Recurrent Vulvovaginal Thrush

I’d say don't be ashamed of it, it’s not anything that you can control, it’s something that is just happening to you and you've been unlucky and had it, it’s not because you're dirty, it’s not because you've caught anything, it’s not because you've had too much sex or not enough sex, it’s just... it’s just one of those things. But I'd say advocate your own right because you know your body better than anyone else, you know if it’s going to come back, you feel it before you really get symptoms, you kind of... you get a niggle and you're like, ‘I know what this is, it’s coming,’ as soon as you get that: don't wait till it develops, just take something anyway. It’s not going to harm you if it wasn't going to be it, because they put me on it long term, so obviously it’s not a detrimental to my body, just take it and push for something you think is appropriate, say it comes back every month, be very clear with your expectations and make sure they... they listen to you, I suppose.

Yeah, and sorry part of the question is what about people like me who are you know a few years into this? I think it’s pretty much the same: you have to get determined about your health, and you have to... I think it’s... it’s... we all go on the internet and self-treat and it’s probably not a good idea, we need to get to the right person and push, because no one else will that for us. The NHS has got, what, seven million people working... waiting for procedures at the moment: it’s breaking at the seams, so I think we've got to, as you've said, be your own self-advocate.

I think for patients, it’s you know your own body, I wouldn’t... like don’t let a healthcare professional tell you what’s wrong with you if you don’t feel like that’s right, like don’t walk out of a doctor’s appointment going, ‘mm, I’m not sure about that,’ I think that it’s... it’s really, really hard to sit in front of a doctor and go, ‘I don’t agree with you,’ that’s so difficult and it’s something that is equally brave and scary to do at the same time, but it might be the one thing that makes them question it and go, ‘oh right, OK, if you don’t agree, you don’t think this is right, how can we work together to sort it out?’ I think that’s really important. It’s not easy, it’s really tough.

I think not being afraid to kind of you know like stand your ground with you know healthcare professionals to get your point across and to... to really explain how things are affecting you. I would say also the importance of actually going to see someone about like recurring thrush, and just... to be honest any kind of thrush symptoms: I think it’s always worth getting checked out rather than self-treating. I know obviously that is an option that people can just go to pharmacy, or a supermarket, and can you know pick up a treatment and self-treat, but you never know. I know obviously I've had it sort of... you know, I've had all my tests and stuff come back so I knew that I had thrush previously, but a lot of people are just treating themselves for symptoms that it might not be that and equally that can be like really not good... good for your body and could be you know something that you're... a... a symptom that you could actually be missing out on that could be something a bit more you know dangerous.

I think I would advise them to take it seriously and not procrastinate in terms of talking to their doctor. I know going to the pharmacy, I think prolongs things personally from my point, you keep going to the pharmacy but going to… but you’re not getting the answers you need, especially so if it’s recurrent, I would definitely advise them not to procrastinate and make sure they have a doctor’s appointment, and talk about it, document all the things that have been happening to them in the past few months, and why it’s making them feel uncomfortable, and… yeah, and talk to the doctor, not put it last on the list, and not to be shy about it, yeah, and get the help they need.

But also, I would say to young women who... to me from 10 years ago I would say push harder at the doctor and say ‘something is wrong, I need to see someone who knows more about this than you.’ The GP is not the person who knows how to deal with your recurrent thrush, but there probably is some sort of gynaecological expert somewhere in a 100-mile radius from where you live who knows more about it than these people and you're being held at the barrier point, and like get past it. And I would also say stop going to the fucking pharmacy and buying over-the-counter stuff and lying about it because you don't know what you're putting into your body, and also it’s... that’s not the answer, I think.

So yeah, probably like if... if someone was experiencing recurring thrush and was only managing it by like trying to... you know, trying to manage the symptoms every time they got it and so that it wasn’t so painful, I would sort of... I would definitely like share that from my experience going to see my doctor and taking this medication, these tablets for it has like made a massive difference for me, and so I would probably advise someone else to do that if they felt comfortable doing that because like for me it just... it’s made a big difference not like... not worrying about it, now I’m generally like confident that it’s not just going to spring itself on me at any moment, and that’s a nice feeling to have; whereas before it was like always sort of like around the corner was like another flare-up of thrush to worry about, so yeah, I think that’s it probably.

Do you know, I think it would just be about the personal hygiene really, I think would be, you know, obviously not to carry on swooshing, washing as often, I don’t think I would do that, I... and I would always use soap-free, you know, no perfume, nothing, you know, that would aggravate in any way. Like I say, cotton knicks so it’s breathable, you know, and nothing that would hold onto any like you know... you know, like heat or sweat or anything like that, you know, just keep it as nice, fresh and open as possible. Yeah, and like I say, just, you know, if it’s really unmanageable just to... you know, cold compresses, and to just... just relax and just, you know, yeah, don’t stress, I think that’s just going to make it worse: don’t stress, relax, breathable underwear, soap-free, and yeah.

Don’t be ashamed, don’t... try not to be embarrassed, I know it’s really easy to say don’t be embarrassed, but try... try not to be embarrassed about it; it’s completely normal within a degree. You know, if... if it’s painful and it’s itchy and you don’t want to have sex, then don’t have sex, like you don’t have to do that, you don’t have to put yourself through that pain. Go and get the treatment, like don’t be embarrassed to go to your doctor’s or even your pharmacy to ask for that... that support, and if you feel like it’s too regular, you feel like it’s becoming too common, go and push... really push the GP to make sure that they are kind of ruling everything out and doing everything that they can to make sure that, you know, there’s nothing more going on, and that you are getting the best treatment that you deserve.

And also, yeah, having... like don't be afraid to have conversations with you know like family members or friends and stuff like that because I think although they might not be able to... well they may not have gone through like exactly the same thing as you like, we do know that the majority of people with vulvas have experienced at least one episode of thrush in their life, and like, so just being able to have that kind of... I don't know, interaction with someone to make you feel like you're not some kind of... I don't know, freak, or like that this is a normal thing. I think, yeah, there’s some kind of, having those conversations which can really help you to... to kind of deal with what you're going through and to just... yeah, to release some of that because you know you do, yeah, feel quite embarrassed by it at times, and it is quite hard, and it’s like you're trying to carrying this like secret sort of thing which is... is quite hard to carry, so yeah, like trying to speak with someone about it, you know someone who you can... you can trust, I suppose.

You know and I wouldn't... I wouldn't hide it totally from people, obviously choose who you speak to but... you know it’s... I think when we hide these things, I don't think that really helps, I think it is better to just kind of own up to the soreness and see what can be done and see what could be done in the future to make it come back less. So, it’s kind of like that thing of, yes, it may be a part of life for I guess a lot of people, I don't know what the percentages are, but actually there are a bunch of things you can do to make it happen less, or less kind of viciously, you know? Yeah, that’s enough.