Yeast Infection Medication

Although I trust in natural remedies to get rid of yeast infections for ever, many people like to use yeast infection medication.

Yeast infections can be treated externally and directly into the vagina with antifungal tablets, creams, ointments or suppositories.

These antifungal medicines kill yeast organisms.

The medications include butoconazole (Femstat), clotrimazole (Clotrimaderm, Canesten), miconazole (Monistat, Monazole, Micozole), nystatin (several brand names), tioconazole (GyneCure) and terconazole (Terazole). A single dose of oral fluconazole (Diflucan Oral) also may be used, although this treatment is not recommended during pregnancy.

Although many medications used to treat vaginal yeast infections are now available without a prescription, you should use these medications only for treating repeat infections, not for your first episode. Any woman who experiences symptoms of a vaginal infection for the first time should visit a doctor. This is important to be sure that the vaginal discharge and discomfort is caused by yeast and not sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydia or trichomoniasis.

Treatment of sex partners is not usually necessary, since most vaginal yeast infections are not transmitted sexually. However, if a male sex partner shows symptoms of Candida balanitis (redness, irritation and/or itching at the tip of the penis), he may need to be treated with an antifungal cream or ointment.

Another option is to take yeast infection medication orally.

Fluconazole is one of the most commonly used oral antifungal medicines for vaginal yeast infection. Itraconazole is also commonly used.

Ketoconazole was the first medicine that was effective in eliminating acute vaginal yeast infections, but it is not widely used now because it may damage the liver.

Oral medicines can be used:

To treat the occasional vaginal yeast infection in women who have a preference for oral treatment.

To treat a vaginal yeast infection that has not responded to vaginal medicine.

As a weekly or monthly maintenance or suppressive treatment for 6 months to 1 year, to stop persistent, recurring vaginal yeast infection.

All cases of recurring vaginal yeast infections should be confirmed by culture before preventive therapy begins.

Important: Oral medicines are not recommended for women who are pregnant.

Antifungal treatments cure infections 80% to 90% of the time. Sometimes the less common types of yeast infections may respond better to vaginal treatment or to boric acid suppositories. Since oral medicines do not provide immediate relief of symptoms, vaginal medicines may also be needed in the first 48 hours of treatment.

If you have recurring yeast infections, you may want to ask your doctor about taking antifungal medicines as maintenance or suppressive treatment. This means taking the medicine weekly or monthly for 6 months to 1 year. This long-term use of antifungal medicine has been shown to significantly reduce the number of women who have recurrent vaginal yeast infections. But after women stop taking the medicines, 30% to 40% of them get another vaginal infection that has symptoms.

This demonstrates that the yeast infection medication suppresses the infection, but does not cure it. Affecting a complete cure requires a natural rebalancing of the pH of the body with natural supplements, diet and therapies. The method we trust is Linda Allen’s Yeast Infection No More, which is a comprehensive ebook with simple, effective treatments and a lifelong cure.

Side effects of oral antifungal medication are likely to develop when you need more than one treatment (multi-dose treatment) of the oral medicine. You most likely will need multi-dose treatment only if your infection is severe or if it comes back after the first treatment. Side effects may include headache, abdominal pain and n ausea.