Would probiotics be an effective way to help prevent chronic yeast infections?
Does anyone have experience with Shaklee products?
Thank you,
Bernie
Bump one time.
I don’t know about probiotics, but yogurt works.
I was taking Bio K+ probiotic yogurt to help my stomach. i have no idea what it does for yeast infections, though. but it was good for my tummy.
KEJ,
When you say that yogurt works, are you saying a specific kind like austin79? Or are you talking about Yoplait or Dannon? I know they make that Activia stuff, but it is hard to tell how many critters they have in it. It seems to me that the sugar content of most yogurts would foster yeast growth. But then again, I may have been looking into this WAY too much.
Thanks,
Bernie
Not really - probiotics are best used to “re-populate” your GI flora. Helps to prevent cramps, GI distress, diarrhea, etc. The “yeast” infection (usually Candida albicans) is actually an animal (well, fungi) organism. Always a good idea to take a probiotic with an antibiotic if you can - just separate the Yougurt (if that is what probiotic source you use) by about an hour as some antibiotics (specifically the quinolones like Cipro and Levaquin) are bound/chelated by calcium/magnesium salts and are thus made much less effective.
the doc says that when chronic the yeast infection is systemic & usually they prescribe a systemic drug along with a local treatment. They reccommend the usual stuff to keep the yeast gremlins at bay including low sugar diet and yoghurts including the acidophilus bifidus culture - presumably the probiotic will do the same ‘maintenance’ job to keep the good flora’s growing and the candida beaten. Not sure how it would go as a fixit on its own:) long story short, have a chat with your friendly GP!
Regular active culture yogurt. My doctor always advised me to eat yogurt while taking antibiotics to prevent yeast infections. As for sugar, I only eat plain yogurt. I can’t stand the tooty fruity stuff.
This is not really my problem, more for my wife. Anti-biotics have not been used. She keeps getting these yeast infections 7 in 7 months. She went to the Dr. and he was not too concerned. He wants her just to keep treating with the OTC stuff. Personally, I think its time for a new doc, but my wife is stubborn and if I suggest it she’ll stay with this guy for sure.
My wife always had problems with yeast infections when she would get put on antibiotics which makes sense. I can see why taking a probiotic would help while on antibiotics. My wife will not eat yogurt so I am looking at different probiotic sources so when she gets this yeast infection thing under control maybe she could stay balanced.
Thanks for your answer.
Bernie
Thanks pipi. Maintenance is what I’m after. Yogurt is apparently not an option. The GP is at least 1/2 the problem in this case as far as I’m concerned, but that’s a story for another day!
Thanks,
Bernie
Thanks austin79. The Bio-K folks have a pretty well set up website complete with a store locator. Thanks again.
PS-That is a nice pic of your Christmas tree. Beautiful ornaments. I have always wanted to make my own ornaments on a wood lathe. I haven’t gotten around to that yet!
Bernie
Well, I didn’t think the problem was for you! 
Seriously though, the topical, messay creams/applicators are often effective, but yuk…A single 150mg Difulcan dose (yes, 1 pill) is often all you (she) needs.
Good luck
Pro-biotics, yogurt no sugar, cotton panties, cut out a majority of breads/sugars/alcohol, and here I go again- eat lots of veggies. 7 infections in 7 months is NOT good. Hope she can have some relief.
Yes thanks. Diflucan would probably do the trick. Messy creams seem to help, but messy creams every month are…well…messy.
Bernie
That works- but every month is not a good idea. I would look deeper as to why her natural flora is not healthy. Call my old fashioned.
"Would probiotics be an effective way to help prevent chronic yeast infections?
Does anyone have experience with Shaklee products? "
Man or woman? Both get yeast infections. Both can pass one to another, also.
I’d say there are several things to consider… let’s go for both men AND women:
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Easiest to begin: wash sheets and towels often, once a week for sheets, and change towels often: fungus likes to grow in closed moist areas like cloth.
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Get some tea tree oil soap and use it in private areas every day. It’s an anti-fungal.
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Always change out of moist workout clothes immediately - and wash with tea tree oil soap. (see #2). You can also buy tea tree oil and make a little ‘oil wipe’ to cleanse.
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Be very clean when having sex. Seriously. Wash hands… and body parts.
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Don’t use lubricants with sugars in them, which are many. There’s a “Wet” brand which has no sugar. Funguses/yeasts like sugars.
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Eat quality yogurt… hopefully with as little sugar as possible, like the plain kind (whole milk yogurt, plain, has few sugars). Yogurt has probiotics – if they say “live active cultures”.
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Buy and take probiotics – but they need to say “Live active cultures” on the bottle.
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You don’t need Shaklee products when you can do the above from almost any quality store.
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Eat garlic or garlic capsules. Garlic is a natural antifungal.
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Homemade boric acid tablet. You can get empty capsules from natural pharmacies as well as a bottle of boric acid, and fill the capsules yourself… and… uh… insert. 2/day (morning and evening). It’s an antifungal and a cleanser, so to speak… The old-fashioned method.
Hope this helps,
Lauren
That works- but every month is not a good idea. I would look deeper as to why her natural flora is not healthy. Call my old fashioned.
No, no, no. YOu are right on. Definitely we need to find the root cause here. There is probably a hormonal component to this (although she is not taking hormones). Her diet isn’t the greatest, but it is generally good. We are non-drinkers for the most part. I am a vegetarian (she is not, although I do most of the cooking so she often just eats what I make her, with a side of meat). I can’t explain why she won’t eat yogurt. I guess she just doesn’t like it!
Thanks again.
Bernie
long answer: buy the book “what your doctor may not tell you about ibs”.
short answer: eliminate all sugar from your diet. even “good” sugars for a while. stay the hell away from the supplements that are marketed to endurance athletes (gu, etc…)
Wear a condom. I bet that will get ride of her yeast infections.
I was thinking that- but not sure how much scientific evidence backed it up enough for Slowtwitchers.