Recurring thrush

[MGJ818]

Hi everyone,

I have been struggling with thrush since Feb 2018 shortly after losing my virginity, after that, I had thrush from Feb - June 2018. I then went on a 6-month course of fluconazole and the thrush stayed away till June 2019. However, last month it returned really badly and took ages to clear up, I am really scared that my old problem has returned. I do everything advised - probiotics, cotton underwear, no soaps, etc. I am now trying to do the candida diet but due to work commitments won't be able to do it for much longer. I am only 21 and feel like this is going to control my life, its already causing strain on my relationship and social life. I know I'm not a mum but I thought you ladies may be able to help. I am DESPERATE!

Thank you

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Hi,

How is your health otherwise? It can very occasionally be linked to other health conditions. However it can also just get out of control, hormones etc.

Have you had a swab at a gum clinic? It's very worth while doing as I was once told they could identify the strain and if anything else was going on.

Beyond that, yes try the Candida diet but actually you may find eating plain natural yogurt daily might be enough to help rebalance, or even kefir (or brew your own!)

Also, I found a really good simple gel effective to rebalance the ph down there but I'll have to google it. Recommended on here and completely invaluable.

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Mumsnet isn't just for mums by any means.

The relationship boards and the feminist boards are especially useful for any woman.

[Fairylea]

If you’re having sex your partner needs to use thrush treatment too otherwise you’re just passing it back and forth. Could this be a factor?

[IncrediblySadToo]

Definitely get yourself checked out at a SH clinic

Plus as neuro said it can be a symptom of other health issues. You need to see your GP to get checked for diabetes & other things

I’m diabetic and if I eat s carby dirt I get Candida when I stop eating carbs (other than from veg) it clears up in a few days

This might be tmi , but the mist ‘relief’ I get from it is using ‘water wipes’ (I buy them st Waitrose, but not the cheaper ‘essentials rsbge’ And not normal wipes fold them in half lengthwise and place them between the labia - so cooling and stops the itching

Candida is horrible!! It’s a driving force for me to stay on a low carb diet!!

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Multi gyn actigel - or anything similar; I think boots does one and canesten. It's for BV technically but I find really helps to keep the ph right so natural bacteria are able to keep on top of the thrush.

But yes, definitely get a partner treated also.

[iismum]

I've had this before (about 10 years ago) and am going through it again - I guess some people are just prone to it. You need to work with your GP on this. Last time they put me on a tonne of different things and eventually one worked. At the moment I'm on 6 months of weekly pessaries (yay ...) which is at least controlling the symptoms and will hopefully get rid of it. If not, we will try something else. It's a huge pain but they will find something that works. Just make sure you have a good GP - if you don't find them helpful and sympathetic with lots of ideas of different approaches to try then I would swap to another one.

With respect to sex, my GP said that unless my partner had symptoms, we shouldn't worry, but if he does start to get symptoms then we shouldn't have unprotected sex until they've completed cleared up. If you have female partners you need to be much more careful about passing it back and forth.

Good luck!

[MGJ818]

Hi thanks for the advice everyone, @NeurotrashWarrior I think otherwise my general health is pretty good and I've been to a sexual health clinic but they just tell me thrush every time. @IncrediblySadToo I have been checked for diabetes twice now and both have come back clear and now they're not sure what else to check for :(.
@iismum what did you eventually find that worked for you, the doctors seem at a loss in regards to me?

[iismum]

Um ... it's a long time ago but I remember that it was something that's usually prescribed for athletes foot. Sorry that's not very helpful!

[Myshoesarenew]

Are you sure it’s thrush? I was treated repeatedly in my early 20s and it turned out to be lichen sclerosis which is a bit like a kind of eczema. I’ve been able to treat mine properly now and rarely have a relapse

[MGJ818]

@myshoesarenew Hey, yeah every time I've gone to get checked the swab has come back positive for thrush :(

[MGJ818]

@iismum thanks, will mention this to my doctor!

[Smokeonthewater]

Any kind of sugar will feed it. You need to cut out alcohol completely and sugar in all forms, reduce carbs . Live natural yoghurt inserted in the vagina can help a lot, use a tampon applicator. It's a nightmare, I know!

[MGJ818]

@smokeonthewater Hi, I am trying to do this now, I'm only 20 and at uni so I don't think it is sustainable for me and I have already lost a massive amount of weight after doing it for 3 weeks which I really didn't need to loose. I have also heard the problem just comes back once you go back to a more balanced diet. Did the diet work for you and how long did you do it for?

