Thrush for nearly three months

[Minime85]

I can go six months with no issues and then if I get it, that's it for months. I've now taken three oral tablets, used natural treatment of multi-gyn twice and used one gyno-daktarin pessary to try and get rid of it. All of the above ease symbols but never quite go.

If I eat any sugar it creates a pretty much instant itch down below and this includes fruit too. So I've tried to cut as much out as possible. I've been to doctors in past who basically just tell me to live with it.

Please any alternative ideas? I have been tested for diabetes about a year ago and was clear.

Have you been to a GUM clinic? Best people to go to
I got given 6 months of treatment to use whether I had thrush or not, balance activ to do something else (it was technical and to do with bio film!) and they sent off swabs to check for the exact type of thrush

Have you had the thrush confirmed? There are lots of other things that can cause itching - gum clinic is a great idea (they don't only deal with STIs) or see if your GP practice has a GPwSI in gynaecology.

Agree with pps.
Sexual health clinic is the best place to deal with recurrent thrush.
They can confirm on the day if thrush is present and send off for typing in case it's a rare resistant strain.
It's important you are examined as there are several conditions of the skin which can mimic thrush.

Yeah I had sti check not that and considering going to GUM but really hard to get to and I can't get time off work to go. Have week off soon and say I could go I've just looked on line and they are shut. Think I'll have to see if I can get there some how. I'm thinking it's another strain or something too. But don't understand why it does clear up in the end. Thanks both

I had vaginal itching so badly and so painful it woke me up in the night. A broad spectrum anti fungal helped and it's mostly gone now I eat Greek yoghurt regularly and use an emollient lotion on my nether regions for washing. 2 fucking years I had it.

Don't get me started on the GUM clinic - the filthiest looking people I'd ever seen in my life. I tried not to touch anything.

I've had it since I was about 20 and it's still not gone and i'm 33. Some people just can never shift it. For me it generally isn't that bad but always there ie always shows up when tested but I don't always itch etc. Sometimes it does flair up badly though. I'm pregnant at the mo and it's a nightmare as I can't take the tablets. I have repeat prescription for pessaries though so use 3 in a row (days) and then leave it a week or so then repeat. It's just to try and keep it at bay. I've found most gp's just don't see it as a problem. I can't imagine a time of ever not having it! You have my sympathies.

I had thrush for a long time and put up with it, but a new GP diagnosed me with eczema and prescribed steroid cream. It got better very quickly, and cutting out sugar for a few months more or less banished the thrush. Best wishes.

Minime - you could get your GP to refer you. Then you would get an appointment rather than just having to turn up and wait. (That's the case in most clinics, we will also take GP phone referrals for stuff like this).
Hermione - not a particularly helpful attitude. Not everyone attending GUM even needs an STI check. They may have a genital skin condition or be there for contraception.

Thanks munchy. They do appointments on a Tuesday after work so partner going to try and book me one tomorrow otherwise other appointment are men only or in day time.

I've washed all my underwear at 60 tonight and tumbled them see if that helps.

I will go to GP if no better by Friday but again even that is tricky to make an appointment and get there. I don't have kind of job I can take time off from easily or use holidays.

Really grateful for people's replies and wondering if maybe it is a skin condition. Jut can't understand why things do clear up for 6 months or so.

Thanks again appreciate the support. I just end up feeling so horrible and dirty which I know is silly but it just brings me down

Is it mostly on the external parts? If so it could be a localised eczema. I had this for years also. It does get triggered and comes and goes exactly like the way I used to get thrush - hormones, heat, alcohol etc. I have a steroid ointment now that stops it straightaway.

Eczema, psoriasis, lichen sclerosis. So many other things it could be. It's worth getting sorted out. I have personal and professional experience of something similar and the relief of getting it sorted with steroid cream was immense.

I'm really prone to it. Can go ages and ages without it then get a bad bout of that lasts ages.

You could have systemic candida which means it's in your gut etc too and so eating a lot of sugar causes and overgrowth. I was prescribed seven days worth of the tablets to take every day for a week and my husband too in case we were passing it back and forth. Also I was given a blood test to check and rule out all the things that could be the cause such as diabetes, thyroid problem,hormone imbalance.

Eczema down below is incredibly common
And itchy. And will happily co-exist with thrush.
No soap, ever
Wash with a cream like Cetraben or Dermol
no coloured toilet paper (yes really)
Some women say non bio washing powder, but never that convinced personally
Thrush is more common pre menstrually (hormone changes alter vaginal pH - favours yeasts)
So often I give 3 months worth of oral fluconazole 150mg to be given every4 weeks before period starts
But avoiding soap is more than half the battle.
However, Gum clinic always a good idea
Utterly non judgemental and can rule out trichomonas and the other weirdnesses

My daughter had thrush on and off for a year. Nothing worked. Spotted threadworms issue in her brother. Treated her too. Five months plus on no more thrush. Could it be a possibility?

Btw you can get them in vagina

You can go to the nurse as your surgery and request seven days of treatment..Iv had no problems since and that was October.

Iv really changed my diet cut out white bread,pasta completely. Cut out sugar as much as possible.

And just realised my persistent thrush hasn't been back either since. Might be worth getting ovex OP. Two courses a fortnight apart

Again tanks everyone. One way or other going to get in to see someone.

Liver doc I already do only use water and never soaps. And non bio powder.

Exasperated, yeah I'm gluten free because of IBS so eat very little in way of white bread as its so expensive! And I have been a chocolate monster all my life and never had an issue. I'm not big either and yet now I can't have any! I can just about have a square of dark choc but sometimes that brings an itch on too.

Hopefully get an appointment booked with someone today. Very supportive partner is helping.

Thanks again everyone

Can't get an appointment at a GUM until 14th June. But at least that's progress

Are you taking iron supplements?

Long shot but it worked for me. I had persistant thrush, went to give blood, low iron. Took iron, thrush went away. Couple of years later got it again, couldn't get rid. Got turned down from blood donation again and lightbulb moment. Never had it since.

Yy to worms too, worth treating just in case.

Well got in with doctor says it sounds just like thrush. Examination showed very little signs though. Got to go back in two weeks for swabs and bloods to test re iron and diabetes so maybe will get some answers. Had same tests a year ago and all were negative.

Why didn't they do a quick swab today for thrush? GPs really do my nut sometimes. (I'm a gum dr).
Did they give you anything?

They did a swab and said expected it to come back clear as no real signs of it. I can't go back until school holidays as said I need to go in morning so can be sent that day. No wouldn't give me anything because no real signs so I've successfully self treated if it is that but obviously not completely gone!!

I could go to gum and sit and wait tomorrow after work but thinking if nothing she could really see then could be same answers and wasted hours doing it. Argh!

I'm the same, had this For 7 years and has led to vulvodynia too. For me it's hormonal, before every period, but also same as you re eating sugar!

Managing to control it for the last few months through these means:

Caprylic acid, 1 capsule a day
Acidophilus 2 capsules a day (2 billion strength or something)
Kolorex tablet once a day (or Complete Candida Care tablets)
YES natural lubricant in applicators every other day (really helps keep the PH all good, highly recommend)
Cloth sanitary products - NEVER disposables, instant itch!
Aqueous cream on area for when in shower (and bath but I never bath)
Reduced sugar, but realistically I fail at that

Seen many consultants over the year, just discharged from the latest the other day as they all say there's nothing they can do and it's totally normal.