i've never done this myself, but i know a number of women who use this as their go-to remedy. to avoid the messiness, i have one friend who takes an unused tampon applicator, tosses the tampon, fills the applicator with plain yogurt and freezes it. the coldness is (apparently) really soothing and it's easy to insert. i've also heard of filling the fingers of a rubber glove and freezing that way. a little fro-yo popsicle for your va-jay-jay!

Well, if you found it by Googling, it must be right. Since when is trusting random strangers to dispense medical advice a feminist action? Since when is using evidence based medicine resorting to the man? And how do you know yogurt doesn't have any drug interactions? Next time you want medical advice off the internet, use Medline.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/

Please don't politicize this one. When you're ill, with yeast or whatever, you've gotta do what works to make yourself well. I've been a martyr to recurrent yeast infections in the past, and for me, yogurt simply does not work. It just doesn't. What worked was going to my lovely doctor and getting a prescription for prescription-strength seven-day treatment.

I don't think there's anything particularly feminist about natural cures. For one thing, natural cures aren't tested and standardized the way drugstore ones are. My point is, for all we know, yogurt has a ton of risks and side effects, but because it's not tested, we have no way of knowing about it.

The Monistat warning doesn't seem that scary to me. Everyone who's on a chronic med knows that you have to check over the counter stuff to see if there's an interaction issue. It's part of being on chronic meds.

Wow, FrumiousB, thanks for the wise, albeit, sharply-worded suggestion. I'll try to get my medical info from more reputable sources, though I also think that it's important to remember that "reputable" has historically stood for male-dominated medical models and a pharma-influenced health industry for a long time.

I've never done the yogurt in the vagina thing, but whenever I have a yeast infection I take acidophilus. The good bacteria kills the yeast, and within a day or so the infection goes away.

Essentially the same thing as the yogurt treatment, only less grody.

You can find acidophilus supplements in most grocery stores.

I've tried all 3 of those remedies with limited success, something you just need to resort to a prescription or a drug. It's good to let people know of the alternatives, but there's certainly nothing unfeminist about needing some damn monistat/diflucan.

I heard about the yogurt thing way back in the day from my mom, I think, but I've never had the opportunity to test it out. The friendly bacteria in yogurt are awesome for many reasons, one being to eat the problematic bacteria in a yeast infection, and another being to counteract problematic bacteria in your gut. The latter has been preached to me by doctors on a couple different occasions.
Yogurt is notoriously neutral where interaction is concerned, unless of course you're seriously lactose-intolerant.

The important thing to remember about diflucan, which neither my old no-good doctor nor the pharmacist bothered to tell me, is take it on a full stomach, because otherwise you will spend two or three days throwing up.

Since then, I've had occasion to take it properly and it works wonders--plus, you can have sex while using it.

I've personally done it every single time I've had a yeast infection except for the first time (in which I used monistat because I didn't know what else to do). Having used both, I can say that yogurt works just as well and just as quickly as monistat.

I can understand FrumiousB's sceptism, but there is scientific research to back this up. Plain yogurt contains L. acidophilus, which essentially balances out the colonies of candida albican (the bacteria that causes a yeast infection). I know I read this in an article for a women's health class I took last year, but since I'm in a foreign coutnry at the moment, I can't cite the study off hand.

The other thing I remember the study mentioning is that if you tend to have a lot of yeast infections, creams like monistat can eventually work to your disadvantage. In general, creams contain really high levels of anti-fungal bacteria, which, if you use them often enough, can make the candida bacteria evolve to be hyper-tolerant to the antifungal agent in monistat. Not sure if I'm explaining that in a way that makes sense, but it's analogous to debates about the use of Purell.

Finally, I think it's a little better to use yogurt than medicated cremes simply because a little cup of unflavored yogurt is a hell of a lot less expensive than a tube of monistat.

I use yogurt whenever I get a yeast infection. I have reactions to most medicine and gave up using most prescription and over-the-counter treatments and started researching homeopathic remedies.

I like to take a bit of plastic wrap and put an index finger sized portion of plain (sugar free) yogurt in the middle, then roll it up and twist the ends. Pop that in the freezer and you've got an instant fix. I keep a few of these on hand all the time, just in case.

I've tried garlic as well. It's not nearly as soothing as yogurt and the garlic oil can burn your skin so you have to be careful if you're sensitive; the same can be said for tea tree oil. If you're going to try either of these for the first time, dilute them a little first.

I've found the best method for applying tea tree oil to cure both BV and yeast infections is to use a water application (aka douche) -- 8-10 drops of organic tea tree oil (or a tea tree/lavender mix) in some purified water and squirted as slowly as possible usually cures any symptoms I'm having within 2 days. This is the method that was recommended to me from the Chicago Women's Health clinic and I've been using it ever since. My chronic yeasties cleared right up.

Yoghurt is *alternative*? I thought everyone did it. I must live on the wrong planet or something.

I LOVE all this swapping of health info...now THAT is feminist.

I work in the Nurtition and Bodycare department at my local natural foods co-op so I can give some advice here. While PLAIN yogurt with absolutely no sugar works well- it's the active cultures in it that are really helping. Just buy refrgerated probiotic capsules (that have the live cultues such as acidolphulus in them) and take them orally and you can also put one in your vagina each night. It will dissolve and the probiotics will get there even faster. Also, tea tree oil is great but NOT straight!!! There are tea tree oil vaginal suppositories that are diluted tea tree oil with vegetable glycerine. Also, while you have the infection, cut out sugars and wheat produts and you should be yeasty free!

Whether or not alternative treatments work for you may have a lot to do with your diet. If you are eating a high volume of refined sugars, white flour-based goods, packaged foods, high-salt, high-fat content foods, etc., it is more than likely that that may be contributing to your yeast infection and may be why "natural remedies" won't work for you. A diet high in fresh fruits & veg, complex carbs, grains and, yes, yogurt (without dyes or a pound of sugar in it) will help your vaginal flora re-calibrate.

Additionally, avoiding the kind of clothing that is in vogue right now (thong underwear, super-tight-at-the-crotch jeans) will also lower your chances of developing canididiasis (aka, yeast).

I think applying good ole common sense is a terribly feminist idea. :)

Yeah I've heard of the yogurt thing for years. I almost hate to say this because I'm totally supporting "The Man" AND the evil pharmaceutical industry, but Diflucan, the yeast infection pill, has saved my life. I have pretty chronic yeast infections and have never had to result to Monistat OR yogurt. You take one pill and a day or two later it's gone. It's been around long enough that they have a generic so it's hella cheap. You need a prescription but my doc writes me one for a bunch at a time so I just stockpile. I don't know much about the risks or side effects, but I've never had a problem and I swear by it.

This is something I feel very strongly about--gynecological issues are feminist issues! Acknowledging this is not the same as saying one line of treatment is better than another. What is most important is that we women know all of our options before we choose a treatment. Unfortunately, most women assume that western drugs like Monistat are the only option when they have a yeast infection, and this is definitely not the case.

As a vegan, I have never tried yogurt. But I have always used garlic cloves and they have never failed to get rid of the infection in a couple days. As Lauryn mentioned, garlic oil can irritate your delicate skin, so it is important not to nick the clove with your nails when peeling it. Wrap it in sterile gauze, leaving a tail to ease future removal. Lubricate with olive or almond oil. Change the clove 2 to 3 times a day for the first two days, and then once in the morning and once at night for 5 to 6 days (if the infection lasts this long, but I have never had to use the treatment for the whole time).

