Candidiasis Support Group

Hello, I know this is long, but please bear with me on this. I have been to many doctors, even one visit to the emergency room because my hives were so bad, and still I have gotten no answers. And Ive posted on these forums before and gotten no response, probably because its too long. But it is what it is... Please help.

I came across your website on one the many never ending candida cure/diets that I have looked up (and tried). about two years ago I was in a major accident where I spent 6 months in the hospital and had to learn how to walk & talk again and pretty much everything else.

With time, as I got better, I started noticing dandruff, unexplained hair loss, flakes in my eyebrow, then came a rash on my inner thigh, I've had "perleche"(cuts or sores on the corner of my mouth), athletes foot, penile cuts or scrapes where its painful to pull the foreskin back. I do not have all of these symptoms at once but I have had each of them, sometimes together, sometimes on their own.

It has been almost a year with these afflictions, I have been to many doctors and gotten many different fungal creams, tried every diet you can think of, take vitamin C (1000mg) and fish oil every day, exercise, and take probiotics (because I heard that candida overgrowth can be caused by taking antibiotics which I was given heavy doses in the hospital, but this random array of skin infections didnt occur until a year after my accident/hospital stay).

What the hell is going on? I am very frustrated and confused!!!!!! Also, as a side note, I don't feel fatigued, am rarely ever sick, and my stomach/digestion seems to be fine. I would appreciate any help you can offer.

I've even tried Reishi extract capsules (which made the candida worse), a no wheat/sugar diet (which made it seem as if it was getting better and then random symptoms would return), incorporating raw garlic and onions into my diet, raw coconut oil, and more that I can't remember right now. Is this yeast, or possibly another pathogen? Or an underlying illness?

D

Hello and Welcome to the Group!

I'm sorry to hear about your hospitalization and fungal infection problems. Yes, the antibiotics and medications have made your body very acidic, and it may take a minute to get it more alkaline. Try to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your regimen.

I would suggest starting with the alkalizing bath, particularly the one with 2 cups of apple cider vinegar, 2 cups of epson salts, and 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide. This works both internally and externally, systemically over time. Try to soak for as long as possible, and finish with your head under water but keep your eyes closed. Then follow-up with a cold shower after the bath because the bath will pull the acids out of the body so cold water will restore blood flow.

You can also take the organic apple cider vinegar (you can use the nonorganic for the baths, but only use the organic internall) internally, about 2 T. with some raw honey is good...or just toss it back and followup with some water.

In addition to those, you can put some in a spray bottle and spray it directly on the fungus too. It will take a while to work this way so the first way is best, so that it soaks into the body and effects all tissues.

For your hair you can rinse with it after shampooing, let it sit for about 15 or 20 minutes. Then rinse out, again it helps to realkalize the scalp.

Finally, I would suggest supplementing with kelp to help to rebuild your immune system and see how that goes. Olive leaf is also good, as well as echinacea. You can get it at the Healthfood Store but it is cheaper in bulk online at Amazon.

Good luck to you!

Faith

Hey, thank you very much for taking the time to read and reply. I have not tried taking baths or taking apple cidar vinegar although I've read about it. I am going to purchase some from the health food store. Regarding fresh fruits and vegetables, I eat raw vegetables every day, nuts, white tea, lots of fish, etc. What I was wondering is why are these things happening to me, you say it is because of the antibiotics, but is it possible for a year I am fine and then suddenly all these fungal infections show up and keep returning? This leads me to believe there is some underlying issue, but I can't go to the doctor as I don't have health insurance and live in Europe, and that fact that I seemingly feel fine most other places...

Thats quite a list right, Jock itch, Dermatitis, Athlete's foot, Perleche, etc... It is hard to believe that that can call be from alkaline imbalance but would be great if that is possible... I was worried it was something much worse. Thanks again for the reply.

