Can not get rid of THRUSH

[~StarBright~]

DS(12 weeks old) and i are playing a nice game of back and forth thrush....

He gets it in his mouth and i get it on my nipples- i am on my fourth bottle of Nilstat and i am using it on my nipples as well as an antifungal cream at night (as DS is sleeping through- but i dont use it during the day as i am scared if he feeds it will do him harm)

I cant get in to see my good dr for another week- and the lady dr i have seen for it so far didnt even know I could get thrush on my nipples- i had to tell her that i was pretty sure i had it- so i dont want to see her again.

I guess i am asking if too much of the nilstat stuff is bad for DS- i have tried changing a few things with my diet- as i do tend to love my bread and sugar- and he seems to go through stages where he is ok- but i seem to be the bigger problem as i have had my bright red nipples for the entire time. They say to use it even after the symptoms go away- but for me they havent gone away yet- so i am still continuously using it on both of us.

I dont have it anywhere else "ie down there" just on my nipples- i change my bra regularly and i use breast pads which i change often too- i have been told another good thing is to air out my nipples- however DH and i have a housemate- and i dont really feel comfortable walking aorund flashing my airing boobies all day!! lol

can anyone offer any advice besides what i already know that hasnt worked yet??!!! Please!!!! TIA

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Do you have a Lactation consultant?? Maybe you could even ring the nurses hotline - I wouldn't think its good for your DS to be getting thrush all the time.

Good luck

[krysalyss]

Well it may sound weird but natural yoghurt is good for 'down there' so maybe it would be good for on your nipples as well. Also giving youself a pro-biotic orally (eg. inner health plus) may help boost good bacteria throughout your body and may help you fight off the thrush on the nipples. May not help but dont think it could hurt either.

[Novella]

Hi SB I had the same problem with DD thanks to antibiotics during labour. I found nilstat didn't work and had to change to daktarin gel, you have to be careful administering it as it is a gel and if you use too much there is a risk of choking. I would measure out a dose then use a cotton bud to apply it to her mouth after a feed. I used canasten cream for myslef after feeds 2-3 times a day and I would wash my nipple with a warm face washer and water before a feed. I also find taking probiotics works well, I believe that there are also some available for young children but would check with your doctor/pharmacist about what age they can take these. I think the thrusk went about a week after I changed to the daktarin gel.

Good luck, I know how painful and frustrating it can be.

[BellyBelly]

Fast Tract... safe for both of you. 1ml for babies.

“Having thrush, I took 2?25 ml (of Fast Tract) per day for the first three or four days, but now I have cut down to 1?25ml per day. I can even eat sweets again with absolutely no problems! I can’t tell you how over the moon I am…no more creams, diets, drops, vinegar, or painful sex! I intend to keep taking it until I have the baby at least.”—happymum2

“I too upped my daily Fast-Tract to 2?25 ml for a few days and I am now pain free!!! Yay! I even have indulged in a couple of sweet treats without having to pay for it later with pain! (Which is probably a mixed blessing as now I’m less motivated to keep my sweet-tooth in check!). Yay for Fast Tract! And yay for BellyBelly for telling me about it!” NelleBelle

[~StarBright~]

Thank you everyone!!

I ended up having to get another bottle- and they had run out of Nilstat (must not be the only one going through this) and i had to get the generic brand and it seems to be working better! I will also be looking into the inner health plus stuff and fast tract.

Thanks everyone for replying!!

[belle75]

Leave a little breast milk to dry on the nipples after BF, then apply daktarin oral gel. Repaet after each feed . there is no need to wipe the daktarin gel off before feeds. Use a damp face washer to clean bubs tongue after each feed and apply a spot of daktarin gel to his tongue and cheek pouches. Leave until next feed then repeat. A probiotic for both bub and you will help. You are doing the right thing by avoiding sugar and bread.

You could use mediswabs (alcohol wipes) to clean the nipple and breast area before feeds but may irritate & dry skin. You will need to wipe with a damp face washer if using mediswab. maybe try it a few nights to "kickstart" the healing while still using daktarin gel. HTH

[BellyBelly]

Inner health only has a few strains of pro-biotics, Fast Tract has something like 13... and is much more potent. You can take it orally and put it on your nipples topically.

[oopsadaisy]

Hi everyone,
I have had thrush for 3wks now and can't seem to get rid of it either. I have tried nilstat on both me and Madeline. Worked for her but not me. Then i tried daktarin gel and it helped a little but didn't clear it up. I am so deperate as the pain is bad, so yesterday i went to the dr ( i have been seeing a lactation consultant too). He suggested diflucan 1 28tabs 100mg. So i trotted on down to the chemist all excited that this would be the road to recovery only to find out it costs $285.00. OUCH!!! It's not on the PBS. So now he suggested to buy 3 packs of difflucan 1 (1 tablet per pack) and take one every second day still costing $70.00. Cross fingers that it works. I am also taking inner health plus tabs (hadn't heard of fast track) and washing bras in warm soapy water. I also heard that bicarbonate soda and water helps but i haven't tried it. Will keep you all posted on how the dilucan 1 goes.

