To ask the longest you've had thrush and what eventually stopped it

[OptimismvsRealism]

Taken three lots of fluconazole, two lots of canesten. Taken a just in case test for the commoner stis (but was pretty certain it couldn't be that).

Probiotics, berberine, multivits.

It ITCHES.

is this the much discussed peri kicking in? Or my excessively sweet tooth??

3 months after an antibiotics course.
Manuka honey smeared all over my crack got rid of it.

When I stopped using scented toilet paper (I hadn't noticed I was!) and using heavily scented shower gels etc.

I'm not even sure it was thrush, I think it was just irritation. Deeply unpleasant.

Interesting re BV, thanks. The discharge seems more classic thrush (odourless apart from maybe slightly "fermented", thick and white and turns to curds sort of a texture, insanely itchy). Was worried it could be ureaplasma or sthg but it just feels exactly like mega thrush.I'll try the gel anyway just in case. Keep thinking about how shit it would be to live in the past pre pharmacies!!!

My BV had the same classic thrush symptoms as you describe, which is why the GP thought it was that too.

I had it for about 2 years until I got my mirena coil removed. Not had it since (6 years).

Thanks. God I wonder if I should see about antibiotics.

Itchyness and soreness, with frequent UTIs - it was vaginal atrophy, another gift from madam menopause. Fixed with ovestin which you can buy otc as Gina.

Did you have the discharge too?

Once you have addressed the underlying cause (if possible), it was only grapefruit extract taken in water for a while that stopped mine. It’s powerful stuff, so not sure if it killed off anything good while it was at it!

I've had it since January. The swabs repeatedly confirm it. I am on a long term course of fluconazole, and there's a note on my nhs record to say I will be referred to the GUM clinic if it doesn't clear up. I am 51 and post menopausal, and the GP said its quite rare for this to happen at my age. Things I am doing: cut out sugar, eat unsweetened live yoghurt, boil (yes) my underwear before washing them, take a women's probiotic, also a zinc supplement. My GP has also given me estriol cream to put on my external bits each night (as well as my usual vagifem) as the yeast infection seems to be embedded in the vulval skin and she said there was evidence of atrophy. Lovely. I smear hydromol on my bits too to stop the soreness. Finally, after trawling internet forums for advice, I have started using Activa Multi gel externally. It burns when you put it on, but it seems to be helping. Apparently it restores the vagina's ph levels. I hope you get sorted. Thrush is really miserable.

I am a really complex case (I have mutiple complex health issues including Addisons and lupus) and I’ve been battling invasive Candida for 2 years now, meaning it’s throughout my whole body, lungs and stomach as well as orally and vaginally. I’ve been on Fluconazole 50mg daily for nearly 6 months now and expect to be on it permanently (if you’re on it long term you have blood tests for liver issues as it can in rare cases effect your liver if you take it long term). Before that I’ve had canestan, nystatin, steroid mouthwashes, etc etc. I’m saying this because my situation is a worst case scenario and you’re not in this position and hopefully won’t be but you can definitely stay on the Fluconazole for longer if you need to.

Something else to note- if you have vaginal atrophy and are low on oestrogen then you may be dry and won’t necessarily produce the stereotypical white discharge associated with thrush. This doesn’t mean it’s not thrush. If you are dry don’t use the canestan pessaries as your body will struggle to dissolve and absorb them - get the internal cream which comes pre loaded into an applicator (it’s 10% strength which is much stronger than the external 2% cream and will say it’s specifically internal cream, so different) and use that. Also get Ovestin oestrogen cream from the GP and use this longer term. It’s made a huge difference to me.

Also anyone reading this struggling with thrush and dryness google Sjögren’s syndrome - it’s hugely under diagnosed, particularly in women aged 40 plus. It’s an autoimmune disorder.

An ENTIRE YEAR. Doctors were useless but I was eventually diagnosed with vitamin d deficiency and it cleared up with the next treatment.

I tried al sorts for 6m too, turns out I'm allergic to fairy (irony) washing powder.

I suffered for years had long term fluconazole once a week. Then it instantly cleared when my mirena coil was removed!

They prescribed me antibiotics, which didn’t help either, but it might be worth a try. The BV gel I got was just over £5 on Amazon, so worth a go!

I suspect I have Sjogren's as I have many of the symptoms including very dry eyes. I can't get rid of the thrush and am very dry down below. I'm constantly at the GP surgery though and can't bring myself to go and see them to say I think I have this on top of everything else!

You really should - ask for a referral to rheumatology. They can prescribe lots of different eye drops and prescription strength medication you can’t get otherwise (I get eye drops on prescription that are double the strength of the next best over the counter ones - Hycosan extra; the red ones- the ones I get have double the strength of the main ingredient). If you do have Sjögren’s you will also need more Ovestin cream than is usually recommended for vaginal dryness too. I use it 3-4 times a week as opposed to the recommended 2 times. This is supported by my specialists.

Thanks I'll do this.

I followed the Candida Diet and supplemented with FiveLac and that worked when I had never-ending thrush.

Boots Thrush & BV works great for me. Had it very regularly for 3 years after pregnancy.