Strange Symptoms...need answers

[faith91]

Hello. Thank you for reading my post. I am a 41 year old woman. 148 pounds. Look healthy.  Over the past 10 years I have battled epstein-barr, food allergies, candidiasis, chronic fatigue. I am much better in all areas, but believe I am still dealing with some ulcers. My Dr. has diagnosed me with this as well as several ER physicians I have seen during times of extreme pain. If I watch my diet closely, things seem to simmer down and I have gone several months with relatively few digestive problems, but sometimes I get hit with symptoms and am down for several days.

Here is the strange thing I cannot understand. I awake in the middle of the night, sometimes early, but most often between 3 and 5 a.m. As if a lightswitch is turned on, the symptoms hit: both arms going numb and hurt like I have exercised heavily, a squeezing pressure in my chest that I cannot even describe, tightening of the stomach and a gnawing pain, hard to breathe, horrendous belching coming from the depths of my being, instant sinus clog and headache, and sometimes neurological muscle jerks. It takes me several hours to recover from these ordeals. They happen more when I get off my diet and eat something questionable. I had one episode last night, and I had eaten some chocolate and drank some pop, which I try to avoid.

I do  not have any lower gas or stool problems. It's all upper. I was also diagnosed with a double hiatal hernia, as well as the ulcers. THe pain is usually right under the breastbone, and over my liver. Sometimes I have a rash over my liver. I do not have a gall bladder, as it was removed about 6 years ago. I have had upper and lower GI's and it shows nothing. I have been to a cardiologist more than once, and have been checked thoroughly. Nothing wrong with my heart. (I was previously diagnosed with MVP, but last check did not reveal this.)

I don't have the acid reflux as much, only a few times, which sent me to the ER, thinking I was having a heart attack. After I drank something they gave me, symptoms went down. Mostly, it is stomach pain.

Have tried the standard ulcer pills. I am trying to help this with diet and with natural remedies. I am not always good about staying away from irritating foods, especially if I am having a "feeling good" streak. But I am trying.

Over the years, I have had my fill of doctors...sorry...but dealing with the epstein barr and food allergies stumped most doctors, and so I went through about 50 over the years trying to figure out what was wrong. I was not impressed with about 95% of the doctors out there, so I try not to go if I don't have to. Bloodwork and liver enzymes always normal. Low in progesterone and am taking a progesterone cream. I also take Amrour Thyroid, 1.5 grains per day. I had my thyroid radiated about 10 years ago due to Hyperactive thyroid. Other than that, have not taken any meds in years.

Thank you for your help.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

When you say upper and lower GI's, I am assuming that you mean an upper and lower endoscopy (i.e. gastroscopy and colonoscopy).  These would be the most comprehensive tests to evaluate GI disorders.  Also make sure that tests for H Pylori are done.  This bacteria is associated with ulcers and inflammation of the stomach and esophagus.

If negative, I would consider a 24-hr pH study to ensure that GERD is not present.  

If the GI workup is not revealing, and the cardiology referral is not helpful, you may want to consider a rheumatology consult.  Diseases such as fibromyalgia, arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome (which may be associated with Epstein-Barr) can be discussed and worked up.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

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]

What an interesting post, as a recovered candidiasis sufferer I can relate directly to some of your symptoms especially the numbness & the light switch onset of symptoms halfway through the night . I would describe it as if someone switched on an adrenalin pump .it’s a common symptom of yeast infection. I found that gravity played a part , sitting up for a while  calmed things down .do you relate to that?
I have the liver ache , turns out that I  have a bacterial infection  obviously a co-infection for some time ,  it looks like a mycoplasma infection or “Whipple’s disease” or maybe Lyme??
Question did your endosopy exam show any red patches? & how did you treat your yeast infection?

Couple of sites you may find interesting

http://www.cfs-recovery.org/mycoplasma.htm


http://askwaltstollmd.com/mvp.html

[faith91]

Yes, sitting up does help. I was tested for Lyme. Showed nothing. Have not had the scope... will not go through that. I have been through enough. Have seen the sites you suggested. Lots of info out there on candida and what to do. I was with a nutritionist for almost 8 months and saw her twice a week for consultation and massage. My diet was all organic and she planned out my menus. Followed it to a T. I was so sick at the end of it, I did not go back. Her theory was feeding me tons of fruit juices , dried fruits, fruits along with my other food. It gave me so much MORE candida, i went through a horrendous die-off after I stopped all the fruits.

After I started recovering and feeling good again after much prayer, I overindulged in junk foods for so long....my fault. Then I ate at a restaurant and got food poisoning in the middle of the summer. I have not been the same since. I think it might be some sort of infection. Right now I am eating Manuka honey, which, in medical testing, has proven to kill h-pylori bacteria. I am also taking ALOE MP Plus,which heals ulcers,  and aged garlic extract, which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial.  God knew what He was doing when he made these natural remedies. THese recommendations all came from a medical doctor.  

