Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

thrush

35 replies

jenk1 · 16/08/2005 19:22

i have had thrush for what seems like ages, i have been to see my gp twice and he has given me 2 different creams-theyre not working, i now have pain deep in my breast-thought of asking for antibiotics but noticed an earlier thread where someone said they can make it worse-can anyone give me suggestions?

OP posts:
icklelulu · 16/08/2005 19:28

what creams have you tried?

Original poster
jenk1 · 16/08/2005 19:33

timodene and clotrimazole 1%

OP posts:
spidermama · 16/08/2005 19:34

Jenk It sounds very much like the thrush has gone into your milk ducts. Do you get sharp pain after feeds as well as during? I had this for six weeks with my ds. I really sympathise.

The gp's aren't up to speed with thrush in the ducts. Many think it can only be on the nipple itself. Not true. It's also very hard to diagnose. You need to be forthright with your GP to get the correct dosage.

The breastfeeding network are birlliant on this subject. They talk about symptoms and treatment, and even provide a print out you can take to your doctor with the latest treatment advice. It helped me.

I also saw a homeopath and, I'm not sure if it was a coincidence, but the sypmtoms disapeared within 24 hours (after six weeks of pain)

If you think I'm right and it is thrush in the ducts, don't hesitate to ask anything you like. This is fresh in my mind and there's a lot to tell.
I'll check this thread again, but do check out the BFN site.

All the best. x

Original poster
jenk1 · 16/08/2005 21:39

i read the breastfeeding page on thrush earlier and i think it is in my ducts, have just fed dd and am having sharp pain and the feeding itself is quite painful as well, my gp poo-poohed the idea of me needing medication seemed to think that the cream would do the trick,but it hasnt

OP posts:
starlover · 16/08/2005 21:50

yes, demand tablets. fluconazole

Original poster
jenk1 · 16/08/2005 22:03

i read though that these are not licensed to give b/feeding mums, problem is dd has many allergies and has had reactions to antibiotics and ended up in hospital before,could do with a natural way of healing the thrush if there is one

OP posts:
starlover · 16/08/2005 22:05

no, they arent licensed yet. but they can be prescribed.
i went to hospital in the end with my thrush because it was so awful,.

they spoke to the maternity unit and they said to prescribe it. the same drug is prescribed to babies with bad thrush anyway...

spidermama · 16/08/2005 22:53

Jenk My gp was reluctant to give me a proper loading dose of fluconazole but I did the BF network print out and was very assertive. He folded in the end. I know it's not easy, especially with GPs. Perhaps your HV would be more clue up?

In the end my GP phoned a higher up colleauge who finally put him right. You have to get stroppy because you must get this sorted. It really hurts doesn;t it.

If all else fails you could read the required dosage off the website and buy the loading does yourself in the chemist. (I looked into this but it would've meant several doses and was very expensive).

In the end I got the dose, took that and went down the homeopathic route, and it disappeared within a day.

GOD! what a relief that was.

Lonelymum · 16/08/2005 22:54

Stupid question probably, but is the baby being treated too?

biglips · 16/08/2005 22:56

and also your DP/DH too ?

spidermama · 16/08/2005 23:32

Cut out all sugar and yeast. Take pro-biotics. Put vinegar in laundry when washing bras, sheets and towels to kill off fungus and spores.

Lansinoh is the best cream if you nipples get cracked. It's a very gently moist wound healing cream which doesn't need to be washed off for feeding baby.

I took pain killers before feeds. It was the only way I could get though it. But I did get through it and am so relieved because feeding is so lovely and so easy again now.

Good lunk jenk.

Original poster
jenk1 · 17/08/2005 09:06

spidermama-what did u use by way of homeopathy?

OP posts:
spidermama · 17/08/2005 16:28

Everyone's different and a good homeopath would assess you on an individual basis. I can't actually remember what mine was but it may have been sulphur.
My HV told me that farmers are using homeopathic remedies for cows with thrush on their nipples. Far fetched, but true.

Original poster
jenk1 · 17/08/2005 17:02

spidermama, i did a search for homeothapy on the website but nothing came up-can u recommend a good website
thanks

OP posts:
hellsbells4 · 17/08/2005 18:06

On my thread about vaginal thrush recently MNers suggested all kinds of natural remedies including a garlic clove with teatree oil rubbed on it. Teatree oil with aloe vera gel. Natural live yoghurt. Eating less yeast (bread) and sugar. Others suggested going back to the GP for another antibiotic. That's what I did on Monday and she gave me a one day mega course of antibiotics to flush it out - not sure if it's working as I'm still suffering.

Must be a ghastly breast pain - I sympathise!

suzi2 · 17/08/2005 20:23

haven't read the complete thread so not sure if it's been mentioned...

iron your bras/pants to kill off the fungus. I used to suffer badly (and very frequently) from vaginal thrush and this helped break the cycle.

spidermama · 17/08/2005 20:28

Hellsbells antibiotics don't kill thrush they cause it by killing off the friendly flora which normally keep it in check.

Jenk I don't know about websites and wouldn't trust a self-diagnosis anyway. I think you'd be much better off going to see a homeopath. A drag I know, but it was a Godsend for me.

BunnyBoo · 17/08/2005 20:35

Antibiotics are the cause of thrush so don't use them! I only ever get thrush when pregnant and i have just had a urine infection and been treated with antibiotics which of course i had to take but yes i got thrush but mine clears up with normal thrush cream from the chemist.

I would try the natural rememdys if you have tried other creams.
Hope it gets better soon sounds awful for you.

Yorkiegirl · 17/08/2005 20:38

Message withdrawn

spidermama · 17/08/2005 20:45

Yorkiegirl you'd know if you had thrush in the ducts. It's agony. It really stings during the feed, then stabbing pains through breast and in shoulders after feeds.

Have a look at the bf network advice on thrush. Canesten doesn't always work and can make it worse.

eidsvold · 18/08/2005 05:30

my dd2 and I had this early on in the course... she was given drops - nilstat from memory and I got some daktarin oral gel( over the counter) - put the gel on nipples after each feed and the drops ( prescription here in Aus) in dd2's mouth - cleared up in no time.

Original poster
jenk1 · 18/08/2005 09:14

ive got some daktarin oral gel-but didnt know you could put it on your nipples

OP posts:
spidermama · 18/08/2005 11:44

Nystatin is the name for the baby drops. I think daktarin has pretty much the same ingreds as canesten but made by a different company.

Original poster
jenk1 · 18/08/2005 13:11

am going to boots this afternoon as have just seen that they sell nelsons homeopathy tablets for thrush, cant get in to see a homoepath for at least a week and cant wait until then, dont want to try antibiotics as DD has many allergys including antibiotics and dont want to take chance

OP posts:
Original poster
jenk1 · 18/08/2005 13:12

forgot to add,think i have thrush down below now,did someone say garlic and tea tree? also dont know if DH will need to be treated as we use condoms dont think he,ll go for the garlic and he doesnt have any symptoms of thrush,unlike me my body seems to be riddled with it

OP posts: