Looking for some help « Back to Group Discussions

[Teles]

So I know there are many ladies on here who have had babies before, so I imagine someone must be able to help me.

I have some seriously annoying vaginal itching going on right now. It's sort of isolated to the opening of my vagina, but it's pretty constant and has started to feel a bit raw and painful (I haven't scratched, despite how badly I want to). I called the dr but she can only get me in on Monday evening, which leaves me with a very long weekend ahead (of 40+ degree weather) ahead.

Does anyone have any ideas for how I can get some safe relief? Normally I would use like tea tree oil or something, but I don't want to do something that might harm baby. I don't know that it's definitely a yeast infection or anything, and I don't want to go to a walk-in clinic because I've had some really bad experiences in the past of misdiagnosis and wrong prescriptions.

[JamieCatheryn]

Cortisone on the external parts is safe enough if you don't mind mild external steroid cream. Most care providers are most likely to listen to your symptoms and say sounds like yeast, get the Monistat and give it a try, but you might get them to do a culture and get a definitive diagnosis.

A garlic clove up there (I hear to sew a thread through it for removal) is one natural remedy that works for some if it is yeast or bacteria, that's harmless so could be worth a try.

[josie423]

I got my first YI ever in my last pregnancy and then another a few months ago. During the first one I used only natural remedies (apple cider vinegar, garlic, coconut oil) and while they did help somewhat, it took a really long time to clear up (2-3 weeks). The second one a few months ago I went straight to monistat and it cleared it in 4-5 days. About a month after that I felt that tell-tale itch and used monistat and it was gone the next day. 

[Adaline'sMama]

I highly suggest Monastat. Asap. I had a vaginal yeast infection can become thrush during pregnancy and become so, so difficult to get rid of. I had thrush for 6 months with DD. I just kept prolonging it by trying to use natural remedies (gentian violet, garlic, acv, yogurt- all internally, some for weeks at a time.) every time it went away, it would come back within a few days. It was awful. I finally did the three day monastat application and it never came back.

Also, if you can avoid sugar, caffeine, and bread. And eat/take lots and lots of probiotics.

[odinsmama]

I'm all about natural remedies (and have had great success treating UTIs and yeast naturally), but also think a culture is a good idea.

I had what I *thought* was yeast (itching, burning, rawness and eventually some cracking on my perinial area but NO unusual discharge) but the culture came back with bacteria, though not a huge amount.  Treated as bacteria, it went away and any time I start to feel a little crack starting I treat it the same way.  I always wipe front to back, always wear cotton panties, don't use harsh soaps but DO keep myself clean... no idea why there was a bacteria issue.  

When I finally did get an actual yeast infection it had the very obvious "cottage cheese" discharge.  I used coconut oil and gentian violet (the purple liquid that will stain for sure and is drying) to clear it up.

Garlic is good for either bacteria or yeast (I usually make some little cuts in the clove, tie a string around it and leave a bit hanging out, and then dip in olive oil so it doesn't burn the skin).  Coconut oil is good for yeast, tho may take a while like josie said.

[sweetestday]

Drinking kefir always clears that up for me. And fast. Oh, and a bath with baking soda added.