Recurrent thrush impacting my mental health

[kittykat818]

I have been plagued with thrush for over 4 years (started when I was 19 and I am 24 next month) - it all started once I started when I lost my virginity with my current partner. I tried treating it with Canesten but it returned every months so I eventually got put on a 6 months fluconazole treatment which cleared it while I took the tablets but it returned when I stopped (I have done this 6 month treatment three times now). My thrush tends to appear the week before my period - I came of the combined pill to see if this would help but the thrush still comes back every month. I have tried changing to natural toilet paper and pads (stopped using tampons) only was with an emollient and always make sure I shower after sex. I have tried dozens of different expensive probiotics and natural antifungals but nothing works. I have also tried to do the anti candida diet a few times - but I always stop around the 1-2 month mark as it makes me so miserable and I already have a few existing issues around eating. I have also had blood tests to check diabetes, thyroid, vitamin issues but they all come back saying I am in good health. The thrush makes me utterly miserable and I find myself shutting of from everyone around me including my very understanding partner who also always treats himself with the tablet and cream. The fluconazole is clearly not working and in fact is probably leading to more gut issues as it also kills good yeasts so I am terrified of taking it long term again, all I want is to live the normal life of a 23 year old!

If you do try it can you let us know how you get on? Not many share stuff like this and it helps others?

Try Vitaflora supplements. I get thrush regality due to type 1 diabetes, and these have helped a lot.

*regularly

Yes. Here's the lactulose protocol I mentioned that my naturopath gave me. I had thrush for 4 years straight (not kidding.)

I took anti fungals for those 4 years and it only got worse. This protocol is what stopped it for me. My G.P. was so impressed this worked (because long term, chronic thrush rarely goes away) that she noted down the protocol and has been giving it out to her other patients with chronic thrush.

Instructions:

Insert a probiotic into the vagina for 5 nights in a row.

(It must be a probiotic with strains with evidence for vaginal health e.g. L.rhamnosus GR1; L.fermentum RC-14; L.acidophilus NAS; L.acidophilus La5; L.rhamnosus GG. Culturelle does a good women's probiotic that contains some of these. Jarrow Formulas is another one that could work.

Lactulose is the best vaginal prebiotic (a prebiotic is something that helps the probiotics to grow). Lactulose will selectively start to grow your own L.crispatus species (L.crispatus is the species that is found in healthy, thrush-free vaginas).

It's important that you nourish and restore your own healthy vaginal ecosystem to ensure you are free of infection long term.)

Mix 2ml lactulose syrup into 8ml warm water • i.e., a 20% solution

Apply via syringe or spray before bed. Make sure you use a pad as it will come out in the night.

Nightly for 1 week; then 2-3x/week for a further 3 weeks as maintenance

I also need to mention that I had to eat sugar in moderation only, in order for the thrush to stay away long term. Now if I want chocolate, I only have a few pieces rather than the whole packet. Doctors don't talk about the food - thrush connection but the fact is, high blood sugar (even in an otherwise healthy person) feeds the yeast.

I hope this helps someone.

I use to have this for years you need to get the doctor to give you a 7 day prescription for oral treatment to treat you systemically. You must have a systemic candida infection. You are treating it vaginally but must have it in your system and one dose isn't enough to treat it.

Just use condoms, you and your dp may well be passing it back and forth. Give it chance to settle down then in a few months try without and see how it goes.

I wouldn’t worry about trying to get pregnant at this point if it isn't on the cards. Just get the candida cleared up then go for longer periods of time without condoms.

Try a broader spectrum anti fungal. Mine was called something like itrakonazole. Eating Greek yoghurt and taking a meg strength probiotic daily also helped me.

@Lochjeda I have done fluconazole/ Diflucan long term (one a week for 6 months) and it didn't seem to kick it long term! I am not sure what else to try!

@JaniieJones Hey, yes I think we will try condoms again. I am not too hopeful as we have gone long periods before without condoms and it is fine since we are both always treating ourselves, but it wont do any harm to try again!

@HermioneWeasley I have tried itraconzole short term before but never long term, how long did you use it for?

@LadyLolaRuben Yes, will post an update for sure!

