Please help with experience with Thrush.

I have previously posted in Medical conditions & Medications but i will try here as i'm still desperate for her.


I have tried to include link to first post below (i hope it works, not very sure how to do this)
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...-my-bb-163458/

Over a month ago now i noticed a plimple type blister below my areola, it soon eventuated into a scab and was growing in size. It was extrememly itchy.

I went to the dr's and he diagnosed it as a dermatitis, gave me a cream to apply for two weeks and look a sample to see if anything grew. Nothing grew but the cream didn't seem to help.

I went back two weeks later and by now it had really spread to around the areola and was now starting to grow on the oposite boob also. They were covered in sore weapy pimple like blisters and my boobs were sticking to my bra. I saw a different dr, he wasn't really sure what it was but said it looked like it could possibly be infected. So he prescribed an antibiotic and said to apply an antifungle cream.

As a result of this i think i had an alergic reaction to the medication and came out in a extremely itchy rash all over my torso and the antifungle cream seemed to make the nipple problem more 'angerier' and red and weapy. I ended up going to the chemist and buying bandages to cover it because it was so bad.

Went to the drs again 1 week later getting really desperate and he gave me a different antibiotic, a cream for the rash and said to put antifungle gel in DD's mouth. Had absoultely no change or improvement.

Went to the drs again 3 days later saw a different one again even more desperate. He said to continue with the gel for DD, try the antifungle cream again and he has given me prescription for Nilstat and i'm still taking the antibiotic. This was the first dr who said i think it's thrush.

But all through this DD has never had a problem with feeding she has no signs of thursh herself.

I'm right now not feeling any real improvement yet. To me the antifungle cream seems to make the area really moist. I'm using breast pads and changing them a number of times a day. Each time i change them they have a yellowish stain on them with or without applying any cream. The area is soooo itchy but the nipples themselves aren't too bad. Discomfort in feeding has varied, at one stage it was quite high but it's quite minimal at the moment.

I'm lost as to what else i can do, i have no idea if i am to go with what these drs say or not. IS IT THRUSH????? I really don't know i've never had it before, i breastfed both my boys for well over 12 months and never had a problem. From what i've read the symptoms very loosely say it could possibly be but i'm not entirely conviced and the medications i'm on i'm just not sure if they are doing anything.

It could be that it's been going on for so long that it's going to be a real bugger to get rid of but right now i just feel like i'm fighting a loosing battle and it's really getting me down. I'm so close to just breaking down about it all, i want to go in to the dr and sceam and tell the to FIX IT NOW. I've had enough.

Can anyone who has had thrush relate to any of this at all? Do you think i'm treating the right illness here or not??

Thanks ladies i hope someone can help :)

I don't blame you for wanting to scream at the doctor - you have a right to have this fully investigated and sorted out - and *just don't use it* isn't good enough. I don't think it's thrush. Have you now, or have you ever had allergies/eczema/dermatitis? I think you need (first of all) a topical steroid creme and also a referral to a dermatologist

Barb thank you so much, hearing that gives me a huge sigh of relief (to feel heard) but it also make me what to cry. The anti fungle cream really doesn't seem to have a good effect on the skin irritation at all. What makes me really frustrated and angry is i've been poping these pills that may have had no effect on me what so ever and my DD is having them at the same time (maybe minimal but still on such a little one i don't want to her be having any of it).

Yes i do get dermatitis but it is mainly on my hands as a result of this i buy my hand and shower washes/creams for everyone in the house from the chemist (all soap free).

My fear with the topical steriod cream is not being able to feed DD. Will this be the case? I had asked about a dermatologist once but it was brushed off because of the waiting time but i'll try again. I'll make another appt and i'm sure they'll think here she comes again.... But if they got their diagnosis right i wouldn't have to have been at the dr's 5 times in the last month.

Thanks so much for listening Barb :)

Definitely keep asking questions! How awful - I get thrush with DD (never did with DS, and he was 3 and a bit when she was born and still BFing), and it doesn't sound like what happens when I get it. The oral gel is always in my bag, my toiletry bag and in my top drawer, and now I'm on top of the beginning symptoms!
I really hope you resolve it, and many commiserations until you do :hug:

I also don't think it's thrush. I've had really bad thrush myself and it was nothing like that. The nipples looked normal and feeding was excruiatingly painful the whole time, all through every single feed and also nearly unbearable even when not feeding (I couldn't wear clothes! :lol:)

You would still be able to feed with using a topical steroid, so don't worry about that. It sounds more like a dermatitis or allergy, or both. I really hope you can find someone who can help you. What a run-around you've had so far :(

Hi,

You would still be able to feed with a topical steroid. You might just need to wash it off with a warm wet facewasher before a feed - more because it tastes bad than anything else. But your dr should advise. Let us know how you go

I agree, it doesn't sound like thrush. When I had thrush, it felt like someone was stabbing me in the nipples with a knife everytime I fed and also when I didn't feed - I couldn't stand having my bra rub against my skin and even the water from the shower hurt. My DS never got it and the only thing that cleared it up was the "one a day" tablets from the pharmasist - not sure what they were called (diflucan). Although, I had to have a few of these tablets to help. I also had to express all of my feeds and in the end for my sanity, I switched to formula.

