Nipples still not right (5 years) after bf

[Nontoxic]

Feel embarrassed at leaving it this long - but things I've read here recently have made me wonder if it might be thrush (I've always found gps to be pretty clueless when it comes to skin problems).

My gp, when it first flared up, said it was eczema and gave me steroid cream - used it for about 2 weeks and the worst of the itchiness and flakeyness went but didn't clear up entirely.

They're still very soft and sensitive, and still pink rather than the flesh colour they were, and they often itch, so I have to still use breastpads. At worst, they go very red and itchy around the aureola.

any suggestions?

I don't know what it is but if i were you I would go straight back to the GP and get checked out.

Are you embarrassed to go?

If so as the wife of a paramedic I can tell you that they will have seen far more revealing parts of someone that same day.

hope you get it sorted

You don't think the breast pads are making it worse do you?

I say this, because I always found breast pads rather sweaty (until I changed to washable ones) which could aggravate thrush or another fungally thing!

Yes you're right noonki - I was hoping to be able to sort it with otc stuff - seems every time I go to the docs lately it's something embarrassing.

And thanks gandb, but I do use washables as I found disposables made me more sensitive.

yes noonki is right

try not to feel too embarrassed

honestly, all of us, post kids trot along to the doctor and have to show him/her various body parts we've probably managed to keep covered up for years!

I think in one year we went there with worms, vaginal itching, sore willy (all the children) and worms, piles and a birth cut to the vagina that wasn't healing (err yours truly).

I was beginning to think I was never going to be able to look any of them in the eye again!

good luck with it...and don't be frightened to keep going back if the first cream they give you doesn't work. You need to get it sorted.

You probably have, but have you tried Canesten cream? If that didn't help then it's maybe not thrush.

Canesten burned actually, so yes prob not.

Will make appt. forthwith.