@kittykat818 you've probably considered this but I had recurrent 'thrush' about 15 years ago. It took several months and visits to the doctor/nurse to realise that I didn't have thrush but was irritating the delicate skin with the harsh pressure of the water from our new power shower! I only ever use unscented 'simple' soap - shower gel isn't my friend - but am much more gentle when washing than I used to be and don't seem to be getting the same problems.

@blobby10 Hi, it is definitely thrush - have had dozens of positive swabs but thank you!

I was on it for a few months

Chocoholic, I'm really interested in your post. Can I double check the Lactulose? Is this as in the medication for constipation? So insert that?

@HermioneWeasley Thank you! Had you tried flucoznole before this? And how long have you been clear of thrush and how long had you been suffering before you tried it? Sorry for all the questions!

@kittykat818 no problem

i had tried fluconazole many times before my GP tried me on the other broader spectrum one for a longer period. It helped but didn’t cure it. I went to Gynae, GUM etc, nobody could explain it. Eating Greek yoghurt and a strong daily probiotic were what did the trick.

I had it for over a year in total and some times it was so bad the pain woke me up at night. I was so desperate I put raw garlic cloves up my fanjo because I read that kills yeast. It didn’t help and made me stink. I also tried the ironing my pants - made no difference.

OP, you need probiotic capsules. I had very similar problems to yours. I took an OptiBac Intimate Flora for Women capsule each day for a couple of weeks and it did what years of Canesten could not. Now I take one every now and again if I start to feel a bit uncomfortable. Absolute life changer.

@hazelbeach @HermioneWeasley Soo happy probitoics have worked for you both - however, I have given them a go and my doctor actually found I had too much good bacteria already :(

Hi
Only read ops posts.
So maybe Simeon has mentioned
yoghurt
One pot of natural yoghurt will sort this out.
Cut out or cutting down on sugar, chocolate, caffeine will help, but all the friendly bacteria in yoghurt will sort out that yeast production in your body.
Your body should do this but antibiotics, the pill , sugar rich diets all play apart in knocking your system off balance.

@Robin233 I have tried having a lot of live bio yogurt but haven't had much success! I am trying to avoid excess sugar (chocolate) as I definitely have a sweet tooth...

Hi op.
Sorry ti hear the yogurts didn't work. How is your diet normally?
I remember suffering in my early twenties, but did get in under control. Back then my diet was rubbish. Bare in mind sugar comes in many guises - so processed food is not great.
Try and have wholesome foods where possible. If it grows eat it , if it doesn't - avoid.
So rice very good. Cola avoid - even the artificial sweeteners- avoid.
Anything made with flour - just as bad as sugar as it's so highly processed.
And bread - the yeast is just giving you more problems.
So if your diet is cornflakes for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and breaded fish slice for tea an additional yogurt won't help..,,,....,..
How ever rice is a good alternative to bread. Potatoes, green vegetables, olive oil are much better.
I would avoid carrots , sweet corn and cauliflower, plus most fruit as these healthy foods can be high in sugar. And clothes wise let yourself breathe. Cotton pants. Avoid tight clothes/ maybe jeans but I don't ware them any way. Tights can make you sweaty all help to create the perfect breeding ground for a yeast infection.

I did 5 months of fluconazole and it changed everything for me.

I don’t have bad guts from it, I eat some live yoghurt every morning so maybe that helped.

I wear cotton knickers and replace them regularly (as in always wear clean ones, and buy new ones!)

I don’t wash with any soap or whatever down there, just water.

We have sex however we want and don’t worry about what goes where but I do always have a wee and a thorough wipe afterwards.

I don’t eat any white bread, drink beer, have much processed or refined stuff and I eat fewer sweets than I used to still eat loads of chocolate tho

Agni sympathise OP. I had thrush for 7 years around your age, 18-25. Had thrush on my engagement, wedding day, honeymoon etc. Unfortunately nothing worked and it just went when I had my first child. I do still get it sometimes but not every month like during those 7 years. I saw many consultants, had every test under the sun etc. I’m sorry 💐💐

I did end up using a canesten soft gel pessary preventatively every month, expensive but did go some way to minimise the discomfort. I did the whole no sugar diet thing too but didn’t work. I eat a shit ton of sugar now and no thrush issues so I’m not convinced by that. But when you’re in the throes of recurrent thrush, anything is worth a shot.