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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be at the end of my tether with recurrent thrush

65 replies

chairmanofthebored · 30/10/2012 19:25

Wrong place to post i know, but wanting maximum chance of advice.

In a nutshell, i have had thrush practically every month for the last couple of years. I have tried the self help measures, loose trousers, no soap, no knickers in bed etc etc. I even tried washing my knickers with eco balls but still no improvement. Took a fluconazole yesterday again. Only 3 weeks since my last treatment. Getting so fed up with feeling uncomfortable.
The only thing i have not tried is a sugar free anti candida diet as i am sceptical about this.

Please help me and my itchy fangita. Ta

OP posts:

Teabagtights · 30/10/2012 20:41

Have you been in the same relationship for that amount of time? I had a partner for four years at 17 all the time we were together I had thrush. It was my bodies reaction to him.

Banderchang · 30/10/2012 20:45

IME, GP is little use where thrush is concerned, you need the GU clinic at a hospital. Then they will actually swab you and can type the thrush. I had hideous thrush for 8 years and tried every -azole treatment on the market. I also tried an anti-candida diet for 6 months where I had no sugar, yeast, wheat or dairy. This part was awful - I couldn't even have fruit or root veg as they were too sugary.

Anyway, in the end what fixed it was my doctor realising that I didn't have candida albicans (the normal kind that responds to the fluconazole/itraconazole/any other -azole treatment), but I had candida glabrata which responds to something entirely different.

One course of treatment and it was fixed. Since then (6 years ago) I have had no more problems and don't eat a special diet.

Softlysoftly · 30/10/2012 20:46

I think if it's a regular monthly bout then it's the hormonal load changing your vaginal yeast balance, not much a low sugar diet could do to change that surely?

Leo35 · 30/10/2012 20:56

Hi chairman, another poster has already suggested this, and I would second it, if you haven't already done so get your GP to do a swab and see what it really is that they are treating. I too had thrush, so the docs thought after, it has to be said, a very cursory inspection (ahem). After several weeks of treatment with no effect a new GP did a swab test and it was found that I had Group B Strep infection. So all that natural yoghurt was for naught!

Hope that you can get an effective treatment sorted soon. It's a horrible low-grade infection that make you feel rotten.

KellyElly · 30/10/2012 21:00

You need to do a pessary for five to seven days. Wash with aqueous cream and change your diet. Look on google for diets - sugary foods and dairy are a no no. Also keep using the external cream while u r doing this. I was the same and am vertually thrush free now.

KellyElly · 30/10/2012 21:02

Also if you are in a sexual relationship get your partner treated and stop having sex for a few weeks until its sorted.

DolomitesDonkey · 30/10/2012 21:10

Try the sugar-free, low-carb diet. Haven't you seen "The Men Who Made Us Fat"? Sugar is damaging us on so many levels.

As you say yourself, it's the one thing you haven't tried and as the candida grows due to an imbalance in the sugar levels, wouldn't it be a good thing to try?

Pleasenomorepeppa · 30/10/2012 21:11

Watching this with interest. I'm 30 weeks pregnant & had my first ever dose of Thrush 2 weeks ago. It was actually painful. It's come back again, so off to GP tomorrow .

Thisisaeuphemism · 30/10/2012 21:16

I took fluconazal weekly for about 6 months. It is grim - usual advice also, pee straight after sex, make sure partner doesn't have it etc

QueenStromba · 30/10/2012 21:18

Have you been tested for gestational diabetes Pleasenomorepeppa?

ordinaryprincess · 30/10/2012 21:20

I have it in my mouth and throat. It's been going on for a couple of months. I feel utterly wretched. GP prescribed Nystan but it recurs as soon as the bottle runs out. Any tips?

ordinaryprincess · 30/10/2012 21:21

And sorry, OP to be so rude!

lifeshocker · 30/10/2012 21:48

Nelson's candida a herbal supplement get it from amazon or barretts the only thing that works for me

FourArms · 30/10/2012 21:49

I had it for about six months, but got rid of it by using the pessary / cream combo every 5 days for a month (was bfing a 6 month old so GP not keen to prescribe tablets).

I find cream pessary kinder than tablet form.

I've also tried a set of pessaries that you use daily for 28 days which worked well.

Swab sounds a good idea though!

WilsonFrickett · 30/10/2012 21:52

Tea tree pessaries from a homeopath plus a course of major pro-biotics from the same place. And make sure DP is treated too.

Pleasenomorepeppa · 30/10/2012 21:54

Yes, all clear. It's really wretched. Can't imagine how OP has coped for so long.

Aerobreaking · 30/10/2012 21:59

Another one saying it needs to be swabbed. Like someone upthread said, recurrent thrush is more likely to be one of the other candidas, rather than candida albicans ('normal' thrush). It may need different antibiotics/other treatment.

Bunnyjo · 30/10/2012 22:04

Oh OP, you have my sympathy - I have suffered ENT infections all my life and had to take antibiotics like smarties, consequently I am susceptible to thrush.

Please go an see your GP and explain to them. Hopefully they will do a swab to serotype the candida responsible (you may need a more specific antifungal treatment) and a blood test (for diabetes). Other suggestions would be to get your DP treated, as they could be passing the infection straight back to you. Avoid overly hot baths, perfumed soaps, stick to cotton underwear and loose fitting clothes and do consider an anti candida diet - anything has got to be wirth a try.

MrsMangoBiscuit · 30/10/2012 22:07

My sympathies OP, I used to suffer too, it really is draining. Until reading this thread I really hadn't thought about it much, I just figured whatever was causing it for me had sorted itself out, but I've had a light bulb momment! I started on Shirley's EMTWL diety thing. I cut down on processed carbs and sugar. I felt so much better, the best I had for ages, and I haven't had a bout since.

aamia · 30/10/2012 22:15

Pau d'arco tablets from Holland and Barrett treat the yeast overgrowth in your stomach that you can get, maybe worth a try?

FlorIxora · 30/10/2012 23:07

"glad" to see I am not alone. 3 bouts in 3 months! It is driving me crazy. Very bad for sex life too. Mentioned it to gyno yesterday (smear test) and she just said "if it comes back try to eat yoghurt with mumblemumble in it" She did not give me the name of the probiotic, she just mumbled. Thanks doc!

cocolepew · 30/10/2012 23:17

Definitely low carb low /sugar diet and a good probiotic. I have one at the moment I bought from Pure Bio. It treats the whole of your digestive system, some if them only treat the top half. I have Candida after having surgery and a million antibiotics and have drastically cut down on my sugar consumption.

cocolepew · 30/10/2012 23:19

Ordinaryprincess, try the low carb/sugar diet/ probiotic as well.

FlorIxora · 30/10/2012 23:20

Coco can you share the name of the probiotic? I'll look into it.

cocolepew · 30/10/2012 23:22

You can also use lemon, lavender and tea tree essential oils as a mouthwash, just remember to dilute it

Essential oils can be mixed with natural yoghurt and used on a tampon, google anti fungal ones.

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