candida infection/shingles/what?

Posted , 8 users are following.

Dear all, 

I hope you can help me with this particular question. It is a particularly long story, so I hope you bear with me.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought I had a vaginal yeast infection, so after contacting my GP (who took a culture), I had OTC medication. This however did not seem to resolve the issue, so I returned to my GP a week later (the results of the culture were back, and only the usual suspect candida was foudn) who then prescribed me fluconazol, an oral anti-fungal 150mg for one time use. I have taken this in the past with good outcomes. While after taking fluconazol, the yeast infection symptoms did dissappear,  this time I also immediatly got a burning an itching sensation, after which my linker labia swelled up and got a red rash. The rash did not grow, but it did itch like hell and it was very sore. I went back to a GP, who said it must still be the yeast infection, only manifesting now on the skin outside. She prescribed me a miconazol creme, told me the symptoms should ameliorate in two days, and sent me on my way. The symptoms did disappear, however I got a small ulcer, which lead me to get tested on all STDs. I was completely in the clear (no HIV/Syph/gon/chlam/herpes simplex). The doctors concluded it was most likely due to the skin being vulnerable + scratching. I visited my Gyno a week later to confirm all this again, and she also considered this a likely explanation.

Three weeks later, I am now abroad for a few weeks for work, the yeast infection symptoms came back. I had considered this might happen (as I accidentally quit the miconazol creme a bit too early), so I immediatly took fluconazol 150mg (my gyno prescribed me some in advance). Again, the same set off symptoms came back. The rash at exactly the same place, the same pain, the same itching, ... So as I am in a foreign country I immediatly go to the hospital to get an emergency consult with a gyno. She again said that it had to be the yeast infection still (she took a culture), and prescribed me now a clotrimazol creme and capsule, to be taken together. Her reasoning being the yeast will probably remain travelling around, if I dont make both places an unhappy place for him. I asked if it was a good idea to again take a fluconazol tablet (seeing my unfortunate experiences with vaginal capsules not actually solving the problem), she said I could and prescribed me another. She said again, my symptoms should get better in two days.  I start with the clotrimazol creme, take the clotrimazol tablet at night and in the morning take another fluconazol tablet.  Two days later, the symptoms have not gotten better, but only gotten worse. Including a blister on my left labia. I went back to the gyno, who referred me to a dermatologist. The dermatologist told me it probably is shingles, as it is localized on my left labia, the red rash + the blister.  He prescribed an anti-viral (to be taken every day for 7 days) and after i stated that taking ibuprofen did not really help with the itching/pain, he prescribed some extremely scary anti-epileptic medicin which can also be taken as a pain killer in the case of nerve damage (carbamazepin) (which I am not taking after reading the extensive amount of side effects that are associated with it). 

While I realize, when just looking at the rash, it does seem like shingles, from what I now, this does not seem like a normal progression of that virus at all. Especially the sudden onset twice after taking fluconazol, it dissappearing the first time in a mere 3 days in total (without taking anti-virals), ... I think it is more likely that I am allergic to fluconazol? Although maybe this would be a weird allergic reaction? I also think I am not in nearly enough pain. Sure the skin is tender and itchy and I have not had the best nights of sleep, but especially seeing the fact that it appeared on such a sensitive body part, I would have expected it to hurt much more. 

So my questions are: 

- could it still be a yeast infection? 

- am I maybe reacting badly to the fluconazol? I have taken it without problem in the past, but I guess I might have become allergic? (I really hope this is not the case, because it is the only thing that consistantly works when it comes to yeast infections for me) 

 

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    I am allergic to fluconazol, but I break out in hives everywhere on my body.
  • Posted

    I have had the same thing. I thought I was having a yeast infection after 2 surgeries and could not get rid of it and then went to my gyno when I could not stand the pain who diagnosed shingles and gave me the same cream for shingles as he would for a yeast Infection. I am 2 months in and still struggling with itching and what seems like a yeast infection but only on one side as would indicate shingles. I also got a shingles rash on my wrist on the same side of the body although my doctor says shingles on arm is unusual. My question is:  are you better and how long did it take and what medications helped.  I thing vaginal shingles is pretty unusual.
  • Posted

    I believe that this is happening to me..the sane exaxt... Thing to a T. Except it's on my right side...

  • Posted

    go go buy some butter milk and set out a glass to get room temperature and douche with it for two days maybe 3,and it will go completely away,and a nurse once gave me that knowledge and it works excellent, it replaces your good bacteria naturally

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