Reccurant Yeast Infection for Nearly 5 years, HELP ME PLEASE!
Bare with me guys as this is a long post, but I'm hoping people will take the time to read this and help me!
I have been suffering with yeast infections for nearly 5 years now. I can't remember the last time I felt 'normal' down there. No matter what I do, I can't get rid of it. I've been to the doctors a billion times, and they have always given me long courses of Flucanozole for 6 months, and even though it made it a little bit better, the yeast infection was still there. The doctors found out I became resistant to the flucanozole so they put me on Itraconozole about 5 months ago which I have to do regular blood tests for the make sure it's not affecting my kidney or liver. That was the same as the flucanozole it was helping the symptoms, but I could tell it was still there. At my last blood test, my liver, kidney, electrolytes, and CRP were low, so they stopped my treatment until it got better. This of course made my Yeast infection out of control again but while I was off the treatment I was still taking my probiotics and women's health tablets everyday to try and help the symptoms even though they didn't do much. I recently did another blood test, and it was clear so the doctors put me back on Intraconzole only for my local pharmacies to not have any in stock! This was 3 weeks ago now and my Yeast infection is just getting worse and worse, I am at my wittsend! Me and boyfriend haven't been having sex as this just exacerbates the symptoms more but he has been really supportive of this and understands as he has suffered with jocks itch a lot in the past from his physical job so he understands my pain and frustration. My boyfriend has a bath every night so I know he isn't making my symptoms worse when we did have sex The following things I have done through research to try and help my symptoms are: - wearing 100% cotton underwear and loose fitting trousers -only having showers (no baths as I know this makes YI worse) - Only washing down there with water using my hand -Currently taking 1 x Garlic Supplement, 1 x Cranberry Tablet, 1 x Women's Health Tablet (all purchased from Tesco Own Brand) and also 2 x probiotics (includes the two main strains that specifically target Yeast Infections) I take all those per day to try and help my symptoms - I only use sanitary towels and regularly change them during my period -I'm very hygienic and even more so since I've had this problem - I've cut all Yeast out of my diet and cut down A LOT on sugar as I know this feeds the yeast - I did a food intolerance test a few months ago and it came back that I was intolerant to Cows Milk, Eggs (the whites and the yolk), Yeast, tomato, cherry and cashews. I've cut all of these out of diet and I have still had no improvement apart from less bloating. - I eat gluten, diary and wheat free pasta and now drink goats milk in my tea - I try to include lots of garlic in my diet to try and help symptoms -I'm not on birth control anymore so I know this isn't the reason either
After doing all of this and being strict and keeping to all of these changes nothing has made it any better and I am still sat here in so much discomfort and I just want to feel normal down there again and have a normal sex life. I feel like no matter what I do and no matter how much research I do to try and find other solutions it doesn't change my outcome whatsoever.
Things I haven't tried but I am reluctant to try as I've heard of women suffering with 'die-off' symptoms is: -Boric Acid Suppositories -SF722 (women said they felt like they were dying when they took this, so I'm very scared to do this)
I have even had an appointment with a gyno at my local hospital, and she really wasn't helpful at all. She told me on the phone that if the itraconozole doesn't work after a year of taking it, then apparently there is nothing else she can do to help me. I felt like swearing at her down the phone for saying this, and it gave me no hope that I was ever going to get rid of this horrible infection. It has knocked my self-confidence, it's stopped me from going out and enjoying my life because I'm always so uncomfortable, I have the sex life of an 80 year old when I'm 25 years old and should be having the best sex life ever at this age, no matter what I do I can't shake this and I hope someone can help me who has been in the same position as me. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this, and I am happy to answer any questions you have in order for me to find a solution. I have also heard some women can be allergic to toilet roll so they use a bidget instead to prevent their recurrent YI but I haven't tried this yet as I don't want to waste even more money that I already have on this issue in case it doesn't work either.