You can also use diluted apple cider vinegar topically to soothe the itch. And of course it is most important to change your diet! Stop eating any yeast breads and sugars--including fructose. Eat lots of leafy greens and whole grains.

Anyone who is interested in alternative women's health issues should look for these zines: "Hot Pants" and "Wive's Tales." They are both great at explaining why DIY remedies are important, especially for women. You used to be able to get these through the awesome organization out of Montreal called Blood Sisters. Look them up!

I would prefer not to politicize the issue... whatever works, works. Both treatments work for me. A friend of mine can only take the oral meds-- the yogurt did nothing, and the Monistat caused an allergic reaction that --no joke-- made her junk swell up to the size of a grapefruit. Ouch!

"But it's got me wondering, is it "less feminist" to resort to store-bought cures or is this one of those things that we should lay off on politicizing?"

Wow, it kind of shocked me to see this question on here. It seems, to me, like a very short step from arguing that DIY or natural remedies are "more feminist" than the corporately-manufactured stuff, to arguing that DIY or natural birth control is somehow "better" than the manufactured stuff. And that's a place I really wouldn't be comfortable going.

Many yogurts bought in the supermarket have very little bacteria in them, and some Greek yogurts, which many people think is more healthful, have none. If anyone's going to try the yogurt cure, they need to make sure there's a good amount of bacteria in the yogurt they use. In other words, do a little research.

Personally, I'm not afraid or of distrustful of modern medicine, so I use Diflucan if I've been at the doctor, or Monistat. I almost always get a yeast infection if I've been on antibiotics (and that's pretty much the only time I do)so I usually ask for a Diflucan prescription at the same time as receive the antibiotic prescription, although I don't always get it. When I start an antibiotic I immediately start taking acidophilus pills, lots of 'em, to try to stave off the yeast infection, but generally it only makes the infection less severe. If I were prone to yeast infections, I'd probably take acidophilus every day. They won't hurt you and a lot of people find that they settle the stomach. You can get them at any drugstore, GNC or health food store.

And, as someone else said, just because a treatment is "natural" doesn't mean it's good or can't hurt you. All it means is that there's no data on whether it works, has side effects, or dangerous interactions. Any treatment that's strong enough to cure an illness or infection is strong enough to give you a bad reaction. Many people have allergies to tea tree oil, and I can't imagine how horrible it would be to have a topical allergic reaction inside your vagina. If you haven't used straight tea tree oil before, I'd test it out before squirting it up your vagina. Same thing with lavender--some people love it, I'm allergic to it. At least with FDA approved treatments you have the most common reactions listed on the packaging. And please don't argue with me about reactions that turn up later, of course there are, as many reactions don't turn up until a drug or treatment has been used in a huge population, not just a small test one. I'm chronically ill, and I'm very grateful to the various drugs that allow me to live a pretty normal life.

Word, BluePencils.

I've heard the "eat less white bread" stuff before, and I don't buy it for two reasons. One is that I can eat all the refined sugar and wear all the tight jeans I want; I only get yeast infections if I'm having sex. Seriously. Sex = yeast infections. No sex = no yeast infections. Second, if it comes down to altering my entire lifestyle to avoid the food and clothing I love best, or taking diflucan, well...writing me a fucking prescription already.

This is why I really dislike the rhetoric about natural cures being more feminist. Those of us for whom they don't work end up being told that it's somehow our own fault--we eat the wrong things or wear the wrong things, but somehow it becomes easier to blame us for the cures not working than it is to simply acknowledge that some things work for some people and not for others.

It is important to remember when discussing treatments that the FDA and western medical industry don't have exclusive rights to the idea "tested and proved effective." Some natural and herbal remedies have been passed down through generations as safe and effective. True, it takes more work on our part to seek out these latter remedies, while we are bombarded daily with advertisements for western remedies. Hence this is a feminist issue: the knowledge passed down through generations of women is devalued in the face of traditionally male-dominated western medicine.

"Tested," as far as I'm concerned, means double-blind comparative testing with other factors controlled for. Folk remedies do get passed down, but not only is there no control for the placebo effect, but harmful things can be in there with nobody noticing--the NYT had a story recently about a Mexican remedy for childhood ills that turned out to contain a high level of lead.

I have never tried yogurt as a topical in my vagina, but I have used it on my chest and face when I got thrush (also yeast, of course) from taking antibiotics. It worked beautifully and did not upset my very sensitive skin.

So, hell yes I'd try it. 1. How can it be worse than Monistat and 2. It is MUCH CHEAPER!!! If it did not work I would go on to something else like Monistat or Diflucan.

i tried the yogourt treatment 3 years ago. i was having yeast infections like crazy, and i decided to give it a try. i used plain, organic yogourt... and i ended up with a yeast infection from hell! so it really doesn't work for me. i'll stick to canesten or diflucan anytime. i EAT a lot of yogourt (for the good bacterias), but i'm not sticking any in my vagina ever again...

You should use what works best for you. Having stated that, yogurt is an age old remedy for yeast infections that does seem to work for some people. My partner used to have a fair amount of regular yeast infections. Since eating yogurt on a daily basis the yeast infections have dropped to near zero. She prefers Brown Cow yogurt while I eat Nancy's, both have plenty of good bacteria in them.

Could it be the placebo effect? Yea, it could be, but there have been studies that demonstrate a correlation between regular yogurt intake and a drop in yeast infections. Even if it is the placebo effect, who cares? As long as it's working and not causing harm.

That last bit can be equally applied to Monistat and other prescription cures.

I've had doctors tell me to this. I've had friends doctors tell them to do this.

I didn't realize it was such a big deal.

My mother has used and advised such a treatment many titmes, though I've never had any need to use it myself. I was of the opinion that this was common knowledge because I've heard it so many times!

ok, this is a dumb question, but: How do you get the yogurt out?

I'm sure it doesn't treat yeast infections so well, but if I've felt a little scratchy, like one is starting, I use yogurt and the symptoms do go away. My doctor told me eating yogurt helps prevent infections.

I assume what doesn't get absorbed just runs out - much like the monistat suppositories. I usually do the deal at night and wear a light pad to catch the drippage.

yogurt works well, as does garlic. you can also insert acidophillus pills directly into your vagina. i use boric acid capsules (you can buy 'yeast away' at a natural grocer which is the same thing, or buy the boric acid at walgreens--ask the pharmacist--and stuff the capsules yourself) and that works amazizngly!

another cool note i just discovered last week--cayenne pepper cures a sore throat! i mixed some hot water with cayenne, strained it into an old chloraseptic bottle, and sprayed it into my throat. my throat had hurt like razor blades for two days, and it felt better within 30 minutes. had a girlfriend who did this continuously for strep throat and had a culture a week later and it was gone :) love natural medicine.

I heard about yogurt when I had my first ever yeast infection, but have never tried it because I -thankfully- haven't had that many. I hear it's especially important to use sugar-free yogurt. I almost always get them from antibiotics or my period (which is hell). Diflucan was a God-send. I found Monistat messy and ineffective.

What I would like to know about is how to stop the excruciating pain I get from chronic UTI's. I twinge just thinking about them. My doctor basically shrugged her shoulders and told me I would be having them for the rest of my life "because some women are just prone to them." Then she wrote me a prescription (which I doubt is effective because it takes 3-4 days to work, and they've gone away on their own after this period of time too).

