In desperate need of some advice.

[Star26]

I am in desperate need of some advice or if anyone has been through anything similar. I had my first failed ICSI cycle in July. We are due to see the consultant again in a couple of weeks to talk about starting round 2. I had low AMH and only produced 2 eggs neither of which fertilised so I didn't even make it to transfer. I have now been taking DHEA, Ubiquinol and many various other supplements. Me and my partner have been still trying naturally and we tried when I was ovulating last week. I don't tend to have many symptoms but this time I had ovulation pain and cervical fluid (which I haven't seen in a while and is very hit and miss. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it isn't) but in the last couple of days I have developed a severe bout of thrush. I have suffered with this many times before in the past and me and my partner are just getting so disheartened by it because not only has the ICSI not worked, I keep getting this and so puts me off trying naturally coz I am in so much discomfort. This time around it is so severe and I am in so much discomfort. I tried treatment overnight last night last night but I am still in massive discomfort today. My partner even joked that I was allergic to his sperm. Has anyone experienced this? Is it anything to do with the DHEA as to why the thrush is so severe this time around? I have also changed shower gels to no parabens and organic. Could all these changes be why I am suffering so nadly with thrush this time around? I am feeling so down about it. 🙁🙁🙁😔😔😔 Thanks. X

[Violet1987]

Hello Star26. I personally have no experience of this apart from huge discomfort during my first cycle with the pessaries that I felt was quite like thrush symptoms. I would go see your doctor ASAP or phone the Fertility clinic on Monday morning and ask for advice. Poor you. It is so unpleasant x

[Star26 in reply to Violet1987]

Thank you Violet1987. If it hasn't even felt a little easier by Monday I was going to phone my GP anyway. I was only on the pesaries for a day because once they rang me and said that the ICSI had not worked I had to stop taking them so they hadn't really got into my system by then anyway. I have had so many bouts of thrush over the years and I just cannot understand why but it always seems to be triggered after being intimate with my partner which then does not help the situation in ttc. 😔😔😔😔 I am so stuck. X

[Violet1987 in reply to Star26]

I would tell your Fertility clinic that and perhaps ask your GP for a referral to a gynaecologist? What does google say? I know they tell us to avoid googling symptoms but we all do it - even nurses and doctors I bet! X

[Star26 in reply to Violet1987]

It is definitely thrush. It is so severe because I have had it so many times. I have got the abdominal pain with it too. 😔😔 I wish tomorrow was Monday. Another day in this much discomfort is draining. 😔😔 x

[Celloheggy]

I’m sorry you’re in so much pain 😬. I don’t suffer from Thrush but I do get really bad cystitis. I take D-Mannose to help prevent it, I wonder if it would help with thrush or not??

I’ve also just taken OptiBac Women (happy bacteria’s!) after have cystitis, I’m sure that would help thrush??

Sorry, don’t know if that’s helpful or not? X

[Star26 in reply to Celloheggy]

Thank you. Anything is worth a go. 😔😔 I just don't know why it keeps coming back after being intimate. It seems like I get it more often than not and then I can't do anything again for weeks because I am too scared of it returning. It feels like it is never ending. 😔😔 x

[Orla9298 in reply to Star26]

Optibac is worth taking daily from now on as it’s for balance of bacteria down there, it may help prevent future bouts of it xx

[kitscat]

You should have a swab done to confirm its thrush. Also sometimes you need a longer course of thrush treatment for stubborn or recurrent infections. Husband needs to be treated too! May be worth getting a diabetic check also. Best of luck x

[mimisquiz77]

Hi, poor you. Thrush isn’t pleasant and even less when you are TTC.

Like you, I had thrush caused by another fertility drug, unfortunately not DHEA. I was told to use canesten and to wash my private bits with plain water only. I was also told that my partner should be treated. This happened on and off until I stopped taking the drug.

I think you should check this with your clinic just to be sure it’s thrush. I hope it will be sorted very soon and you won’t be in pain anymore.

Good luck x

[MontsJ]

Sorry to hear you are so uncomfortable. I think it’s very unlikely to be the DHEA. What has helped you most to clear it in the past as I’d be hitting it with everything you normally do. You could chat to a pharmacist as well as they are excellent, saves you having to wait another 24hrs. They’ll probably say you should go to the doctor to make sure it’s not bacterial vaginosis, but they can at least help make sure your on the best thrush treatment you can get in with a doctor. I don’t experience thrush like this myself (though is have indeed had it a couple of times) so not sure what advice to give on why you keep having recurrence, other than to say that having sex itself may well just upset your natural flora, rather than before by allergic to your other half's sperm. I couldn’t help but gave a little look online and found this really great website. It does say that micro trauma during sex can predispose the flare up, and that also some women are not effectively clearing infection after one episode making it easier for it to recur. And agree perhaps your husband should be treated as well to ensure he is not then carrying it.

independentnurse.co.uk/clin...

Really hope you get this sorted love, the last thing you want is the burden of sex just making things worse.

xx

[Ropa19]

Hi Star26 sorry to hear you are in so much pain! It’s horrible! After our last failed ICSI I also got horrendous thrush and I’m not sure what caused it either. I tried the cream the tablets then the GP give me the pessaries and the cream and nothing worked, she then give me some tablets to take and that’s what got rid of it but definitely get your partner treated at same time with the tablet and cream even if he’s having no symptoms. I sometimes think our PH level/flora or whatever it is, changes when we have sex etc and I just wondered if it was also my body just getting back to normal after all the drugs? I found washing without any soaps and just spraying myself with a cold shower down there helped with the pain. I was doing it several times a day 🙈 good luck and make sure you get an appointment tomorrow as know how much you must be suffering xx