I'm starting to wonder about yeast in my gut. Not starting to, just becoming aware that this may very well be my problem.
I took high dose abx for over 3 years. I did not supplement well enough and I missed more probiotics than I took. I didn't take very high quality pbx either.
I have major post nasal, or the "HEH-HEMMS" very bad. It's been about 2.5 years of that. Every time I eat, no matter what, I cannot clear my throat. If it's a starchy meal, forget it, I need Halls to cope. I'm clearing my throat right now in fact and it does not clear.
I have lost about 30 lbs or so in 3-4 months. My diet hasn't been great, but I have kept sugar and gluten pretty much eliminated. I've missed a few meals, but not enough to drop all this weight. I can't lose anymore.
I just read that gut yeast can cause excessive weight loss. I don't have bad diarrhea or constipation, but I have had bouts of both in the past few years. I don't have a ton of gut discomfort unless I eat sugar or gluten, which is rare. I don't have all the symptoms, but I seem to have some big ones. Especially the mood swings and emotional stuff. Fatigue, sleep disorder, etc.
I'd start the cleanse tomorrow, with the broth, but my big concern presently is weight loss. If I just eat broth for two days, I will drop more weight, that could be a disaster for my body right now. I'm barely with any fat at all. My ribs are poking through.
I've been trying to eat extra starchy and not gaining weight. If I start this broth- steamed veg business, I really worry that I'll wind up even worse off. I will definitely lose more weight, but there is pretty much no fat left to lose. What the heck can I do about this, and does it sound like yeast could be my issue?
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Do you crave bread and sugar? That's what feeds the yeast and usually how people present.
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
I've been eating a lot of GF bread lately in hopes of gaining. I crave apples and peanut butter. I have eaten so little candy and sugar in the past 6 years, I don't remember what the cravings are like.
I do crave a big bowl of pasta with extra cheese sprinkled on it. Whenever I see lasagna I salivate. but I'm Italian and I was raised on that stuff...
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Why aren't you eating fats? Bone broth would help with the fats if you make it correctly.
Remember, breads and starches turn to sugar .. fruit IS SUGAR.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
For me throat clearing is proto (FL1953). If I cut the fat/animal products it goes away. Post nasal drip may be a histamine issue.
I would be really concerned as well about just having broth for two days. Maybe you could just add it to your existing regimen for some benefit?
I lost 30 lbs a few years ago after lyme diagnosis. I have never figured out why, I just blamed it on lyme and parasites. The only thing that has put weight on me though is sugar (occasional desserts). Maybe not the best thing, but it works. I take lots of pbx though when I eat it.
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
I eat a lot of fats...entire avocado every day. coconut oil and meats... mostly fish and turkey. I feel like I've just been grasping atstraws for years here. It also seems like there is no way I COULDN'T have yeast problems, considering how bad I may have messed up my gut with all the years of abx.
For me, the throat clearing is horrendous after starchy foods. Especially if I have had spicy stuff with it.
Posted by stephfino (Member # 23599) on :
So weird you posted this today!! I have been thinking the same thing about yeast. I also have the throat that never clears...been to 3 different ENT's..
I have been on abx for 7 years now...
I just got approved to have a PICC put in but have decided to wait until January.
I'd love to know if my probs are yeast or lyme at this point BEFORE going on IV. I was thinking of stopping my orals and see what happens. Wise or not??
MY biggest complaints as of now are migratory joint pain (right side only) the pain is bearable and comes and goes - is not constant
sore muscles - restless legs - twitching (all not constantly hurting)
and anxiety - lack of sleep - all the other crap that comes with this
Anyone know of any specific tests for yeast??
Im not gluten or sugarfree. I don't eat much gluten but I love sugar and do crave it a lot.
Wouldn't I have constipation or diarrhea with yeast? or yeast infections???
All of this is so confusing after 7 years............the more I read the more overwhelmed I get.
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
Yea I agree. I'm so exhausted with all of this at this point.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
You both could benefit from exploring the possibility of having salicylate sensitivity (spices bothering you would be one clue... so is throat clearing) .. or even histamine intolerance.
Lyme disease can so severely compromise the gut that we become sensitive to foods.
I get restless legs from salicylates. I recently found out I also can't tolerate foods high in oxalates. That discovery has helped my joint pain immensely.
Posted by shoeless joe (Member # 45835) on :
Lymeboy you are describing me.
I have suffered with the throat congestion for years when I eat carbs.
If I stop all carbs for a few days it will clear out but then also about that time I start to get die off.
Die off and clearing of my throat means its yeast to me.
Go carbless(do your homework and make sure its carbless)for several days and see if your throat clears out or if you go into a die off reaction.