I've become pretty good at managing them with cranberry pills, peeing AND washing after sex, and to manage the pain I put a heating pad between my legs. It's the only thing that works, and I have no idea why. Those pills that make you pee orange do nothing for me. Hardly any of my friends get them the way I do. Any advice?

Sara -- that's totally not a dumb question. I was wondering that myself!!!

In terms of "politicizing" gynecological care... I think there's something to be said for women talking openly about gynecological conditions(not treating them as taboo or shameful) and sharing advice (particularly on cheaper, less corporate, and more environmentally sustainible options) as a very feminist act. I think we shoudl do more of it.
However, I also feel uncomfortable with judging and condemning women for sticking to the mainstream pharmacological treatments... perhaps this is because I generally don't take the initiative to take a non-mainstream approach. (Main example: I KNOW I should use a DivaCup/Keeper, but I haven't gotten around to buying one and trying it yet.) Then again, I've never had a yeast infection... perhaps if I do I will try this yogurt/probiotic capsule solution. I certainly like that idea a lot better than crazy chemicals.

I found this on the internet when I was having some chronic problems and it really helped me out. Using Monistat seemed to just cover up the problem for a while, but not actually make it go away. But the yogurt (frozen in a clean monistat applicator) really seemed to help re balance my vagina's Chi.

In actual fact I hate eating yogurt so much that I actually prefer to put it in my vagina. At least that way I don't have to taste it.

I tried this a few years ago. I put little spoonfuls of yogurt on plastic wrap and, like Shinobi, froze it. It worked really well at controlling my symptoms. I never had a repeat infection. I can't say that the yogurt is the reason *why* for sure, but I'd definitely say it's a really cheap and easy thing to do, and that it worked well for me.

Come on, Courtney,

Warfarin is a blood thinner (brand name Coumadin), and if you're on it, chances are you get bruises. Chances are also that you have bigger things to worry about (like a previous stroke) than a yeast infection.

Such a knee-jerk reaction to a simple drug warning (one that doesn't even include the risk of death) is irresponsible and, as has been noted in other comments, unnecessarily politicizing.

During a period in my life when I had chronic yeast infections, I successfully used plain yoghurt to stave off a full-blown yeast infection when I felt I was getting a little itchy, but once I really had one going, I would go pharmaceutical. Overall, I have found diet changes - really cutting down on sugar and processed white flour - worked better. Also, when I had a mild yeast infection in my nipples (it happens during breastfeeding, from leaking and it being moist all the time), taking acidophilus capsules and washing with a mild vinegar solution was a lot more effective than yoghurt.

I had no idea this was some kind of politicized thing. Maybe it's a regional thing, but it's pretty common where I am to go with yogurt. Doctors have advised friends of mine to do it, and almost all of the women I've known who've had any statement on the matter were pro-yogurt. I've had three yeast infections, all brought on by trying a different lube. I ended up using monistat for all of them just because I already had yogurt,and just felt a bit too silly getting a whole new big container just for that. (Too much leftover to eat in a short time.)

Some people have good experience with the pills, some with monistat and others, and still others are completely happy with yogurt and tea tree and stuff. If they all are getting good results, and all of the users no longer have bread machines in their pants, vive la difference!

I don't think natural remedies are somehow more feminist than traditional medical remedies. However, these traditional methods are often touted as the only answer--that women aren't meant to question their veracity, and I think its bull. According to my local drug store shelf, anything going on in my vagina is a yeast infection.
(The New Our Bodies Ourselves) says that "Microscopic analysis of vaginal secretions (known as a wet mount) is the only way to be sure that the infection is candida and not something else. Several other conditions (such as cytolytic vaginosis) may respond temporarily to candida treatments and then recur a short time later, so accurate diagnosis is important."
I know this the hard way, and ended up diagnosed as having Bacterial Vaginosis (which is not as uncommon as the dearth of products for it would suggest). Yogurt artificially lowers the ph of the vagina, allowing the good bacteria a chance to regroup, garlic can eliminate bad bacteria and again allow the good bacteria to regroup and proliferate--so even the natural remedies can work for more than one problem, masking the true diagnosis.
Taking your health into your own hands is undoubtedly feminist, but it's important to get your self diagnosis confirmed especially if the problem is recurring.
http://www.vaginapagina.com/index.php?title=Bacterial_vaginosis
http://www.vaginapagina.com/index.php?title=Yeast_Infection

Also wanted to add that I don't think this should be politicized. Overmedicalization of our society is a progressive and public health issue, and it tends to play out more on women's bodies, but I think the feminist issue is patient empowerment and informed consent, not whether you use yoghurt vs. Monistat or the Diva cup vs. tampons.

Also, I don't want to get all conspiracy theorist, however, I feel that it's worth note that a diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis often means either an attempt to lower the ph (acidophilus, boric acid suppositories etc.), or traditional antibiotics to allow the good bacteria to return and multiply. Antibiotics are not sold over the counter,this might explain why commercial treatments have not come into vogue for this particular problem. RePHresh is the only commercial product that could possibly treat the issue, although it is described as a preventative measure by the company and in no way promises a cure for a current infection--although lowering vaginal ph may prevent the bad bacteria from continuing the multiply and bring everything back into balance.

OK -- I'm totally late to this, but I had to weigh in anyway. I had recurring yeast infections for years, and it wasn't until I turned to the natural remedies that I was able to cure them for long periods of time. As soon as I feel symptoms coming on I take a combination of garlic, acidophillus and caprylic acid (all available at the health food store). I take the amount recommended on the bottle (or a little bit more) 2-3 times per day. In addition, I make a douche with warm water, garlic and acidophillus (I open up the capsules and add them to the water), and douche twice a day. (BTW - yes, douching a la Summer's Eve is unhealthy, but a homemade douche can be very effective for topically treating a yeast infection). A woman at the health food store told me about this remedy years ago, and it works every time for me! I tell people about it anytime I can!!

Hence this is a feminist issue: the knowledge passed down through generations of women is devalued in the face of traditionally male-dominated western medicine.

No, it's not a feminist issue. It has nothing to do with the patriarchy. It has to do with anecdotal evidence versus the scientific method. I'll go with the scientific method, thank you. Yes, there are natural remedies that work, of course there are. It's just rare to be informed of any side effects and interactions, which leads to many people believing that if a treatment is "natural," it doesn't have any side effects. Which is ridiculous.

As someone else just said--the real feminist issue is information and patient empowerment. We should be able to control our own bodies. As I said above, I always get a yeast infection when I go on an antibiotic, but a lot of doctors make a face and refuse to give me a Diflucan prescription at the same time, which would save me a lot of bother. I wish they could just trust that I know what I'm talking about, it's not as if there's a Diflucan black market or I'm asking for Oxycontin.

As a public health professional, I believe if it works for you, use it, as long as it is safe, and if it doesn't, sometimes you have to resort to over the counter medication. Of all the research I have done on natural medicine, every place says to do your homework and use with caution. I also want to point out that even though the FDA regulates a medication, it doesn't mean it's safe. The FDA has pulled several medications of the past few years because of the health effects.

BluePencils, I feel the same way at the doctor. I mentioned before I get chronic UTI's. I insisted my doctor test me for other things just in case it wasn't a UTI or there was some other problem causing my chronic UTI's, and she gave me such a hard time about it. For lack of a better term, I always feel bullied by doctors, regardless of how I attempt to inform myself beforehand. If I'm going to the doctor I expect an expert opinion and a patient explanation. It's part of the reason I hardly ever go to the doctor. I want their expert opinion without being dismissed as if I don't know my own goddamn body.

