How common is recurrent thrush?

[Shostakobitch]

I've had issues with thrush for years until I ended up on a longer term dose of fluconazole and that cleared it up. After another bout I was treated with itraconazole which also worked fine.

This time round I've had it for nearly six weeks. The doctor was reluctant to give me anything until I'd had swabs which showed thrush. I was again prescribed itraconazole which I've been taking for a week and while it's better it's definitely not gone.

I'm really worried that this is indicative of a more serious health problem. I was tested for diabetes a few years ago and my blood results were normal but my GP is talking about testing again and also HIV.

She said that it's really unusual to have recurrent thrush that is so slow to respond to treatment but my friend is a nurse and she thinks it's actually fairly common and that the over the counter medicines can lose effectiveness if used a lot?

So I'm just wondering if anyone else has suffered with recurrent thrush and NOT had a HIV/diabetes?

I changed to organic cotton tampons/ towels/ pant liners. Totally stopped mine. I was getting an outbreak of thrush almost after every period.

Hey OP
I also have it a lot

I had a clean patch but after a period of stress, carbs and alcohol it’s back . I believe that diet helped me alleviate it a lot . So reduce the booze carbs and sugar

My labia are on fire 🔥 so much I think l will take a sick day - any hints what to say !?!?

The diet can help a lot of people . Good luck

Are you in pain ? I bloody am

7 day course of itraconazole is finished today and although it's better it's definitely not gone ☹️ I'm so worried that nothing will shift it and this is just my life now 😪

I had recurrent thrush throughout my marriage. I didn’t know then that it can be passed from one partner to the other.
Divorced husband , thrush went away and has never come back!

yep has your partner also been treated?

He is using Canestan atm but we haven't DTD in over a month and tbh right now I feel like we won't ever again if this is the consequence 😫

My prescription for itraconazole was extended for another week, I've got a couple of days left and the thrush is definitely back. Itching, discharge etc. All WHILE I'm on treatment.

What the fuck is going on? 😭

I don't use soaps, cotton knickers ftw, don't eat an excessive amount of sugar.

I get it regularly . Have had all the treatments u have had and checks. Follow most preventative measures too but have recently found using a moon cup instead of tampons really helpful as tampons often triggered an episode.

I dont use tampons either, just cloth sanitary pads.

I've read online that there is a type of thrush that is resistant to 'azoles', I'm wondering if I have this?

I'm just absolutely at my wit's end.

Go to GUM
My recurrent thrush blistered vagina is herpes been laying low for decades and popped up now . So now I know why the canesten didn’t work

Hugely recommend the GUM clinic over GP for any recurrent issues

Hi :17Shostakobitch. I've came across your post regarding thrush nightmare . I can see it's old post but I wondered did you ever fix this ?

I've tried so many thrush medicines same as you on itraconazole just got worse ! Swabs show thrush still it won't go :( I am thinking after all this azol meds maybe it's resistant type . Any advice or l help would be appreciated it's a fucking nightmare :(

Are you sure it's thrush? I had external itching for years, mistakenly diagnosed as thrush. But it was localised eczema on the external parts. Because I always had a bit of thrush cells up there, the swabs always said 'thrush' so docs kept telling me it was that. If yours is mostly on the outside, consider other skin conditions too.

Thank you for your reply . ❤️

It's all started from having a coil in had constant bleeding burning and itching had this taken out had to have 4 lots of antibiotics to kill an infection I had gotten from the coil and in turn this either gave me thrush or made it much worse .......the "thrush infection" just won't shift it's been 6months 😳😳😳 .

I've been for a vulvar biopsy ( great fun😳😳) to test for lichen cancer and eczema came back clear 😊

I've had swabs for everything Bv strep pid etc and the only thing that shows up is thrush either moderate or heavy growth .

I've tried fluconazole 1 every 72hours for 3 days then 1 a week the swabs went from moderate to heavy growth when on this 😳 so wasn't working plus ended up with a hives itchy rash on my whole body after taking it !

Tried clotrimazole pessaries X 3 they burnt like hell and didn't work .

itraconazole 400mg made slight difference then flared right back up .

Tried econazole pessaries no joy :( hurts and burns constantly .

I've had blood test for hormones and says not Menopausal

I have no idea what to try next .

What cream did they give you for the excema that was causing yours ?

I am seriously thinking of just giving up all this thrush treatment it isn't working and the oral tablets make me feel sick to my stomach surely all these thrush tablets cannot be helping my body . 😳

Any help greatly welcomed

hi I think I have a really bad case of thrush .I have burning when weeing vag discharge thats a yellow colour ,back pain ,pelvic pain a tummy bloating. I've had STI test urine test they all come back clear I've have 2 pessary treatments for thrush and 2 oral tablet treatments .I'm currently waiting for some swab results to see if it's thrush.has anyone had any of these symptoms as when I read about thrush it just mentions discharge itching and painful urinating please help I'm going crazy here

@MrsPerfect12 Did you ever find something to help?

@kittykat818 i got the fluconazole from the doctor that I took for 6 months and maybe one every couple of days for the first week. Every thing was perfect taking it but I noticed a flare up last month just before period so I think I need to call back. They said they would look into it further if this didn't work.
I'm sure my gym gear, sex and age is a factor.

I used to have recurrent thrush, it had been going on for years and I was about to go on long term course of fluconazole when it mysteriously cleared up. The only difference was I'd recently cut out drinking a large glass (or two!) of orange juice with dinner every night (dentist advised me to stop due to sugar/acid etc). So while massively anecdotal, in my case I do think it was sugar related. Ten years on and I only get it now if I've had antibiotics.

Exactly what symptoms have you ladies got that suggest thrush. I've posted here before about my journey through this hell. I was eventually diagnosed with a condition called Lichen Sclerosus. Google it.... I get an itch so awful that scratching makes me bleed, but currently it is under control with sitting in a dilute solution of Borax. If you are itching ladies - try it. Get a Sitz bath to sit on the loo, dilute Borax and sit with bits submerged for upwards of 5 minutes. Brilliant! Almost instant and total relief (though it doesn't work for everyone) try it! What have you got to lose?

Should have added....many GPs know little about this condition. Get referred to a dermatologist. Beware steroid ointment - their drug of choice. Look on Facebook support group

@MrsPerfect12 Ahh, how long ago did you stop the fluconazole? I had the same experience and now I am back to getting it once a month before my period again :(. I am sure yours will likely be a one off!

@tpmumtobe Interesting! Were you getting thrush monthly? Maybe it was the added sugar causing you to get it? How is your diet generally! I pray for the day when mine stops!

@loopylindi My swabs always come back positive with candida albicans and symptoms disappear (at least temporarily) with fluconazole!

Absolutely this. Mine was raging & perpetual. Within hours of the coil removal it went & didn't come back. I was also tested for diabetes and HIV. Do you have a history of antibiotics being prescribed? Also is it definitely thrush ie tested for it?