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I have asked many questions on this site and haven't offered much advice. I have felt pretty lost this past year and half with this disease. I have had some recent success that I'd like to share in hopes it may help some of you who continue to struggle with no success as I did for so long. I found a doctor who is an MD but uses a more holistic approach. In May I found out through stool testing that I had a very nasty candida (yeast overgrowth) in my gut. My good to bad bacteria ratio in my gut was horrible...the flora was way out of wack! I have been taking a host of probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, caprylic acid and anitfungal meds. Along with my previous diet which was GF, SF & DF I went on a biofilm diet which cuts out sugar, vinegar, mushrooms....anything that feeds the yeast. This has been a difficult journey but I am very happy to say that I am doing much better. I have successfully cut back to 1 Entocort every other day and am hoping to get completely off the drug very soon. I really believe had this new doctor not found the candida infection my MC would have never healed. I wonder how many of us have the infection and never know?! I had never heard of it and understand that most gastro docs dismiss it right along with diet in controlling MC.
I've wondered about candida myself, in part because I tested positive for yeast through Enterolab. What stool testing confirmed it for you? I'd like to have some definitive proof before I go on a sugar and starch-free diet, plus I would want to use prescription antifungals as you mentioned, to make sure I knock it out. Starving them alone could take a long time...
I'm pretty sure that I had the problem back when I was reacting, because I regularly had thrush, and I had a major leaky gut problem.
Thanks for posting your story about candida - that should be helpful for many others.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi Zizzle! The lab my doctor used for the testing is Doctors Data. The test was a yeast susceptibility test. The test he did also tested for overall health of the intestines......IOW the ratio of benificial flora to bad. I sure was surprised to see how out of whack my system was! Doctor believes it was due to use of antibiotics and made worse by the Entocort I have been on for a year and a half. Hope this helps!
I can pitch in on candida and MC existing together. I had a scope 3 years ago which showed pretty bad oesophageal candida. I had to take amphotericin lozenges which cleared the upper GI problem but I think I still have a candida/yeasty dysbiosis lower down. I am always better on anti-fungals like nystatin. I drink a fair bit of homebrewed kombucha now which seems to help. I also had a skin prick test for candida and was pretty allergic to it.
Thanks for posting on this topic Kim. I'm pretty sure I'm struggling with candida - I did a questionnaire, and the results were highly positive. I've eliminated sugar for quite some time now, and have noticed that the white layer on my tongue has cleared up, so hopefully I'm on my way to get it under control. I always tend to shy away from any kind of medication, but perhaps this is a case where I should give it a try.
I've been struggling with fungus on four toe nails on my left foot, and would love to get some recommendations on how to get rid of it??? I have tried various home remedies, such as listerine, vick's vapo rub, and am now trying distilled white vinegar, which seems to be helping somewhat. I'm hoping that being sugar free, together with some kind of home remedy, will eventually result in success.
Love,
Kari
P.S. I have also had dry, cracked skin under my left foot for as long as I can remember. I read on the internet that vicks vapo rub could help clear it up, and believe it or not, it has!!!
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
That's interesting - I've had 'weird' toenails, especially on my big toes, ever since I can remember. I've been told it's not fungus, but it's gradually clearing up. I think Candida has been a factor for me for a long time. I think eating pretty low on the carb scale may be contributing to my improvement generally.
I'm pondering your question - I think we have a lot of similar issues, but yours have been harder to defeat (not that I'm quite declaring absolute victory, but I feel as though I can see the top of the hill from here). Perhaps it's because you had been symptomatic for longer before you decoded the gluten/food-sensitivity link?
I took Flagyl many years ago, when MC first struck. I would love to avoid that again, if possible! But maybe it was helpful, in a brutal way.
I've been thinking of making a drink with our homemade seltzer, mashed cooked pears, and a little ginger. Have you tried anything like that? The combo makes me think of you ;) I like the idea of something a little treat-ish to drink, but most commercial beverages are too sweet for me, even the natural/healthy ones.
