7 months think I have thrush, can I treat or no I need to see the doc ??

[peppermintpig]

I've searched the archives and think I have thrush. I've never had anything like it but very very very itchy down there mainly on outside of vagina and around the opening (tmi!) Its driving me nuts. All books say you must see the doc if pregnant.

I am absolute stuttering wreck with docs. Can't even imagine SAYING the word vagina to him out loud (am nearly 40 for gods sake!!)

What would you do ?!

I've had thrush a lot in the past & I've never seen the doctor about it. I've always treated it myself with Canesten cream. I know you're supposed to see a doctor but I've always been far too embarrassed, even after giving birth & losing all of my dignity!

I had it week 6 of my pregnancy, for the first time ever in my life. I assumed it was thrush (creamy white-ish discharge and ITCHING like mad - sorry about tmi).

I went to see the doctor and just said I thought I had a yeast infection, he has me if it was "down there" and prescribed me a vaginal tablet "clotrimazole".
I also used canesteen cream which was recommended by him but I had to swear on my unborn baby's life that I had seen the GP otherwise she wouldn't have given it to me.

Go to see your GP, it's common, especially in pregnancy and there is nothing to be ashamed of.
Plus it's not gonna go on its own and the cream is really effective at stopping the itchiness..

The midwife told me to expect to get it again, I'm almost at 12 weeks now and only had it once, hoping she's wrong!

Hi i have had thrush quite a few times in previous pregnancies and have always got the canestan cream and the pessary that you can buy together in a pack from the chemist. It really works and after about a day it seems to almost be gone. The cream doesn't really work that well by iktself so would highly recommend the pessary to. hope this helps

Get some Threelac they sell it at candidafree.co.uk and lots of places on net (I am officially thrush/yeast expert!)...it really works...and totally safe. it's a probiotic that attacks yeast.

I was told that in pregnancy the cream would be unlikely to shift it, and that the canesten (or similar) pessary was best. You can buy it from the chemists, or if you can bear to go to the GP, of course the prescription would be free. Your midwife could also prescribe I think.

I've used a pessary three times in this pregnancy and it usually clears it up in a day - the cream is handy just to soothe the area while the tablet is working. Got Caneston pessery on script and over the counter when I could wait to see the DR.

i'd go to the gp. it's probably thrush and the pessary is safe to use if it is, but i think i read somewhere that some infections can cause early labour, so if you haven't had thrush before it's probably safer to check that's what it is.

thrush is not going to bring early labour. Canesten is fine. It is better to go to the doctor because you never know what you may have, some women get genital herpes, and whilst it is okay if you have it on your lips ( I mean harmless for your unborn child), it can be bad if you have it around genital area. And symptoms are similar. Also another good point to see a doctor and ask for a swab is that they may pick upo IF you have it GBS; which does not have any symptoms but if you have it they will monitor you closely when you are giving birth. BecaUSE baby can pick it up and it is dangerous for the newly born. If you have herpes first time in you life whilst you are PG, especially genital, it can be fatal to a newborn.
I do not mean to scare you, but when I got a herpes virus on my lips I immediately went to see a doc.
It is better to be safe than sorry, go to the GP

good luck, I am sure it is nothing serious as it was in my case

peppermintpig - As the others have said, canesten pessary and cream are safe to use in pregnancy, but you may have to get DP to get it from the chemist and not to say you are pregnent as they usually dont sell it to a pregnant women

The main danger from herpes is if you have an outbreak during labour when baby may come into contact with the lesion,and the most dangerous is with a first attack as baby does not have any antibodies against it and so there is a high risk of fetal infection. Quite a small risk in subsequent infections as baby has shared your antibodies from previously.

However, your itching could also be down to the extra blood flow around the vulval area or even vulval varicosities, both of which can be horribly itchy and canesten will not help that. This is more likely in later pregnancy (dont know how many weeks you are!).

Remember that you can always see your m/w and ask her to have a check to see if you have thrush - in my opinion, most GPs will just take your word and give you the canesten without checking. Also, you dont really have to say the 'v' word - most m/w and GPs understand 'down below' or 'my bits' etc

oops - just noticed 7 months sorry! Yes, could be increased bloodflow to the tissues then.

The chemist refused to sell me anything, so I rang the doctor and they kindly prescribed over the phone (and I got it for for free with my maternity wotsit card!) - I got canestan pessaries - exactly what Boots wouldn't sell, but I guess they're just being cautious.

Thank you for the replies everyone - my computer died just after posting.

Did go to the docs and thankfully old male doc had the flu and fab female doc instead. Was thrush - was prescribed pessary & cream and cleared up within 24 hours!! Blessed relief!

Just posting incase anyone else had the same question and as I feel so mature going to the docs with a 'front bottom' problem!!!!