Other products available over the counter contain antihistamines or topical anesthetics that only mask the symptoms and do not treat the underlying problem. Women who have chronic or recurring yeast infections may need to be treated with vaginal creams for extended periods of time. Recently, effective oral medications have become available. Women should work with their physicians to determine possible underlying causes of their chronic yeast infections. HIV-infected women may have severe yeast infections that are often unresponsive to treatment.

Vaginal Yeast Infections or Candidiasis – Symptoms – Diagnosis – Treatment

Reprinted from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

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Sterilization: His or Hers?
Should you undergo tubal ligation or is vasectomy a better choice for your partner? Compare what happens then make an educated decision together.

Risk of Ectopic Pregnancy After Tubal Ligation
Although tubal ligation is almost 100 percent effective, a small percentage of women will become pregnant as much as ten years later and the risk of tubal pregnancy is significantly higher in women who have undergone tubal ligation.

Women’s Health Forum Visitor:
I am interested in talking with others who have or are experiencing post-tubal complications. Namely very heavy and irregular periods. Mine started directly after my tubal, which was performed the day after the birth of my daughter. I have talked to a few women in my town who have had similar experiences and am curious to find out how common this is. Also any treatments that have relieved symptoms. All replies are apprieciated.

Have you experienced abnormal bleeding after tubal ligation?
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Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome – Reversing Tubal Ligation
What happens after tubal ligation? Some women experience worsened symptoms of PMS and period problems. And occasionally a woman may decide she wants to have children after having a tubal ligation. These issues sometimes cause women want to have a tubal reversal. Learn about the symptoms of post tubal ligation syndrome, and find out what happens during tubal ligation reversal.

Source:

Sterilization for Women and Men. ACOG Education Pamphlet AP011. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp011.cfm. Accessed 08/26/09.

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Other things that may cause changes in the appearance or consistency of your vaginal discharge include: Your menstrual cycle Emotional stress Pregnancy Any prescribed or OTC medications you take including hormones such as in the Pill Sexual excitement Breastfeeding Ovulation Your diet

Other things that can upset the natural pH balance of your vagina and lead to vaginal infections include vaginal douches, feminine hygiene products, perfumed or deodorant soaps, antibiotics, pregnancy, diabetes, or the presence of another infection.

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If you are a regular coffee, tea, or soda drinker you should be aware that no caffeine is permitted for the first three months after surgery. Carbonated beverages; both diet and regular may cause gas, bloating, and an increase in stomach size due to the carbonation and are not recommended at any time for Lap-Band patients.

The second phase of the Lap-Band diet consists of 5 to 6 weeks of a modified full liquid diet; the key component of this phase is consuming two ounces of a protein shake every hour for ten to twelve hours a day with two ounces of other liquids such as soup, baby food, or sugar-free gelatin three times a day.

During the second six weeks following Lap-Band surgery patients may eat food that is shredded in a food processor prior to eating. The basic foods on the Lap-Band diet include meats or other forms of protein, vegetables, and salads. The Lap-Band diet does not include most bread, potatoes and other starchy vegetables. The length of these phases may be altered according a patient’s personal weight and weight loss goals – my first phase is five weeks, followed by a two week second phase.

Protein is especially important following Lap-Band surgery. After Lap-Band surgery the stomach will never hold more than 4 to 6 ounces per meal, so making every bite count is essential for healthy and nutritionally rounded weight loss success.

Lap-Band patients are advised to consume fifty to sixty grams of protein daily to avoid protein deficiency. Protein deficiency causes hair loss, fatigue, edema, muscle weakness, and a delay in wound healing. A lack of adequate protein may also lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, apathy, and other mental health conditions, as well as cause a number of physical health issues from gallstones to colds, headaches, low blood pressure, anemia, irregular hear rates, and, in extreme cases, death. A lab can measure the amount of protein in your blood by performing a serum albumin blood test.

Eating after Adjustable Gastric Lap-Band surgery means taking tiny bites, and eating very slowly. You should think of your new stomach as a “baby” stomach. You’ll be drinking protein shakes and relearning eating skills much the same way as a new baby eats formula (or breast milk), and slowly adds new foods from blended baby foods to chunkier baby foods.

Certain foods may never be well tolerated by Lap-Band patients. These foods include:

Any medicine you take may need to be adjusted following Lap-Band surgery since you will not be able to swallow pills that are aspirin-size or larger, or capsules or irregular-shaped pills. For me this has meant breaking a blood pressure pill in half, changing my tri-estrogen capsules to a cream form, and taking liquid antibiotics and painkillers for an unrelated infection.

