# Stubborn ringworm & pregnant



## Leiahs (Jul 29, 2005)

Here's the short history:

In very late winter/early spring, I developed a large circle on my leg that I thought was eczema. I mostly assumed this because it was itchy and the weather was finally getting cold, unlike the rest of winter, and I have no experience with fungus or skin infections. I tried keeping it moisturized and assumed it would eventually go away when the weather improved.

It didn't, of course, and after a good 3 months or so I asked DH to take a good look at it, and he immediately claimed it was ringworm. Hadn't ever crossed my mind. Describing it over the phone to MIL, who I generally trust with health matters, resulted in the same idea. So I started treating it with OTC creams like Lamisil. I went through 2 tubes, and it was starting to look a little bit better, but I decided to switch to another brand in case I was getting resistant to that specific type. Long story short, I went through another tube and eventually the fungus spread to another smaller spot on my leg and a spot on my groin. I kept up with the creams.

Went on vacation in late summer, saw MIL, and she looked at the main big ringworm on my leg, and decided that it was now gone and all that was left was basically a scar from it having been there for so long. So I stopped putting creams on while on vacation. I was also newly pregnant at this point.

Fast forward a couple weeks, and the dang thing was itching up a storm again and starting to get rough and patchy on the outsides again. Dangit. So I decided to try tea tree oil this time. Only applications throughout the day didn't seem to do a single thing. So I decided to soak a cotton pad in the oil and bandage it over the ringworm to keep a constant contact with the oil and the ringworm. It burned my skin, of course, but I was hoping it would burn away the ringworm with it. I did one day of that, let it rest, and a layer of skin peeled off. A couple days later I did it again, same thing, another layer of skin peeled off. I left it alone for a while, and another week or so went by, and suddenly a new circle outside of the old circle erupted, and now it just looks bad, red and scaly and huge. I ordered FungRX online (it has homeopathic ingredients and has other ingredients such as tea tree oil, etc., and is claimed to cure 95% of fungus, even in hair and when doctor rx's don't work.) After a week of using it I was seeing nothing but things actually seeming slightly worse, and feeling just as itchy and maddening as before. I was starting to think I had managed to get a secondary bacterial infection.

So I took myself to a dermatologist this morning, and by looking at it he immediately decided that there was no bacterial infection, just fungal. He did take a culture to be sure, of course, but prescribed a stronger antifungal cream. He told me that we basically don't have any other options because I am pregnant. "In a pinch", he said, you can take an oral antifungal in your 3rd trimester, but only if you're in a pinch, kinda desperate, I would guess he meant. He also commented on how your immune status changes when you're pregnant, which might make getting rid of it more difficult. And in my mind, might also explain why things actually got *worse* after I found out I was pregnant.

I've had this ringworm for most of the year now. I'm so sick of it, I want it to be done. I can't wear my shorts or shorter skirts because it's so big and ugly and contagious. (I really wish I had realized what it was early on, and treated it early!)

Is there *anything* I can do to help this healing process along? Dietary changes? Using natural treatments on top of prescribed meds? I don't want this thing to still be around when baby is born, risking passing it on to the baby







I would feel awful about that, and of course don't want to mess with medications on baby's new and tender skin. I could really use any advice anyone might have.


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## Science Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

Leiahs, I am afraid that your only course is the topical prescription anti-fungal. You really don't want to take systemic anti-fungals while pregnant or breastfeeding. You do want to try and get rid of this to prevent transmission to others. Just read the package insert carefully and discuss any concerns with your O.B. which you should do anyway as your O.B. should be aware of any medications that you are on. Good luck.

SM


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## CynnaminRye (May 9, 2007)

I had a case of ringworm years ago that I couldn't shift. I tried lamisil to no avail and the doctor prescribed some $80 cream that as a college student I stood no chance of affording. At the time I was working as a vet nurse (I picked up rw from an infected cat) and the other vet nurses suggested I tried washing the infected areas with betadine 2-3 times a day. Well I'm happy to say the rash went quickly and has never reappeared. And all for the cost of something like $2.50. I can't imagine that betadine would be harmful during pregnancy as it only effects the skin but you may want to check with your dr or pharamcist first. Good luck!

Cynn


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## Science Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

CR, that just may work, good suggestion.

Leiahs, If you do this, just check with your doctor first as iodine can be absorbed through the skin and can affect your thyroid and your foetus' thyroid function although it would take a lot to do this and in my opinion is a better option than anti-fungal topicals in terms of safety. Hope it works.

SM


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## Leiahs (Jul 29, 2005)

Thank you for the suggestion.









Is there anything dietary that may cause fungus to be more stubborn? (I'm just thinking along the lines of sugars with yeast infections...that sort of thing...) Anything I should maybe be trying to avoid? Or vitamins that might be especially important while I'm trying to fight off ringworm?


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