Questions about Candida

[LilaCotton]

Woah, this has been an eye opener! For the past about 15 years I've had recurring yeast infections but never really thought too much about them. As I posted in another thread, I pretty much found a way to avoid them that has worked well for me, except for the occasional time when either I get super, super hot in July or have a fever from the flu or something. Anyway, reading a few threads here got me to thinking and I spent a good part of the late afternoon seeing what I could find out about candida.

You see, the problem is this:

For the last 4+ years, I've felt like I'd been rolled over by a steam engine. I'm weak, shaky, and have no stamina. I also go through times of severe bloating and horrid gas and diarrhea. At one time I had a case of athlete's foot, but that was years ago, and actually was during the time I had the worst yeast infections. Lately my brain has been muddled to the point where I was seriously wondering if I was entering the early stages of dimentia. It's very difficult for me to concentrate--shoot, just writing this is taking all of my resources.

I started the Atkins diet last Thursday, and have been super tired ever since I started. I contributed most of that to the fact I was running around like a banshee (or at least as close to that speed as is possible for me) trying to take care of various errands. This morning I woke up and I felt great (for me, anyhow)! Then about 4 this afternoon I started feeling all foggy in the brain again, and developing a light headache. I've also been having a lot of stomach pain since starting Atkins, and frequently have abdominal cramping. And this isn't even all of the symptoms I show!

(On a side note, the hubby and two daughters are on Atkins, too, started the same time I did, and they all feel great!)

This evening I came across some of the tests for candida and took a couple of them, and both gave me pretty high scores for the possibility.

So, here's my questions:
Do those of you familiar with this think there's a good possibility that I do have candida, and that I am starting through what's referred to as the die-off phase (triggered by eating next to no carbs the past few days)?

Is there any way to really find out if you do have candida? Or is it one of those things that no one really knows about for sure?

From what I've read, it would seem there are many who think this is completely in one's head. To tell you the truth, I've tried to convince myself for years this was just in my head, but the physical symptoms just didn't cooperate with that at all. I'd pump myself up, try to get in and get things done, and whamo! Like that I'd be woozy, weak, etc., etc.

If a person does have candida, what's the best way to get rid of it, other than to eliminate all sugars from your body? It sounds like it could be quite a drawn-out process, but considering I've felt lousy for the past 4.5 years, I really doubt feeling bad for a while longer is going to hurt me in the long run, just want to know what to expect if indeed I do have candida. (From what I've read, I think possibly at least one of my sisters has it, too.)

Thanks in advance for your help!

[m1whowaits]

That sounds exactly like what is happening to you. Keep up with the diet and it will get better. Die off can last for a week or two depending on how bad you have candida and how strict you stay on your diet. I did a candida diet for 3 months. I'm not now and when I eat too many things I shouldn't former symptoms start to return. I just watch my diet again and I start to feel better. Read through the threads here, there is a lot of information. Even at the beginning of my journal. Candida is what brought me here. There are a couple of products you can get to help kill the buggers off. Candistroy and GSE. You can get them at HFS or online at iherb.com that's where I went. I still keep GSE at home and use it from time to time. There is a test but it's expensive, I doubt many insurances would cover it and most doctors won't even order it. Besides if you think it's a problem the best way to correct it is to eat healthy (whole natural unprocessed foods & no sugar or AS), take some supplements for a while and exercise. We all need to do that anyway, right? I believe also why you and not other members of your famliy have this problem is that women who've had children have gone through hormonal shifts like no others on this planet. No wonder so many things go wrong for us!!!

[LilaCotton]

Thanks so much for the reply! I'm going to be extra careful, just in case, because if this is what it's been these past 4.5 years, then there is indeed hope of being rid of it! My youngest son was born when I was 38 (he's 5-1/2 now), and I started having problems when he was a year old. I just chalked it up to hormones all this time because of my age and of course no other answers from anyone, until I started reading the topics on candida.

The other odd symptom, which is a hard one to track down, too, is the fact I've had a weird taste in my mouth almost the entire time. Sometimes it's sort of salty, others it's sort of metallic. I do smoke, but have cut way back on that until the time I can be brave enough to quit it completely, and if smoking was the cause, the cutting back should've at least eased that somewhat.

Thanks again! :)

[letsgo]

I felt pretty crappy of awhile before "I was cured". Now when I go off of low carb and binge, I feel the foggyness and lethargy come back. Really, if you hang in there it does go away. Now if I feel a YI coming on, I pop a couple of acidofolous pills and stop it in it's tracks!

[Tabby]

weird metallic taste? Do you have any fillings in your teeth? Supposedly there's a correlation between mercury amalgams and candida.....you can do a search for more information.

Tabby

[hhansen]

The metalic taste is interesting. I have had that a few times in my life. The first when I was pregnant the first time. I also had no energy at this time. The next time was when I started gaining alot of weight at 40. I remember complaining at this time also that I had no energy and foggy mind. I think it may have to do with yeast. :agree:

[Linda Love]

LilaCotton, you can do a search for "yeast symptoms" on the internet and hundreds upon hundreds of websites will open up for you.

Take care.