I hate my life and health problems - I feel I will never heal

[NooNooHead]

Hi Mumsnetters...,

I know that my situation is incredibly unique so I am not going to ask for advice; merely just to let out all my sadness and frustration that I have about my current health problems.😭

I had my beautiful 2 month old daughter via c-section and was given IV antibiotics which I believe gave me a yeast infection that is now systemic and has become a big problem.

I also have a drug induced neurological involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia (TD) after being given an antipsychotic drug following a breakdown from a head injury and post concussion syndrome 5 years ago. The movements affect my tongue, mouth and face, and are embarrassing and uncomfortable.

The yeast infection seems to have triggered an autoimmune response and some kind of leaky gut syndrome. Whenever I have tried to get rid of the yeast, it triggers a massive yeast die-off reaction whereby the dyskinesia movements get a lot worse and I end up twitching even more. I seem to be getting new symptoms from the infection every day too; itchy skin and scalp, burning dry eyes, thrush, palpititations, and I have an awful increase in my TD symptoms whenever I try to put a little bit of antifungal medication on or eat foods that attack the yeast. I am not feeling well physically and mentally at all.🥺😭

I have been eating my low carb diet, trying my best to cut back on the Candida loving foods but in vain. 😭

Every time I eat something, I seem to react to it with a Herx type yeast die-off reaction. I believe that the yeast infection is causing a hormone imbalance which isn't helping my movement disorder, but ridding the yeast infection seems to be making the movement disorder worse too. So, I am in a vicious circle.😥😭

My involuntary movements (I have awful constant tongue movements that were never that bad before this) are getting me down on just their own, stealing the joy from my life. Combine these with the candida symptoms and I am feeling in a quite dark place.😩

I have seen a neurologist and he had no idea what to advise or suggest.

I don't know what the point of this post is, I guess that I am finding it all incredibly tough to deal with. I feel that I am missing out on the first wonderful few weeks of my newborn, and wanted to vent a bit where I know there will be many kind, non-judgemental people.

I'm so sorry, op. All of this is so awful and I wish someone had a solution for you.

Just a thought, do you eat/drink anything with artificial sweeteners? They can cause big problems with thrush.

Have you followed Erica White’s protocol?

I had systemic candidiasis, in my urine and even my blood stream. It took a few years and treatment in the States to get me sorted out as the NHS weren’t entirely sure what to do for the best and just kept prescribing Nyastatin and sending me to this one particular dietician that was awful and didn’t have a clue about true Candidiasis. I did have the type which is common in people with AIDS diagnoses by multiple consultants (from Gastro, Endocrinology and Oncology) and wasn’t just a self diagnosed harpy but she seemed to think there was no such thing and kept telling me to eat brown bread and milky puddings .

I ended up having private treatment in the states which cost a lot of money but cured me. The die off was awful.

However, a lot of the protocol was similar to Erica Whites EXCEPT, Erica cuts out all fruit and even stevia leaf and doesn’t start the anti-fungals until you’ve been on the diet for at least a month. This is to reduce the die off symptoms.

You can heal from this, I promise, I have more than once! I was first diagnosed age 2 and was symptom free following treatment between ages 16 and 30. It came back through my own fault. But you can get your life back.

Thank you for your replies... I am trying the Harcombe diet to no avail

I can't take antifungal as my central nervous system is so bloody sensitive that I react to everything. I am at my wits end, honestly. I miss bread chocolate , ice cream, biscuits , pasta, fruit... I feel deprived of delicious foods.

What private treatment did you have? Did you get tinnitus as a symptom? I have developed this and it is driving me insane, along with the awful burning mouth too.

I am sorry but I think there are lots of quacks who will make all sorts of diagnosis of yeast problems and I don’t believe in them/it. Am sorry you are feeling so unwell but I think you should stop messing with your diet and go to the GP and discuss the possibility you have postnatal depression. Sorry to be so frank.

I don't have post natal depression though - I have a yeast infection and it is making me miserable. Candida can cause depression type symptoms as it affects the gut which is the second brain. 70% of serotonin receptors are in the gut.

I know all of that.

I don’t believe you have a yeast infection.

You have an 8 week old baby. Please see your GP and tell them all you have written here.

But it is more than being depressed. It gave me thrush, an itchy scalp, increased my involuntary movements, and I can't take antidepressants as they affect my movement disorder too.

I have been referred to the Wellbeing online CBT services as they are aware of my mental health problems and how the yeast infection is triggering them.

Gosh OP, just writing for sympathy. It sounds like such a huge web of problems. My only suggestion is autophagy. If you low carb you probably know about it (intermittent fasting). The body heals while it fasts. You could check the research and decide if you want to give it a try for a month. There's a support group on FB, Delay Don't Deny run by Gin Stevens and posters with all manner of health issues - particularly leaky gut and diabetes - report amazing improvements in their bloodwork and overall health. Not recommended if you are breast-feeding though. Perhaps something to research for afterwards. Best of luck.

Have you been officially diagnosed with Candida/a Yeast Infection?

I was, several times throughout my life on the NHS.

If you are self diagnosing do be careful but I took it to mean from your OP that you have been diagnosed, like me, with chronic systemic candidiasis.

