I am 10 weeks out of chemo and rad. I just came down with my 4 episode of Thrush. Two during treatment and now for the second time post treatment. My throat is good shape and swallowing is not a problem. I am eating pretty much normal food that I feed my wife and two teenagers. Why is thrush bothering me? and what can I do to keep it away other than diflucan after the fact.

Your immune system may still be weakend. Speak with the doctor for a proper diagnosis what it is, and there are other meds if the Diflucan (fluconozole) is not helping and may have developed a resistance to it or may increase the dosage. Nystatin is also good as a rinse or swish and swallow with some oral suspension types you can swallow, like minus the lidocaine. Thrush, candidiasis, is a fungal infection, and feeds on sugar, yeast, processed foods, so look at the diet, and foods to boost your immune system. Probiotics, yogurt may help, is a little controversial with some since you are introducing more bacteria to the body, but say if you do, take the refrigerated type probiotics. Change your toothbrush often since you can keep reinfecting yourself, and maintain proper oral care. Thrush can go to the esophagus, cause pain, dysphagia, to the stomach, and if not treated properly, in rare cases can become invasive/disseminated candisias throughout the body if it eners the blood system, which I had when in the hospital. I hope this helps.

Try rinsing and swallowing manuka honey. It's anti bacterial. Also stay away from to much sugar it you can. Best of luck

When I would get thrush I would always change everything that came in contact with my mouth daily. That meant a new toothbrush, pillow case and towel every single day. That will help break the cycle. From what I understand, thrush is very contagious and sometimes hard to get rid of. You need to break the cycle and make sure it cant carry over from one day to the next.

Hope you can get rid of it soon, thrush can be a real pain!

[quote=ChristineB]From what I understand, thrush is very contagious and sometimes hard to get rid of.[/quote]You to yourself not others correct? I've not read any caution about thrush being spread to other housemates. Don

What I meant is that once you are infected you need to use extra caution to break the cycle. Thats why I would change my toothbrush, pillow cases and towels. No, I have not heard anything about it being spread to anyone else.

Sorry for any confusion!

Don,

It was always my understanding the fungus that causes thrush is present in all of our oral cavities. It is part of a balanced mini oral ecosystem where many different bacteria play different roles. We are part of a group where that balance is out of whack. The thrush fungus that almost everybody has in moderation ends up growing out of control. So you don't have to worry about spreading it to others.

I know that when my doctor prescribes an antibiotic for me he also puts me on the anti-thrush tablets. He said that killing off a bacterial infection elsewhere in my body could also result in killing off some of the good bacteria in my mouth that keeps the thrush fungus in check.

I may be completely wrong on this so if someone knows better, please chime in.

Kelly,

I think you are on the right track...the normal balance in your oral cavity has been compromised as well as your whole immune system.

I do think that the toothbrush change that Christine talks about is well worth it and a cheap fix. I would think that anything that comes in contact with your mouth/saliva would be good to address. Of course, the real answer is to get your mouth flora back to normal.

Good luck in your thrush fight!

The fungal, yeast is called Candida Albicans or C. Albicans, which flora is normally present in the mouth and gastrointestines, which majority have no problems with, but immune compromised person, infants, can get opportunistic infections, like thrush, so it's not really contagious unless you are already immune compromised, and would need direct contact.

Thrush is not contagious, and it is a fungus that lives with us all of us all the time. But it does bloom out of control when things get out of balance. I had terrible times with it right after radiation. Diflucan was a regular thing for me, and it always worked within a week to get rid of things.

http://oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/candida.htm