TMI - but really need help/advice

MM,
Hope your infection is all better. I agree with the others that the infections is probably a manifestation of lack of rest and sleep which all mothers especially new mothers are deprived of. As for me, I get eye infections easily since birth of my baby girl. 3 times in a space of just 4 months!
Also stress lowers our resistance to infection as well, we need to constant remind ourselves though I know it is hard!
Another thing is prolonged course of antibiotics may reverse effect and cause resistance of whatever bacteria you are trying to kill to the antibotics, you may want to switch different types of antiobiotics. I will also be a good idea to get a culture and see if the bacteria is already resistance to whatever antiobitics you are on - if so, the antiobiotic will not work and it will be pointless to continue them! Personally I feel docs in HK over prescribed antibiotics and for too short a course thus causing resistance to be an increasing problem. Hope this helps
(I am a pharmacist btw)
 
Haha dsm you make me laugh - thanks

I have to say you mommies are so wonderful!!!! i am sooooo very touched by all this support and sharing, really, thank you very very much.

I agree that stress has a lot to do with overall health. i am sorry to hear about the infections others are suffering from be it throat or eye or what i have it's hard to be sick and frustrating to have to deal with it when you're already so busy with the kid(s).

MayC - I am very sorry to hear you are having/had a hard time. I hope the infertility treatments work out for you. Try to stay positive and I will keep you in my thoughts. Endometriosis was the reason we had to have our kids so suddenly (we had originally planned to wait until we were a little older) but my cysts were so painful that i collapsed in a restaurant 3 years ago and found out i had two 4cm cysts on both ovaries which if removed would likely leave me infertile. Haha what a day that was for us lol put our lives into fast forward!! Did your doctor do you think the vaginal infections are related to the endometriosis? I too have had ecoli, but also gardenella, streptococcus. *sigh*

sherwes, thanks for the suggestions. I too had slowly started to change my diet. i have cut out sugar and most dairy now. for endometriosis its recommended to be on a gluten free diet as well...lol i basically can't eat anything now...lol

yuukalim, i doooo!!! i get a swab and lab done every time to make sure the antibiotics will work against whatever strain of bacteria i have. and it actually does work, whatever i have at the time goes away but is replaced with a new strain of bacteria!!! lol i am laughing but this is just embarrassing!!!

I haven't gone for a check-up with my gyno yet. will wait until after the holidays to get another swab to see if there is still bacteria there. i am hoping all the probiotics (Jo if you are reading this - sorry i did get your email but haven't had a chance to reply *sorry* i am taking UDO's choice "super 8 high potency" and "adult blend" 3 times a day - alternating every day so i get the maximum of the different strains of good bacteria.) will have a chance to work and my body will heal itself...wishful thinking maybe, we will have to wait and see. Thanks again xx lots of love to you all
 
Or Try This...This Is What Is Working For Me

So, after this post, I started having this recurrent infection myself--every time a different bacteria and then a yeast infection to go along with it because of the antibiotics.

After three treatments of antibiotics (and trips to the gyno for the swab) I had had enough this past week when I got another one. So, I put myself on a diet of 1/2 liter of plain (no sugar, no flavorings) yogurt (I think it's by Nestle--you can buy it at Wellcome) as well as veggies (because many times recurrent infections are a sign that your ph balance is off--if it's too acidic from eating meat, refined foods and sugar it is a hospitable environment for bacteria to grow--the solution is to eat veggies that make your body more alkaline) every day and then I searched around and bought an iodine douche and have been using it and it works great!

Safe, not destroying your body's natural flora, completely relieves symptoms and is effective for treating a broad spectrum of infections as well as yeast.

I thought of this because about 5 years ago I was a study-abroad student and had this horrible infection--I was prescribed this iodine douche and the infection completely went away and never came back.

