Thrush and Grapefruit seed extract

[TettyLouBar]

DD and I have had thrush now for 6 weeks+ (she 13weeks old, breast fed, spent first 6 wks of life on trimethroprim for kidney problems, which I think helped the thrush to thrive)

Have had 2 courses of Nystatin for her/ clotrimazole for me, started to clear slowly and symptoms subsided.

Then when we finished those, it crept back...

Then given Daktarin oral gel and told to apply to my nipples aswell as DD's mouth 4x daily...

been going for 3wks now, thought it had cleared. Stopped treatment and the white raised patches have returned AGAIN on her tongue, along with fussing at breast, coming on and off boob constantly, and crying.

Read about grapefruit seed extract, so bought capsules. Been taking 3x daily and recommenced mouth gel for her (we were given whopping great tube as they didn't have any small tubes in stock)
Is there a recommendation for how many capsules I can take a day?

also using milton daily to sterilse bottles (she has 1xFF at night) and then steam sterlising after that!!!

Any suggestions?
Didn't really wanna turn to fluconazole but am willing to try it, however, I read on another thread on here that GFSE can be even more effective?

[nigglewiggle]

Didn't take the capsule, so can't help there. But the creams worked for me. However it took about 3 weeks. I also followed the advice to HOT wash all towels, bras etc. It seems to have eradicated it. Fingers crossed.

You have my sympathy, it's not pleasant.

[TettyLouBar]

thanks,
when you say hot, what temp are we talking here?

[nigglewiggle]

Did towels, bedding etc at 90 and underwear at 60 (incase it melted). I also ate a lot of Rachels organic greek-style yoghurt. It's lovely and has Lactobacillus acidophilus a natural anti-fungal agent (I just had to dig the pot out of the fridge to find out how to spell that)!

I had spoken to an NCT breastfeeding counsellor who recommended consistently washing everything because if any spores remain anywhere you will just keep getting outbreaks. she also suggested Acidophilus tablets from a health-food shop, but I didn't end up trying those.

[WilfSell]

From what I've read, you just can't get rid of the spores i t is pretty much everywhere in the environment.

I have used GSE - in liquid form. 12 drops in small cup of water used to swab my nipples and his mouth after every feed. Cleared up really well in about 4 days; improved dramatically after about 36 hours.

[TettyLouBar]

Ok thanks. Will try again, with renewed washing techniques!
Its been a nightmare!
Does anybody out there know anything about GFSE?

[ninja]

Sorry - don't know anything about GFSE - but I had thrush last time which lasted over 3 months and didn't get cleared by flucanazole, and weht with a candida diet

There's a poster who knows more about this, she may come along

[WilfSell]

Ahem?

[TettyLouBar]

wow - just had a look at that diet, did you really cut all those things out??
How long for? thats a lot of self control! i think I live off those things in that list .... and that now explains the thrush I suppose!!!

[WilfSell]

Are my posts suddenly invisible?

[TettyLouBar]

wilfsell? are you the candida guru of which she speaketh?

[TettyLouBar]

oops, sorry wilfsell! just re-read and saw your post. did you have it badly? it seems to be a superthrush I have!

[WilfSell]

See below. I think TheBlonde has used it too. But I bashed some really bad thrush - the GP looked in his mouth and went 'oh my god he must have had it for ages'. I wanted to punch her.

The GSE extract cleared it up in coupla days. really, try it.

Cotton bud, swab the diluted stuff (see kellymom.com or jack newman's site for lots of info on it) after every feed on your nipples and inside baby's mouth. you can make up one pot and leave it out for 24 hours. I think it is brilliant and have tried to look up research on it and it is getting a reputation as anti fungal and antibiotic but jury's out on the science. It's at your own risk obviously but I thought it was great.

[TettyLouBar]

thanks, ordering myself a big bottle as we speak! The capsules dont seem to have done much, perhaps I need to up the doses. things got a lot better, then have been much the same for about a week now.

Was convinced at first that I was imagining the white on her tongue and that it was milk, but its all raised and crusty looking. Never thought mummyhood would make me so self doubting and paranoid!!

[ninja]

If the GFSE is that good try it first - but I have to say the diet did work for me after a couple of weeks, and I had it bad -still have the scars on my nipples 5 years later from the open wounds.

It is worth cutting down on some of the worst offenders to try and keep thrush at bay

[TettyLouBar]

thanks for the help will keep on trying...

[bohemianbint]

Oh my god, this is the sole reason I came onto MN tonight as also have thrush (literally everywhere, even in my blimmin armpits!) and so does 3 week old DS. It's right into the milk ducts as well, apparently but the gp just said to persevere with the cream (already been using it a week, not helping in the boobs!) so came here to find out if it's worth buying the GFSE. Was also thinking of acidophilus tablets as well, think that would help?

[TettyLouBar]

Apprently GFSE capsules will clear it from the ducts too so I'm led to believe.
Not sure about the acidophilus tablets, but I'm sure somebody on here can impart wisdom concerning those?
goodluck...thrush is the devil

[TheBlonde]

I am about candida diets as I'm not in favour of restrictive diets in general
Also about this washing everything hot etc as it's supposed to be a balance between the "good" bacteria and the yeast

Anyway... I also used the GFSE tabs and they worked for me. I think it is worth trying the liquid in babies mouth if they have it bad
Poor LOs it is so painful for them too

Acidophilus will help up your "good" bacteria

[nigglewiggle]

I don't think killing the "good bacteria" on clothing and bedding would do any harm. The important thing is to kill off the spores. Your diet will maintain the "good" bacteria. IMHO!

[kennythekangaroo]

Poor you. We suffered horrendously here a fortnight ago. I ended up with a blocked milk duct and the beginnings of mastitis too.

I did take the fluconazole as it was so bad. I also washed my nipples with diluted vinegar and took the GSE - about 5 drops in a glass of water/juice 3xday.

It did clear up but has taken almost 2 weeks for everything to get back to normal.

Good luck.

[TheBlonde]

nigglewiggle - I don't think the washing will do any harm, just couldn't face doing it myself and risking destroying my bras on hot wash

[TettyLouBar]

I'm confused about how long to attempt treating it this time, it seems every time I stop thinking it may have subsided, it returns!

My nipples are now pain free and I think the GFSE has cleared me of the thrush. But DD's tongue is still looking like it has thrush. I suppose I must still treatm myself to prevent passing it back and forth. Whenever I have stopped the treatment for a few days she starts turning her head with my nipple in her mouth and coming on and off like its almost itching her mouth rather than hurting it.

I'm thinking treat it for another fortnight and then reassess?

Can I just ask, when its cleared, I know there should still be white on her tongue due to milk, but what exactly should her tongue look like? Ive been looking at the thrush for sooo long I've almost fortgotten what a healthy tongue should look like?? is that a stupid question?

[TheBlonde]

iirc you are supposed to treat for a further week once you think it is gone

[SamJamsmum]

I would really urge people to think about acidophilus capsules if fighting thrush. Go to a health food shop and look in the fridge and get yourself capsules containing 10 billion cultures +.
You can also open the capsules and dab a little powder on nipples after a feed (wash off excess before a feed). (or armpits!)
GSE is useful but acidophilus is normally the first port of call on the home remedies front.
Also when washing clothing etc it's useful to do a vinegar rinse first - cup of vinegar in a half bucket of water.

Oral thrush in babies is normally inside cheeks and roof of mouth rather than tongue although tongue does happen. Like a cluster of white. When whiteness is wiped away skin under looks quite red. Nappy rash?