Thrush - I think?!

[LottieLou3]

Looking for some advice if anyone has had any experience of this, I’ll detail my story so far below

So… end of July I started to get some discomfort down there. Hasn’t been diagnosed with thrush before and didn’t have any white discharge but just a sore/burning sensation (not when peeing but all the time). Was going away for the weekend so bought a pill OTC. A week later it hadn’t gone and was getting worse. I called the doctors they tested my pee and did a swab - nurse said it looked like thrush. Doctors have me fluconazole x3 to be taken 72hours apart. Swab results actually came back clear but took all the tablets and everything g was good again. 10 days after taking the last pill it started again :( I called the doc and he’s given me fluconazole 1 a week for 6 months. This was a week ago and it’s just not getting better. It’s just a constant burning. It’s so uncomfortable and I just don’t know what to do :( I feel like the doc is running out of ideas and I just want something to soothe the burning but will not try and old wives tales through fear of making things worse.

Has anyone had anything similar?

@LottieLou3 Look up Lichen Sclerosis 's website. Get back to me if anything sounds familiar

Hey
I have come across this when aimlessly googling!
I haven’t observed any white patches as the symptoms suggest and not sure whether these can be internal?
All my symptoms are internal - just a constant burning.
Maybe something I’ll suggest to my doctor.
I need to ask what they tested for in my swab, whether it was just thrush or they looked for anything else.

@LottieLou3, hi. Is your burning sensation accompanied by peeing more than normal/any bladder urgency? I had a similar sensation to you last year, but my swabs also came back clear. They diagnosed it as BV which wasn't showing up on swabs and treated it with metronidazole. Could you look into BV?

I've also had thrush and found that otc tablets (did you take clotrimazole?) can cause something called 'candida die off', where symptoms get worse before they get better as the infection doesn't want to leave! That could be something to think about.

I hope you're feeling better now It's such an annoying sensation.

Thanks so much for your replies

I started taking fluconazole once a week (prescription for 6 months). I’ve been ok most of the time but after ovulation notice the burning sensation return.

I had my appointment with the gynecologist which was an absolute disaster. Got the appointment through then realised I’d be on my period that day. Called the gyn reception and they said it wouldn’t be a problem ( I wasn’t so sure!). Went for the appointment, dr went to examine me and then said the flow was too heavy and it would be pointless. He had an awful bedside manner too. I felt so stupid. I must have been referred to a service they out source called Health Harmonie. Was honestly awful.

So yeah I’m going round in circles. Feeling better then it comes back! I have some multigyn gel stuff that treats BV. And thrush. Not sure it’s doing much though!

I wish it would just go! I get the usual speel from the dr about not using s soaps and perfumes etc. I’ve never done that anyway it’s just come from nowhere! Xx

Hi @LottieLou3 I have the exact same symptoms as you and have been treated for thrush etc. Comes and goes it's awful. My gp now thinks it's low estrogen caused by the pill I was put on at the same time all my issues started

Been back to the doctor for a triple swab. Again no signs of any infection.

My vagina is almost constantly sore. Paracetamol etc. doesn’t impact.

Have a phone call with the doctor again tomorrow. Really hoping for something to at least point in the direction of the cause but I feel doubtful. Or failing that take away the pain :(

Hi Lottielou. Poor you! I've posted you before cos I know how frustrating it can be. If you can bear it try to go back to gynae, or failing that try the GUM clinic at your local hospital. There must be someone who can help. Would you be able to go privately? If it is candida albicans could you search online, and maybe modify your diet?
I wish I knew how to help. It can make you so miserable.
Let me know what happens

Can I ask how old you are @LottieLou3 ?

What I thought was recurrent thrush was actually one of the 1st signs of peri menopause when I looked back on it - I was about 35 at the time, which is early but still possible.

I suffered so bad with repeated thrush after DD was born. It went on for about 2 years with no help from GP. I was taking fluconazole for fun.

I bought this

www.canesten.co.uk/discover-canesten-products/canesflor-probiotics-for-vaginal-use

And I've not had thrush since! It's like a probiotic course for the vag and it was like a miracle cure for me.

Worth a go OP. Think I had some imbalance going on and this put things straight.

Thank you. I have an appointment with the gp next week for her to examine me. Hopefully I’ll get some answer. She has said to stop taking fluconazole. She’s also given me an old style antidepressant for the pain.

If I get nowhere this time I will consider going privately. I’ve never had thrush confirmed so an feeling doubtful that this is the cause.

Hi - this is what I’m starting to worrying about. I am 32 - getting married (finally) in April and hoping to try for children. Will ask the doctor for some tests if nothing else found.

I’ve had this. Never actually had the swab but the thrush treatments did nothing but make it worse. Taking D-Mannose seems to help.

I had this type of recurring infection a few years ago. It turned out to be bv. A week of metronidazole and it was gone. A bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel might help the pain to ease.

I've got the burning too and assuming thrush having been prone to it before. That's bad enough but because everything is sore, it hurts to pee. Not like a uti, only the bit near the skin if you know what I mean. Very uncomfortable but no urgency like a uti. If using the external cream, it reduces some of the pain when peeing but it's driving me nuts. Now on hols armed with just about everything you can think of so I can hold out until I get back home.

Get a private test for ureaplasma/mycoplasma it can cause chronic thrush/bv xx

So just to update - this all started in July and I’ve had times where the burning sensation disappears then comes back with vengeance.

I’ve had 3 swabs at 3 different times. The first two were done by the nurse at my local practice. The gp had sent me for them and ref to gynecologist ( waste of time - see previous post). When the burning came back again I called the docs and happened to get an appointment with an amazing gp would happened to diagnose me with whooping cough 18 months before when 5 other doctors in the same week hadn’t picked it up!

Anyway, she examined me and said the v top of my vagina did look sore and inflamed. She did other swab just to check for different strains of thrush. I got my results yday and nothing was found. However, she said she would prescribe a kind a topical oestrogen. I immediately panicked thinking this is pre-menopause and I’m 32!! But she reassured me it’s not related at all. It’s probably that I did have an infection and that disrupted the balance down there. Oestrogen has really restorative properties and can just help bring everything back to normal.
Funnily enough when I got home I turned on the tv and This Morning was on - there was a doctor on there advising women who have vaginal soreness to ask there gp for oestrogen pessary - especially menopausal woman. She was saying so many women suffer in silence and are commonly misdiagnosed with thrush when oestrogen could fix the problem.

Might be something worth trying or looking into if you are suffering. I’m going to pick up my prescription today.

This sounds like me
35, and monthly bouts of thrush that I am managing with copious amounts of clotrimazole, flucanazole, multigyn, probiotics etc
It goes and then just comes back again

It’s getting to the point where I’m scared to have sex

It’s been about 9 months of this now and I don’t know what to do next

I think il ask for the oestrogen

www.uhcw.nhs.uk/download/clientfiles/files/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/Women%20and%20Children_s/Gynaecology/116784_Low_Dose_Vaginal_Oestrogen_Therapy_(2045)_Sept_2017.pdf

Try aqueous cream to wash with OP. Also have you had your urine tested?

Been meaning to update this thread
I used the oestrogen pessary everyday for 4 weeks in the evening. At the end of the 4 weeks I’ve dropped down to twice a week. I noticed the soreness came back mildly and called the doctor as the pessery cream had run out. She’s just given me a new prescription (4 tubes so should last a while) and said use it a few times a week and that I might find eventually I just don’t need to use it.
It’s honestly made such a difference and I’d definitely say try it if you’re experiencing any of these issues.