3 years chronic recurring thrush

[Pinkhamster2013]

Sorry for long post but I am at a complete loss with my vagina. I am 22 and for the last 2/3 years had recurrent thrush, a couple times a month and often for weeks at a time. Right now I have had thrush for about 3 weeks straight.

I am on desogestrel contraceptive pill.
At first bf (of over 3 years) and I noticed that I sometimes get a bad reaction to him cumming in me, as I often got thrush after he came in me. My thrush has gotten way way worse in the last 6 months, even though he has completely stopped cumming in me and we always use condoms now as I am never able to tell if i have thrush .

The pill has made me dry up, before contraception I would wake up in the mornings very very wet, and had a lot of discharge. Now I don't get anything, and I can't tell if it's the pill or thrush, because my thrush makes me very dry, so could be that and not the pill, especially as it's only gotten worse recently.

Every time I went to the GP I saw a different doctor or nurse who always wanted to do their own test to 'double check what it is' and secretly ordered me an STI test which I found f ing insulting to say the least. I've been living with it for years I f ing know what it is by now!! Also in a very stable committed relationship.

At first I was prescribed clotrimazole pessaries for occasional use, then it got worse so I got 6 months of fluconazle which made me feel very ill so doctor advised I stop if I can't tolerate it and she will do me a NHS referral and gave me weekly clotrimazole pessaries. That was back in April 2024, was meant to have gynae appointment this week but was cancelled due to staff shortage and have been put back on 19 week waiting list. 😞

Have ordered more VJJ daily oral probiotics tablets, will take a few months of use to see if they have any effects. I don't eat a lot of sugar, am very active, go to the gym 4 times a week, eat a very good diet, sleep well, don't drink alcohol or smoke. Why is this happening to me and what can I do, it's going to be months until I get seen, have enquired at private hospital in Bristol but for the doctors I would want to see they don't have appointments until January.

I can't say enough how depressed it's making me. I want to be free and it's made sex nearly impossible, it's painful because of the thrush and I find condoms uncomfortable too so have given up on penetration. Bf is an angel from heaven and really supportive of doing what's best for me. I just feel disgusting and is really effecting my mental health. I shouldn't be dealing with this, I have done everything right, my strain is just so resistant and overgrown. Had a big melt down the other day because i am doing everything right, the pessaries just don't do ANYTHING.

Should I come off the pill to see if it makes a difference? I asked a Dr once and they said it wouldn't make a difference but I am wondering if it is the lack of discharge that is causing bad vaginal flora that causes thrush? Anyone been in this situation regarding semen causing thrush and now just has a chronic infection??? What if I want to get pregnant in a few years, my vagina obviously wouldn't be able to cope with the semen.

For years I thought I had thrush, but it turned out that I was allergic to the spermicide I used on my cap

Have you tried a vaginal microbiome test? Like Daye. I just wonder whether there is another imbalance which means that the thrush can't clear. Daye tests for a lot more than the standard test at the GP.

Poor thing - sounds awful. I had recurrent thrush - switching to a moon cup and douching with 7 drops of tincture of myrrh in a cup of water fixed me. Beware the tincture dilution can be a bit sore but does relieve once the initial ouch wears off.

I would t normally recommend anything that interferes with vaginal balance but some times these things are needed.

A side note as well, I haven't had a period in over a year because of the pill, and wonder if coming off the pill and having a period again will help regulate the vagina?

Oh how miserable, so sorry OP.
I had it on and off for weeks / months. Canesten did nothing. So I used natural yoghurt on a (fresh!) tampon for 5 nights in a row. It took a while to work but it cleared it for me. It's been nearly 18 months and no recurrence.

Yes, it could be hormonal, so coming off the pill may help. It’s worth a try.

Ask for gyno-daktarin. It's expensive so GPs don't like to prescribe it without pushing.

I had thrush for years gp always suspected it was turned out it was not. Its vin a precancerous condition please request an urgent gynecology appointment.

If you were already on list and had appointment cancelled due to them and not you. You shouldn't need to wait another 19 week list.... fight your case you have waited long enough

I suspect it's not thrush. Ask for a test for genital herpes simplex

I would come off the pill. You aren’t using it for contraceptive purposes right now and have a question mark over it’s contribution towards this.

It’s normally the most logical reason which would be an allergy or other type of infection. What exactly have you been tested for? I assume your boyfriend has always been treated thrush along with you as well?

Look up lichen sclerosus - often mistaken as chronic thrush, however thrush treatments, pessaries, most lubes, vaginal moisturiser etc make it worse, as does penetration. Can flare up and down too.

@AndSoFinally in my post I said I have been tested for STIs...

@FuzzyGoblinthe tests have come back as very strong candida infection. No BV, never had STIs and neither has bf. Problem is that they tested in a lab which antifungals would work on my strain of candida and it came back that they should all work... Well in practice they dont. Bf has always been treated with fluconazle and creams even when no symptoms. I've had it on and off my whole life even before him, it just seems that the alkali cum over time has created an awful situation in my vagina which has totally wrecked the balance. It's definitely not a case of him giving it to me, we can tell by the time of onset, and he hardly ever gets it.

Honestly, I feel you! I'm 24, so similar age, but I recently had a baby. For months, even before my pregnancy, I thought I had continuous thrush. It was soooo bad! I couldn't engage in any activity. I fell pregnant and my symptoms improved ever so slightly before returning when I was 5 months pregnant. Post-birth, it was awful. I had EVERY symptom of thrush, but the GP never actually swabbed and just recommended OTC antifungals like Canesten. I had no improvement and it was until a GP said to me about a hormonal imbalance. I now have to take oestrogen pessaries and all my symptoms are gone! However, if I don’t take a dose - my symptoms come back. They say it won’t get better until hormones “reset.” I wonder if it's worth switching up your pill? Maybe some form of hormonal imbalance?

The only thing that worked for me was to come off the pill! Once off the thrush went and I've not been back on it!

Iv always suffered with thrush, Iv had a lot of STI tests (get one with every new partner and never caught anything). The main culprit for me is bars of soap, the thrush I get from having on my body in the shower is unbearable.
I also get thrush quite wearing anything except cotton knickers and changing my washing powder.

I would come off the pill, stop using any soaps down there, look at using non bio washing powers, the materials your knickers are made from, mostly only showers and occasionally bath with salts

Have you been checked for diabetes?

For me it's hormonal, and PH. I use Balance Active pessaries (the ones for BV not the dry vag ones) every other day ish and that keeps everything in check. I had it post birth like plague, it was horrendous, I totally hear you.

I'd come off the pill and not stick anything else but the pessaries up your vagina at all, and look into the PH balance and see if that helps. Don't put soap anywhere near it. Semen is alkaline and can really throw things off, as with anything else alkaline. Keep your sugar intake down. It won't be forever but I know if feels like it.

@Pinkhamster2013 i have the same problem with my partner, it only stops when we use condoms but thats not ideal