Vulvodynia was candida for me

Hi everyone,

I am posting my story here in the hopes that someone else with my symptoms/background will read it and find some relief. I was plagued by vulvodynia for about 5 years and went to probably 20-25 different doctors, an utterly frustrating and at times soul-crushing experience for me.

8 yrs ago, I went on several courses of antibiotics for UTI-like symptoms, maybe 5 or so courses. I am not sure to this day if I really had UTIs, or if there was some other thing going on, but everything got much worse after the antibiotics. My symptoms were yeast-infection like: burning, itching, etc. I tried topical yeast infection creams, and they would temporarily help but then two weeks later it would be back. Eventually, my skin stopped tolerating the topical creams and I broke out into horrible burning pain. Sometimes my symptoms were chronic, sometimes just after sex, and sometimes only after sex at certain times of the month. Sometimes I would stay up all night b/c I had such bad pain (felt like poison oak or something). I was tested for every strain of yeast and bacteria and the tests were always negative, and I had no discharge whatsoever that would indicate infection. However, my doctors said I did have high levels of white blood cells, indicating my body was trying to fight something, I guess. I was diagnosed with generalized vulvodynia and also vestibulitis after many years and being lucky enough to find a doctor with experience treating vulvodynia (heads up, I found her on the website for the NVA, national vulvodynia association or something... skip the regular gynecologists and go to these people if possible. I paid out of pocket to see her and it was worth every penny).

Here's how I figured out it was candida:
- I kept a pain journal detailing the level of pain. My symptoms always got a bit worse right before and right after my period (like three days before, three days after). My doctor told me that this is the time of the month when yeast grows the most.
- Boric acid suppositories really helped me, although they didn't make things go away completely. I would use them for five days or so when things were getting bad, and my symptoms would subside a bit. Boric acid is a natural treatment for yeast infections but it doesn't have the harsh chemicals in the topical creams that are so irritating.
- My body didn't really respond to amitryptyline, making it unlikely to be nerve related. It made me fatter and more tired, that's it.
- My trigger was antibiotics, which obviously kill off yeast-fighting bacteria.

I presented this to my doctor, and she finally decided it could be candida. Originally she had rejected this possibility b/c of the negative tests for yeast (also, she thought "only AIDS patients get candida," not people with normal immune systems). But after several years maybe research advanced and she changed her mind about it being possible. She prescribed me diflucan, one tablet per week for several months. I have not really had any pain since going on this medication, so she must have been right.

Ladies, if you have these symptoms (in particular, your disease is mimicking a yeast infection), candida IS a possibility no matter what doctors tell you and EVEN IF YEAST TESTS COME OUT NEGATIVE. I don't know how it works, but it can happen. This is a demoralizing, terrible disease to have, and there's not a lot of help from the medical community in my experience, so you have to be your own advocate!

Hi Snarkey,

I too think this is yeast related, my v started after 4 yeast infections in 3 months. After a year of doctors visits I have finally convinced my gyne to give me 6 months of difflucan. I noticed a decrease in symptoms when the yeast infection flared and I went to the gp for nizoral. He took one look and said I had an infection. My overall symptoms I have been experiencing for 1 year were much less on the Nizoral, and came back when I finished the dose, thus my gyne was convinced to give me the difflucan.

I saw a lady on Wednesday who is a naturapath and womens health physio. She said I am zinc deficient which does something to the stomach acid which can make you more prone to yeast infections and less likely to fight it off. So I am taking supps for that and magnesium because I have pfd (muscle relaxant) She also said all of her v patients are zinc deficient, so there must be a link there.

Heres to hoping with the appropriate treatment of the yeast I will have success like you

I too thought i had a UTI, went on antibiotics, developed what i thought was a on-going yeast infection for months. all of my tests were negative as well. i went on Diflucan daily for months. i used creams, gels, ointments....all made my skin burn. i tried boric acid pills (in my vagina) for quite sometime...to no avail. i had a biopsy...nothing...finally a diagnosis of Vulvodynia. i went to a specialist recommend by the National V. association..i was not impressed. i cried the whole time, while she typed everything in her computer. she never looked up to comfort me. she also asked me some very judgmental questions and then i was the one who brought up possible treatment options. she referred me to a pain clinic at my request. i have gotten the best treatment from the pain clinic. I'm sure they recommend good doctors too. So happy that you have found relief and that those treatments worked for you. here i am over a year later w/ horrific pain...on three meds for this, plus pain meds. i'm doing acupuncture and P.t. i have had 4 nerve blocks w/ no relief. the meds have helped a little on and off. its better than it was w/ no meds. i am not a candidate for surgery because i have generalized V. i would have loved to found your success. it is wonderful to hear success stories. i hope it helps others....don't give up ladies!