I had (what I suspected was) a yeast infection brought on by a rather high dose of antibiotics I was taking to treat strep throat. I made a point of injesting a lot of plain yogurt and cranberry juice and it cleared right up. When I went back to my doctor for my follow up appointment I described my experience and she told me that I had done the right thing. *shrugs* I thought everyone knew about the yogurt trick...

sorry about the rant*

who would have thunk all this discussion on "yogurt pussies"? ;)

Oh also, regarding the Caution warning on the Monistat site, I suspect that has more to do with how Warfarin seems to react badly with SO MANY things. Like... ginger, and aspirin, and lots and lots of seemingly innocuous herbal supplements (garlic anyone?). My Dad is on Warfarin and he has to consult his pharmacist before taking new non-prescription meds or making changes to his diet.

My first yeast infection was terrible and chronic. Before I went to the doctor I tried the plain yogurt in a tampon applicator and while it felt wonderful (cooling down the itching and burning) it didn't last for very long. I had to go to the doctor and get a prescription eventually and that worked very quickly for me. I'd say whatever works for people works for those people.

I've never tried the yogurt in the chacha treatment, but I always use the yogurt in the mouth treatment, or better, the probiotics (in pill form) treatment. It also helps greatly with vitamin B absorbtion. If that doesn't work, I use Monistat or whatever, but just killing the yeast doesn't get to the fact that there's some deficiency in intestinal flora that needs to be corrected. Keep the intestines happy!

Eating yogurt regularly helps because it keeps the good bacteria levels up. I've done that when I start to get itchy and it helps. Putting it directly in there would be more effective, but its too messy for me. I prefer garlic for that. Again, I haven't done the garlic + vagina thing yet (I don't get infections very often) but I do take garlic when I get sick. Like right now, I smell like ginger and garlic because I have a head cold of doom.

With regard to the question, I don't know that it makes someone a lesser feminist if they OTC meds, but its ridiculous to think that theres not politics in medicine. I have plenty of friends who refuse to take medicine because they don't trust 'the man', but wont take care of themselves by other methods. A lot of people I know who generally don't feel good aren't doing basic things for themselves like getting enough water or sleeping. I dont like to go to the doctor and am more likely to self treat something (hence the ginger) unless its severe. However, my mom was a nurse, and so while I don't implicitly mistrust the medical profession, I also know that some doctors are likely to run over the patients thoughts and opinions because they are 'uninformed' by medical science, even if the 'doctor ' is a medic at a (in my case, college) clinic with minimal training.

T-Monster -- Saw your question about UTI's, and that has been a huge struggle for me since I got a kidney infection when I was a kid. Anyway, I have gone from every-six-weeks (for years and years) to maybe one a year. Screw the orange pills. The cranberry pills are great (I take them every day), and the peeing and washing after sex is key. I always take two extra cranberry pills after sex. For some reason, using lube every time helps a lot too. Also, making tea from corn silk works really well. The one suggestion I have is: always wipe front to back, and never wipe twice with the same piece of TP. Kind of yukky, but helped SO much. I also have a bottle of weak (prescription) antibiotics that my ob-gyn gave me in case I wake up and can feel it coming on. Those damn antibiotics are the reason I know about yeast, too, but they do certainly work.

I'm a huge boric acid fan. I had monthly+ yeast infections for about a year a few years ago. I would end up in urgent care at my health center, one doc even told me after a hasty exam that he was 99% sure I had HPV and herpes (I had neither, took me 3 months to confirm both negative diagnoses, but I digress)...

After trying just about every conventional yeast eradication system at Walgreens I found a new doc and he suggested boric acid. I was wary because it tells you on the bottle that you should wash it off your skin immediately upon contact, lol. But I poured it in the capsules myself and lo and behold they are little miracles. No goo, no icky undies, no mess. Just put one in at night every night for a week and you should be all cleared up. I was using them more often for my case, but I was able to have sex normally anyway.

It's so cheap, a bottle of boric acid is $5-10 and empty capsules are sold in bulk at most health food stores. Just takes a little time and a teeeeny funnel to fill them.

Hmm, if yogurt is good, I wonder how kefir would work? I've given up on eating yogurt because it's hard to find brands that really have an active culture...whereas kefir...well, I know it has 'em because I can taste what happens if I leave it out of the fridge and the culture has some time to grow. ^_^ Definitely alive and feisty.

'Course, Kefir is more liquid than yogurt, so maybe it wouldn't be as convenient, consistency-wise. But if someone is willing to try apple cider vinegar, Kefir or Kombucha tea (another active-culture, anti-fungal drink) would work just as well.

There's also a really great, comprehensive (and feminist) website on treating yeast infections here: http://www.msu.edu/~eisthen/yeast/ , including info on how to do to the yogurt thing. It was my savior the first time I suffered a yeast infection.

Never underestimate the power of alternative remedies. As a dancer, I had plantar warts for about two years in college and was terrified to see a doctor because I knew I'd be told I'd have to have them burned off. When I finally went to a dermatologist at my university and expressed my terrible fear, she suggested I take oral zinc supplements, a treatment which had up to that point only been nominally studied in some Middle Eastern country (Iraq, I think, incidentally). The zinc worked like a charm; over the course of about three months, I watched the warts literally dry up and disappear, and I was relieved as hell to not have to go through a miserable, painful procedure to get rid of them.

No doubt there are obvious reasons (corporate control, money) why scientists in the U.S. don't get funding and don't spend their time seriously studying alternative remedies. If they did, it would make health care a whole lot easier, cheaper, and possibly, as in my case, less painful, and drug and insurance companies can't have that. That would mean ... more CHOICES for the patient.

I've actually never tried yogurt but garlic worked really well for me.

Just wrap some gauze around it, tie it up with dental floss or string and you're good to go.

The only problem (and this may be tmi) I had was with the smell. But maybe I was just overly conscious of it.

I don't like the idea that there is only one right way to cure a yeast infection either. I would hope all feminists would support the dissemination of as many different ways as possible, so that women can find out for themselves what works for them.

That said, I do think that one of the factors in yeast infections is what you eat. I know I get more intense cravings for refined sugar foods when I have a yeast infection, but rarely get yeast infections if I make yogurt or probiotics a big part of my diet. It can also be sex, as someone already said; I remember reading that the infection can continue to live on whatever was inserted into the vagina and reinfect it later (or infect someone else). But I do not think it's a fault to engage in any of these things and the only reason I would tell any woman any of these things is in the hope that she can use the information to make her more comfortable.

I'm a big fan of Diflucan (just take it with food and DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL for about two days) unless of course, you like puking your guts out.

Monistat gave me rebound BV, necessitating a two week course of Flagyl, plus it's all messy, but the diflucan cleared it right up.

Of course, whatever works, works. Yeast infections suck so whatever helps you walk without squirming, I say go for it. I don't think it's anti-feminist to use evidence-based remedies (although I do think that if monistat was for jock itch it would be cheaper...in fact, the active ingredient in monistat is the same active ingredient in Desenex, and Desenex IS cheaper.)

It's worth it to mention prevention too. There's evidence that eating yogurt (or even those acidopholous tablets) and drinking cranberry juice helps prevent the yeasties by keeping bad microbes in check through promotion of growth of good bacteria. That, a good pair of breathable cotton panties and regular washing (soap and warm water on your vulva, not internal and NOT DOUCHING) go a long way.

Sorry, it's the nurse in me; I get wordy.

