I've been on high doses of antibiotics for a year now, mainly Augmentin and Cipro and am being plagued by yeast infections. I think over the last month I've taken 6 Diflucan and I think it's coming back again.....is this unusual? Don't know what to do.

One other question, just started the probiotic Florastor (which seems a bit expensive) has anyone used it with good results and how does it differ from PB8, Culturelle, Flora Q, etc. Does anyone know?

Hi Mema,

I can't answer your question on whether Florastor is better than the other probiotics that you mentioned but I can tell you that you will be doing yourself a big favour in taking them because they will help to keep your yeast infection at bay.

Like you I suffered miserably for years with yeast infections because I was on and off (more often on) antibiotics for pouchitis. Once my pouchitis was in remission the probiotics would keep away the yeast infections as well as the pouchitis.

I used to have to take a 4 week course of 1 Diflucan per week to get rid of the yeast infections and then the probiotics would keep me free of it.

You don't say where the yeast infection is but if it's thrush then using an antifungal cream such as Canastan in conjunction with the Difulcan will help to speed up the process.

Good luck.

Shell

Thanks Shell, I love reading your posts, they're alwasy so informative.

I've been using a combination of Culturelle & PB8 for a very long time now. I take 2 PB8s a day and 1 Culturelle and I started long before the pouchitis even reared it's ugly head...that's why I'm so surprised that I even have it. I never had a yeast infection in my life, and wasn't even sure what it was when I got it, ...it was Jan who suggested that my butt burn might in fact be a yeast infection and she was oh, so right. I always thought that taking a probiotic would keep the yeast away as well, but obviously it didn't in my case. The infection is also in my vagina, (goodness, that's all I need is thrush to make it complete) and besides being itchy, it's terribly painful at times. As soon as I take a Diflucan it goes away for awhile and then it comes back. I know when I have it because it seems to feel like I'm passing "razor blades" as many people say, and it's so sore I can barely wipe. It also bleeds, and I know that it's not internal, but rather from the sores around the anus.
I just started taking Florastor yesterday, and maybe that will help - just getting so darned frustrated! Thanks for your help.

I've had terrible problems with thrush for most of my adult life. I used to always get it when I got my period - so once a month, there it was. My doc recommended filling a cup with lukewarm water and adding a bit of vinegar, then sloshing it over the affected area while you sit on the loo. (She didn't specify the amount of vinegar - I think I put in about 2 tablespoons, but you can try with a weak solution and add more if you feel you need to.) It certainly helped me. My doc said that the acidity would kill the thrush as it doesn't thrive in an acidic environment. I used a similar slosh containing a drop or two of tea tree oil. That feels quite warm to begin with and might sting a tiny bit, but then it cools the whole area down and it acts as an anaesthetic and it kills off yeast infections. Good luck! Yeast infections are really not fun. Sometimes I had Diflucan, but it's only available on prescription here, so most of the time I had to rely on these other remedies. Touch wood, I haven't had these troubles in a while.

Hmmmm, I thought thrush was in the mouth....anyway, I'll take any kind of advice for any area at all, if it helps! Thanks.

Diflucan is only available here by prescription as well, but the last time I was going away and told my doc and he gave me 10 - they're almost gone as a matter of fact! I just don't like to take too many at once.....can't believe that they'd be harmful, although the way I feel when I have one I wish that they were! (Only kidding of course).

Thrush can be anywhere - mouth and vaginal are both common. I had it in my mouth once and got tablets that had to dissolve in my mouth. They gave me severe vomiting. Thrush = candida albicans, it gets into your entire system. Which is to say the fungus is there normally, but overgrows and makes you ill. It thrives on sugar so a lot of people who suffer from it will avoid sugar, alcohol and simple carbs.

You may want to check out this thread:

http://j-pouch.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9151071921/m/9211...111097012#2111097012

The last time he posted, Glenn (Mike's son) was doing well taking a product called Candigone.

Some natural anti yeast products include olive leaf extract and garlic