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Vaginal bleeding during the first trimester (12 weeks) occurs in many women. This does not necessarily mean that a miscarriage is immanent; however, any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy should be investigated by your health care provider. Most miscarriages occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. About half of pregnant women who experience vaginal bleeding during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy do not have a miscarriage. If you pass anything you think is fetal tissue be sure to take it to your health care provider for examination.

Unfortunately, most miscarriages are not preventable; a miscarriage is often nature’s way of dealing with abnormalities. Exercise and sex have not been proven to cause miscarriage, in fact continuing regular exercise (always check with your health care provider before starting an exercise program during pregnancy) during pregnancy can help ease labor when it is time for your new baby to be born. Fifteen to twenty percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Another potential cause of bleeding during early pregnancy is having an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in one of the fallopian tubes. This is often called a “tubal pregnancy.” Ectopic pregnancy is much less common than miscarriage occurring in about one out of sixty pregnancies.

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The causes of vaginal itching can vary. Here are a few other common ones:

Other vaginal infections and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including bacterial vaginosis (BV), genital herpes, trichomoniasis, and pubic lice, may also be to blame.

Other possible, but less common, causes of vaginal or vulvar itching include the presence of other skin conditions that may or may not be precancerous, and pinworms — a condition that primarily infects children.

Notify your doctor immediately if you experience vaginal itching accompanied by severe pelvic or lower abdominal pain, and / or a fever.

Sources:

Medline Encyclopedia; Vaginal Itching – Common Causes; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/003159.htm#Common%20Causes; accessed 06/11/09.
Women’s Health.gov; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Frequently Asked Questions; http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/sexually-transmitted-infections.cfm; accessed 06/16/09.

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The menstrual cycle also brings cyclic breast changes. Many women experience swelling, tenderness, and pain before and sometimes during their periods. At the same time, one or more lumps or a feeling of increased lumpiness may develop because of extra fluid collecting in the breast tissue. These lumps normally go away by the end of the period.

During pregnancy, the milk-producing glands become swollen and the breasts may feel lumpier than usual. Although very uncommon, breast cancer has been diagnosed during pregnancy. If you have any questions about how your breasts feel or look, talk to your doctor.

Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. They occur most often in women ages 35 to 50, and they often enlarge and become tender and painful just before the menstrual period. They are usually found in both breasts. Some cysts are so small they cannot be felt; rarely, cysts may be several inches across. Cysts are usually treated by observation or by fine needle aspiration. They show up clearly on ultrasound.

Fibroadenomas are solid and round benign tumors that are made up of both structural (fibro) and glandular (adenoma) tissues. Usually, these lumps are painless and found by the woman herself. They feel rubbery and can easily be moved around. Fibroadenomas are the most common type of tumors in women in their late teens and early twenties, and they occur twice as often in African-American women as in other American women.

Fibroadenomas have a typically benign appearance on mammography (smooth, round masses with a clearly defined edge), and they can sometimes be diagnosed with fine needle aspiration. Although fibroadenomas do not become malignant, they can enlarge with pregnancy and breast-feeding. Most surgeons believe that it is a good idea to remove fibroadenomas to make sure they are benign.

Fat necrosis is the name given to painless, round, and firm lumps formed by damaged and disintegrating fatty tissues. This condition typically occurs in obese women with very large breasts. It often develops in response to a bruise or blow to the breast, even though the woman may not remember the specific injury. Sometimes the skin around the lumps looks red or bruised. Fat necrosis can easily be mistaken for cancer, so such lumps are removed in a surgical biopsy.

Sclerosing adenosis is a benign condition involving the excessive growth of tissues in the breast’s lobules. It frequently causes breast pain. Usually the changes are microscopic, but adenosis can produce lumps, and it can show up on a mammogram, often as calcifications. Short of biopsy, adenosis can be difficult to distinguish from cancer. The usual approach is surgical biopsy, which furnishes both diagnosis and treatment

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The cause of vulvodynia remains unknown. It may be the result of multiple factors. Physicians speculate that it may be caused by an injury to or irritation of the nerves that supply and receive input from the vulva; a localized hypersensitivity to yeast; an allergic response to environmental irritants; high levels of oxalate crystals in the urine; or spasm and/or irritation of the pelvic floor muscles.

There is no evidence that vulvodynia is caused by infection or that it is a sexually transmitted disease.

Dysesthetic vulvodynia is characterized by pain that is [spread out] throughout the vulvar region. It can be present in the labia majora and/or labia minora. Sometimes it affects the clitoris, perineum, mons pubis and/or inner thighs. The pain may be constant or intermittent, and it is not necessarily initiated by touch or pressure to the vulva. The vulvar tissue may appear inflamed, but in most cases there are no visible findings.