I hope it clears up for you and your dr can sort it all out - good luck.

Thanks so much ladies, it's reasuring to know that what my gut was saying was correct.

I went to the drs again tonight and this time the dr looked at the history of the last month and how pretty much everything they prescribed had no effect and she has written me a referral. She has said to try and get in tomorrow if i can, if i have no luck and am unable to get an appt next week i am to call and the nurse at the dr surgery will call them for me.

It's reasuring to know i might be getting somewhere with it but i tell you it's not coming soon enough. A little frustrated that it's taken this long but i'm praying for relief really soon.

Will keep in touch and let you know how i go.

Thanks again xxoo

When calling to make appointments, you make sure you tell them you're breastfeeding and that you are exclusively breastfeeding so it's super important they make a spot for you. I did this when DS had tongue tie, and then when DD gave me thrush (and didn't know what was wrong but knew it was killing me!) - told them that she was only getting BM and they had to help me.
Hope you get an answer and some plan of attack tomorrow, first thing :hug:

Thanks Mayaness i will tell them it's urgent and not take no for an answer unless it really is out of the question. Will let you know how i go, 15 min till i can call them :)

I had two numbers to call both are not available today!!!!!! Waiting for a call back from the GP.... :wall:

If your GP can't help you, call the Royal Womens.
Good luck :hug:

Thanks so much for your help and reassurance ladies, i finally have an answer!!!!

I got into a specialist friday afternoon (had to drive 40 min away because all the local ones don't work on fridays :rolleyes:) and he very quickly told me i had eczema. He did say it was a special type but i for the life of me can't remember what it was now, i just heard the word eczema and was relieved to finally know what it was. So my month of feeling an itch all over my body, the irritation around my bb and then the full body rash that came out a week or so ago was all related to one thing and it was the eczema.

He said being prone to the skin irritations (dermatitis on my hands and 1 psoriasis patch on my leg) makes me susceptible to the eczema also. He did say though that the times he has seen what i have it generally only occurs once. I asked him why it was so bad around the bb area and he wasn't really sure but seems to think that maybe it could be that the skin is quite thin there and therefore the condition can really thrive. It mainly is around the lower area where DD chin would make contact with the skin regularly. And maybe it has something to do with saliva (that's just a thought of my own)??

There were two options of treatment and we're trying the better one for DD at the moment. I have to have a bath for 20 min each night for 1 week then smother myself in a cortisone ointment. The other was tablets.

So far i've had two baths and smothered myself afterwards, the itch is still there, not as bad but it's not gone yet. The rash on my body does seem to be fading. The bb area is getting better but it was pretty bad so i'm expecting it to take a lot longer. I just can't wait for the day when I look down while feeding DD and not see such a mess on my skin. Soon i hope...

Just to top off the whole situation i'm pretty sure i have thrush in my left nipple now. I'm treating it as i have all the medications from my previous visits to the drs. With all the things i've been applying to the area and the antibiotics i suppose i would have been lucky to get away with not getting it right!!??

But thank you so much ladies for listening and for your help. It really helped me get through a bit of a difficult time. Hopefully very soon i'll be back to enjoying feeding my beautiful girl and all of this will be behind me :)

So good that you have a solution path to follow now! The thrush is not good news - I have it atm, too, now, as is happens. Daktarin oral gel (yellow band) is my friend, and it has taken the sting out of feeding, very, very literally. It's on the mend now - peeling and papery looking, but getting better.
I reckon you're right about the lower areola - if milk is gonna drip, it'll be down, and collects on the chin (don't think it's saliva, but could be wrong) - nice and warm and moist, perfect!
Let's both look forward to pain-free and smooth skinned feeds :hug:
Getting through these hurdles makes it so much easier to get over the next ones, cos then we know what we can withstand ;)

So pleased to hear you have an answer! I hope you are feeling much better very soon :D

Thanks Mayaness and Kiwimummy :)

Hope those pain-free and smooth skinned feeds come very soon for sure :)

Thankfuly it's seems to be only in one nipple for me, it was both but i think i've managed to clear one up already.

You are so right, i am thankful that the knowledge i have now from BB and just being a mum 3rd time around that yes all this was a challenge but i never considered giving up breastfeeding. Was wondering if i'd have no choice but to but that wouldn't happen without a fight. Unfortuately these things happen but it's good to know there'll be an end to it.

Just thought i'd update ladies... The saga is still ongoing and i'm well and truely over it.

3 or 4 days after i stopped bathing i started getting itchy all over again. The breast area has moments of looking good and improving to looking really bad again and being extremely uncomfortable. I was denying i needed to go back to the drs earlier in the week because i'm over all this #$@, but i was getting itchier and itchier and the infection was back so i knew i just had to.

So i'm once again taking antibiotics and have a repeat and i have to go back to the dermatologist next week. I'm so over myself and my boobs, i just want no continual uncomfortable senstation from them ALL the time. I want to enjoy feeding DD.

