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Saturday, April 9, 2011

Not so sexy talk - yeast infection remedies

Hello my lovies,
I'm going to share with you some not so sexy advice. I know yeast infections aren't very pretty to talk about, but when have I ever not talked about something just because it's not pretty? Lol. Y'all know by now that I'm a serious cheapie.  Over the years, I've found many ways to save & I always try to let you know my "secrets."  Such as my ideas on how to make shampoo last a year rather than 6 months. (Yes I learned to make my shampoo last an entire year) & actually, the bottle I'm using now has lasted me a year and a half! 

  Well, I'm not here to talk about shampoo, but to hopefully shed some real light for my ladies  when it comes to the things that make the bedroom moments not so hot. Yeast infections. Yes, I'm going there. Did you think I wouldn't? You should know me better by now! lol.

  Some people get yeast infections quite often. It is NOT due to bad hygiene. Yeast infections are usually caused by sudden changes in hormones or antibiotics. Although there are other causes, from my experience & talks with other women, most are from those two things.

  I don't like to go to the Dr. (especially the cooter doctor!) unless I absolutely have to. I will always try OTC remedies or wait for something to clear on it's on. I don't think a yeast infection is something that women should have to spend tons of money on just for relief. Usually a Dr. visit for a simple yeast infection is not necessary, not in my opinion. You can get OTC meds that clear it up in one night.

  I know this because during my first pregnancy I was a victim of the awful, scary infection. I'm very picky about my cooter. I have to know everything about it and I also always feel the need to "test" things there such as hair removal creams that advise you not to use down there. If it says "do not use on your cooter." You can guarantee that I will. Everything has to pass the cooter test for me.

  To get to the point. I wanted to let you know there are other options for treating a yeast infection. And you can't always get to the drugstore when one shows up unannounced.

                                WHAT I USED FOR MY OWN

  First, I should mention that I'm in now way telling you to ignore symptoms or that you should not go see your OB/GYN. I'm not saying that. I'm only saying that I prefer not to unless I have to & since I have regular paps, I'm usually OK to do so.

  Yeast infections are rarely transmitted sexually, although it's possible.

  When I got an infection, I was pregnant and running a daycare. I worked from 8AM to 12AM a lot and couldn't get to the store. So there I was with a 2 year old who thinks it's funny to poop on himself & a 8 month old who was out of diapers because the mother didn't leave enough & the 2 year old used them all while playing his pooping prank, and a yeast infection to put the icing on the cake! What a wonderful day to get one.

  I was at the end of my rope. I went to the powder room & used peroxide! I had no idea what would happen & honestly did not care I just wanted the swelling to go away. It was a light infection because the symptoms weren't severe & I didn't have the awful urge to itch so badly. It was just uncomfortable because the swelling caused a little pain. The peroxide seemed to lighten things up.

  At the end of the night I ran a very hot bath & just sat there for a while & for the rest of the night I had no problems. The 2nd day, I was really worried that the swelling was worse.

  Since I've used tea tree oil & sea salt on everything growing up, I decided to mix tea tree oil with several tea spoons of peroxide & salt with warm water. I was desperate, I didn't care if I woke up with my cooter gone.

  It seemed to have done the trick! I had no discomfort at all. The mixture relieved it immediately. It didn't burn for me, but my symptoms were light.

           WHAT YOU NEED TO GED RID OF THE INFECTION:

1. Sea Salt or plain salt.
2. Warm water
3. Peroxide.
4. Tea tree oil (very helpful for the mixture, but if you don't have it when you need relief, skip the tea tree oil.)
5. Medicine dropper is helpful to have, but a straw can work. (If you have neither, you can use your clean fingers.)





        HOW TO MAKE THE MIXTURE TO CURE THE INFECTION
                      

- Take a small glass and add a few teaspoons of salt. You can use regular salt or sea salt. (Sea salt is very good for healing!) I used about 5 teaspoons. You can go with 3 or more if you like. (It may burn if you've scratched or have rawness, or mild or severe symptoms)

- Mix in several drops of 100% pure tea tree oil. I used 9 drops. You can use less. (If you need relief immediately and do not have tea tree oil on hand, skip this step.)