[Sarahlouiseis33]

Just a thought - are you on the pill? I had constant thrush when I was on a certain combined pill and no amount of treatment shifted it. It was only when I changed my pill it magically cleared up!

[Lauren1234567]

Hi MGJ,

I’ve been there, I really feel for you. I suffered for about 6 years on and off. Visited the doctors a million times, felt like I tried everything! And I mean everything, I had every possible test done (std swabs, blood tests, hormone tests) cut out all sugar, carbs and alcohol - for very long periods of time.

I must have spent hundreds trying out every recommended supplement, different types of probiotic, bone broth... I chewed raw garlic everyday one month, and even tried garlic as a pessary (I was desperate for something to work).

People can get thrush for many reasons, some like me, are just prone to it, where slapping a bit of yogurt on and ‘cutting down on sugar’ won’t help in the slightest.

The Candida diet didn’t work for me either.. maybe they have for others, but not me.

It felt like I was getting no where with my gp too, I would be put on maintenance treatments, but the minute I’d come off it would come straight back. I’d often get referred to gynaecologists, who also had no answers.

Eventually I came across a news article by chance, that was a written by a doctor that specialises in reoccurring Candida infections. The clinic wasn’t local but I managed to get my doctor to refer me. It has seriously been life changing.

Hearing that I wasn’t responding to fluconazol or itraconazol they started me on a different drug, which was a pessary called nystatin (which isn’t widely available in the U.K. only specialists can prescribe it). That helped the immediate infection while they waited to get my swab results back, as the treatment they give you depends on strain of thrush you have.

When the results came back it actually said it was the really common strain of thrush that fluconazol should have cured. They then pointed out that the reason it seemed like it hadn’t worked previously could be one of 2 reasons - 1. I needed to be on it longer and weened off it slower over a longer length of time, or 2. (what I think happened) I was prescribed it along side clotrimozle cream and pessaries. These actually burn the skin and the side effects are very similar to thrush, feeling super uncomfortable! So the thrush is gone, but you still have the irritation and think you still have the infection.

Sorry for the essay! I just related to your post so much and wish I had found the solution years ago. It is often underestimated how emotionally draining it is when you are suffering, worrying and just can’t find anything that works.

I really hope this helps! Try not to let it worry you, it is more common than you think, you are not alone x

[MGJ818]

@Lauren1234567 Hi Lauren thanks for your message, do you know where it was you were referred to? How long were you on fluconazole for, I don't think my problem is with the creams as I did stay symptom clear for almost a year. Thanks again!

[Lauren1234567]

Hi MGJ,

I was referred to wythenshaw hospital in Manchester - infectious diseases department. This is the article I found that made me lead me there ... www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/health-45030024

I was taking the tablets up until a few months ago. I’ve since been put on another medication, in the form of a pessary as I’m trying for a baby and you can’t have when trying to conceive. Both medications worked for me, it’s manageable now. I hope this helps xx

[MGJ818]

@Lauren1234567 Thanks for that, so can I just ask were you on fluconazole and are you planning to be on some sort of medication (pills/pessaries) for the forceable future

[lissie123]

Are you on the pill? Thrush and the pill are linked...

[MGJ818]

`@lissie123 I have been on the pill for the last 2/3 years but came off it last month because I had heard this from other people, but the thrush still returned

[Lauren1234567]

I was put on fluconazole, but now i’ve been told to use nystatin pessaries as they are safe to use if you do get pregnant. Fluconazole can be damaging to the foetus’s development apparently. Nystatin pessaries are working well for me, only specialists can prescribe them though. If I still have thrush outbreaks after I have a baby (if and when) no doubt they will switch me back to fluconazole

[MarmotMorning]

I had a really similar problem at your age, I understand how it impacts on your life. I started using Vagisil pH balance and it really improved things. I think it's because it rebalanced the acidity over time and made thrush less likely to reoccur.

[MarmotMorning]

I should say it's a shower gel......

[MGJ818]

@Lauren1234567 Hi Lauren may I ask whether you are from the UK? I was on fluconazole for 6 months but they are funny about giving it to people for a longer period of time or indefinitely.

@MarmotMorning Hi thanks I have had someone else say this as well so will give it a try

[MGJ818]

@MarmotMorning do you still suffer or did things settle down as you got older the thought of this carrying on forever terrifies me!