Thanks for letting me know that someone else has had the same types of symptoms. It is like a switch being turned on...like a chemical reaction that happens instantly. The last few nights have been better. I do wake up feeling sick and belchy most days, fogged out. I ALWAYS feel better late afternoon and evening. That is so strange.

[faith91]

P.S.  Here is a site that tells about the honey and the studies. http://www.umfactivemanukahoney.com/

This honey is delicious. I take it on bread in the a.m. and p.m. on empty stomach. I just started this regime, so we'll see after a period of a month or so.

Here is info on the aged garlic extract. It is a powerful natural antibiotic. Maureen Salaman, one of the top researchers and nutrition authors in the world, along with Dr. Rodriges, highly recommend this as an alternative to antibiotics. I have use it quite often to get rid of colds, flu, infections, over the years. http://kyolicformula.nutrifit.com/

I believe that the answers lie in the foods that God created. I have also been healed many times instantly after prayer. I am a minister.  I have also learned about the association with food allergies, candida, other illnesess and spiritual roots that must be healed. I know of people who suffered horribly with these who were made well without having to get treatment of any kind. Cell wall permeability is an intersting topic in all of this. People who had toxins stored in their system and were doing all they could with supplements, medical treatment, etc. to rid themselves of this found that the toxins were released when they did something as simple as forgiving those that had hurt them. I am personally involved in one of these ministries who teaches about the Biblical ways of healing. Medical doctors are sending people to these ministries to help people that they couldn't. And people are getting well.   I have been able to counsel people suffering with certain illnesses and have seen recovery without medical intervention. (They had been to doctors and found no answers)

I used to be bedridden, and after years of searching for help and getting none, I turned to Biblical answers and found it. There was a time that I was so food allergic and chemical sensitive that I had to wear a mask, lost so much weight I was accused of being bullimic, and was near death. When I dealt with spiritual issues that I had shoved down deeply inside of myself and when I dealt with fear stress and anxiety (powerful roots of illness), almost instantly I started to recover. I gained weight back and was no longer dealing with malabsorption. I could smell anything and did not react. I could eat anything and did not react. And this was all without  medical treatment of any kind.

Out of my own ignorance and "just being human", I did not use wisdom in my food choices(junk food) and brought back some of the symptoms. That is what I am dealing with now. Maintaining a healing can sometimes be harder than getting healed.:)It takes discipline in all areas.

Medical treatment can be a good thing for many people. Doctors help so many people. We need doctors. I have been blessed by doctors at times. Other times, they were no help. But they aren't trained to treat people spiritually and emotionally. They are only trained to treat our physical bodies. And there is much more to healing than treating the body.

I would recommend to anyone the book called  'A More Excellent Way', A teaching on the Spiritual Roots of Disease by Pastor Henry Wright. He has a worldwide ministry and is in such high demand that he has to train other ministers because the calls coming in are overwhelming. The results they have had are nothing short of amazing.

I am personally writing a  book that teaches on the roadblocks to healing and have been researching this in depth for about 8 years.

[faith91]

Thank you for your post. Have had all of those tests done already. Never any answers. I'm not quite sure what arthritis has to do with stomach pain and belching???

I'm sure I am dealing still with the candidiasis and some ulcers.

[PAJ]

I wouldn’t be too worried about endoscope examinations ther’e no bother at all  , I’d say a tooth extraction is far more uncomfortable .

Good stuff on the honey ,I seem to remember it was used in medieval times.

Feeling worse in the mornings is a classic yeast symptom , it was one of the symptoms that left me when the drugs eventually started to finally overcome my infection . [18 months of treatment] one explanation is that toxins accumulate & are more difficult for the lymphatic system to disperse , it is a guess though.

I understand too your turning to a deity for help as you point out doctors are not much  help. Half of them don’t believe in the condition the other half acknowledge it but feel helpless to act & treat.

I would say consider a bacterial co-infection I believe that with a yeast infection it’s a certainty, if you can persuade a doctor to give a trial course of antibiotic “hands on” is better than all the theory  . The doctor is thinking of the connection with  CFS & auto immune problems [I think]  I include an article by Dr Truss.i agree with your self diagnosis BTW.

