Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: Melbury on October 05, 2014, 10:09:25 AM
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This is very strange and embarrassing. Despite all of our combined health problems, OH and I actually managed to have intercourse last weekend, with the help of YES oil-based lubricant.
Anyway, all was fine until Wednesday afternoon when I started to get very itchy down below and OH informed me that he was the same :o
The only thing we can think could have caused this is the YES, which very stupidly on my part (no doubt as it is used so rarely) was about 8 months out of code and originally opened probably a couple of years ago :(
Everything points to thrush, but this is not something either of us have ever been bothered with and so I am thinking that it must be through using the old lubricant.
Could it have caused an allergic reaction do you think?
Am putting on Canestan cream that I had in the drawer (also out of date) to try and calm things down.
Was even considering ordering us both a Fluconazole tablet, but not sure if this is a good idea. Has anyone tried these?
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Sounds like thrush caused by YES. I never got on with YES or Sylk for me the best thing is Gynest Cream or Ovestin cream local oestrogen creams. Yes I would treat it as thrush. It looks like YES has upset your vaginal balance.
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Melbury - I've used a Fluconazole tablet - worked a bit but I still needed to see GP to get Canesten pessary and cream to shift it completely. OH didn't try the tablet so can't comment on the effect on men.
Ellie66 - Do you use the oestrogen creams as lubricants or just to soothe things?
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I once had an attack of thrush on holiday and bought a tablet and some cream from a chemist and it worked well.
Thank you for this post as I had some Yes lubricant that had also been opened for a very long time, talking a couple of years at least. We haven't had sex in a very long time but I kept it just in case. I have now thrown it in the bin and if things improve I will get something new.
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The yes oil will go off as it is all natural ingredients and the Shea butter, will go rancid it changes its consistacy a lot with the changing of temperature.
I have been told to use PJUR by my dermo lady if we ever and that's a big IF have sex again. There is a sensitive form of it also, she calls it the Ferrari of all lubricants for that extra VA Va Voom. ;D
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That is interesting but we also need to get hubby some help too if anything is going to happen. We are both kaput :(
I have just googled this product and am a bit wary as it says silicon based. I am allergic to silicone, it that the same thing?
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Thanks for all of your replies.
I am convinced that it is a reaction to the YES, as this is the only thing that could possibly have had an impact on us both.
I am using my Canestan cream twice a day (and so is OH now, although it took some convincing ::)) and if that doesn't help will call in at the chemist and try to get us both a Flucanazole tablet.
Limpy, I did used to be on Vagifem but they were taken away when I went onto Oestrogel a few years ago.
Have to say I don' exactly have much of a sex life now due to the LS and atrophy and actually was quite pleased that last weekend it didn't seem to hurt, but am now wishing we hadn't bothered :(
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The yes oil will go off as it is all natural ingredients and the Shea butter, will go rancid it changes its consistacy a lot with the changing of temperature.
I have been told to use PJUR by my dermo lady if we ever and that's a big IF have sex again. There is a sensitive form of it also, she calls it the Ferrari of all lubricants for that extra VA Va Voom. ;D
That's interesting, I had never heard of PJUR. Been looking at it on Amazon and it is a lot cheaper than YES, so may give it a try.
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Most of these products made me itchy but not actually 'thrush'. A swab should be taken from you both in order to get the 'right' treatment!
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Limpy, I use either Gynest or Ovestin every 2 days internally and use it externally, just a little bit, twice a day. No need for lubricants then. It is soothing too but stung for the first 14 days.
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Hi Melbury
I saw the comment about Pjur being cheaper than Yes. I'm not sure if you're in the UK but did you realise that Yes (water based version) and Replens are both available on NHS prescription? Obviously only relevant if these products work for you but I just thought I'd mention it.
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I use vagifem and have a collection of irritating lubricants. :( Before the vagifem, they just made things worse and seemed to give me thrush.
Also, condoms, sanitary towels and tampons. I accidently bought scented pant liners once. :cuss:
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Thank you tiger74; I had seen on the YES website that the water based one is available on prescription, but I wonder how difficult it is to get your GP to actually prescribe it. We did try the water based first and although it was OK, the oil based was far more effective.
I did go and see GP this afternoon and have been prescribed a Fluconazole capsule. She also prescribed a capsule for OH and some Canestan cream, which was nice of her. She said I should avoid the Clotrimazole cream due to my Lichen Sclerosus and just use Sudacrem and my steriod cream.
What I really cannot understand is how we could both suddenly develop thrush :o It is something that neither of us has ever had and just came out of nowhere. Personally I still think the out of date lubricant is to blame, but we shall see ;)
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Think you're right about the out of date lubricant.
That may have started things off - trust you have ditched it?
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Melbury - my GP prescribes Sylk, Yes and Replens (for VA resulting from cancer treatment) and there has never been any quibbling. I hope that if you need it, your GP will also prescribe.
Best wishes.
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I have had a reaction to superdrugs own brand lubricant...causes a horrible burning sensation :angryfire:
I use vagifem for VA which has helped alot!!! I just use KY or durex play for extra lubrication for sex and haven't had a reaction to either of those. ;)
Like everything...its trial and error until you find something that suits you both.
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Think you're right about the out of date lubricant.
That may have started things off - trust you have ditched it?
I also think that it must be the lubricant. I post below the response I got to my enquiry, quote:
"If you have had an allergic reaction to Yes oil-based then the best way to check it out is to apply a little to the inside of your wrist, if you are sensitive to any of the ingredients then this patch will show signs of redness or itchiness within about 30 minutes. If there is no reaction then you are most likely not allergic to it or one of its ingredients.
Bouts of thrush usually occur when vaginal pH is raised above typical acidic levels of pH4.0-pH4.5. Vaginal dryness often is associated with elevated pH as the moisture that keeps the protective acid producing bacteria working well is gone and there is no way for them to survive and semen (as it is slightly alkaline pH7-8) can raise vaginal pH after lovemaking. I recommend trying yes water based in applicators to rehydrate vaginal tissues and/or reduce your vaginal pH to its typical levels.
Yes oil-based lubricant contains no water so does not interfere with vaginal pH and it is bacteriostatic, that means no bacteria can grow in it as they need water to grow. Old yes oil-based past its shelf life should not cause any issues as you describe as long as it has been kept out of the sun with the cap tightly closed.
I hope this puts your mind at rest."
We have used the oil based before so I don't see that the wrist test is relevant.
I have of course ditched the offending out of code bottle :(