Threelac and yeast question for Heather

[Claire]

Hi Heather,

 

Can I take you up on your offer to post some research on Threelac? I did my own search and unfortunately, I keep finding just descriptions in the context of a site that sells it.

 

My son ONLY wants carbs (other than string cheese, power bars and soy milk in his granola), and I really need something that doesn't require a diet change. It is tough enough that he can't have wheat, corn, milk, eggs, apples, bananas, peanuts, almonds etc etc.)

 

I meet with his DAN doctor on Wednesday, so any links would be great. My biggest concern with trying Threelac without showing him the research is that some method causes problems with the other multitude of supplements he is on. (e.g. does it duplicate the bifidis probiotic).

 

 

Sherrysunshine, Chemar and Heather,

Thanks so much for your prayers and spiritual messages. How interesting that Chemar's message at church today was on this theme! And I would love to get the Garth Brook CD with that song, it sounds very touching. I don't have his music (though we have a Randy Travis CD and I do like country music!).

 

Claire

[Phyl]

Hi Claire,

The homeopathic remedy that our doctor used to treat my son's yeast also does not require a change in diet. I think that it did an amazing job, and even though he still had a small overgrowth of yeast after he finished the remedies, I now think that maybe that was because he had to take more antiobiotics and also prednisone last fall for a systemic poison ivy infection he had then. He is still taking nystatin to hopefully finish up the yeast removal and is doing very well. I think that your doctor would need to prescribe this remedy, but if you want to suggest it, here is information on it. http://pleosanum.com/fungal.html My son took 3 different remedies, ple fort, pleo alb and pleo pef. The list on this website shows what each is for, and other pages there show how they work.

 

I noticed also that Dr. McCandless recommends a different homeopathic remedy. Our doctor was not familiar with hers, so I think it's interesting that there are several available. Dr. McCandless likes Aqua-Flora, which I think that you could also find on the internet. It seems that one may not require a prescription.

~Phyl

[Claire]

Thanks Phil,

 

I will check this out also. My son has so many restrictions (TV/computer, artificial colors, sweets--for the yeast, plus the multitude of foods he is allergic too), plus he swallows 20 pills a day, that I just can't place more restrictions on him--it would be cruel and unusual punishment. Not even kidding!

 

How long did it take for your son to get results? As I said my son is no longer fidgety (either from the capryllic acid or from food elimination), but the fact that he only wants carbs--even more than in the past--says to me that he likely still has yeast issues.

 

And I think it was Dr McCandless who said that when kids improve from mercury detox, that elevated yeast is the single biggest reason that their improvement plateaus.

 

PLUS, I have been on low carbs for quite a while and I STILL have very high yeast. I just started the capryllic acid a couple of weeks ago.

 

Do you (or anyone) know if they can actually test for systemic yeast/leaky gut? I read the treatments are different if:

 

1) Yeast gets out of the gastrointestinal tract and into your system (e.g. leaky gut)

2) Yeast has been long standing and takes on a fungal form. (don't quite get this, but I am sure my own is long standing).

 

I have heard of oregano oil as a strong measure--but one that could have too strong of a detox reaction.

 

Claire

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Phyl,

 

when you mention homeopathic remedy for yeast, do you mean the homeopathy remedy for candidas? In short, are candidas and yeast the same?

 

thanks.

[Chemar]

the fungus that causes "yeast" infection is called CANDIDA albicans.

[Phyl]

Claire,

I'm no expert in this, other than what I've observed through my son's experience. It was hard to say how long it took to see results in my son.......they were extremely gradual. One good and helpful thing that I did was to keep a daily log. Then, month to month I could actually see that he was ticcing far less than before. However, it wasn't anything discernable on a day to day level at first. I believe that the first time he was prescribed the pleo remedies, he had to take something like 5 drops of each, 2 times/day for 2 or 3 months. I believe that's a pretty heavy dose. But as I said before, he had to repeat this several times, with lesser amounts and for shorter time periods. We kept testing (through Great Plains urine microbial organic tests). Though the levels of yeast overgrowth came way down, some was still left, which is why we are now trying to get rid of it with nystatin. So, from our experience, I'd say that yeast overgrowth is extremely stubborn.

