficult as it might be, you need to try with the incontinence. See a specialist. Despite being in a wheelchair, there is no reason for you to be in this state. THere is a lot you can do for yourself with pelvic floor exercises etc, but medically there is a lot that can be done now. NO-ONE should ever need to use incontinence pads. Make your voice heard and demand that they do something, do not settle for second best and live in the way that you have been forced to live.
I wish you luck!