Candidiasis?

[Rick61]

I was treated with Zithromax by my doctor last October. Ever since, I have experienced chronic watery diarrhea accompanied by constant rumbling in my large intestine and bloating. The watery diarrhea continued for 3 months. I was treated with Flagyl and took Fibercon, both with no effect. Blood tests, stool, and a colonoscopy came up negative. No parasite infection or blood found in the stool. I even had an HIV test with negative results. The doctors have pretty much given up on me and labeled me as an IBS case. I have complained that I doubt very seriously that IBS can cause watery diarrhea 100% of the time. I have had some success treating myself for candidiasis by taking Primal Defense, good bacteria, and yeast fighters- all hearbs. Additionally, I have stayed on a high protein, low carb diet. As a result, almost normal bowel movements have returned. It seems that if I slip up and eat a high carb meal, I have trouble. The bloating still returns intermittently. What still concerns me most of all is that I detect a sligh bulging under my right armpit that is always there and seems to get more prominent depending on how tired I become; nothing that you can feel with the hand or see with the eye, but I know it is there. Also, have been suffering from insomnia since this whole thing began. Can you help?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

One consideration would be C Difficile colitis.  This is an infection that occurs after antibiotic use.  This should have been evaluated during the routine workup - but I would ensure that it was done.  Flagyl typically is the medication to treat this, but there are some resistant cases.  

Other causes for diarrhea would be malabsorption or pancreatitis (although watery diarrhea would be an uncommon presentation for these diseases).  Tests for celiac disease or fecal fat tests to evaluate for fat malabsorption can be considered.  If the symptoms abate with carbohydrate restriction, you may want to evlauate for forms of carbohydrate malabsorption (i.e. lactose deficiency).  

Finally there are very rare tumors, known as VIPomas (vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)) that can cause excess watery diarrhea.  A VIP level can be drawn to evaluate for this.  

Regarding the armpit swelling, you may want to inquire about a surgery referral to evaluate for a possible biopsy.  

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.

[PAJ]

Yes sounds like a text book yeast infection, welcome to the club.  Your one of millions ,You may wonder why your doctors didn’t take precautions against the possibility of causing a yeast infection with antibiotics, you may well ask, the information is available of the possibility of abx causing a yeast infection .The Merck manual on antibiotics quotes taking tetracycline can cause Candida superinfections. I believe the warning is on the packaging of the drug

http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section13/chapter153/153e.jsp

One very good aspect is you have found the cause of your illness very early on . Many have the condition for years before finding the cause of their mystery illness some never find the information. Trailing round a succession of doctors is a feature of yeast even with dramatic symptoms you describe doctors still turn a blind eye.
Read my article get in touch if you need more info

Mystery Illness?
This is an illness where 5.000 people in the UK have banded together to share information. Up to 3,000 people a day log onto an Internet forum looking for help. In fact this forum attracts more traffic than any other Internet health forum. This illness is a hot topic. What's the subject that has the attention of so many people? A very odd one ---intestinal yeast infection. Is it a crucial player in health? Does it really make a person this fatigued and ill? If so, why can't you just take a medication to kill the yeast and make it all go away?
More and more people are realizing intestinal yeast and bacteria can be a major contributor to many illnesses. Over 70% of the immune system is in the intestines. What lives in the intestines interacts with the immune system.  Altered gut flora from what is regarded as normal can cause depression, mental confusion, anxiety and fatigue. The intestinal flora is even a major contributor to autism. Yes, autism isn't the totally genetic or emotional problem that was once believed. Many of these children are losing their diagnosis of autism as the gut and immune system are healed.
What is it like to suffer an intestinal yeast infection? Well, initially, a person may fear the worst --- cancer or a degenerative disease. The symptoms are both appalling and progressive. Chronic fatigue, cognitive problems and other symptoms develop to the point where the sufferer descends into a Zombie like state that is truly frightening. At a time when the person needs all mental faculties to fight this illness, the intestinal yeast and bacteria take away the person’s ability to even express themselves adequately. Fatigue and brain-fog make the person so very vulnerable.
Most people assume that doctors are right on top of this situation. Yet patients complain that doctors know very little about how to alter the flora of the intestines. Worse yet, patients run into doctors that are unwilling to even acknowledge the fact that intestinal flora can be a problem. With the exception of a small number of specialists and brave general practitioners, the medical profession has turned a blind eye to this condition. It is the patients who recognize the symptoms and who are demanding action.
So what's to be done? People with intestinal Candida overgrowth may have yeast and fungus throughout their body. They are contagious with yeast, and associated co-infections, bacteria, virus's etc. A few specialist doctors have treatment protocols that successfully combat these problems. They have been employing these treatment protocols for the last two decades or longer. Many GP 's would consider acknowledging and treating the condition in line with the specialists, except it is not yet considered standard practice. So they do nothing.
.
We live in a very litigious world where empirical treatment is a thing of the past. First-line doctors want the security of knowing hospitals will pick up the case if things get tricky. Everyone cautiously waits for the formal blessings of experts before proceeding. This means people are left suffering with chronic and often-unexplained illness. They are often commonly labelled as suffering with a syndrome of unknown cause. Many are regarded as hypochondriacs or malingerers.

