Topic: Candida--For those on the anti-candida plan
Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Hi guys--
I have been privately corresponding with someone who is trying to tackle candida right now. We have been sharing out experiences regarding our treatments for candida and our herxes..etc...If you are on the anti-fungal plan and want to correspond about your experience, please feel free to PM me or start a chain here.
Thanks!
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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lightfoot
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Member # 2536
posted
Hi......what is your plan? There are many.
-------------------- Healing Smiles.....lightfoot Posts: 7228 | From CO | Registered: May 2002
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I am taking the following and seem to be feeling somewhat better as a whole:
Morning: Large glass hot water w/ lemon
During the course of the day: Diflucan 200 mg - 1/day Liv52 - 1-2/day magnesium/ 200 mg - 1/day zinc/ 50 mg - day caprylic acid - 1/day garlic cloves - 1/ other day whey protein shake 2-3/ 8oz glass/day amino acid blend w/ free form acids 1/day multiV/ 1/day Geritol/ 1/other day psyllium fiber fish oil/ Vit E plenty of water
At Night: Melantonin "sleepy time" tea warm milk cymbalta 20 mg & ativan 2mg as needed.
Physical therapy 2x per week & self work out in between. A lot of stretching. Plenty of sunshine & fresh air. Time off from work to eliminate stress. May return sooner than later although.
Diet: No Sugars, juices etc. Plenty leafy greens, beans, chicken, beef, brown rice, rice pasta, 2 eggs per day w/ yolks, oatmeal, and soups. One apple every other day or so. Still eating plenty of yogurt and keeping milk in my diet.
I am not getting the burning achy muscles in my back ribs and shoulderblades anymore. The occasional bee sting sensations and twitches are all but gone.
Still have achy legs, trying to walk more each day. Can't push too much as the recovery time is still not normal. Right leg still gets the sensation of pulled/tight hamstring muscle. Also some clicking noises in my joints at times, don't know where that came from. Trying MSM, glucosamine & Condroiten.
Stay Positive, Dave
Posts: 69 | From New York State | Registered: May 2008
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posted
I am not getting the burning achy muscles in my back ribs and shoulderblades anymore. The occasional bee sting sensations and twitches are all but gone.
quote:
Do you mean your twitches are due to yeast?
I would love to hear more!
Thank you for sharing your protocol, seems very good.
I am also on Diflucan right now and the twitches are UNBEARABLE. --> Yeastherx?!
Posts: 347 | From sweden | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
I am not getting the burning achy muscles in my back ribs and shoulderblades anymore. The occasional bee sting sensations and twitches are all but gone.
quote:
Do you mean your twitches are due to yeast?
I would love to hear more!
Thank you for sharing your protocol, seems very good.
I am also on Diflucan right now and the twitches are UNBEARABLE. --> Yeastherx?!
Posts: 347 | From sweden | Registered: Feb 2008
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Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Fantastic post, Dave!!! I'm so pleased to hear you're making some progress....
(I started this thread so people like Dave and I who are specifically trying to tackle candida could share our thoughts/ideas with others and get their feedback)
My protocol:
I started with a loading dose of Diflucan 200 mg, thereafter on 100 mg a day of Diflucan....
Incidentally, I had such a strong herx response initially that I could not take the Diflucan every day.....I had to work-up to being able to take the 100 mg Diflucan every day....
I notice the longer I treat for candida the better I'm able to tolerate the antifungal....
Diflucan seems to work better for me than Nystatin......(incidentally, I have not been tested for 'azole resistance)
Like Dave, I too have muscle and joint aches and pains....If you have a lot of candida issues, when you first start really targeting the candida, the joint/muscle aches will most likely increase (a herx) along with an increase in anxiety....(I also had an outcropping of pustules form at the base of my nose and a rash which spread across my chest)(Both the pustules and rash are now gone)...
The longer I'm on the antifungals, the less extreme the herx......
Swedish Sufferer---To answer your question, yes, candida can cause muscle pain and joint pain....There are some articles regarding myalgias and candida in Pubmed in Google Scholar.....As for fasciculations, they too can be intesified when you start an anti-candida protocol...Some people find that loading mag will help with the fasciculations.....
