Ugh, I'm pretty sure we have thrush

[octmom]

DS finished up a 10-day round of antibiotics on Thursday. He was being treated for a double ear infection. This was his third ear infection and second double. :( The doc prescribed a different antibiotic this time-- Bactrim, I think. He had amoxycillan the first two times. I made sure that he ate yogurt with live cultures (Yo Baby) every day for breakfast, but I think we may have thrush.

I started having pain a few days ago when nursing and when pumping, but I stupidly attributed it to DS's teething (he's tried using me as a teether a few times lately-- ouch!) and to possibly running the pump too high. DS has had mouth pain, but I thought it was all related to the four teeth he has coming in on top. Yesterday, I noticed that his tongue looked a little whitish and I started to put two and two together. I called the nurse on duty at the ped's office last night and she suggested that I check his mouth for white patches on the inside of his cheeks when he woke up this morning. He's not being very cooperative, but I was able to spot something that looked whitish. So, I am waiting for a call back from the doc to see if we need to go in or if he will just call in a prescription for DS. The nurse said they's probably prescribe Nystatin for him and recommend that I use Lotrimin 4 times a day. I think it's pretty mild for both of us, but I really don't want it to get worse!

I've read a bunch of archived posts abouot thrush, so I think I may try to get some acidolpholus capsules too. If I can find the capsules, I'll take them and try to sprinkle some on DS's food, I guess. I am really not looking forward to this.

Any other tips from BTDT moms? I know that I should not use lansinoh (as I was doing to soothe what I thought was just soreness), and that I should change my nursing pads frequently.

Other advice?

TIA!



Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[Rachels]

Definitely get the acidophilus-- the refrigerated kind. I've never known anyone to actually be helped by Nystatin, partly because it has sugar in it and yeast feeds on sugar. Don't hesitate to ask for Diflucan for both of you if the Nystatin isn't working. If you are near a health food store, gentian violet will turn you both purple but will definitely help. Be sure to boil your bras and nursing pads and to sterilize any toys he's been mouthing.

Hope you feel better!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...pphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!

[KGoes]

Ditto what Rachel said. DD and I have been down the thrush road more than once, and I can tell you that nystatin did nothing for us - especially if the thrush is in your milk ducts. There is also acidophilus/bifidus in active yogurt cultures, so if you or your DS likes yogurt, that's another source - just make sure the cultures are active in the yogurt by checking the label. The more sugar and yeast that you can cut out of your diet, the better.
Get better soon!
Kelley
DD born 7/03
and the next one due 4/18/05

[octmom]

Do you know if running the pump parts through the dishwasher will do the trick or should I use the Medela microwave steamer bags too? (I know myself and I will never boil them daily.)

And as for DS's toys, if I use the dishwasher for the toys that can handle it, will that be enough for those? Any thoughts on how to get the rest really clean? I know that our daycare uses some sort of solution to dip toys, but I don't know if it's a very weak bleach solution or something else. I don't like the idea of using bleach, but if that's how it's done, I'll do it and just rinse everything really well afterward.

DS's ped prescribed Nystatin for him (no visit required) and I bought acidolpholus powder at the health food store for his food. DH also bought more Yo Baby, the drinkable kind this time. I'm using Lamisal AT, at the recommendation of the pharmacist. She said she thinks it works better than Lotrimin.

Another question, just in case you may be expert in this: we've been using Hyland's teething tablets to help DS with teething pain. Any reason to discontinue now? We did toss our infant Tylenol and bought a new bottle, since I was afraid the dropper may have been contaminated.

My only solace is that DS doesn't seem to be in pain and I'm not either. I think that we've got a mild case, but I want to be sure to nip (no pun intended :)) it in the bud before it worsens.

Thanks!

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[tarahsolazy]

I haven't had thrush yet, but I think you have a great plan. The dishwasher should be fine for your toys, and I think the microwave bags are as good as boiling the pump parts. You can also use them for pacis, teethers, etc, if you have toys that would fit in them.

[KGoes]

I boiled everything as I had some trouble with the microwave bags melting pump tubing and I don't usually have enough dishes to run the dishwasher every day - so I just got in the habit of boiling. As for DD toys, etc. I did my best, but I'm not sure that sterilization is as important as getting the flora/fauna in your respective systems back in balance. A healthy immune system can accomodate the yeasts.
If you don't think that Lamisal or nystatin is working, do not be afraid to ask for the diflucan. If the yeast is actually in your milk ducts, the topical application is not going to help.
Best of luck!
Kelley
DD born 7/03
And the next one due 4/18/05

[sntm]

Jerilyn,

Be sure to cut back on sugars and yeasty breads for a while, too. The downfall of YoBaby is that while they have lots of good bacteria, they also have lots of sugar that yeast love.

Hope you get better soon! If you are looking for gentian violet, the little private drugstore by La Puerta and the Tavern (across from Barrack's Road) carries it. I don't know who your OB is but I got Jefferson Ob-GYN to call me in a diflucan script when I suspected thrush (though they would only give me a couple days worth).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Breastfeeding 16 months and counting

[octmom]

Thanks, Shannon. Of course, we still have a bunch of Halloween chocolate left at home and I am finding it hard to resist. :)

I am beginning to question whether or not we really have it. I'm not having any symptoms and Sean's mouth looks good too. He never got a dipaer rash either, thank God. But, I'd rather be safe than sorry, so I am sticking with the treatment, just in case.

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."