Thrush hell!

I have always had problems with thrush since I first started having sex. It got to the point where every time I did it I would get it and so I was put on fluconazole to take once a week to keep it away (about 6 years ago).

This worked for a time but eventually stopped having an effect so I stopped it. However, this year it has got a lot worse and once again sex causes thrush near enough every time, so I was put back on it, which worked for about 6 months, but then it stopped and even when I had thrush the fluconazole would not clear it.

Clotrimazole pessaries help 70% of the time, but sometimes will just take the edge off but not cure it, then a week later it's back at it's worst. I am now taking itraconazole (100mg once a day as prevention is paramount as I get it so often), however I am still getting it and I've had a fairly horrible bout for a week now which is not clearing (it was diagnosed by a consultant last week at another appointment so definitely is thrush by the way!). A pessary last week took the edge off but now it's really itchy and sore again.

So basically I was wondering if anyone has had itraconazole before and found it took a while to work or if I should quit now? And also, does anyone have any tips for getting rid of particularly bad bouts of thrush as itraconazole every day, and two pessaries in less than a week is ridiculous!!!

I am starting to think that if I can just get rid of thrush this time it may be best to just put up with getting it every time I have sex (even though pessaries will put me out of action for sex for days at a time as well!) and hope that a lot of lube will ease the regularity of it.

Anyway, any help would be greatly received!

I'm also open to any home remedies that will work as, let's face it, I'm desperate and it's bloody expensive to treat! !!

Hi, I would also love to know about itraconazole!!!

I have had vulvodynia for 2 and a half years and most recently have tested positive for yeast for the first time, despite no change in my symptoms whatsoever, which is mainy crazy itch,inflammation and burning. I took fluconazole for 6 weeks every single day 2 years ago and it did not cure me, all it did was make me violently ill. This time my doctor got me to take 2 tablets, 1 week apart. It took the inflammation right down but once again I was violently ill vomiting the whole time and it did not cure me. I think I may actually be allergic to it.I just can not tolerate the nasty stuff.

Clotrimazole doesn't fix me, and I avoid it because it burns me. My discomfort is only external, I very rarely get internal discomfort.

Have you tried boric acid or anything else? I will be asking my doctor to swab me again as I go back to him in a weeks time. he said this yeast could be the cause of my problem. or I could have just picked it up along the way. Only another swab test will tell.

Also have you been tested for different yeast strains? Candida albicans is the main type but there are many others, Glabrata and Tropicalis being the second most common types.

Hey sailormoon!

I recently discovered that there's different strains of candida so I am wondering if that may be the cause of my issues, I'm treating the wrong thing! But equally, could just be resistant.

The fluconazole now does not work for me whatsoever, the itraconazole doesn't seem to either, and clotrimazole pessaries take the edge off but don't cure it. I'm stumped! I don't know what other options are left to me but I've got a GP appt in a week and a half (urgh, long time to wait with thrush!) to see what else they can do.

In the meantime, I'm going to make my own yoghurt tampons!! I've heard they're pretty good and at this point I'll try anything.

If anyone's had any success with them (or has any tips) let me know!

I went to the doctor yesterday and he is thinking that I may have a mix if candida and a PH problem. He said the strain of my yeast was just candida albicans.

He wants me to do a weeks clotrimazole but in pessary tablet things that dissolve up there rather than the cream as he doesn't think it's very effective. And use Aci-jel to try and balance my PH. As when I get my period my itching stops and only starts up as my period finishes, and is always worse just before my period, and the PH levels are always changing.

I'll let you know how it goes! Please let me know how you get on! Good luck!

That's so weird, I'm exactly the same! I had a really bad bout last week that would not go, then my period started and it was fine, even managed to use a tampon which would have been impossible with thrush. Then as soon as it ended the thrush was back.

So frustrating!

I tried the yoghurt for the first time last night and I was very impressed! It's a bit of a faff to prepare but it was such a relief and kept me itch free all night so no mid-sleep scratching. Yippee!