I am also on basically the same diet that Dave listed above....I absolutely do not put sugar in my body and read labels.....You need to also watch out for things that contain sucrose....fructose....I also take more probiotics...
If you absolutely must have some sweetener, you might want to look into minimal use of Stevia...
My fondest hope is that by battling this candida my muscle pain/joint pain/stamina will eventually be much improved.....
Dave and I would love to hear from others.....
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
I am also finding that aerobic exercise on a stationary bike is very beneficial as well as swimming. There is no impact to my already sore muscles and joints. Twitches in my belief is the body reacting to toxic load and mineral deficiencies. I read that most people with either candida or Lyme are usually low in mg, zinc and calcium.
Has anyone added molybdenum to their supplements? It is supposed to draw out some of the toxic alcohal produced by the yeast. I looked in local CVS but did not have any. Maybe Mrs. Greens.
I am expecting instant healing, but I know it will take a while. I did not get here overnight.
Good posts
Dave
Posts: 69 | From New York State | Registered: May 2008
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lymeHerx001
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Member # 6215
posted
I cant handle anti fungals.
I even herx on homeopathy.
When I take antifungals I pass out with extreme fatigue, muscle soreness, brainfog and suicidal thoughts and soreness.
I wish someone had an answer as to why.
My liver levels always test normal.
Perhaps I should try rebounding.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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lymeHerx001
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Member # 6215
posted
I cant handle anti fungals.
I even herx on homeopathy.
When I take antifungals I pass out with extreme fatigue, muscle soreness, brainfog and suicidal thoughts and soreness.
I wish someone had an answer as to why.
My liver levels always test normal.
Perhaps I should try rebounding.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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Bugg
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Member # 8095
posted
A number of people have e-mailed me privately and asked for an anti-candida diet list. I have decided to post it here due to so many who have requested it. The following is one, albeit a very strict one, provided to me by my doctor:
Treating Candidiasis:
In order to overcome Candidiasis, sugar must be avoided in all its various forms. This includes: sucrose, dextrose, fructose, fruit juices, honey, maple syrup, molasses, milk products (which contain lactose), most fruit (except berries), and white potatoes (whose starch converts into sugar).
In treating Candida, the basic dietary taboos are sweets, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates.
Diet: Candida Albicans cannot be cured by diet alone, however treatment, without an accompanying yeast-control diet is useless and ineffective. In order to build the immune system, vitamin, mineral and fatty acid deficiencies may need correction.
Some people think they can cheat occasionally, thinking that ice cream once or twice a week for example is O.K. If you wanted to starve someone, but fed them twice a week, they would never die. Likewise, yeast will not die, unless the diet is followed strictly. Stick with the suggested plan. Probably one third of patients do not stick with the diet and end up needing to repeat it one or more times, thereby doubling or tripling the treatment time.
While the seriousness of Candida levels will vary from patient to patient, it is impossible to get a fungus overgrowth under control until at least three or four months of therapy. When patients prematurely discontinue their treatment, the fungus that is not destroyed will simply grow back and very often will build up resistance to the medication that was taken to kill the fungus overgrowth in the first place.
No matter what your treatment plan, it must be emphasized that the worst thing a patient can do is to stop the treatment before therapy is completed. A common problem that is experienced many times is that after a couple of months of therapy, patients begin to feel so much better that they think they are well enough to stop the treatment. Patients who fall into this trap are always regretful. The emphasis to all patients is that they should never stop the treatment on their own without consulting the doctor first.