Sometimes it is acknowledged that they are truly ill, but there is no true help afforded them. Band-aid anti-inflammatory's, and painkillers are often prescribed but they only temporary take away the pain. These remedies never address the cause, which stems from the Yeast infection with the associated toxic overload.
Its clear that until most of the experts formally recognize this illness, patients will be left without effective help from the medical establishment.
It’s evident the Candidiasis [term for chronic yeast infection] pipeline is running at full bore as such many more thousands will suffer as a direct result of senior doctors “head in the sand” stance with this illness.

Paul Jaep    Jan 04

***@****

[kwag]

On the subject of Candidiasis, I have been researching this for quite sometime.  I have suffered many of the symptoms myself and now I have a 7 yr old son with autism.  I am treating us both with Primal Defense and other garden of life products as well as other things.  As soon as we started the candida treatment, my son looked like someone coming off heroine.  It's been a struggle but he has made improvements and so have I.  I would make much more improvement if I would stick to the very low carg(no sugar) diet.  When I do well, I feel better.  I have alot of the muscle and neuro problems as well.  I believe that chlorinated water plays a big role as well and the standard American diet (all processed high carg foods).  As well as antibiotics and hormones.  You say you are doing Primal, how is that going?  I'm interested to see if it is working for people.  There are other products to heal the gut lining as well that you need to look into.  I thank God that we are doing better and I pray that you also get well.

[yoshi]

i thought yeast infection causes constipation,not diarhea (diarrhea)

[Rick61]

Thanks for your detailed response, Paul. If this is candidiasis, do you have an idea how long it will take me to get rid of it?

[Rick61]

Thanks for your response, Kwag. I'm glad that you and your son are doing better, and thank you for your prayers. I actually got some valuable information on treating candidiasis from the following site where a parent talks about treating their son for autism, similar to your situation:

http://www.redflagsweekly.com/mead/2002_sept16P.html

What I learned from the aforementioned site, was how important it is to starve the yeast by eliminating carbs and sugars from the diet. I noticed an immediate improvement once I started the high protein diet, but yes, I think that it really is the Primal Defense that has helped me the most. I found the Primal Defense through a forum such as this, and was impressed because many people with problems similar to mine were praising its benefits. I was so skeptical when it came to herbal treatments, but I have to honestly say that Primal Defense has helped me immenseley where prescription drugs had failed. If you really stick to a low carb/no sugar regimen and supplement it with Primal Defense, I think you are on a good path.

[PAJ]

Rick,How long to heal from a yeast infection depends on how extensive the infection is , what medication you take & if any co-infections are present. I would consider three months minimum treatment with triple drug therapy [see cranton] the probability is you will need longer therapy. Yeast is intracellular that is can invade the living cell, With myself It took eighteen months of prescription antifungals to bring my infection under control ,I’m left battling a co-bacterial infection probably a  mycoplasmal infection . So the fact that you have diagnosed yourself fairly early on should get your treatment off to a flying start ,with luck you will be fighting a yeast infection & nothing else. I have a detailed web site that should be ready this week I’ll post the address when ready.
Read this man he is a yeast guru

