# Is it possible to have thrush and NO painful nipples?



## MissJorgy (Apr 5, 2002)

Hi, just some thrush questions ...

My daughter is 4 weeks old tomorrow, and she's had a white tongue for about 3 weeks. My midwife saw it at Alayna's 2 week appt. and tried to rub it off with her finger, and it didn't go anywhere, so she said it was most likely thrush.

She does have a fussy nursing time once in a while - she'll start nursing and pull off and cry like she's in pain, but this doesn't happen too often, maybe once a day if that.

The only part of her mouth that is white is her tongue, the rest of her mouth area isn't affected.

My nipples don't hurt at all, there is no pain when she nurses - I do have a really strong letdown and that sometimes is painful ... I don't think it's related to thrush, though ... The tips of the nipples are a little pink, where normally my nipples are fairly dark. But every post I read about thrush talks about painful nipples and breasts ...

So - maybe Alayna really doesn't have thrush? Maybe just a stubborn milk coating?

If it has been going on for this long, I'd have some symptoms, right?

Thanks for any help!

Edited to add: I have been putting nystatin in her mouth for 2 weeks now, with barely any improvement, also.


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## schatz (May 6, 2003)

hi,

when my dd first had thrush, she had distinct white patches on her tongue. we cleared that up and then later the thrush reappeared as white patches on her cheeks. the entire time she was very gassy, made clicking noises while nursing, often pulled off the breast (usually later in the day) and cried. she also briefly developed a mild yeasty diaper rash. i also developed yeast on my breast but it took several weeks before i felt any pain or itching.

my guess is that your baby just has a stubborn milk coating. my dd no longer has thrush and i am yeast free but her tongue is still white at times. if your babe doesn't have any other symptoms and neither do you, you're probably not infected with thrush. i thought my dd still had thrush because i saw what i thought were white patches in her mouth but in fact it is just the tissue of her palate and gums that looks a little white. i had my pediatrician confirm that she is thrush free. she also no longer clicks or is very gassy.

were either you or your babe given any antibiotics? that is one way to almost surely come down with thrush. that's how we got it. if your babe is otherwise symptom free and you are too, i would be inclined to stop the nystatin and see what happens.

OT - where is frederic in WI? I live in Madison.


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

This link should help inform you. Hope it answers your questions:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...resources.html


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## Enne la Chu (May 23, 2002)

YES there can be thrush w/out painful nipples. My dd had thrush for her1st 3 months and it was JUST as you describe -- no pain for me, no obvious discomfort for her, just stubborn white stuff until it was this huge, full-blown, horrible problem that (bcs we'd waited so long) was very very difficult to solve.
I am so thankful that I happened to be browsing this forum and saw your post, bcs if our traumatic experience can prevent someone else's, well, it will make me feel a little bit better about the whole thing.
I strenuously ecourage you to deal with this proactively. Good luck.
-Jenna


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## MissJorgy (Apr 5, 2002)

Clicking noises!!! She does this! I have been wondering about her faint clicking noises, she doesn't do it all the time so I didn't think she had a terrible latch problem. Also, she pulls off and cries, seems like later in the day. Hmm.

My midwife said to stop the Nystatin and see what happens over the next few days. I feel like that might make things worse ... I don't want it to become a full blown problem. The midwife was able to brush some of the thrush, or white whatever, off her tongue, but the majority of it was still there.

Thanks for the advice, ladies. Oh, Frederic is in NW Wisconsin, roughly 2 hours north of Eau Claire. Tiny town, about 1000 people.


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## Enne la Chu (May 23, 2002)

Missjorgy:
Just saw yr edit re the nystatin - we gave dd nystatin w/ no change also before deciding there was no thrush (whoops). Turns out we weren't giving it frequently enough - just 2x a day, when it's supposed to be 4x or something like that. And you also have to apply it to your nipples.
What eventually worked for us was violet gentian - don't try this unless you HAVE to! It turns everything purple, tastes like @#$% and stings (if there are open wounds/sores)! But it works.
-Jenna


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## Reedsmom (Apr 1, 2002)

MissJorgy: Just to also say yes you can have thrush without symptoms!!! I had painful latch for probably about a month, but just thought it was something with my sons latch, but here it was thrush. Son didn't show any white spots or any diaper rash. Just to let you know!!

