Please help me figure out if I have thrush!

[Dillpicklechip]

Okay. Ds is now almost 5 weeks old. He has never had a great latch as his mouth is pretty small and he never wants to open it all the way anyway. However I was finding that my pain was lessening by around the two week point. Then a few days later it suddenly got worse. Much worse! And a few days after that I started getting shooting pains in my breasts at random times. The pains start sort of in behind the nipple and shoot backward from there.

I wasn't sure at first if it was thrush, because the pains seemed to happen at random times. I thought maybe it was a painful let down. (I get a tingly painful sensation during letdown.) But by about a week later I started to suspect thrush more, because my nipples turned really dark pink (almost purpley) and I started getting more burning shooting pains going towards my armpit while nursing. And pains in my breasts after nursing - not excruciating, but bad enough.

No signs of thrush whatsoever in the baby. Not even a bit of diaper rash.

I started treatments: I have been taking Acidophilus 4x/day for about 10 days, GSE capsules 4x/day for four days, and GSE solution on my nipples every couple hours for 3 days. As well as using Newman's APNO for a week and a half. I wash everything in hot water, soak underclothes in vinegar, put GSE in the wash...

And yet I am still in pain, and my nipples are still really dark pink...nothing seems to be getting better. Well, maybe I'm not getting as many shooting pains in my breasts, but my nipples are getting worse although I'm trying really hard to improve latch. I started to cry this morning when I was nursing--both of my nipples hurt so much and the pain from them radiates into the breast.

I'm getting worried that this is not going to go away. Mostly I'm worried that maybe this isn't thrush at all, that I bought all that stuff for nothing and that it isn't going to help me. I am feeling really lost right now and hopeless. I don't want to stop nursing but it hurts so frickin' much!! Could someone please offer me some advice?

Does it sound from my symptoms like thrush? It seems weird to me that I can be in so much pain and the baby is totally fine. And if I do have thrush, how long should I stick with the GSE, probiotics and APNO before going to the doctor to get something stronger? I am not thrilled about going to the doctor but I will if I have to.

[mrforbes]

I have thrush and my DS hasn't had any signs at all. Since you haven't found any relief from your efforts, maybe see a LC? They could give you more info. My nipples were a mess...white bubbles, bloody...I made a cream from OTC stuff recommended by LC.

The shooting pains sound very thrushy. I couldn't stand to have my breasts touched it hurt so much. I'm on diflucan and this is really the only thing that addressed my shooting pain. Midwife mentioned it was because my thrush was systemic?

Be sure to air yr nipples if you aren't already.

[Dillpicklechip]

Originally Posted by mrforbes

I have thrush and my DS hasn't had any signs at all. Since you haven't found any relief from your efforts, maybe see a LC? They could give you more info. My nipples were a mess...white bubbles, bloody...I made a cream from OTC stuff recommended by LC.

The shooting pains sound very thrushy. I couldn't stand to have my breasts touched it hurt so much. I'm on diflucan and this is really the only thing that addressed my shooting pain. Midwife mentioned it was because my thrush was systemic?

Be sure to air yr nipples if you aren't already.

Thank you for responding. It is the shooting pains that made me think I had thrush. It is not so bad that I can't stand to have my breasts touched though. The pains come and go.

Everyone says to air your nipples--but I find this really hard, because if I take off my bra it hurts really bad! My breasts are large and heavy and it just does NOT feel good to let them swing around!

[N8'sMom]

I had it and baby had no signs. If you don't want to air the nipples out
then wash with vinegar after each feeding. I got rid of mine with diflucan.
My OB gave me a prescription for 28 days of it.
How long you want to do the natural stuff depends on how long you can stand the pain. It was excruciating for me and I couldn't take it anymore.

Also...have you tried gentian violet?

[Dillpicklechip]

No, I have not tried gentian violet because I've heard that it doesn't work as well as it used to (because the yeast strains have become resistant to it) and that it's super super messy. Should I give it a try?

[Dillpicklechip]

Well, crap! I woke up this morning with white spots on my most painful nipple. I guess I know for sure now what this is...CRAP CRAP CRAP!

I'll be buying some gentian violet later today--I don't know if it will work but the GSE is doing absolutely nothing for me. I am so discouraged. The last time I nursed with the "bad" nip I cried the entire time.

If that doesn't work I'll try some Diflucan...isn't that the stuff that's really expensive? I don't have any health coverage whatsover!!

[PatioGardener]

I hope the Gentian Violet works for you! Nystatin (prescription) is the medication that doesn't work so well any more. I haven't heard the same about GV. But you are right - it can get messy! Make sure you use a clean swab (Q-tip) each time you dip it in the bottle or you can contaminate the bottle with yeast.

Hang in there and good luck!

[Patrick's mummy]

yup, sounds like thrush!
Diflucan has a generic drug called fluconazole. If you ask for that, you may get it cheaper (or at least that is the case where I live.)
Accordingly to the literature I have, you need to take a loading dose of 150-300mg and then 50-100mg twice per day for at least 10 days. Babe will need treating with something too.
I am struggling with this at the moment so (((hugs)))

[desamom]

The only other thing you might have is nipple vasospasms. You can read about it on Dr Newman's website. It has very similar symptoms to thrush but when you said airing your nipples made it worse, that is a key sign of vasospasm. Do your nipples turn white after nursing?? That is another key sign. Then they will go purple/pink and change back to normal again (not necessarily all in this order). When you have vasospasms (also called Reynaud's) any air on your nipples is killer!

I have had both so let me know if you have any other questions. It's hard with the two (thrush and Reynaud's) because the symptoms are often so similar.

[SaraZ]

Yeah yeah yeah! This is almost for sure vasospasm or Reynaud's Syndrom (is that how you spell it?) It has very similar symptoms to thrush and is often misdiagnosed as thrush. But the typical white-purple nipple thing is Reynaud's/vasospasm. Look it up on breastfeedingonline.com
Good luck!

[desamom]

Just wanted to also add that kellymom has a great page on Reynaud's/blanching too:

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

[Dillpicklechip]

Originally Posted by desamom

The only other thing you might have is nipple vasospasms. You can read about it on Dr Newman's website. It has very similar symptoms to thrush but when you said airing your nipples made it worse, that is a key sign of vasospasm. Do your nipples turn white after nursing?? That is another key sign. Then they will go purple/pink and change back to normal again (not necessarily all in this order). When you have vasospasms (also called Reynaud's) any air on your nipples is killer!

I have had both so let me know if you have any other questions. It's hard with the two (thrush and Reynaud's) because the symptoms are often so similar.

Thanks, but I don't think that's it. Going braless doesn't hurt my nipples one bit--in fact it feels nice. It's my breasts that can't take it. They just ache like mad if I let them swing around.

I have seen the videos on vasospasm on Dr. Newman's website, and that has never happened to me. Thanks anyway though.

[Brookewith3]

hey there....i was going through craziness just like u...and someone who went through it all to told me to see the dermotoligist...sp? and get properly diagnoised....I believe I did have thrush as i took diflucan several times, but she also told me I had a staph infection and eczema...so I got a steriod cream for my nipples and am taking a antibiotic...I finally have some relief now...my nipples have been cracked open, and staph can get in that way, and it can feel like thrush.....
if you don't have a insurance I'm sorry......it does cost...but you may pay more money in formula if you don't go soon and get it figured out.
If you see a Lacation C....she will tell you what direction to go, this is what I did. They are usually free or low cost, you can talk with them on the phone too...no cost.
Let me know if you have any more questions... I have been through it all this time, and this is my third too!
Still trying to heal.....
Brooke