Midwife said not to use probiotics?

[dayiscoming2006]

I talked to the midwife I'm going to try to see for prenatal care. Well, she told me a couple good things for treating my yeast problems. But, she also told me to stop using probiotics because they will make my yeast get worse???

I said OK. I looked it up on the net and til now I can find absolutely nothing to support her claim and everything I read says to use probiotics to fight yeast. What do you all think or what have you heard? Could she just maybe not know her facts on that particular thing? What should I say to her? I think I'm going to keep using probiotics but I don't want her to be upset with me for not listening.

[AFWife]

That's weird. My MW PRESCRIBED me probiotics for my yeast infection...

[dayiscoming2006]

Originally Posted by AFWife

That's weird. My MW PRESCRIBED me probiotics for my yeast infection...

Thanks, now I'm sure I'm not crazy. LOL I guess maybe she just doesn't understand probiotics very well? She said to buy an aloe plant and use the juice on my ringworm a couple times of day. I could see that being helpful I think?

Maybe I'll gather my research up and bring it in when I see her at my first consultation/appointment. I'm pretty certain I need to keep taking them.

What else did your midwife suggest you use for your yeast infection? Mine said to get some monistat. I'm not for sure that I have a vaginal one though. I get some white discharge but nothing too terrible and I don't itch there. I don't want to use a product like that if I don't need to. I read it can cause the yeast to become resistant to that sort of treatment if it is overused.

[lunarlady]

Did she mean to not rub probiotics on your skin? Or to not take the internally? Or not use them at all? Probiotics are key to fighting yeast, so that does seem strange. That said, I can see maybe not using them on dry skin, as most of the strains sold at markets are blended for gut flora, not skin flora. Monistat seems like a big jump, however! Are there aother MW in the area you could interview?

[3 little birds]

I am prone to yeast while pregnant and have found taking unrefined virgin coconut oil to be a huge help. I also take probiotics, but the coconut oil has made a huge difference. I've read that you can take up to 3 tablespoons a day, but just one at night has kept the yeasties away. HTH!

I haven't heard of probiotics making it worse-perhaps she could explain herself a little more?

[dayiscoming2006]

Lunarlady:
I was taking probiotics internally and she said. "Who told you to do that?" I said, I researched it online and asked the health food store. She said that it would "feed" the yeast. I was like, "Uh, OK." I thought there might be something to that, but I looked it up and found NOTHING to support that. I don't know if I'll bother finding another midwife. I'm more of a UPer (unassisted pregnancy.) I realize if there is something I feel is REALLY wrong and the midwife would agree, she'd have to send me on to an OB anyway.

3littlebirds:
Thanks for the tip. I have heard about the virgin coconut oil but haven't been good about taking it. I'll keep this in mind. Do you just get a big spoon and swallow it down?

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by dayiscoming2006

What else did your midwife suggest you use for your yeast infection? Mine said to get some monistat. I'm not for sure that I have a vaginal one though. I get some white discharge but nothing too terrible and I don't itch there. I don't want to use a product like that if I don't need to. I read it can cause the yeast to become resistant to that sort of treatment if it is overused.

She prescribed a probiotic called "Primadophilous" (sp?) I got it at Whole Foods. She told me to take 3 pills 3 times a day for a few weeks and see if that helped...My case was REALLY bad, though. (Like, I had no discharge but the infection was so advanced that my cervix was raw and bleeding) She said I could use an OTC treatment if I felt the need (7 day) and keep up with the probiotics and look into a diet change (less sugary and starchy foods). I ended up going the OTC route because it was so advanced...but now I'm fine.

She definitely wanted to use the OTC as a last resort and only did the pelvic exam to see if there was something visibly wrong with my cervix (because I was bleeding)...I'd look for another midwife, personally.

On the coconut oil: You can just swallow it down...I've heard you can mix a big tablespoon in a smoothie and still get the good stuff (and mask the taste!)


IMO, I'd treat naturally unless it's really really bad.

[3 little birds]

My house is warm so my coconut oil is liquid. I just swallow a tbs. It isn't as bad as I thought it would be-probably because of the yummy coconut flavor. It helps it go down. The smoothie sounds like a good idea, also.

Earlier in the preg. I ended up having to do OTC, but whenever I have felt it coming on again the coconut oil clears it up. I didn't know about the coconut oil until about 2 months ago. When I told my midwife she said it is also good for suppressing cold sores (herpes)- I guess because it is anti fungal.

[aramat]

I had a crazy, persistent, MISERABLE case in my last pregnancy. OTC was my last resort, and then it didn't even WORK! I couldn't find probiotics where I am so don't know if they would have helped (but your midwife MUST be confused). Changes in diet did not help me. I had a weird sensitivity to coconut oil, which was frustrating as it was SO expensive here! The ONLY thing that worked for ME was taking a liquid iron supplement three times a day. After three days of that, I would feel normal, but if I even skipped one day, I'd have to start all over again. It was quite odd, but I have to share in case it could help someone else!

