Candida/Yeast

[Suzan]

Can we have a discussion about candida and yeast treatment? Maybe there is already a post about this that covers it well but my searches aren't good.

 

dd's and I are taking:

 

Nystatin - 1 tsp daily swish and swallow

Diflucan - 1 pill once a week (various dosings for age/weight)

Caprylic Acid - 1 pill daily

Probiotics daily

Detox - Diatomatious Earth, Bentonite Clay and I'm also taking something for bile binding, forgot what it's called.

 

If you are on three types of abx, is this enough? Should we be doing more? How many probiotics can you take in a day? We have 15 billion caps but also VSL#3 which is I think 225 billion. dd8 can't swallow pills so she takes 1 threelac packet a day. She's an awful mess right now and I can't tell if it's herxing or yeast. How do you knojw if you need to do more to combat yeast?

 

Since I started the Doxycycline, I feel like I'm saturated in abx. I can only imagine what it is doing to us (aside from killing lyme). I can't wait to be off it but that is going to be a while.

 

Susan

[MichaelTampa]

It can be tough to know, for sure.

 

If you have access to energy testing quantities of these things, I really think that's the best way to find out. At the beginning of my treatment, I needed about 100-150 billion probiotics every 3-4 hours, so more might be needed, but everyone is different. 1 diflucan a week doesn't sound like it would have much impact to me, if it's needed, it's likely going to be needed daily. I also took extremely high doses of nystatin at the beginning of treatment.

 

Extreme hunger and carb/bread/spaghetti craving is the biggest clue I know of that yeast is a problem rather than "just regular herxing". Avoiding these foods can also be helpful, but difficult for most.

[NancyD]

I agree with Michael about the Diflucan. I can't imagine 1 pill per week is doing much. Nystatin is pretty mild and may not be doing much either. She may need Diflucan daily. Just be sure to get monthly liver tests as it can elevate liver function. Milk Thistle is good for the liver, if she's not on Rifampin. 

 

If I could I would put my DD on a yeast-free diet. I've been trying for years but she's 15, loves her carbs, and is very strong-willed.  Funny, I just read her Michael's comment about yeast and it's like a lightbulb went on for her. Much more receptive if it's not coming from Mom! 

 

I am also thinking about upping DD's probiotics. She takes 2 Theralac daily. I take 2 Theralac but also take SBC.

 

I'm on Doxy and I find myself craving protein more than anything. I try to keep carbs to a real minimum. And so far, no yeast problems. I've also been lucky that the Doxy has not bothered me much as long as I take it with protein. For me, protein is key.

[lismom]

I'm giving my son grapefruit seed extract 250mg once a day. Probiotics are at around 60 - 90 bill. And chlorella, which has a multitude of benefits, but one is it helps multiply the lactobacillus.

[NancyD]

Holy cow, Michael...100-150 billion every 3-4 hours??? Yikes, we're only doing 60 billion per day.

 

At the beginning of my treatment, I needed about 100-150 billion probiotics every 3-4 hours...

[MichaelTampa]

Holy cow, Michael...100-150 billion every 3-4 hours??? Yikes, we're only doing 60 billion per day.

 

At the beginning of my treatment, I needed about 100-150 billion probiotics every 3-4 hours...

 

Yes, I know, it was crazy, in the very first couple days, I just took that amount with meals and bedtime, and I was totally out of control in terms of blood sugar. Taking it more frequently made all the difference. I even did this in the middle of the night, I wasn't sleeping that well anyway, not like I needed an alarm clock to wake up to do it. The amount I have needed has slowly gone down over time.

[MichaelTampa]

I agree with Michael about the Diflucan. I can't imagine 1 pill per week is doing much. Nystatin is pretty mild and may not be doing much either. She may need Diflucan daily. Just be sure to get monthly liver tests as it can elevate liver function. Milk Thistle is good for the liver, if she's not on Rifampin. 

 

If I could I would put my DD on a yeast-free diet. I've been trying for years but she's 15, loves her carbs, and is very strong-willed.  Funny, I just read her Michael's comment about yeast and it's like a lightbulb went on for her. Much more receptive if it's not coming from Mom! 

 

I am also thinking about upping DD's probiotics. She takes 2 Theralac daily. I take 2 Theralac but also take SBC.

 

I'm on Doxy and I find myself craving protein more than anything. I try to keep carbs to a real minimum. And so far, no yeast problems. I've also been lucky that the Doxy has not bothered me much as long as I take it with protein. For me, protein is key.

 

Glad it helped your daughter hearing from someone else about the yeast and carbs. Her strong will is going to come in very handy to actually execute a low-carb diet, if she's like most, it can be very tough to do it, but rewarding in the end. Good news is it doesn't have to be forever.

 

Interesting comment on the protein, and I haven't heard much talk about that anywhere. As a vegan, I'm probably low on the protein scale, and that was doing fine for almost a year of treatment, but just a couple months ago, my need for protein just dramatically increased. All my body wanted was the junk foods made from soy/gluten that are high in protein, extra hemp protein powder, and all the supplements that have amino acids--cysteine (NAC), methionine (SAMe), proline and lysine (good for tissue repair), spirulina (betacarotene but also high in quality protein). It has since calmed down some, but was amazing to see a wave like that come on. I took as a good sign that body was in repair mode with some bug fighting out of the way, but who really knows...

