7. Long Course Of Suppository Medication Most Effective If You Have Yeast Infections With Diabetes
People who are diabetic experience spikes in blood sugar. Sugar is a favorite food of different types of yeast. This includes candida. Mix the two together and you have a yeast overgrowth. And since vaginal yeast infection is said to have occurred when there is an overgrowth of yeast, this makes diabetes one of those conditions that increase the risks of a candida yeast infections -- oral, vaginal and any other. The first was that diabetic women were more prone to candida yeast infections as opposed to non-diabetic women (18.8% vs. 11.8%). The second finding was that women with diabetes had a higher risk of displaying yeast infection symptoms when compared to those who didn't have diabetes. The third finding was that when using fluconazole ( a vaginal yeast infection treatment), the diabetic group had a lower cure rate (75%, although this is still good) than those who didn’t have diabetes (86.7%). This was a study that was published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. You can find more details of the study here. According to Heathline, since high blood sugar levels encourage yeast infections, the best way treat the yeast infection is to take away the thing that is feeding it -- high blood sugar. Better management of diabetes is therefore a must if you want to keep yeast infections at bay. Treatment will also be easier as whichever medication you will be using will be fighting against a yeast-starved fungi ( candida, the yeast that causes most cases of vaginal yeast infections is a fungus). Do you have a yeast infection that keeps coming back? If your infection simply won’t go away, your diabetes might be to blame. It all has to do with the environment that your body creates. A healthy vagina can have yeast cells without causing any Continue reading >>
Just Itching To Share The News
So I get this e-mail from Web Editor Tara Dairman one day asking me if I’ve ever had any experience with diabetes-related yeast infections and would I like to blog about it. "You want me," I zapped back, "to tell the world about my itchy hooha?" I thought about it and, in the spirit of being up-front about what it’s like to live with diabetes, decided to go for it. If any one thing causes me to try and keep my blood glucose under control, it’s to avoid yeast infections which, for about a three-year period back in the day, would absolutely not go away. I itched. I burned. I wriggled and scratched. I wished sandpaper was absorbent and came in a roll. I treated and treated and treated with over-the-counter creams that were formerly available only by prescription. I applied a cream that a doctor prescribed for me. It soothed the itch, but didn’t cure the infection. It wasn’t until I switched to a female doctor that I finally got somebody who really understood what I was going through. It was a time when Diflucan (fluconazole) was new and the general wisdom was that you need only take one pill, and voila! Not with diabetes, you don’t. Yeast loves sugar, and I was very sweet in those days. The doc prescribed two pills and a prescription vaginal cream. It took two courses of that for the yeast infection to go away. And stop snickering, guys: You can get diabetes-related yeast infections, too. In fact, I know of one man who was diagnosed with diabetes when his “little friend,” as he called it, got a red, itchy rash that wouldn’t go away. Now comes news from a study in India that, in women with diabetes, a 14-day course of using boric acid vaginal suppositories is better at clearing up yeast infections than one Diflucan tablet. (Heck, I coulda told ’em that o Continue reading >>
Yeast Infections And Diabetes Return
Red patches on the head of the penis (glans) If you have one or more of these symptoms, it is important to consult your doctor or talk to your pharmacist. If a medication is prescribed, be sure to take it to the end of the treatment period even if the symptoms disappear earlier. As for all types of infection in person with diabetes, it is crucial to properly control your blood glucose (sugar) levels. Wash your genitals every day and dry the genital area thoroughly after swimming, showering or bathing. There are effective non-prescription treatments for yeast infections, in the form of tablets and creams. In addition to taking these medications, improving your blood sugar control is essential for ridding yourself of this kind of infection. It is important to follow the treatment to the end even if the symptoms disappear earlier. During treatment, wear natural fibres, avoid vaginal douching and use condoms during sex. Research and text: Diabetes Qubec Team of Health Care Professionals Scientific review: Serge Goulet, Family Physician Continue reading >>
Another Yeast Infection?
