The yeast infection that can kill you.

[Njoy704]

Well, I did a search on No More Panic to see if anyone else has posted about this fear... apparently I'm the first. So here it goes... I'm on amoxicillin for 10 days for bronchitis and a sinus infection. I read that this can cause yeast infection because it kills off the good bacteria that balances you out. In fact, I'm already starting to feel the itchiness down there and feel the beginning of yeast infection. Anyways , I started reading how yeast infection can go into your blood stream and it can become fatal. When it gets into your blood stream it's called Invasive Candidiasis and now I'm freaking out over it. Stupid HA. I know women deal with yeast infection a lot, but my fear is that the antibiotic could give me the invasive form and kill me. I can't stop taking the antibiotics because you're suppose to finish the whole course of treatment to prevent being resistant. So now I'm panicking over here about a yeast infection... anyone at all have had this fear?

[NotCool]

I had an yeast infection on my genitals last year after taking the same antibiotic. I've gotten some Canesten and used it for a while, and it went away.

Yeast and fungus in general is dangerous for people who have absolutely trashed immune system, and by that I mean small children, elderly and cancer patients.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yes, antibiotics kill bacteria in general hence they kill off the good bacteria too. However, you have 150 trillion of them in your body and without them you couldn't function as they are needed for many processes in the body - so you are fine. Besides, if this was the result, would they even prescrbe them? No, they wouldn't as they would need very strict monitoring and that med is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics.

The NHS & NICE have issued some guidance about how probiotics may be beneficial alongside antibiotic treatment and recommended it could be done under medical supervision because evidence is still lacking. The truth is, buy a pot of yogurt and you are eating probiotics because they are naturtally present in the stuff. We don't eat yogurt under medical supervision! (well, a serious physical health condition may mean a restricted diet or there could always be people with severe allergies who have needed to avoid things from birth, I guess).

The point is, go eat some yogurt, drink an Actimel (10 billion of one strain in them), etc. You don't need to use supplements but you could if you wanted to. These will be adding healthy bacteria back into your body and one of the most common strains, acidophilus, works by helping others strains too. There is a reason yogurt is an old fashioned treatment for vaginal thrush and it works, probiotics.