TMI - Pregnancy and soreness - Thrush?

[VikingLady]

Sorry if this is a bit icky, but I need advice! I'm 23w with dc1 and have been sore and prickly now for around 2 months. It feels like what you get the day before you get thrush. No goo (sorry - that's the TMI part!), just soreness and itching.

Obviously no sex is possible as a result, and am slightly concerned dh's right arm might get noticeably bigger than his left...

Is this normal? Can't bring myself to ask my mum!

I don't know if it's normal, but I have what sounds like exactly the same - soreness like thrush, but no other symptoms! I was considering going to the GP about it but is seems so minor I'm not sure about wasting his time...

Hopefully someone will be along with wisdom for us both!

Oh and I'm a few days off 23 weeks too!

You might not want to hear this, but I had thrush-like soreness from about 15 weeks (with twins, so prob about 20 week size). The doctors tested for thrush three times, leaving a week apart, and all came back clear. We came to the conclusion that it was just swelling.

I put up with it through the pregnancy and it went away after I delivered (by section). So I think it was just swelling fromthe weight of the bump.

Thanks, HappyAsASandboy. Depressing news - another 4 months of it?

HotPinkGingham I didn't want to go either. From previous experience with thrush, they just ask about goo and give you a prescription for canesten if you have it, and send you home if not. Not sure what they could do in this case, but really don't want to be prodded even more than already am...

They prodded me, and took swabs to test. All came back clear. Strangely, those three swabs were the only time anyone looked down there, as I had a planned section!

I did develop a John Wayne type waddle.

I had this for about 9wks. No sign of excess discharge, but was sore and red, but not as much as previous pre-pg thrush attacks. Turned out to be thrush and high-vaginal swabs were positive and higly populated whereas lower swabs were, but less so (in that a couple of days cream should have resolved it).
Def go and ge them done...you can use the cream and pessery (though insert with finger, not applicator). Most pharmacists will insist on a prescription (especially for the pessary), but some will give out the 1% cream.
Tips for treating:

1. Use condoms with you partner (too late for the pg lol! but it will stop him repeatedly infecting you), and check him out, see if he's got any redness/discharge etc. If you keep getting re-infected, treat him with the cream too (I'm guessing he won't fit a pessary up there! )
2. Hot wash your pants with NON-bio and hot iron the gussets (if you have the patience).
3. Don't use fabric conditioner on your pants.
4. Eating narual bio-live yoghurt might help as might cutting back on sugary foods.
5. Avoid body washes that are not gynea tested and don't use feminine deoderants/wipes etc. I use femfresh bodywash allover.
6. Same again with panytliners...avoid scented ones...and change with every toilet going. Avoid totally if possible.
7. Go commando wherever you can.
8. Avoid tights/tight jeans...you want to breathe.
9. Try and wear cotton only pants. The more natural the fibre the better.

DON'T:

1. Use the pill they can give you without drs script (you're unlikely to get one for the tablet unles you've exhausted the pessary option).
2. use tampons at all, they'll push the infection up, absorb the very fluids you want your body to be producing to flush out the infection, they act as a good home for bacteria and can make things worse, and will dry you out and will increase your risk of toxic shock considerably. I add this here, because women have been known to use tampons during pg to help with excessive discharge.

Def. go and get swabs done, as there are other things it could be other than thrush, that will need treating and if it is 'just' swelling, then, well at least you know that all it is!

Hope they give you some relief soon.

I never get discharge, just the soreness and a feeling of pressure on my cervix now as Im pregnant if that helps

Thank you Oeisha. I'll grit my teeth and go in on Monday. At least the prescription will be free...

um, I have the same problem. I'm 18+3 (with twins) and second pg, so am massive. Down below feels swollen, sore and like if I try and stop a wee mid-flow I won't be able to as I'm too swollen down there.... It's pretty awful already.

I suffered last time, with horrible awful thrush. Was swabbed to check for thrush and rule out strep B infection (dangerous if baby gets it passing down birth canal). It was thrush, and I was on 2 pessaries a week plus cream every day by the end. Sigh. Not sure if it's thrush yet this time though, as not got the typical discharge and not itchy, but got more d/c through pg so who knows. Not been to gp yet...

But if I were you, I'd go. If you can rid of it, I would!!!!!

and happyasa sandboy, I really hope this isn't it for the rest of the pg for me again... gah!!!

Im 40+5 and I've had terrible thrush for about three weeks and have had to have it treated twice, once in hospital as the extra protein it gave me in wee sample made the midwife think I might have pre eclampsia!!

I had the terrible itchiness, soreness and swolleness but no discharge so didn't think it was thrush.. Turns out the infection was higher up. Anyway, get it sorted out because for me, the thought of going into labour with a nasty case of thrush was just too horrible to contemplate! It seems to be on its way out now at last...I've been at my wits end with it, horrible stuff.

Finally given caneston pessary. Thank god. Today I can sit still. Glad I listened and went to the dr... Had to argue for it though! They wanted me to spoon yoghurt in! How, exactly? When everything is so swollen and congested down there? She finally gave in when I said that the only way of getting yoghurt up wither without the drying effects of a tampon (thanks, Oeisha) was to stand on my head whilst dh used a turkey baster...