I'm not sure what the underlying problem is, candida obviously, but your immune system took a beating and the fungus is in the body. When the body becomes more acidic, then the fungus returns. Alkalizing the body will help.

There are several discussions here about kelp, unsulphured black strap molasses, and organic apple cider vinegar to help alkalize the body. Those three are great for remineralizing and alkalizing. The baths will also help you detox.

If you want to test your alkalinity, then you can get some PH strips at the store. Test your saliva and urine PH first thing in the morning, then test if after various foods to see how your body is responding to them, you may be surprised.

It takes time for probiotics to work, and they must be taken first thing in the morning WITH SKIM MILK, after drinking a large glass of water to eliminate the acids. You can also take them before meals. It takes a lot of them to work and it takes time.

Faith

Cool, yeah I have been taking them on an empty stomach in the morning with no full glass of water or skim milk. I will take your advice, thank you. Yeah so you are pretty sure this is an overgrowth of candida? Is it possible there ISN'T an underlying problem, I just got this at a public swimming pool and it has become systemic because of the trauma and medications I have had in the past? Like I said, I don't have health insurance but if you think there might be something seriously wrong under all the candida, I will figure out a way. I had mentioned before I am not fatigued, rarely ever sick, and my digestion is fine... so that is conflicting evidence. Every website I've read about candida lists stomach and digestion issues as well as fatigue which I have neither. And then also I've read about HIV because that comes up a lot on google search for candida causes, but those include many things like diarrhea, frequent cold & flus, fatigue and many other things which I don't experience at all.

Usually along with candida are infections, viruses, and parasites but all of those are a result of a compromised immune system. If you are not experiencing ANY of those symptoms, consider yourself lucky, AND ALSO CONSIDER THE SKIN FUNGUSES an opportunity for you to get your immune system up and running in full gear!

You can do that with kelp and unsulphured black strap molasses and organic apple cider vinegar. You also may want to take a good digestive aid for a few months because the fungus is because food is sitting in the stomach and fermenting, so there is an underlying problem. Bromelain is a great digestive aid, made from pineapples, and papaya is another. Try to find one with those in it.

Increase the probiotics to three times a day before meals, in addition to the routine that I mentioned first thing in the morning. That is what I would do...

I would also encourage you to learn more about candida because it is not just an HIV problem, it is EVERYBODY'S problem. Why? Because we live in an ever increasing toxic world and those toxins are slowly eroding the good bacteria in the body, unbeknownst to us. The liver and kidneys have to filter all of that stuff out daily, and when the liver and kidneys become congested, then our skin becomes the third filtration system. I also take a liver support herb to help my liver out.

Fresh lemon juice is a great kidney cleanser, so I would start getting in the habit of drinking that if it were me.

Unfortunately, physicians don't understand candida or the impact of fungal infections on the immune system, it isn't something they really study unless they are prescribing something, and again that is a temporary fix because the problem at large is the immune system.

P.S. Odds are you have leaky gut, most of us with candida do. There is also a product that can heal your gut calleed Mastic Gum, an herb. Follow the directions and take it for several months, the leaky gut is the reason for the fungal overgrowth! That and the probiotics consistently should really do the trick!

Faith

Post edited by: ohfaithful, at: 04/11/2011 07:19 PM

Kind of hard to have too much faith in all this. Every time I read to take one thing, the next advice tells me never to take that. I am so confused... and everyone has the right way to heal candida. My son is dealing with this problem and I do not know what is helping or hurting him since he does not have good communication skills, being autistic. I have been hopping around the internet for a year now.. do this.. do not do that.. Sooner or later, whateven I am giving him, I will find someone who tells me not to. He is up and down with this crap. And last bout, he got too many probiotics and got so sick, he quit eating and had loose stools.. He lost 30 pounds ina little over a month. I could not even find a doctor who would help him. Took him to a specialist and he laughed at the candida notion.. Just said he would not do further testing on him as my son could not cooperate that well. Can you believe that? No sugar at all.. Candida doesn't know the difference.. and thrives on all sugars.. so no carrots? Now I see I am supposed to give him black strap molasses? Gimme a break!

