thrush!

[fanjodisfunction]

I'm 12 weeks pg and have really bad thrush, I've tried to get in contact with my midwife but she's not answering. And before I try and get an appointment with a GP, thought I would ask the Mumsnet collective.

So please what can I take?

Canesten pessary and cream- was prescribed it by my dr in the first trimester.

Canesten cream - have had it prescribed in previous pregnancies.

Also loose cotton pants, dont use scented soaps etc in that area (use a ph neutral soap) and should clear up soon

Thanks ladies, I do have some caneston.

Ugh, got so much thrush in the first and second trimester! I was told that the pessary was NOT okay though, so do check with the pharmacist or even better a GP before you use it. I used the canesten cream, which wasn't as effective as the tablet / pessary but worked in a bit. Good luck!

I was prescribed the pessary when in first trimester.. but that was 6 years ago so maybe advice has changed

I had the pessary when I was pregnant 3-4 years ago. The GP had to prescribe it as the pharmacist refused to sell it to me over the counter. The GP gave me a repeat prescription. Unfortunately I suffered from thrush from week 12 right up until birth, but as soon as DD was born it vanished.

I got thrush after giving birth! Natural remedy is to slather natural bio yoghurt on the affected area - it "gobbles up" the bad bacteria apparently - bit messy tho

Yoghurt really!

RE the pessary. I wasn't able to buy it over the counter, but GP said this was because pharmacists are very cautious about giving anything to pregnant women without a prescription. I'm now 34 weeks, so was given it very recently (in my 9th week i think) and then when i got thrush again, i purchased it from amazon. I asked GP when she prescribed it to me wether it was safe all through pregnancy (had it a couple of times when pg with DS1) and she said it was fine right up until my waters went.

You can definately use pessary and cream in pg, I have been prescribed them in last pg and current one. You shouldn't use the applicator with the pessary though, just put in manually.

You may need to repeat several times though, can be hard to clear in pg, so another reason to get via gp and have on repeat prescription. If you want to buy over the counter, don't tell the pharmacist you're pregnant!

I had thrush so many times during my second pregnancy. The pharmacist would not sell me anything but the GP prescribed the cream and pessary each time.

This is probably way TMI but the first instance of thrush was around 17 weeks and the only symptoms I had was intense and unbearable itching, no discharge at all. Because of this the GP did a swab to confirm that it was indeed thrush. The swabs confirmed it but they also confirmed Group B Streptococcus was present which changed the birth plan and left me with a lot to think about. So I say see your GP!

I was prescribed the pessary on Tues and I'm 11 weeks gone. Best see your doc if you're concerned though.

I was prescribed the pessary about 6 weeks ago at 30 weeks by my GP. You might be better off going straight to your GP rather than your midwife anyway as I don't think mw can prescribe anything for you.

Definitely make an appt to see your GP. I've had thrush for the past 6 weeks thanks to some antibiotics. I was given three pessaries to use three nights in a row.

They didn't work for me and I've been managing it with Canesten cream. It has got better though.

I saw GP last week and was given 9 pessaries to use, i was told it's very hard to get rid of because it feeds off of pregnancy hormones.

So definitely go and see a GP before it gets any worse. And hopefully the pessaries will work for you.

Thanks ladies, have made a GP appointment for tomorrow. I've got some caneston so I'm using that at the mo.

Flame me if you want cos I wasn't happy when I heard this either - but the only thing that's calmed my almost constantly reoccurring thrush is...cutting down on sugary things

I was told that too. Is it bad that I'd rather put up with it than give up the sugar?