a minor success and then thrush

[nearlyreadytopop]

so to start on a positive note, today I fed my 9 week old DS in public :) and am feeling very pleased with myself.

BUT and this is where I need help, we have thrush. I had it for about two weeks before I realised that the pain was something other than a bad latch. For the past ten days I have been putting on Daktarin twice a day, DS didnt have white patches but is getting Nystatin four times a day. Then a week ago due to the shooting breast pain my HV got me Fluconazole. DS has also been getting Canestan on his bum. I have been boil washing and tumble drying everything on high heat, changing breast pads every 1 to 2 hrs (I am a bit leaky). Have also been taking Acidophillus tablets and cut out sugar.
Ten days later, I am still in agony and dreading each feed. Is this normal? Will it get better soon? Is there anything else I can do? I just need some light at the end of the tunnel, the only thing thats keeping me going is how much my DS loves being fed and how well he is doing (21oz in 18 days).

[crikeybadger]

Congrats on your first public feeding adventure

Regarding the thrush- it sounds painful and not great that it's lingering around. It sounds like you are doing everything you can. Have you got much longer on the Fluc? If it hasn't cleared up after you've finished the course, then may be see what the GP can suggest.

You might like to look in to grapefruit seed extract as another possible treatment. I've never tried it myself, but others report success with it.

hth

[nearlyreadytopop]

thank you crikeybadger :)
I have another 8 days of tablets. I will investigate the grapefruit seed extract.

[posterofawolef]

Can you ask for daktarin for your DS too? I found it worked much faster on my DD.

[WestYorkshireGirl]

I sympathise with you - I have a 7.5m DD and had Thrush 5 times (from when she was 2 weeks old to 25 weeks on and off) - the last time it lasted 6 weeks and became excema-like with flaky skin. I took a loading dose of Fluconazole (3 x150g tablets) on 4 occasions, but what shifted it in the end was a 7 day course of tablets of 50g per day for 3 weeks. I also got this leaflet from a private lactation consultant www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/product/264/treating_thrush_-_pack_of_20_folded_a3_sheets/default.aspx which had a lot of advice on supplements. I tried the Grapefruit extract - it was vile so just went with Probiotic and Zinc supplements, changing bras daily and washing at 50 degrees and stopping wearing breast pads. Thrush can live on everything so had separate towels to DH and changed my toothbrush and make up and also looked into a low yeast diet, but never actually did it (just cut out the sugary stuff and tried to reduce bread). I also used Daktarin gel in DD's mouth. I found you need the right sort of GP to take Thrush seriously - go back if it doesn't get better as it really does make life miserable. I have been free of it since mid June and it's made feeding so much better - you can get through it and it is worth it. Good luck.

[CamperFan]

You poor thing. I swear by getting some really strong probiotics like these

They sorted my thrush out after 2 14 day courses of Fluconazole had failed. I also used Gentian Violet which helped with the pain straight away. Good luck.

[weemcgee]

It's a bloody nightmare I can totally sympathize. I got thrush after taking antibiotics for mastitis. I was given the daktarin gel for the baby and fluconazole for myself. My HV told me after every feed to put my breast in a bowl of cooled boiled water with a tablespoon of lemon juice in it for a couple of minutes. It was a complete nightmare at the time at it was so time consuming with the baby feeding every three to four hours. I stayed in for a week doing this and walked around my flat my bra straps down to let air at the breast. If anyone came to visit who was of course close to me I stuck kitchen roll tucked into my breastfeeding vest. It was gently over my breast but covered me up. Muslin cloths would do the job too! I boiled everything, changed breast pads regularly which you have been doing. For me once i got the medication and did all of the above about a couple of weeks the pain finally just disappeared. However, if the pain continues I would phone the HV and get back to the docs.

I just thought I would check but do you have any lumps or is the affected breast sore to touch in parts? Just incase you have the start of mastitis. Hope you get this sorted out. Well done for keeping the breastfeeding going & feeding in public it's not too bad once you do it a few times.

[WestYorkshireGirl]

Camperfan where did you get your Gentian Violet - didn't think you could get it over here?

[CamperFan]

I bought it on eBay. The smallest amount I could get was 500 mls, which came in two 250 ml bottles! I sent one bottle unused to another MNetter because you literally need a tiny bit. It is cheap.