I think it's a staph infection that i got and i just googled it (maybe should not have done that) but there is mention of the seriousness if it gets in the blood and then also the passing of it by skin to skin contact. I'm feeding DD her cheek and mouth is around the infection multiple times a day :o I'm hoping this is all ok, my dr is obvioulsy aware of all of this so i'm trusting him to know what he's doing.

Just thought i'd let you know that the process is still going. Unfortunately...

Hi,
It's rotten! No wonder you are over it. (I can empathise because I currently have eczema on my breasts and nipples - I think I've developed an allergy to my hair dye - but that's more information than you all needed to know :)
Your problem isn't *caused* by breastfeeding and you can treat it whilst still breastfeeding. If you had an infection/problem in another part of your body no-one would suggest you needed to stop using it - it shouldn't be the case with your breasts either - breastfeeding is important. You are helping, not hurting your daughter by breastfeeding. Get the treatment you need so you can enjoy breastfeeding

Oh no Barb i hope your eczema gets to be nothing like mine. I've just started taking zinc tablets, i'm using a wash from the chemist that is very moisturising and if you get the chance maybe even a soak in the bath and then apply some cream like i was told. I hope it clears up really soon for you.

Thanks for the reasurance also, i hope DD is never effected at all by all that i'm going through. I'm not giving up :)

EJ,
I'm just wondering if you have tried kenacomb for your nipple problem - it contains an antibiotic, and an antifungal, and some cortisone-like thing - so just maybe it would whack all the problems at the same time.
Hang in there, and hope that you can find some thing that works!
Kate

Thanks for the suggestion Kmn, i haven't heard of kenacomb before it sounds like it could be usefull but the only thing is when i used an actual antifungal cream on the area it made it worse. It made it red, inflamed and weep so i'm a bit hesitant to go back there again. There are a few different things i could probably try but i'm just so causious as i'm breastfeeding DD.

Time to go soak. Thanks again :)

What can happen (not sure that it is what is happening here), is that if you have a happy little colony of both thrush and bacteria then killing one of them allows the other one to breed madly - and can make things worse. So sometimes antifungals can allow the bacteria to go bananas.
Stupid question - but if you do think you have an infection of some sort, are you washing bras and breastpads in hottish water and rinsing them very well? I know that for me it is washing powder residue that gives me nipple-eczema, so I only put a quarter of the recommended amount in to the wash.....

The interesting thing is that, while most mothers worry about the effect of medication on their baby when they are breastfeeding, there are in fact very few medications you can't use when you are feeding. I had thought that the dermatologiist would be able to give you something for the eczema and the possible infection. Importantly, you need to get yourself better so you can go on to breastfeed your little one for a long time

i just wanted to second the kenacomb suggestion. it completely cleared up my dodgy nipple when nothing else worked. i had mastitis 5 x on the one side and the kenacomb fixed in a week and it never came back. not the same problem as you are having, i know, but maybe worth a try?

Thanks ladies, maybe i should give it a try.

Kmn what you say makes sense and it could very well be possible. This irritaion around the bb area is so stubborn and it can seem like its improving and then flare up again. I feel that i did get a bit of thrush at one stage and i applied the cream to the nipple area and wonder if that then encouraged my last flare up!?!? I am washing bras and singlets regulary but in cold water, maybe i should try hot?! I've never had a sensitiveness to washing powders but maybe with the weakness of the area at the moment i am more likely to!?! So much to think about...

Barb the dermatologist looked at the rash and said yep eczema, he didn't take any notice of the infection as he watched me peal the bra away from my bb :rolleyes: Maybe i should have asked more questions but you pay good money to see these people and you'd expect them to do their job thoroughly.

Ginger thanks, glad it helped you with Mastitis 5x OUCH!!

Thankfuly throughout all of this DD has fed so well (wakes for her night feeds more than i'd prefer :lol:) but i'm just so glad that the feeding has not been effected by this.

So i'm assuming i get this cream from the Chemist ladies? I think i may give it a go.

Thanks so much ladies :)

you need a prescription for it though.

Oh ok then... Back to the Dr's again :rolleyes: I'll write it down and if i'm back there again then i might as about it. Good to know it's out there though. Thank you so much :)

Just another update for you ladies... (incase you were wondering :))

I've been back to the dermatologist again as the itch and the rash were coming back as soon as i stopped the soaking in the bath. And the bb area was not getting better at all. He said oral antibiotics often don't work for skin infections (which they didn't) so i had to try Burrow's solution. The Burrow's solution has had an effect but i have run out of the cream i was supposed to apply after that and it seams to have flared up once again. I'm now going to have to call and see the i can get another script without having to pay for another $100 appt. Not too confident of my chances....

Aswell as that i've been to see a natropath. She is confident that it probably isn't eczema and that it's my body trying to rid me of something and it's shown up on my skin in the form of an itchy rash. I've been taking some pro-biotics from her and they seem to have worked and i'm feeling better in myself. It hasn't gotten rid of the bb irritation though.

So things are still ongoing but i do hope we are starting to get to the end of it :pray: