Thrush in breasts. Can I get the treatment from the chemists?

[princessmel]

I tried calling the doctors but the voicemail says the surgery is closed
I could go tomorrow.
Shall I just ask dh to buy the correct treatment? Is this daktarin btw? I've read that nystatin is useless.

My breasts are very tender and sore. nipples look pink in parts but I can't think if they're always like this or not.

ds2 (4 1/2 weeks) has a white tongue but I always assume this is milk. It's looked like this since he was born.

He is on ABs for a sore eye so that is also making me think this is thrush.

I had vaginal thrush during the last stages of my pregnancy.

Read old MN threads on thrush and they are petty scary. Saying how it should be treated asap and pain can be like broken glass in bra

Bums

Just thought, I should wait for a prescription, as I have my exemption card...

Hello

You can get treatment, over the counter, but I would advise not telling them what it's for, if asked, or they may not sell it to you.

You can buy Daktarin cream, brand name for miconazole 1% to put on your nipples, and Daktarin oral mouth gel to treat baby's mouth ( it's important to treat mum and baby ).

Also, you can buy fluconazole, which is Diflucan one or Canestan one. Tell them if it's for normal thrush if they ask. You may need a few doses of this to clear it up, it's expensive, but worth it if you can afford it. Lots of GPs won't prescribe fluconazole for breastfeeding thrush. It's not licensed, but it is perfectly safe.

It's a pain to go to the GP but would be better to if you can. If you call in the morning you should be able to get an emergency appointment. It sounds like thrush but may not be, so better to get a doctor to look and treat you properly. The treatment is likely to be more effective this way as you need to treat thrush properly and aggressively.

nowwhatdoido is correct about the daktarin. If you decide not to go to GP and to go to pharmacy instead I would advise you to follow the following:-

With the cream for your nipples (think it is miconazole 2%) apply it to your nipples after every feed and change breast pads after every feed too. Wear a clean bra everyday and boil dummies, nipple shields and pump parts for 5 mins regularly to kill the thrush. If there is cream left on your nipples by the next feed make sure you wipe it off before feeding.

With the oral gel for the baby be very very careful. The daktarin gel is not meant to be given to babies under 4 months because of a choking hazard (it is thick and sticky). It can be given to younger babies at the physician and parent's own risk as the issue is not with the active ingredient rather the viscosity of the gel. Apply a very tiny amount of the gel, spread evenly on your finger to the affected parts of your baby's mouth after every feed. Do not under any circumstances put more than a light covering applied with a finger into the baby's mouth.

TBH if the affected part is the baby's tongue I would get the nystatin from the GP. I think it would be difficult to apply the gel to the baby's tongue effectively without risking the baby choking. The nystatin is said to be a little less effective but I'd be more comfortable trying that first with such a young baby.

Re the oral fluconazole - The doctor may prescribe fluconazole if the cream treatment is not effective (or may try a different cream such as clotramizole first). If this treatment option is chosen then it is likely they would prescribe a higher dose and longer treatment than the over the counter treatment for vaginal thrush. You will not be able to buy enough or treat yourself with the medication which is available over the counter so, again, I would go to the doctor and speak to them. The treatment passes into the milk but I think only at 10% of the amount that the baby would be given if prescribed.

You can clean the nipples with a vinegar and boiled water or bicarbonate of soda and boiled water solution after every feed to make the environment less desirable to thrush too. Also eating live yoghurt containing acidophilus, reducing your sugar (even fruit) intake to zero for a few days and keeping your nipples in sunlight and the air as much as possible may help.

I had success with the bicarb solution.

If you do end up buying clotrimazole over the counter, ask them to sell you their own brand rather than canestan - it's a fraction of the price.

I am confused!!

His tongue doesn't look white now, so it could have been milk, probably was.

I am going to the gps this afternoon.

Today my breast feels tender when touched but not as bad as yesterday. It hurt in the night when I leant on it.

I am thinking it could maybe be mastitis too. No red patches though.

Let the GP have a look. It could still be thrush if the baby is symptomless. Or it might be a blocked duct. Good luck at the GP and don't worry too much about thrush. It is not always terribly painful, although it can be. I found it much less painful than having cracked and scabbed nipples! If it is thrush you should be able to clear it fairly quickly by treating it very regularly and carefully. Some strains of thrush are reistant to certain treatments so if you are using it regularly and it is not clearing go back to the GP and see about further or different treatment.

Thanks.

I went to the gps and got AB's for me and also treatment for thrush for both of us. She found a few white spots near his gums. She said it looked mild atm.
She gave me ABs as she thinks I could have mastitis aswell. I had a temperature and felt odd all day yesterday.
I was told not to take them if I felt ok, and to wait until today. It's strange because I haven't had the terrible breast pain since wednesday.

I am worried about using the gel in ds2 though after reading that it is a choking hazard. She didn't say that to me, it does say it on the instructions though.

Oh bums