q for those who've been treated with thrush

[SalBySea]

what were you treated with?

went to GP to get prescriptions but she kept saying that only the baby needed treatment* (Nystatin) - I am pretty sure that this is wrong and if we are both not treated it wont go away. So went to the chemist and she gave me some clotrimazole cream. But reading the insert it seems to be harmful if ingested and I'm breast feeding

so just wondering if clotrimazole is whats normally prescribed?

• yes I did say that I wanted us both to be treated and surely I would reinfect him (apparently not???) PLUS I banged on about how painful it was and how it has made me feel like giving up BFing, but got no joy - she kept saying that just treating him would make it go away

[Spidermama]

He's totally wrong and if you log onto [[http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/thrush-and-breastfeeding.html the Breastfeeding Network] they have a whole, downloadable section on this you can print out and take to the doctor to help bring him/her up to speed.

I feel for you. It's horrible.

[Spidermama]

Whoops! Here.

[SalBySea]

yeah I've seen that - stupid woman, I asked her if I could use my expressed milk from now after treatment and she said yes of course!

but anyway, have others used clotrimazole?

[Spidermama]

Is that the same as fluconozole? I had a huge dose of that to bring the thrush under control.

Actually nothing shifted my thrush which was inside the milk ducts and I had three weeks of agony. Finally I went to the homeopath and it cleared up within 24 hours of my taking the remedy.

Now it could have been coincidence, but I would say it's well worth a go.

[SalBySea]

no its not the same

[SalBySea]

also she said that steam sterilizing dummies and bottles is enough and I dont have to discard and buy new ones.

is this true? I have little faith in her advice

[plantsitter]

Boiling should kill the thrush but it is hardy stuff so if you can afford to buy new it may be worth it.

Clomitrazole is ok as long as you wash it off before feeding (a pain but hey ho). It's the same as Canesten, right? I was prescribed it. when it didn't work I was given the anti fungal tablets, fluconozole.

[SalBySea]

yes its the canesten one - the nappy rash one

[tvaerialmagpiebin]

So many doctors are ignorant about breast duct thrush. I had this and took the BFN leaflet with me and the doc said, oh I have never HEARD of that before. I basically said, look here, write that (fluconazole) on your prescription pad and GIMME.
Do you have any BF support group nearby, maybe at a Surestart centre. I would have given up BF without their help. They were wonderful,
Hope you are feeling better.

[SalBySea]

I kinda got the impression that because the appointment was booked in my son's name, she just couldnt be bothered to log out of his details and into mine to print me a prescription too - like it would mess up her system or something cause my name wasnt on the appointment

I think she just wanted me out the door asap so she could get through her list

[iusedtohaveabrain]

I have been diagnosed with thrush as well but the fluconazole doesn't seem to be shifting it, have been taking it for 8 days now. Can anyone suggest anything else?

Spidermama - what did the homepath give you as a remedy?

I am so desperate to keep feeding my 6 week old DD but feel so depressed with the constant pain and feel close to chucking it all in.

[Alieight]

I had really bad recurring thrush - took about 2 months before it finally went away.

What finally shifted it was a mixture of finally getting the full dose of fluconazole, taking grapefruit seed extract tablets here, adding grapefruit seed extract to my wash (added a few drops and ran wash through an extra rinse cycle), got rid of all stored breastmilk , and sterilised my pump and bottles in milton.

Took quite a lot to get the fluconazole at proper dosage - took along the breastfeeding network leaflet, and got quite stroppy by the end! I think it helped (in the doctor's mind anyway) that I'd seen an NCT breasfeeding counsellor and she had told me it was thrush.

It's also just worth double checking your latch...at one point (after the thrush) I started getting v similar pain, but also noticed my nipples were going white - nipple blanching can be very painful see here, but it was easily sorted out by getting DS out of his lazy latching habits.

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

I had thrush lots whilst feeding both boys.. the first few times we did the daktarin stupid gel and it was crap.

In the end we saw a locum GP who was great and prescribed fluconazole. in the canasten once form. In the end one I knew it was safe we didn't see the GP, I sent DH to get it from tesco at my first twinge. It really helped me continue breastfeeding for 11 months for each of the boys.

[katie789]

I had awful thrush when dd was 5 - 8 weeks ish. Got fobbed off with useless daktarin first as well, and canesten cream for dd's bottom.

The only thing to work was eight day course of fluconazole. I also had to educate my GP with that leaflet to get the prescription! (GP was grateful for correction though, tbh)

Also avoided sugar, wheat and chocolate etc for about a week (so hard when sleep-deprived), boil washed everything, aired nipples lots and took acidophillus tablets.

I really feel for you - it was immensely painful, and almost drove me to give up bf (especially following on from tongue tie agony in first weeks). So glad I eventually got the fluconazole, and lived to bf another day. (dd now 16 weeks).

Hope you're feeling better soon

[MrsMotMot]

Nothing further to add- I di everything possible, like kazbeth (I even ate raw garlic in desperationg, ugh!) and it eventually went. But you must both be treated!!! Vital! Get back to that GP with the leaflet and be insistant! Best of luck. It is possible to get rid of the bugger and have pain free bf- at one point I never thought I'd say that!

[SalBySea]

thanks all. finally got my fluconazole prescription!

my doctor is a d*ck though!
tried to insist that he didnt have thrush (he does, the coating on his tongue is there all the time and doesnt come off when scraped with a finger,he cries when he feeds and he has thrush like spotty nappy rash AND he has under arm thrush which my gp refused to believe, even though I worked in ITU where lots of patients on broad spectrum antibiotics would get it so I know it when I see it)

I was on broad spectrum antibiotics whilst breast feeding so thrush was to be expected really!

and then said that the only treatment for me is the cream. I said what about fluconazole, he said that only treats vaginal thrush

he also said that thrush doesnt bother babies - WTF! adults with mouth thrush go off their food cause its so uncomfortable so why wouldnt it be sore for a baby? and his underarms are raw and red as is his bum!

after that he sneakily looked up the BNF while I was dressing DS and he thought I couldnt see, then quietly sat down and printed my prescription

idiot!

[SalBySea]

its frustrating though, the HV linked to the surgery said yes, its thrush, go to your gp and both be treated without delay, but when you go to the gp you get treated like a delusional over fussy parent!