I am SO upset!

[RachelS]

: Hello ~

I hope that I am on the right thread. I am SO upset right now!!! I have a terrible yeast infection in both nipples and it is very painful. I have talked to my OB and my son's doctor and they both told me that there was nothing they could do for me and that I needed to wean TODAY! They both gave me the same excuse that my son is too old to be breastfed and that the power of his mouth is causing my pain. I can't believe two doctors have told me this in one day! Are they crazy! No way! I have a yeast infection! Just treat it for me! I am so outraged!!! Breastfeeding my son is the most wonderful part of my day... well except for the pain right now . Oh did I mention that both doctors are males? Hmmmm.... Anyway, I called the hospital where there is a breastfeeding consultant that I can talk to and I told her what my doctor said hoping that she would feel as outraged as I do and she really didn't seem too upset by their advise. What is going on here????? :
I am going to give breastfeeding everything that I have!

Any thoughts???

~ Rachel :

[annettemarie]

Your little guy is what, not even a year and a half old? Yeesh. I am so sorry you're going through this. How about LLL? Have you tried them?

[mamalisa]

First, I'm so glad that you realize that they are fools.
Second, kellymom.com has really good info on battling thrush. I had great luck one time with genetian violet and another time I used Diflucan, when it just wouldn't go away.

Cut back on sugar immediately!

Good luck, thrush hurts like a mofo. But weaning is NOT the answer, stupid drs.

[Mama Poot]

It was a last resort, but Diflucan got rid of a very painful ductal yeast infection for me. There's even a generic version of it that's cheaper.

[GooeyRN]

I used Gentian Violet. It worked well.

[4BoysandaGirl]

Here is my pediatricians web page... He tells you how to use Gentian Violet properly.

www.BabyMD.net

Should only take 2-4 days. I have had the problem too and it wokred like a charm. Look uhnder Yeast or Thrush on his page. Also to get Gentian Viloet ask the pharmacist for it... It is not a prescroption but it is usually behind the counter. The cost for a bottle is only around $2. Good luck - BTW stupid doctors. Dont wean.

Kathie

[mommaC]

Here Is Some Help

RachelS, As another post said, cut out sugar, but also dairy, alcohol, and vinegar!!These are the critical first weeks, so you want to starve the yeast! Also, you AND baby need to be put on a probiotic right away!! florahealth.com has some made for specific ages, and are a good company.Nutribiotic grapefruit seed extract is potent and natural, as well as olive leaf extract. Add coconut oil to your diet, it is rich in caprylic cid and lauric acid, disease fighting fatty acids and great for a nursling( It tastes nice too- be sure to get organic unrefined) Garden of life is a great one, ask your local health food store, they should have all of this!!! Don't forget vitamin C, at least 1000mg a day. I received this info from Healthy Healing by Dr Linda Rector Paige who is a N.D. She also has a website. Red raspberry tea bag compresses may help in between feedings. I hope this brings you some comfort!!! PS you can get the gentain violet at the health food store too, nature's answer is a good one!! That is the immediate help, but you need to apply the other measures to eradicate the candida.

[RachelS]

thank you

Thank you annettemarie for your response. I have lloked on their website, but I will try and call some asap! Thanks again!

Thank you mamalisa, I absolutely will try kellymom for more infor!

Thank you Mama Poot, GooeyRN, 4BoysandaGirl, and mommaC for your very helpful responses as well!!!!! I really appreciate it so much!!!!

Thank you again!! Rachel

[rmzbm]

You're doing what's right & you know it. I'm sorry you've had to deal with such brain dead medical, er, "people."

[RachelS]

Thank you rmzbm for the support!!!!

~ Rachel

[leafwood]

I couldn't read and not reply becuase thrush is so painful!!!! And it is twice as bad when the people who are supposed to help heal you give crappy advice!

I used a wash of 90% water and 10% white vinegar to rinse my nipples after each nursing session. Air dry. Topical Monistat (wipe off visible cream prior to nursing). Wash bras with vinegar. Any soft plastic item that has come in contact with breastmilk of your dc's mouth needs to be disposed of. The yeast thrives there and even boiling won't kill it.

I also had ductal yeast and Diflucan was the only thing that helped. But if you are just feeling topical pain you should be fine without the medication. If you start to feel deep, burning, shooting, stabbing pain I would consider looking into the Diflucan as prescribed by Dr. Newman.

GOOD LUCK beating the yeast!

[RachelS]

Thank you leafwood for your response!! Oh yes!!! Painful!! I do feel all alone on this... I couldn't believe my both my doctors where so clueless!! I am still very upset by that!

I do have the very deep stabbing pain!! How much diflucan did you take? Just wondering. I am going to try amd make another appointment with the nurse practitioner in the office. I am so so so keeping my finger crossed for relief! Did you use anything for your little one?

Thanks again!! Rachel

[julie128]

That s*cks about the doctor. My daughter had a yeast infection that wasn't going away with OTC drugs. Someone recommended a homeopathic. I don't usually use homeopathics since they never seem to work. This combination completely worked, and she's had no recurrance since then. She was taking Fungotox and Biodex by Molecular Biologics. Homeopathics are totally safe to give to babies, so both of you can take it.

