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Hello Aunt Vadge,
I feel like a lot has been going on with me and I’m not sure if I’m just paranoid or what.
I had an abortion in December and ended up with a yeast infection (itchy, sore, burning, irritated) and small tears near my perineum. They gave me the pill to treat it, and after a week or so the symptoms went away. In January I had a little irritation, but not bad. Now it’s February and my symptoms have started again – irritated, sore, burning, a little itchy. I also noticed a watery, cloudy, milky discharge when I peed, and a bit of a fishy odour.
Sex has never hurt; I sometimes bleed just after, but nothing major. I went to get checked just to feel better. She said everything looked good but I had some yeast, so she gave me the pill again. Two days later I got a call that my chlamydia test was positive. I’ve been with the same man for almost three years, and neither of us had been tested since before we started sleeping together unprotected, so we both took our prescription.
I called back today because my groin has been itchy and I’ve started to get a little red, non-raised rash – not on my vagina, but in the crease of my groin. A bit gross, but I do sweat working out, and the skin there is already sensitive from shaving.
The doctor sent in another yeast pill and told me to watch it and book again if it didn’t go away. I think I’m just nervous, and since the chlamydia diagnosis, everything is catching my eye. Three different doctors have told me herpes isn’t a concern. I’d just like to know what this itchy groin feeling is and what to do about the little cuts near my perineum. And with a yeast infection plus chlamydia, is all this normal? I’m so overwhelmed – I’ve never had this many issues down there. Please help!
Sincerely,
Overwhelmed
USA, Age 26
Dear Overwhelmed,
You’re not paranoid – you really have had a lot land at once, and it makes sense to feel overwhelmed. One reassuring thing to hold onto: three doctors have ruled out herpes, so you can put that worry down. What’s left is a vagina and gut that have been knocked out of balance, and that’s very fixable.
The pattern is this: round after round of antibiotics and antifungals, but nothing put back to restore the protective bacteria that keep everything else in check. Each course of anti-bug medication clears the immediate problem but thins out your good microbes, so the yeast and imbalance keep returning. Breaking that cycle is the goal, so your new prescription is this:
- Plenty of live, fermented foods – at least three decent servings a day: milk kefir, water kefir, yoghurt, tempeh, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut. Only buy ones that specifically say ‘live’ and unpasteurised (heating kills the bacteria we’re after), or make them at home cheaply – there are loads of guides online.
- A high-quality, refrigerated probiotic made for the vaginal tract (we break down one good option here), ideally alongside Saccharomyces boulardii, a yeast-controlling probiotic. Spread the doses through the day so they populate your whole system.
- Drink lots of water, eat plenty of vegetables and legumes (the fibre your good bacteria feed on), and go easy on the microbe-killers for a while – alcohol, sugar, deep-fried and very fatty foods, fizzy drinks. You know the ones.
You might get a bit of gas for a couple of days as your gut rebalances – that settles. The gut is worth the effort because it sets the tone for your whole body, and microbes move around, so as your gut thrives your vagina tends to follow.
On the groin rash: a red, itchy patch sitting in the crease – especially with sweat and shaving – is far more likely a skin fungal or friction rash than a vaginal yeast issue, so another oral yeast pill may not be the right tool for it. A topical antifungal and keeping the area clean, dry and unshaved for a bit usually settles that sort of groin tinea; go back if it spreads or won’t clear.
On the chlamydia: you did exactly the right thing treating it, and both of you together. Ask about a test of cure (a repeat test a few weeks on) to confirm it’s gone, and skip unprotected sex until you’re both cleared, since it can quietly bounce back and forth. The little perineal tears are most likely your fragile, inflamed skin splitting while all this is going on – they should heal as things calm down, helped by plain water and gentle handling.
Because it keeps recurring, it’s worth getting a comprehensive vaginal microbiome test so you can see exactly what’s living down there, rather than treating blind with repeat yeast pills. The fishy, watery discharge is nudging towards bacterial vaginosis, which is worth heading off early – our free guide to treating BV walks you through it.
In our clinic, this exact picture – recurring yeast infections after rounds of antibiotics and antifungals – usually settles once the gut and vaginal microbiome is rebuilt rather than repeatedly knocked down. Give the food and probiotic plan a solid fortnight.
Do go back to your doctor sooner if you develop lower-belly or pelvic pain, fever, deep pain during sex, or the rash spreads or worsens – chlamydia can travel upwards if it isn’t fully cleared, and that’s worth catching early.
Write back anytime if you have questions.
Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
