Thrush that keeps coming back, very desperate

[kittykat818]

Hi everyone, I am really needing some advice. I have been getting thrush ever since starting to have sex. I got thrush for the first time shortly after sleeping with my boyfriend for the first time (this was 4 years ago) the first year we were together I got thrush every single month despite both of us being treated. I then went on a 6-month course of fluconazole but after 6 months of finishing the treatment, the thrush came back again every month for four months so back I went on the 6-month course of fluconazole until the exact same thing happened again. I do not know what is wrong with my body! It is definitely thrush as it always clears with medicine but I am not sure why it keeps returning. I came off the pill to see if this would help but no luck. I also have been tested for vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, and every std possible! I don't use soap down there and always make sure I wash with warm water after sex and now use the multigyn acti gel after sex as I have heard this helps to rebalance PH after sex (I now also make sure my boyfriend and I use the pull-out method in case it is the semen is causing thrush.) I also take a good probiotic, dont use scented toilet paper and I have tried cutting down sugar but I am yet to totally cut it out. I am so desperate to fix this issue, the thrush really affects my mental health and relationship so please if anyone could be of any help I would be so grateful!

Have you been tested for iron / B12? I had really persistent thrush, and eventually when I went to the GUM clinic the dr there tested my iron & B12 & both were really low.

She said that she saw a lot of cases of intractable thrush that just kept coming back, & that low iron was a relatively common problem in these cases. Iron tablets and a course of B12 injections totally sorted it. (latter quite strange as I'm not vegan, and crohns/other likely causes ruled out)

Have you looked at what your boyfriend is using to wash (and is he rinsing well). I had issues and I realised anything heavily scented (Lynx his mum bought at Christmas) caused me to feel uncomfortable afterwards and I developed thrush at times too. No issues after he started using plainer stuff.

@Sadik Hi, I had my blood taken a few weeks ago but both came back in the normal range. I have started B12 vitamins and Iron regardless to see if this has an impact. Thanks! Could I ask where you are located as a GUM clinic spotting that is really impressive

@Carpetmoth I switched the boyfriend over to sanex 0% body wash a couple of years ago! Is there anything, in particular, that your boyfriend uses?

I use them after my period for 5 days (just one at night) and when ever I feel the feeling of it starting

@popples19 Are you in the UK, could I ask where you got them from?

Following with interest as I've had persistent thrush for the last 2 years and I'm currently part way through my 2nd 6 month treatment. I'm doing it in conjunction with oestrogen pessaries (called vagifem) this time around...

As well as sugar, cut out caffeine

Just go into a pharmacy and ask for emulsifying ointment (any brand). It’s a specific thing that will have the words “Emulsifying Ointment” on the container - just in case they suggest any old ointment.

If they don’t have it, ask for fifty:50 ointment which is similar.

I'm in rural Wales, she was an older doctor and obviously lots of experience. The GP suggested I went along there & said she was the woman to ask!

I had thrush for years OP and it's finally gone away. I saw a private gynaecologist about it a few times (I ended up developing vaginismus as a result). She told me that some women just have to take antifungals for years because they are so sensitive to candida, but that it will usually get better as you get older and that after a while on the antifungals your body can stop being so sensitive. That's been my experience - thrush throughout my 20s and slowly disappeared in my early 30s.

All of the yogurt, probiotic, diet stuff did absolutely nothing for me and tbh just made things more stressful. The one thing that worked all the way through was flucanozole (and when that stopped working, I took a different antifungal) so I was on it for over 5 years. I also used an emollient to wash my vulva (defo not just water, that's very drying) - stuff like e45 or aqueous cream. And I used a natural vulva moisturiser from a company called yesyesyes, which helped a lot with itchiness/dryness on the outside. I also needed to use lube when having sex, and using lots made everything feel better anyway, so I used the lubes from that company too. Like you I came off the pill (it's the oestrogen in the combined pill that's the problem) so we used condoms, so you'll want a water based lube. You can try the progesterone only pill - that's supposed to not make candida worse. If you do I strongly recommend using both the oil and water based lube together. I think the lubes also helped moisturise things too so helped with comfort more generally.

