hi all. would like some advice please. ive been on tamoxifen and zoladex for year now. i feel dry most of the time in my lady garden. i get a lot of thrush, green discharge and water infections and sex is not the same. my doctor examed me and said all looked normal apart from a bit of thrush and my smear test came back normal. is this side effect of the medication iam on and does anybody have the same problem. thanks gaynor
I’m not on Tam yet, i have that joy to come, but i have suffered from Thrush for years and years.
I finally got a repeat prescritption from my GP (flu…something, sorry to be so vague). When starting chemo i did ask if i could take it and there was no prob.
Sorry it’s not spcific to Tam but i bet if you ask you’ll get something.
x
gaybar
did your gp take a swab and test it with ph paper? you can also get bacterial vaginosis this can be caused by over washing and dryness… for many there are no real symptoms but you can get a smelly discharge and itching… the treatment is antibiotics called metronidazole (which are like horse tablets), however the antibioticsd can cause thrush this often leads to over washing of the area… which then results in BV again and then you get into this thrush/BV cycle which can be really hard to break… did he offer a full sti screen too? i would normally start with that just to rule anything else more sinister out.
i would suggest starting with fluconazole (thrush tablet) and cansetan pessary and cream also treat your OH too as occasionally he could be re-infecting you… you also can try things like natural yoghurt vaginally which can be soothing.
as for it being an effect of tamoxifen well this can have drying out effects causing dry skin, constipation, dry mouth, but also can cause menopausal type symptoms, vaginal dryness being such a symptom… you can use vaginal lubricants such as sylk or replense to see if that helps… some ONCs/GPs are happy to give vagifem which are pessaries containing a very small amount of hormone but can help with menopausal side effects and works directly and not systemically.
try to avoid over washing the lady garden area, as the natural bugs in your vagina are meant to be there and keep a natural balance if you wash them away this is when you can get an over growth of other natural bugs causing irritations… wear cotton underwear, avoid, lacy, silky undies or tight fiting undies, tights and jeans, dont use soap or feminine hygiene products as these can wash away the normal flora leading to an imbalance… the skin ph is not the same as vaginal ph and is much more acidic than than the skin… but can become higher if you have BV.
hope you can get it resolved as it can be really irritating… if your GP isnt much help try your local family planning clinic as they often have specialist gynaecologists with an interest in this area.
Lulu x
thank you lulu34 and staycalmandcarryon for the advice. iam going through early menopause 41 and do think this could be part of the problem. but thank again for the advice. gaynor
Hi Gaynor
Following up on one of the points that Lulu made, when I’ve suffered thrush in the past, usually as a result of taking antibiotics for other reasons, I’ve found that applying natural live yoghurt is not only soothing but helps restore the natural balance of bacteria that should be there. Dunk a tampon in the natural yoghurt and apply! Much gentler than using even more drugs and works a treat.
Sarah x
thanks sarah. never thought about the tampon xxx
Lactobacillus acidophilus tablets, I swear by them. Any good health food shop with have them.
Lactobacillus acidophilus = lactic acid, in other words the stuff used to make yoghurt. So two different ways of improving the levels of bacteria, you just decide which end you prefer to apply it to!
cheers i will them both ago. thanks for the advice
Hi, Ive had bouts of thrush over the last 40 years just as a result of antibiotics like the other ladies said. Ive done well since my DX 2 & half years ago, just needed amoxicillin once for a lousy cough last winter but the unbearable itching was immediate. However my tried and trusted remedy (far more effective than yoghurty stuff) (Ive stood in my salon with it trickling down my legs so I do know a cure when I try one), Multibionta, its an over the counter vitamin tablet which brings relief in 3 days. It`s been explained to me that the organism that causes thrush begins in the bowel and this vitamin actually dissolves in the bowel. It will be £5.50 well spent,
good luck, love Mags xxxxxxxxxxx