Monistat 3 Review

*Disclaimer: This review may make a few people uneasy, so if you're squeamish please feel free to pass on it.

This review is really hard for me to write.  I must admit, it's embarrassing.  I went back and forth for weeks debating on whether I should publish something so personal, but my experience was so horrible that I felt this was the most appropriate forum to share my experience.  Plus I love that I can remain anonymous when discussing such humiliating events.

My boyfriend and I went to Cabos for vacation.  As you can imagine we spent a lot of time on the beach and I made the fatal mistake of wearing my damp swimsuit for the majority of the days.  I in turn got my very first yeast infection.  There were very little symptoms but  I promptly visited my Ob-Gyn and she told me that I caught it very early and sent me to Walgreens to purchase Monistat 3.  When I took it home I read the directions carefully.  Basically you are given three tubes that are used to insert the medicine.  You take a dosage each night for three nights and your infection is healed.  The side effects say there may be a MILD increase in burning/itching and that was about it.  I took my first dosage of medicine and proceeded to watch t.v.  Within 60 seconds the burning started.  About 3 minutes after that the pain was so unbearable that I was doubled over.  I have NEVER EVER EVER felt a sensation like that in my entire 29 years on this planet.  I want to say, I'm not one of these girlie girls that has a hard time dealing with pain, I have an extremely high tolerance when it comes to that.  About 2 minutes later the burning/itching was so unbearable that I literally could not walk.  I immediately grabbed my cell phone and called my boyfriend (who is a doctor).  LUCKILY he answered (it is very rare when he is at work).  At this point I was sobbing and I explained the situation.  He was on his way home anyways so I was in luck.  He told me to go into the tub until all of the medicine was gone.  I will spare you the details but I was still in the tub sobbing when he got home 25 minutes later.  Four hours (and 3 glasses of wine) later I was able to fall asleep.  When we woke up the next morning he took a look at the box and couldn't understand why something with such STRONG concentrations of the active ingredient were in there without much more serious side effects warnings.  After seeing what I used, there was no surprise in his mind why I was in such anguishing pain. 

I did some research online and found a website filled with horror stories similar to mine.  I was shocked to see SO many women having the same horrible reactions.  A few even went to the emergency room.  There were a few women that said they didn't experience any side effects but for every 25 that had a bad one, there was only 1 with no effects.  CRAPPY odds in my book.  The link will not work here, but if you are interested in reading more just Google "Monistat burning", the askapatient website will be the first on the list and that is where are the horror stories are housed.

I called my doctor the very next morning and told her what happened.  She ended up prescribing an oral treatment that takes a bit longer but has no side effects.  What a relief.  I was fine within 7 days.  I also called the customer service line for Monistat and had a few choice words with them.  They refunded my money, no questions asked.  The lady didn't even seem surprised at my complaint, I'm sure they get a ton a day. 

I am not sure how this product remains on the market, but ladies please don't ever even try this.  If you encounter a situation that needs treatment ask for the oral medicine that your Ob-Gyn can prescribe.  You will thank me in the long run.