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  • argh docs are sooooo rubbish at treating thrush. I had this, got oral gel for lo, he was 4 weeks and I got home read the leaflet and promptly got hysterical. I phoned the docs and they said it was fine, and it seems to be commonly prescribed for babies under 4 months. I also got told to put the oral gel on my nipples - do not do this! There is a cream for you that is separate, it has a different amount of active ingredient in it. I took a horrendous allergic reaction to daktarin though so here's some things to help. Thrush can be really stubborn so I'm still doing some of these things, and also if you get ductal thrush or it carries on ask for tablets!
    my thrush prevention regime!
    * take acidophilus tablets, they contain good bacteria to keep the yeast in check
    * let your nipples air and get them in the sun if you have any at the minute (this really works)
    * get some grapefruit seed extract, mix 5 drops in 30 mls of water (this can be upped to 10 if the thrush is stubborn) and bathe your nipples in it. It may make them dry so moisturise with olive oil after. I found that even the canesten cream made my nipples sore to feed off, this doesn't
    * cut out as much sugar as possible, yeast loves it
    * think about cutting back dairy (i don't drink milk so found this easy but kept eating cheese)
    * take grapefruit seed extract capsules
    * put a few drops of the gfse in the softener part of your washing machine to help your towels, clothes etc

    This is all I can think of at the minute, if you do need fluconazole tablets make sure you get a loading (large first dose) dose and a weeks worth of tablets twice a day. Good luck, if you need any more advice etc don't hesitate to email me xx
  • Great advice jellytots...

    When I had it I got prescribed daktarin oral gel for LO, daktarin cream for me and Fluconazole, but the Doc only gave me the fluconazole because the HV gave him a leaflet by the Breastfeeding Network, otherwise he'd have been ignorant to it.

    Hope it clears.
  • thank you so much for your advice i've made another docs app for later today - they really are useless i'm sure they only prescribe the cheapest option available to them.
    jellytots - i have acidophilus tablets and some probio start sachets which you disolve in water and it goes into my milk for the baby. i'll get some grapefruit seed extract too.
    just when i thought everything was starting to get easier on the bf front this happens!
    thanks so much for your help xx
  • Hi momie - sorry not to have seen this before and I hope you have had some luck at the GP's!! I just thought I would add something as I battled thrush for about 8 weeks and it was awful but I'm so glad I persevered as you DO get through it eventually! I had fluconazole and daktarin for me and nystan for Toby. Do also make sure you take plenty of panadol (not recommending exceeding the proper dose obviously but it has a cumulative effect so do take it as directed rather than just occasionally) and I took ibuprofen as well. It was just so painful when feeding otherwise. Also use disposable breast pads and change them after every feed - it's expensive but necessary to prevent recurrence. And finally be religious about sterilising dummies if you use them and changing dummy after every feed as well. You only need to do this until you're sure the thrush is gone forever!

    If your GP doesn't know how to treat thrush (most don't) then print out this leaflet and take it to him/her (it's the breastfeeding network one grizzlechops mentioned) and if I hadn't had it I wouldn't have been treated properly either:

    http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BfN_Thrush_leaflet_Feb_2009.pdf

    Feel free to email me if you have any questions and good luck!!

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  • hi everyone just wanted to say thanks so much for all your advice the thrush seems to be getting much better now and baby is so much more settled.
    thank you xx
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