Feels like thrush but could it be something else?

[schroedingersdodo]

About a month ago I started feeling a burning pain in my nipples during breastfeeding, which would go on for about one hour after each feed, and my nipples were whitish. Baby's tongue was completely coated in white (but it comes off if I scratch it, and I've been told it means it is not thrush). Baby had antibiotics for 2 weeks after birth, and I know that it can increase the chances of thrush.

So, I went to the GP, who diagnosed it as thrush (well, I diagnosed, she agreed). I spent a week using cream in the nipples and baby had Nystatin 4x day. The situation didn't improve - in fact, it got worse and more painful.

Back to the GP, she told me to have a one-off dose of Fluconazole. I insisted on something stronger but she refused (and also refused to look at baby and take into consideration that we were by then having problem with the feeding - but that's another story). I decided to have a six day course of Fluconazole, 150mg a day, bought over the counter (which cost me about £70 in total).

After the six days everything was much better and I thought we had solved the problem. But a couple of weeks later my nipples started to be very sore again, with burning pains and the whitish look all over again.

I don't want to start fluconazole again (as I would need a bigger dose, I suppose), and I don't want to see the GP again either, as they seem quite clueless about breastfeeding issues.

It does look like a mild case of thrush but I wonder if the pain could have another explanation altogether? Maybe the whitish thing was caused by some other reason and I'm treating myself the wrong way?

PS: By the way, I'm on a diet and haven't eaten anything with dairy, sugar or yeast for over a week, and I'm also having probiotic yoghurt, acidophilus capsules and garlic capsules.

I really want breastfeeding to be pleasant again, as it was for a couple of weeks, but don't know how to solve this situation...

sounds like thrush to me. I suffered with terrible thrush with my 1st and it was just one of those things that seemed to regularly affect me too. I tried a few things but the best remedy for me was white vinegar! I was recommended this at the local breatfeeding support group. Most of the other mums also swore by it. Basically use about 1 part vinegar to 5 part warm water in the shower and basically dowse your boobs with it!! try it it works!!

It does sound like thrush. GPs are rubbish in this area and seem to know nothing about breastfeeding and thrush. I had to go 4 times (to 3 different GPs) before I was prescribed, but when I was I got a fortnight's worth of fluconazole and I have to say it was only in the last couple of days of the treatment that it cleared up, so I think you may need a longer course. I printed out this leaflet the last time I went and the GP finally prescribed fluconazole on the basis of this.

vicky11, thanks for the tip! Did you manage to solve your thrush using only vinegar? It is worth trying, hope it works!

Laugs apparently GPs are not very knowledgeable when it comes to pregnancy and breastfeeding issues... Thanks for the leaflet, I'll definitely take it with me if I decide to go see a GP again about that.

The annoying thing is that my breasts are not sore all the time: some feeds they hurt just a bit, but some other times it is excruciatingly painful!! That's why I'm not sure of what to do...

def. sounds like thrush, and like you have become re-infected. You must continue with the cream and the drops for both you and baby for several days after the thrush has apparently gone. Also, if you are using washable breast pads, you need to iron them on hot, as the thrush can live in them even after washing. Same for re-usable nappies, they need nuking in napisan/boil washing. Also, dummies, or anything that goes near babies hands needs either boiling for 10 minutes, or sterilising properly in miltons/sterlising solution. an ordinary steam steriliser will not kill thrush (according to my midwife)

The only other culprit I can think of which would cause these symptoms is reynauds syndrome, but you would have that from birth, but varies in severity at different feeds. Its rare though, so much more likely to be thrush, particularly since the fluconazole helped.

Hi faddle, thanks for the info. I started again to use the cream on my nipples and it seems to be helping.

I use disposable nursing pads and nappies, and boil the baby's bottles, teats (I express from time to time) and dummies. And unfortunately it's been several weeks I don't dare having a bath... (I have a feeling that all the water will be contaminated with thrush, re-contaminating the other nipple and maybe even the vagina...)

it could be a fungal infection not thrush, i worked for a mum who had something like this, expressing was possible but bf itself excruciating, she in the end had a 21 day antibiotics course and went on to feed for months. At it's worse she was taking more painkillers than she had after the c-sec just to feed.