Jewels Doskicz is a registered nurse, freelance writer, patient advocate, health coach, and long-distance cyclist. Jewels is the moderator of Diabetic Connect’s weekly #DCDE Twitter chat, and she and her daughter both live healthfully with type 1 diabetes. I’ve never met anyone that likes to talk about problems they’re experiencing below the waist—except for maybe comedienne Amy Schumer. And yeast infections in particular are uncomfortable, embarrassing, and downright frustrating to treat. Seventy-five percent of women with diabetes will experience a yeast infection in their lifetime, while up to 45 percent will experience recurrent (or more than one) yeast infection. That amounts to a large subset of women who are plagued, at times, by a single or perhaps unrelenting yeast infection. “Diabetes is a proven predisposing factor,” often resulting in an imbalance in the micro-system within the vagina. And research indicates that high blood sugars are to blame for this irritating issue. Yeast, unfortunately thrives in a sugary environment. That may boil down to a fungal infection when blood sugars are elevated, because extra glucose is also found in genital tissues—it’s not just found in your finger sticks. Signs and symptoms of a yeast infection 1. Itching, burning, and inflammation of your Southern parts. 2. Thick, white, odorless vaginal discharge. Been prescribed antibiotics lately? It doesn’t take diabetes to get a yeast infection while taking antibiotics, but it complicates the picture. If an illness requires antibiotics, blood sugars are typically elevated to begin with due to the infection, which makes us more susceptible to a yeast infection. Keep your eyes out and consider a preventive therapy as well, such as eating more yogurt. Not everyone will Continue reading >>
Yeast, Diabetes, And Sex
Vaginal yeast infections are annoying, not dangerous, but they can seriously hamper your sex life, especially if you have diabetes. What’s the connection, and what can you do to prevent and treat yeast infections? According to Chris Illiades, MD, on the website Everyday Health, “Normally, Candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infection, lives in balance with the other microorganisms in your body…. But anything that upsets this normal balance can lead to an overgrowth of yeast and can cause a yeast infection.” Diabetes is one of the things that can upset the normal balance because yeast love to eat sugar, especially glucose. In fact, they help make beer by eating sugar and turning it into alcohol, and they are crucial in bread-making because after eating sugar, they produce a gas that makes dough rise. When there’s extra sugar in your blood, there is likely to be more in your vagina and other tissues, so yeast grow better there. Yeast irritating the inside of your vagina is called “vaginitis.” In the tissues around the vagina – the vulva – such irritation is called “vulvitis.” Both are far more common in women with diabetes. There are many causes of yeast infections. One is the use of antibiotics, which can change the balance in the vagina by killing bacteria, thus allowing yeast to grow unchecked. A common pattern is for a woman to treat a bladder infection with antibiotics, only to wind up with a yeast infection that is just as annoying. According to Dr. Illiades, other causes of vaginitis include stress, illness, menstrual periods, pregnancy, and other medications. Diabetes Health writer Linda von Wartburg wrote that menopause may also increase the risk of vaginitis. Preventing Yeast Infections You can reduce your risk of vaginitis by ma Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Feminine Health: What Women Need To Know
Anyone who has experienced a yeast infection knows how unpleasant the condition can be. Abnormal vaginal discharge, itching and burning, painful intercourse and urination, and redness and swelling — any of these common symptoms can put a dent in a woman’s sex life or simply impact her daily comfort level. For women with type 2 diabetes, combating this issue and maintaining feminine health overall can be of particular concern, especially if their blood sugar is poorly controlled. A Greater Risk of Yeast Infections “Control of blood sugars is important for the whole body,” says Mache Seibel, MD, a gynecologist and obstetrician at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “But an area that isn’t much talked about is how elevated blood sugars seep into vaginal tissues and set up an environment that’s more favorable for yeast infections.” Vaginal tissue contains a balance of microorganisms, like yeast and bacteria, Dr. Seibel explains, but excess sugar in the blood can fuel the growth of yeast, potentially leading to an infection. “Think about baking bread and how yeast thrives much better when you add sugar,” says Susan Renda, CDE, doctor of nursing practice and assistant professor in the department of community–public health at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore. “I tell patients, ‘You have a nice little balance in your body, but when you throw a cake and cookie party, all the yeast comes to the party and just starts to go nuts.’” Frequent urination, which can occur when glucose levels are high and the body works to rid itself of excess sugar, can add to the problem by bringing additional sugar found in the urine to the vaginal area. Certain diabetes drugs, such as canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet, or Invokamet XR), an SGLT-2 in Continue reading >>
Vaginal Yeast Infections & Diabetes: What’s The Connection?
