★★★★★
Coconut Oil, Tea Tree Oil
★★★★★
Yeast is very difficult to treat so I think it's important to use several remedies unless one particular one works for you. Luckily, my yeast infection isn't as bad as others report (my symptoms: cottage cheese like discharge, watery discharge, lower back pain and abdominal fullness/pain, some itching although it isn't terrible). Here's what worked, and didn't work, for me:
First, I tried using oral probiotics for 2 weeks, and although it seemed to help it didn't clear the yeast completely.
Next, I used a yogurt douche, and while that helped temporarily or about 24 hours I actually feel it made my yeast come back with a vengeance.
Next, I tried the ACV remedy, taking 1 tbsp 2-3x day orally in water, as well as soaking a tampon in a diluted ACV mixture and wearing for 15 minutes for a period of 3-4 days. That did help, and I did notice some lessening of yeast, but didn't clear the yeast completely.
Next, I tried storebought vaginal probiotic suppositories which, like the yogurt douche, seemed to help initially but then made the condition worse within a day or two. I think it's safe to say that adding other probiotics in the vaginal tract doesn't work, at least for me!
Desperate, I found some coconut oil in my cupboard and then realized I also have some tea tree/lavender essential oil from. The caprylic acid in coconut oil is reputed to kill yeast, and I have had great success using coconut oil for many things, including coconut oil suppositories for hemorrhoids, so I thought, why not? I used the blister pack that my vaginal suppositories came in for the mold (you can use any blister pack for pills that have a round, pill-like shape), put my coconut oil jar in a bowl of hot water to melt the oil into liquid, poured the liquid into the mold and added 4-5 drops of tea tree/lavender oil into the mold (any more will burn! ), popped the mold into the fridge and then waited for it to solidify (15 mins or so), then quickly took out the suppository and inserted vaginally right before bed (might be good to do while lying down IN bed because this melts quickly from your body heat and will drip out if you stand up! ) Just note that in the morning, this will come out and it can get messy, so wear pantyliners or pads to protect your clothing.
The first night ... INSTANT RELIEF! The coconut oil/tea tree combo is so cooling and soothing... the tea tree oil makes you feel fresh. The first day, I did not experience itching at all, and there was a large reduction of discharge. This is my third day doing it and my vaginal symptoms are almost completely gone, I will continue for a week until I am *sure* I am completely asymptomatic!
I still feel a bit foggy, bloated and tired (I assume I have candida overgrowth everywhere, not just vaginally) so I am drinking ACV 2-3x day, taking 1 tsp coconut oil 2-3x day, and also using Yeast Cleanse tablets from a popular brand. I am also drinking thyme tea as it is a strong antifungal (I make my own by putting a few strands of dried thyme in water, bringing water to a boil, covering it - this is important to save volatile oils - for about 5-10 minutes and drinking). I will also be cutting out as much sweets/bread and dairy as possible. Good luck and I hope this helps someone as much as it helped me :)
