Chronic Thrush

[butt-eze]

Hello everyone:

I am curious as to how many of you experience thrush and how often. I saw my gi doc today and he mentioned that this is something he is hearing about more and more often with patients on Humira.

My thrush is in my esophugus causing pressure and a "something is stuck in my throat" feeling. I have taken diflucan and it has resolved. However, I get it frequently.

My doc said he would do a upper endoscopy next time the thrush returned. He may want to send me to an infectious disease doctor. He explained that ID doctors tend to treat chronic thrush more seriously than he expected.

Anyone else on this same boat?

Amy

 

[BWS1982]

I was thought to have it, but the pattern on the tongue indicates what keeps coming back is actually either acid reflux (which confuses me, because I don't have upper GI issues, AT ALL) or from Flagyl regimens...What's funny is it comes and goes with the Flagyl regimen, so perhaps Flagyl is making me produce more acid. I get the AWFUL taste in my mouth too, and it won't go away even after brushing, eating, mouth wash, sleeping, etc...it's permanent. The only thing I can do is ignore it. There's a whitish/yellowish coating on my tongue when I have it, but since it's in the middle of the tongue, near the back, they now tell me it's not thrush, and that thrush would be on the sides. I would scrape it off with a tongue scraper and it would actually bleed a tiny bit at times. :voodoo:

If that's not the case, then it appears it's thrush like my 3rd GI said it was. Either way, it's gross and obnoxious.

 

[cwf5020]

I am on Nystatin for thrush right now. Atleast my doctor thinks its thrush from either Flagyl or Prednisone. Either way its annoying.

 

[D Bergy]

My wife had Thrush on the tongue from a homeopathic remedy that had an alcohol base. The Alcohol would strip her mouth of the bacteria that would keep yeast in check.

Thrush can be chemically induced as it was in her, or occur because of a suppressed immune system. Some Crohn's treatments can cause this, and so can antibiotics since they also can suppress the immune system, and possibly kill bacteria that normally would keep it in check.

Dan

 

[Crohn's 35]

I am on Nystatin for thrush right now. Atleast my doctor thinks its thrush from either Flagyl or Prednisone. Either way its annoying.

Ditto, I am not taking my flagyl for now, but on Entocort and pentasa, and almost out of the Nystatin and didnt do anything, so I am like BWS and have been on and off for years! Even food tastes different!

 

[Brad P]

Hello everyone:

I am curious as to how many of you experience thrush and how often. I saw my gi doc today and he mentioned that this is something he is hearing about more and more often with patients on Humira.

My thrush is in my esophugus causing pressure and a "something is stuck in my throat" feeling. I have taken diflucan and it has resolved. However, I get it frequently.

My doc said he would do a upper endoscopy next time the thrush returned. He may want to send me to an infectious disease doctor. He explained that ID doctors tend to treat chronic thrush more seriously than he expected.

Anyone else on this same boat?

Amy

Do you have any other symptoms? I have not ruled out a yeast problem myself I may have gotten during my chemo last year. Even now I am getting returning heartburn and burping where the burps/regurgitation taste like warm beer. I haven't had beer in years!

 

[imisspopcorn]

I've only had it after surgery when I was on a long course of antibiotics.....Are you on any probiotics?......Some people are more prone to yeast infections, especially diabetics and HIV patients.....Some women constantly get vaginal yeast infections and some men have chronic athletes foot........I would try a probiotic if you are not already taking one.

 

[butt-eze]

Interesting to know that I'm not all alone. I don't take probiotics. I'm pretty bad about taking anything that isn't prescribed. In other words, I'm supposed to take Vitamin D3 but I forget a lot.

I will keep you posted on the results from a future upper endoscopy and potential visit with the infectious disease doctor-couldn't they have come up with a better title than that!?!

 

[CrohnieCarolyn]

Before I was FINALLY diagnosed I had thrush and constant recurring yeast infections - I think it is the immune system gone wacky - My GI told me Thursday he thinks it is the immune system that goes haywire and not the initial bacterial invader that makes the immune system go nuts ....

 

[Rob]

That's the biggest problem with this disease

nobody actually knows, it's just a whole bunch of assumptions

cd sux ass

 

[tamesis]

so after reading this, i'm pretty sure i have thrush. And i'm terribly sorry to anyone else who is dealing with it, especially in your esophagus, that can't be fun!
i thought it was just because of my meds, i was on Biaxin and now Cipro/Flagyl, which say that it can alter taste, so i chalked the fuzzy tongue nasty taste in my mouth up to that. But i just looked at my tongue, and it's nasty. Sorry to hijack, but do you guys think this is something i should go to the walk in about tomorrow to get it under control, or can it wait until my gp appt. tuesday? oh, and i do take Probiotics, three times a day, have been for a couple months.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Hi Tamesis, I have taken all those and it is very common with Flagyl, Pred, and some of the other meds to cause it. Get your doc to give you Oral Nystatin, it does help but until you go off the Flagyl it aint leaving. I have been on and off Flagyl for 17 years.. I also take 900 billion probiotics too, nothing seems to help. The back of your tongue is yellowish white and bumping, food taste wierd, and a metalllic taste in your mouth. Oral Nystatin may help and brushing your tongue helps abit, drinking water also helps.