   http://drcranton.com/CFIDS.htm#CFIDS%20Paper

Candida has a number of tricks to evade the body's immune system. One of these tricks is to change its outside. The immune system recognizes the outside receptors of the invading organism and then sends out signals to start an immune response. Some of the immune responders then look for cells with those receptors. Candida albicans can change the receptors which it is displaying, making it difficult for the body's immune cells to react appropriately. In essence, Candida albicans is a moving target, which changes its form. The most important thing to know about Candida is that Candida albicans can make factors which suppress the immune response to itself. These factors can be found in the circulation of people with significant Candida infections. When these factors are purified and placed in cultures of immune cells, these immune cells do not develop the responses to Candida which they are supposed to develop. In other words, Candida can make factors, which prevent the body from reacting to and killing the Candida. These factors prevent the total eradication of Candida from the body. The Candida can suppress the offensive weapons of the body's immune system. But the inflammation will still be generated because when the immune system detects a foreign invader, there will always be inflammation. The problem is that the foreign invader, the Candida, is not going away, because the immune system's offensive weapons are suppressed. The inflammation will remain and inflammation is painful and on the skin is not attractive.

[teresab]

Does anyone have an idea where I can find Primal Defense?

[Rick61]

I can't thank you enough for the time and detail that you put into your responses to me, Paul. I will research the site that you sent to me. I consider the information that you have provided to me in your response as invaluable. Now I know that, even though I am seeing results, I must keep up the battle for a long period. Thanks to you, I know what I am fighting now.

[Rick61]

You can find Primal Defense simply by doing a search for it on the internet. There are many sites that sell it. I was able to find it at a well stocked health food store near me, and you may be able to do the same. I paid approximately $40, and I think that was for 60 tablets.

[Rick61]

You can find Primal Defense simply by doing a search for it on the internet. There are a number of sites that sell it. I was fortunate enough to find it at a well stocked health food store. You may be able to do the same. I believe that I paid approximately $40 for 60 tablets. Let me know how it works for you.

[PAJ]

Rick ,it’s my pleasure glad I could help, just to say beware of mistaking a lessening of symptoms for a cure. Claims for herbal remedies in my experience are exaggerated [to say the least] Dr Cranton doesn’t stick his neck out prescribing triple drugs for nothing , if so called naturals did the trick doctors would be using them

This extract from German publications.  Source British Candida Society, Candida Digest……. Puts the diet into context
  
Do NOT attempt to treat a gut yeast overgrowth by diet and supplements alone, ie without effective anti-fungal medication
German doctors emphasise that it is not possible to starve out the yeasts. They have observed that although patients may feel better initially whenever they first begin a very strict low carbohydrate diet, these same patients have a much hard time later on if/when they relapse than they ever did at first. Their explanation is that Candida Albicans has the ability to convert its metabolism from carbohydrate to protein whenever its favourite food source becomes limited. At this stage. Candida becomes parasitic and lives off the host - that is, it forms an invasive infection within the mucus membrane tissue of the bowel wall itself. [see diet for MS under Statins  helps MS Symptoms]
This article would seem to add weight to the argument  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3007157.stm

[teresab]

wOULD YOU ADVISE WHAT TRIPLE-MEDICATION THERAPY YOU USED TO DEAL WITH THE YEAST. I NEED TO TELL MY DOCTOR WHAT TO PRESCIBE.I'M NOT SURE MY DOCTOR WILL BUY THE YEAST SOLUTION BUT HE IS REASONABLE TO PROBABLY PRECRIBE IT IF ITS NOT HARMFUL. I READ THE ARTICLE BUT I SEE NO SUGGESTIIONS ON WHAT MEDICATION PEOPLE USED TO RID THE YEAST. THE DIET ISSUE IS DIFFICULT---LIKE I SAID I FELT BETTER ON A NO CARB DIET--BUT BEING THE LUCKY ONE I BATTLE TYPE I DIABETES AND HAD A MISERABLE TIME CONTROLLING MY SUGARS. INTERESTING ENOUGH, THE DOCTORS HAVE TOLD US DIABETICS OF THE EVILNESS OF FAT IN THE BLOOD SUGARS WHEN I WAS ON ADKINS I COULDN'T KEEP MY BLOOD SUGARS UP, RAN LOW--I ALSO HAD HORRIBLE HEADACHES. OBVIOULY, I COULD DO A LOW CARB.BECAUSE I'M A TYPE 1 I AM SUSPICIOUS I HAVE A LOT MORE SUGAR IN MY SYSTEM THAN NON DIABETICS WHICH WOULD STIMULATE YEAST RIGHT?