(Summer's Eve has one that is called a "Medicated Douche", however it is a bit spendy at 35 HKD because you need to use it for at least 7 days and recommended for 14 days and each case is a one-use application, even after symptoms clear up, so, I searched around and found a local dispensary in Causeway Bay called Miranda Dispensary that carries this in a larger re-usable pack for at least 14 treatments form for about $210 HKD--they said that it is pretty rare to find this at the other places in HK--Mannings and Watsons pharmacies don't carry it--I checked)

The contact for the dispensary is below. It says Wan Chai but it is quite close to the MTR in Causeway Bay (Sogo Exit). They speak English well and the business seems to have been there for a long time.


Miranda Dispensary

Tel:2838 7679

Jaffe Rd, Wan Chai
 
MLBW, Thanks so much for posting this information!! I am on month 8 of infections and just had another dose of antibiotic injection last week. seems the probiotics didn't work...maybe that's more of a preventative measure? Will go to the dr. again on Tues for a swab to see if the infection is it's still there...

Anyway I will definitely try your recommendation...hopefully that works!!!

Has your infection gone away now?
 
Hey MilkMonster,

YES! The infection is gone! I took 3 months worth of anitbiotics with no results--except infections that came back every 2 weeks to a month! I believe that the iodine douche is really worth a try. Also, get some probiotics--I forgot to mention, that I'm taking a super dose of probiotics (some that I had from the States--but I just went to a couple of health food stores in Causeway Bay and they also have some) every morning and night. But, man, I feel SOOO much better! Nothing can ruin your life in a more uncomfortable way than constant vaginal problems!

I would just go get some iodine douche as soon as possible and start using it because you really don't have anything to lose--if there is an infection there, it will take care of it...if not, it will simply provide a really good cleansing treatment--at any rate, I think it will likely solve your problem and then you can just work on strengthening your immune system.

Do you take a multi-vitamin as well? I found that since I started taking a really good raw multivitamin my female health issues have gotten easier to handle in general.

I really feel for you and hope that this works for you as it has for me!
 
hi mm
i was thinking of you the other day and wondering how it was going (didn't want to ask on your blog)...hope it gets sorted out soon.
xo
 
MLBW - i will definitely try the iodine douche. I am so happy for you that you're no longer having infections! I don't take a multivitamin...I usually take Vitamin C...I will try that out as well. Thanks again!

dimsum mum - hey, how are you? haha yes, i am still having these 'health' problems and I am so frustrated...thanks for thinking about me : ) You can be sure I will be posting a very happy post here once I am infection free...until then...sigh...lol xx
 
hi milkmonster,

hope all is well with you. i'm currently in my 23rd week now and also experiencing the same problem as you had before. my doctor prescribed 2 course of antibiotics to me and i'm currently taking probiotics too. just wondering how are you doing with these "health problems". did you manage to get rid of them?
mama moo
 
Hi mama moo, I also got your PM but will post my reply here just in case anyone else needs the info.

My infections started after I had my 2nd baby and was continuous for over 12mths. I started the estrogen therapy - vagifem about 3 months ago and since then I have been overall infection free-but it comes back every month and I will start the estrogen again and will be better almost immediately. I am unable to get off the estrogen since the infection comes back about a week after I go off of it. I think I am suffering from something called atrophic vagina (which can be caused by menopause or breastfeeding - anything that would affect your estrogen production. In my case I has 2 babies very close together which was very very hard on my body) which means my body is more susceptible to infection by naturally occurring bacteria that take over since my body is off balance. I too have been taking the probiotics for over 8mths but the estrogen therapy is the only thing that has worked for me. Not sure if you can use it since you are pregnant. you should discuss it with your dr.

I'm sorry you are going through something similar, especially since you are pregnant. It must be very stressful and worrying. With my first pregnancy I had recurrent UTI and was on antibiotics on and off the entire pregnancy. My elder son is now 2.5yrs old and healthy and happy boy. Try not to worry too much. I try to tell myself that things will all work out in the end.