- Put in a cap full of peroxide. (I used 5 cap fulls, but I'm not sure that you should use that much!) It didn't hurt me.

- Now fill the glass about half way with very warm water.

- Stir it up well & make sure most of the salt has dissolved.


                             HOW TO APPLY THE MIXTURE

  First, I definitely suggest taking a hot bath first because it's brings a lot of relief to the swelling, itching, burning, pain.

- When you've got everything mixed, you'll need to get the mixture on the infected areas. If you prefer to only use externally, that's fine.

  - To get the mixture inside where the infection is residing & will continue to live until the inside is treated, you can use a medicine dropper or I find that a straw works. If you have to, use your fingers. It will be messier and take a little extra time, but it's fine.

- Laying on your back is an easy position to make sure it goes in. I've heard women say they used a douche to insert the misture, I'm sure that would be very handy (Just do NOT use the ingredients that come with the douche like white vinegar as it will feed the yeast and make it worse!) Just fill the douche with the mixture you've made.

- If you're using a straw, you can kind of let it run down as your "sucking in air." and it will act the same as taking a drink using a straw. Holding it in for a few seconds works better because it has time to get all over the infected areas.

- Then you can either let it run out or push it out yourself. I prefer the latter because the pressure of you sucking in the mixture then pushing it out gets the infection to actually rinse out. If you're pregnant do not try any of this.

- Repeat a few times, or more if you prefer. You can repeat until the liquid comes out much more clear.

- Keep the rest of the mixture you've made in a closed container & use again every few hours if it does not go away. You can do it several times if you need to.

TIPS:
~ Being in a bath tub with low water (so that you don't push the bath water which will contain the yeast after the mixture has been released from you.) helps because it won't get on the floor or damage sheets or clothing. Lying on your back is the easiest and most effective way to go.

~ You may see cloudy or white "clumps" (sorry for the graphic words.) come out in the water. It may also look like tiny bits of toilet paper.

~ Be careful and only try this if you're comfortable with it. If not, see a Dr. I'm not a Dr. I just share the things that work for me & other women.


               USING GARLIC TO RID A YEAST INFECTION

This is a quick and very simple way to relieve and totally cure the infection. Take a garlic clove and cut it into a small piece. Insert the garlic clove. Not too far! Garlic works for a yeast infection the same way it does a vampire in the movies. That's true, it kills yeast. I've never used this method, but have had women tell me that they did and it worked.

  One female said she left it in over night and the symptoms totally cleared in a few hours and the entire infection was gone by the next morning. I've heard so many women say this works. It's very worth a try! Some say it burns a little and some say it doesn't burn at all.

  If it does burn, I do suggest taking it out if it becomes to uncomfortable.

  Like I said, I used the tea tree oil, salt, and peroxide and didn't have burning. Keep in mind though, my symptoms were very light too.

  - I've also had someone say they warmed a garlic clove in warm water using a micorwave and used the juice from it on a tampon and/or pad and it cleared it up.


              USING YOGURT TO RID A YEAST INFECTION

- If you decide to go this route (it would've been my first option if I'd had some at the time.) make sure that you use plain yogurt. Not just any yoplait cheesecake! If the yogurt is not plain, it will only feed the yeast and make it much worse.

-You can either dip a tampon in the yogurt and insert or insert the yogurt alone. If you want, you can also just try the pad with yogurt but I'm not sure that it would relieve for very long & if the inside isn't treated, it will stay.

I've also heard that peroxide (dilluted) alone works.

I really like all the ideas. I've only needed to use them once thank God. But I'm so glad that there is an alternative to expensive doctor visits or over the counter, expenisve drugs.

*Lovlies, please do let me know you're results if you've used any of these & if you have any to add, I'd love to hear them!*

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