She may be allergic to dyes in her clothing or toilet paper. Tight jeans will cause itching and burning. Panties without cotton crotches do the same. If she is on birth control pills or hormone replacement, the estrogen can increase the risk of yeast infections. Borderline diabetics also often have minimal yeast infections. Has she had a fasting blood sugar done lately? And if she uses any sort of feminine hygene product or douche, she may be upsetting her natural bacteria barriers.

The antibiotics are probably the problem. Antibiotics don't kill yeast (yeast are not bacteria), but they do kill natural skin bacteria enough to throw them out of wack and set her up for a yeast infection. If her doctor put her on antibiotics for a yeast infection, advise her to find a new doctor, because that's just dumb.

1) What Meghane said. Antibiotics *cause* yeast infections.

2) (if it's not a yeast infection...) Allergies can develop at any time. You can (and people often do) at any time become allergic to something that's never bothered you before. And of course, allergies aren't just to foods; something that only caused vaginal symptoms I would think would be much more likely to be soap or something like that. Not having changed her eating habits is no reason to assume there's no allergy.

Here is some information that may help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vaginal Yeast Infections

"She has been taking antibiotics but it's not eased up at all."

ANy of several things: irritation from soap, perfumed toilet paper, a partner's soap ... tight clothes, non-absorbent undies, wearing panty hose too long.

However, yeast is the top suspect. The antibiotics kill off the bacteria (the normal ones) and then the yeast take over. One treatment is to get yogurt - the kind with LIVE lactobacillus - mix a 1/4 cup or so into lukewarm water and douche with it. Repeat daily for a week after the antibiotics have been stopped.

She went back to one of the doctors and he said all the tests came back negative, even the one for cold sores. He told her he thought it might be an allergy to latex.

I think she will finally make an appointment to see an allergist.

Yeast infections are very common problem for women, especially if they were taking an antibiotic. Everytime I had to take an antibiotic I would get a yeast infection. Monostat 7 works wonders. My sister gets yeast infection everytime she takes a hot bath.

Dawn

I hate to be so personal but.... Latex allergies are aweful. I don't know her age or habits but condoms / toys are made of latex and can cause iritations. Hope I didn't offend anyone

Antibiotics do not cure yeast infections and in fact cause them as has been pointed out. I cannot believe a doctor would give a woman with a yeast infection antibiotics!

I find the Diflucan pill to be much more effective than Monistat, which I find irritating.

Something my friend's gyno told her: the organisms that cause dandruff and yeast infections are the same. She told her to wash "down there" with Selson Blue dandruff shampoo, to just use a little bit and work up a lather in her hands first. My friend has been doing this for several years and has never had a yeast infection or jock itch fungal infection on her inner thigh crease again. My friend had both half a dozen times a year before doing this.

Latex allergies are indeed awful. I had a coworker who broke out in an itchy painful rash on her hands if she touched balloons (I was a florist) which are made of latex.

If latex allergies are a problem, try switching to polyurethane. They work just as well, albeit more expensive than latex.

Here are some typical causes for a yeast infection in women.

Poor Personal Hygiene- can introduce yeast spores from the intestines to the vaginal area.

Antibiotics-are a primary cause for yeast or Candida overgrowth. Antibiotics change the balance between populations of micro organisms They also are responsible for wiping out the good and bad bacteria in your body.

Douching-Unfortunately douching washes away the good bacteria in the vagina responsible for keeping yeast under control. The vaginal tissue becomes inhabitable for healthy bacteria. Physiologically, the vagina is designed to cleanse itself.

Poor Immune System- weaknesses in the immune system will make it for Candida or yeast to thrive.

Diet-poor nutrition can actually worsen your yeast infection, because high sugar foods alone can sustain food for the yeast to live.

Tight clothes-such as panty hose, stockings can create the warm environment for the yeast to grow. Air is suffocated to the vagina.

Birth Control- can throw a woman's hormone levels off balance causing the vaginal tissue susceptible to candida growth.

Here is a link that might be useful: Yeast Infection