posted
Hi all. I've been reading posts on lymenet for awhile and have found a lot of great info here. I finally just joined though because I need help! I was diagnosed with Lyme and Mycoplasma Sept 07 and Babs Dec 07 and have been taking ceftin, zithromax, plaquinil and mepron.
I've had a lot of trouble with yeast (no vaginal infections) in the gut even taking tons of acidophilus and drinking yoghurt and kefir every day. I've tried to go off eating sugar and carbs twice and each time became so violently ill I was really scared I was dying. The first time I ended up in the emergency room. I had woken up feeling like my bloodsugar was low (I've had minor sugar crashes before) but it was worse than anything I'd experienced of sugar crashes before. I woke up sweaty, nausea, so weak and dizzy I could hardly walk. Only after downing an entire can of gingerale did I feel better and it took the whole day to feel "normal" again.
My LLMD told me I probably had an infection in the gut so the yeasties ran out of food and decided to take it from my bloodsugar instead. He put me on liquid nystatin (the kind with sugar) and I returned to eating a limited number of carbs. I did though wean myself off them slowly and was fine. Everyone once in awhile I would cheat.
THEN after a few months was put on questran for detoxing. Didn't realize at the time but it has fructose in it. So I was drinking that 3x a day for 2 weeks and then stopped. That night made the mistake of eating chocolate pudding. Big mistake! I woke up in the middle of the night sweaty and that morning same thing weak, shaky, nausea, convinced I'm dying.
After that started diflucan everyday plus supplements to kill yeast like echinacea, olive leaf, garlic. Also slowly worked my way back to 0 carbs and sugars. That was a few days ago. The past five days have been hell. I've never felt so sick and exhausted not even herxing from lyme. Feel low bloodsugary all the time, even when I'm eating (actually eating is hard cause of nausea). Always hungry even when eating or after eating. Really scared because am back at school and basically non-functional.
So my question is is this the yeast attacking my body for not feeding it? Can you herx from killing of yeast? Is that what this would look like? Could it be that my yeast is systemic from having such a bad reaction to killing/starving it? I really don't think it's regular ole low blood sugar from not eating carbs because it is constant, intense and I have gone off carbs at other times and felt ok after an initial few days of being sick.
Sorry for the epic! Just feeling freaked out.
Posts: 12 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2008
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lymeinhell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4622
posted
Oh yeah - that's classic yeast die-off.
When you have systemic yeast, you basically become hypoglycemic. (sometimes referred to reactive hypoglycemia I believe). Loopy and lightheaded feelings. I used to feel drunk after eating (despite being on an extremely low carb diet). The only thing that fixed it was treatment and time.
In the interim, eating very frequent small high protein meals was the only was to combat the shaky sweating feelings (sometimes accompanied by tunnel vision). A handful of Almonds became my best friend. I felt like I was always eating but it is important that you keep your blood sugar levels constant.
I also began taking Holy Basil with my meals to better regulate my blood sugar and cinnamon after meals. New Chapter has good products for these.
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Thank you so much for the info and advice. I've been feeling so confused because everyone says to stay away from carbs and sugar with yeast but then I get the hypoglycemia which is just as bad. So it seems like choosing constanty between two evils. I will definately try to eat more protein more often. I haven't really been eating frequently enough. And I'll look for those supplements too!
Posts: 12 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
Also, is it normal to have heart palpitations and racing heartbeat with yeast die-off because I've been having that too and that's the scariest part. Had those symptoms before Lyme treatment and they went away pretty fast. But they are back the past few days.
Posts: 12 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2008
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lymeinhell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4622
posted
Just went through a bout of that myself (and I'm no longer on abx 3 yrs now). For me, it was 2 things - I was dehydrated and low on Magnesium. IV fluids and IV Magnesium turned me back into a human.
Could your problematic stomach made you low in electrolytes? Are you drinking enough fluids (constantly throughout the day?)
Regardless, please let you Dr know asap about it. You never want to take chances when it comes to things like that. (but FWIW - I had heart palps during treatments when I was herxing). Now go - call your LLMD..
