Hi everyone,

I've taken ritalin derivatives for over ten years and recently switched to Vyvanse and Adderall this past August. Since the switch, I've basically had a never ending yeast infection. My gyn doctor has given me all sorts of prescriptions but since this was never ever a problem for me before and I've basically eliminated other variables, I'm starting to blame the med switch. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, did you have to change meds or was there a way to treat the yeast infections and stay on your current ADHD meds.

Any help/advice would be great, as much fun as a 4 month yeast infection is, I'm pretty over it!

Thanks!

They were never caused by stimulants, but I came across a great cure for yeast infections:

Take a clove of garlic (peel, but be careful not to puncture the actual clove). Take a six or seven inch strip of gauze. Wrap the clove up in the end of it. Insert, leaving the end of the gauze hanging down like a tampon string.

Do this for three nights in a row, a fresh clove each night. It sounds weird, I know, but it really does work.

Just wondering did you take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed, and take all of them until the bottle was empty? We ADDer's are probably worse than Normals for forgetting doses. You could have a fairly resistant strain of yeast that needs a strict regimen or specific antibiotic to kill the colony completely. Did the Gyn do a culture to find the specific strain?

Just wondering did you take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed, and take all of them until the bottle was empty? We ADDer's are probably worse than Normals for forgetting doses. You could have a fairly resistant strain of yeast that needs a strict regimen or specific antibiotic to kill the colony completely. Did the Gyn do a culture to find the specific strain?

I did take my antibiotic as directed (3 times a day for 1 week) except that I forgot I had already taken my lunch dose once and took a second. My GYN hasn't told me which yeast and bacteria strains she has cultured for but from what I understand, there aren't other treatment options besides what I've done-more monistat than I care to mention, terazol, diflucan, acidophilus supplement, etc. The antibiotics were for Strep B and when I've seen her, she looks at immediate smears and sends cultures so I think she's covering the bases.

I'm still wondering if it's the adderall/vyvanse because the timing adds up and I have had one previous yeast infection in my life (after taking heavy antibiotics) so I don't understand why I would just get a 4 month treatment-resistant yeast infection. I know this isn't a usual stimulant side effect but I don't know what else could cause this?

Yeast infections are also capable of being passed back and forth. You partner might have it and you keep getting it back from hin/her.

Just wondering did you take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed, and take all of them until the bottle was empty? We ADDer's are probably worse than Normals for forgetting doses. You could have a fairly resistant strain of yeast that needs a strict regimen or specific antibiotic to kill the colony completely. Did the Gyn do a culture to find the specific strain?

Yeast is a fungus, so antibiotics will not help.

I actually think yeast is a bacteria, not a fungus. Standard treatments are usually antibiotics.
As far as what's going on with you, I'm no expert on the subject, but being a woman, I would surmise that the medication isn't the cause.. myself and others I know have had strings of recurrent infections at one time or another. They can sometimes be a symptom of another underlying condition. If your gyn can't help you or figure it out in the near future, you could always try to get a second opinion.

I actually think yeast is a bacteria, not a fungus. Standard treatments are usually antibiotics.
As far as what's going on with you, I'm no expert on the subject, but being a woman, I would surmise that the medication isn't the cause.. myself and others I know have had strings of recurrent infections at one time or another. They can sometimes be a symptom of another underlying condition. If your gyn can't help you or figure it out in the near future, you could always try to get a second opinion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast

http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/centres/sex/infections/yeast_infection.html

Lizard7- I know that this will sound odd, but do you drink citrus juices? I know I had to stop drinking them because of recurring yeast infections. It has something to do with the PH of your urine. What has worked for me has been cranberry juice or cranberry tablets. I believe that they are marketed under the brand name "Azo". Again, same thinking applies.

I know that age can be a factor as well. The peri-menopause years can be tough on ADHD. From experience here.

First of all, thanks for all the help! Please keep it coming.

Re the yeast as fungus or bacteria, I only took antibiotics because I also tested positive for Strep B.

I also don't think I'm giving/getting it from my boyfriend because this has more or less killed our sex life for long periods of time and I discussed it with my gyn.

I don't drink juice in general but certainly would be willing to give the cranberry a try! I wasn't good about eating yogurt so I started an acidophilus supplement but that obviously hasn't helped since I'm still in the midst of this thing!

Age-wise, I'm 25.

Yep, sorry my ADD strikes again. I do know about yeast not being a bacteria and using antibiotics to actually cause yeast infections sometimes... but at the time I wrote the post I remembered taking antibiotics last time I had a female problem... now I remember it was a bacterial infection (not yeast). Doh, sorry! I'm glad so many people posted after me to clear things up and jog my silly memory.

"She understands. She doesn't comprehend." - River

If you check out the www.gbss.org.uk (http://www.gbss.org.uk) you will see that antibiotics should not be given for group B strep in the vagina if that is what you were having the antibiotics for. Group B strep is a normal bacteria that is found in around a third of women and only causes problems if you are pregnant or if you have high temperature. I had such bad thrush after having lots of antibiotics to try to get rid of this bacteria (called GBS). Doctors still prescribe antibiotics for this despite research showing them it is unnecessary.

Bella

first off welcome to forums lizard7, Im no expert but maybe hormone related any change in bc methods?
keep us posted

Hi everyone- still very grateful for all the suggestions. Saw a new gyn today who was pretty insistent it wasn't yeast since I've had so many yeast treatments and obviously they haven't worked! Since I've already overshared, I'll spare the new diagnosis but she gave me some high dose steroids so fingers crossed that she's right and this will work!

Have you got blood sugar problems?

Have you taken antibiotics lately?

Have you taken steroids/cortisone lately?

All can cause yeast problems.

Yeast is a fungus, yes.

I'd bet a nickel you might even have some athlete's foot, too. ;)

Yeast is a fungus, yes.

I'd bet a nickel you might even have some athlete's foot, too. ;)

Trichophyton rubrum = Athlete's Foot
Candida = Thrush.