Scarleteen

I get yeast infections about 3 times a year. My doctor told me that I have to come for a visit to get a Diflucan prescription, and that I CANNOT use over the counter creams (monistat, vagisil, etc) before the appointment because these will make it hard for her to take a culture and diagnose me correctly.

The problem is, my appointments are usually 3 days or more from when I begin experiencing UNBEARABLE itching and burning. So I am looking for home remedies I can use to soothe myself (my inner labia and vaginal opening, to be precise! My external parts like vulva do not itch) in the meantime. If I can't find relief I'll have to take off work until my visit I've already lost a night's sleep. I also rely on a bike to get around but cannot bike comfortably in my current condition!

So far I have tried hot and cold compresses, and taking antihistamine tablets (benadryl, claritin) orally. Still itchy! (Note that I already follow a pretty strict diet in terms of no sugar/alcohol, etc.)

Here are the remedies I see suggested online: unsweetened plain yogurt on a tampon, unsweetened plain frozen yogurt popsicles, tea tree oil suppositories, boric acid capsules, hydrocortisone 1 percent cream applied topically, baking soda or vinegar baths, and garlic suppositories. Can you tell me if these are safe and effective to try? I don't want to make my poor labia feel worse! Also open to other new ideas.

Coconut oil is soothing and mildly antifungal, but you'll need to ask your doctor whether it will make your infection harder to diagnose.

Oof, that sounds very uncomfortable! I'd suggest calling your doctor's office and a) explaining how much discomfort you're in and how much it's disrupting your life until you can get treatment, and asking if you can possibly get an appointment or prescription any sooner, and b) asking what relief you Can use before your appointment.

For sure, a yeast infection isn't a medical emergency that requires super-immediate care, but if you're in a lot of pain and having your life disrupted a lot by something that's very treatable, it seems like there should be a better solution. If waiting like this is a one-off to enable your doctor to thoroughly investigate what might be going on with these repeated infections, then that might be just something you have to live with (although I'd still see if you can get seen any sooner!); but if it's a repeated plan for whenever you get an infection, like it's sounding, then I think there should be a better plan: either access to medical attention same-day or next-day, or a treatment you can access that your doctor arranges for you in advance. (It's not a good idea to just start self-treating for suspected yeast, but once someone's been properly diagnosed and then recognises the exact same symptoms, it can be an option.)

We have more info in Yeast Infections and http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advic ... infections . Per soothing your symptoms, Heather advised someone else experiencing itching:

As some extra DIY helps in the meantime, you may find that taking a cool bath with an oatmeal treatment (you can get them at most drugstores: not a bubble bath, but a bath treatment specifically for itchy skin) helps. If you can't find that, but have salt in the house, a salt water bath might help.

Be sure to also stick to cotton undergarments only, and loose ones, not something like a thong.

A plain yogurt poultice can also help. To do that, you just get plain, organic yogurt, and just take a few-fingersful and swipe it on your vulva, then just sit with it for a little while, rinsing off with cool water. In the event this is a yeast infection, the probiotics in the yogurt can also help you get a leg up on treating it before you can get treated by your doctor.

I'd check with your doctor first what is and isn't okay to do that won't interfere with them properly diagnosing you.

(I'm not a medic, but some of the other suggested remedies you've come across don't sound right to me, either at all or specifically for yeast. Definitely wise not to just start trying them! Hydrocortisone cream usually shouldn't be used without proper medical advice, and especially not on delicate skin/mucous membranes like the genitals.)