If you are prone to easily getting Yeast Infections and/or BV, questions about TTC

[mommyinfl]

Hi there! I have a question for you all. I have been with my husband for 12 years now total, and for the majority of our relationship, he has always pulled out. When we were first together we got pg when I was 17 after a one time slip up of him not pulling out.. after that I went on BCP's and had been on them for 6 years, and he still pulled out most of the time while I was on them. I was so much younger then, and honestly didnt care, and wanted to make sure we didnt get pregnant again. He continued to pull out all the time over the years. Fastforward to about 5 years ago. I went off BCP's and started charting when I learned about FAM. I fell in love with the method. I went off the pill the summer of 2005, and have not been on it again since. During the time I was charting not being on the pill, my hubsand always pulled out, all the time. Even though I talked with him about FAM and all, he would not trust it and I didnt want to make him uncomfortable so I never pushed the issue about him 'not pulling out' in my luteal phase. After about 11 cycles however, I really wanted to show him how it really can work if you do it right, etc. and I finally got him to not pull out in my LP. Now, you have to remember that he had not 'left it in during sex' in probably more than a year at this point, or longer. The first time he didnt pull out in my LP, I was fine, it was only ONE TIME, and then the next cycle he didnt do it. The cycle after that though, he did leave it in again and we went without pulling out about 4 times in my LP, a few days apart, each, but still pretty close together. That cycle I ended up with BV and a mild Yeast Infection. I went to the OB and got Flagyl and it cleared up, got my period and then started a new cycle. He would NEVER leave it in, unless I was already in my LP. that next cycle, shortly after my period ended, I got the same symptoms, and had to repeat everything. It seemed like this would happen alot of times in my fertile phase. This went on for a few cycles, one cycle it would be fine and I wouldnt have any infections, then the next cycle I would. It got soooo annoying and very frustrating b/c when I would get irritated or it would smell funny from the BV, we wouldnt be able to have sex for at least a few days until I was cleared up from the medication. Not to mention, doctor visits and co pays. I am pretty sure the reason I am so prone to them is b/c my body is just not"used to" the semen inside me and its mixing with my vaginal PH's and messing it up.

My point of this post is that I am hoping we may start TTC sometime starting the end of Feb. and I am worried that the same thing is going to happen again and we wont be able to BD when we need to because of it. Since we had our son in Feb 2008, my hubsand has not left it it ONE TIME. He has pulled out EVERY SINGLE time we have had sex in the last almost 3 years....and I STILL get YI's from time to time. I get one about every 3 months for no rhyme or reason. and have to take diflucan. And, this is with him still pulling out. I just dont get it. And, Im really worried that its going to interfere when we need to TTC.

Does anyone have any similar experiences or problems, that they can share, and any solutions at all?? I know I wont know until we try but I just dont know what to do. I havent talked to my hubby about this in particular in detail, cause I dont want to gross him out lol, but I asked him if we could start "practicing" now, like in my LP and pre O phase, and have him still pull out when Im fertile, just to get my body "used to" his semen again. But, he is not ready to start even practicing yet lol. So, no go there. Any other ideas on how to make it better. thank you for reading!

[HopefullyMama]

Please take this with a grain of salt because I am CERTAINLY not a doctor or any kind of expert.....but it seems like it really isn't the semen, per se, that is affecting you so adversely.... especially with you now getting YI and BV for "no reason".  It could be that originally your partner gave you either (or both) of those infections himself, and your body has not ever really gotten rid of them.

I would personally take a hard look at my diet, if it were me.  Processed sugar and high-carb diets can cause yeast to run rampant, as can lack of beneficial bacteria.  So I would say, cut wayyy back on sugar, start taking a good probiotic (or eating lots of fermented foods, like kefir, yogurt, etc), and see if you can get your body to really kick those yucky bugs for good.

Best of luck!!!

[APToddlerMama]

Are you using any sort of lubricant?  Certain ones can make you prone to yeast infections.  I would also take a good look at my diet, cut sugar, simple carbs, etc.

[mommyinfl]

Thank you for your feedback. I dont think its my hubby per say b/c the handful of times in the past where he hasnt pulled out once or twice on a whim, [like when i was on bcp's] i wouldnt always get a BV infection from it. It just seemed b/c when he wasnt pulling out, in my LP, we would DTD a few days in a row or a couple times a few days apart, and I would easily get it. Its just so weird to me. I feel like my body is not used to it and so its reacting from it or something. I dont know. We use astroglide and never had any problems with that, but when im fertile, we dont need to use any lubricants. I dont eat ALOT of carbs, but obviously some, and I am not a big sugar person, just with my morning coffee. So, not really sure about my diet.

[AnnieA]

I'm prone to YI and the three cycles before I got pg with this baby, I got a YI during every LP from DTD so much during my fertile period. It's possible that your husband has the yeast as well and you guys just keep passing it back and forth. I got YI periodically even when we were using withdrawal so it's not necessarily from the semen. I started both DH and myself on probiotics and that helped a lot. I haven't gotten a YI since I've been pregnant.

[mommyinfl]

Thanks alot Annie. Its so weird b/c when all this was happening, I ended up getting pg [on accident] from a miscalculated ovulation, and that cycle I got pg we hadnt even DTD that much, only like 2 times when I thought I was in my LP but I was actually ovulating, lol, and since I got pg with my son[this was in 2007], I NEVER had any problems during my pg from YI's or BV or anything like that..its so weird, cause they say pregnancy makes you more prone to them, but I guess my body likes pregnancy better. But after he was born, everything changed again and I was all messed up down there and still am from time to time. Ugh! Its so frustraing.