Conference turris::womannotes-v3

513.0. "Yeasts and their relatives" by WMOIS::B_REINKE (bread&roses) Wed Nov 07 1990 21:14

    The recent notes about monistat and why it is not an over 
    the counter drug have coincided with my having another yeast
    infection (ugh). So when I talked to my doctor tonite on the
    phone I asked him a lot of questions and he gave me about
    a 20 minute summary of the situation.
    
    First off, he agrees that monistat should be over the counter
    and he expects it to be so in the 'near future'.
    
    Second he described the symptoms of yeast infections and others
    that might possibly be mistaken for same:
    
    1. yeast or candia albicans also causes trush (an oral infection
    that includes mouth sores). the organisms that cause it are
    commonly found in the human body in the mouth and in the vagina.
    Various things can set off such an infection, one is taking 
    antibiotics another is pregnancy or taking birth control pills.
    What happens is that the normal lacto bacillus in the mouth
    or vagina are killed off, reducing the acid environment of the
    mucous membranes and the yeast organism begins to grow. 
    
    Since both sexes normally carry these organisms naturally in the body
    there is no harm in unprotected sex amongst monogamous partners �when
    a woman has a yeast infection, nor is there any danger in oral sex.
    (I asked him that specifically.)
    
    Using yoghurt to restore the lacto bacillus population is, as he
    agrees, a common 'folk lore' cure, he's not aware of any controlled
    studies on it, but agreed with my suggestion that in minor infections
    the cooling and lubricating effect of the yoghurt would have a positive
    effect.
    
    The symptoms of yeast are itching and a white creamy discharge.
    It can be successfully treated by 7 days of monistat cream.
    
    2. second was a bacterial infection, also not considered to be
    sexually transmitted, tho it can pass between partners. The diagnosis
    requires a slide to be made of the vaginal epithelium. The
    characteristic sign�is large numbers of bacteria on the surface of
    the cells.
    
    The discharge is more yellowish, and has a fishy smell. Treatment
    is oral antibiotics for the woman and if the symptoms do not clear
    up for both partners.
    
    3. is trichimonas or trich, this is passed between sexual partners
    but is not considered to be a vd. Both the bacterial infection and
    trich prodce itching but not to the characteristic and painful degree
    produced in the external female genitilia by yeasts. (all of these
    produce little or no symptoms in the male btw). 
    
    The discharge in trich is thinner, more copious, and greenish and
    has a foul smell. (the discharge in yeast is generally unodorous or
    mildy 'yeasty' - those who have made  bread know what 'yeasty' is.
    
    4. is chlamydia (sorry if I have misspelled this). The symptoms for
    chlamydia involve abdominal pain, bloody discharge, irregular periods.
    Again the male partner is apt to be asymptomatic. Chlamydia can stay
    dormant for many years, 20 or more in some cases. Chalmydia doesn't
    (if I remember what he said correctly) cause itching.
    
    5. He also said that cervical cancer appears to  be caused by a virus
    similar to that which causes genital warts. The virus that causes
    the warts does not cause cancer, according to my doctor, but women
    who are extremely sexually active are apt to pick up this virus
    and develop cervical cancer, which is a slow growing, easily treatable
    cancer.
    
    This is my summary of the conversation  I just had. He told me to
    tell any woman who experiences abdominal pain, irregular bleeding,
    or itching and discharge that does not clear up with a standard
    perscription of monistat or other similar brands to see their doctor.
    
    Bonnie

    Thanks Bonnie.

    In regards to some of the conditions of which you spoke, the male must
    also be treated at the same time as the female because to not do so
    will just keep the condition going back and forth and the male will
    re-infect the female again and again.  So from what my gyn told me, it
    is better to treat both partners with the same antibiotic at the same
    time.  This would apply only to the "trich" and "candida" and not to
    the yeast types.
    
    Sue
    

    re yeasts passed back and forth between lovers
    
    it is quite normal for me to get a little itchy when i get a new lover
    - not a full-blown florid infection, but a little "overgrown yeast"
    while my body adjusts itself to the new person's yeasties.
    
    last time i itched, my doc took a vaginal culture (to confirm the
    yeasts, she also tested for stds because of the exposure i had in
    france - rape) and prescribed some yeast medicine, saying, "if you
    don't end up needing it this time, just refrigerate it and use it next
    time".
    
    she said this is s.o.p. with sexually active female patients who have
    new lovers, and personally, i think it's a GOOD s.o.p.  better find out
    sooner than later, eh?  she said it was not uncommon for partners to
    exacerbate each others' yeasts, but it shows up more in women.
    
    the itch disappeared with my regular yogurt+vinegar treatment
    (<-douched, not eaten!), so now i've got stock for the next time i get
    a "florid" infection.