Megadodo
10-19-2007, 07:08 PM
Are your nipples are sore, red, itchy and/or burning? Is there a circle around the nipple that is either red, pink or has little bumps or blisters on it?
In addition to investigating the possibility of thrush, you should also look at the possibility of nipple eczema.
Eczema can lead to thrush. It can also occur concurrent with thrush, or after thrush. Women with allergies or a history of hayfever are more prone to eczema.
I was mis-diagnosed with thrush and treated incorrectly for weeks until I was raw, cracked and bleeding. t the worst period, the skin was peely and sometimes I had tiny bumps that almost looked like patches of little pimples or tiny blisters. When it felt like my nipples were being peeled off with a razor blade I talked to a nurse practioner with bf experience who correctly diagnosed it as eczema and prescribed what is the American equivalent of Dr. Newman's all purpose breastcream (containing a hydrocortisone and anti-fungal combination).
It's called Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream USP 1%/0.05% (base)
Lansinoh (lanolin) made this problem much worse for me. I've learned that women with eczema are often allergic to lanolin.
Eczema is often related to food allergies. My eczema cleared up when I cut dairy from my diet.
Links on nipple eczema:
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/lactation/qas/0,,166431_106272,00.html
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/62/28.cfm
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/lactation/qas/0,,166431_106474,00.html
http://www.dermatology.svhm.org.au/MCH/MCH%20Thrush.htm
***Good info on eczema in general from National Institutes of Health / medline***
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eczema.html
You can make your own homemade version of the medicine described there by purchasing OTC a tube each of clotriminazole and hydrocortisone and mixing them together at a 1:1 ratio. The only difference is prescription hydrocortisone is 2% solution while OTC is 1%. My pharmacist recommended this. I make my own now and it works just fine - but you shouldn't apply it more than twice a day for no longer than 10 days in a row because of potential negative side effects from the hydrocortisone cream.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or lactation professional. I'm just sharing my own experience. To be absolutely certain about what you are dealing with, you may want to talk to a lactation consulant or your breastfeeding friendly doctor.
In addition to investigating the possibility of thrush, you should also look at the possibility of nipple eczema.
Eczema can lead to thrush. It can also occur concurrent with thrush, or after thrush. Women with allergies or a history of hayfever are more prone to eczema.
I was mis-diagnosed with thrush and treated incorrectly for weeks until I was raw, cracked and bleeding. t the worst period, the skin was peely and sometimes I had tiny bumps that almost looked like patches of little pimples or tiny blisters. When it felt like my nipples were being peeled off with a razor blade I talked to a nurse practioner with bf experience who correctly diagnosed it as eczema and prescribed what is the American equivalent of Dr. Newman's all purpose breastcream (containing a hydrocortisone and anti-fungal combination).
It's called Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream USP 1%/0.05% (base)
Lansinoh (lanolin) made this problem much worse for me. I've learned that women with eczema are often allergic to lanolin.
Eczema is often related to food allergies. My eczema cleared up when I cut dairy from my diet.
Links on nipple eczema:
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/lactation/qas/0,,166431_106272,00.html
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/62/28.cfm
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/lactation/qas/0,,166431_106474,00.html
http://www.dermatology.svhm.org.au/MCH/MCH%20Thrush.htm
***Good info on eczema in general from National Institutes of Health / medline***
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eczema.html
You can make your own homemade version of the medicine described there by purchasing OTC a tube each of clotriminazole and hydrocortisone and mixing them together at a 1:1 ratio. The only difference is prescription hydrocortisone is 2% solution while OTC is 1%. My pharmacist recommended this. I make my own now and it works just fine - but you shouldn't apply it more than twice a day for no longer than 10 days in a row because of potential negative side effects from the hydrocortisone cream.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or lactation professional. I'm just sharing my own experience. To be absolutely certain about what you are dealing with, you may want to talk to a lactation consulant or your breastfeeding friendly doctor.