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Original poster

Living with constance thrush!

56 replies

Leonora94 · 18/02/2023 20:58

It’s driving me mad. Ever since my second daughter was born (2 years ago) I basically live with constant thrush.

I can’t quite believe it’s been two years. I saw a gynaecologist about a year ago who just said “you’ve got thrush” (…I know!) and gave me canenstan, who I should probably buy shares in at this point. It’s particularly bad after sex, and is now impacting my sex life with DH as I cba with the flare up. The symptoms get better but it’s almost like the thrush never really goes away. If I dare to even wipe instead of pat with loo roll, thrush for 4 days! Basically nothing and no one (including me) can touch my fanny and it’s starting to make me miserable!

I do have the Marina coil and read it could be that….Will be ringing the doctor on Monday as it’s gone on too long but wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience?

OP posts:
Queenshandbag · 18/02/2023 22:57

I had constant thrush after having to take lots of antibiotics for sinus and wisdom teeth infections. I worked out that I also had Candida which affects your stomach. It’s worth googling the symptoms to see if you’ve got any of them and not just the thrush. I was prescribed Fluconazale but it stopped working. I managed to get rid of it by going on a really strict low carb, no sugar diet for six months and taking lots of probiotics. It was quite tough but it did work. I ended up seeing a dietician to help me with diet. Hope you manage to get it sorted out. Xx

MaggieFS · 18/02/2023 23:03

Ooh, not horrible to me. I think she sounds like a quiet and understated but successful and determined heroine.

user1477249785 · 18/02/2023 23:07

Boomboom22 · 18/02/2023 22:33

@user1477249785 how much salt? As in table salt not Epsom salts?

Yep regular table salt. This was about five years ago now so I can't remember exactly but I reckon it was like half a cup or something. Quite a lot. I no way believed it would work but amazingly it did.

MissMaple82 · 18/02/2023 23:33

More likely BV than thrush

Happy4free · 18/02/2023 23:59

Hi
Yes I've suffered constant thrush for many many years! Eventually being prescribed fluonazole once a week ongoing kept it at bay. However you can't keep taking that for years.
I was cured once my mirena coil was removed! Hormonal birth control doesn't agree with everyone, looking back years ago I was on th jasmine oral contraceptive which now has listed thrush as a side effect, at the time I was on it my GP said it had nothing to do with it. From my experience I wouldn't recommend these sugar free diets before removing hormonal birth control, it was a life saviour for me. I suffered for 16 years so completely understand your frustration! Xx

sciencedoesntlie · 19/02/2023 00:14

Leonora94 · 18/02/2023 21:46

Oh that’s interesting I didn’t realise you could get it over the counter, maybe I’ll ask for a blood sugar test as well. I didn’t get on well with the pill at all, which is why I really don’t want it to end up being down to the coil - it’s the only contraception that doesn’t make me a hormonal mess.

I had persistent thrush/bv and uti's with the coil it was a nightmare

liveforsummer · 19/02/2023 00:59

You can buy the meds far cheaper from online pharmacies rather than buying over the counter from the likes of boots fwiw. You need to do a form and an online dr prescribes

Nat6999 · 19/02/2023 05:04

A few years ago I was the same, constant prescriptions, always itchy & sore. I ended up going to the sexual health clinic, when I saw the doctor I was in tears & when she went to examine me she took one look & said she wasn't going to do the speculum examination as she could see it was too painful. She prescribed me canestan steroid cream, extra strong pessaries, the oral tablet for a week & local anaesthetic cream to numb the pain. She said she could see my skin breaking down with the thrush, my skin was tearing just from moving around. I had to start with the cream & the oral tablets & once I had finished with the tablets use the pessaries for another week & if I thought it hadn't cleared to go back straight away. She also recommended using salt or Epsom salts in plain water in the bath, only warm water, not boiling hot & to use aqueous cream once I had finished all the medication & no sex for at least 6 weeks.

tanqueray10 · 19/02/2023 05:56

You poor thing OP! It sounds a total utter nightmare.
I definitely second getting some oral treatment to get rid of it properly. Once you’ve got on top of it Optibac probiotics for women has kept my recurrent thrush away for the past few years. Hope you can get it sorted x

Dogsgottabone · 19/02/2023 07:35

I was the same after having children, I even had it on my breasts and both babies caught it breast feeding. That wasn't fun treating their mouths too.

I was given a three month course of flucanazole. One a day for a week and then one a week for three months.