You are having the same kind of fun that we are. My son gets better then worse. As long as I keep him on a tightly restricted diet, Oregano oil pills and probiotics, he does well... but he starves.. meat and salad is not too filling.. The probiotics eventually give him diarrhea and he quits eating loses weight. Take him off the probiotics and withing a week, the candida is growing back. Plus he is on vitamins, supplements and everything I know of to build his immune system.. Now I heard he needs kelp from this forum.. Most everyone has something different or contradictory to say or a product to sell.. Wish I could just find a doctor who knew something about this crud. All these lay paeople have their own pantry science. DO I sound frustrated? Angry? Defeated? That's because I am!

I was told "NO FRUIT" for my son..(only fresh lemon juice) And the only veggies should be non starch.. This candida diet is so restrictive it is ompossible... Now I read here he should have fruit, and molasses... Geesh..

Dear Pollyanna,

I'm sorry to hear about your son, but the problem lies in his immune system that you passed onto him. We live in a toxic world, where everything is said to be "okay," when in fact it just isn't. A lot of the foods that we think are SAFE and nontoxic, are genetically modified foods which means that THEY ARE MANMADE, like corn for example. Monsanto MADE A CHEMICALLY RESISTANT CORN, that most of us are eating and destroying our DIGESTIVE SYSTEMS. Your sons digestive system is the culprit, a weak liver is the culprit, and all those doctors who have no clue and think that our diets have nothing to do with it, REALLY HAVE NO CLUE OR ARE JUST IN DENIAL!

I understand your frustration, I feel your frustration, but KELP (helps the thyroid come back online which helps the immune system), UNSULPHURED BLACK STRAP MOLASSES, ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, help to HEAL THE GUT BY PROVIDING VITAMINS/MINERALS that your son is not getting in the foods, help to heal the THYROID which is another reason why the immune system is shot, the toxins SUPPRESS THE THYROID! The organic apple cider vinegar is used to help LOW STOMACH ACID, you can also use BITTERS WHICH HELPS YOUR BODY TO SLOWLY INCREASE STOMACH ACID! Bone broths are also terrific tools to heal!!!

It isn't easy, I passed the SAME IMMUNE SYSTEM ON TO MY DAUGHTER, and it isn't easy getting a teenager to follow the plan to heal either! That said, a great book to help you heal your son is the GAPS DIET, it is NOT EASY, it is time consuming, but it will help heal your son's leaky gut WHICH IS POISONING IS BRAIN! I should know, it caused me to have psychosis,amongst a list of other ailments!

I wish I had a magic pill for you, but I don't, but eating WHOLE FOODS (he needs nutrition, and fruits and vegetables give him that) is the key, making fermented/cultured foods for your son is the key, eating fruit and vegetables and proteins that are pure and not hormonally laden, is the key. Cleaning up your environment (looking for mold and remediating, and making sure that air flow is great in your home, using humidifiers, etc) so that his liver gets a break from the pollution in the home (the most polluted place in America) is the key!

You've got a tough road ahead of you, I wish that you didn't, but you do and IT CAN BE DONE! I buy everything in bulk and make my own capsules for my daughter, that works better than trying to get her to take things like I do. Read the forums here, join the Holistic forums and read there as well, there's great information! Most people want a magic pill to take, well there isn't one, but decreasing his toxic load and getting good nutrition in him will go far...Sally Fallon's books are terrific!

http://www.gapsdiet.com/Testimonials.html

On Day One, my son had a normal stool for the first time in six weeks and, for the first time in his life, he slept through the night. On Day Three, he spoke his first sentence. That week, he potty trained himself.

Good luck to you!

Faith

Post edited by: ohfaithful, at: 06/08/2011 11:26 PM