[justinekno]

Great idea for this thread. I am dealing with Candida myself. I am taking Diflucan and an herbal mix. Stopped taking the herbal mix and started to feel crummy again (tiredness, sore muscles) so I will be starting it up again. My dr has also increased my diflucan from 100mg once a day to twice a day but I'm waiting for my metabolic profile results to come back before I do that.

[NancyD]

How much are you taking now, Michael?

 

Holy cow, Michael...100-150 billion every 3-4 hours??? Yikes, we're only doing 60 billion per day.

 

At the beginning of my treatment, I needed about 100-150 billion probiotics every 3-4 hours...

 

Yes, I know, it was crazy, in the very first couple days, I just took that amount with meals and bedtime, and I was totally out of control in terms of blood sugar. Taking it more frequently made all the difference. I even did this in the middle of the night, I wasn't sleeping that well anyway, not like I needed an alarm clock to wake up to do it. The amount I have needed has slowly gone down over time.

[NancyD]

Although I have always eaten a lot of poultry, I rarely ate red meat before my Lyme treatment. Now I find myself eating a lot of lamb, pork, and chicken. For carbs I limit myself to just rice (brown usually). Sometimes a cookie with tea. And I eat a lot of fruit, particularly mango and papaya.

 

I agree with Michael about the Diflucan. I can't imagine 1 pill per week is doing much. Nystatin is pretty mild and may not be doing much either. She may need Diflucan daily. Just be sure to get monthly liver tests as it can elevate liver function. Milk Thistle is good for the liver, if she's not on Rifampin. 

 

If I could I would put my DD on a yeast-free diet. I've been trying for years but she's 15, loves her carbs, and is very strong-willed.  Funny, I just read her Michael's comment about yeast and it's like a lightbulb went on for her. Much more receptive if it's not coming from Mom! 

 

I am also thinking about upping DD's probiotics. She takes 2 Theralac daily. I take 2 Theralac but also take SBC.

 

I'm on Doxy and I find myself craving protein more than anything. I try to keep carbs to a real minimum. And so far, no yeast problems. I've also been lucky that the Doxy has not bothered me much as long as I take it with protein. For me, protein is key.

 

Glad it helped your daughter hearing from someone else about the yeast and carbs. Her strong will is going to come in very handy to actually execute a low-carb diet, if she's like most, it can be very tough to do it, but rewarding in the end. Good news is it doesn't have to be forever.

 

Interesting comment on the protein, and I haven't heard much talk about that anywhere. As a vegan, I'm probably low on the protein scale, and that was doing fine for almost a year of treatment, but just a couple months ago, my need for protein just dramatically increased. All my body wanted was the junk foods made from soy/gluten that are high in protein, extra hemp protein powder, and all the supplements that have amino acids--cysteine (NAC), methionine (SAMe), proline and lysine (good for tissue repair), spirulina (betacarotene but also high in quality protein). It has since calmed down some, but was amazing to see a wave like that come on. I took as a good sign that body was in repair mode with some bug fighting out of the way, but who really knows...

[Suzan]

Justine, what is the herbal mixture you are taking?

 

Lismom, I'm interested in the GFSE and have not read about chlorella yet but will look into it later today.

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions so far. I have left a message with dd8's neurologist to increase her yeast protocol as a start. I have the liberty of increasing mine as needed for a while until the prescriptions run out.

[justinekno]

Biotics Research Corp. - FC-Cidal which is a mixture of Artemisia, Tinospora, Horsetail, Thyme, Inner Bark, Stinging Nettle Extract and Olive (leaf).

 

Justine, what is the herbal mixture you are taking?

[lismom]

Justine, what is the herbal mixture you are taking?

 

Lismom, I'm interested in the GFSE and have not read about chlorella yet but will look into it later today.

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions so far. I have left a message with dd8's neurologist to increase her yeast protocol as a start. I have the liberty of increasing mine as needed for a while until the prescriptions run out.

 

 

I like the gfse because its natural and one less tax on the liver. Its also high in vitamin c & e. I've read some are using it as a cyst buster, but that wasn't my intention when first using it. i did see a huge herx and did have to back off and wait and then start over. Whether it was candida or cyst, either way I know its working. Our dose will be increased still, very slowly. And definitely read up on chlorella, you'll be amazed at this super "food". Not all brands have the same absorbancy though, which is key. Some research brought me to Sun-A chlorella, but there are a couple others.

[MichaelTampa]

How much are you taking now, Michael?

 

Holy cow, Michael...100-150 billion every 3-4 hours??? Yikes, we're only doing 60 billion per day.

 

At the beginning of my treatment, I needed about 100-150 billion probiotics every 3-4 hours...

 

Yes, I know, it was crazy, in the very first couple days, I just took that amount with meals and bedtime, and I was totally out of control in terms of blood sugar. Taking it more frequently made all the difference. I even did this in the middle of the night, I wasn't sleeping that well anyway, not like I needed an alarm clock to wake up to do it. The amount I have needed has slowly gone down over time.

 

These days I'd estimate it totals in the 60-80 billion per day in total. It is spread over 4 doses--early morning before breakfast, just before lunch, just before dinner, and just before bed.