[~StarBright~]

oppsadiasy

you poor thing i feel your pain- i have been using the daktarin stuff now for a few days and its working MUCh better than the Nilstat- Also i am taking the probiotics. Fingers crossed i think i have gotten rid of it for good (still using the daktarin as it says to continue use for een after symptoms disapear)

I hope you find something to work for you soon that doesnt cost you and arm and a leg!!!

Good luck!!!!

[oopsadaisy]

Still haven't got rid of the damn thrush!!! Tried 2 lots of diflucin 1, and dakatarin gel. Slight improvement. Will ponder on and try 1 more lot of diflucin 1 and then if that doesn't work go back to the dr's. One good thing is that the pain isn't as bad now.

[~StarBright~]

You poor thing- we are still on the daktarin and we are keeping it at bay- but still using it as i notice if i miss using it for even one feed i get pain and redness back!!! I have stopped giving ds the nilstat as he seems fine- and i had used it for sooo long i was afraid it may not be so good for him.

I hope it clears for you really soon!!! I feel your pain!!

[Crystalwings]

Hi everyone,
I also think that I have thrush. I have had cracked nipples since Olive was born 4 and a half weeks ago and have really pink shiny nipples. I had antibiotics both during labour and after. BF hurts sooooo much both during and after feeds that I have been expressing for a few days and have also used formula a few times out of pure desparation. I REALLY don't want to give up BF and feel like such a failure. I have been trying to put Olive on the breast whenever I can but I am just so over the pain, it shouldnn't be like this. So anyway I told my midwife my symptoms and she said not to use Nilstat as it doesn't work and said to use daktarin gel. Apparently it was banned forunder 3mth olds but if you put it on your finger and distribute it evenly in bubs mouth it's fine. I went to the doctors yesterday as it hasn't cleared mine up (the cracks are a bit better) and he said "I think you should just use vasaline or pawpaw cream, some women just can't BF you know!" I am really p***ed off, not a good thing to say to a new mum.

[~StarBright~]

Olives mum-

Thats not a nice thing to say to you at all!!! I always thought drs of all people would be pro bfeeding- but some of the story's i have heard recently astound me!!!

How long have you been usingthe daktarin? I have been pursuing this for weeks now- and like i said i am keeping it at bay but it hasnt cleared 100% Are you using it on your nipples too???? I would try some nipple cream with i think its called lanolin in it to help with your cracked nipples in between feeds and continue using the daktarin on your nipples before feeds and in bubs mouth after feeds and if bfeeding is what you want to do- PERSERVERE!!! You can get through this!!!!!

If you are happy to keep expressing- do that when you can to keep your supply up and to keep bubs getting your good boobie milk- air your boobies as much as possible if you can.

Good luck and i hope it clears for you soon so you can continue to bfeed happily!!!

[oopsadaisy]

Olives Mum,
Hi darl, don't worry i feel your pain too, it is so hard to keep going but if your really keen to BF you will get through it. i think each different medication works diff for each individual so why not give the medications a try that the dr tell you won't work. Nilstat worked in my bubs mouth straight away. One of the other girls in my baby buddies thread said that nilstatin tablets worked for her (need a dr's prescription), but my dr and hers said it wouldn't. So i suggest giving anything a go, it may just work. Good luck you will get there eventually, a little bit of persistance will pay off.
By the way your doing a really great job, breastfeeding isn't easy.

[Crystalwings]

Thanks everyone for your support and advice. I was really frustrated today and rang the hospital to speak with a midwife. She said "oh well how long were you planning on BF anyway?" Then said just to keep expressing for a few more days to see if it heals itself. Can you believe these people! So anyway I rang the local ABA and she referred me to a woman who specializes in thrush. I rang her and she was great. She gave me the names of which medication and probiotic to take and also a pretty strict diet to follow, no yeast, no dairy or to many carbs. She also said to keep using the Daktarin and to use a canestan wash to wash bras and undies. So basically I am going to go to the docs tomorrow and tell the him what I want, hopefully that works and we get somewhere, fingers crossed it apparently if I do all these things it should be better in a week.

[oopsadaisy]

olives mum:
Good on you for seeking advise . The ABA were great to me when i broke down about 2 wks after having Madeline. I'm interested in finding out more about the diet though (heres me eating toast at the moment), so can you please keep me posted on that.
cheers
angie

[BellyBelly]

Thrush is a battle of bacteria. The side with the most soldiers wins, when you have thrush you have too much bad bacteria outnumbering the good. So try and put more good bacteria in your body, like I mentioned with Fast Tract, or some other preparation if its too expensive for you (its expensive but the best). When you add up the cost of all those creams and they havent worked, plus the pain and discomfort... you can put it into perspective - and prevent it in future.