[teresab]

Rick, I do battle with sleeplessness. I think my gastro systems wake me up and also, I have a high stress job which keeps me up at night. Let me know if you trying ridding the yeast I am going to attempt this solution.

[Rick61]

Can you descibe your illness and the symptoms you are experiencing?

[kwag]

The 3 drugs were Nystatin, sporanox and amphotericin B.  Diflucan can be used insstead of sporanox.  These drugs are not with out side effects.  Your liver and kidney function have to be monitored.  Nystatin is probably the safest as it is not absorbed from the GI tract so it mainly kills the yeast in the bowell.  Paul's articles are very thorough and you can read on google under candidiasis.  Good luck!!  Primal is on the web at www.gardenoflifeusa.com (I think).

[PAJ]

Teresa , I think you need to put the evidence before your doctor and then ask for a trail taking Nystatin , Nystan alone  will not cure you  a systemic drug is needed also , but the drug is dramatic in alleviating  gut symptoms.
Download this information http://www.candidaallergy.com/us/article.asp    see how your doctor responds …..I must say though the vast majority of sufferers end up self-treating.  
I am also a diabetic and I believe my yeast infection was very much implicated  in how I became diabetic ,in fact it’s clear to me that the current diabetes epidemic the western world is experiencing at the moment is fuelled by yeast infections .


"WITH THERAPEUTIC USE 1. Toxicity from orally administered nystatin is extremely low. Dermal application or ingestion of even large quantities should produce only minor GI symptoms. Treatment is usually unnecessary.".........."Laboratory: Nystatin is not well absorbed orally. Unless GI inflammation is present, blood levels should not be detectable. Therapeutic or toxic blood levels have not been established."........"Toxicity due to nystatin is negligible. Even when large amounts have been ingested, ensuing symptoms have been minor. Charcoal, emesis and cathartic should not be necessary."......."ABSORPTION...FROM GI TRACT IS NEGLIGIBLE, & DRUG APPEARS IN FECES. WHEN DOSES OF 8 MILLION UNITS OR MORE ARE GIVEN, INDIVIDUALS WITH NORMAL RENAL FUNCTION MAY HAVE PLASMA CONCN OF ONLY 1-2.5 UG/ML. ... NYSTATIN IS NOT ABSORBED FROM SKIN OR MUCOUS MEMBRANES. [Goodman, L.S., and A. Gilman. (eds.) The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 5th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1975. 1236]**QC REVIEWED**" http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/f?./temp/~AAAnTaaFg:1
C3 concernedmck(15-Mar-03) .

[Katenyc]

PAJ,

Can a yeast infection cause abdominal cramping?

Kate

[PAJ]

Kate, There are many causes of stomach cramps, but yeast infections are endemic so are a prime candidate , you should have other symptoms fatigue is big on the list as is stomach noises with plenty of flatulence . But these not universal … Dr Cranton begins his article with the words yeast produces puzzling symptoms that are seemingly unrelated ….. read also  http://www.mercola.com/2003/sep/13/inflammatory_bowel_disease.htm
The article conversely tells us that research  in Washington University in St. Louis  found that Crohn’s disease responded to an immune stimulant.
That’s not a “U” turn so much as a backward somersault. Current treatment suppresses the immune system .it just shows how little doctors know about
bowel disease Ask your doctor for a trial on Nystatin at about 8 million units a day for two weeks if you have a yeast infection your symptoms will respond dramatically

If you have an identifiable illness we in the western world can look forward to the best treatment the world of medicine can offer , if you have a so called
syndrome such as IBS or yeast you can look forward to nothing, other than pain killers & anti-inflammatory’s the doctor have given up……yet these
conditions  can be cured and are cured regularly and routinely by specialist doctors .  
  

[annej]

Interesting thread.  Here is my story.

Late August 2003, I went to England where I suddenly developed gross hematuria (heavy blood in urine) and a nasty case of urgency.  I went to the closest ER, and basically the doctors said I either had a UTI or bladder stone.  On Keflex for a week, and ultimately they sent me on my merry way to come back to the U.S. to see my regular doctor.

