The nipple yeast that will not quit... ADVICE NEEDED

[amyamyamy]

SERIOUSLY. LO and I are on our THIRD course of treatment for yeast.

Long backstory short, LO had a lot of antibiotics in NICU and that's how we got the yeast several months ago. We thought we had it treated after the first round of fluconazole and nipple cream for me and nystatin for him. It came screaming back, enter round two of the same medications except longer duration. I'm still on the fluconazole (month long treatment) and nipple cream and the yeast went away after two weeks but then it's been a few days and now it's back again. I've never seen thrush in my son's mouth and really my left nipple is the one that's so painful... I'm at my wits end!

I don't leak milk so I don't need breast pads, but I do wear disposables occasionally.

I change my bras EVERY DAY. I bought extra bras so I can rotate them and I wash in hot water after one day of use.

My son gets 1-2 bottles a day, no pacifiers, and I pump 1-2 times a day. Everything is used once, gets washed with Dapple and hot water, gets sterilized in our sterilizer.

I let my nipples air dry a few times a day. I literally walk around with my boobs out. I also go outside a few times a week and get sun on them. I've used alcohol on them as well

What else can I do?! The yeast is back again and I'm not even finished with the fluconazole! The nystatn is obviously not doing anything either, as I've seen lots of complaints about it from other people, and it really upsets my son's belly. I bought that violet stuff but have never used it, wasn't sure if there was a way to use it on myself and not have him have to get it everywhere too...

HELP PLEASE.

 

[noon_child]

If you've never seen it in LOs mouth, can you be sure it is definitely Thrush? I only ask because sometimes unresolved breast pain is diagnosed as Thrush when it isn't.

Can I ask the symptoms?

I have heard good things about Gentian Violet though...

 

[amyamyamy]

Well my nipples are screaming pink, purple at the bottle of the nipple and cracked, peeling and itchy. I have these irritated bumps especially on the left one. It feels like sandpaper when he nurses on the left side it hurts SO BAD. When it goes on long enough I start to get shooting pains into the breast tissue. and, he makes that clicking sound when he's nursing, especially on the left side.

 

[noon_child]

Hmm that does sound quite like Thrush, but I'm just wondering why the systemic treatment isn't working. The most obvious answer I suppose is that it isn't being cleared in LO by the nystatin, but it doesn't sound like it has really taken hold in Los mouth if you've never seen it there. This is a good article which you might want to explore that talks about things that have similar symptoms to Thrush but aren't (like nipple eczema - ouch!). https://www.bestforbabes.org/its-thrush-or-is-it/

I know my doctor prescribed daktarin (miconozole) gel for my LO's mouth thrush and told me I could use it on my nipples too, however she was 1yr old so it wasn't considered a choking hazard as it is with young babies.

Do you have access to an IBCLC (La Leche League or NCT are a great help if you have access to either of these)?