How long should it take to clear up thrush ?

[Haylo]

My DD is 15 weeks old, we have endured 2 bouts of mastitus in the first 6 weeks (same right breast) and thrush which has been horrendously painful. l have battled to get fluconazole prescribed by my GP and have now had a 15 day course of 50mg per day and now 7 days into a 11 day course of 100mg per day, clear on the left but still cracked nipple on the right with awful pain when l feed and shooting after pains which keep me awake at night. Taking painkillers to help with the pain, in addition using daktarin cream on me, daktarin gel in DDs mouth, washing everything at 60degrees with vinegar, cutting down on yeast and sugar in diet, changing breast pads regularly and have treated down below just in case, but flush still stubbornly hanging onto right breast .... how long should it take to clear ?????

Haylo

Big hugs and sympathies. I endured thrush for a long time and eventually found that doing everything that you're doing as well as being fanatical about washing my hands with milton hand wash every time I fed, or touched my boob or changed my dc eventually worked. I also resorted to using dilute vinegar on my nipples after feeds to try and make them as inhospitable to the thrush as possible. Used to them smother with lansinol to prevent them from drying out.

I'm sure you already know this, but you need to be ultra careful with your latch to prevent any further damage to your nipple - this was where I went wrong and what prolonged my thrush.

I'm sure with the fluconazole it will clear up very soon. You're doing everything right and well done you for feeding with thrush - it is no picnic. It will go eventually, I promise.

Have you tried taking lactobacillus supplements as well? Need quite a high dose but most health food shops do them. Good luck. Hope it improves soon for you.

Sorry forgot to add - make sure your dp or anyone else who changes your dc also uses milton handwash as they could be carrying thrush under their fingernails. It gets everywhere!!

Haylo mine took six weeks. It was agony. I was just topping up with pain killers the whole time and just about managed to continue to feed him. In the end it cleared 48 hours after I took a homeopathic remedy. I had it in the ducts and the doctors are not very good at understanding. Some still don't believe you can get it in the ducts.

There's some really good information on the Breastfeeding Network if you google. I would do link but have to dash.

I wish all the best. You have my sympathy. x

Thankyou, yes l have also been taking 180mg of acidophilus and live yoghurt every day for past week, l haven't tried the milton handwash though, just been using acti bac handsoap. Getting loads of support from baby cafe, HV and have joined LLL group locally also NCT BFC via the phone. GPs are very ignorant of the condition, "if l cannot see it you can't have it" , just glad this is my second child, l fed DS for 8 months with no probs so l know it should not be like this, if she was my first and l went through this l would have given up by now ! l have at times nearly given up l just think the dunkirk spirit sets in ....