Uh, OK, after reading the comments, I'm pretty baffled that people actually think the "scientific method" and medical research is not political, and that the *FDA*, of all ridiculously political organizations, is somehow not political. Surely we needn't be reminded that the FDA spent years "deciding" whether Plan B contraception could be sold over the counter ( http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/331/7527/1223-a/DC1 ), while Viagra zipped through and was scooped up immediately, with no resistance, by insurance companies.

Science and medicine have been and still are completely politicized and unarguably feminist issues. I think this should be obvious to anyone familiar with the history of medical and anatomical research and the history of blacks and women as objects of medical study - scientific racism, phrenology, craniometry, hysteria, the "scientific research" of Nazi Germany. There was scientifically no such thing as a female orgasm until the 20th century. Until recently, medical research was conducted almost exclusively on men and simply generalized to the female population. I'm sorry, but "science" does not know best. Some of the time it does not know at all. Many "proven" treatments don't work just like alternative treatments don't work, and many studied treatments cause so much suffering it forces one has to wonder whether they're treatments at all. This is why it's important to know about alternative *and* regular institutionalized, "researched" remedies, rather than brushing off alternative as baloney.

For anyone who has access to scholarly journals, _Hypatia_ has some great feminist critiques of science. Also, Nancy Tuana and Harvard emerita Ruth Hubbard have written on the politics of science and genetics.

I supposedly had chronic yeast infections and had been on literally dozens of rounds of diflucan combined with over the counter yeast infection medication, and my doctor was getting ready to get me gentian violet! Finally, I went to a different gynecologist, and I never had an overgrowth of yeast at all. I had vulvodynia, and I just happen to have thick vaginal secretions. My previous doctor was diagnosing on sight! Make your doctor do a wet mount!

Beyond that, my current gynecologist thinks it's good to cut back on sugar, but that the food you eat doesn't have a super significant effect on vaginal flora. The only times I've gotten actual yeast infections are when I'm on antibiotics and when I'm having quite a lot of sex. Semen throws off the pH (which is why sometimes there's a funny smell after sex), and it takes a few hours to balance out again. So, if you have sex three times a day or so, you've created excellent conditions for a yeast infection! My doctor said that if I'm getting a yeast infection as a result of a lot of sex or my pH going wonky right before my period, I can do a seriously diluted apple cider vinegar douche, and that will normalize my pH, and can help prevent the yeasties. She also said it's perfectly fine to try yogurt, and that it works for some, but not all of her patients. I'm taking antibiotics for my skin right now (b/c I just stopped taking HBC...and yikes, am I broken out!), and so I have a little yeast infection. I'm just using Monistat.

I second the boric acid cure. It cured my chronic yeast infections when the "medical" cures (both OTC and prescription) just helped for a little while. You don't hear about it because it's cheap and effective. I'm wary of treatments that seem to just get rid of symptoms for so long. Don't they want you to keep getting infections so you can buy their products? Boric acid cures it.

I've never had a yeast infection (I must just have a really strong vagina I guess, although I /was/ raised to eat lots of whole grains). However, my mom and sister have /always/ used yoghurt and drunk cranberry juice, and I think that usually works for them...

Lots of things interact with Warfarin, including garlic. I think you need to do a little more research before declaring treatments to be "good" or "bad". Different things work for different people, and it's good to explore your options, as people are doing in the comments, not eliminate them, as you do in the post.

It's too bad that probiotics have turned out to be such a bust. It sounded so promising.

Warfarin is HARDCORE BLOODTHINNER. It was discovered by a farmer when all his cows starting bleeding to death because of contaminated hay (That must have been an interesting thing to bring to the vet, "Hey my cows can't stop bleeding to death, what's with that??). Don't get all crazy panicky over interactions, if you're on warfarin you got bigger problems than a little yeast infection. (Oh yeah, and mad props to UW-Madison for discovering warfarin. Biochemistry RULES!)

Sidenote: Can't wait to become a doctor and tell my patients about home-made cures! I remember when I was just starting puberty my mom told me about the yogurt thing, and I had never been prouder to be my mom's kid. Yeah, yeast infections are gross, but we get to eat yummy yogurt to cure ourselves.

Just to add to the chorus of former chronic yeast infection sufferers, I would also recommend that your problem be diagnosed as a yeast infection before you try to treat it. It took several months of treatment with diflcan for me to get over my years'-long yeast issue. I think I picked up a particularly mean strain of yeast in the dorms. I did eventually discover that my partner was kind of harboring the yeast on his skin for a while, and he had totake diflucan for a while, too.

I've done this - it works! Soaking a tampon in yogurt is effective too.

allegra brought up a good point about the politicization of the FDA process and I would also add, just from an economic perspective, that the FDA trial process is paid for by companies bringing pharmaceuticals to market.

This means that there are weak incentives to bring remedies to market that aren't protected by strong intellectual-property claims. It's been said that aspirin would never make it through the FDA process today if it hadn't been grandfathered in. Yogurt definitely fits in this category.

Oh, and can we stop saying that science is one giant woman-hating shit show?

As a female scientist, I am fully aware that there have been extremely unethical practices in the past, and that we've yet to reach a point where there is equal attention paid to men and women's health, but c'mon man. The venom with which you so flatly shoot down science is really frustrated. I'm a chick, and I love science. Not in a, "wow this is interesting" kind of way, but in a "I want to devote the rest of my life to this" kind of way.

So, please just be a little sensitive when you insult my first and true love. Yeah, it's not perfect. I KNOW THAT, that's why I'm trying to change it. Please don't say its completely politicized. Have you been to medical research labs? Have you seen the GREAT work people are doing to cure things like breast and cervical cancer? It's just insulting that you brush it off so easily.

Yeah the FDA sucks big time, but you demean the work I do with your comments.

Oh and probiotics work, just not at the low concentrations they put in the "active naturals" yogurts. Just get organic yogurt or take probiotic pills (they're expensive but they work). Oh and just a warning: DO NOT take probiotics if you have compromised immunity.

Oh yeah, and douching doesn't work, I agree.

As a female scientist with training in pharmacology, I can both understand and shake my head at the medicine-is-a-feminist-issue rant. No, paternalistic doctors are not good. But if you have a bad infection, you need to get rid of it.
Most of us who are reading this blog grew up with clean communities and ready access to antibiotics, so we fail to fully appreciate that infectious disease can be very damaging, if not fatal. Many antibiotics are derived from microbes and other natural sources, and they are often more concentrated than the helpful organisms/compounds that you find in yogurt or garlic. As a result, the antibiotics that you purchase are often at least if not more effective than the less concentrated source product, and efficacy matters if your infection is extensive. If you want to speak out against medical condescension towards women, a sometimes poor attention to education by people in medical fields, or excessive corporatization of medicines, then I am with you. However, if you're attacking the objective study and effective treatment of infectious disease as being inherently masculine, you risk alienating those who devote their time to finding effective treatments for everyone. In addition, I have heard the Western-medicine-and doctors-are- anti-feminist-argument from people who won't vaccinate their kids, and that is a dangerous route to take. Obviously yeast infections aren't usually as serious as many diseases, but once you start following an overgeneral line of reasoning, you really set yourself up for primitive conditions for women (and children and men)-which seems pretty anti-feminist to me.

Like Chingona, if I catch it on the first day organic plain yougurt and acidophilus tablets do the trick for me. If I can't treat it until after a certain point (sometimes you don't realize it's coming on until you get to work in the morning!) I use the hard stuff, but also add the yogurt because of the soothing properties.

