Thrush - monthly?

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For the last 6 months or so I have been getting thrush in the week leading up to my period. If I can bear to, I leave it be, and it clears up with my period. If it is annoying, then I to go the chemist and do the pessary thing. However, it still come back same time next month.

TMI - it isn't loads of discharge, but is sore and itchy. DP and I use condoms, so he isn't passing it back to me.

I have even cut out chocolate and other sweet stuff in case that is causing it, but back it comes.

Is it common to have cyclical thrush and can I do anything about it apart from spending £10 a month?

I suffered from this for years - literally.

Being on the pill is one contributing factor, which was one of the (many) reasons why dh had a vasectomy.

It's also worth considering your diet on a permament basis, not just when you're suffering. This really made a difference to me. Basically you need to really cut down/out refined carbs (wheat, sugar, yeast, alcohol)

Don't suffer, though - take Diflucan (or a Boots cheaper alternative), or use a Canestan pessary/cream.

You have my sympathies!

are you doing all the right things with regard to not using perfumed soap, shower gel, bubble bath, talc etc? Keep to cotton underwear, try not to wear jeans too tight etc?

You caould see your doc which would hopefully cost less in prescription charges per month than what you are currently spending.

Google Candida overgrowth - its really a common symptom of a systemic yeast overgrowth. You'll need to do a sugar / yeast / mushroom / cheese free diet for a few months and take probiotics / anti fungals such as oregano or caprylic acid

it is really common for it to be linked with cylce IME

Cyclical thrush is very common- the pH of your vagina changes throughout your cycle and the week before a period is the time that encourages candida growth the most.

See your GP about it- I usually give patients a couple of pessaries and cream or capsules for each cycle and give 3 months at a time to keep prescription costs down.

Thanks ladies - shame there are so many experts on this . Grr, being a woman is a pain sometimes.

Before my last pg, I used to feel very lucky I had never had thrush. I got it very badly when I was pg, and it feels like I won't ever get rid of it for good now .

I am doing the cotton undies, no perfumed stuff, and my diet is pretty low in refined sugar etc. However, I did do the total anti candida diet a few years ago and I found I very hard to manage with a busy life and other people to cook for...

I shall visit the GP with my sorry and common tale and see if I can at least get some help with the cost of it. Is there any hope in thnking that the quicker you treat it the less likely it is to return? Is the pessary or the tablet the best form of treatment?

What sort of probiotic would you recommend?

tis hormonal.....a bugger, but tis your hormones!!!

I got it all the way thro my pregnancys with my girls, yet not with my boys.

I still suffer now too!!!

Interesting thread this - thanks for starting it - since I also get regular thrush. It drives me nuts!

I use the high dose oral capsule that you buy over the pharmacy counter. The non-branded version is way cheaper than Canesten and works just as well.

I have used the pessaries and also the high dose 10% Canesten cream in a pre-filled applicator before and have to say that although they worked I do get awfully messy down there with increased discharged. This made me feel worse rather than better, so my GP recommended the oral capsule.

Hope this helps.

Cut out alcohol for that week too.

Go to a good health food shop and get some acidophilus. If it's a good shop they will keep it in the fridge.

Don't use Yakult or Actimel, as they are full of sugar, which will not help you at all.

make sure the probiotic you get has 4 billion PLU lactobacillus acidophilus per capsule, anything less is just a waste of money. you can get cheap ones, but they only have a few million per capsule.

also, this sounds bizarre but helps = break open a capsule of them and put contents into vagina with some live yoghurt. it is the lactobacillus acidophilus in the vagina that create the lactic acid that keeps candida in check, so you need a hefty dose to help get the balance correct again.

if you have smelly discharge, you can also use pure aloe vera gel with a drop of tea tree oil, or the Femigel is very good.

Ta again! I don't drink very often so that bit should be simple

It has cleared up now of course, but I think I may book a pre-emptive appt with my GP for next month. I suspect though that they may not give me stuff on prescription - they are quite tight like that.

Can you remember the name of the otc oral remedy? Do any high stret names sell the good quality lactobacillus stuff? Oh, and thanks for the tip Puffy