Periods and thrush.. help 😐

[AttwoodBerryDee]

I've namechanged so this can't be linked to my other threads/posts.

I'm having real trouble with thrush every time I have my period. It seems to turn up in the last couple of days of my period and then sticks around until its treated, next period comes along and I'm in the same boat.
I use reusable/washable underwear as sanitary products seem to trigger it off (and also make me generally itchy).

Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do to prevent it? I'm bloody miserable, itchy and sore. I use canesten etc to treat it every time.

I was sexually assaulted last year and contracted herpes as a result and the thrush has then kicked off recurrences of the herpes which makes me even more bloody miserable. So I need to get on top of it!

Just bumping..🫥

Have you seen the GP about it, and had things like your blood sugars checked?

How awful for you and I'm sorry that happened to you.

I like the MultiGyn products better than canestan. The BV gel (which says it is not for Thrush) helps me every time I get a niggle and it keeps it at bay.

Have you tried using a menstrual cup? Might keep things cleaner? That combined with a cream on the outer parts might stave it off.

I use a cup and washable pads for the heavy days (the pads just catch the odd tiny leak). Then the rest of the days, the cup lasts the whole day and I can just have cotton pants to keep things fresh.

I used to get thrush every period, until I switched to a cup, no more thrush.

Tincture of myrrh is very soothing. You need five to seven drops in a cup of cold water and apply a compress.

Yes, bloods all seem to be fine. They don't seem to have any other option than canesten 🤐

I have tried a cup years ago but I couldn't get on with it. I do wonder if it was too big though. Just felt like I was laying an egg! What cups would you recommend?

LENA or a SAALT cup on Amazon? Get two sizes if needs be.

And also it felt like that because you probably didn't push it in far enough. You need to fold it in half lengthways, push in half way, let it open up then tuck in but not as far up as a tampon. I trimmed the tail off half way.

It does take getting used to but theoretically there's nothing down there to get funky which will be what is causing the thrush. Coupled with a thrush cream you'll be grand.

amzn.eu/d/fcuDlHF

Which Canestan? The cream is soothing, but I find the pessary is needed for an outbreak, and a fluconazole tablet. Also, avoiding sugary foods because that tends to exacerbate things.

I have a Hey Girls cup, but you might need to explore different sizes and makes - I think some are more flexible than others, which may make using them easier or not. We are all different, so different cups are likely to suit different women for their anatomy. I think it takes a couple of periods or so to get used to them, so a bit of persistence can be helpful.

Have you tried Natracare or Yoni pads at all? (Or just reuseable cotton ones.) They are predominantly natural ingredients so less likely to be irritant. Avoid smelly Always (or any other scented brand) at all costs.

Thanks all. I'll try a cup next time. Fingers crossed 🤞 (and hopefully this bout of thrush will fuck off very soon)

I had this when I got the implant, I think I had some hormonal sensitivity perhaps

I'm not on any contraception (men can fuck off) but my hormones are definitely raging all the time so I quite agree it could be down to this as well!

Canasta might help for mild external thrush, but it's pretty crap if it's internal too. Can get a dose of fluconazole for thrush at most chemists - about £10. That should sort it out.

You can get a joint canestan packet that comes with a flucanazole tablet and a tube of cream. Or a pessary and cream. They don't just do the cream.

@AttwoodBerryDee how are you getting on?

Hi @IsAWindingRoad ☺️

Well it turned out I actually had a skin infection, so I was put on another course of antibiotics on top of super duper cream. So the thrush treatment (pessary and cream) were ineffective because it was actually an infection 🫤.

I got a Lena cup and I can't get it to seal where it needs to, placed it high, low, just not happening. Getting it in and out is not brilliant, I think with everything thats happened it's SO sensitive that any "fiddling" around just immediately aggravates it. Its quite possibly a bit of a trauma response.
I'm on my period again using pants. I feel a bit upset about it all and I don't really know what to try next 😔

I took the putacupinit quiz and they recommended the lena cup so it was a good suggestion!