Mainly I try to use soap that doesn't upset the Ph balance.

Kayt beat me to the point - the slippery slope of the whole Western medicine & doctors are anti-feminist thing. Thank you for saying it better than i can.

I've had cancer twice. The same 'friends' who were very pro home remedies were the ones who gave me the most shit for doing chemo and stuff like that. i don't talk to them much b/c i got tired of hearing how i should skip chemo and go on a juicing fast, or whatever the alternative regimen of the moment is. I think there can be a real danger of creating a climate of such suspicion of all things Western medical that is as knee jerk as those that scoff at all things that are home remedies and ethnic traditions.

Happy mediums all.

And speaking of home remedies, now that its summer - did anyone else use nail polish to 'kill' chigger bites?

I don't think science is woman-hating, but I do think that medical science is just getting around to prioritizing women's health. And, I think that poverty is a feminist issue. Yogurt (or sour cream, it works too!) is cheap, available, and can make women using it feel more in control of their treatment.

Yogurt is cheaper than most OTC yeast infection treatments, and certainly cheaper than prescription treatments... and just as effective in most cases The first time I had a yeast infection, I couldn't afford to go to the doctor to get that confirmed, and I could barely afford the OTC treatment. I wish I had known then about yogurt.

The only time I tried Monistat I woke up with such intense burning and itching in my vulva and vagina that I was crying on the floor of the shower. On top of that, my yeast infection did not clear up. That's not to say that Monistat doesn't work for everyone else, but I will definitely try yogurt next time.
Has anyone else had similar experiences with Monistat or does anyone know why I might have reacted that way?

Since this thread is going strong, wanted to add a few more tips that really helped me (for those who have chronic problems) - I used to sleep in my underwear, but now I never do - either naked or pajama bottoms but nothing tight. It's made a big difference.

Second or third or whatever those who said you should check out bacterial vaginosis is you seem to have a persistent itchy feeling. Had that once too, kept trying over the counter to no avail, finally went to the gynecologist and took a round of oral antibiotics, followed by the requisite yeast infection, but once that yeast infection was cleared up, I really was good to go.

When you shower, don't put soap on your vulva - wash around but not inside or between your outer labia - because your soap - especially if it's perfumed or antibacterial - can upset your pH balance and encourage yeast overgrowth.

Also, I suspect a very mild (very mild) vinegar douche would be helpful. When I had the candida infection in my nipples, the midwife suggested washing with a mild vinegar solution, and when I was in the Peace Corps, the local health post nurse would recommend a mild vinegar douche because there was no OTC yeast infection medicine (or prescription for that matter, nor yoghurt neither and no money to buy anything even if it was available).

Also, the cranberry juice is for UTIs, though I read once that drinking the unsweetened stuff (which is lip-puckering, big time) regularly can reduce your overall sugar levels. Don't know if that's true.

About the chigger bites bailey_comus-yeah, that works. I've been told that chigger bites itch for a while because the buggers are under your skin laying eggs, so when you put nail polish over your bites, you're suffocating them and then they can't irritate you anymore. Not great dinner conversation, but it works...

I think one reason that using yogurt is framed as a feminist issue is that Monistat used to be available only by prescription, so even if you knew what was wrong with you, you couldn't treat yourself with Monistat. Enter yogurt--cheap, and easy to obtain! Dip a tampon in plain Dannon and insert it.
Why is putting yogurt in your vagina more icky than Monistat? At least the yogurt isn't greasy. That said, I have had to sue Diflucan occasionally when the yeast was really bad.

"'Tested,' as far as I'm concerned, means double-blind comparative testing with other factors controlled for."

Yeah, and who says that's only for the west?

"Folk remedies do get passed down, but not only is there no control for the placebo effect, but harmful things can be in there with nobody noticing..."

Or with people noticing but passing them on anyway, such as a patriarch noticing his wife having a problem with a "natural" treatment but telling her and their daughters to keep using it anyway?

"I think there's something to be said for women talking openly about gynecological conditions(not treating them as taboo or shameful) and sharing advice (particularly on cheaper, less corporate, and more environmentally sustainible options) as a very feminist act. I think we shoudl do more of it."

Yeah! :)

"I'm pretty baffled that people actually think the 'scientific method' and medical research is not political"

Scientific establishments are political, the scientific method isn't.

Here's a definition of the scientific method: http://www.colby.edu/biology/BI17x/expt_method.html

"Science and medicine have been and still are completely politicized and unarguably feminist issues."

If science is completely politicized, then what are the politics of the theory of gravity?

"Until recently, medical research was conducted almost exclusively on men and simply generalized to the female population."

That's one of many examples of a scientific establishment failing to use the scientific method.

"Oh also, regarding the Caution warning on the Monistat site, I suspect that has more to do with how Warfarin seems to react badly with SO MANY things. Like... ginger, and aspirin, and lots and lots of seemingly innocuous herbal supplements (garlic anyone?). My Dad is on Warfarin and he has to consult his pharmacist before taking new non-prescription meds or making changes to his diet."

Yeah. I was on Warfarin for a year, and I couldn't freaking eat SPINACH (it has vitamin K, which can thicken the blood -- kinda defeats the purpose of the anticoagulants). Drinking alcohol was also out of the question (thins the blood).

I had to have my blood checked frequently to make sure it wasn't too thick or too thin. My doctor gave me a list that was a few pages long and contained things I was not allowed to have. I was to call him if I had so much as a flu and wanted to take some NyQuil. Trust me, patients on Warfarin KNOW that they need to ask a doctor or pharmacist's advice about OTC medications. That warning says more about Warfarin than it does about Monistat.

I've heard of the yogurt thing, but never tried it myself. I have thankfully only ever had one yeast infection, and I didn't know about it then. If I got another one, I'm sure I'd try the yogurt. It's bound to smell better than Monistat...ugh.

I really don't think that home remedies are any more feminist than seeking a medical professional's advice, though. It is feminist to talk about these things and exchange advice about more pleasant/cheaper remedies, but it's not unfeminist to seek out a doctor's help if you think it's needed. That's just knowing your own body and what treatments it responds to.

There are annoying, paternalistic doctors who don't believe that their patients understand their own bodies. That attitude is something that needs to change, but the treatments that individuals choose needn't be politicized. I really don't think that western medicine as a whole is an enemy of feminism.

Having never used yogurt to treat a yeast infection, I'm not going to speculate on whether it works. I'm just here to clear up the science, because even though I know we all approximately get it, the imprecision is driving me nuts.

Normally in your vagina you have some bacteria (mostly Lactobacillus acidophilus--also conveniently in many yogurts) and maybe a little bit of yeast (not bacteria) called Candida albicans. Nobody is eating anybody else! They're just happily living off sugar and other nutrients. The yeast don't overgrow because they have limited resources left over from the bacteria, plus your immune system is keeping a watchful eye on them.

When, for some of a variety of reasons, your bacterial colonies or your immune system is not doing so hot, this allows the yeast (thus the name "yeast infection") to take over and screw everything up.

The idea with yogurt is that you might be able to add some new bacteria and so help them recolonize and reclaim their territory from the yeasties. (Again, there is no eating of the yeast by the bacteria.) You do have to put the yogurt in your vagina. Eating it might help recolonize your gut, but the friendly bacteria will not get anywhere near your vagina.

Then again, the yeast might have already staked too strong a claim and the poor bacteria might not be able to get back. So the idea with Monistat is that you just kill the yeast, and the bacteria that are already there can grow up and take over again. Personally, I'd go with Monistat, but then again I'm all about science and medicine and feminism!

