remedies - Jezebel

posts about #remedies more →
Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

Devonna
11/14/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
Secret vampire deterrent is the funniest thing I've read in ages.

thanks for sharing, Sadie.

I'm not nearly that adventurous. 24-Walgreens and Monistat are where it's at for me.
Reply

Devonna was starred Devonna was unstarred

jrhys
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
In my experience, garlic works really well for bacterial vaginal infections, but for yeast not so much. As for cutting it before insertion, yes that's a very bad idea.
Reply

jrhys was starred jrhys was unstarred

BluebellaElliot
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
Best. Title. Ever.
Reply

BluebellaElliot was starred BluebellaElliot was unstarred

ineffable.me
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
Sadie, I love you.
Reply

ineffable.me was starred ineffable.me was unstarred

Sodypop
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
what about the other "evil" UTI: any natural cures?
Reply

Sodypop was starred Sodypop was unstarred

Cerridwen
11/13/08

@Sodypop: Unfortunately, coming from a long line of UTI sufferers, I have to say nothing works like good old fashioned antibiotics. There are preventive measures you can take (such as drinking cranberry juice, urinating after sex, wearing only cotton underwear and changing frequently) but once the infection is on you pretty much need the drugs. At least in my mother's and my sister's and my own experience.
Reply

Cerridwen was starred Cerridwen was unstarred

The Queen of No
11/13/08

@Sodypop: Preventing a UTI is the only thing you can really do. I keep cranberry pills with me and I *definitely* pee after sex.. every time.
Reply

The Queen of No was starred The Queen of No was unstarred

aubonpam
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
I have tried to get a paste of acidophilus powder and water up there with a syringe. I broke down and got a RX for Diflucan.
Reply

aubonpam was starred aubonpam was unstarred

rhymeswithfeather
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
Tea tree oil.

I had a reoccurring mother-effer of a yeast infection recently, and refusing to go the Monistat route, I tried vinegar (white AND apple cider), garlic, plain yogurt and acidophilus pills (both orally and as a suppository). I basically had a salad in my vag. And nothing worked.

Finally, I bought some tea tree oil, put a few drops on a tampon and inserted it once a day for about three days - and bam! Cured.
Reply

rhymeswithfeather was starred

sisepuede is the femmiest femme of them all
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
Perhaps this is a question better suited for Tracie but I thought I'd throw it out on this thread anyway: Right now I am in the throes of a herpes outbreak and already took the full course of valtrex, but my coochie still itches and burns like crazy! It seriously feels as though it could fall off any minute now.

Any recommended topical remedies? I'll take anything OTC or home-remedy-ish, or Rx recommendations to discuss with my dr.
Reply

Liz11685
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
I hate yeast infections and tend to get them. One year I had one coming on during my vaginal exam, and my goodness was that painful. That was the first time they prescribed me anything for it. (I usually just wait for it to go away)

I was thinking that my Italian-American boyfriend would actually be attracted by the garlic smell emanating down there. He is proud to be a cultural stereotype.
Reply

Liz11685 was starred Liz11685 was unstarred

makeminemanda
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
After getting a bunch of UTIs, I tried this really complex homeopathic remedy that was supposed to make the infection go away. Yeah, that didn't go so well. The infection ended up spreading to my kidneys and I had to go to the ER. This story just reminded me of why I will not be subjecting myself to anything but antibiotics in the future for any sort of issues with my vag.
Reply

makeminemanda was starred makeminemanda was unstarred

The Queen of No
11/13/08

@makeminemanda: That's very smart when it comes to UTI's, but antibiotics actually make you more susceptible to yeast infections. Plus they're two totally different strains of baddies.
Reply

The Queen of No was starred The Queen of No was unstarred

Lymed
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
A point and a recommendation.

The point: A yeast infection gets worse before it gets better, because as the yeast dies it causes a herx reaction. This is an increase in symptoms as the toxins within the yeast are released while it dies off. A lot of the monistat creams come with an anti-itch cream to get you through that first 24 hours.

