Mastitis and thrush - help please

[ButteryJam]

Hi

I woke up this morning and put my LO on my breast and the pain was so excruciating I quickly pulled her off and some how managed to get pain killers down me. The pain continued and seriously it felt like being in labour

We called nhs direct who sent paramedics and they told us to see the out of hours of GP service.

Just to give a quick history, I developed mastisis a week after I gave birth and it took two full treatments to get rid of it. I also in the meanwhile caught thrush which was treated with cream. This was 4 weeks ago. Following that, I kept getting quite deep pain in my breasts but I kept putting it down to improper latch. Finally a week ago a lactation consultant diagnosed me with ductal thrush and the GP provided the treatment (flucanazole, creams for me and little one).

So when the pain came this morning I assumed it was the thrush gone worse. However when the GP checked me this morning my breast had an inflamed patch and I had some pain in my arm pit. She suggested antibiotics and I said to her, so what about the thrush? She then said ok don't have it, but my husband said he thinks I should take it, so she prescribed it. She seemed very unsure and I'm not sure what to do. Any ideas?

I did call la lache league and they put me in touch with local consultants but none of them are available and I have.no idea what to do. My LO is also refusing to take a bottle

I have no idea what could be causing your problems. sorry. Try the nct and the association of breast feeding mothers. They might have someone in your area who could see you. Anti biopics won't help thrush, will make it worse. Are you taking probiotics? Cut out yeast products from your diet. Hot wash all underwear. I struggled for weeks with thrush and it was awful but we got through somehow. sorry I can't be more help. (((Hugs)))

If you have a bacterial mastitis you need to take the antibiotics. You don't want it to spread and even cause something worse, like a sepsis. Do you have a fever and/or feel very unwell in yourself?

I'd take a probiotic and continue to use the creams on your nipple and baby's mouth throughout the antibiotic therapy.

If, when you've finished the course of antibiotics, you still have symptoms of ductal thrush, then you need to continue treatment with the fluconazole.

It is true that antibiotics create the environment for thrush to take hold but if you have a bacterial infection in your breast, it needs to be treated as a priority in my opinion.

I've been in your situation and it felt like it was one thing after another, and so many contradictory tasks but if you just keep going on with the treatment you will get on top of things. I thought I'd not breastfeed past 6 weeks and I ended up doing it for a year. Ten of those months were uneventful and my memories are happy ones. If you'd have told me that during those early days when I was crying with the pain of it, I would not have believed you.

Maryann, thanks I will try

Feedthebirds, thank you! I don't have a fever but I do feel poorly, it doesn't help that I've hardly had any sleep.

Is it possible to take antibiotics along side flucazonle? The dr didn't say I should drop flucazonole

I have just taken the anti biotic as the area is quite red. Now trying to get hold of a lactation consultant who can advise me!

I never did take the 2 together but that's not to say you can't. I'm sure your GP would have flagged up if it was a problem. I think I wanted to be sure the symptoms weren't just being caused by the bacterial mastitis before committing to a course of fluconazole. In the end I needed 2 or 3 courses of the fluconazole after I'd completed the antibiotics. Then I was fine. Baby seemed unaffected throughout and I never saw any white spots in her mouth, but I did keep going with the treatment in her mouth throughout the whole time.

As MaryAnn said, hot washes and I even added vinegar. Wrecks your clothes and spoils pretty babygros but hey ho.

Lactation consultant should be able to give you some good advice.

Feed, thank you so much!

Were you able to feed LO on that side? After the episode this morning I don't have the courage. But with her refusing to take a bottle I don't know what to do

I think I did, yes, because I was told I needed to keep draining the breast to help the infection clear. It was seriously painful but I was still on post op analgesia from c section which helped a bit.

Thanks feed. I'm going to try and give it a try today, wish me luck!