Neverending Nipple Yeast - Page 2

[Lexymama]

You can eat almonds on the anti-yeast diet. They taste great and have quite a few calories in them. When your husband goes to the health food store ask him to buy some raw almonds and then soak them in water and a little salt for about 6 hours and then roast them in the oven overnight at about 150 degrees and they taste crunchy and delicious. (They digest better this way too). Just an idea for some more calories in this crucial time where you need them so much. Take care!!

[momto l&a]

Not sure about this but my Mom mentioned to me after doing a bunch of searching that Candex can only be bought online

Anybody know if this is true or not?

[Lexymama]

That's the only place I found it...

[KarmaChameleon]

I have purchased it at the local health food store but it was VERY expensive and totally worth the 2 day wait to buy it online.

At the store, it was $57/60 caps
At www.iherb.com, it was $42 for 120 caps (only needed the first bottle -- still have 10 caps left -- but I like to keep some onhand in case any more problems eveyr arise. I sold the 120-cap bottle to an MDC mama, who also beat thrush with it!!! )

[loraxc]

Waiting impatiently for my Candex to arrive (it should be here tomorrow)...

Did anyone have their nipples cultured to be sure it was yeast and/or find out what strain it was? The LC suggested this because she is still not 100% sure it's thrush. (Don't know what else it could be, though!!) But no one knows how to find someone who will do this.

I am just doing this one day at a time right now. I have set myself a goal of continuing to BF to at LEAST 12 weeks. That sounds pathetic compared to my pre-birth goal of "till she self-weans," but at this point...

[KarmaChameleon]

I did have a nipple culture because the doc didn't "believe in breast yeast". I expressed some milk onto a swab and it was indeed...breast yeast: Didn't ask about the strain.

My babe was born in Sept and by Oct. I had committed to bf'ing til the last of the year (after that, I was going to pump til the thrush cleared and formula feed until I could bring baby back to the breast) and the yeast was gone by x-mas (thanks Candex -- shameless plug AGAIN)

PS. While on the Candex (follow the directions exactly -- you take 2 caps 2 hours after eating at night and 2 caps one hour before eating anything in the morning), try to follow a sugar/yeast free diet and drink plenty of green tea. It will work faster the more exactly you can control your diet. PLus keep us with all the washing, etc.

Wishing you the best of luck
,amanda

[loraxc]

Started the Candex yesterday--no improvement yet, but it's only been 24 hours. Yup, I am continuing the diet and all my supplements.

I too am thinking about going to pumping exclusively for a while in hopes of getting this to clear up. Does anyone think this would work? Pumping is mildly painful but not as painful as nursing.

So, Karma, who cultured you--your OB or regular doc?

Also, would love to hear everyone's thrush symptoms described. At times I wonder if I am crazy and this is something else, just because nothing is working and my baby has never shown signs of thrush. Here is what I am experiencing:

Nipples are bright pink and often very hard
Nipples are very sensitive--can't stand to have anything brush up against them or to go without a bra; it's even painful to hold my baby against my chest
Pain is at a consistent level through the whole feeding and lasts for about 1/2 hour afterwards
Pain is burning, stinging, and itchy in nature
No cracks, damage or fissures evident on nipples (I did have a persistent sore from early bad latch, but it is gone now)
Occasional brief, sharp, shooting pains deep in breast after or during a feeding
Tips of nipples sometimes are blanched (white) after a feeding and then become purple, then pink

[Lexymama]

Your symptoms sound exactly like my experience with yeast, other than the cracks!

[Quirky]

Loraxc, your symptoms actually sound more like vasospasm of the nipple/Raynaud's to me. Read here:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...blanching.html

[Lexymama]

Were you taking fluconazole? Because that causes vasospasm, which is why I have it. I also have yeast, which your other symptoms sound like.

[loraxc]

Yes, I just finished my fluconazole yesterday. I also think it sounds like I have vasospasm/Raynaud's but maybe in addition to thrush? Or because of the meds, huh? Argh. Lexymama, are you off the fluconazole now? Is the vasospasm gone?

[Lexymama]

I just took my last dose of it this morning, so the vasospasm's not gone yet. I'm hoping it will be soon! Glad to be done with the Diflucan!!! Still have a few symptoms of the yeast, but no pain so hopefully I can get rid of the last of the itching and redness and I will be a happy girl!

[loraxc]

My vasospasm is really getting much better. I think it WAS the fluconazole! Lexymama, how about you?

I am very cautiously reporting *some* improvement. Afraid to say anything because I might jinx it.: I have been taking the Candex, sticking to my diet (I've lost 5 pounds--now I know what diet works for me, huh?) and using clotrimizole on my nipples. No more vinegar--I think all the dunking was drying my skin. I'm not a Candex miracle yet, but maybe I will be???

[Lexymama]

Yes, mine is beginning to get better too! My nipples are not quite as red as they were either. I am like you and don't want to jinx anything, but it certainly seems as if I'm on the road to recovery. Candex, hmm, maybe we'll all be spokeswomen for them...

[loraxc]

Unfortunately, I seem to be relapsing. This is really a pattern with me--a new treatment works for a few days, I get really excited, and then BAM--it comes back. I am still doing the diet but am really SICK of it and considering modifying it or going off it. It's very hard for me to get enough to eat on this and I am losing weight fairly rapidly--okay for now, since I had about 8 pounds of leftover baby weight to lose, but it won't be okay for much longer, you know?

I am going to start a new thread asking about exclusive pumping, but if anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear them.

[bilbo333]

has your SO and dc been treated when you're being treated?? It really sounds as though someone is carrying and re-introducing it - or you don't have a yeast problem, but something else is going on ....

[Lexymama]

Hi Loraxc, we seem to be on the same schedule. I'm relapsing too. LAME!

[KarmaChameleon]

Argh. Lexymama and loraxc...I am so sorry you guys are going through this. How old are your babies? I wish I could help you more. I was really really hoping you would find your miracle in Candex. I am glad you tried it and experienced a little relief at least. That is really such a shame you are finding yourselves back at square one.



I don't know what else I can do to help. Please keep updating...I actually think about you guys (and everyone battling thrush) often.

[Quaniliaz]

loraxc, I'm so sorry you are having such an awful time w/ yeast while your baby is so little - I've dealt with thrush - though never a case so bad that it really bothered either of us very much. I would encourage you to do a lot of research before you start to pump bm to give to your baby - I've heard that yeast multiplies quickly in pumped bm - and that only scalding the bm will kill it - but also kills a lot of other good stuff in bm. I think pumping actually triggered yeast for my dd and I...

I'd say - go see a homeopathist, and hang in there, if you can. Your body will evenually overcome...

Ohhh--- one more thing...get some Kefir, from the dairy section at the co-op/grocery store... And definately put acidophalis on your nipples and in babies mouth.... (either disolve in water, or directly...)


Marisa

[loraxc]

How are you doing, Lexymama? I am on the upswing again. I actually stopped most of my topical treatments (in case something else was irritating the nipples) and am just using the Lotrimin a few times a day. I am still on the yeast elimination diet. Definitely not all the way improved, but I'm at a tolerable pain level for now.