Please HELP!! Systemic yeast.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

My son has a bad yeast diaper rash that is being treated sucessfull with nystantin. I got a spot of yeast in a cut on my finger and it has gone systemic. I think I also got it through breastfeeding when he ended up with oral thrush.

The midwife said that her doctor only gives diflucan after the first trimester. I'm only 7.5 weeks. She wants me to try to control it till 12 weeks and I don't think I can. I am sure that it is spreading and I am fairy certain I have oral thrush.

Please, any help you can offer? I have had only 2 hours of sleep due to pain. I am desperate and feeling irrational.

[~Demeter~]

Cut out all sugars. ALL sugars, they're just feeding the yeast. Make garlic your friend. Eat lots of it, you can also stick a clove in your vagina to help get rid of the yeasties there. Plain yogurt can be used topically (and also inside the vagina) for the itching. Lots and lots of water to help flush things along. Are you still nursing? because I think you'll probably keep reinfected yourself if you are and the babe has it. I hope you feel better soon.

[m0dernist]

Agreed with the above. Also try to cut out bread products if possible as those have additional sugars and yeast as well. Get a really good probiotic would be my other recommendation. It will help manage the yeast and work on reducing any inflammation from the flare up.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Yes, still nursing. I am taking Grapefruit seed extract capsules and probiotics. I don't know how I'll take garlic without OJ as that is how I always swallow it.

I am so frustrated and unhappy about this. I don't know how I could possibly remove things from my diet at a time where only a few things sound good. I have been so sick lately... This whole pregnancy has been very very stressful for me and I have no idea how I'll last another 32 weeks

[Gingercat]

Use a sliced garlic glove as a suppository and try to change it every 3-5 max. It may take a while for the vaginal yeast to go away if it is persistent, but it will clear out eventually.

I have tried many things to relieve the itching and the only thing that really worked was Tea Tree Oil diluted in Vitamin E Oil (get the drops or the gel). It'd sting for a few minutes but then you'd experience great relief, as TTO would effectively kill any external yeast.

I also find that cranberry tablets and cranberry juice help me a lot when I get a YI, perhaps you can give them a try.

Unfortunately once you have one YI during pregnancy it'll come back again and again! I never had a YI in my entire life, not even during my first pregnancy and I got my first YI during my second pregnancy while I was travelling at three months. Then I was abroad so I had to rely on a medical suppository, but since then I had 3-4 infections that I try to combat naturally (currently 29 weeks and having a persistent one ). And all I can say is that I have a very careful diet, avoiding most processed carbs and sugars, focusing on protein sources.

[katemorrow]

i had an infection with my last pregnancy and eventually had to use over the counter meds, BUT i was doing well by cutting out ALL sugar, even higher glycemic fruits. i ate yeastless tortillas if i needed bread- sprouted grain or at least whole grain. unsweetened yogurt, probiotics and also: sun. my midwife told me to go without underwear whenever possible and to try to get sun on the infected areas.

[dannic]

All the suggestions you've gotten are good--I would just add a caution:

Fighting yeast too aggressively during breastfeeding or pregnancy can cause mercury to circulate if you have any in your system (ie amalgams, ect). The yeast is a sort of binder to mercury and yeast die off releases whatever mercury they are bound to. I would not treat with diflucan or other hard-core yeast drugs while breastfeeding, pregnant, or if I had amalgam fillings. Have you cross posted in Health and Healing?

Green drinks (juicing) would also be beneficial.

[To-Fu]

Oh, geez. I know how miserable yeast can be under normal circumstances! But there are lots of things you can do even while pregnant to not only keep it under control but make it go away altogether. Check out some of these at-home remedies.

I think the most "aggressive" of thse methods is probably boric acid or gentian violet. You can do gentian violet for your son's oral thrush, too! It's messy but effective. More info here.

Best of luck. I hope you get some relief soon.