VERY sore nipples - thrush?

[Ab31]

Am new to MN and new to motherhood but could do with some advice... dd is three weeks old. From the beginning I have suffered really sore and cracked nipples just getting worse by the week. The pain is excruciating for the first 10 seconds after latching on and then subsudes. i've been to numerous B/F support groups who have checked the latch and say it's correct but everything I read says that 'if you're doing it right it doesn't hurt'. Went to doctor on Friday who said I could have thrush but she wasn't sure. I have cream to apply but now have shooting pains inside breast too - is this thrush too and will it be treated by the nipple cream??? Have been so stressed by this problem as it takes over my every waking thought and I dread each feed. Please help if you can!

[3flightsofsleighbellsring]

I had thrush last year and there were a few symptoms if I can remember them.

Painful cracked nipples (one developed almost a hole - yuck!) which didn't heal. Couldn't leave them exposed to the air as were too sensitive, had to cover boobs in shower as too sore and was a killer to go outside in the cold as nipples felt like they would fall off. White spots that don't rub off in the baby's mouth, baby latching on what people called (same as you) *properly but he fussed and seemed to be frustrated at feeding. Erm, what else... Pain on latching on and at end of feed too I think. Ended up dreading feeds

TREATMENT - i think this is the important bit. You need to treat you AND baby as you continually reinfect each other every time you feed. I got drops for baby and cream for me - cream for me was called Daktarin, for baby Nystatin.

You needn't have all the symptoms for it to be thrush and GPs are consistenly not v good at treating it as they don't see it v often and the old blokes don't even believe you!

HTH, good luck!

[FrostyTheSnowMarsLady]

You can also rub a little Canestan on your breasts but remember to wipe it off before feeding your baby. That might give you some short term help.

[floraflora]

AB31 Thrush is awful, awful, awful.
My LO is now 6 mths & I got it at about 6 weeks. It was really hot & at first I thought pain was due to him feeding ALL the time to quench thirst. My GP was a nightmare - your sounds better. I had classic symptoms but babe showed none so he refused to believe it was thrush. I've found it hard to get rid of, BUT I am still BF .
The Breastfeeding Network have a good leaflet, which you can find as a PDF on their website.
If you have pains inside breast too you need more than cream because its in your ducts and cream won't get there. Fluconazole is what's usually given.
Mine was almost resistent to Fluconazole (which GPs might be reluctant to prescribe because it's not licenced for BF mothers in this country - but is given in US and Canada - not licenced here 'cos not been tested that's all). What worked for me was cutting out ALL sugars (starve the little blighters) and taking acidophilus tablets and grapefruitseed extract. Dr. Jack Newman - Canadian BF expert has really good handout on Candida - not sure how to do link here, but see website:
www.bflrc.com/newman/articles.htm
(see Candida protocol & fluconazole)
Mine only started to go at end of long course of fluconazole & GP refused to prescribe more. I knew it hadn't quite gone & lapsed diet while on hols & it came back, so had to start starving it again. Silver lining is that I can now get back into all my pre-pg clothes!
Sorry this is a long one, & sounds pretty bleak - I know I've had a bad case - but do try cutting out sugar.
It is agony, but try to keep going if you can - I'm glad I did. Thinking of you.
Good luck.