Cannot get rid of thrush - help!

[Mooncarrot75]

I have had thrush in my breasts (presumably ductal) and nipples for over a month now and I just cannot shift it. I have been on medication since it started to no avail. This is what I'm doing:

200mg Fluconazole per day
Daktarin cream (2% miconozole) cream on nipples after every feed
Daktarin oral gel for baby after every daytime feed
Grapefruit seed extract tablets - four a day
Probiotic tablets (super strength)
Changing breast pads after every feed
Washing nipples in vinegar/water solution after every feed
Letting nipples air dry after each feed
Soaking bras, muslins etc in vinegar/water before hot wash
Trying to go braless at home as much as possible
Ventilated breast shells
Sterilising dummies etc by boiling them every day
Tried expressing off the worst affected boob (for a couple of weeks) to give it a rest but made no real difference

Dr did also try me on antibiotics too in case it wasn't thrush but it had no effect (may have made it worse) and the symptoms are wholly consistent with thrush (pink, shiny, sore nipples, burning, itching, stabbing pains deep in breast after feeds etc), no lumps or redness consistent with mastitis.

Any suggestions? Its driving me mad because nothing seems to work.

Thanks!

[Superworm]

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. I boil washed anything milky - muslins, towels, bed sheets etc. I used to dry my boobs with kitchen roll too.

The other thing that helped I think was adding a probiotic to my diet and one for DS. Might be firth a go.?

[Chocolateteabag]

Try to cut down on sugar in your diet?

So no bread, cereal etc Watch how much fruit you have.

You have my upmost sympathies - thrush is a bitch

[MooseBeTimeForSnow]

Can you get Gentian Violet in the UK?

[42andcounting]

I had it for ten weeks, and only eventually shifted it by upping the fluconazole to 300mg daily (2x150).

Also boil washing bras, breast pads, bibs, babygros etc, and eating lots of natural yoghurt .

Good luck, hang in there.

[NotQuiteCockney]

How did the doctor diagnose thrush? Current best practice is to do a swab and a culture ...

There are quite a few other problems that have similar symptoms. Bad latch, vasospasm, Reynauds, tongue tie.

[Mooncarrot75]

Thanks for all the advice. I haven't had a swab or culture though I understood it wasn't an effective means of diagnosis due to false negative results? Baby's tongue is definitely looking thrushy - even this doesn't seem to want to clear up (tried nystatin and miconozole gel). I've had latch checked by midwife and health visitor and deemed fine and I don't think its Reynaud's - at least I don't get any nipple blanching after feeds etc though the pain is a little worse when I'm cold. However, the doctor has now said he won't prescribe any more fluconazole as he says if it hasn't responded by now, it can't be thrush. He's out of ideas as he doesn't think it is any of the above and now says he thinks it'll continue until I stop breastfeeding (sounds like he's telling me to like it or lump it basically!) and that it must be a hormonal condition. I've managed to persuade him to give me two more weeks but only at 100mg a day. I don't think you can get gentian violet in the UK but isn't it supposedly carcinogenic anyway? I think I may have to resort to a diet change - haven't been able to face it so far but think its the only thing I haven't tried. Woe is me!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, so what symptoms do you have?

When does it hurt? What sort of pain is it? Is it on both sides? Does feeding hurt? (Has feeding always hurt?) When did these particular pains hurt?

The official line from the BfN is that a culture should be done. If it's bacterial or something, then that would show up that way, as well. (I think?)

Plenty of very influential people think that thrush in the ducts doesn't exist, at all.

[42andcounting]

Did you by any chance have antibiotics just before it started? When I had it they didn't swab me because I had the whole checklist - recent antibiotics, pain both sides, pain for up to one hour afterwards, couldn't tolerate clothes touching, felt like I was having icicles or broken glass sucked through my nips during the feed. Also the fluconazole did help at lower doses, just didn't get rid of it (forgot to mention in my first reply, sorry).

[anothernumberone]

www.breastfeedingmums.com/dr_jack_newman_candida_protocol.htm

[anothernumberone]

Jack Newman is excellent on thrush

[Mooncarrot75]

Symptoms include sharp stabbing pains in both breasts after and between feeds - sometimes goes right through to my armpit! When the pain isnt stabbing, it is just like ground glassin my nipples and surrounding areas! Nipples are so sore - have had to resort to breast shells to keep clothes from touching them and I can't even put them under the shower - ouch! Never used to have this pain and neither did I have it with my first child who I breastfed for over 9 months. No antibiotics prior to this and although I have had vaginal thrush before, I wouldn't say I was particularly prone to it and am not aware I had it at delivery.