Warning! Know these symptoms of yeast infection or candidiasis before it is too late.
Here's my story. If you are suffering from yeast infection, you can relate to my ordeal.
Yeast Infection In My Teens:
My first brush with yeast infection was when I was in my late teens. I sweat a lot due to non air-conditioned classrooms in high school. It started as an itch down under and yes, I scratched like there was no tomorrow. I wrongly thought that it could either be just heat rash or allergy to the sanitary pad I was using then. I applied medicated talcum powder and the rashes disappeared within a week. I was young with better immunity which was how I could recovered that quickly.
Yeast Infection In My Twenties:
It started again as an itch that just would not go away. It spread to my inner thighs as well. I started the scratching marathon again day and night, discreetly. It was so disruptive to my normal routine. I wore skirts instead of pants so that the affected area could breathe. I applied anti fungal cream twice a day every day. I thought it must be heat rash that caused the fungal growth. To my relief, the rashes cleared in less than a week.
Yeast Infection In My Thirties:
I went into a new job in a major corporation. The job was highly stressful and demanding. I worked till 8 most nights. I was not eating properly. After work, my dinner were mostly high fat food such as fried noodles, fried rice etc which I enjoyed with a hot glass of 'pulled' milk tea (known as 'Teh Tarik' in Malay language. This drink is very popular in my country, Malaysia). I indulged in late night web surfing (the norm from social media hype). I usually sleep at 2 in the morning and woke up at 6.30 the next morning. I caved in to my sweet cravings most of the times. My workload grew heavier, I got more worried and slept even lesser. I was also waking up at 3.30 or 4 in the morning stressing over work the next day.
So, bad diet + lack of sleep = weight gain!
Unknowingly, I was all set for yet another yeast infection ride in the months to come.
Symptom 1
I began to feel extreme fatigue, even when my days were not so hectic. The fatigue was overwhelming. I felt like lead. After work, I will just plopped right down on my sofa and not moved until an hour later. The world was about to end any minute.
Symptom 2
Rashes began appearing at my underarms. They were red, flaky and very itchy. I would just apply medicated talcum powder to ensure the area stayed dry. The rashes will go away after a week and then reappeared when I was in stress mode. Back then, I did not see that there was a pattern. I was too busy with work to notice.
Symptom 3
Rashes began to appear at other parts of my body where sweat lingered (back of my knees or neck and worse, my vulva - external opening of the vagina). The itch was maddening. I could be scratching until the cows come home and the itch would not be appeased. The scratching aggravated the rashes. It was really that bad this time. The skin become sore and swollen, totally inflamed. (though I had no yellow discharge like some women may have experienced). So how was I able to walk like a lady with this yeast infection?
I had sleepless nights. The itch was most intense between 3 to 4 in the morning. The next day, I had trouble working due to lack of sleep. I was totally exhausted.
So, I searched online. I found out that people are resorting to natural remedies / holistic approach to cure yeast infection. Some even reported relief in less than a day. I thought...why not give this a try?
I was no longer keen on applying any more cream on the sensitive inflamed area, especially down under.
To my pleasant surprise, the holistic healing felt progressively natural.
If you are a yeast infection sufferer or know of someone who is, you may want to recommend this alternative treatment. You never try, you never know.
