Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Okay, so has anyone had any problems with infections in or around your lady parts? I've had so many issues in the past two months (after never having a problem ever), it is ridiculous. First, I had symptoms of a kidney infection (with the classic biggie being the lower back pain), but my lab results never confirmed it. The Dr kept me on drugs for a bit anyway, and I felt a lot better and fine. Other lab results came back, only to show I had two different infections in my vag, neither of which showed symptoms. Now, a month after all this, I find myself with UTI symptoms this morning. After freaking out (because I don't want to go through all the annoyance again), I go get checked out and lab results confirmed it quickly. Now on meds again.

Anyone else suffer from too much bacteria/etc getting into places it shouldn't? I'm sexually active in a great relationship, and we were super careful after the first episode and I always urinated and showered afterward. I was told today to take cranberry pills as well, but any other prevention tips so that I don't have to suffer through this repeatedly?

(If not, you are welcome to moan and complain about any similar misfortunes...)

I get chronic yeast infections :( not fun

i have a keloid. from a terrible ingrown hair from when i was a preteen. it's become enraged today. i wonder if i should have it surgically removed.

I'm not prone, but when I get the feeling of a UTI coming on I find taking cran. pills and drinking lots of water will stop it in its tracks.

So sorry you're experiencing this!

I wonder, too, if something more might be going on. My friend experienced basically a two-year long UTI because of a parasite she picked up traveling. Is something like that possible?

Did you take antibiotics for the kidney thing? That usually messes up the bacterial balance in your body and makes you more prone to infections for a while.

I had a friend who was pretty darn healthy except that she got UTIs constantly, and nobody could figure out what was up. Sucks so much. I've never had a UTI, but it sounds even worse than a yeast infection, what with the pain and actual health risks.

I'm starting to think that I may be prone to the yeasties. I eat way too much sugar, though, so I'm going to try getting rid of that before I start freaking out about my health in general. In the meantime, I'm seriously considering shoving garlic up there nightly as a preventive measure.

Never never never let yourself get dehydrated. Peeing helps flush nasty stuff out of your bladder, so if you're not drinking enough water on a regular basis (and thus not peeing as much as you should be), that can cause problems.

I've had problems with my bladder for 10 years. I'm going to bed but I'll come back tomorrow and write more about it.

I've been getting UTI's for years, constantly. Consistently after sex, even with all the peeing, cleaning and sanitizing I could do. The doctor thought I might have an abnormality either in my immune system or physically that was causing them so frequently but I was scared to get checked out and tested so I settled for low-dose antibiotics to take after sex. I haven't had one since, and the antibiotics don't bother me.

For the first two years after I became sexually active, I averaged a uti every other month. It was hell and pretty much ruined my ability to enjoy sex for awhile.

Here's what I did:

Apparently they're finding that peeing before rather than after sex might be more effective, so I pee before and after, just in case (I believe the theory is that if your bladder is full, it's more likely to get irritated during sex).

Have sex in the morning, then drink a ton of water all day to flush your system.

Take vitamin C before bed. The acidity makes it more difficult for bacteria to grow.

No alcohol on days that you have sex or feel a uti coming on. I've heard the analogy that alcohol is to a uti what gasoline is to a fire.

Obviously, make sure both you and your partner are super clean--both hands and genitals--before sex.

No mixing of tushie-play and vag-play!

I swore for a couple of years by D-mannose, which is the isolated sugar from cranberry. Once I started taking that religiously on days that I had sex, I stopped getting UTI's. After awhile, though, I got a little skeeved out taking so much of something that isn't FDA approved (not that they're saints, but there didn't seem to even be much research on D-mannose anywhere) and felt like it might have been messing with my urinary system. I went to a urologist, who checked to see if there was any anatomical reason that I might be more prone to uti's. He didn't find anything abnormal and said some women are just more prone to them. He offered me the option of a super low dose antibiotic to take after sex, and I've been really happy with that. I was worried about taking antibiotics so regularly, but he said that this is the stuff they put kids on who get constant uti's, and sometimes those kids have to take this stuff every day for their whole lives and they haven't seen a decrease in effectiveness for this or other antibiotics. My choice at that point was to be on a heavy dose of antibiotics every other month with at least one day out of commission or take a low dose antibiotic a few times per week...

Sorry so long; I just feel your pain!!

Good advice Pop! Here's one more that has helped: use lube, not saliva! Alternatively, try mouthwash before oral fun time.

I'm echoing Pop! and Coldandsleepy--I used to get UTIs from sex, but this was at a point in my life when I was drinking, well, much more than I should have been (and I don't think I ever had sex without any alcohol)--this probably doesn't apply to you simplybecause, but the dehydration factor might. I still have to remind myself to drink more water than I'm prone to doing without prompt--that, coupled with the alchol=no wonder! I haven't had a UTI in four years, btw.