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
This post has great timing for me since I'm starting to treat yeast as well. Started with Diflucan, then added Nystatin and when that didn't work, my LLMD took me off all abx and started me on Nizoral yesterday. But just in this short time, I'm feeling everything you are discussing.
The heart palpatiations, the nausea, sweaty, weak, dizzy, you name it. Wow....and spacey as heck. Gave me horrid insomnia last night and was up all night so I'm sure that isn't helping matter.
I'm hoping this is a good sign since others talk about some pretty rough die offs, but this sure isn't fun. Good luck to you.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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Lymeinhell, I've been downing water like crazy all day and that has helped a lot. Called my doctor and left a message but he hasn't called back so I'm waiting on that now. Thanks for your help!
Tdtid, I'm so sorry you're going through this too. I herxed with Lyme treatment and Babs to a lesser extent but I don't remember the Lyme herx being as intense as this. Maybe it helped that I knew to expect a herx with the Lyme whereas I had no idea that yeast die-off could be so horrendous. Good luck with the Nizoral!
Posts: 12 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2008
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lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6215
posted
I paid $450 for a stool test for yeast. Showed I had no bifido and no yeast???????
But,
Everytime I eat sugar and carbs I get stabbing burning pains and everytime that I take antifungals I want to die!!!!!
I get very sick form them. Chills, headache, aches, pains etc.
I also get suicidal where I just think of dying over and over. Not good.
LLMD still doesnt know why. A natura path told me that yeast rarelly tests negative in the gut, that I would have to swab it for a sample!!!!
I dont know entirelly what this means, though I KNOW I have some kind of yeasst issue.
I dont know how this helps but I just put it out there.
Oh,, Olive Oil also does this to me. I dont know why.
be well
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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"Successful control and elminiation of a Candida Albicans overgrowth requires a multifaceted program as described below. Failure to follow ALL the steps simultaneously will result in slow progress and will lengthen healing time significantly. The program should be tailored to the individual and must balance the need to eliminate the Candida and deprive it of its food source while insuring proper nutrition for the individual."
Five Steps to Candida Elimination:
1. You must starve it into submission by eliminating its food source.
2. You must kill it with anti-fungal herbs and supplements. [e.g....garlic, onion, caprylic acid, Pau D'Arco capsules or tea, clove, grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract, oil of oregano, tea tree oil, Echinacea, Goldenseal, black walnut, MSM, barberry root, uva ursi, neem leaf, biotin]
3. You must reestablish the proper balance and quantity of probiotic bacteria in the digestive tract. [...multi-strain lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus capsules with FOS should be taken between meals to maximize repopulation of the digestive tract by beneficial bacteria.]
4. You must reestablish proper levels of all B vitamins (yeast free) and utilize other immune enhancing supplements to boost immune system function. [e.g ... B complex vitamins (yeast free), biotin, beta 1-3 glucan, colostrum, maitake mushroom, vitamins A, C, E, zinc and selenium]
5. You must cleanse and heal the digestive tract to promote proper elimination of toxins and Candida and assimilation of nutrients. [e.g...chlorophyll, MSM, omega 3 fatty acids found in flax seed and salmon oils, GLA found in borage, evening primrose and black currant oils. Pantothenic acid, digestive enzymes between meals] =============
If you can get through about 3 wks of a very strict diet, then you will begin to feel MUCH better without all the yeast in your body!!
Also, staying on the diet will be MUCH easier once you follow it for 3 wks.
Keep that tummy full of good food!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
lymeHerx001, I know exactly how you feel. I'm sorry your tests came back negative too. Sometimes it's so nice to just know for certain what's really going on. I don't realy trust tests anymore though because I was tested for Lyme when I first got sick a year and a half ago and my test came back negative. Tested again this Aug and what do you know? Positive!
Thanks Lymetoo, I've been checking out that website all week trying to find more info about candida. I had NO idea that vegetables had carbs. Do they all have carbs? I've been eating a lot of cucumber, zuchinni, tomatoes and spinach. Are there any websites that talk about which veggies are high in carbs? I'm eating primarily dining hall food at the moment so I don't have much control over what veggies I eat. Thanks for the info!
Posts: 12 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2008
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