Msimon, a cyberhug for your having brought up yeast infection in another thread. Finally prompting me to get going on this. Anyone in the same boat? This is an update on a rash I've developed, plus Mar 1st was my 3 month anniversary from LIS/skin tag/Hem surgery.

I've been so glum lately that I barely have the energy to raise my hands to type ('kay that's a titch over the top, but I'm unhappy) b/c I've kinda-sorta been dealing w/a yeast infection for a good couple of weeks. The cream my family Dr gave was too strong, burned like heck, and I stopped after 4 days. I gave it the college try a second time, but no go.

The cream was made with < clotrimazole 1% hydrocortisone 1% 50/50 > which apparently are the ingredients in Canesten (Not sure if stronger, same, or lower concentrate then Canesten.) Now I know that wee babies can take this stuff, so I don't know. Maybe it was irritating my skin tags/rectum?

Right now I'm just coasting along with nothing hoping it'll magically clear up on its own -- Does that ever happen? It seems to sort of come and go, depending on how active I am -- and my Family Dr wasn't sure it was yeast, but, ahem, considering it started when my Naturopath got me on a Yeast Detox (b/c my stool samples showed I had too much yeast.) I'm seeing my CRS on the 9th so waiting for that visit to see what he says about rash.

How I think the rash developed:

I did the stool sample at end of Jan then Naturopath got me a Yeast Detox regiment starting Feb 4th. I had been taking Liver-GI Detox caps from Pure Encapsulation / Citricidal Plus caps / and UNDA 2 drops. This which was going great for about nine days until I discovered the rash, which was by the lower rectum (6 pm to butt cheek area, had to spread the area to really see.) Naturopath said that was probably the dying yeast, so a good thing, but WTF? Seriously? If I had any idea it would have caused a rash -- which has, kinda-sorta been getting much better since I discovered it on Feb 12 -- I might not have gone for it, PLUS, in retrospect it made me constipated (a common Candida "die off" symptom! Again, really? So not what I needed) not to mention so early after my surgery (Dec 1st) maybe best not to monkey with the body too much. Anyhow, I stopped the Detox. In subsequent email Naturopath thinks it might not have been a yeast infection, but gee whiz, timing wise I don't know.

The Family Dr is extremely new, in fact the timing to see here was pretty awesome, about five days after developing the rash. I met her, got the cream RX, got a requisition for full blood test, and met back with her for physical the following Monday. At that point I got the good news my blood analysis was pretty much terrific, including thyroid which I thought might be problem, only bad thing is high blood pressure (no kidding!)

When I saw Family Dr I told her I'd stopped the cream and she thought the area looked better (it really did) and suggested I use barrier cream. I had also been feeling barrier cream was aggravating, so I've pretty much been cold turkey, which is the scheme of things, sometimes is probably a nice break for the bottom? I've used some when going out for more then an hours outing.

I have an appt with my CRS for Monday the 9th so will definitely have him check the rash site. Aside from the rash, I'm going to bring up how the post surgical skin tags continue to bother me. I can only sit for so long until I get quite uncomfortable. It sucks having the rash b/c in some ways its hard to differentiate where the bother is coming from rash or tags, as they all sort of blend. Will also mention few times new hem(s) seemed to develop, but went away by next day.

Aargh. I won't be mentioning to CRS but there are days that I am spending waaaaaay too much time in bed making me wonder if the yeast infection could have somehow been Diaper Rash, due to too much bed rest, too much bathing or should I saw not drying that specific area well enough after bathing. Although I often used to use a hairdryer, I am now always using apres bath/shower (and keeping these to usually just once day after bm.)

The other HUGE thing is my continued problem with my BM's. I've been fairly regular, but this whole detox thing put me back in terms of accomplishment. I had to up myself to 1 stool softener docusate sodium daily (sometimes 2), and MOM once or twice each week. The stools got way to hard when on detox, and had some unpleasantness (hem seemed to develop, but went away the next day...this has happened a few times since surgery.)

I do know this has all made me extra jittery, but I'm trying my best to keep it together.

One positive thing that happened this week is I saw a physiotherapist about my left ankle that was injured when I passed out during the great blood clot incident of early December. While the mobility is pretty good, it is almost 3 months (think that took place Dec 8th) and it should have been more healed by now. The therapist says grade one, lowest sprain, with some scar tissue development. He massaged, then taped me up, tape comes off tonight after three days. Feels better already. Should only be another couple of sessions, which I'm sure will help a lot. The ankle really has been quite uncomfortable, esp when I have to stand in front of computer. Thank goodness I also have an ipad. While my ankle injury hasn't been painful per se, it has been something I'm consistently aware of, and when it's better I'll be more more aligned with myself.

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Here's how Naturopath described why we were doing this Detox when I asked him for a writeup to explain to The Husband.

You have an imbalanced bacteria and overgrown of three different types of yeast, Candida Albicans, Cryptococcus Diffluens and Rhodotorula Mucilaginosa . There was also some blood found in your sample. Along with this there was elevated secretory IgA, which means the immune system of your gut is over reactive right now. Which will lead to more inflammation. This is most likely due to the overgrowth of all these bugs and our plan it to clear up the bugs and clean up your gut environment so that it will heal and you will have less inflammation resulting in your symptoms improving.