5-6 days of eating like this will be worth the clues to know what you're fighting.
You may be to worried about your weight and feeding your problem try not to lose weight.
I understand Im rail thin too.
Maybe try an anti fungal like garlic or caprylic acid and see if you herxhiemer on that.
These things should tell you if its yeast.
Eat a little olive oil or almond butter during this no carb trial period and that will help to keep some weight on
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
Joe, you are right. I would really like to do a yeast cleanse but I am too thin and still losing weight. Once I stabilize I will definitely explore that option.
I have eaten raw garlic a lot in the past and not herxed, but had noticeable health boost from it. I also took Caprylic acid and it helped a lot with the congestion. But didn't solve it. I never researched what an optimum dose was. I just read that it was fine to take a lot and maybe took a few pills of it before dinner and it always helped.
I eat tons of olive and coconut oil and I cannot keep weight on with a carbed up and high protein diet. I take more than 2000 - 2500 calories /day easily.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
What if the yeast is what's causing the weight loss?
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
Could it be causing it this extremely? If that's the case I'd be pretty happy.
How could yeast cause such a significant drop?
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
I should add that I do not have all Candida/yeast symptoms.
I do have:
Gas Fatigue Dizziness Brain fog poor memory White/yellow stuff on tongue Chronic sinus issues (ears are the worst, but my nose runs a lot and I have throat congestion after eating) Weak immune system Chills Sweats Drenching night sweats Irritability, mood swings and depression
-I am sure there is more but,
I've never had skin problems never had a UTI Don't get bad sugar cravings but I do eat apples and peanut butter. Don't know if that is like candy but there is sugar there. I also eat a lot of GF bread lately, because I have been trying to gain weight, to no avail....
How does Candida cause weight loss? I am definitely taking in calories.
Posted by S13 (Member # 42830) on :
Dont assume its just Candida. In fact, Candida is only a one (minor) player when it comes to dysbiosis of the gut. Bacterial gut dysbiosis is much more common, and can cause a greater variety of symptoms depending on the type of dysbiosis. And that includes the white/yellow stuff on the tongue, and severe weight loss! However, a lot of people dont recognize bacteria play a key role in the gut health, and assume its all just candida. A lot of candida websites and doctors seem to think this as well sadly. The point is however, if you have a healthy well nourished gut microbiome, you wouldnt have candida in the first place, and all those bad bacteria would be kept in check as well.
But fixing dysbiosis is very difficult. If you were born with too little of the "good" guys and too many of the bad guys, you're basically screwed. And our generation is sadly one of the first that has to deal with these problems because of the use of antibiotics and contraceptives by our parents. Your immune system needs to be trained to recognize good flora at birth, otherwise it will never happen. Your immune system does try to keep the bad bacteria in check, but when a chronic disease enters the stage that also suppresses the immune system (think lyme, epstein barr, etc) then the immune system can no longer keep the bad guys in your gut in check and everything goes south (very fast!).
And dont think standard probiotics will be of much help. Lactos and Bifidos are just minor players in the gut microbiome and they are incapable of keeping the bad guys in check once overrun. In fact the more i think of it, the more i see the current lactic acid probiotic industry as a scam.
Now there are some other probiotics out there (some good clostridia, good e.coli, and soil based bacteria), but the most important key players can only be acquired by fecal transplant. Some people need fecal transplants for the rest of their lives.
Reading the GAPS diet book really opened my eyes to these problems. Also having done an extensive gut microbiome diversity analysis showed me how much my gut is screwed basically. Laking many vital key players and having very high levels of bad bacteria (different kinds of bad clostridia and bad e.coli and some others).
I personally found that any kind of intervention like antibiotics or herbs will make the condition worse. Of course this would depend on the kind of bad flora you would have, but for me its just best to focus on adding the good stuff and not to try and kill the bad stuff (you will never succeed at killing the bad stuff completely anyway, and the little good stuff you have left would also be decimated). Not feeding the bad bugs made a big change in symptoms for me, with the ultimate thing being water fasting. This caused such a big shift in my gut flora that i would actually be able to gain weight in the days after the fast. Though im not sure that starving your microbiome is a good long term solution.
Anyway, my point is to look further than just candida. Look into things like the GAPS diet and perhaps your eyes will be opened as well!
Posted by shoeless joe (Member # 45835) on :
s13 thats great,I enjoy the info you always give.
I do agree its dysbiosis.
Its not only candida but bacterial also,maybe parasites too.
Either way sugar feeds them.
Even probiotics make me herx but I will attempt to get them in me as much as my body will allow.Maybe time to try FMT again
Lymeboy you won't get any clue if you don't try things,4-5 days of no carbs should clear out your throat and then you will know.
Hope you feel better
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :