thrush for over a month...doctor says 'just leave it'

[greeneone12]

Dd has had two rounds of Nystan....I have had canesten cream and a tablet and it still has not cleared. Saw doctor today who said she has had enough and just to leave it! That can't be right surely?

My doctor has always been great but not sure this feels right. I do have nipple pain when she latches on but it subsides when she starts to suck.

Don't really know what to do!

Nystatin does bugger all - you need daktarin gel for your DD's mouth and daktarin cream for your nipples (put on after every feed).

Your doc is talking bollocks - I had nipple thrush for 7 weeks while bf DS and it wouldn't have gone away by itself. Do you have any deep breast tissue pain? If so you may need treatment with fluconazole as well.

This is a really useful leaflet from the breastfeeding network on different treatments for thrush.

Unfortunately many GPs are not clued up on how to deal with nipple/breast thrush - you will probably have to push hard for treatment but don't let up. Have you spoken to your health visitor? Mine was really helpful/supportive.

You have my sympathy. This doctor obviously does not know what it feels like.

Go back and ask for a 7 day course of fluconazole to treat you. It is fine to take this when bf, with no harmful affects to your dd. If anything it will help treat her too.

For your dd ask for daktarin. Much more effective than Nystan. Nystan is too gloopy and tastes horrible to stay on the tongue. Daktarin tastes a bit nicer.

Some useful info here. www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BfN_Thrush_leaflet_Feb_2009.pdf maybe print of a copy and show your doctor.

x posts

I am seeing her on Wednesday. Will she be able to give me a prescription? I am not very good at speaking up for myself so did not question what she told me :(

Yes, she will be able to give you a prescription but you will need to push hard for it. Can you take someone with you to ensure you don't leave without it? I know it is hard to be pushy when you are feeling vulnerable anyway.

Also doctor won't give me anything else as she said dd had had 'enough' medicine.

Ask to see a different doctor on Wednesday (you have every right to do that) - saying your DD has had 'enough' medicine is really unhelpful as in this situation she needs the right medication.

MY dd had oral thrush for about 3-4 months. I had some nipple thrush intermittently and we both tried all the tablets/gels etc and it didn't work.

In the end I just left it and it went. If you are both feeling ok, it's ok to do that. If you are in pain, you need to get treated.

print the leaflet that previous posters have linked to and take that with you to the doctor (maybe a different one). if it's causing you pain it needs treating

You can buy daktarin oral gel from the chemist although they won't sell it for a baby under 4 months as the manufacturers are worried about choking risk. This is bollix as long as you spread it into lo's mouth v thinly. I bought it as nystatin from my gp was rubbish and it's great. Told the pharmacist it was for dh who has diabetes! (I'm a gp myself and didn't realise how rubbish nystatin was until I was the patient!)