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Good grief this has been a long missive! Thanks for listening. I am remaining positive and as upbeat as possible. I'm quite hopeful the skin tags will resolve as will the rash. I'm not thrilled to be where I'm at, at this point, but alas, for me digestion/elimination and the pursuit of good, soft BM's is a big issue for me.

Turks mom

Hi Turk's Mom! Interesting about the yeast infection. I have to ask if you take probiotics. They are supposed to be so good for the digestive system (the whole body really), reducing inflammation and balancing microbes. They are even supposed to help with constipation. There is also a probiotic yeast you can take:

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

I thought I had a yeast infection a few weeks ago and took a diflucan and thought it helped. I think I get yeasty down there on account of my poor immune system, antibiotic use and a poor immune system, and of course all the moisture from the wound. I have tried canesten down there as well and it burned. I wonder if maybe it was some on the nonmedicinal ingredients that are so irritating. One could get a cream/ointment compounded I am sure in a base that would be nonirritating (such as Versapro gel-something I have used for my compounds quite a bit).

I know what you mean about it sucking that you can't differentiate where the pain is coming from. Sometimes I think the burning is the skin, other times I think it may be muscle spasm. They are treated differently so it would be nice to know. All I know is it hurts like hell down there and everything I do seems to make it worse. I think I'll ask about the colostomy bag at my next appointment (half kidding).

Oh, and Happy Anniversary! My 4 month is coming up next week. Not something I celebrate at this point though Can't believe it's been that long!

Hi M. I take the Renew Life brand Ultimate Flora probiotic. It's terrific!

Just so we're on the same page regarding yeast infection, this isn't vaginal, yet on the outter part of rectum/buttocks.

msimon wrote:I thought I had a yeast infection a few weeks ago and took a diflucan and thought it helped. I think I get yeasty down there on account of my poor immune system, antibiotic use and a poor immune system, and of course all the moisture from the wound. I have tried canesten down there as well and it burned. I wonder if maybe it was some on the nonmedicinal ingredients that are so irritating. One could get a cream/ointment compounded I am sure in a base that would be nonirritating (such as Versapro gel-something I have used for my compounds quite a bit).

My husband had the same idea as you, that maybe it was the non-medicinal ingredient of cream that caused the burn. I look forward to seeing the CRS.

I've read in a few of your posts how abundantly you use barrier cream. These past few weeks I definitely stopped using Calmoseptine (alas the menthol seems to be way to strong, possible root of my rash if it isn't yeast related?); and tried Pendaten for the first time. Holy smokes! Some of the Pendaten got into my rectum and burned like hell (actually it burned all over, but esp when that happened.

Maybe I'm just ultra sensitive right now. At the moment the only other barrier cream I have is Zincofax original which is only zinc 15% and 69% white petrolatum. I've been trying not to use anything, but today we went out for a few hours and I felt good to use. I really want to get the scoop about petrolatum VS petroleum b/c I think they're basically same product? M weren't you just talking about this? I think I'm sensitive to it, down there, although I have used Vaseline for chaffed elbows and dry cuticles for like forever dude. CRS originally recommended Vaseline (exact word) back in mid December when I originally told him my post surgery skin tags (which at the time I thought was removed Sentinal Tag, I refered to as "puffed up parts." They are still hurting me. A lot. Probably my worst problem, and I've got a few.

Right now it's 2:20 pm Pacific time, and I'm wiped out from my short outing, skin tags somewhat inflamed, sore from sitting in car. The new hemorrhoid I seem to have developed is puffy today, after an unexpected hard-ish bm this morning. My poops are such a crap shoot. Took MOM 30 ml's last night, plus stool softeners for at least last eight days straight, sometimes two a day, and still, hard-ish stools. Had a bit of blood on my tp today and residual pain. Grrr. Eating so healthy. Smoothies, soups, salads, some meat, hardly any bread, cheese, finn crisps etc. I think nerves are playing a part.

Okay...nap time! see y'all, Turk's mom

M. What brands of barrier cream (hopefully available in Canada!) would you recommend? Or avoid?

If anyone else reading this has some fave (and not so fave) barrier cream could you jot it down here?!

Sorry to hear the struggles continue Turk's Mom. And very sorry to hear the Penaten caused you pain. Wow! I used to insert that stuff and had no burning, you must be very sensitive down there right now. Other people on here like sudocream but I found it burned me (it has lavender oil in it). You can get that at Walmart. The only thing I can think of for you to try would be coconut oil. You can even get the kind with 'no aroma' from Save on Foods, or probably elsewhere too. I know very sensitive people who find this quite soothing and after much convincing I tried it and it does work very well. It is also antifungal and antibacterial, which is especially good down there.

And yes, I was referring to a fungal infection around/inside the anus too. There have been others on here with that as well. You could find some info on a search I am sure. Seems to go with the territory of ointments, baths and seepage, yum yum.