Candide

Hey everyone...

...So, my partner and I tried to be intimate last night, but it was a total disaster. Nothing worked—it just wouldn't happen. It’s painful for me, it's painful for him, and honestly? We both have this intense itching that won't quit. I've never dealt with anything like this before, and waking up this morning, it's still the exact same thing.😕 Even using a condom didn't help at all. We ended up falling down an internet rabbit hole and stumbled upon something called Candide... 😕 😕

.....Here's the deal... A couple of weeks ago, my partner was prescribed some antibiotics for strep throat, and he was taking them until just recently. He noticed some stinging down there, but he didn't think much of it, so we went ahead and "tried" to be intimate—and well, now I'm dealing with this maddening itch.😈 I felt like I was going to lose my mind!😁 I've been scouring the web for info on Candide, and apparently, it says about 95% of the time, it starts with the woman. But since I've never had symptoms like this before, is it actually possible that his antibiotic course triggered this?!

I've seen people mentioning various vaginal treatments online—can I just pick something up over the counter at a local CVS without a prescription? My doctor and my OBGYN are both 124 miles pretty far away right now...?!?!

Please, if anyone has any advice, let me know!🙏

Nothing? 😢

If it turns out to be Candide, you can just head over to a local CVS or Walgreens and pick up some vaginal suppositories—look for Canesten or Scotch—and you just pop one in every single night. You should also grab some Scotch cream to apply externally (both you and your partner) for at least 10 days. That really ought to do the trick. 🙂

Try mixing some St. John's Wort oil with tea tree oil—just make sure you use way less tea tree than the St. John's Wort—and apply it with a Q-tip.
It worked for me.

I was actually able to get Geonist without a prescription. Personally, I think it's the most effective option because it targets those pesky bacteria causing all the trouble. Pairing it with some Canesten cream for external relief works wonders. That said, if this is your first time dealing with these symptoms, it’s probably best to check in with a doctor first.
Also, hygiene is absolutely key. Make sure you're washing regularly, drying off thoroughly, and using a gentle intimate wash. Whenever my symptoms flare up, I make it a point to wash both morning and night.
You might also want to pick up some Lactogyn tablets (they're about $6). These are oral probiotics designed to balance your vaginal flora, and they really do make a difference.
Lastly, try wearing more skirts and stick strictly to cotton fabrics.
Good luck!

So, which of those pills can I actually grab off the shelf without a prescription?

From what I understand, everything follows the prescription strictly, including the cream itself, though you can still pick things up at the pharmacy without one if you need to...

silverfalcon7 said:As far as I know, everything requires a prescription—even the creams—but sometimes the pharmacy will just give them to you without one if they feel like it..

Oh, please. You can walk into a CVS and pick up antibiotics without a script if you know the right person, so don't even get me started on some vaginal wipes...

Where on earth are you getting Candide from? Are you even dealing with any discharge or an odor?
Go ask some guy who's been on antibiotics; they always end up with that itching sensation...

I'm thinking Ciprofloxacin, but honestly, I haven't looked at my old textbooks in forever...😉

silverfalcon7 said:From what I can tell, you pretty much need a prescription for everything, even for creams, though you can sometimes find stuff over the counter at the pharmacy without one..

honestly, if you walk into a high-end private pharmacy, they’d probably sell you poison if you had the cash😈

So, after finishing a round of antibiotics, I ended up dealing with this absolutely nightmare-inducing itching that honestly drove me a little crazy. I finally popped into a local CVS, and they pointed me toward some Canesten cream; you can grab it over the counter without a prescription, and while you apply it externally, you also have to use the applicator 😲 to apply it internally, which was honestly such a disaster to deal with.

If I could offer any advice, it would be to stick strictly to cotton underwear—definitely skip the thongs or anything synthetic for a while. Also, please, whatever you do, don't overdo it with the douching or excessive washing. It’s so important because the ladies at the pharmacy explained to me that antibiotics can really throw off the balance of all those essential bacteria down there, causing certain ones to just go totally wild, and being too aggressive with cleaning only makes things worse.