P.S. When you've licked the problem, call both docs back and tell them what worked so that they can tell other women.

[Lisoula]

Originally Posted by julie128

P.S. When you've licked the problem, call both docs back and tell them what worked so that they can tell other women.

Absolutely

Originally Posted by leafwood

If you start to feel deep, burning, shooting, stabbing pain I would consider looking into the Diflucan as prescribed by Dr. Newman.

GOOD LUCK beating the yeast!

Dr. Hale, too!!!!

I hope you're getting treated. A friend of mine had a ductal yeast infection and went to an urgent-care type place because it was a weekend and the doc there said she had never even seen thrush before! : (BUT to her defense - she proscribed my friend Diflucan -just not enough of it....the treatment for thrush for nipples is different than for a vaginal yeast infection, so PM me if you need the correct dose.)
Good Luck!

[Serrendipity]

Holy horrible doctors, Batman!

If a doc had told me I had to wean right then because of a little thrush, and that my baby was "too old to nurse" my response would have been:
"What, so I can have the pain of engorgement on top of the thrush?? For a supposed health professional, you sure are ignorant of breastfeeding. Besides, I don't recall asking for your personal opinion on when and how to nurse my child. Since you seem so badly in need of enlightenment, the WHO recommends nursing for at least two years, and there's not a single medical association in the world that actually supports or suggests a certain age at which to wean for any reason... Now, are you seriously telling me you can't give me something to get rid of a little bit of yeast??"

All delivered in a sarcastic, wry, and somewhat exasperated tone of voice.

Then I would write a letter to the practice(s) voicing my concern over the completely inappropriate and potentially harmful information I was given, suggesting mandatory breastfeeding education for all pertinent personel, and include the numbers of local LLL leaders and IBCLCs for more info.

But that's just me.

Serendipity

[mamalisa]

How's your boobie? Any better?

[eepster]

Quick question.. Since they were all so convinced that you should wean (which as far as I know will actually make yeast worse) did any of them actually get around to checking to make sure that is a correct self diagnosis. I thought I had it but when I saw my LC it turned out that the problem was something else. If the home remedies don't work right away I'd definitly try to find someone who would take your problem seriously.

[chaoticzenmom]

My son, dh and I all had a recurrent yeast infection for a few months before we finally got some diflucan and it cleared it up for all of us. We used gentian violet a few times, but the diflucan got rid of it completely.

We had to take diflucan once a week for 3 weeks and then once every 3 months for a year!

Your son is the same age as mine and mine is nowhere near ready to wean!! I agree with the PP's that you should find another doctor and send letters to the others suggesting that they get informed.

Good luck
Lisa
Nathan 6
Chloe 4
Adrian 14 mo

[stockingup99]

The ex ped told me at eight months to just use formula. I had mentioned that the nystatin was making it hard to pump. (Nystatin is a common, horrible antifungal prescribed for thrush, and is greasy.) I wanted another type of treatment, not just the same old supplement line of crap.

I called back the Lactation Consultant in the practice, and she set me up with a pharmacy which had gentian violet. I stains the baby blue, but is much better than thrush.

And pumping was easy without the greasy parts. I was working full time, and not suplementing, so decreasing my output was a concern.


Years laters, for another baby, I went straight to LLL. That time, it may not have been thrush, they thought it was dermititis, a skin allergy. Keeping the shampoo, and other soaps away from the area, and changing my laundry to soap free made a permanant cure.

Other tips, I love the Yeast Defense pills, hot peppers and probiotics all in one pill. The midwife also recomended breaking a probiotic capsule open, and sprinkling the power on the affected area.

You're not alone in getting horrible advice which ends with wean. I avoid doctors for all but stiches. LLL and kellymom combined with mothering.commune solves 99% of the issues that the peds used to mislead me about. Any doubts and I call my unlicensed midwife for the real answers. What a shame that the most reliable care is not offered a license in Michigan.

Did anyone mention water and rest to boost your body's natural defenses? The no sugar really helps, also flour and refined grains can fuel the yeast. Basically the white foods promote it, and whole foods prevent it.

For lots more about the many things that yeast causes, and doctors treat with surgery, read The Yeast Connection. That book claims that most of our mysterious illnesses which doctors fail to control are actually caused by yeasy overgrowth.

Hope you feel better. Great thinking Mama, come here whenever anyone says wean. The breastfeeding isn't the probelm, its the answer.

[Ileifa]

You have gotten some amazing advice, so I won't add anymore. And I am so sorry that this happened to you. Here are the email addresses of my primary who is also a breastfeeding expert and IBCLC. She is amazing and saved my life when I had a double staph infection in my breasts and was bleeding and oozing pus from both nipples. She kept me nursing baby #2! I love her. It started as yeast and then moved into other things since ds had a shallow latch. She responds really quickly to emails even if you aren't her patient since she runs a resource group here in NJ.

Her name is Alicia Dermer, MD -- [e-mail] or [e-mail].

HTH for future issues.