Don’t know if you’ve seen these , one thing ,there’s plenty on the net

http://www.mercola.com/2003/sep/13/inflammatory_bowel_disease.htm
Article by Dr Truss
Lack of energy and digestive disturbances, arthritic joint pains, skin disease, menstrual problems, emotional instability and depression. All symptoms of what I call the 'antibiotic syndrome' which have greatly increased in frequency in recent years.
On further examination, more symptoms may be discovered. Most of the gastro-intestinal tract is tender when pressed, especially the small intestine, liver and gall bladder. There may even have been a gall bladder operation that failed to improve the condition, sometimes even worsening the symptoms.
There could be a history of thrush or oral, anal or vaginal itching. When these are present the diagnosis of Candida is obvious but it may also be present in the absence of these manifestations and that can be somewhat confusing. The yeast or fungus Candida albicans, of course, thrives during antibiotic treatment. I regard it as reckless negligence to prescribe antibiotics without simultaneous fungicides and replacement therapy with lactobacilli afterwards. I believe that this practice has greatly added to our vast pool of a chronically sick population.
However, the 'antibiotic syndrome' is not just due to Candida. I regard it more generally as a 'dysbiosis' where the wrong kind of microbes inhabit the intestinal tract, not just Candida and other fungi, but many types of pathogenic bacteria including coli bacteria which are normal in the colon but become disease-forming when they ascend into the small intestine.
If the problem has existed for years, there is usually a lack of gastric acid which then allows the stomach to be colonised by microbes, causing inflammation with pain and later, ulcers. The toxins released by the microbial overpopulation cause in addition chronic inflammation of the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and intestines. I regard it as rather likely that a chronic inflammation of the pancreas is a major contributing factor in the development of insulin-dependent diabetes.
Bacterial attack
Specific types of pathogenic bacteria appear to cause or contribute to specific auto-immune diseases. One variety of coli bacteria, for instance, produces a molecule that is very similar to insulin. When the immune system becomes activated against this molecule it may then also attack related features at the beta cells of the pancreas
Another type of bacteria, Yersinia enterocolitica, induces an immune response that attacks the thyroid gland and leads to Grave's disease with a serious overproduction of thyroid hormones.
Ulcerative colitis is linked to overgrowth with pathogenic microbes, the same as Crohn's disease, osteoporosis and ankylosing spondylitis. In ankylosing spondylitis the vertebra of the spine fuse together causing stiffness and pain. Other joints may in time become affected.
Klebsiella, another type of pathogenic bacteria, produces a molecule that is similar to a tissue type found in people with this disease. When klebsiella numbers in the gut decrease, related antibodies in the blood decrease and the condition improves.
Rheumatoid arthritis is linked to other bacteria, called proteus. Proteus is also a common cause of urinary tract infections. Women suffer urinary tract infections as well as rheumatoid arthritis twice as often as men, while men usually have higher levels of klebsiella and three times more ankylosing spondylitis than women.
In addition microbial overgrowth dam ages the intestinal wall so that only partly digested food particles can pass into the bloodstream, causing allergies. In this way all auto-immune diseases can be linked to food allergies.
While rheumatoid arthritis is a frequent feature of the antibiotic syndrome, and I regard it as relatively easy to cure, not many sufferers of this disease seem to be interested in this natural approach. The other day a young man with severe rheumatoid arthritis knocked at my door to collect money for a medically sponsored walkathon. When I told him that I do not give money for drug treatment as it can be overcome with natural therapies, he shouted: 'You are mad!' and left visibly upset.
Other auto-immune diseases that have so far been linked to dysbiosis are psoriasis, lupus erythematosus and pancreatitis. When remedies are given that bind bacterial endotoxins, these conditions usually improve. A further consequence of dysbiosis is susceptibility to food poisoning as with salmonella bacteria, while a healthy intestinal flora prevents these from multiplying and causing trouble.
Staphylococcus aureus or golden staph cause serious infections in hospital patients. It has been found that not only golden staph but also other infections are greatly potentised when they occur with a Candida overgrowth. As Candida overgrowth is a natural outcome of the standard hospital treatment, it is easy to see why golden staph is so deadly in hospitals.
A similar picture emerges with AIDS. People do not die from the AIDS virus but from Candida-potentised bacterial infections. I also see the antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in babies and infants as the main cause of their frequent infections, glue ear and greatly contributing to cot death.
While it used to be uncommon for children to have more than one or two infections a year, now more than six is the norm.
In the 1940's Candida was found in only three per cent of autopsies, now the figure is nearer thirty per cent. There are, of course, other factors that can cause dysbiosis - the contraceptive pill, steroids and other drugs, radiation treatment and chemotherapy - but the main culprit is, without doubt, antibiotics.
Closely related to Candida are the mycoplasms or pleomorphic organisms. These have been shown to be a main factor in the causation of cancer. Therefore, antifungal therapy has also major benefits in cancer treatment.
Dr Orian Truss
In 1953 Dr Orian Truss discovered the devastating effects of antibiotics in  Alabama (USA)