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Hi everyone - happy Thanksgiving!
I just ended a blissful 6 months of remission at the beginning of last week. I was feeling great - no cramping or D for that whole time, but in August I got a really bad yeast infection that I haven't been able to treat. Still have it - and, along with it, a case of parasites. So I've been on the extremely strict anti-candida diet - very low carb, all veggies and chicken/eggs. But at the beginning of last week I tried some yogurt since it's got good bacteria in it that fights yeast. Also had some garlic and some buckwheat. Big mistake. Since then the colitis has reared its ugly head and is getting worse by the day. The problem is that when I have a flare up I always eat plain rice/millet, but I haven't been able to eat like that because the sugars in the grains will make the yeast so bad that I'll be up all night tearing my hair out with the itching. I'm thinking of going to the doctor to get an Rx for nystatin so that I can get my gut calmed down and still manage the yeast. My naturopath didn't want me to get the Rx because she thought it was too harsh and that the yeast would just come back after I stopped taking it anyway. Any thoughts?
Candida and flare-up
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Hi Beth,
Sorry to hear that you're in this dilema. Yes, it's not easy to treat MC and Candida at the same time. Several members here have gone through that process, and I believe that most of them have used an anti-fungal, in addition to the diet. In fact, I believe that Diflucan was successfully used in several cases. Since Diflucan is a systemic, and Nystatin is not, Nystatin should be a "safer" choice, though it is probably not as effective as the systemics, in some cases. (Nystatin will only affect Candida in the GI tract). I have read that some people have to take an anti-fungal indefinitely, but as far as I am aware, the members of this board who were treated for yeast overgrowth were able to resolve their symptoms, without a relapse.
If I'm not mistaken, for treating Candida, an anti-fugal is supposed to be taken for something like 3 months - isn't it? I would think that the greatest chance of a relapse would be for people who do not take the anti-fungal long enough to bring the yeast under control, and to allow their gut bacteria to re-establish a good, stable balance, again. Normally, the gut bacteria should keep the yeast in check.
Since Yogurt appears to have initiated your MC flare, I'm guessing that you're casein-sensitive. If you want to use probiotics, you would probably be ahead to simply use a non-dairy-based probiotic.
There is a possibility, though, that the Candida itself triggered your MC flare, since Candida can cause the leaky gut syndrome, which can initiate an MC flare.
It sounds as though something happened to upset the homeostasis of your gut flora and fauna - maybe an antibiotic, a few months ago? Whatever the case, treating the MC probably needs to take priority over any other treatments, but theoretically, you should be able to effectively treat both, at the same time.
Hopefully, someone who has been through this will notice your post, and offer their insight. Good luck with this, and please keep us posted.
Tex
Sorry to hear that you're in this dilema. Yes, it's not easy to treat MC and Candida at the same time. Several members here have gone through that process, and I believe that most of them have used an anti-fungal, in addition to the diet. In fact, I believe that Diflucan was successfully used in several cases. Since Diflucan is a systemic, and Nystatin is not, Nystatin should be a "safer" choice, though it is probably not as effective as the systemics, in some cases. (Nystatin will only affect Candida in the GI tract). I have read that some people have to take an anti-fungal indefinitely, but as far as I am aware, the members of this board who were treated for yeast overgrowth were able to resolve their symptoms, without a relapse.
If I'm not mistaken, for treating Candida, an anti-fugal is supposed to be taken for something like 3 months - isn't it? I would think that the greatest chance of a relapse would be for people who do not take the anti-fungal long enough to bring the yeast under control, and to allow their gut bacteria to re-establish a good, stable balance, again. Normally, the gut bacteria should keep the yeast in check.
Since Yogurt appears to have initiated your MC flare, I'm guessing that you're casein-sensitive. If you want to use probiotics, you would probably be ahead to simply use a non-dairy-based probiotic.
There is a possibility, though, that the Candida itself triggered your MC flare, since Candida can cause the leaky gut syndrome, which can initiate an MC flare.
It sounds as though something happened to upset the homeostasis of your gut flora and fauna - maybe an antibiotic, a few months ago? Whatever the case, treating the MC probably needs to take priority over any other treatments, but theoretically, you should be able to effectively treat both, at the same time.
Hopefully, someone who has been through this will notice your post, and offer their insight. Good luck with this, and please keep us posted.
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.