I still got thrush every now and then but not nearly as often or as painfully.

Original poster
Leonora94 · 19/02/2023 07:50

I am probably eating too much sugar, I blame back to back Christmas and Birthdays, but agree should really cut down/out completely.

Think I’m going to go down the prescribed route with the GP, will try salt baths, cutting sugar and probiotics. If it still persists I’ll get the coil removed.

I’m committed to getting it sorted this year, it’s gone on too long.

OP posts:
stepstepstep · 19/02/2023 07:56

I had the same OP for two years after DC2 - it seems like a small thing but after 2 years of feeling constantly uncomfortable it can really get you down. For me, having the mirena removed worked like magic.

Original poster
Leonora94 · 19/02/2023 07:57

Both my babies also caught it off me when they were born! We had to give them tong drops. I remember being sad about it with my PFB.

I do think, as with lots of vagina/womb specific illnesses, it’s often not had proper research/investment spent on medicine. I’m annoyed at myself for putting up with it for so long!

OP posts:
Original poster
Leonora94 · 19/02/2023 08:07

I’ve just seen the mistake in my thread tittle, I didn’t understand your comment before 😂 Constance thrush is a bitch, who feels she is above everyone.

OP posts:
MumofSpud · 19/02/2023 08:10

I used to get thrush a lot and found what helped is looking at what I was eating - if I was having a lot of processed food for example that seemed to trigger it -
Other triggers:
Fruit juice made from concentrate (found this out after drinking cocktails Sad)
pineapple (tinned / juice but fresh is ok!)
Nutella on white bread - even one slice it's not worth the discomfort after SadSad

CosyCoffee · 19/02/2023 08:29

Constance Thrush is a heinous cowbag and a notorious fannylodger.

She loves sugar so cut it out as best you can and work on your gut bacteria, she hates stuff like kimchi and live yogurt. Hope you manage to LTB x

chartreuseabuse · 19/02/2023 08:31

I had this and one GP tested my zinc levels as she had read this could lead to repeated thrush. Sure enough they were very low. She prescribed a multi vitamin with zinc but I read that I'd need to take a much higher dose so bought my own zinc tablets (and ate oysters and other zinc rich food abundantly). My zinc levels were rechecked after a few months and were normal, the thrush was completely resolved. This was after two years of constant suffering.

lurchermummy · 19/02/2023 08:59

I'm sorry to derail your thread and sorry about your concerns, but can I just say that Constance Thrush sounds like a delightful cheery character from Lark Rise to Candleford?

SwordToFlamethrower · 19/02/2023 09:30

I was treating for thrush as I was getting it all the time and it turned out to be bacterial vaginosis. I got one of those tests in boots which confirmed it. Was given a course of antibiotics and it cleared it up.
I also take probiotics tablets. Get the strongest you can. About £20.
Stress and sex flares it up. First time having BV.

I am 12 weeks post partum and had it about 5 times during pregnancy and again after.

Lowering the amount of sugar and cutting out all fungus helped too.

That includes bread and alcohol, not just actual mushrooms

Original poster
Leonora94 · 19/02/2023 09:43

thanks, I’ve had it tested in the past it’s thrush not BV. Will let you know what the GP suggests tomorrow x

OP posts:
fleurdelee · 19/02/2023 10:12

What effect does the coil have?
I have been having crazy itching... and thought it was perimenopause

fleurdelee · 19/02/2023 10:13

Hbradley · 18/02/2023 21:50

I was like that for years and was just using the pessaries to treat it and it never properly cleared. I then took the oral tablet and it was sorted just like that. I wish doctor had suggested earlier.
have you tried oral tablet?

Are these over the counter?

fleurdelee · 19/02/2023 10:15

han01uk · 18/02/2023 22:33

Try Wellgard Vitaflora supplements, help the good vaginal bacteria. I am diabetic and prone to thrush with high blood sugars, do you eat sugary foods, you're not undiagnosed type 2 diabetic? Cut down the sugar, try the supplements, they have really made a big difference for me.

Do these help with all gut flora? Or just the yeasty type?
I think my gut is a bit buggered generally. Too much sugar etc

han01uk · 19/02/2023 10:22

@fleurdelee no these are specifically designed for vaginal flora, I'm sure wellgard do a gut flora one though

Epwell · 19/02/2023 10:35

Try grapefruit seed oil. No idea how or why it works but it does.