The recommendation: Nothing like a good probiotic, which is the natural bacteria in our system that kills the yeast. You can actually open up a capsule and put it inside you if you feel an infection coming and it can work. The reason yogurt works is it has these probiotics naturally in them. A good probiotic needs to be kept refrigerated. If you get yeast infections a lot, start taking a probiotic every day (the traditional way by mouth).
Reply

Lymed was starred Lymed was unstarred

The Queen of No
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
Ugh, what an apropos post. Right now I have an itchy vag, and have had one since Monday, but no discharge yet. Nothing looks different, nothing smells different. It's just uncomfortable as hell. I put yogurt on it and I've been eating tons of Acidophollus. This has happened once before and both times it's post-weekend-with-tons-of-sex. I also have some sort of abrasion where sometimes when I've been peeing, the pee hits it and it stings. It's not a UTI because it's not hurting my urinary tract and I don't have that constant terrible urinary tract ache. It's just so uncomfortable and I need it to go away! BLAH.
Reply

The Queen of No was starred The Queen of No was unstarred

AwkwardTurtle
11/13/08

@glowingliketheocean: You can have a yeast infection without discharge. I get them often (because god hates me and sex) and have only had a noticeable change in discharge once. My gyno said that yogurt will sooth it but not necessarily heal it - esp one that's been brewing for months.

The abrasion could be from scratching. I'd get a prescription if I were you. Fluconizal is pretty badass stuff.
Reply

AwkwardTurtle was starred AwkwardTurtle was unstarred

WantToTouchtheWahine
11/13/08

@AwkwardTurtle: YES. I nearly cried when I found out Target sells fluconazole for $4, with or without insurance.

Not quite as effective as Diflucan, but holy vadge four dollas FTW!
Reply

The Queen of No
11/13/08

@AwkwardTurtle: Thanks so much! No one has told me anything even remotely as useful as this. I'm gonna try to wrangle a prescription over the phone.
Reply

The Queen of No was starred The Queen of No was unstarred

AwkwardTurtle
11/13/08

@glowingliketheocean: glad to be of service! i had the yeast infection of death last summer where i spent fucking months on drugs and yogurt and clawing myself and in the mean time got so smart about my vagde.
Reply

AwkwardTurtle was starred AwkwardTurtle was unstarred

AwkwardTurtle
11/13/08

@WantToTouchtheWahine: and so much more tolerable than the goopy shit you simmer in overnight.
Reply

AwkwardTurtle was starred AwkwardTurtle was unstarred

sickofthis
11/13/08

@WantToTouchtheWahine: Diflucan is just the trade name for fluconazole. Same thing.

@dreamypisces: I got the same recommendation, but that's more about contact dermatitis than YI.

I've had a pretty much constant YI since September. I am going to take the advice here and start on acidopholus, because I can't seem to find an endocrinolist that's taking new patients so that I can find out WTF IS HAPPENING TO ME.
Reply

sickofthis was starred sickofthis was unstarred

WantToTouchtheWahine
11/13/08

@sickofthis: Too late for this, but fluconazole is not the EXACT same thing. It's the generic version. Which means that up to 20% of the inactive ingredients can be different. Hence, why some brand names (Diflucan, Zovirax) work just a little better.

At least that's what my cognitive dissonance tells me.
Reply

wilmawonker
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
is it possible that the detergent from the handkerchief is actually what made it so much worse?
Reply

wilmawonker was starred wilmawonker was unstarred

ellaesther
11/13/08

@wilmawonker: Nah, it would be the garlic juice. I've never had a problem with it, but I hear that those who do have a REAL problem with it.
Reply

ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred

jenalicious
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
omg that was bananas. i love it. please keep entertaining us with delightful stories, you lovely girl!
Reply

jenalicious was starred jenalicious was unstarred

PeculiarB
11/13/08

In reply to Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection
So... last year my period was late and instead of taking a test, I looked up natural ways to bring it on...

On several mother-earthish websites I found a certain remedy. And tried it:

A sprig of parsley. Vaginally inserted and left overnight. (also, actually, a LOT of vitamin C). My boyfriend thought the whole thing was weird and hilarious. Can't say that it worked. Eventually I got a test and all was well; I was just late.
Reply

PeculiarB was starred PeculiarB was unstarred

labeled
11/13/08

@PeculiarB: Here's one of mine: I took castor oil to bring on labor after suffering through several "false starts" (my uterus is exactly like me - can't really commit until forced).

That shit *definitely* worked. I was in labor within about 6 hours.
Reply

labeled was starred labeled was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

#remedies

Jezebel

SUBSCRIBE TO Jezebel

Where Garlic Has Never Gone Before: Or, How Not To Cure A Yeast Infection

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment