Fighting with the Candida Vaginitis aka vaginal discharge !!

I noticed that after i started my fertility treatment, especially after i underwent the HSG procedure, i got this new problem.... vaginal discharge. This discharge i'm talking about is not a normal one that usually come out during our fertile period (everybody would be happy when the egg white discharge come out.. would be a good sign to TTC ;) ).
This one is not a normal one...it looks like a white cottage cheese, sometime it turns into yellowish in color.. when it's yellow.. it smell a bit fishy fuhhss weird eh when you smell like a fish.. the bad thing about it, is it usually cause irritation and real bad itchiness or burning in or around the most sensitive area...(know what i mean ;) )..

The discharge looks pretty much similar
like this cottage cheese 

I read from a website..this abnormal discharge is referred as Candida Vaginitis or in layman terms - vaginal yeast infection. I guess this problem is common in most women, it just that the severity of it that differ.
Since then, for like more than 3 years now, i've been fighting to cure this infection.
I would get this infection usually once or twice a week.. sometime it's just very mild one..but if i'm unlucky.. the infection become a bad one..
This discharge is making my daily life somehow feel uncomfortable....so to avoid this uncomfortable feeling, i wear pantiliner each and every day .. especially when i go to work, travelling, out for shopping etc etc.. One good thing about wearing a pantiliner is that it would ensure that i'm always in a clean state. I would change to a new one if the pantyliner got stained by the discharge.
I usually choose a cotton non-scented type of pantyliner.. the scented kinda of pantyliner not suitable for me.. the discharge would be even more when i use it.


When the thing get really bad, i immediate see my doctor at the clinic near my house.
She usually prescribed me with antibiotics and a vaginal-insert kind of medication (cannot remember the name of it). This medication looks like a candle with bullet kinda shape. It must be inserted into vaginal before go to bed.. and of course, one need to lie on bed when doing the insertion, and once it is done, it is not advisable to go up from bed immediately because the medication would easily slip out of the vagina ;). 

Econazine cream... now,a must item where ever i go ;)

Usually after 3 days on these medications, the disharge would be gone.. and i'll be free of the discharge for like 2-3 weeks before it come again to invade my life huhuhu....so.. antibiotics and this medication would only be a temporary solution.. sigh. Oh ya.. i was also given a cream ~ Econazine, to be applied onto vagina if there is any irritation caused by the discharge (found it quite useful even to reduce the itchiness ;P. Always carry it anywhere i go..just in case i need it)






Googled over the net. Found and tried some tips on how to curb this never ending problem:
1. Eat yogurt
    -> it's quite a good one and it seems to work. But rather expensive to have it everyday


2. Take garlic pill
   -> not work for me ;(


3. Drink lime juice
    -> U'uh.. still not work for me ;(


4. Put salt in warm water. Wear a glove. Run through the salted warm water onto
    the middle finger. Insert the middle finger into vagina to dig out the discharge.
    -> It definately works to remove the discharge but.. its kinda hurt a bit to insert the finger into vagina especially if there is no lubricant.. ;(. Done it twice.. but cannot endure the pain.. so.. not a good solution for me.


5. Put warm water in a bathtub (can also use big basin if you done have bathtub at home).
    Pour in some salt in the tub. Sit in the tub. Insert the middle finger into vagina to dig out the discharge.
   -> Same thing.. it kinda hurt a bit.. ;(


6.  To wash vagina with Betel leave extract (Sireh in Malay language)
    -> I bought this feminine hygiene wash that contains the Betel Leave. Use it once or twice a day. Looks like it kinda work a bit ;). Feeling very clean and fresh after using it.
    -> Read from somewhere that frequent usage of feminine hygiene wash would cause inbalance of PH level at vagina. Erm.. not so sure how true it is. Just to be on the safe side, i limit the usage of it at most 2 times a day.


You can find more tips at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/vaginal/194.html
http://naturalhealthezine.com/best-natural-candida-infection-treatment/

One fine day, my sister-in-law told me that she read from an e-book on ways to combat this problem. One of it is to take daily supplementary of Acidophilus Bifidus. Ahaa.... i know some of you may have heard these word  over a tv commercials.. and yes.. it can be found in most of the cultured mild drinks like the Vitagen etc.

The Acidophilus

" Acidophilus is actually a good and friendly intestinal bacteria that are useful in maintaining good overall health, to support digestive and immune health. Things such as irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence, diarrhea, Candida overgrowth, vaginal yeast infections, urinary tract infections,are some examples where  Acidophilus have been used." - quoted from a website.
So, after reading all the good things about this "friendly and good bacteria", i decided to give it a try.
I headed to the Guardian pharmacy and bought the Blackmores brand of the Acidophilus Bifidus (seems that it is the only brand that sell the Acidophilus Bifidus. Could not find any other brand sells this supplementary). The Acidophilus Bifidus costs me RM70++ after discount for a bottle that would last for 2-3 months. I take 1 capsule in a day.. and so far.. it seems that my discharge has reduced a bit.. yeayy. Hopefully this good bacteria would do the wonder to fight and free me from the bad bacteria (aka the infection).


Found these good websites that tells more about Acidophilus Bifidus and its benefits. Happy reading ;) 
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/acidophilus-benefits.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_5456779_acidophilus-bifidus.html


Luv... jams.