With your infinite wisdom, and my budding experiences (just passed the
test this year) I need your help. I have been given permission to
post. I have also done an archival search for the things this mom has
looked up that I had never heard of (mercury fillings causing thrush).
I will see her in person tomorrow for first time in six months (Friday
9 am USA pacific time), the information below comes from phone or email
conversations in the last two days.
Due to problems with BF her first baby, cost of Nutramigen (highly
allergic first baby), extra time fussing with bottles, and
passion/belief in her ability to do it, she was determined to get her
2nd baby latched on. She hired me as her doula and LC. Baby born in
July, and is 6mos old now, she has breastfed successfully since the
beginning. Aside from a call I triaged at 2mos pp about possibility of
thrush, I assumed it resolved (knew she went to ped and OB for meds)
because I hadn't heard back from her... until after the holidays. She
wrote me a lovely holiday card, and wrote on the back as a side note
that she has continued, with little success, to have thrush. She is
sticking with BF, with considerable discomfort. Her internet findings
helped her conclude the that problem was due to her mercury fillings
"that she doesn't want to replace while breastfeeding".
Our correspondence resulted in the following info: symptoms in both
breasts, nipples are red/pink and even a little around the areola, with
little bumps that are present. Sometimes the nipples appear whitish
(hazy) in color, but when exposed to air the white usually goes away.
Mom used nipple shield initially for several weeks with excellent milk
transfer. She experienced the sensation of broken glass in both
nipples when the milk letdown happened. Still feels sensation on
occasion, but thinks the diet change (see below) has helped that to
reduce and the milk letdown is not as strong now. The most prevalent
sensation is burning both during and after the feedings. Sometimes it
subsides after a few minutes into the feeding, but always returns after
she is done and the breast pads go on (fresh ones). This is ALL while
being on the candida diet - No sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no vinegar,
no yeast. "If I even have one piece of bread.... the pain returns full
force", this coincides with baby becoming very fussy, lots of tummy
aches. Her quote "in my research, colic babies are linked with a yeast
overgrowth" (any truth?). She describes that during this whole time
there has never been a period of relief, just different severities of
pain. The times during the least amount of pain is when she was on
diflucan, but the pain returned as soon as went off. Oral Nystatin
(ped prescribed despite information mom had about Hale's discouraging
its use for lack of effectiveness). Mom said it "did absolutely
nothing, in fact, I believe it made it worse, due to the sugar in the
Nystatin which is what makes yeast grow". (Is there truth to this?).
Baby's mouth is clear except for a slight whitish tongue. Baby is
growing well (ped happy with growth, and will not prescribe any other
medication, including Nystatin), but since beginning has usually spent
just 5 or 10 minutes at breast feeding. In times of severe symptoms,
maybe 3 minutes. Baby does not use a pacifier.
The list of everything she has tried/use: oral Nystatin for baby,
Diflucan, Nystatin cream, miconazole 2%, clotrimazole 1%, Gentian
violet, acidophilus on nipples, acidophilus and bifidus orally, an
optifloral prebiotic, garlic tablets. Dr Gordon's site suggested
Grapefruit seed extract so she will pick it up this weekend, and
Condex.
HELP!!!!
Thanks in advance for those of you that will be able to post before I
see her tomorrow. I can also pass your wisdom on after I have visited
with her too, but I truly would love to have something else to share
with her. I know this was the right place to turn, I can't come up
with anything else.
P.S. I did think about Reynaud's/vasospasm when she shared about the
white nipple appearance today. I have no expertise in this area, and
have never seen it, or known anyone with it -- thoughts?
Lisa Simpkins IBCLC
San Diego, CA
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