Has anyone had Candida? And what symptoms did u have?

[alexa1]

Hi. I was explaining to a collegue about the way I have been feeling for a long time now.

Reacurring thrush
fatigue
depression and anxiety
bowel problems - diarrhea with mucous and then constipated
dry mouth
swollen stomach (could be the constipation causing it though)

Anyway, she said she suffered candida and that it could be that. The candida bacteria can live in the intestinal area, but if the body is out of sync it can spread to other parts of the body causing numerous symtoms, some of those I have mentioned.

How do I find out if I have this condition and what is the treatment for it?

Thanks for Any advice?

Hi alexa,
I had candida when I was a student, between about 18-25 years old.

you are right, it is normal to have candida living in the gut, but sometimes they can get out of control. That is the commonest sort of problem that they cause.

It is also possible to have it living in your blood (I may have got that wrong, because its a long time since I read it, and I never really went into it because I didnt have it). This is much rarer.

Anyway, if you have candida running riot in your intestines, there is one symptom that you cant mistake...farting you cant go 3 minutes without farting, because it (the yeast) is eating sugar and making gas.

You get allergic to yeast, which causes loads of different symptoms, and you may also get allergic to other foods. All the sugar that you eat, just feeds the candida/yeast in your tum.

Another symptom of yeast allergy, that you may not even realise is a symptom, is that you may have a strange feeling of detachment and see everything as though you were behind a glass screen. A fellow student spotted me going around in a daze, she had had the same thing and recognised it.
The symptoms that you describe are also consistent with candida. I had similar sort of things as well. Yeast allergy can show itself in many strange ways, it is worth getting some books from the library and researching it further than I can explain here.

The treatment? Well, you have to restore the natural balance in your intestine. You can just take a candida killing drug like Nystatin, but if you haven't fixed the root cause, the candida will just come back. So, you have to try many different levels at once.

• firstly, an initial prescription of Nystatin is a good idea, to kick start your recovery
• secondly, you need to remove sugar from your diet as completely as you can, to starve the candida. Impossible to get rid of it completely, but at least you can remove all added sugars.
• thirdly, you need to avoid yeast in food, to give your body time to get over the allergy to yeast.
• fourthly, get tested for other food allergies, just in case -fifthly, you can try taking supplements to restore your gut to how it should be. My doctor admitted he didnt really know how to do this, but he noticed that I was very low on some minerals, so suggested that I should take supplements of these, zinc, magnesium and calcium iirc, and also "friendly" bacteria supplements. Not sure if any of this did any good, I only tried it because I thought it couldnt do any harm, and there was no magic cure.

This was nearly 20 years ago, so treatment may have moved on by now.
I stayed off yeast/sugar for around 4-5 years (was not diagnosed for 3 years!). At the end of that time, I started eating yeast again, didnt get any symptoms, started eating sugar and didnt get the huge flare up of candida that I had had before. So I guessed I was cured.
hth. candida is a horrible lonely sort of illness to have, and it creeps up so gradually that you are too knackered to do anything about it before you even know you are ill.

Thanks fistfullofnappies. Do I have to make an appt with my GP to get the prescription for Nystatin or can I Just ask the pharmacist for it?

Also, where can I get the friendly bacteria supplements and what are they called?

I think I have Candida but I don't know for sure and if I go to my GP and say I think I have this problem, I think he won't take me seriously. How did u get a diagnoses, was it from you GP?

the appointment with the GP, ha ha ha.

No GP believed that I had any sort of illness. In the end, I had to walk into a new surgery, and sit there crying and insisting that I had candida, and I would only believe that I hadnt, if it was told to me by an eminent NHS specialist whose name I had found. The GP referred me to this specialist, with a letter, telling him to tell me that I didnt have candida, so that he (the GP) could get on with prescribing medicament for my lunacy.
GP knew nowt about candida, but decided that I didnt have it anyway.
The specialist confirmed what I had suspected, that I did have candida.

Find out as much information as you can, and try to find out who is the specialist in your area, so that you can ask for a referral by name. A specialist might see private patients as well.
Be persistent, and go to different doctors until you get one who listens to you.
Nystatin needs a prescription, the lactobacillus tablets you can get from any health food shop. You really need to speak to a specialist doctor though, so that they can coordinate your treatment, and they will know the latest most effective things.

Thanks fistfullofnappies. I appreciate your help.