Upon my return, I saw my GP who put me on Cipro for a week and sent me to have an X-ray to make sure it wasn't a kidney stone.  According to the radiologist at the time, I had a tiny kidney stone.  During this time, the minimal pain I had felt has begun to shift upward going largely into my upper left abdominal area, and radiating to my back.  (I remain convinced that I have a UTI of some variety.)  After it did not pass on its own, I went to a urologist who ordered an IVP (x-ray with contrast).  Low and behold that tiny white spot was not in my urinary tract, as you could see it beside the tract.  He was not interested in figuring out what the tiny white spot was.  The urologist said everything looked normal and for all intents and purposes patted me on the head and said "go away little girl."  But he did say I had a little bacterial vaginosis.  How that is possible after the antibiotics I had been on is beyond me.  Regardless, I was then on Flagyl for a week, which had this been a GI bacterial infection due to the Keflex and Cipro, the Flagyl should have killed it.

Well that didn't work, and now I'm thinking perhaps the pain is purely vaginal.  So I go to my gynecologist who decides it's cystitis of some variety.  He prescribes bactrim/septra but notices a vagina yeast infection -- go figure -- and prescribes a local topical for that.  Urinalysis negative.  I also demanded HIV and ghon/chlamydia testing just to be safe.  These were all negative.  (Then again, few bacteria would have survived that course of antibiotics anyway.)

So I go see a different urologist who decides that I should have a cysto of my bladder.  Cysto shows that I have polyps in my bladder, and they are removed.  I receive IV antibiotics and a few days of preventative Cipro afterwards.  She thinks perhaps the polyps blocked normal flow and prevented me from getting rid of a low grade infection.  She notices that I have "white flakes" coming from my left kidney.  So, she does a 24 urine collection and kidney function.  This reveals nothing; so she sends me on my way.  (Anyone else frustrated yet by the fact that strange things keep showing up, but nobody is doing a great job trying to figure out what it is?)

I go back to my GP, and say, "look.  I know that you all think I'm nuts by now, but this isn't normal."  I tell her I want to go on a fungicide in case the real problem is that all these antibiotics have caused me to develop a yeast infection in my urinary tract or GI tract and want testing for H. pylori (ulcer-causing bacteria) since I have a history of ulcers.  At this point, she basically says "okay" to my suggestion, and I've now been on Diflucan for a week.  200 mg on day one and 100 mg every day since.  I also started taking probiotics at the same time.

Four days into treatment, I get this large dry patch on one of my arms and what begins to feel like a vaginal yeast infection.  Needless to say I am shocked by the prospect of Diflucan causing a yeast infection.  By day five, my arm feels like it is on fire, and I feel like I have the worst vaginal yeast infection every experienced.  Bad, bad, how-will-I-get-through-this-day bad.  So I did a little research and learned about the "Die off" of yeast.  I'm now doing some of the relief suggestions, and they seem to help.

The abdominal pain has lessened a small amount, but not much, and I have more energy already.  (I had been sleeping 10-12 hours a night since this started.)

So here are my questions:

1.  Ever heard of a UT or GI tract die off that caused a vaginal reaction, or is this just a chronic vaginal infection that's taking a while to kill?

2.  Ever have abdominal pain with candidiasis of the GI tract?


I note that I've always had a little bit of gas and indigestion, but I've assumed it was just my cruddy GI tract giving me a hard time.  These problems have decreased since taking the Diflucan and probiotic.

[annej]

I wanted to add the following information.

I considered that it might be a fungal problem when I would develop recurring non-itchy rashes that come and then disappear within a day or two on my thighs every time I wear pants.  I think this is why my GP agreed to let me try the Diflucan remedy.

I already live a low carb lifestyle, but did use sugar substitutes, cheese and wine.  I have cut all of those out since having that horrible flare or die off or whatever it is.

[annej]

Sorry to keep doing this.  I have also had an abdominal and pelvic CT with contrast.  They were normal.

[Sue Funk]

I have had candidiasis and I quit feed it those hungry bugs. They love sugar. So I cut out the sugar. I learned to read the information on all products and its amazing what all has sugar in it. I bought a yogermet yogertmaker and eat lots of that also which has balanced the good bugs in my system to reduce those bad bugs. I also take caprylic acid capsules. Most carbs are full of sugar so check that out before you eat them.