 

That's great that your son is no longer so fidgety. I remember when I noticed that happened to my son too, but it was at least a year before we started treating him for the yeast. I thought that what helped lessen his fidgetiness were the vitamin supplements, particularly magnesium and the B vitamins. I sympathize with your son for all his restrictions. They are no fun, but hopefully they will not be forever. I do think as kids approach the teenage years, when their peers become ever more important to them, that the restrictions become even harder. So hopefully you can resolve some issues before too long. I would agree, from what I've read and observed (my son used to be unstoppable when it came to icecream and sweets), that if your son is craving carbs that he probably still has a yeast overgrowth problem.

 

I don't know whether you can test for systemic yeast/leaky gut. However, since your son (and you) had the same test that my son had with similar results, I would think that a similar treatment would help.

 

efgh,

 

Here's something I found: there are 81 strains of yeast organisms. Candida Albicans is the most common yeast found in the human intestinal tract.

 

I recently started reading the Yeast Syndrome book which Chemar recommends. Our library has it and it's helpful.

[Claire]

Hi Phil,

 

Sorry to bother you again, but would you mind telling me what your son's levels were on the Great Plains test? Since we used the same test, it may be closely aligned.

 

 

46 end of normal range

70 my son's

360 mine

 

At what point was it 'down but not quite enough' where you needed the nystatin?

 

Claire

[Heather]

Hi Claire,

 

I have had a hectic couple of days and just read your post now. I understand your concerns with other supplements and adding Threelac. The information that I have is actually an article that my naturopath gave me when she was looking into it and I have been searching the apartment just now and can't find it but I do believe she printed it off the internet (can't remember the source). I am off work tomorrow and will look for it in the morning again...I know it is here somewhere as I read it again just last week.

 

Anyway, I am also going to visit my naturopath for my own consultation tomorrow so I will ask her when I go at 11:00 a.m. This is my initial consultation for myself (not my son) so I am eager to find out what she will find.

 

I will ask her about what her feelings are too on taking Threelac with other supplements and the duplication of the bifidus probiotic. When Will was taking Threelac, he wasn't taking anything else other than the coral calcium water and DHA (Omega 3).

 

If you are interested in hearing her opinion you could leave me a quick post telling me exactly what your son is taking right now and I could ask her what her thoughts are on adding Threelac. I realize you will follow your doctor's protocol and recommendations since he is the one testing and determining what your son needs but it is sometimes nice to hear another doctor's thoughts. It would only be for interest sake really.

 

Another product to research is Primal Defense for yeast which is what Dr. Mercola recommends. I was going to order it but it was capsules (which my son won't take) so I opted for the Threelac since it is in a lemon powder form.

 

If you want to do that (sorry I can't remember exactly what he is on right now and don't have time before then to search through back posts) just leave me a quick post before 10:00 a.m. tomorrow which is when I am leaving home. I will also ask her for another copy of the article if I can't find it here at home.

 

Heather

[Claire]

Heather,

 

Thanks!! I would love a second opinion. My son actually prefers capsules these days, as his taste buds are sooo particular.

 

He is taking:

 

Antioxidant capsule with:

Zinc

vitamin A

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Vitamin B6

L-glutathione

 

Supplements for deficiencies or too low levels:

Cal-mag citrate (or cal citrate with mag taurate)

Pantothene

Vitamin D

Folate

Selenium

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Bifidus probiotic

 

Other:

Capryllic acid (current choice for the yeast) Occasionally aged garlic

Cod Liver oil (Omega 3 was low, not quite a deficiency)

Evening primrose oil

 

Thanks a million, and I totally understand if you don't have time or she doesn't want to comment. Also, don't worry if you don't have time to find the data with being so busy, I will just search more tomorrow night and see what I can find.

 

You might want to ask her about oregano oil for your son, I have read it can be potent...