The specialist you saw, was he a Gastronologist (sp?)

bump. if anyone has suffered with this problem please help

hi alexa, actually he was an ME specialist. But he was used to seeing people with these sort of symptoms (unexplained fatigue, depression and anxiety etc), so he was also familiar with candida symptoms.
He sent me to a private food allergy specialist, who advised me about giving up yeast, sugar etc, and tried the supplements/Nystatin. In those days, it was pretty impossible to get this sort of treatment on the NHS.

Hi alexa1, sorry to hear you're feeling rough.

I had a bad case ages ago (about 18 years ago) similar to fistfull, mine had progressed into bloodstream so whole body was 'contaminated'

Was put on VERY strict sugar and yeast free diet and you wouldn't believe where they put sugar and yeast in nowadays. Positive side effect of having to stick to such a strict diet for 6 months was I lost quite a bit of weight.

Also was given some orange liquid stuff to swig around my mouth and swallow. Can't remember what it was called but could be that stuff fistfull mentioned.

Also had to sterilise all my underwear, desinfect all of my china & cuttlery, and anything around the house I possibly could.

To diagnose my then doctor took swaps from various nooks and crannies which came back positive for candida infection.

It took me a total of 2 years to get well but it's been worth the effort. Keep nagging your GP for some tests if you can.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks fistfull & mrs Big D. I Just feel stupid going to the docs and saying I think I have Candida can u test me. My thrush is back again, even though I took an oral tablet to clear it.

Fistfullofnappies - I am currently on the waiting list to see a Gastro? (bleeding from my back end). Would he/she be able to diagnose Candida? After all, it is in the intestines isnt it?

Alexa I've had candida on and off for ages . I take something called THREELAC. It's the only thing that has ever worked for me. Here are 2 links for you .
The ist gives you info on candida and threelac and the second is the site where I buy my stuff from. Good luck
here
and here
I think this will be of more help than the dr's (ime)

Thanks Kitty - The thing is, I am not 100 % sure I have Candida. I think I have, but my GP thinks I have some kind of Colitis which the symtoms can mimic that of Candida.

The frustrating thing is, there is a waiting list for me to see a Gastronologist (sp?) and until then I won't know what the hell is wrong with me.

I know something isn't right and I haven't felt right for years. I suffer with reacurring thrush, constipation, depression and anxiety and sometimes Diarrhea. Like I said these symtoms can mimic other condtions like Colitis or Crohns disease.

I products on the site you suggested sound really really good but they are quite expensive and I don't want to fork out money on something when I don't know if this is what I have. It's really frustrating because something clearly isn't right as I am back and forth to my GP's every other week. They all think I am a Hypercondriac (sp?) and so do all my family, including my Husband.

I might give it a few more weeks and get on to the hospital to try and get my appt with the Gastro hurried up a bit. If I still feel the way I do in a few weeks I will try that product u suggested. I have heard of Threelac actually and it does sound good.

Thank u so much for your help and advice. I will let u know what happens.

Good luck Alexa. I know it seems expensive. Actually I now don't need to take it all the time, just when the symptoms flare up, so actually a packet last a long time!

alexa, it is just a lottery if your gastro specialist is familiar with candida symptoms. I would ask them, or ask them for a referral to a candida specialist, but also ask your GP, and go to another GP if necessary.

If you have the sort that I had (a yeast overgrowth in the gut), then you would see a marked difference if you abstained from all yeast and sugar for about 10 days, ie no more farting!

If it is in the bloodstream, then that is harder to identify. I am not sure what can be seen in blood tests, maybe MrsBigD can help more.

I read the Threelac site with interest, but I think they are being a little economical with the truth. Threelac may clean out the candida that you have got in your gut, but it wont help the underlying problem, ie why is the candida getting out of control in the first place? Also, if you have developed an allergy to yeast, because of all the candida in your system, then Threelac won't help that if you are still eating yeast foods like bread. I dont think that Threelac can be a total solution, although it sounds as though it is helpful as a short term, temporary fix, pretty much as kittywits describes.

Thanks fistfull - I need to see a gastro as soon as possible. Like you said, if they are not too familiar with Candida, then I will ask to see someone who is.

