Need help/ideas quick...

[BBMcGee]

I think I have yeast on my nipple/areola. It is Saturday, and I have no insurance. Would it be possible to apply yeast infection cream/atheletes foot cream/antifungal cream to my nipple/areola to get rid of it? Do I need to wipe it off before she nurses or pimp and give her a bottle for awhile? I can't afford to go to the ER, there is no urgent care here, and the doc isn't open until monday. Do I have any other options? My dd has zeo signs/symptoms as of yet.

Posting this in breastfeeding as well...thanks for any help/ideas!

[natalieadw]

You could use monistat, just make sure you wipe off nipples first before feeding!! Also, you could do gentian violet (MESSY though) if you think baby may have it as well, but really you both should be treated. Here's some great info! I would also recommend taking probiotics every couple of hours while awake, and giving your little one some too a few times a day (you can get infant probiotic powder at any health food store). I just got done fighting thrush/yeast for 5 weeks, so I have had a bit of experience LOL!
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/06gentian_violet.html
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/c-candida_protocol.html

[TefferTWH]

Natalie gave you some GREAT links. Personally, I go for the kill 'em all theory and I would start taking GSE right away to change your ph and kill the yeast, then backing up with probiotics once they are gone. Gentian violet is super messy but it does kill the yeast and your baby can nurse with the stain on your nipples. Also, wash everything that touch your breasts and her mouth in HOT with borax and a vinegar rinse, and pacis and the like should be boiled w/ 10% vinegar for 10 minutes. good luck - thrush sucks

[coyotemist]

Using a dilute amount of vinegar water on your nipples between applications of monistat also helps (1 tablespoon vinegar to 1/2 cup water, spread on after each feeding or pumping session and wash bras every day in vinegar).

[BBMcGee]

Thank you!! We are having terrible snowstorms here and the closest town that *may have the type of store that supplies these things is 20 miles away! Hopefully I can get to the doc on Monday...otherwise for now I boiled everything she uses (paci's and syringe for reflux meds) and am trying the venegar on the breasts. Hopefully that will help out at least thru the weekend...I ventured out in the snow tonight to see if our small town grocery store had any anti-fungal cream....no luck.

[snowgirl]

Originally Posted by natalieadw

I would also recommend taking probiotics every couple of hours while awake, and giving your little one some too a few times a day (you can get infant probiotic powder at any health food store).

Please make sure to look at the ingredients in the baby probiotic. I was given some and it has casein(dairy) in it and I didn't give it to ds.

[AugustineM]

Actually, after battling thrush for months with my first and then now with this baby, too, I wouldn't bother to go to the doctor. You can treat it better yourself. They will want to give you Nystatin, which is a HUGE PITA and doesn't work.

First try these things: cut out sugar for a week at least. No juice, fruit, refined sugars, etc. Drink lots of water. Use GSE (grapefruit seed extract) in a couple ways: make a weak solution and swab your nipples and your baby's mouth every time you nurse during the day. Then also drink it -- but dilute it of course, it tastes awful. Put like 10 drops in a little water and chug it, like 5x day.

If that doesn't work after 2 days, go for the gentian violet route. It's messy but it works.

In my experience, going to the doctor for yeast just isn't worth it, especially if you have to pay out of pocket. Unless the above things don't work, then you might want to take diflucan. But nystatin is SO not worth it.

[BundleFishMama]

You've gotten lots of good advice already so I hope it clears up soon! We are also battling some thrush here - as happens to me EVERY TIME I have abx. Ugh. I have no symptoms but DD has it in mouth - doesn't seem to bother her much though, thankfully. I am doing Diflucan for myself and Nystatin for her - I know the Nystatin is only partially effective - about 60% they say - but I'm lazy so I figure I'll try that first and if it doesn't work, move on to other things like diet changes, GSE, etc. I do need to get some probiotics though....I bought a bunch of this "super-prebiotic and probiotic" yogurt, but now I'm doing a test dairy elimination so I can't have that.