 

GOOD for you for going for your own visit! My follow-up with my son's DAN doctor for myself is Wednesday. After watching my elderly neighbor deal with immune system issues (mercury and yeast), I figured it is better to test now and if needed, deal with it now versus later. But it is remarkable to me how my system handles the same problems (and more) so differently from my son. My respiratory allergies versus his nervous system as focal point.

 

Claire

[Ronnas]

Claire,

 

Do you use capryllic acid in a liquid or a capsule form. If it is capsule can you tell me the brand name?

 

Thanks,

ronna

[Claire]

Hi Ronna,

 

I have 2 capsule brands that I rotate (personal choice). One is the whole foods brand which also has P'au Darco. The other is Solaray, which is capryllic acid with a little zinc. The adult dosage is about 2 grams a day, but I only give my son 1 gram, though supposedly he can have an adult dose.

 

I will say that after 5 days on the Capryllic acid, my 2 own rashes of 6 months disappeared. Anecdotal, but still, it surprised me.

 

Claire

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Claire, what is P'au Darco? You mentioned that there is a tea containing this too...

 

thanks.

[Claire]

efgh,

 

Pau Darco is an antifungal herb that is supposed to help with yeast. Interestingly enough, my allergist also recommended it for my allergies years ago.

 

The tea is mild, a little bit of licorice flavor.

 

Claire

[Heather]

Claire,

 

My naturopath was impressed with your doctor's protocol. She said that she personally doesn't use capryllic acid but acknowledges it as a common treatment for yeast. In her opinion the Threelac is a safe product that can be used with all other supplements since it is simply a probiotic that is natural to the body. Her feeling was that if the Threelac was used, she wouldn't use another probiotic since your body uses what it can and the rest is just a waste. It can only benefit from a certain amount which your doctor must asess for your needs but she said you can't OD with it and that it won't cause any adverse reaction with other supplements.

 

Regarding the article, I am so sorry but it has disappeared somehow from my home. We are very disorganized in our current living situation and it is either in a pile of clutter somewhere that I can't put my hands on at the minute or it was mistakenly tossed out. As I said, I read it very recently so I have a feeling it will turn up. If I only knew the site it was from I could search for it on here but I don't even know that....sorry.

 

My naturopath had the article given to her by a doctor friend and didn't have a copy accessible in her office today. It was mostly information about candidas (what it was and various products to treat it) It discussed the benefit of Lactic Acid in healing our gut which is the main ingredient in Threelac. Threelac is not something she uses or plans on using in the future so she is not even sure where the article went. She has her own products for yeast that her clinic prescribes. She says there are so many products out there for yeast right now that you have to be very careful that what you are using has been proven effective. She was looking into it for my use only since I had asked her about it. Her feeling is that it is completely safe for use in a child and she acknowledges its positive effect on Will (my son) in ridding his body of yeast.

 

If I do put my hands on it I will definitely post it here. Good luck with your appt. tomorrow and keep us posted.

 

Heather

[Phyl]

Claire,

These were the yeast/fungal overgrowths that showed up above the reference range for my son.

Great Plains Laboratory Microbial Organic Acid Test

---------- mmol/mol creatine ---- (reference range)

2/2002 arabinose 161.95 --- (0 - 115)

2/2002 3-oxoglutaric 1.53 --- (0 - 0.5)

 

 

10/2002 3-oxoglutaric 1.52 --- (0 - 0.5)

 

4/2003 arabinose 180.58 --- (0 - 47)

 

7/2003 arabinose 59.97 --- (0 - 47)

 

1/2004 arabinose 71 --- (0 - 47)

 

Gee, we did this test a lot! We were also working to lower his clostridia overgrowth, but at first were using a probiotic and nystatin (a lower dose than what he's on now). We started with the homeopathic remedies after getting the 10/2002 results - the remedies took care of the clostridia and 3-oxoglutaric. I don't know why his arabinose levels rose, but they then went down with more of the remedy. I asked the doctor to check again last January, and she was surprised that the level of arabinose rose again. We attributed that to using an antiobiotic and steroid in the fall for poison ivy. That's when the doctor suggested nystatin. After the nystatin is finished, we're supposed to wait 1 month and then test him again. Hope this helps you.