Monthly thrush ruining my life : Hi all. Long... - Women's Health

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Monthly thrush ruining my life

maddie818 profile image
18 Replies

Hi all. Long story short I have been getting recurrent thrush for 4 years, ever since I lost my virginity to my current partner. We have both been treated and I have even done long term courses of fluconazole (150mg a week for 6 months) this keeps the thrush away but 6 months after the last tablet it always returns. I have been tested for diabetes, thyroid, HIV, vitamins and everything is always normal. I don’t use any scented products and have come off of hormonal birth control in case this was an issue, I have also tried taking a good quality probiotic. I have currently had thrush since about October and I am starting to feel really down and depressed. It’s impacting my social life, mental health, and relationship. Please help if you can offer any advice. Thanks.

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moo196 profile image
moo196

Sounds like you should request a specialist appointment with gynaecology or women's specialist. It may not be thrush at all.Mine turned out to be a skin condition and I wish I had been referred years earlier as permanent damage was already done.

Good luck

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to moo196

Thank you and sorry that you had this experience. I have seen a few gynos and been examined but they have always confirmed it is just thrush. I have been checked for eczema and LS but all normal. The only thing they offer me is more fluconazole but it always returns and the longer I have been taking it the more resistant I have become so the higher dose I need to take. I am only 23 so I can’t imagine how much longer I will be able to follow this pattern without becoming totally resistant. Thanks again!

moo196 profile image
moo196 in reply to maddie818

In earlier years I found calendular cream very useful in that area.

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to moo196

I’ll have a look, thank you!

wobblybee profile image
wobblybeeAdministratorPioneer

I’ve had Thrush myself, and I’ve also been diagnosed with Candidiasis. It’s worth considering if this is at the root of the problem. Generally, Fluconazole is prescribed, but if Candidiasis is actually the problem, you need to cut yeast and sugar out of your diet, and take a good probiotic.

Thrush is not called a sexually transmitted infection, although occasionally it is passed on during sex. More often it is an overgrowth of the candida yeast which was already there but hadn't been causing a problem.

The immune system and the harmless germs (bacteria) that also normally live on the skin and in the vagina usually stop Candida spp. from thriving. However, when conditions are good for Candida spp., numbers multiply and may invade the vagina and cause thrush symptoms. This could be due to changes in the bacteria in the vagina when you have taken antibiotics. Or it could be related to hormone changes, or problems with your immune system.

maddie818 profile image
maddie818

wobblybee thank you for this, could I ask where you got diagnosed? I have mentioned a Candida overgrowth in my gut to my GP but he didn’t seem to take much notice. I have tried the Candida diet before but only lasted a few weeks, have you cut out sugar etc permanently? I am taking a few really good probiotics currently as well as some herbal anti fungals. I am willing to try anything at this point but I don’t know how sustainable a long term Candida diet would be for me as I am only 23 so the thought of not getting to go for dinners, out with friends for the rest of my life is quite sad.

wobblybee profile image
wobblybeeAdministratorPioneer

It’s actually quite some years since I was given this diagnosis, at the time I was looking for help for something else, and I was seeing a Kinesiologist and a Nurse Practitioner/Herbalist. my history of symptoms led to diagnosis.

It’s now a recognised condition...and it can be responsible for a variety of symptoms. In the US it’s possible to have a blood test but I’m not sure whether this is possible here, your GP should be able to give information.

Initially I took a course of Fluconazole, took a Probiotic and eliminated known triggers from my diet. It’s not a quick fix, you need to be diligent.... But, if your GP hasn’t already suggested Candidiasis could potentially be a cause, it’s worth asking about it..

The type of discharge associated with Candidiasis has a cottage cheese like consistency ...if it’s watery and smells fishy it could be Bacterial Vaginosis.

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to wobblybee

Thank you, are you able to eat a normal diet now?

wobblybee profile image
wobblybeeAdministratorPioneer in reply to maddie818

I now recognise excess sugar, yeast and carbohydrate cause me problems, so I limit them to a minimum within a normal diet. It took me a long time to accept there could be something logical about this, especially when there was no definitive test available.. so it became a case of trial and error. You have had quite a lot of testing in the past, so your GP possibly feels this has been explored enough... it’s difficult I know because I’ve been there myself with a different problem..But if symptoms continue to make life difficult you need help dealing with it.

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to wobblybee

Thank you. Did you show other symptoms of just thrush? I feel totally healthy other than the thrush.

wobblybee profile image
wobblybeeAdministratorPioneer in reply to maddie818

I was experiencing brain fog, and poor balance..these can be linked to Candidiasis, but I went on to ‘collect’ other symptoms which were definitely confirmed as something else. I have Cerebellar Ataxia, which is rare.

Amandasullivan12 profile image
Amandasullivan12

Does ur partner ejaculate inside u I am sensitive to sperm that’s what kept causing mine maybe could be causing urs x

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to Amandasullivan12

No, we stopped this ages ago just in case but it didn’t seem to help!

earthnymph profile image
earthnymph

Hi, I had oral thrush from change in inhalers for 3 months before I found a cure. I had all sorts of disgusting meds from doc. I’m diabetic, prone to thrush both ends. Capryllic acid is the answer, it’s a supplement, I got it online, and I haven’t had thrush since. If I have antibiotics I take capryllic acid as a preventative. Initially when clearing it a good quality probiotic will help, like mightidophilis.Good luck x

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to earthnymph

Hey thanks for this! I am currently taking a good probiotic and caprylic acid but I must admit I wasn’t consistent with these before the thrush returned this last time so hopefully it will make a difference if I take it everyday. Thanks again

Just_Browsing_81 profile image
Just_Browsing_81

Hope you get things sorted soon. I seemed to get resistant to Fluconazole after having thrush a few times so I asked a private clinic online for Itraconazole and that prevented it coming back again.

maddie818 profile image
maddie818 in reply to Just_Browsing_81

Just_Browsing_81 Thanks! I have tried Itraconzole before but not for a long course but my thrush still came back the next month :(

Just_Browsing_81 profile image
Just_Browsing_81 in reply to maddie818

Sorry to hear that, maybe taking the probiotics and the caprylic acid will prevent it long term.

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