Nail infection, what is safe to do while pg/bf

[~Megan~]

I have had an infection in my toe nail since I was preg with dd. I saw a podiatrist (is that the right term for a foot dr?) when she was about a year old. I told him I just wanted them removed and he wouldn't do it. He said it would just come back after she weaned and that I should take Lamisil.
Course his office was literally plastered with Lamisil. They gave me a book about the condition produced by Lamisil, his pens and paper were Lamisil, all the things on the wall, etc, etc
I told him that I didn't want to take Lamisil (health issues associated with it) and besides dd would be nursing a while and then I'd be pregnant again and nursing for a few years.

All the natural remedies I've looked up all say not to take while pregnant or breastfeeding. Are they just being careful? Is there anything at all I can do?

I try to keep it in check by keeping the nails cut really short so that I can put tea tree oil under them, and that does seem to help some but its not enough.

I want to get over this and be able to wear sandals next summer!

[hubris]

I'm assuming it's a fungal infection...have you considered soaking in a vinegar/water solution? Fungus doesn't like acidic environments, so maybe that would help. I just googled toenail fungus and vinegar, and it looks like a lot of people recommend treating toenails with undiluted vinegar. Worth a try!

[~Megan~]

I do occasionally soak in vinegar. The problem is that the infection is in the nail so I think I need to do something internally as well as externally to treat it.

[EMT-Mom]

try a anit-candida diet . When candida runs wild you are prone to infections to any part of your body.

[hubris]

To expand on what EMT-mom said - you might try:

- reducing sugars in your diet
- reducing dairy products
- adding garlic to your diet OR taking odorless garlic capsules OR inserting a garlic clove vaginally overnight
- taking probiotic capsules

Diflucan is an oral med and is ok for breastfeeding, is it ever used for toenail fungus?

[azzuranotte]

It sounds like what my mother had. They wanted to put her on lamisil, but she decided it just wasn't worth the risk. She religously, puts tea tree oil on the nail and under it. You can see her nail getting better and the fungus growing out. The new nail doesn't have the infection, but it has taken awhile. HTH.

[velcromom]

My dh had this on quite a few of his toenails, he did take Lamisil. It cleared up the nails that weren't that bad but did nothing for the nail on his big toe that was so awful. He refuses to take another course of the stuff, I think they limit you to two times in a lifetime but he says if it's that bad he wouldn't even do it twice. If we knew that it wasn't going to work once would have been too many times. But as you say the drs are very enthusiastic about it and get you to think it will clear it up. Just wasn't worth it.

I'll have to get some tea tree oil and see if he will use it.

[~Megan~]

Does anyone know if I can reuse the vinegar later? It seems like a lot of vinegar to waste.

I'm going to try soaking it several times a day, basically when I'm sitting at the computer would be convenient.

[KellyK.]

try a mentholated rub, like Vick's. Its what my Dr. reccomended for me and it works great for a fungal type infection.

[megpaw]

My grandfather rubbed Vit E oil into the nail and it cleared right up.

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by EMT-Mom

try a anit-candida diet . When candida runs wild you are prone to infections to any part of your body.

I agree. The fungus is related to yeast. I would keep up with the TTO and do the diet. Add in oral antifungals like Grapefruit Seed Extract and Pau D'Arco tea. Take a good refrigerated probiotic with the most strains of beneficial bacteria you can find. My dd had a nail fungus and although this is not natural, I soaked her finger in Listerine. Best wishes!

[wasatchmom]

just a warning about using pau d'arco while pregnant...

i had my chiropractor prescribe it while i was pregnant but even after he assured me it was okay i felt the need to call the manufacturer of the herbal. because of liability (because they haven't gone to the huge expense of doing testing on pregnant women) they don't ever recommend their herbal products to pregnant women. but they told me they knew of specific problems pau d'arco can cause to a fetus and to definitely stay away from it.

so i was content to keep my toenail fungus and forget the pills.