My symptoms were sores all over my mouth and tongue (oral thrush), raw vagina with cottage cheese type discharge, fluid leaking out of ears so tinnitus was a part but a very small part, low blood pressure/fainting, food intolerances, ascites, extreme fatigue, raw/itchy anus, skin and scalp complaints. I also had many many other symptoms which were most likely due to another autoimmune condition that I was born with.

I had private medical treatment in the US. It was very expensive but the diet and even some of the anti fungals recommended by Erica White are almost identical.

Try the diet first then the antifungals. If you haven’t been diagnosed do seek proper medical advice first. It could be you have something else.

I haven't been officially diagnosed, no... but my baby had oral thrush which I presume I gave her from my breasts. A week after trying an antifungal on my breast, I got a very itchy scalp and vagina, plus I had quite intermittent dark yellow discharge and a horrible taste in my mouth accompanied by a burning sensation. These symptoms come and go.

The midwife who saw the thrush in my daughter's mouth said that I probably had it in my breasts too, hence the fact I was prescribed the medication. I was never given a swab test to properly diagnose it which I thought was odd...

I seem to have developed food intolerances too, which I wondered were part of a possible leaky gut or autoimmune disorder as a result of the yeast.

Press for a proper diagnosis and proper testing. I got it from my Mum as a baby. Then ensure you get the correct treatment, firstly with the NHS as the first port of call. I’m going back 20 years ago since I was cured so hopefully treatment has moved on. I was swabbed every couple of months from being a baby but it was when they found it in my urine and blood years later that they became extremely concerned.

If it is systemic candidiasis, you will need to take antifungals to get rid of it. You can’t not take them and get rid of it, that’s just not going to happen. That’s why tackling the diet first - as I say Erica White’s books and pack are the closest to my regime that I was put on in the states - is important. So you are well enough to tolerate the antifungals.

If you go to the Doctors saying “leaky gut” they are just going to think it’s quackery. I’ve never met a Dr who believes in “leaky gut”. You need to go with a list of your symptoms and ask for a referral to a consultant. With me, I was referred to a General Physician then a Gastroenterologist and an Endocrinologist but that’s because I had underlying conditions that they were trying to diagnose. Candida was a symptom not a cause. Please don’t self diagnose. It may stop you getting vital treatment and there is a lot of dodgy info out there.

That being said, even if it’s only straightforward thrush, following Erica’s diet protocol can’t possibly do any harm.

Thank you for your reply... I had a dreadful die-off reaction to literally a full-stop sized amount of antifungal cream on my breast. My involuntary movements went berserk and I was grimacing, head was nodding back and forth, and my hands were twisting at the wrists. My left leg was dragging behind me too. I am so scared that if I had to take more antifungal cream or medications, it would permanently make my movement disorder worse.

Those are very unusual symptoms to attribute to die off and I actually wouldn’t consider that to be die off. Are you saying you had a seizure of sorts when you applied antifungal cream?

That’s very serious and really you should have called an ambulance, especially with the symptoms of the leg dragging. It sounds very unsafe and not attributable to die off or candida. You really do need to seek proper medical advice here.

Die off for me consisted of the worst possible blinding headaches, vomiting, slow pulse with low blood pressure, fainting. No involuntary movements.

The involuntary movements are part of my movement disorder and I was guessing that the way the yeast was being killed by the antifungal cream was contributing to the increase in the involuntary movement... from the toxins being released. Obviously I am not a doctor so I don't know for sure, and it could have been that the antifungal drugs had a neurotoxic effect on me. I know that it wasn't a seizure as the movements were similar to ones I have in the past as part of my movement disorder, although the leg dragging did concern me somewhat.

Please contact your gp and list all the symptoms you have mentioned here. You definitely need clear diagnosis, not guessing and changing your diet, it may harm you more.

As pp said, do take into account the mental health side of this, being a new mother and suffering with so many symptoms is bound to take its toll.

Hope you see your gp and get better .

Thank you, I asked to be referred to an immunologist or gastroenterologist about the possibility of an autoimmune disorder or gut problems but my GP fobbed me off and told me that only my neurologist could refer me on if he believed it was warranted.

I think you need to go back to your GP with a list of symptoms - particularly the dragging leg. I do not think it is wise to self diagnose or seek advice from a group of people on the internet. I would also ask to be referred back to your neurologist.

My neurologist had no idea why I reacted the way I did to the antifungal treatment Z the dragging leg only happened temporarily for about 10 minutes or so.

From what you are saying you have lost faith in the medical profession. However I would still guard against seeking answers from the internet. You describe some debilitating health problems and a new baby. Please don't dismiss pp who have suggested that you might also need to seek help with your mental health.

Have you tried Saccharomyces boulardii? I found it helpful in getting rid of candida. Oregano and thyme oils and teas as well.

If I was experiencing symptoms like you describe OP I'd have called an ambulance and asked them to take me to A&E. All this self-diagnosis is VERY dangerous, particularly when you already have a serious condition. Please stop self-diagnosing and treating and get yourself to hospital. Your symptoms are very strange and extremely concerning.

I agree... but the health professionals don't know what is wrong with me either and that is equally concerning.