Chelsi


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## MissJorgy (Apr 5, 2002)

Used gentian violet yesterday, her tongue is still white and the purple has all faded away ... shouldn't her tongue be normal again?


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## Mommylove (Aug 19, 2003)

Hi I posted the "painful breastfeeding" thread. My ds3 had no syptoms, but I started at two weeks old with really painful letdown. Ds3 had a super white coated tongue. We tried Nystatin-the white got better, but did't clear up totally. Nystatin sucks and tastes horrible.

He did the clicking noise and my boob pain got way worse!!!!!! Just finished a double dose of Diflucan. The pain is gone. I hate taking western medicine, but happy I did it because I was in so much pain. My OB recommended it because it is more important to nurse that heal naturally. I don't think I would have made it to the healing point and still be nursing. That's how painfull it was. And I have nursed for over three years with the other ds's.

I got off the nystatin because it turned my stomach upside down. You can take nystatin orrally also. But when it upset my tummy, I ended up in bed with fever, chills, pain....it was awful-mastitis. I went on antibiotics and the of couse got the yeast again. My Ped. doesn't know anything about bfing. LLL gave me some literature on over active let down reflex. I have that, too. Although, seems to be not so painful since the double dose of diflucan. Hang in there.

Love, Kendra


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## Enne la Chu (May 23, 2002)

MissJorgy:

As I recall, you need to use Violet Gentian (or Purple Gurple) I think it was 3x a day for at least 3 days or until the white is gone and then 24hrs after that. We had to do it 3x bcs we kept on stopping too soon or not doing it enough. Learn from our pain! The stains will come out eventually. Mostly. And double check on those directions, I don't remember clearly. Oh, and you have to get it everywhere, not just on the white. Use a cue tip and swab her inner cheeks, under her tongue, the roof of her mouth, inside her lips. Everywhere. I know it looks like it gets everywhere anyway so why bother, right? But there has to be direct contact for some reason. And don't forget to do yr nipples too.
You're doing the right thing by dealing with this now! It will all be over soon!
-Jenna


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## SmilesALot (Nov 20, 2001)

Dear MissJorgy,

I had a baby in April and I exactly had the same situation as yours. My dd had white patches on her tongue and that was the only indication that there could be a thrush issue here. Her pediatrician said it seems like thrush but it was not all that bad and that I could ask for medication if i had sore nipples and the patches got worse. DD also had occasional clicking.

I read all the posts regarding thrush on this forum and decided to start with some of the easier alternative treatments(non medication). Incidentally, i thought i felt some sharp pain in my breasts after some nursing sessions eventhough it was not severe. This could have been my imagination after I read all the posts describing the symptoms!! .

I bought Acidophilus and GSE(grapefruit seed extract). I did not go for Gentian Violet due to its coloring properties. I have a older ds also and I did not have a lot of time on my hands.

Fortunately, What worked for me is this!

I took Acidophilus 3 times a day and my dd's white patch started disappearing. I did not have any pain in my nipples. The patch on her tongue was completely gone in about 3-4 weeks of my taking Acidophilus. On her 4 month visit to the pediatrician, my daughter did not have any thrush symptoms.

Another thing I did is used vinegar while washing my bras, dd's clothes and the Boppy pillow.

I hope this helps you since I was exactly in the same situation as you.

Wanted to add this : I was given antibiotics during my labor since I was Strep B positive in my 35th week. That could have triggered the yeast infection.

Love & Peace.


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

I think you did just the right thing, Smilesalot. IME of 14 yrs as a bfing counselor with an intl bfing organization, I find, in all cases, it is so much better to "nip in the bud" bfing problems, rather than "let them snowball."

good job!


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