Does this sound like thrush?

[Torz]

I've been in pain now for over two months. I've seen the Dr twice & things just arnt getting better. I know its not a problem with Alfie latching on, he's always latched on well & i'm only having a problem with the left side.

I'm pritty much in constant pain right now & cant feed off the left side, i have to, i dread it & put it off as much as i can. I'll feed Alfie for as long as i can off the left, normally about 5 mins if that, then i just cant stand the pain anymore.

It feels like he is sucking razor blades through my nipple when he sucks & the pain continues after he comes off the breast. After 10 minutes or so the pain turns to more of a burning sensation & can last more than an hour.

The apperance of the nipple is red, shiny, cracked & sometimes has white patches on the end, the areola has pinky red patches on too & everything is really itchy.

Alfie is not liking feeding off this side at all, he is constantly pulling off this side which is not helping matters at all, every time i feed him off this side i'm almost in tears & i'm extreamly tense which he is picking up on.

I've seen the Dr twice now, the first time he gave me lansinoh which hasnt done anything at all, the second time he looked at my nipple again & said "i dont know what it could be, it could be infected" so he's given me fucibet cream which contains steroids. This was wednesday & so far everything is still the same.

I've spoken to the nursery nurse who runs our breast feeding suport group. She thinks that its thrush & has said to me that you can get it in just one side. Has anyone else has thrush in just one side & can you have it & LO not have any white patches in the mouth (Alfie dosent).

Someone please reasure me, i cant go on like this forever & i just dont know what to do now apart from keep going back to the Dr's

I'm loving breastfeeding but this is really getting me down now.

 

[summer rain]

Yes it does sound like thrush and no offence to your doctor but he sounds like a right idiot, lansinoh is the worst thing for thrush, and steroid cream? I've looked that one up and its the one my dad used to get given for some really nasty infected eczema on his hands, its very potent and also one of the warnings is it shouldn't be used in the case of fungal infections. You can definitely have thrush only on one side and without any white patches in LOs mouth. It sounds like it may be internal as well; in which case you'll need a course of anti-fungal tablets (fluconozole or something like that). Is there an alternative doctor you can see at the surgery? xx

 

[BunnyFace]

Have you tried a different feeding position? I had something similar to what you're describing when LO was a few weeks old, i have a flat nipple and she wasnt latching properly and everytime she fed from that side the pain was worse than a contraction. I got stabbing type pains after feeding and my nipple felt very bruised. I fed LO in the rugby ball position and it gradually got better. I've not had thrush so im not much use there but maybe go back to the doctors to rule that out?

 

[Torz]

Thanks!

I know its not his latch, He has fed quite happily for 4 months in the same position. I still feed him the same way as i did as a new born.

I also forgot to mention that back in november i had a cist (spl) in my boob which the same Dr put me on antibiotics for. He even asked me on wednesday if that all cleared up & the antibiotics worked. I thought Dr's knew that antibiotics can cause thrush?!

I can try & see a different Dr but i really want to be seen ASAP as i'm in that much pain so i'll need an emergancy apaointment & i dont get to choose the Dr. I might even try & find a walk in clinic so i can get seen tomorrow.

 

[summer rain]

Sorry just had a lightbulb moment as well, thrush can cause lumpy/bulky stools so that tallies with your LOs recent constipation as well.

 

[Torz]

Sorry just had a lightbulb moment as well, thrush can cause lumpy/bulky stools so that tallies with your LOs recent constipation as well.

Thanks, the more info i get the more i can tell the Dr.

I've been looking at some websites on line getting as much info as posible. It seams there are somethings that i'm doing that arnt helping, i eat far too much sugar, ever since having Alfie i've craved chocolate & i've over indulged in it, seems i've got to stop as it isnt helping, dairy too

 

[littleL]

Sounds exactly what I had a week ago, same pain and burning sensation after the feed and only on one breast, LO so far has not had the white spots. My mw recomended my dr prescribe me the miconazole cream. I think it's helping slowly tho still a bit sore.
Hope this helps!

 

[summer rain]

My mum had major thrush problems; she had it in her boobs even though she is far too old for BF, digestive system, everywhere. She's had to make some major sweeping dietary changes but she is a lot happier; previously she would have week long courses of anti fungal medication and it would get rid of it for a month but it would keep returning. She cut out pretty much all sugar and refined carbs, she also tries to avoid commercial breads (such as hovis et al) because they use twice as much yeast as traditionally and the yeasts are fast acting with a lot of additives. She also doesn't have much dairy. Sourdough breads are great though.

 

[vaileasmama]

tbh in my experience, doctors know pretty much f all about thrush and candida - naturapaths are amazing at this kinda thing tho!
whe i had it (and yes, my lo didnt exhibit any signs except extreme fussiness at the boob) i was prescribed (by nat, not dr) acidopholous powder, i would have it 3 times a day mixed with water, and i would lick the tip of my pinky finger and dip it in the powder and babe would suck it off.
i went on an anti candida diet (you can google this, its VERY unpleasant but works!), aired my boobs, boiled all my bra's and singlets. did a massive wash of all towels, sheets, doona covers in HOT water, and dried them in the hot sun.
i also sunbaked my boobs (im in aus) - thrush hates all things hot - so sun is very good.
its a bugger hey - im very prone to thrush, if i have antibiotics its all over!

 

[pachamama]

I had persistent thrush for about 10 weeks (me and lo were given antibiotics during the birth for prolonged rupture of membranes). It was excruciating and sounds very similar to what you describe.

If you google 'The Breastfeeding Network' and 'Thrush' - they have a leaflet that you can download and take with you to the GP. My GP was not up to date with current recommendations, so the breastfeeding midwife at my local hospital gave me a copy of this leaflet to take to the GP. They specify that you need an initial loading dose of fluconazole (150mg) followed by 50-100mg a day for at least 10 days. Anecdotally, I found I needed to take it for at least a week from when the symptoms subsided, otherwise it came back. My lo didn't have any symptoms but we treated him with Nystatin anyway, as I was told it was a very good idea.

Good luck.

x