I also used to get chronic yeast infections, mostly due to being on hormonal birth control. I got fewer of them after I stopped the bc, and then they all but disappeared when I went vegan (I wonder if dairy had something to do with them? Or, the hormones in it? That's all I can think of). Taking an acidophilus supplement is supposed to help with the chronic yeasties--and it's good for your gut, anyhow (and will cut down on the gassies). Also, a friend of mine pointed out that mouths often have yeast--don't know if oral sex is a correlation or actual cause, but it's worth mentioning. I wonder, also, if the heavy drinking of days yore had anything to do with the yeast infections.

I had a yeast infection that wouldn't go away this past summer. I took oral meds the first time around and that didn't work. Garlic didn't work either. So after a couple months of stinging pain, uncomfortable sex, and mad itchiness I went back to the doctor. The second time they gave me the cream, and that worked. I also stopped using tampons (because I'm really bad at changing them when I'm supposed to) and I also stopped using pantaloon liners, just light cotton underwear from now on. I also now wipe from behind and not from the front (thanks to the poll from the old threads. I can thank the ppk for that!) and I've been yeast infection free! It's so nice, I'm so happy.

I used to get them all the time and then I quit using spermicide and now I hardly ever get them.

Yay! Maybe it's just me, but the first time I read this I thought you meant wiping back-to-front...which I'm sure you don't, just want to clarify in case there's any confusion: WIPE FRONT TO BACK, reaching from behind :)

Exactly. I don't know if that was the exact cause for my yeast infection problems because I had been wiping like that forever and never had yeast infections, but it hasn't come back since I started wiping front to back from behind. It was weird at first, but I got the hang of it. I'm like, a pro now.

I just had what may have been a UTI 3 weeks ago. I felt like I had to pee constantly, I went to the doctor, peed in a cup, they said there was blood so they prescribed bactrim, I took it, it did nothing. I called the doctor, they didn't have my culture results yet, prescribed Levaquin, it helped at first, then I started feeling like I had to pee all the time. Called the doctor AGAIN, and oops, they don't know what is going on cause they never sent out the culture. Went back, peed again, they called on Wednesday and left a message for me to call back, but it's gotten better on its own. However, I then did get a yeast infection from all the antibiotics. Took a diflucan for that, which got rid of it mostly, and I get my period on Tuesday which generally changes the pH enough that it dies off the rest of the way. I don't know where the first infection or whatever came from. I hadn't even had sex the week prior because i had my period.

Thanks for the experience and advice! I'm usually good about drinking water, but could probably do even more. One of my friends claims that I pee more than the average person anyway...

As for sexy time, there usually is a large amount of oral involved, so I'll maybe have to look into the mouthwash beforehand thing. I've also got the cranberry pills to start taking regularly. The boy is also very good about bringing me a glass of water afterwards, so I usually end up peeing in the middle of the night after sex too.

I just find that I'm having issues like this now, even though we've been intimate with each other since the summer, sort of amusing.

I just have to share that garlic totally cured my yeast infection. It's difficult to express how excited I am. It took like three days of 24-hour garlic action, but I didn't start treating it 'til it was full-blown. Also, my roommate was curious as to why the bathroom smelled like garlic (I had been disposing of my clove babies in the garbage initially). I did not tell him what's up, but I have started flushing them instead. Thanks, PPK!

LOTS of really great advice here already, so I'll just add that there was a 2-3 month period that I got 2 bacterial infections and 1 UTI in a row. The doctor told me I might just be prone and gave me a list of rules to follow (many of which have already been mentioned).

I haven't had either for the past 3 years and here's what worked for me:

No goin' back n' forth with the holes!! If a finger has gotten close to the back door, switch fingers! On a similar note...always have clean hands before sex.

Pee afterwards (don't need to tell ya...)

Wash your vagina with unscented, gentle soap

Clean cotton undies preferable

Get treated ASAP and give some no-sex time to help fight off infections fully

My gyno told me untreated bacterial infections have potential bad implications for the future. So take those antibiotics!

UGH. I have a poppin' fresh yeast infection right now, just in time for Thanksgiving!

I haven't had one in ages, and I've been really busy lately, so I'm afraid it's pretty full-blown at this point and I feel like crepe. My sainted partner just came back from wandering in the drugstore's Vagina Aisle with one of those OTC Monistat packs; hopefully it will sort me out to do all the grocery shopping and cooking on the next two days' agenda. (At least we're sure of the rolls, right?!)

Hope you feel better Desdemona. No garlic for you?
I have to say, the doughboy made me spit my water out, laughing, haha.

Yes, nice touch.

Thanks; I'm actually feeling much better, today. (I just couldn't help myself!)

Another thing...no thongs! They can carry the bacteria right to the sweet spot.

Gah, I woke up last night about three a.m. (when I used to get them, they would always come in the middle of the night, when nothing is open) and was certain I was getting one. I went pee (that's another one--go pee when you feel the need!), took an antibiotic, drank a big glass of water, and went back to sleep. Seriously, after having so many of them, feeling like I'm getting one can send me into a panic. Thankfully, no sign of a UTI this morning.