Women with VVS have pain when touch or pressure is applied to the vestibule (area surrounding the opening of the vagina). Women may experience pain with intercourse, tampon insertion, gynecologic exam, bicycle riding, horseback or motorcycle riding and wearing tight clothing, such as jeans. Most often, the vestibule of women with VVS is inflamed and red.

Regardless of the type of vulvodynia a woman has, the disorder imposes serious limitations on a woman’s ability to function and engage in normal daily activities. The pain can be so severe and unremitting that it forces women to resign from career positions, abstain from sexual relations, and limit physical activities. Not surprisingly, these limitations negatively affect a woman’s self-image; many women become depressed because of the physical pain itself and the associated psychological and social implications.

A culture is [often] taken from the vagina to rule out [things like] sexually transmitted diseases and infections. A “q-tip” test is often administered during the exam. During this test, different areas of the vulva and vestibule are touched with a [cotton swab] to determine the location and severity of a woman’s pain. If the doctor sees areas of skin that look suspicious during the exam, a biopsy of the skin may be required. Additionally, physicians may recommend a colposcopy, a procedure that uses a specialized instrument to examine the vulva more closely.

The National Vulvodynia Association (NVA) was founded by Mate and three other vuvoldynia patients.

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Although most UTIs are not serious, they can be a painful nuisance. Approximately 50 percent of all women will have at least one UTI in her lifetime with many women having several infections throughout their lifetime. Fortunately, these infections are easily treated with antibiotics. Some women are more prone to recurrent UTIs than others and for them it can be a frustrating battle.

Treatment and Prevention Of Recurrent UTI

What Causes Urinary Tract Infections?

The most common cause of UTIs are bacteria from the bowel that live on the skin near the rectum or in the vagina, which can spread and enter the urinary tract through the urethra. Once these bacteria enter the urethra, they travel upward, causing infection in the bladder and sometimes other parts of the urinary tract.

Sexual intercourse is a common cause of urinary tract infections because the female anatomy can make women more prone to urinary tract infections. During sexual activity, bacteria in the vaginal area are sometimes massaged into the urethra.

Women who change sexual partners or begin having sexual intercourse more frequently may experience bladder or urinary tract infections more often than women who are celibate or in monogamous relationships. Although it is rare, some women get a urinary tract infection every time they have sex.

Another cause of bladder infections or UTI is waiting too long to urinate. The bladder is a muscle that stretches to hold urine and contracts when the urine is released. Waiting too long past the time you first feel the need to urinate can cause the bladder to stretch beyond its capacity. Over time, this can weaken the bladder muscle. When the bladder is weakened, it may not empty completely and some urine is left in the bladder. This may increase the risk of urinary tract infections or bladder infections.

Other factors that also may increase a woman’s risk of developing UTI include pregnancy, having urinary tract infections or bladder infections as a child, menopause, or diabetes.

What Are the Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections?

Symptoms of UTI or bladder infection are not easy to miss and include a strong urge to urinate that cannot be delayed, which is followed by a sharp pain or burning sensation in the urethra when the urine is released. Most often very little urine is released and the urine that is released may be tinged with blood. The urge to urinate recurs quickly and soreness may occur in the lower abdomen, back, or sides.

This cycle may repeat itself frequently during the day or night–most people urinate about six times a day, when the need to urinate occurs more often a bladder infection should be suspected.

When bacteria enter the ureters and spread to the kidneys, symptoms such as back pain, chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting may occur, as well as the previous symptoms of lower urinary tract infection.

Proper diagnosis is vital since these symptoms also can be caused by other problems such as infections of the vagina or vulva. Only your physician can make the distinction and make a correct diagnosis.

How Is a Diagnosis of UTI Made?

The number of bacteria and white blood cells in a urine sample is the basis for diagnosing urinary tract infections. Urine is examined under a microscope and cultured in a substance that promotes the growth of bacteria. A pelvic exam also may be necessary.

Note: If you have recurrent UTIs and bladder infections, you may be interested in purchasing an at-home test for UTI, which is available over-the-counter (OTC) without a prescription. The test consists of a dipstick that changes color when you have a urinary tract infection. The test detects the presence of nitrite. Bacteria changes normal nitrates in the urine to nitrite. The test, which works best on first morning urine, is about 90% reliable.

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Learn More

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Remember it is always your choice to seek a second opinion if you are uncomfortable or have any unanswered questions about the treatment recommended by your health care provider.

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