Yeast infections are a common female condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 75 percent of women will experience a vaginal yeast infection at least once in their lifetime. Yeast infections may also be a sign of diabetes. In fact, a gynecologist is often first to discover diabetes. What Causes Yeast Infection Vaginal yeast infection is an infection of the vagina due to an overgrowth of the fungus candida albicans. “A normal healthy vagina contains bacteria and yeast at all times,” says Lucille Hughes MSN/Ed, CDE, BC-ADM, FAADE, Director of Diabetes Education, South Nassau Communities Hospital, New York. “It is when the balance between the two is off that yeast can multiply and cause symptoms of a yeast infection.” This imbalance can happen if you are taking antibiotics used to treat another infection, are pregnant, obese or have diabetes. Infections, in general, appear to be more common in people with diabetes when blood glucose – also, called blood sugar, control is poor. High blood glucose above 180 – 220 mg/dl is associated with a weakened immune system. Moreover, a vaginal yeast infection can be more frequent in people with a compromised immune system. “High blood glucose also feeds the yeast. So, as the blood sugar levels spike, so does the level of yeast in the vagina,” says Hughes. “This imbalance between the bacteria and yeast increases a women’s risk for a vaginal yeast infection.” A yeast infection is not considered a sexually transmitted infection(STI) because you can get a yeast infection without having sex. However, some men will develop symptoms such as itching and a rash on the penis after having sexual contact with an infected partner. Join the conversation and share this story Symptoms The most Continue reading >>
[is Diabetes Mellitus A Risk Factor In Genital Yeast Infections?].
Abstract OBJECTIVE: To analyze experimental and clinical data on diabetes mellitus (DM) related to infections with focus on vaginal mycosis. To evaluate a role of DM in the epidemiology of vulvovaginal candidiasis. DESIGN: Review. SETTING: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Kralove. METHODS: Review of literature data. RESULTS: DM is a risk factor for fungal infections caused by yeasts (Candida albicans), members of Mucorales fungi, some dimorphic fungi (Coccidioides) and agents of onychomycosis. DM is usually associated only with increased colonization of the anatomical sites (oral cavity, vagina), and/ or with an intensified symptomatology of infection (onychomycosis, mucormycosis). Diabetic patients with oropharyngeal and vulvovaginal candidiasis have frequently changed etiology spectrum. The patients with VVC and DM, especially of older age or with prone to relapses, have tendency to shift of the spectrum to non-albicans species, mainly C. glabrata. Treatment of VVC in diabetic patients can be complicated owing to unfavourable antifungal susceptibility profile (C. glabrata) and/ or adverse interactions between some azole antifungals and sulfonylurea-based antidiabetics. CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus is often cited as a risk factor, although in many cases there is a lack of reliable and clinically relevant information. This does not mean that this disease can be underestimated. On the contrary, it is necessary to get the DM as soon as possible under control and thus prevent complications when infection develops. Individual approach should be applied to the diabetic patients at ri Continue reading >>
Vaginal Yeast Infections In Diabetic Women.