I think I Just need to watch my diet over the next few weeks (I'm such a hypocrite as I as drinking a lovely glass of red at the moment) and see if it makes any difference. So I need to cut out sugar (Oh dear, that means wine doesn't it), yeast and anything else fistfull?

yeast is in bread, currant buns, chelesea buns etc. wine. on the skins of apples and plums. on the skins of dried fruit. may be in products like breaded fish, or sausages. Marmite of course. Loads of processed soups and savoury products have yeast extract as a flavouring.

added sugar is in cakes and sweets and puddings. Also, baked beans. Most breakfast cereal incl rice krispies. most tinned sweetcorn. flavoured yoghurts. etc etc.

you just have to check all labels really.
If doing it for real (as opposed to a test) you really need help from a dietician or food allergy specialist.

i had it last year and have probably had it for many years, i suspect it was having my first child that triggered it and apparently this is true!! i went to a kiniesiologist and homeopath who tested for it and went on a strict diet plus treatments that took about three months but was worth it as my energy levels raised and i had clarity of mind!! recognise the symptoms[foggy brain!] i could nt concentrate on anything plus my dd now has it and has probably had it from me from birth!! she has flare ups when she eats too much sugar [she doesnt eat much sugary foods as it is] she has cravings for sugar and also mushrooms..another indicator! contact a good homeopath, forget about drs..they dont recognise syptoms or even really understand it enough im afraid..i went for years to drs to explain symptoms and each time i was tested for thyroid problems,diabetes,mineral deficiencies plus god knows how many more and they all came back clear so they said it was stress causing these symptoms and to take it easy!!!WTF!! anyway please go and seek help , youll feel like a new person again...good luck

Bambi - sounds very much like my docs. I have had so many tests like the ones u have mentioned (several times) only for them to come back negative and the docs to say it's stress or I have post-natal depression.

I was only say to my DH last night that I would like to get in touch with a HOmeapath. How do I go about it. I don't know of any where I live?

Thanks bambi

i feel its affected by your diet imo
alcohol / white food/carbs /

try the hay diet, pionerred years and years ago by Dr Hay and many have followed his thinking
just dont mix carb and protein and eat natural yogurt. and eat whatever quantity u like.

theres also the candida diet boook which i assume whould have his principles at heart.

hermykne - I might buy a book on it. I haven't heard of the hay diet, I'm gonna google it now and see what it says. Thanks

If you are interested in alternative practitioners, Dr Ray Choy of Wimpole St is a very good one. Not homeopathy, but he researches different things that make people ill, and alternative ways to diagnose them. He knows all about candida.

bambi, I can relate exactly to your post. Foggy brain - remember it well. Tried to do a university degree while I had candida, it was a disaster. Tutors just thought I was lazy and thick.
Never worked out what triggered it with me, except that I fitted the average profile, ie young, female, under stress.

regarding homeopath ,where do you live? as i can recommend but dont know where youare,however you can check a local one by googling registered homeopaths and find one that you are local to ,

I've only just seen this thread and can't believe how much your symptoms sound like mine, Alexa, identical in fact. I've had this trouble for many years and everyone also thinks I'm a hypochondriac. I had identified yeast and sugar as being the culprits although I didn't know candida was a condition other than thrush. I put it down to IBS, which having suffered to various degrees ended up with me having a complete issue with anything bowel related, and in turn a phobia of stomach bugs/food poisoning. BTW had this badly at the weekend, but it was real, whereas for years I just always think I'm getting it.
Eventually, after many bowel tests for colitis and other things, doctor diagnosed anxiety and prescribed prozac! I said I'd try to avoid that, thanks very much, seen as I'd come in about IBS, and she said I could have CBT but this would be months of waiting. Actually, it only took two weeks, and was very helpful with the issues/phobias that had built up, and combined with seeing a herbalist who also advised on nutrition, it did seem to improve greatly.
Now I'm 5 months pregnant, it has worsened and am avoiding herbs so trying to deal with anxiety and have cut out all wheat and most yeast, but finding no sugar extremely hard when you need a quick snack. I'm going to look into candida as well and will pass on any information I can find as well as watching this thread to see how you're going with it. Why is it that people don't seem to know about this condition? Marmite on toast is also my favorite food, groan...

I meant two weeks to get an appointment, not for the treatment to work, that did take months!

Hi Carrotcake - I am on the waiting list to see a gastro for suspected colitis. The symptoms are very similar to Candida and indeed IBS. I know I have one of these conditions but don't know which. I guess i'm Just gonna have to cut out sugar (I Just ate some birthday cake, well it is my b'day) yeast, alcohol (that one will be hard) and see if I notice and improvement.

I think sticking to a certain diet is gonna be hard work.

Let me know how u get on.

Happy Birthday! I think you should have cake AND a drink today, start the yeast free tommorow, it is bl**dy hard work. Before it was the wine, now I'm pregnant and craving fruit I can't completely stick to it. Yeast, yeast everywhere..