what does thrush in the breast look/feel like?

[JennyWren]

And does it even exist?
My dd has thrush and has been taking drops for her mouth and a cream on her bottom (Nystatin) for a week now, but the nasty rash on her bottom doesn't seem to be clearing up so we've just been given a repeat prescription for another week. She actually had the rash for a week before we started the treatment, but it was only when I started to get a sore breast when feeding that I started to be particularly concerned and took her to the GP. My GP told me to use the cream on my nipples after each feed, and I have done that religiously, but I am now more sore than less. It is only on one side, and there is no lump, no redness, and I feel perfectly fine in myself. The latch is great - it's not a nipple pain, more deep within the tissue and also heading off toward my armpit. The GP says that it isn't mastitis, which I agree with, but because there is no symptom other than the soreness she says it isn't an infection, which I am not sure about. She has put it down to engorgement - dd is feeding a little more as she is going through her 4 month growth spurt - but it just doesn't feel like that to me.
Is it possible to get thrush inside your breast? I am a little concerned that the reason that dd is not recovering as quickly as she should is because I keep passing it back to her. Should I be taking anything more than just the cream on my nipples?
Sorry - this is a long one. TIA for your help.

Heading towards azrmpit and deep tissue pain sounds very very like thrush. Sorry to be blunt but it's really nasty and you have to take it seriously.

The doctors knowlege is a bit sketchy and some are out of date with their dosing. Due to this mine took weeks to clear up and it was hellish.

I found \link{http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/search/index.php?search=thrush&mode=phrase\The Breastfeeding Network) extremely helpful. They'll also put you in touch with a BF counsellor you can talk to on the phone.

Basically, cut out sugar and yeast (wine, bread, chocolate). Print out the guidelines from the BF network to give to your doctor.

I also saw a homeopath and it cleared within 24 hours.

Tackle it on all fronts. Leave no stone unturned.

The Breastfeeding Network

Thanks spidermama - I was sure that there was more to this than just needing a bit of cream. I'm going to call the GP again tomorrow and get another appointment - I don't want to wait another week.
Thanks again.
Jen

My Ds and I have it - and we're having trouble clearing it. We can keep it at managable levels though...

Try also taking probiotics -Holland & Barratt do strawberry flavoured (very tasty!) acidophillus tablets. I think they help me.

You need to make sure your doc gives you a big loading dose of fluconazole which he may be reluctant to do before he's up to speed with the new guidelines from the WHO (as detailed in BF network info)

I think my GP is pretty good - I've printed off the info you linked and I'll take it in for her to read. I'll also try the probiotics - I knew I should be eating live yoghurt, but tablets are always much more convenient for me...

Good luck JW.

JW, my I had thrush in my breasts. It was really bad, felt like my nipples were sunburnt and were being rubbed with sandpaper if my clothes brushed against them I also had shooting pains in my breasts and my nipples felt tingly when it was cold. The sad thing is I was describing these symptoms to midwives and my HV for 5-6 wks and I was told that this discomfort was normal at the start of BF, and as this was my first baby I knew no different. Anyway I eventually worked out that it wasn't normal and told the doctor at my 6wk check, and she said, "oh maybe it's thrush.." I used the cream on my nipples for a few weeks, which helped to a certain extent, but it did't clear completely until I took the oral tablet (which is supposedly contra-indicated in BF). In my experience people in the health profession don't seem to know much about the symptoms, and I really had to shout to be heard.

You have my sympathies as it's really nasty, hope you get it cleared up.

Question for Spidermama, or anyone else in the know: round about the time I had thrush I remember waking up in the night with an excrutiating pain in my chest, between my breasts - would this have been anything to do with thrush or the early stages of breastfeeding? Anyone else had this? Sorry for hijack.. ta

Message withdrawn

you definitely definitely need fluconazole. you have to take it for a week, from memory you need 150mg on the first day & then 50mg a day for a week, but get your dr to check in the bnf. i had it with both ds & dd & once it was gone breastfed both very happily (i'm still feeding dd). good luck!

Yep - spidermama is spot on as usual! Thrush is very painful and it takes ages to get rid of. It took me a good 8 weeks and that was with creams, fluconazole, nystatin for DS, boiling my bras, not using bottles or dummies or expressing/using expressed milk.

Hygiene needs to be ultra ultra strict and thrush thrives in warm dark damp places. Change breastpads as regular as possible too. I changed to a really good brand - which helped.

Good luck and be persistant with your GP. I was lucky - my HV had recently had a child and suffered thrush herself which made a huge difference to the advice i got. You CAN take ibuprofen for the pain too.

ooh ye hte armpit liek soemone has stick a knofe on it

think ds has fungal infection/thrush on bottom - dr prescribed anti-fungal today. didn't think to say I was bfing - should I? have to say nipples been tiny bit sore when ds feeding but put that down to him teething and also feeding lots more than usual (he's been poorly and had loads of antibiotics). he's 14 months, btw.

sorry to hijack.

i carried on feeding whilst taking fluconazole, maybe it was a smaller dose than yorkiegirl took. i also ditched the breastpads as i felt they weren't helping.

I carried on feeding too.

GP really ought to have asked you dinny. i would go back again.

I've just got back from my GP - she was fab. She looked at the Breasteeding Network info, and agreed to prescribe me the fluconazole - a loading dose and then 100mg/day for 10 days. Just in time I think, as I can feel this afternoon that it's spread to the other side as well. Hopefully I'll start to feel better soon - she says that I should feel much better in about 3 days, otherwise it may not be working and I should go back.

The only thing though is that I need to wash all dd's teddies - she has loads and is always chewing on them. How hot a bath can teddy survive do you think??? Seriously, I washed all her cloth nappies at a 95 degree wash, but will her toys survive that? I have got a microwave steriliser and I was wondering if a couple of goes in that would be better, as they will get hot but not sopping wet - providing they have no metal parts... I'll have to check.

Jennywren did this work - am currently on the same medication for 5 days and things not improving! Is it right that you should avoid bread and chocolate??? Chocolate is my main medication at the moment to get me through tearful feeds!

Hi Lindabinda. Yes, it did work - and I definitely didn't avoid chocolate or bread! I did take acidophilus tablets though, from my local healthfood shop. I would say that it took me a week or so to feel that the pain had gone, although I kept taking the tablets until I had cleared the course. Is your baby being treated at the same time? You should have him/her treated too, using miconazole (Daktarin) gel in the mouth and cream on your nipples (and his/her bottom if (s)he's sore), otherwise you will be constantly passing it back and forth.

thanks jennywren that'll keep me going - yes my baby is being treated too, so fingers crossed we'll get rid of it over the next few days. Also have some kind of bacterial infection so also taking antibiotics. Good news about the chocolate and bread!!