Take care xx
 
hi milkmonster,

thanks for the reply. yeah, i was wondering whether did you get my PM. glad you did!

i've been taking the super hi 8 protency probiotics for almost a week now. i'm also taking the multi-vitamins which given by my doctor. i'm scheduled for another routine check-up next friday and will do the swab test again. hopefully the infections are gone or at least it's improving.

i did the swab test twice and the doctor confirmed i'm suffering a common infection which happened to a lot of pregnant women during their pregnancy - group B streptoccous. like i mentioned before, what really worries me is there is a possiblity of my baby could contract meningitis or pneumonia when delivering via natural birth. i've been reading a lot of medical articles through the web and a lot of of these articles commented the same thing as what i was being told by the doctor. oh well, i just hope that the infection will eventually go away over the next few months before i'm due in mid november.

how are your little boys doing? you must be totally drained out to begin with by taking care two boys! i'm sure you're enjoying motherhood very much. i'm looking forward to that too!

take care. mama moo xxx
 
Hi Mama Moo,
Is there an option to take antibiotics at the time of delivery? If so, maybe you can consider this option so you wouldn't have to have a c-section (i had 2 emergency c-sections). I have/had the same strain of bacteria as you. Did you ask your dr. to see if you can take the estrogen?

Hope your infection clears up soon!! Take good care and rest up before baby comes : )

Haha my boys are now 2.5yrs and 15mths and both are good sleepers so overall I am doing ok. Haha need lots of energy to keep up with them though!
 
Hi MilkMonster,

My doctor suggested I could take antibiotics shot before the delivery to reduce the infection. But my husband and myself are a bit concern about this, because the baby is still passing through the vagina and may contract pneumonia or meningitis. It seems to me my doctor is pretty chill and told us not to be that worried. But I hate to admit that we're first time parents and it's hard for us not to worry about issues like this. I will find out from my doctor this Friday at the appointment about the estrogen therapy.
I still haven't decided whether I want to have an elective c-section or natural labour birth. Do you have any advice given about birthing plan?

Do you hire a full-time or part-time nanny to take care of the kids? My husband and myself are planning to hire a full-time helper to help out once the baby is born. I'm thinking to get back into full-time work after the baby. There are times I feel there are so many things I need to be prepared before the baby's arrival and yet I have the slightest idea where to begin!
I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions at once!! I have only moved to HK about 3 years ago and I don't know anyone in HK had went through the pregnancy. I'm not working at the moment, therefore I'm only relying on reading articles or books about birth plan and ideas for the baby.
If you're free or less hectic during the week, perhaps we could meet up in Central for coffee / tea.
Take care. xxx
 
You can make your own dairy free / sugar free yogurt
-

Soya milk yogurt (without using the yogurt maker)

The mixture ideally needs to fill a flask in order for the yogurt to stay warm.
Adjust the quantities if your flask is lager.

Yogurt culture can be bought to use as a starter or use 5ml / 1 tsp of a bought soya yogurt. Even though these normally contain some sugar there will be very little in the amount used. The yogurt will not take as long to set if using soya yogurt or a culture instead of the acidophilus.

570ml / 1 pint / 2+1/2 cup organic soya milk (or other milks such as rice milk or nut milk)
4 milk free acidophilus capsules (or other broad spectrum probiotic capsules or powder)

1. Bring the milk to boil and then allow to cool to body temperature(a clean finger is sufficient to test).
Cover the pan to prevent a skin forming.

2. Empty the acidopilus capsules into small basin and add 1 tsp of the warm soya milk,
mixing until you have a smooth paste.
Continue adding the soya milk and mixing until the acidophilus is well blended,
then pour into the pan and stir.

3. Pour the mixture into a warmed vacuum flask, Put the top on and leave to stand for approximately 6 hours or until the mixture just starts to leave the sides of the flask when the flask is tipped.

4. Tip the yogurt out into a container and store in the fridge

(Source: Cooking Without)

Little Giant
 
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