Are there any reliable Candida lab tests I could use to measure success in treating this infection -or that would be indicative of proving an actual infection in the first place?
Please help with any info.
Posted by kgg (Member # 5867) on :
The candida tests that I have had done are through an Integrative Medicine practitioner. It is called a CDSA (Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis).
It measures good bacteria, bad bacteria, yeast levels among other things.
Several companies run them: Genova, Diagnostecs,
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
kgg .. Are they expensive?
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
I just look at my tongue. If it's whitish, I know I've got yeast problems. (I'm not talking full grown thrush, just a tinge of white).
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Oh, I KNOW I have yeast. I'd be interested in which strain, so we can do a better job of killing it.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
when i wake up in the morning i have a furry white tongue. it's so thick you can run your finger in it.
guess that's yeast huh?
my doctor said "oh that's just morning mouth. everyone has it."
gosh, what an idiot....
Posted by Hoops123 (Member # 18333) on :
The test thru Doctor's Data is $190 and will tell you what will work against your yeast. UHC paid for mine - some good news in all of this ...
Posted by Hmm... (Member # 39308) on :
Doctors data? Is that a panel or is it just for candida?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I assume "UHC" is insurance?
Posted by girl (Member # 18022) on :
United Health Care. I looked up Doctor's Data and there is a lab about an hour from here.
Hoops - did you do the hair test or saliva test?
Posted by Hoops123 (Member # 18333) on :
Hi group
It was actually a stool sample. I actually wanted them to do a parasite test but my doctor ran the wrong test. Yes, UHC is United Healthcare.
Posted by kgg (Member # 5867) on :
I think they run around $200. But that was a number of years ago. Not sure what it costs now.
Posted by girl (Member # 18022) on :
Isn't it normal to have it in our stool though?
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
I couldn't stay off of pbx long enough to do the yeast test accurately. A waste of money, IMO. These tests are fallible.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
No way I would get off probiotics to do a test. I guess that is out!
--not to mention the anti-fungal I'm taking!
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
I know, it's crazy! I had to be off of anti fungals for 3 days prior to testing.
Posted by Blackstone (Member # 9453) on :
Look to Labcorp (who has absorbed a handful of specialty labs and their tests, thankfully. This makes specialty testing more affordable and covered by insurance. For instance, Hemex Labs is now part of Labcorb and they run their coagulation panels under the "Esoterix" label) For standard antibody testing - in general, those with a candida overgrowth (especially, a systemic one) will show higher antibodies towards the organism. While yes, it is possible to have compromised antibody response, that is something to speak to your LLMD about for your particular situation. Doctor's Data, DiagnosTechs, and some other specialty labs are capable of running various assays for candida overgrowth from different medium and the like. Speak to a knowledgeable (LLMD) practitioner about something like this.
One thing to be aware of is that candida is one of those organisms that is always present in and on the body, but only creates problems when it "gets out of control', hence the term "overgrowth", so you need to have a lab that is properly calibrated to look at "acceptable" levels of candida found in varying specimens taken from varying places of the body. There was a lab (if memory serves) a few years back that was charging a lot of money for candida diagnosis, but it turned out they were basically returning tons of positives (and collecting tons of money) simply based on an extremely low threshold for positives (sufficient that pretty much everyone would test positive with a normal balance of candida), which was then used by "candida expert" practitioners (some of which were on the board of the lab) to push their expensive, proprietary treatment protocols.