*ahem* - using the PubMed website referenced above, I found some good studies supporting the yogurt treatment.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16466442?ordinalpos=8&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1736766?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus

There is an ever-growing body of evidence for and against so-called natural or folk remedies. I don't think sticking to any particular course of treatment is feminist or not, but making educated decisions about your own health certainly is!

Yogurt works wonderfully. If the infection is particularly nasty, I'll mix in a little powdered goldenseal root and the contents of a lactobacillus acidophilus capsule.

I find the best method of insertion is a children's medicine syringe. It's not the needle kind of syringe - a tube with a little spout at one end and a plunger to squirt the yogurt (gently) inside.

I used to have chronic yeast infections, but since I discovered this method I rarely get them. Only if I've been on heavy antibiotics (for dental issues) or if I'm severely stressed.

As for the UTIs that often accompany yeast infections (or they attack in cycles, one after the other)- my girlfriend did her thesis on this when she was training to be a midwife, so she taught me the method. Always treat for both conditions at once even if you've only got the symptoms of one, and you'll avoid the boomerang effect, and have a better chance of clearing the infection up for good. Use yogurt/acidophilus/goldenseal for the vaginal infection, and drink plenty of unsweetened cranberry juice for the UTI. For both, cut back on sugar, yeasty food s and alcohol. (Only use the goldenseal for three days or so - that should cure it, and too much goldenseal can be irritating. Also, the goldenseal is a little grainy, and it will stain your vagina yellowish for a few days, but you shouldn't be having sex when recovering from a yeast infection anyway - give yourself some time to heal!)

I once cured a serious UTI (blood in the urine and everything) in six hours by drinking unsweetened cranberry juice. I have a glass a day now, and I haven't had a UTI in years.

I think this is a feminist issue for sure. Women should have the information they need to treat keep themselves healthy, and the repeated treatments with some of the drugs mentioned above can leave your vagina vulnerable to future infections.

I haven't tried the yogurt, because, in living with my boyfriend, I didn't want him questioning why there were tampon applicators in the freezer. When I did try garlic, I had garlic breath/smelled like garlic for the entire few days. It was hard to explain...

For anyone who buys acidophilus tablets... MAKE SURE they don't contain cellulose. I didn't read the entire label on the bottle at the health food store, and ended up itching even worse.

A mild peroxide douche has helped me when I've been in the early stages of a yeast infection.

Rhian, from what I understand, it's not a bacteria vs. bacteria war going on when you treat with yogurt. What actually happens is that the presence of the yogurt flora causes the Ph of the vagina to change to make it less friendly to candida, which therefore decreases and your infection goes away.

I read this blog all the time (love it!!) but never have commented, but this topic is dear to my heart. I have tried everything under the sun for the yeast infection and yogurt is by far and away the best! With the exception of killer one I got while traveling in Pakistan last summer (hilarious and uncomfortable conversation ensued at a drug store in Lahore with the all-male staff) where I took an anti-fungal pill treatment, I never use OTC treatments and rely soley on yogurt. I have also used garlic and tea-tree oil, but they are not as effective for me. I wouldn't say it was 'un-feminist' to use OTC treatments for a early-stage infection, but I would say that you're fooling yourself and wasting your money.

You know what really made them stop? Quitting drinking. Sobriety has a lot of benefits for the vagina and this is definitely one of them.

I always cut open live acidophilus capsules before I use them. I mix the powder inside with a few drops of water and slather the result liberally all over the vulva/vagina area. I think it beats yoghurt hands down because there is no mess and it can be done anywhere there is privacy (like in the toilet at work). There is also no need to use a pad afterwards.

I would say that you're fooling yourself and wasting your money.

Wow. The respect for my experiences and my knowledge of my own body is palpable.

I suppose it's impossible, huh, that we might just have different body chemistries that respond differently from yours?

Just a little historical perspective on medical science and women...
The NIH didn't require the inclusion of women in studies until the early 90's. As of the late 90's over 80% of all diseases have only been studied in men. Supposedly this has a lot to do with legal hang ups related to placing potential mothers and future children at unnecessary risk (hmm... thalidomide?) but I don't dare unpack all of that in this post. Also, if it hasn't been mentioned in clear enough terms already, Warfarin is a.k.a. rat poison. Medical science is bassackwards.

"Also, if it hasn't been mentioned in clear enough terms already, Warfarin is a.k.a. rat poison."

And? What does that matter? The benefits to taking Warfarin FAR outweigh the risks when you have a condition that requires an anticoagulant. Like, say, a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung).

The lack of research put into diseases that affect women is definitely a feminist issue -- I agree with you on that point. But I don't see the big deal about warfarin's other uses.

Thalidomide was never approved by the FDA. It was repeatedly turned down in this country by Frances Kelsey, a female FDA investigator who was particularly interested in drug effects in pregnancy. So if you want to slam the FDA for something, thalidomide is not a good choice.

On the other hand, properly used, it can apparently be very useful in treating leprosy.

Quoth Paracelsus:
"Alle Ding sind Gift, und nichts ohn Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist."

-or-

"All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous."

Goes for folk remedy and conventional medicine alike. And especially Warfarin. The therapeutic index (the window between efficacious dose and toxic dose) of Warfarin is incredibly narrow, a major reason why it has to be so closely monitored.

Wow, guys. This topic came up at just the right time for me!

For the last few months, I seem to be having a lot of recurring yeast infections (I happen to be suffering with one right now, but it's not raging - yet). The last time I had a raging one, I took a 3-day Canesten treatment and that seemed to do the trick, but I didn't like it - it was messy and smelly and I SWEAR I could feel it burning deep inside... I have not treated my current one yet because I don't want to have to go through that again. :( I have heard that eating yogurt can help, but to be honest, I HATE the taste of yogurt, and like someone mentioned earlier, I think I would rather but it in my vag than in my mouth! ;) But after reading the comments - which are a GODSEND, btw - I am going straight out at lunchtime and picking up some acidophilus and some yogurt to dip a tampon into, and hopefully that will help clear up this case of the gooey itchies. ;)

Reason #837 why I love Feministing.com! :)
Thanks everyone!

Wow, guys. This topic came up at just the right time for me!

For the last few months, I seem to be having a lot of recurring yeast infections (I happen to be suffering with one right now, but it's not raging - yet). Since they have begun I have switched from wearing pantyhose to funky socks (I have decided I LOVE Funky Socks!!) and started wearing only breathable cotton undies.

The last time I had a raging yeast infecton, I took a 3-day Canesten treatment and that seemed to do the trick, but I didn't like it - it was messy and smelly and I SWEAR I could feel it burning deep inside... I have not treated my current one yet because I don't want to have to go through that again. :( I have heard that eating yogurt can help, but to be honest, I HATE the taste of yogurt, and like someone mentioned earlier, I think I would rather but it in my vag than in my mouth! ;) But after reading the comments - which are a GODSEND, btw - I am going straight out at lunchtime and picking up some acidophilus and some yogurt to dip a tampon into, and hopefully that will help clear up this case of the gooey itchies. ;)

Reason #837 why I love Feministing.com! :)
Thanks everyone!

Shoot, sorry for the double post. I decided to add that bit about pantyhose & funky socks after I had already hit the "post" button, and it would seem that both versions got posted.

