It used to be that you would only get treated for a yeast infection after a health care professional gave you an official diagnosis and prescription for treatment. However, these days you can take your sexual health and wellbeing into your own hands, with many over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal medications, including creams, ointments, suppositories or tablets. That said, if you’ve never had a yeast infection before, or if your wellness is also affected by a fever, abdominal pain, foul-smelling discharge, diabetes, HIV, pregnancy or nursing, you should be seen by your GP, just in case. Pregnant women should never use an OTC anti-yeast product without a doctor’s say-so.
Generally speaking, however, it’s perfectly fine to use an OTC antifungal medication if a medical health professional has diagnosed a yeast infection for you in the past and you are now experiencing the same symptoms. The available medications include:
- butoconazole (Femstat 3)
- terconazole (Terazol)
- tioconazole (Monistat-1, Vagistat-1)
- miconazole (Monistat 7)
- clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin 3)
The only difference between all of the above medications is a case of convenience and cost. While some treatments take a shorter time to work than others, these are the treatments that will be more expensive. Whatever treatment you choose – be it OTC or via prescription – you need to ensure that you take the full course as directed. Even if you begin to feel better, you should never cut your treatment short. It is often the case that symptoms begin to improve before the infection is completely treated. However, if you find that your symptoms fail to respond to your chosen OTC treatment, or recur shortly after clearing up, you should consult your doctor for further treatment options.
You may be thinking to yourself, “Why would I need to consult a doctor the first time I get a yeast infection when I can self-diagnose?” It’s true that the internet is full of information, and can point you in the right direction when you experience certain symptoms, but that doesn’t mean that you can 100% guarantee you have a yeast infection just from what you discern online. Research shows that self-diagnoses of yeast infections only have a 50% success rate, meaning that there’s a 50% chance you’re wrong. Although the medicines are relatively inexpensive, a trip to your GP is free on the NHS, so why not find out for sure, at least on the first occasion? This is especially the case for people who are pregnant, nursing, diabetic, HIV-positive or have fever, abdominal pain or foul-smelling discharge. For most people, OTC anti-fungal medications are harmless, even if you don’t have a yeast infection, but this isn’t the case if you fall into one of the above-mentioned categories.
You should also visit your doctor if symptoms persist for more than 48 hours after starting the medicine, however, or if they return promptly. You’re not likely to experience any major side effects with these medications, but a few people have been known to have an allergic reaction to OTC anti-fungal medications, including symptoms such as shortness of breath, closing of the throat, swelling of the lips, face, or tongue or hives. This only happens in rare cases but, if you are likewise affected, you should stop using the OTC anti-fungal medication at once and seek emergency medical treatment. Other side effects of OTC anti-fungal medications include burning, itching, irritation of the skin and an increased need to urinate. These are more common and less dangerous, but you should still visit your GP to get it sorted out. You should also refrain from sex if your only contraception is a condom or diaphragm, as these medications can render such birth control ineffective.
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