Thanks for your response, Tex. It's always reassuring to be able to count on your informative, compassionate responses. Yes, I'm casein sensitive - but after eating such a perfect diet for so long and having no symptoms for 6 months, I had no idea it would be such a problem. Guess I have to be really strict about things like that. I haven't taken any antibiotics, but over the summer I had severe insomnia because I was detoxing from klonapin, which, ironically, I'd originally taken for insomnia. I think the lack of sleep opened me up to getting the infections. And you're probably right that the candida has made my gut even more sensitive. But also, my naturopath gave me colostrum for the yeast, which has casein in it as well, and clearly that's not going to be the way to treat it. It's both a delight to be a newlywed right now - and an agony. These infections are really cramping our style! "~
That's an understatement, I'm sure - bad timing, to say the least.Beth wrote:It's both a delight to be a newlywed right now - and an agony. These infections are really cramping our style! "~
I hope your naturopath can get your treatment better organized. Some naturopaths believe that MC is the same as IBS, (well, I suppose that's not surprising, since some conventional MDs make the same mistake).
Congratulations on your new marriage, and I hope you can get all the health issues under control ASAP.
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 Beth,
Are you perhaps having a vaginal yeast infection? If so, it is usually localized and should not be affecting your gut. Generally, it is not a serious problem (although it certainly is a nuisance for a newly wed!). If OTC meds don't work, the GYN can help. A vaginal yeast infection can occur after antibiotic therapy.
Love,
Polly
Are you perhaps having a vaginal yeast infection? If so, it is usually localized and should not be affecting your gut. Generally, it is not a serious problem (although it certainly is a nuisance for a newly wed!). If OTC meds don't work, the GYN can help. A vaginal yeast infection can occur after antibiotic therapy.
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
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MBombardier
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It might be a good idea to see if your husband would be willing to do some sort of a candida treatment along with you. Once I got an infection when my husband was on antibiotics. For some years now I have viewed him as sort of a candida carrier, but have not been successful in convincing him of that.
Marliss Bombardier
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
I was reluctant to bring that up, but since you mentioned it, yes, I would be very suspicious that this may be the source of a persistent yeast infection that refuses to go away, or one that keeps recurring.
http://www.health-truth.com/213.php
Please be aware that I'm not endorsing that website, nor any treatments they might be selling, because the Docrorate of Nutripathy degree that the author claims to hold is not a legitimate degree, as far as I can tell. This "concept" was originated by Gary Martin, during the 1980s, who operated the American College of Nutripathy, a nonaccredited correspondence school that granted "degrees" in nutrition. He probably is a certified clinical nutritionist, however, in the state of New York. (I didn't check that out). If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.
Tex
http://www.health-truth.com/213.php
Please be aware that I'm not endorsing that website, nor any treatments they might be selling, because the Docrorate of Nutripathy degree that the author claims to hold is not a legitimate degree, as far as I can tell. This "concept" was originated by Gary Martin, during the 1980s, who operated the American College of Nutripathy, a nonaccredited correspondence school that granted "degrees" in nutrition. He probably is a certified clinical nutritionist, however, in the state of New York. (I didn't check that out). If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.
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.
Some other ideas to deal with the parasites/candida:
Wormwood or Pau D'Arco tablets as an alternative to the ones from the doctors. Surprised the naturopath hasn't proposed this route.
The other thing I have been reading about lately is using sodium bicarbonate to alkilise the body (and digestive tract) and kill candida. Don't know if it actually works, but to my mind it falls into the category of easy, cheap and hard to be harmful (it is half the raising agent in baked goods). A small teaspoon dissolved in a glass of warm water of a morning is the starting dose.
I wonder if casein would be problem outside the digestive tract? I have heard of yoghurt being used topically in these situations. 'nuff said.
Lyn
Wormwood or Pau D'Arco tablets as an alternative to the ones from the doctors. Surprised the naturopath hasn't proposed this route.
The other thing I have been reading about lately is using sodium bicarbonate to alkilise the body (and digestive tract) and kill candida. Don't know if it actually works, but to my mind it falls into the category of easy, cheap and hard to be harmful (it is half the raising agent in baked goods). A small teaspoon dissolved in a glass of warm water of a morning is the starting dose.
I wonder if casein would be problem outside the digestive tract? I have heard of yoghurt being used topically in these situations. 'nuff said.
Lyn
Yeah, the naturopath is going to have me do a parasite cleanse, but not until the colitis is back under control. I already did Clark's parasite cleanse and tried diatomaceous earth, but nothing helped, unfortunately. Also took some pretty intense meds, and that didn't help either. Then I got really slowed down by a flare up of the D again. If something works for me, I'll post it here in case it can help someone else.