Abstract Two hundred and three diabetic women (89 with and 114 without genital symptoms) were examined for the presence of yeasts and Trichomonas vaginalis. Yeasts were isolated from the vaginas of 35.5% of patients and were more common in the symptomatic group (48.0%) than the asymptomatic group (25.4%; P < 0.05). Candida albicans was isolated from 12.8% of all patients and showed a significant association with pruritus vulvae (P < 0.05). A significant association was also shown between the presence of yeasts in the rectum and in the vagina. C. glabrata (Torulopsis glabrata) was the commonest yeast species isolated (50.0%), with C. albicans the next most frequent (36.1%). T. vaginalis infection was present in 14.3% of all subjects. Continue reading >>
Thrush
Tweet Thrush is a yeast infection (candida albicans) which tends to affect warm, moist areas of the body such as the vagina, penis, mouth and certain areas of skin. Thrush is more common in people with diabetes as high sugar levels lead to better conditions for the yeast to grow. A dry mouth coupled with a higher amount of glucose in the saliva can also make for favourable conditions for thrush. What causes thrush? High blood sugar levels is one of the main causes of thrush and so is an weakened immune system, which is also common in people with diabetes. Damaged or irritated skin also promotes the growth of thrush. Smoking increases the chance of oral thrush and certain oral contraceptives may cause vaginal thrush. Symptoms of thrush Vaginal thrush (vulvovaginal candidiasis) symptoms include: Soreness and irritation White curd appearance on the skin Pain during sexual intercourse White vaginal discharge Reddening of the vulva (the outer parts of the vagina) Itching around the vagina (infectious vaginitis) Oral thrush (oral candidiasis) symptoms include: A nasty or bitter taste Redness or bleeding inside the mouth Creamy white coloured patches (lesions) in the mouth (cheeks, lips, tongue or the back of the mouth) Painful and sore mouth (can include the throat) Cracks at the corners of the lips (angular cheilitis) Thrush in men (candida balanitis) Symptoms of thrush in men include: Reddening or swelling or soreness of the glans (head) of the penis Itching around the tip of the penis Discharge beneath the foreskin Nasty odour Pain during urination White curd-like appearance on the skin Candidal skin infections can also occur around folds of skin such as armpits and the groin. Is thrush a common problem? Thrush is a common problem and particularly for people with diabetes. Continue reading >>
Can Diabetes Cause Vaginal Yeast Infections?
How common are yeast infections? A yeast infection, also known as candidiasis, is a type of fungal infection. It can cause irritation, itchiness, and discharge. Vaginal yeast infections are most common. 3 in 4 women will have at least one vaginal yeast infection in their lifetime. About half of all women will experience two or more. A number of things can increase your risk of yeast infection, including conditions such as diabetes. Keep reading to learn why this happens and what you can do to prevent it. Researchers in a 2013 study found a significant link between high blood sugar and vaginal yeast infections. This study focused on women and children with type 1 diabetes. According to a 2014 study, women with type 2 diabetes may be at an even higher risk of vaginal yeast infection. It’s unclear whether this is due to higher overall levels of blood sugar or another factor. Yeast feeds off of sugar. If your diabetes isn’t well-controlled, your blood sugar levels can spike to unreasonably high levels. This increase in sugar can cause yeast to overgrow, particularly in the vaginal area. Your body may develop a yeast infection in response. Maintaining your blood sugar levels may help reduce your risk of infection. If you have diabetes, you should undergo periodic screening for vaginal yeast infections. Some types of candidiasis can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. Talk with your doctor about the best screening schedule for you. Your vagina naturally contains a mix of yeast and bacteria. The yeast will remain in check as long as the balance between the two isn’t disrupted. A number of things can interfere with this balance and cause your body to produce an excessive amount of yeast. This includes: taking certain antibiotics undergoing hormone ther Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Yeast Infections: What You Need To Know
Yeast lives naturally in our bodies. However, if it begins to overgrow and become a yeast infection, it may cause problems. Yeast can be found in the skin and near mucous membranes and helps to keep neighboring bacteria in check. A buildup of yeast is called a yeast infection and can cause pain, itchiness, and discomfort. In this article, we explore the causes, symptoms, and possible treatments for yeast infections. Contents of this article: Overview Yeast thrives in warm moist areas so yeast infections can occur in several places: the mouth the genitals beneath the breasts under folds of skin Out of these, vaginal yeast infections are the most common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 75 percent of women will have had a vaginal yeast infection at least once in their lives. How diabetes and yeast infections are linked People with poorly-controlled diabetes are at a higher risk of more severe and frequent yeast infections. Researchers are still trying to understand completely how diabetes is linked to yeast overgrowth. However, there is evidence of several possibilities: Extra sugars in yeast-friendly areas When blood glucose levels are high, extra sugars may be secreted in: mucus sweat urine As yeast feeds on sugar, these secretions are the most obvious culprits for overgrowth. Increased levels of glycogen, a polysaccharide used to store glucose, also occur with diabetes. Extra glycogen in the vaginal area can lead to a decrease in pH, which aids yeast growth. A study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology provides evidence for this, using female diabetic rats. Compromised immune system Poorly-controlled diabetes has been shown to hinder the immune response. This could be part of the reason why someone with diabetes might h Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes And Yeast Infections
