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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

thrush I cant get rid of it, any ideas?? Tried everything

21 replies

sizeofahouse · 27/06/2005 21:22

have had thrush in my breasts with both babes, with ds1 it went undiagnosed for a couple of months so by the time it was treated i was in agony, ths time round with dd i have been onto it but after a section and then antibiotics for a scar infection back it came. i am on fluconazole, about fifth course, babe is having dactarin in her mouth which i am also putting on my nipples, i am not eating bread sugar dairy cereals with malt cheese etc, i am taking acidolphillus, not eating bio yogurt as dd doesnt seem to respond well to dairy, what else - i cant seem to get rid of the thrush in her mouth, we have also tried nystatin - she does projectile vomit both. my thrush isnt agony just prickly with blanched nipples, when i eat anything with sugar or yeast it all flares up again, anyone out there been through this???? i dont want to stop breast feeding but also dont want to control it with fluconazole for the next year or so.

OP posts:
Blondeinlondon · 28/06/2005 08:22

You could try gentium violet (I might have spelt it wrong)

Satine · 28/06/2005 08:24

You poor thing, what a nightmare. So sorry I can't help but I just wanted to say all credit to you for persevering with the bf!

TrophyWife · 28/06/2005 08:26

i know that drinking Carnberry juice helps with thrush down below, just wondered if it might help with the breasts.

moondog · 28/06/2005 08:43

Poor you soh. I had it with both babies,and know how bad it was.
Is that the 2 (or 3?)pill course you're taking?
That shifted mine quickly.
Have you rung the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers for advice?

0870 401 7711

Keep bumping for Tiktok,Mears and Pupuce.

Original poster
sizeofahouse · 28/06/2005 22:15

moondog, do you remember what pills you took. I took 3 pills at start of course, fluconzole 50g x 3, then one a day for 11 days, hasn't worked completely. Hey Blondeinlondon, did you try gentiun violet (I know what you mean but can't spell it?) where did you get it, did it work? Might try cranberry juice, but I think that's more to do with urine infections, might be a bit sugary. Any more ideas most welcome, I've lost my tube of dactarin and know all the thrush is multiplying as we speak!! HELP!

OP posts:
tiktok · 28/06/2005 23:25

You won't be able to get gentian violet for this in the UK, I don't think - it's used in the US, though. Look at the Breastfeeding Network's leaflet click on information for their info about drugs....and most of all, get it checked out by someone who knows what to look for when it comes to positioning and attachment, as experience shows that even pretty obvious thrush (likes yours is) improves with better p&a. Good luck with this - sounds a real nuisance.

moondog · 29/06/2005 11:21

That was the dosage I took soah,and it did the trick. Sorry it hasn't in your case.

Maybe you have a more deepseated yeast issue in your body? (Candida?) It might help to took with a nutritionist-a bona fide person who knows what they're on about of course.

I was amazed that I had this twice as I eat very well,and have live yoghurt every day of my life.

Best of luck,it's so dispiriting I know.

icklelulu · 29/06/2005 18:35

Have you tried clotrimazole?If dactarin doesnt work that might. Ive had thrush for ages and nothing was working but just been prescribed this and seems to be doing the job!

starlover · 29/06/2005 18:37

does your dd use a dummy? if so make sure you are ultra careful about sterilising them...

fisil · 29/06/2005 18:40

I had to give up breastfeeding ds1 because of the agony of thrush. With ds2 I got onto it quicker (like you) and beat it within 3 weeks. I put canestan cream on my breast after each feed. I was also scrupulously clean, I mean obsessively so. Washing my hands before and after feeding, touching my breasts, putting on the cream, holding the tube etc. And I kept it up for 3 weeks after the thrush had gone. Ds2 had dactarin. I can still see white bumps in his mouth, but I have completely got rid of the thrush - so I don't think it is thrush!

