Is Thrush a bacteria?

[Wills]

At the start of my ds's life I had b/f thrush. since I had b/f thrush during dd2's babyhood my gp imediately put me on fluconazole. Ds is now 12 weeks and we've just moved. My new gp has announced that a) fluconazole is an antibiotic and that b)he wanted a sample of milk to test for bacteria. Everything I've ever read tells me that Thrush is a yeast i.e. a fungus. Is a fungus a bacteria? Is fluconazole an anitbiotic? Why are they testing my milk for bacteria when surely they should be testing it for fungus i.e. thrush? I need some help before I go into the surgery and speak to him. They have asked me to stop treating the thrush as they think I may have reynards phenomenum of the nipples. My milk went in for testing today and should be back sometime next week. Heeeelp

no thrush is a fungus. it is the same fungus that causes athlete's foot, jock itch and vaginal thrush. it is present everywhere but breeds in damp places. fluconazole is an antifungal. if your gp said it was an antibiotic then he is an ass. pardon my french. sometimes, there is a bacterial infection that will thrive in the same place (on the OUTSIDE of the nipple) as the fungal infection - i had/have staph aereous with my b/f thrush and currently on antibiotics for it. the doctor should just take a swab of the nipple to test. he is also has very poor or no understanding of b/f if he thinks that your milk is infected. the raynauds scare is not at all likely.

read here - print it out and take it to him - for your own sanity and his ignorance.

dr jack newman - he is the consultant paediatrician for the World Health Organisation the whole site is fantastic.

and here: thrush

thrush is a fungus and a fungus is a plant of sorts without chlorophyll. bizarre that a plant would try to grow on our skin.

Cheers. I thought I was going mad. Nothing I've ever read had told me that thrush was a bacteria but I was wondering if somehow fungus was a bacteria and that I had missed this. Boy oh boy talk about out of the frying pan into the blasted fire! here we go - it took me six months to persaude my last gp to put me onto fluconazole with dd2. I'm almost too knackered to want to do it this time round!

Wills, I would be quite impressed if my GP considered Raynaud's disease of the nipple as a differential diagnosis to thrush. I doubt most GPs would have heard of it - mine certainly hadn't. So I wouldn't be too down on him!

since my gp was also pantsing about my thrush too, here is the treatment I gave myself - it works. take some vinegar, any kind will do but white vinegar makes best sense. dilute it 1 to 4 with water, put on a piece of cotton or tissue and dab the nipple every so often. if you have cracks like i did it will sting but its not excruciating. i was desperate at the time with his pantsing around. It works on athlete's foot and the ahem Joy of Sex recommends it for douching for vaginal thrush so I thought heck, why not.

after your nipples air dry, moisturise them with some decent oil (olive oil or almond oil for example)