Thrush

katelm

Anyone ever beat a stubborn case of nipple thrush? I have had this only on the left side for going on 6 weeks now - nothing is working and I am really frustrated. It actually goes back to a case of mastitis I had 6 months ago for which I took antibiotics, which cleared up the infection but also my healthy gut flora and allowed yeast to overgrow. I was prescribed an oral Nystatin solution at the time, which didn't really work, but the thrush died down on its own over the course of about 2 months or so. Then in November I got a little cold, and I think my immune system being a little stressed by that was the cause of the thrush coming back, this time only on the left nipple. Since the NP had told me I could use the oral Nystatin on the nipple as well (I didn't want to use the ointment so my daughter wouldn't ingest the petroleum jelly), I tried that for about 3 weeks unsuccessfully. I switched to the Nystatin ointment and washing before nursing. I have tried white vinegar rinses after nursing. I then tried combining Nystatin and Bacitracin ointments (would normally want to leave any healthy bacteria, but in case it wasn't fungal after all) and lanolin. That wasn't working so I saw another NP and she prescribed Ketoconazole cream (to be washed off before nursing) and 3 days of Diflucan pills and said to stop the Lanolin because it would be holding moisture in, which would help the yeast. It got worse after that and started to develop a crack again (had that twice in the last month and can I tell you how nursing on a cracked nipple is so much worse than labor?!). So I started using lanolin again and also combining the Ketoconazole with the Nystatin ointment and clotrimazole (aka. Lotrimin) cream - the pediatrician had suggested using the latter on my daughter's bum for a little yeasty-looking diaper rash that comes and goes). I happened to have a physical with my new physician 3 days after that last NP from urgent care. But she was totally useless. First she tried to tell me it looked like excema. Then said she doesn't know much about this kind of problem and referred me back to my OB's office. I feel like your average Doctor should be able to recognize a case of thrush and prescribe anti-fungals, but that's another issue. The main issue is that the appointment I was able to get with the OB's office isn't until Friday, and in the meantime I don't have any more of the Diflucan and nothing so far is working. I've now gone on an anti-candida diet, which is really time-consuming and expensive (not to mention depressing). Planning on pumping only on the thrushy side this week as well, which is just annoying, and supposedly I would have to throw the milk away. The sources I have read suggest medications that none of my providers so far have suggested, and also state that both mother and baby have to be treated, but none of them have suggested treating my daughter either. I feel like they don't know what they're doing, but I don't want to be that patient telling the doctor what to do based on something I read on the Internet (even though I try to read from reputable sources, I know how that sounds). My daughter just turned a year old, so technically she doesn't need to nurse anymore, but I really don't want to stop. I had planned on nursing the first two years unless I stopped lactating or she self-weaned. Anybody else deal with this problem before?

gprime11

You need to treat your daughter too. She can have oral thrush and it's just reinfecting you over and over. As a side note. ..listerine got rid of my yeast under my breast.

old mama

My friend is visiting...she told me the same thing every time she was treated the baby was too.
she stuck it out until her baby was over 2 yrs. old and basically weaned herself.
She told me her drs. told her that whenever possible to air those breasts after feeding. Close the curtains and walk around topless...that is in addition to meds of course.
Another friend and fellow NW mom who wasn't nursing but whose daughter had thrush had an awful time getting rid of the problem.

momsquared

Have you tried gentian violet? Messy but a lot of people have great success with it.