A vaginal yeast infection, also known as candidiasis, is a condition that causes itching and irritation around the vagina, a thick white vaginal discharge that looks like cottage cheese, and burning when using the bathroom or having sex. Although many women experience yeast infections, women with type 2 diabetes are at a greater risk, especially if their blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Blood Sugar and Yeast Infections Most women have yeast organisms as part of their normal flora, the tiny microorganisms that live on and inside our bodies. These microorganisms don’t cause any discomfort or symptoms because they're limited in number. But when there's overgrowth, their presence becomes a problem. “No one knows exactly why yeast infections are more common [in women with type 2 diabetes], but there is a definite association with how well a person's diabetes is controlled," says Vincent Woo, MD, endocrinologist at the University of Manitoba Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Canada. An increased level of blood sugar from diabetes affects the entire body, not just the blood. “Elevated blood sugar appears in the mucus of the vagina and vulva, so they serve as an excellent culture medium for yeast,” says Daniel Einhorn, MD, a former president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and medical director of the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute in San Diego. Yeast gets energy from sugar, so in an environment that is moist with sugar, yeast may overgrow. Diabetes and the Ability to Fight Yeast Infections The effects of diabetes on the body become more obvious as time goes on. People who don’t keep good control of their blood sugar may develop complications related to the constantly high levels. One such complication is a difficulty in fighti Continue reading >>
Yeast Infections: Causes And Risk Factors
Candida is the organism responsible for yeast infections, but it usuallylives in the vagina in balance with bacteria without causing any problems. Changes to vaginal acidity and the balance of organisms can occur due to antibiotics, diabetes, pregnancy, hormonal therapy, contraceptives, or an impaired immune system. When that happens,Candida cells can multiply unchecked, resulting in a yeast infection. Yeast infections have several causes, and some individuals may have more than one at play when an infection strikes. This is a common reason for a yeast infection. The lactobacilli normally found in the vagina produce substances and a level of acidity that inhibits yeast. Antibioticskill some of this friendly bacteria, which allows yeast to overgrow. Having an increased estrogen level raises your risk of a vaginal yeast infection. Pregnant women, those taking high-dose estrogen birth control pills, and women on hormonal replacement therapy are at a higher risk than others. If your immune system is impaireddue to corticosteroid medication, cancer treatment, HIV infection, or other causes, you will be at a greater risk of yeast infections. You're especially susceptible to vaginal yeast infections if you have diabetes. Yeast cells that normally live in the vagina are kept in careful check by the minimally available nutrients in the acidic environment of the vagina. However, in women and girls with diabetes, vaginal secretions contain more glucose due to higher amounts of glucose in the blood. Yeast cells are nourished by this excess glucose, causing them to multiply and become a yeast infection. High blood sugar also interferes with immune functions that help prevent yeast infections. Those in women with diabetes can indicate that blood glucose levels are not well-controlle Continue reading >>
Diabetes & Yeast Infection: The Most Relevant Connection
By Elisabeth Almekinder RN, BA, CDE Leave a Comment If you tend to get yeast infections that are difficult to resolve, it could be a sign that you have diabetes. They are more common in people with this chronic condition. Such infections are caused by a fungus called candidiasis. Severe itching, discharge from the area affected and irritation of the affected area are hallmark signs of a yeast infection. Diabetes is just one of the conditions that can increase your risk of having them somewhere in your body. Women tend to get them more frequently in their vaginal area, but there are many other places that they can occur. In this article, we will look at why diabetes increases your risk of developing fungal infections such as yeast infections. Though yeast is always growing in our bodies, it can present a problem by upsetting our bodys delicate balance if it overgrows. Bacteria, which is considered as our normal flora, or bacteria that is present in our body as part of our normal make-up, can also overgrow and offset yeast growth. Both situations would require attention and treatment. When Cynthia came in for diabetes education, she looked visibly uncomfortable. She couldnt stop moving around in her seat in the clinic room. When asked what was wrong, Cynthia sighed and relayed how she had these nagging vaginal yeast infections that wouldnt go away. She had been to the doctor three times this year. During her first visit, they gave her crme for treatment, and the second time, she was prescribed to take two rounds of pills, one pill each week for two weeks. Despite her best efforts, her infection had come back. We had been working on Cynthias blood sugars. Her A1C was 8.4% and her blood sugars were out of her target range. She hadnt made much progress so far. Her blood sug Continue reading >>