Has you taste for sweets diminished? I know all our friends think it's tragic that I can't join them for desserts when we eat together, but most of it doesn't really appeal at all. Even at our annual get-together with friends-and-family-of-friends - their neighbor is a phenomenal baker, but it didn't really register as something I was losing out by not enjoying. I wonder whether the craving for sweets isn't actually a potential 'symptom' of its own - probably not pointing at one particular thing, but a telltale sign anyway.
Sara wrote:I wonder whether the craving for sweets isn't actually a potential 'symptom' of its own - probably not pointing at one particular thing, but a telltale sign anyway.
Are you aware that candida causes the host to crave sweets, in order to "feed" it, (the yeast). Typically, if someone with a candida overgrowth tries to cut sugar and carbs out of their diet, the candida will cause an especially strong craving for sweets, in the host's brain, as a self-survival response. That unusually strong craving for sugar is generally recognized as a symptom of a candida overgrowth.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Every time I read something here I find a connection.
I have been struggling with a nail "fungus", candida, and a sugar addiction for years. I have to lose my taste for sweets and get rid of the sugar addiction, as I have candid and thrush almost constantly. And, I guess, this is fueling the sugar cravings.
And the nail fungus? I have been soaking my feet (especially after the pool) in a hot water, with vinegar and epsom salts, which does seem to help some, and am using Penlac (prescription) to fight it. I'll let you know whether I have any success.
I had heard of that connection - and I am curious, because I think I have suspected Candida at times - but no sweet tooth. (I think craving for gluten-carbs can also be exacerbated by Candida overgrowth, though of course that craving has its own super-powers to make the 'host' consume it!)
Lesley, best of luck battling the 'fungus' *and* the sugar addiction. And thanks for the tip on foot-soaks - I love soaking my feet, and every time I do it, I wonder why I don't make it a more regular routine. I wonder whether the magnesium in the Epsom salts is contributing...
Unbeknownst to me, I have probably had candida for most of my life. This might explain why it's taking me a long time to "heal". As I keep purifying my diet, I believe there is a gradual return to health in both my body and mind, on so many different levels. One really noticeable area is that I no longer have the extreme mood/energy swings from ingesting sugar. I seem to feel more even keel and content most of the time, as well as more rational :). The sugar cravings are greatly diminished, so chances are I'm well on my way to heal through my diet. I plan on adding a bit of oil of oregano, as it is known to rid the body of fungus/yeast - thought of this after I posted yesterday. I believe you do this, Sara, so am wondering how it's working for you so far?
Lesley - thanks for the heads up about foot soaking - it sounds wonderful. I agree that it seems like so many of our issues go hand in hand with MC. It takes a lot of patience and diligence to work with the diet, but I have come to strongly believe that the diet is at the center of all our various ailments. The old saying "you are what you eat" has taken on new meaning for me :).
Sara - your idea for a drink with pear and ginger sounds wonderful, I might just try it. It is getting tiring to drink only water - I have now expanded my water repertoire to 3 types: room temperature; with ice (for partying :)) and hot when I feel like a hot drink . However, a couple of days ago, I added back coconut water, and I seem to be doing fine with it. I like it for the electrolytes.
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Kari,
I just helped cure my MIL's apparent case of moccasin-type athlete's foot by telling her to do daily soaks in apple cider vinegar followed by applications of OTC anti-fungal creams. She had very quick improvement with the foot soaks, but you have to stay with it for a long time. You can also soak in PauD'Arco tea and apply tea tree oil to the nail area. I found the apple cider remedy at earthclinic.com.
I thought of the magnesium. I often get edema in myu ankles, and know that the magnesium helps that. I thought it couldn't hurt.
I just started with the penlac. I will let you know if it helps.
I KNOW I have to get away from sugar. I wish I could lose my taste for it. but given the gluten/casein prohibitions (hard for me, especially the gluten) I can't seem to break that habit. I try, but it's not working so far. Hopefully it will get easier.
. However, a couple of days ago, I added back coconut water, and I seem to be doing fine with it. I like it for the electrolytes.