Big sympathies - I found thrush very very painful (for me, dss didn't seem to mind at all)

spidermama · 29/06/2005 18:55

You poor thing. I was driven almost mad by thrush for 5 weeks after having ds4 in January. He's my 4th baby and I'd never had it before and never had any BF probs at all so was really stumped. I too did everything - Fluconazole, daktarin, nystatin, breast sheilds, lansinoh, pumping etc etc. Boiling bras, vinegar in the wash, tea tree oil, no sugar, no yeast .... I was absolutely desperate and it was inside my ducts so it was agony. I was dreading every feed and on painkillers the whole time. I was holding the bedclothes off my nipples all night cos anything touching my nipples was so sore. I couldn't wear any clothes during the day. But as my baby was just 2 weeks old and I wanted to carry on BFing as I did with others. I did two things and one of these must have got rid of it cos it went overnight. I don't know which one. The Breastfeeding network has a great website which includes a print out for the doctor about fluconazole dosage. You need a really big loading dose. Docs are scared to give it to you but in my case the GPs fears were allayed by reading the BF network guidelines which I printed out and brought in. Take the stated loading dose, followed by the course. I also went to the homeopath and he had a long chat with me (I cried) and gave me sulphur. This might not be for you because everyone's different. But suddenly after more than 5 weeks of hell, it disappeared. My baby's now 5 months old and I'm feeding him with no problems whatever (he's 11kg!!!) and I'm so glad I persevered. I really went through the mill with this and was so disappointed with my body for letting me down. So if you want to ask anything else, feel free.

spidermama · 29/06/2005 19:05

I should just say, I came very close to giving up BFing but just about hung in. But it might be worth bottle feeding just for, say, every second feed to give nipples a rest.

moondog · 29/06/2005 23:06

spidermama!!!!!
That was a hell of an ordeal.
(My mw also told me that GPs are nervous about giving the doses needed. Very useful information there.)

spidermama · 30/06/2005 17:17

Yep. That was nasty. Wouldn't wish it on anyone. On the plus side, life WITHOUT terrible nipple and duct thrush is a piece of cake in comparison. I like to squeeze out a silver lining no matter how contrived.

Gillian76 · 30/06/2005 17:35

I gave up BF my DS at 6 months because of this. I deeply regret it now, but was at the end of my tether

Do you BF in bed? And are you changing the bedlinen each day? Also you need to wash the sheets and your underwear at 60 degrees.

Well done for keeping going. I really hope this clears up for you

spidermama · 30/06/2005 17:38

How old is baby now Gillian? I can understand why anyone would give up. It's an ordeal. But .... Let me know if anyone has tried this .... My wf's told me that once you have lactated you can always do it again. So, in theory, if a baby sucked for long enough on your breasts they'd start producing milk again. That's how they had wet nurses in days of yore. I wonder if it would work with a pump.
Woudln't it be great if you could look up wet nurses in the Yellow Pages then go out?

Gillian76 · 30/06/2005 17:41

Thanks spidermama - he was 2 on Saturday!!!

I do wonder if my desire to have a 4th is in any way influenced by this... also the fact that I never got my homebirth with DS (number 3)

spidermama · 30/06/2005 17:42

I know what you mean. I've got 4 and I know I wasn't happy after number 3 cos birth wasn't quite what I'd wanted. I can recommend having 4.

Gillian76 · 30/06/2005 17:44

And was number 4 as you'd hoped? That's the danger, I suppose - if things don;t go to plan the 4th time round!

spidermama · 30/06/2005 17:49

It wasn't really but I was satisfied. With number 3, and you'll probably think me mad, I wanted an unassisted birth (no health professionals) but DH, understandably, said 'no'. As it turned out it was so smooth and easy and would've been fab just on our own. Still! With no. 4 I didn't want unassisted and was right cos needed mw expert help to get him 'round the bend'. Ooooooh! Still smarting just thinking about it.

Original poster
sizeofahouse · 01/07/2005 20:58

thanks everyone havent had a chance to post as running round like a mad woman the thrush is no longer in ducts but mostly on nipples i have been much more diligent with dactarin both for me and babe and its better but still there particularly in dd mouth, and still prickly for me - i have tried boiling my bras but accidentally set them on fire, gave a whole new meaning to burning your bras!! i will try all suggested, i do wash my hands all the time and dd sleeps on little sheet on bed which i change daily, i will keep on, cant give up as little girl might have dairy allergy so want to steer clear of formula. i am no longer size of a house believe it, i've lost all my pregnancy weight in nine weeks which is slighty alarming but great to be back in my jeans

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