I think half the battle with thrush is not letting it get you down. It's really normal to have it for a long time and it doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. Lots of people take various bits of medication for years and that's ok. If you can, try and get to see a gynaecologist about it (your GP probably won't let you take antifungals really long term without seeing one) - I went private for mine cos I had insurance and I knew the wait would be horrendous but it was about £200 in London (happy to recommend someone if you're interested in this). It's much better to make sure it's treated than just to battle on with it (and risk vaginismus like me!). Also it will go away eventually! Good luck xx

I suffered for years and
It was only when I saw a nutritionist did we get it under control and then eradicated

I used saccromyces boulardi. We also used oregano oil supplement which I think had some success but oxytech from
Dulwich health is really good for candida

www.dulwichhealth.co.uk/product/oxytech-by-dulwich-health-180-capsules/

www.dulwichhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/OxyTech-Product-Info.pdf

You can phone both dulwich health and Nutri advanced and speak to
Them for advice

You need to cut out sugar, yeast and absolutely alcohol (because of the sugar and yeast).

A weird one but has helped my friend is to cut out entirely Citric acid. (Lemons, oranges etc but also a preservative in LOTS of things like crisps and tins of tomatoes). Also cut out fabric conditioner, just use vinegar.

Have you had your thyroid checked? My sister suffered for years until she started meds for an underactive or overactive thyroid (can't remember which). The thrush cleared up after that.

She was also diagnosed as diabetic around that time, too. But I am 90% sure it was the thyroid that caused the thrush issue.

Not very helpful, but really hoping you get it sorted soon. Mine was also monthly and really getting me down. Thankfully (touch wood) the flucanozole seems to have done the trick. The doctor who prescribed did say to go back if it didn’t work and they could try something else. Have you asked if there is anything else that can be tried if the flucanozole is not a permanent fix? It is horrible when it is every month so I feel for you.

Hope you get it sorted op. Thrush affects me if I shave my bits - I just trim it short now and it's a million times better.

Honestly try this. I had strange bout of thrush and UTI combination (that was fun!) over the summer, hadn't had it for 20 years - the antibiotics worked for a couple of weeks then it all came back. I was chatting to my lovely chemist and she said to try these probiotics and they literally sorted it within 3 days:
Optibac, probiotics for women.
Haven't had it reoccurr since - I took them every day for a month but now just perhaps once a week/fortnight as not cheap!

The reviews give a lot of info too - worth checking out

[quote kittykat818]@Carpetmoth I switched the boyfriend over to sanex 0% body wash a couple of years ago! Is there anything, in particular, that your boyfriend uses?[/quote]
We use a similar wash now so I can't help further with that (my issues were a few years ago). I know some lubricants can cause thrush in some women. Hope you manage to get it sorted.

It’s horrible OP, I really feel for you. For me, what I think fixed it was getting probiotics from drinking bone broth every morning. It’s pretty gross but I’m quite good at stomaching things if I think they’ll help. I also tried goats milk kefir which was even more disgusting. I think that helped a bit but not as much as the bone broth.

@Noodleted Thankyou! I have never spoken to someone who has been on antifungals long term, can I ask what they put you on after fluconazole as I think I do have some resistance already? Could I also ask if you were on it constantly or were you doing 6-month courses and then taking breaks and how long have you gone without getting thrush now? Sorry for all the questions!

@onwardsandupwards22 Thanks for your reply, my next step will likely be contacting a nutritionist if I can't get it under control, could I ask where your nutritionist was located how and how long you stuck to a special diet?

@Potatodrivers Yes, I had it checked a couple of years ago and all was normal, maybe I should push for my GP to do another test!

[quote kittykat818]@onwardsandupwards22 Thanks for your reply, my next step will likely be contacting a nutritionist if I can't get it under control, could I ask where your nutritionist was located how and how long you stuck to a special diet?[/quote]
No special diet, just reduced sugar where possible and took the supplements in a specific order. It was in Edinburgh but she no longer practices

I do recommend phoning dulwich health and Nutri advanced As they have nutritionists who offer free advice x