Dealing with Thrush - Conclusions and Resources

This is part 3. Also see part 1 and part 2.



Is the thrush gone?
In a word: no.

It is much better. 9 weeks on this diet with all the other stuff, and it is under control. I still have pain when Pepperette nurses but it is manageable. Sometimes the thrush flares up again, and it takes up to a week to settle down. The latest flareup was because I dared to have cheese in my omlette for dinner. I am so frustrated and so tired of being in pain. I can't complain about it to Mr. Chili because he is fed up too. He doesn't think breastfeeding is worth this much suffering. Which breaks my heart to hear him say. Because I need his support. And I can't stop breastfeeding. I nursed LC (with lots of problems) for 2.5 years. I have to give the same to Pepperette. Giving up would cause me no end of mental anguish.

This diet, this regimen, is tough to maintain. Thanksgiving and Halloween and every single day there is food tempting me. I resist because I remind myself that it's not worth the pain. If I eat that piece of cheese or popcorn, I will pay for it for days. And that keeps me going. I am struggling though. I miss my favourite foods. I am sad about the things I can't eat. I get depressed when I realize that I will likely have to live on this diet for as long as Pepperette is nursing. I can't eat out unless I can custom order my food, and I've learned the hard way that gets screwed up too.

/update on 18-Nov-2007:
I have had the best three days (with respect to thrush) since Peperette was born. Virtually pain-free. Hallelujah, praise the deity of your choice! My nips do get sore by the end of the day, but pretty minor, compared to the past.

What is different?
1) time - I've been on this anti-candida diet for 10 weeks now.
2) eliminating sugar from Peperette's diet. She started to develop thrush symptoms again (red butt, cranky) and I couldn't figure out why, since I've been super-vigilant about my food for over a week now.

The key for us is to be very strict about what both of us eat and to keep up with the supplements. I must remind myself to celebrate this. To stop whining about what I can't eat. Focus instead on the fact that I am healthy and still nursing my baby.
/end update

Good resources:
Dr. Newman's* handouts about thrush (candida). Candida, Gentian Violet, fluconazole.
Kellymom.
*If you don't know who Dr. Jack Newman is, you should find out. He's a world-renowned expert on breastfeeding who runs a breastfeeding clinic in the Toronto area. He doesn't know everything (who does?) but he knows a hell of a lot. His website is here.