Also, once you're finished with the antibiotics, it’s a really good idea to take some probiotics to help get your gut health and microbiome back on track I can't quite recall the specific brand names right now, but if you just ask

mellowraven32 said:Where would you get Candida from?? Are you dealing with any vaginal discharge? Or an odor?
Ask the guy who took the antibiotics—they can sometimes cause itching down there as a side effect.

Milena, how should I know where it came from? This is the first time I've ever dealt with this kind of itching...😈

I have no clue which antibiotic it was... just "something for strep and some infections"... but it's driving me crazy because the skin feels irritated—especially when I stretch the area around the vulva.

...and yeah, I do have some discharge... it's white and sort of clumpy🙄 ....

...and the smell is definitely weird... pretty intense...

😕 😕

We actually picked up some Canesten cream at the drugstore today... no prescription needed... and honestly, zero hassle... the lady behind the counter didn't even ask questions, she just rang it up for about $5.😁

...Yeah.. I actually picked up a little tip about using Cesnjak too... hopefully that does the trick against these pests😉 Tenkjuuu🙂

Linda Gonzalez5 said:Milena, I have no idea where I even caught this itch from... it's my first time dealing with it...😈

I don't know which antibiotic it was... just "something for strep or an infection"... but I feel this irritation on the skin right near the labia when I stretch it...

...and there's this discharge... white and kind of clumpy🙄 ....

...plus the smell is just weird... really intense...

😕 😕

We picked up some Canesten cream at the drugstore today over the counter... no hassle at all... the clerk didn't even ask questions, just rang it up for about five bucks😁

The Canesten cream should help, but you really need to use the suppositories or use the cream with the applicator to get it deep inside! It'll be fine...😉

mellowraven32 said:Using Canesten cream should help, but you really need to use the vaginal suppositories or use the cream with the applicator to get it deep enough inside! Everything is going to be just fine!😉

Dr. Miller... I promise I'll be good... I just want this to go away... *sighhhhhh*🙂

Linda Gonzalez5 said:...oh yeah... I also got a little tip for dealing with Cesnjak... hoping it actually works against these pests😉 Tenkjuuu🙂

Here's another "natural" remedy for you. My OB-GYN actually suggested soaking a slim tampon in some plain Greek yogurt—like Chobani—and just leaving it in there for two or three hours.
Thanks, I'll try it. I had a yeast infection once where those Canesten suppositories did absolutely nothing for me, but this yogurt trick 😛
stopped the itching and redness almost instantly. I’ve passed the advice along to all my girlfriends and nobody has complained yet.
Give it a shot. It’s cheap, effective, and honestly kind of weirdly brilliant. 🙏

Linda Gonzalez5 said:Milena, honestly, I have no idea where it came from, but this is the first time I've ever dealt with this kind of itching...😈

I don't even know which antibiotic it was... just "something for strep or inflammation"... because I feel this constant irritation on my skin, especially when I pull the area near my labia taut..

...and there’s some discharge.. white and kind of clumpy🙄 ....

...plus, the smell is just weird... really intense...

😕 😕

We picked up some Canesten cream at the drugstore today.. over the counter... no hassle... the clerk didn't even ask any questions, just scanned it and it was about five bucks😁

It's definitely Candida.
It’s smarter to go with the vaginal suppositories for 6 or 7 days, plus using the Canesten cream externally...
That's the standard treatment...
Just wash with plain water a few times a day and you should be fine...

Even though, full disclosure, I'm usually allergic to playing doctor and treating myself without consulting a physician...

Linda Gonzalez5 said:People are talking about Vaginalettes—can I actually grab those over the counter at a drugstore without a prescription? My doctor and OBGYN are way too 124 miles far away right now...?!?!

Someone please give me some advice🙏

Look, how long are you going to be "far away"? If it's just for a few days, just hit up a local CVS or Walgreens, ask the pharmacist for advice, and maybe try putting a tampon soaked in LGG yogurt or taking Lactogyn probiotics. Once you're back home, go see a gynecologist. It’s honestly risky trying to diagnose an infection through the internet; you could have a specific bacterial issue that requires actual swabs to identify.

If you moved permanently, find a new doctor. Check out the women's corner subforum—there's a thread there with recommendations for doctors. You need someone who actually has openings so you can switch over immediately.