 

[Nytefyre]

I am on Nystatin for thrush right now. Atleast my doctor thinks its thrush from either Flagyl or Prednisone. Either way its annoying.

I am on Nystatin for the same reason. I am only taking Flagyl though so that's gotta be it for me.

 

[tamesis]

Yup...It's thrush...Doc said they don't really use Nystatin anymore and gave me some pill instead? guess we'll see....Hope it clears up for everyone, ickiness!

 

[Brad P]

Yup...It's thrush...Doc said they don't really use Nystatin anymore and gave me some pill instead? guess we'll see....Hope it clears up for everyone, ickiness!

Can you get the name of that pill? And keep us updated! :thumright:

Also are you guys experiencing any symptoms besides a coating etc on the tongue?

 

[imisspopcorn]

I just want to suggest buying some cheap 'thrush' toothbrushes...maybe from the dollar store. I would use a toothbrush with Nystatin on it and brush my tongue. Then do the swish and swallow. Only use the tooth brush a few times then toss them. Do the same thing with your regular toothbrush.......The pills are either Diflucan or Nizoral.

 

[tamesis]

Yup, diflucan. Although i was reading in my med. book that usually for thrush it's at least a week's treatment, and she only gave me one. Guess we'll see, i'll let you all know.

 

[BWS1982]

Nystatin did nothing for me (nothing did anything for me, but...) so they got me on Diflucan like IMP said, and it killed it in about a week or so, last year.

It's back now but like I said, it's frustrating because they don't truly know what it is because they claim the area on the tongue affected is not the sides...The taste is unbearable...

 

[tamesis]

Yeah, it's pretty nasty. I hate the fuzzy tongue feeling too...almost feels like i burnt my tongue sometimes too.

 

[BWS1982]

Well, I feel that too, but the taste is what I can't NOT notice...and I hate to look at it in the mirror, too.

 

[Crohn's 35]

The Nystatin helped mine a bit. I am off the Flagyl for now, I am sure it is the Entocort... but I am sure I will be corrected on that.

 

[Amazon]

Thrush treatments

Thank you for all the helpful tips for treating thrush. I've now suffered from vaginal thrush for 9 straight months and oral thrush for 6 months with no relief.

My problem is that a lot of these treatments have kept symptoms at bay until I go off them and the thrush comes back immediately.

I've been on a heavy dose of Nystatin (2 pill, 3 times daily) and 'fungilin' lozenges 4 times a day while also using nystatin cream. This is quite a full on dose and yet my body is unresponsive. It seems to alleviate itching but the redness and visible thrush still seems persistent.

One thing that worked well for vaginal thrush was Boric acid pessaries used alongside the nystatin pills. I found my symptoms disappeared but I was not on the ball with taking them consistently and my symptoms returned.

I have tried diflucan and it did nothing. I have also soaked in a cold bathtub of Bi-carb soda for 10 minutes (supposed to neutralise) every day and that has helped a lot.

Still not rid of it yet. Am in the process of seeing a specialist but I am so frustrated. Its not as bad as it was which is the one positive I'm taking from it.

Hope this helps. Please pass on anything you think will help

Amazon :ysmile:

Diagnosed with Crohn's at 21, 3 years on finally stable.
Current Meds: Pentasa slow release granules 500mg daily
Diet: FODMAP-HAS SAVED MY LIFE!!!!!!!!

 

[Samboi]

Thanks for these tips Amazon.
I have just realised that my thrush and Humira are definitely connected.
CD is so bloody frustrating!
I'm going to try some of the remedies you have suggested.

 

[Amazon]

Hi All,

Great news, I am all clear of thrush due to the following reasons: I decided to try pretty much everything below simultaneously for a solid 2 weeks and now my oral and vaginal thrush is gone.

1. Soak in a cold bathtub of bi-carb soda every day (preferably the morning) for 10 minutes.
2. Get on the Candida diet (low carb and sugar). Its hard to stay on but its similar to FODMAP except you really have to have very little sugar.
3. Nystatn tablets (2 pills, 3 times a day)
4. Oral funglin lozenges 4 times a day.
5. 3 day Canesten cream (its double strength) for 7 days.
6. Once Canesten cream is complete: Boric acid Pessaries, one a day for 5 days.
7. Eat one large (800ml) Activia Yoghurt every day (or any yoghurt that is claimed to aid digestion with good bacteria)
8. Take double doses of Probiotics every day.

Remember, I am no doctor and Im not saying that this will work for everyone but if you make it a priority all this stuff helps.

Also, when eating yoghurt try not to have anything containing high levels of iron a few hours before and after because it interferes with the absorption ot Dairy.

Also, the reason why my thrush was not going away was because I was using Birth control pills which were throwing my body out of whack. It seems that the Oestrogen in the pills was not liked by my body, once I cut that out all my symptoms became less full on and I think that helped.

Best of luck, hope any of this helps. So glad to be back to normal. Don't give up

Amazon

Crohns sufferer of 3 years
Medicine: Pentasa
Diet: FODMAP Get on it!

 

[Jessasha]

I suffered with thrush for years, the best med for it was Difflucan.. I won't bother using anything else again, it's the best. Works really quickly too.