Topic Overview
A
vaginal yeast infection is thought to be recurrent
when you have had four or more symptomatic infections, unrelated to antibiotic
use, within 1 year.
If you have a recurrent
vaginal yeast infection, your doctor may do a
culture to confirm that yeast is present. You may also
be tested for certain conditions that could be making you more vulnerable to
yeast overgrowth, such as diabetes.
The recommended initial
treatment for recurrent vaginal yeast infections includes vaginal medicines for
7 to 14 days or a single dose of oral fluconazole, with a second dose
repeated 3 days later.1
Initial treatment
is then followed by at least 6 months of maintenance therapy, which could be
oral or vaginal medicines.
Some women who are treated for recurrent yeast infections do
not see improvement in their symptoms. These women may have another condition
that is causing symptoms similar to a yeast infection. Additional testing and
treatment may be needed.
References
Citations
- Eschenbach DA (2008). Vaginitis section of Pelvic
infections and sexually transmitted diseases. In RS Gibbs et al., eds.,
Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10th ed., pp. 608–612. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
|---|
| Last Revised | July 27, 2011 |
|---|
Last Revised:
July 27, 2011
Eschenbach DA (2008). Vaginitis section of Pelvic
infections and sexually transmitted diseases. In RS Gibbs et al., eds.,
Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10th ed., pp. 608–612. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.