Why am l getting thrush every month after fertile window and before period?

[EL8888]

We have been trying for 3 years with no luck. Did cycle 2 of IVF earlier in the year, transferred 2 embryos but neither worked. 1 embryo left in the freezer. Since that cycle EVERY month l get thrush in between fertile time and period. I have read somewhere it’s a hormonal thing but it’s so annoying. I’m taking probiotic tablets twice daily by solgar, trying to drink lots of water, not have too much sugar etc. But it still continues. You can set your clock by it, l have already bought some Canestan for this month!

Have you and your partner been checked for diabetes?

@lawandgin not formally but we do our BM now and again -we are both nurses. No other diabetes type symptoms

@EL8888 when you next get the symptoms get a kit to check the ph of your vagina.

The symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are similar to thrush. Bacterial vaginosis can be triggered by semen as the vagina is acidic and the semen is alkali. It changes the ph of the vagina and means dysbiotic bacteria flourishes. If the ph is higher than it's supposed to be then you can preventative use a treatment called Balance activ which changes the ph back.

Has your partner been treated for thrush as well? He could be asymptomatic but passing it onto you every month (especially as you say you're coming down with it after your FW).

I've been a recurrent thrush sufferer since I was 16 but I haven't had a single episode since March last year. I started taking the Optibac 'intimate flora for women' probiotics once a day (which definitely work - my clinic did a wet prep and said I had the most lactobacilli they'd ever seen), I started using hydromol instead of my normal body wash for washing my intimate bits (!) and stopped having baths and have opted for showers instead (this has sucked - I love a bath!). Must admit I haven't made any changes to my diet because the latter seems to have done the trick 🤞 I'm also 18 weeks pregnant now after our second FET and the steps I've taken has still kept the infections away - I was sure I'd get it again with all the hormonal changes going on, but so far so good 👍

@Gardenlady543 great idea -l am aware of them as a thing but never tried them. I did a test yesterday and most definitely said thrush. I have had BV once a few years ago and it did feel different but actually more painful than thrush. That was from scented sanitary towels, these days l stick with cotton knickers and unperfumed sanitary towels

I'm currently on Jarrow Fem Dolphilus pro-biotics to help prevent UTI's, Thrush or BV (which there seem to be a greater risk of if you are prone to them already when using progesterone pessaries vaginally during IVF/early pregnancy). @EL8888 it seems to be working for me, so maybe worth a try to see if they will help you?

But the Optibac looks to be the same proven/researched strains and it's a lot cheaper since it's UK made - so it's really good to hear from someone who's on it! @BambiOnIce80 - Did you keep taking the Optibac for women during your pregnancy?

Yep @IamnotwhouthinkIam, I'm still taking it 👍 I had an MMC with my fresh transfer last year and my consultant thought there was a chance that my potentially abnormal vaginal microbiome (based on the recurrent thrush) could have played a part in it (plenty of papers support the possibility). I'm taking no chances with this pregnancy so will keep taking it - my consultant says there's no harm in it and everything to gain.
🤞

Thanks @BambiOnIce80 - really good to know and good luck to you. I'm at high risk for loss too unfortunately, so I'm also staying on every supplement I've read can help against MC. Hopefully there's no such thing as too much lactobacilli so I'll buy some Optibac to try when my Fem Dophilus runs out!

You're welcome @IamnotwhouthinkIam and wishing you all the luck in the world 🍀🍀🍀

@IamnotwhouthinkIam thanks for the tip! I am willing to try anything. Progesterone pessaries don’t agree with me and yep lead to thrush

@EL8888 - I think you have to make sure you kill off the active Thrush first (I had to use the 500 mg Canesten pessary twice - the 2nd one a week after the 1st as unfortunately the 1st didn't completely cure it), but then taking the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 strains of oral probiotics seem to have kept it at bay for the last couple of months (despite my having to use progesterone pessaries twice a day). Hopefully it works for you too.

Before my first round of IVF l used a Canestan pessary 3 nights in a row, at the recommendation of our doctor. I might do something like that again in preparation

@EL8888 Hi girl, I was on the same boat as you for 4 years, I just couldn't see any hope as no one was able to help me, thrush every month, sometimes Canaesten didnt help, DR's couldn't help as they were only giving me the same antibiotic, blood tests normal , so were was the problem?

I have done sooo much research by my self because I couldn't stand it I have waste loat of money as the tablets and treatments for thrush are quite expensive.

So I have find the reason why it was happening to me and now I disnt get a thrush for a year!!!!

1. Guts - what you eat / eliminate cow milk, white bread, chocolate, beer
2. Drink Actimel ! - this is the only probiotic that have live culture bacteria! Everyday!
3. Eat activia - to empty your guts in full, most of the thrush is going to your vagina from the guts.
4. Is you have to have estrogen comparing to progesterone this is also the case! ( I have pcos )
5. Ask your GP for the supply of oral tablets for thrush( they gave me a supply for 6 months) and take it everytime you have a period everyday.

There is also lots of different things that causing this. But try this first for a month.

Vitamin b 12 also helps to reduce the thrush I am taking this regularly

@Ramona19 thanks for all the tips! I will bear them in mind. Just to check do you have to give up ALL chocolate, even dark?

@EL8888 do you have PCOS by any chance? I get it a lot at the same time as you and am about to start ivf. I have just been told I likely have PCO(S) and it’s a symptom afaik, consequently I’m thinking I should get myself tested for insulin resistance.

Think I’m going to ask for progesterone suppositories rather than pessaries for when I see the ivf nurse this month.

I would love to find a probiotic that helps but the last time I tried taking one I ended up with too much good bacteria and a thrush like infection (not BV).

@EL8888 I have eliminated all the chocolate @thislittlebird Yes I agree I have pcos and I had a really bad thrush!

But I have it under control now 💪🏻

@Ramona19 did you do anything in particular? I’m going to try to improve my diet and fitness in the two months leading up to ivf, will be interesting to see if I still get it.

@thislittlebird I started to drink Actimel once a day as and got my self 10 face clothes and drying my bottom parts everyday with a new cloth not using the towel that you are using for tour body.

Also when you buying intimate gel make sire the ph is no more then 3.5 ph

@thislittlebird also male cum has 7.5 ph so sometimes this can cause thrush in women :) make sure you dry your self after sex :)

@Ramona19 yeah, I don’t think the sex is the issue for us. This month we’re not doing anything because I’m having the mmr and it’s still happening. Pretty sure it’s my own body being a cow. I eat yogurt most days, but maybe I should try actimel or get back on the kefir. The good thing I like about actimel etc is it’s just a shot and doesn’t take up any time or many calories. I’ll order some and see if it improves next month.

@thislittlebird yes try Actimel as this is the only one thing that has proven L.casei cultures most of the yogurts have too much sugar in it.