Anti-Yeast Diet Plan (Basics) Emphasize Vegetables - All Meats Poultry Eggs Fish Whole Grains (Oatmeal, Oat bran or Quinoa) Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Brown Rice Nuts & Seeds (Almonds & Cashews) Real Butter Cold-pressed oils (Olive oil & Grape seed oil) Lemon Fresh fruit - 2 pieces/day - Berries, Kiwi, Apple, Pear
Water or Water with lemon juice - 8 glasses per day
Avoid the following:
Sugar - All forms (May use Stevia or Xylitol) Alcoholic beverages (Especially Beer and Wine) Fruit juices Dried fruits Refined flours (Wheat) Breads (Especially white and whole wheat bread) Baked goods (especially cookies, candies and cakes) Vinegars Pickled vegetables Cheese Mushrooms Banana, Grapes, Oranges Teas, Milk, Coffee (except Green Tea or Herbal Tea)
Salad Vegetables Alfalfa Sprouts, Bamboo Shoots, Broccoli Cabbage, Caraway, Catnip Cauliflower, Celery, Chard Chives, Cress, Dandelion Dulse, Endive, Fennel Kale, Kelp, Leeks Lettuce, Mung Bean Sprouts, Parsley Rhubarb, Spinach Squash, Swiss Chard, Water Cress Fresh onions are also allowed, along with summer squash and zucchini -- all types of squash.
Grains Amaranth Millet Quinoa McCann's Irish Oatmeal as tolerated Brown rice Buckwheat
Meats and Proteins (All Lean Cuts) Beef, Chicken Eggs Salmon Turkey, Veal Also all game birds and animals such as squirrel, rabbit, quail, duck, goose and venison are allowed.
Nuts and Seeds In limited amounts (one ounce) - Almonds, Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts, Sunflower seeds and pumpkinseeds.
Oils Use only cold pressed or expeller pressed or non-hydrogenated oils. Also, you should take one tablespoon of virgin olive oil each day on your salads or vegetables. You can add lemon juice to this if you so desire. The best salad dressing is extra virgin olive oil in lemon juice. Flaxseed oil may be also be used with lemon as desired.
Other Items You may have two rice cakes daily. Eat real butter and totally avoid all margarine. You may have plain unsweetened yogurt but no yogurt with fruit or sugar in it - if allowed by your doctor. You may have one cup of oatmeal (the old fashioned kind) per day. (if tolerated) Two small to medium fruit per day is permitted, but no Bananas, grapes, or oranges. You may have any unsweetened drink. It is best to avoid nutrasweet entirely. Introduce yourself to Stevia as a preferred herbal sweetener. Green Tea is recommended
Other condiments You may use salt, pepper, garlic or onions if you desire. It is best to avoid MSG.
For those patients who tend to lose weight easily, and especially those who should not lose any weight, the following is recommended; eat three or four large tablespoons of homemade mayonnaise each day.
You must not use store bought mayonnaise as it contains hydrogenated oils.
Compliance: Don't forget that the diet in this treatment is absolutely vital and failure to comply with this diet will result in failure or a lengthened treatment plan for your fungus overgrowth condition.
Natural Supplements: Candida and fungal overgrowth can be treated with natural supplements. The following are a partial list of some recommended natural antifungal products. Please consult your physician before embarking on a Candidiasis treatment program.
Caprylic Acid - Natural antifungal Citrus Seed Extract - Best taken one hour before or after meals Flaxseed oil or borage oil - Excellent sources of omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids Garlic - Natural antifungal Ginger Tea - Helps soothe inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract Probiotic - Acidophilus/Bifidobacillus are good bacteria Oregano oil - Natural antifungal Oxygen therapies - Hydrogen peroxide therapy is very effective at providing oxygen to cells and as an antifungal. Pau d'Arco - Natural antifungal Peppermint Oil - Natural antifungal, helps to soothe the digestive tract Psyllium husk powder - Helps to clean the digestive tract and encourages good bowel health.
Digestive Aids: These products help the body digest and absorb the food we eat. They also are effective as natural antifungal agents.
Betaine and Pepsin hydrochloride - Stomach acidifiers that help the body dissolve yeast and food in the stomach. Slippery elm - Natural antacid, antifungal, and regulator of intestinal flora Lemon Juice - Stomach acidifier that should be used when Betaine is too strong. Pancreatic digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, protease) - Plant based enzymes preferred. Papaya (papain) / Pineapple (bromelain) - Plant digestive enzymes that are effective as anti-inflammatory agents.