OOPS, my bad! ;)

--Mz.Stilletto

If yogurt doesn't cure it, try boric acid, it's very good at curing recurrent infections (and it didn't burn me and I've definately felt the burn with other treatments).

Thanks, Amie!! :) I will add boric acid to my shopping list. Here's hoping, fingers crossed! ;)

I swear last time I had a yeast infection I ate a giant bowl of vanilla yogurt with dried cranberries, and that YI mother fucker was gone. No messy insertions necessary. Does this work for anyone else?

The yogurt thing definitely works, not only to get rid of the infection, but also to soothe. I've always heard to use a tampon in yogurt. Also, a friend warned me that garlic definitely works, but make sure the clove is intact and not cut or it may cause severe burning. My opinion, stick to acidophilus - it's the probiotic ingredient in yogurt which actually cures the infection. It's also very good for your digestive system. And, it can be found in most good women's multivitamins which can help to prevent YIs altogether. And this is just one of the many reasons it helps to work at a GNC during college.

The yogurt thing definitely works, not only to get rid of the infection, but also to soothe. I've always heard to use a tampon in yogurt. Also, a friend warned me that garlic definitely works, but make sure the clove is intact and not cut or it may cause severe burning. My opinion, stick to acidophilus - it's the probiotic ingredient in yogurt which actually cures the infection. It's also very good for your digestive system. And, it can be found in most good women's multivitamins which can help to prevent YIs altogether. And this is just one of the many reasons it helps to work at a GNC during college.

I've successfully used the tea-tree oil method before, but you have to be careful not to get it anywhere on the outside or it can burn when it comes into contact with mucous membranes. Take an applicator-style tampon and poke the top out a little, use an eyedropper to put a couple of drops of olive oil(to prevent all the tea tree oil from just soaking into the middle) and then a few drops (2-3) of tea tree oil on top. Close it back up, insert. Repeat this for a day or so. I've had success if I do this when they first start, but I've never tried it with a more advanced infection.

Wow. I didn't realize how....yeasty...my lady business is supposed to be. I guess I'm lucky, since I've never had a yeast infection -- or a UTI, which I hear is also pretty common. (A couple months ago, I had severe lower back pain and EVERYBODY said I must have a UTI and am I sure it doesn't burn when I pee? So I guess those are pretty popular.)

Huh. Maybe I'll stop laughing at those Monistat commercials.

Hey, what about being....irregular....if you know what I mean and I don't mean the kind of irregular that involves pregnancy tests? Is this also a serious epidemic that I have been lucky to escape, that causes women all over America to eat that Active Fit Super Awesome Yogurt with Active Culture Bifidus Regularus that "makes you regular"? (You can tell it makes you regular cuz it's conveniently right there in its scientific name!) I always make fun of those commercials, too, but if it turns out that this really IS a good product for women, maybe I won't mock the yogurt that makes you Number 2. Well...not as much, anyway.

I think it's most feminist to do one's own research, and not *only* relying on the patriarchal expertise of doctors.

Sometimes you just need the Monistat.

But sometimes you don't.

I had a chronic problem with yeast-infection, in spite of reducing my refined sugar/flour intake, supplementing with acidophilus, and doing shots of diluted apple-cider vinegar (which has also worked well for me, BTW). The stupid thing kept coming back. Until...I stopped and thought about the lube my partner and I were using. And realized that the infection diminished during more celibate periods and increased when we were getting freaky more often. (The lubes: Astroglide and K-Y liquid.)

Talk about a "Wow, I feel like a dumbass now" moment. I visited a sex shop, talked to a staff member about it, and she handed me a bottle of fantastic, water-based, glycerin-free lube. I've been much happier down there ever since!

I've also heard some women say that they get yeasty symptoms after using particular sex toys. I'm not sure of their exact situations; the problem could be the lube, or it could have to do with some types of surface material being harder to clean completely. (Anyone well versed in this?) I put condoms onto most of my toys, just in case, and haven't had a problem.

As for whether it's a feminist issue, I think of it in terms of how modern American medicine views my pussy in general. When, say, episiotomies are no longer routine (although the recent drop in rate is encouraging), perhaps I'll believe that my pussy's health and integrity and comfort are a top priority in the system.

Being that there's some sort of curse on my vagina, I get yeast infections pretty frequently. When I've got a yeast infection, the single, solitary thing on my mind is getting rid of it as soon as possible, so I always get some monistat because I assume [and here's that force-fed corporate medical culture speaking] that something I can buy at a drug store will work faster and more effectively than a breakfast food.
That being said - I use yogurt at the same time, because I find it soothing, although I think I use it a bit differently than most of you ladies. I put a big spoonful of plain yogurt on a pad and then...just sort of sit on it for a while. It sounds odd, I guess, and I'd be a bit embarrassed to admit to sitting in a diaper of yogurt if it didn't work so damn well to make the burning, itching, horrendous feelings go away.
So I use the Monistat to cure, and the yogurt to soothe. How's that for meeting in the middle?
ps - this is an especially attractive option for people who, like me, find that the suppositories work fine, but the silly little tube of soothing cream doesn't do a goddamn thing. Go yogurt.

one of the only thing that works on my serious rash/yeast infections is the plain yogart therapy and apple cider vinagar baths. I sware by them!

I thought everyone knew about the old yogs for a yeast infection trick, I know it has given me relief more times than I can mention. You do have to wonder who discovered it though. And what they were doing at the time. The mind boggles...

I struggled with chronic yeast infections for about a year. I had one about every 3 weeks and the tissue damage it caused was horrible. Worse than that was a psychologically abusive boyfriend who made me feel like a cruel asshole for getting sick and finding intercourse too painful. But that's an aside...

I tried everything to get better and nothing worked until I had holistic counseling with a naturopathic doctor.

Personally, I found that plain yogurt just didn't cut it. On the other hand, pharmaceutical products were too strong and also destroyed beneficial vaginal bacteria, causing the easy regrowth of yeast.

What worked in the end was controlling my diet. For a few months i cut out all sugar (including fruit), all yeast (including nutritional yeast, used as a flavouring), all alcohol, all things fermented (ie. soy sauce). I also went off the birth control pill.

It was a tough diet, and as the yeast "died off" it caused me to start feeling a little crazy... there is a definite chemical change in your body when you have then lose chronic yeast! But getting over, what I now realize was a sugar addition, was also very tough on my body and brain. I'm glad I got it over with... like detox of any other variety!

Anyway... now that I have a better functioning digestive system (the diet helped to "repair" it), I'm also less inclined to eat as much sugar/drink as much liquer-based martinis as I used to. When I feel an infection might be coming on, I douche... yes! It's not bullshit... douching with a solution of water and organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (with "mother" of vinegar) is the only thing that works for me, and it works fast. It kills and washed out yeast, but keeps the "good stuff".

So... sure, douches with weird chemicals sold in stores is bullshit, but if you've tried everything at both ends of the yeast control spectrum and you're still not feeling good, honestly, try apple cider vinegar and water... the main bonus is that it's NOT messy like yogurt and acidophilus capsules and the treatment doesn't linger... you do it when you need to do it, and then it's over... (which, again, I guess relates to the fact that there's no mess!). It's also very, very affordable, and whatever you don't use to douche can go on a salad ;-) ;-) ;-)

I have to start by saying that the title of this post did make me laugh. :)

With that said, I have not personally tried the yogurt method. I do know that antibiotics can be too harsh and may actually harm the good bacteria in the vagina so it is best to resort to natural yeast infection remedies if you can. Natural remedies are the best remedies.