Adult oral thrush?

[sarahmck]

I have never had thrush or any yeast infection in my life. I am 37 and 24 weeks pregnant. About 10 days ago I got a bad sore throat. After a couple of days it hadn't spread to turn into the cold that I thought it would and I had spots on my throat. Then I realized that what I thought was chapped lips was actually tiny little superficial blisters on my lips. Then it started spreading to my tongue. Then to the roof of my mouth. It never affected my cheeks or gums.

Now my throat is mostly normal looking, but still sore. My problem is my tongue. It looks disgusting and hurts in a manner similar to when you scald your tongue on a hot drink. Any fruit or juice or anything with much taste hurts a lot to eat.

I went to the doctor a few days ago and he didn't know what it was. He took a throat culture which will only come back positive (maybe on Monday) if it's bacterial. He said it wasn't fungal; wasn't thrush. He said it could be a virus.

I had been swishing diluted tea tree oil around my mouth and dabbing it onto the spots on my throat before I saw him. I stopped once he told me it wasn't a fungus. But now I've started again because I'm not convinced that he's right.

Does anyone have any other ideas for me? I don't understand why I would get thrush since everything I read says that only people with recurrent yeast issues or a compromised immune system get oral thrush as an adult. But I've had strep before as a child and it never affected anything but my throat. And none of my family members have gotten this despite me not being terribly careful so it seems unlikely that it's a virus.

Thanks.

[lindberg99]

I had oral thrush once after antibiotics. I had white patches on my tongue that hurt and would bleed when I touched them. It went away within a couple days.

If it's a virus, could it be hand foot and mouth? I wouldn't rule out a virus just because no one else in your family got it. I've had several times where I'm the only one who gets sick.

[eireann]

I had some nasty mouth (throat, tongue, and gums) infection after visiting a dentist (BARF!) that was dx as Vincent's Angina, which I later learned is also akin to Trench Mouth. It's nasty and painful and yes, fruit juices are EVIL with this. I was 17 when I got it, and my Dr put me on ceftin at first, which was useless. I was switched to Augmentin and it knocked the whole thing out in about a day and a half. That thing sucked, smelled and was just foul!

Hope you find a solution asap. :(

Edited by eireann - 4/18/11 at 9:06pm

[sarahmck]

I don't think it's either hand, foot and mouth or Vincent's Angina (thankfully!) because I didn't have a fever or anything on my hands and the sores just don't sound quite right for HFM, and it's not on my gums and that seems to be the hallmark for Vincent's Angina. I'm getting more convinced that it's thrush.

It's getting a lot better, but it hasn't gone away and I'm concerned that it will just stick around endlessly. I've been gargling with diluted vinegar, which I'm sure is doing my teeth no favors, and putting tea tree oil on the spots.

I need to call the doctor's office and see if my culture has come back.

Thanks for the replies.