[dayiscoming2006]

Originally Posted by aramat

The ONLY thing that worked for ME was taking a liquid iron supplement three times a day. After three days of that, I would feel normal, but if I even skipped one day, I'd have to start all over again. It was quite odd, but I have to share in case it could help someone else!

That is interesting. I have read that yeast overgrowth in the system will cause anemia. Maybe that's why the iron was helping you?

[aramat]

Originally Posted by dayiscoming2006

That is interesting. I have read that yeast overgrowth in the system will cause anemia. Maybe that's why the iron was helping you?

I really don't know, and no one had any answers for me--they all said to just try to survive it b/c it wouldn't affect the pregnancy or the birth... But the yeast went away completely the day I gave birth!

[ocelotmom]

I had a resistant yeast infection during my first pregnancy (didn't respond to monistat or diflucan), and the *OB* told me to try probiotics. And it did clear it up pretty quickly. This was just with swallowing it, not vaginally, but I haven't heard anything about that contributing to further growth, either.

[Marcy&Dono]

Here's what my midwives told me for helping treat a yeast infection:

Take a squirt or peri bottle and fill it with 8-10oz of water, then add in 1tsp of straight vinegar. Then rinse your vulva with that after you go to the bathroom. During pregnancy the chemistry of your vagina changes making it less acidic, which makes it easier for yeast to take over. The vinegar wash helps make your pH more acidic again. I did this for several days and it seemed to really help. You can also take a peeled garlic clove and let it sit inside your vagina overnight, this apparently helps a lot, too, but I didn't try it myself.

They also recommended probiotics, so I've been taking those, too (both eating yogurt, and also taking an actual supplement by mouth 1-2 times a day, or when I remember lol).

[AFWife]

Make sure your probiotics are "enteric coated" so they survive the stomach acid and make it to your intestines and actually get absorbed!

[Sijae]

It doesn't sound like she's very educated in the matter. If a midwife told me to stop probiotics and take monistat I would be questioning her knowledge in general because it is so basic. On the other hand, perhaps she is just generally mainstream in how she goes about health care. Either way you should talk to her about it more in depth and try to find out what the issue is. If she didn't know what she was talking about, she shouldn't have been giving advice and if she believes that then she needs to be corrected.

[MsBlack]

Originally Posted by Sijae

It doesn't sound like she's very educated in the matter. If a midwife told me to stop probiotics and take monistat I would be questioning her knowledge in general because it is so basic. On the other hand, perhaps she is just generally mainstream in how she goes about health care. Either way you should talk to her about it more in depth and try to find out what the issue is. If she didn't know what she was talking about, she shouldn't have been giving advice and if she believes that then she needs to be corrected.

Yes, unfortunately that mw sounds really unclear on the concepts involved...not a good thing! It is one thing if a care provider is just 'mainstream' and doesn't know anything about natural remedies--that is a choice she makes, and her clients agree to accept about her care (the ones who keep her, obviously ). It's quite another to give advice with certainty, that is completely wrong...sounds like a case where she should have just said 'the only yeast remedy I know of is Monistat...really haven't looked into probiotics or other natural remedies yet, so I can't answer those questions'.

People have given you some great advice, so I hope you get some relief.

[rajahkat]

Originally Posted by dayiscoming2006

Thanks, now I'm sure I'm not crazy. LOL I guess maybe she just doesn't understand probiotics very well? She said to buy an aloe plant and use the juice on my ringworm a couple times of day. I could see that being helpful I think?

Maybe I'll gather my research up and bring it in when I see her at my first consultation/appointment. I'm pretty certain I need to keep taking them.

What else did your midwife suggest you use for your yeast infection? Mine said to get some monistat. I'm not for sure that I have a vaginal one though. I get some white discharge but nothing too terrible and I don't itch there. I don't want to use a product like that if I don't need to. I read it can cause the yeast to become resistant to that sort of treatment if it is overused.

Have you tried gentian violet for the ringworm? I've known women to have really good results with it for ringworm, jock itch, etc.

[Lady Lilya]

There is more than one theory about how to fight yeast. My mother's cousin is on a regimen from his naturopath that doesn't allow him any probiotic foods at all. Personally, I don't think this is the right method.

[pregnant@40]

Though probiotics obviously contain bacteria, and bacteria fights off yeast (since they're competing for the same space), she could have told you to stop b/c of the high sugar content of some probiotic drinks? A sugary environment is beneficial for yeast.

If you're taking probiotic capsules, I have no idea why she told you to stop in regard to the yeast.

But like the others, I think she is confused.

Last question -- sure you have vaginal ringworm & not Candida? Ringworm can affect the surrounding groin area, but is usually not the type of yeast that causes vaginal discharge. Or do you have a yeast infection outside of the vaginal area?

[hram]

I was told I had ringworm too, although I really question it. I used grapefruit seed extract mixed in water in a spray bottle. When a few spots come up, usually in my armpits, under my breasts and between my legs, I just spray a bit on once or twice a day and it goes a way within a few days.