Prescription Medications: Natural supplements help to control the growth of yeast in the digestive tract however; the use of prescription medications is essential for clearing yeast from the body. Below is a list of frequently used prescription medications used to treat this condition.
Diflucan (Fluconazole) - Systemic antifungal that is fungistatic (inhibits the growth of yeast) Sporanox (Itraconazole) - Systemic antifungal that is fungistatic Lamisil (Terbinafine) - Systemic antifungal that is fungistatic Nilstat (Nystatin) - Nonsystemic antifungal that is fungicidal (kills yeast) Amphoterisin B - Nonsystemic antifungal that is fungicidal (kills yeast)
The use of prescription medications can cause die-off reaction, which occurs when the yeast die and release their toxins into your body. Symptoms usually consist of gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, fatigue, rashes, flushing and worsening of your current condition. If these symptoms become unbearable, please cut the dose of your prescription medication in half and call your physician.
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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lymeHerx001
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posted
Im thinking of mercury and the lymphatic system
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote: When I take antifungals I pass out with extreme fatigue, muscle soreness, brainfog and suicidal thoughts and soreness.
If you use Diflucan it could be a lyme-die off, herxheimer. Diflucan is one of the top treatments for neuro lyme disease.
Posts: 347 | From sweden | Registered: Feb 2008
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Bugg
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Member # 8095
posted
LymeHerx--
I'm so sorry you have such a strong reaction to the antifungals. If it's any consolation, I had a SEVERE herx on the Diflucan initially: itched; increased fatigue; increased brain fog; pustules at the base of my nose; matter in my eyes; increased in muscle/joint pain....I literally felt like I was going to die....
Despite testing "normal" for no candida....I HAD SEVERE CANDIDA ISSUES.....
The more I'm on the antifungals (Diflucan especially) the less severe the herx; the better I feel; and the more stamina I have.....I cannot believe how long my body must have been under seige by this terrible candida and I didn't even know it...
Yes, I was on probiotics and nystatin while I was on abx....
You might want to get a second opinion to see if you have candida issues...You need to go to a doctor who is very familiar with testing and treating for candida....
Hang in there....
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
I'm bumping this up because I keep getting so many private e-mail requests for this anti-candida diet...
Just remember, ONLY 50% of patients with invasive candidiasis have positive blood cultures; you can still have candida and test negative through blood culture and through antibody testing....
I know how people feel about infectious disease docs but I was told by a PHD researcher for candida that two of the best places to go for candida testing if you live in the Southeast are the ID sections of Duke Medical Center and of University of Alabama....
Also, if anyone is interested, you can go online to www.journals.uchichago.edu and search in the Clinical Infectious Disease Journal and read the IDSA's Guidelines for Treatment of Candidiasis....
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
I currently don't have this problem yet, I went to a cleaning and was taught to drink 8 oz of lemon juice each morning and 3 teas to avoid yeast so far it has worked. The 3 teas are Dandillion, Red Clover and Au Pau something It was mentioned in the list.
I have also take the probiotics 3 times a day at 15 billion, and put in a doush a few times a week.
Posts: 22 | From California | Registered: Jul 2008
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gemofnj
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Member # 15551
posted
can you get the lemon juice in pill form?
Posts: 1127 | From atlantic city, nj | Registered: May 2008
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Boomerang
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posted
Thanks so much for all the good info!
Posts: 1366 | From Southeast | Registered: Sep 2005
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ArtistDi
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Member # 2297
posted
I think those of you with systemic candida, might want to ask your doctors about V-fend. It is stronger than Diflucan, and I have a friend who swears by it. She had a systemic candida infection because of an infected in-dwelling catheter. She had to go off all antibiotics because of this, and she was afraid of backsliding. Instead, inadvertently, she found the V-fend made her feel better than all the years of IV antibiotic.
The V-fend seems to hit both yeast and Lyme. At any rate, she made tremendous progress and no longer needs antibiotics.
Just a thought. Di
Posts: 1567 | From Hatfield, MA, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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