Can You Treat a Yeast Infection While Taking Antibiotics?

If you've ever taken antibiotics (or are currently taking them), you might've noticed the label lists yeast infections as a possible side effect. While this doesn't happen to everyone, it's natural to worry about the risk.

Thankfully, there are medications that can help treat yeast infections. But can you treat a yeast infection while on antibiotics?

Here, learn why antibiotics can cause yeast infections along with how to treat and prevent these infections.

In some cases, yes. Your body typically does a great job of balancing the amount of yeast and good bacteria on your skin and in your body, per the Cleveland Clinic.

But when you take antibiotics, bad and good bacteria are often killed at the same time, which can throw off your body's natural microbiome. This can leave you vulnerable to an overgrowth of yeast, and potentially a yeast infection, per the Mayo Clinic.

While anyone can get a yeast infection — in your skin folds, in your mouth, in your nail beds or on your penis — it is most common to get a vaginal yeast infection (from a fungus called Candida) while taking antibiotics, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Vaginal yeast infection symptoms can include the following, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Itching and irritation in the vagina and vulva
• A burning sensation, especially during intercourse or while peeing
• Redness and swelling of the vulva
• Vaginal pain and soreness
• Vaginal rash
• Thick, white, odor-free vaginal discharge with a cottage cheese appearance
• Watery vaginal discharge

In some cases, a Candida overgrowth can also cause oral thrush — redness, burning and creamy white lesions on your tongue, inner cheeks and roof of your mouth, per the Mayo Clinic.

Usually, the vagina is slightly acidic (thanks to good bacteria like Lactobacillus), which helps keep yeast overgrowth at bay, per Harvard Health Publishing.

But with broad-spectrum antibiotics, that natural acidity is lowered, increasing your risk for yeast overgrowth, per Henry Ford Health.

A list of antibiotics that can cause yeast infections include the following, among many others, per Purdue University:

• Penicillin, including amoxicillin and ampicillin
• Chloramphenicol
• Erythromycin
• Gentamycin
• Tetracycline
• Triple Sulfa

And while antibiotics are supposed to treat infections, they don't work on ‌all‌ infections. For example, they kill bacteria, but not viruses or yeast, which is a type of fungus, per the Mayo Clinic.

When antibiotics kill both that good and bad bacteria, it gives the once-balanced yeast an opportunity to spread.

Antibiotics won't kill yeast infections, so what will? The most common yeast infection treatment is an antifungal — a type of medication that comes in ointment, tablet or suppository form.

Antifungals work to kill yeast in the same way antibiotics kill bacteria, per the Cleveland Clinic. Some examples include the following, per the Mayo Clinic:

• ‌Miconazole (Monistat 3):‌ This can be purchased in ointment or suppository form over the counter or with a prescription. It's usually taken for three to seven days.
• ‌Terconazole:‌ Another antifungal that can be purchased over the counter or with a prescription from a doctor.
• ‌Fluconazole (Diflucan):‌ A one-time, single pill that is prescribed by your doctor. This can also treat oral thrush from antibiotics. For more severe infections, you may have to take two doses three days apart.

But can you take these medications while on antibiotics? Most of the time, yes.

In fact, it may be recommended by your doctor to take an antifungal at the same time as an antibiotic, as a preventative measure if you're prone to yeast infections, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

There's also little to no reported drug interactions between the two. In fact, topical antifungals ‌specifically‌ have less interaction potential compared to oral antifungals, according to an April 2018 review in ‌Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology‌.

If you take an antifungal, your yeast infection should go away within a few days. You may still feel some leftover irritation and itching as your body heals.

Unfortunately, yeast can start to regrow once you're done with both medications, per Baylor Medicine.

If this happens, call your doctor before going back on an antifungal. They may be able to suggest other treatment options and preventive measures for yeast infections.

Whether on antibiotics or not, yeast infections are often uncomfortable and annoying. Here are some ways to help prevent them, per the Mayo Clinic:

• ‌Wear breathable cotton underwear:‌ Make sure it's not too tight, which can trap in moisture.
• ‌Avoid wearing wet clothes for too long:‌ This includes a wet bathing suit, sweaty workout clothes or damp underwear.
• ‌Avoid hot tubs or very warm baths:‌ Yeast thrives in hot and moist environments.
• ‌Do not douche:‌ This can remove good bacteria from your vagina.
• ‌Avoid scented menstrual and bath products:‌ This includes tampons, pads, bubble baths and body wash.
• ‌If yeast infections are from antibiotics, only take them when absolutely necessary:‌ Talk to your doctor about other options if one particular kind of antibiotics causes a yeast overgrowth.

You can take yeast infection medications and antibiotics at the same time, but only if your doctor gives the OK.

They may suggest taking an antifungal while on antibiotics if you're prone to yeast infections, or prescribe one for an existing yeast infection. But they may not suggest it if yeast infections aren't really a concern based on your health history.

Talk to your doctor before taking any medication with an antibiotic to avoid any negative or harmful drug interactions.