Hello,

If anyone out there can help with my symptoms I would so very much appreciate it as I am really sick and tired of the day to day problems I have been suffering from. I am sorry for the length of this message but I just wanted everyone to know my entire story.

I suppose I can remember my problems starting about Jan 1998 when I suffered from severe constipation for the first time. At the time I was in my penultimate year at university. At that time my lifestyle was very much that of a typical student at a UK university - drinking alcohol most nights and a diet consisting of takeaways and also drinking not enough water. The constipation disappeared after taking a laxative for a few days but the lifestyle stayed the same through graduation and into employment. I got a job in a bank in the city of London and this meant long hours, eating at odd times and a lot of nights out after work. I occasionally got bouts of constipation and times of diarhoea but didnt really worry about it too much and kept on drinking and eating burgers, fries and anything else that tasted good and again was probably not drinking nearly enough water.

In 2000 and 2001 I started to also get spots or boils on my face and chest. These were quite painful, red, very noticeable when they came and each spot would take at least 10 days to subside. At first although I didnt like it I tended to ignore them and just thought they were part of life. However, by mid 2002 they were still coming along and now were very regular with new ones popping up every few days. My diet, lifestyle was still the same and I was also getting constipation and diarhoea more often now and had started to have a few small problems with Haemorrhoids but again didnt worry about this too much.

I went to see my doctor about the spots and he put me on a course of antibiotics in Oct 2002. They worked for a few weeks but then the spots came back again. Also, by now I was suffering rather uncomfortably from heartburn and bloating (since leaving university I had been bloated a lot more but now it had become a lot more painful). I went to see my doctor again who put me on a stronger dose of antibiotics and gave me Ranitidine for the heartburn - this was Jan 2003.

This seemed to work and I didnt suffer so badly with the spots or heartburn for the next few months. However, by about Sep 2003 I began to worry that taking antibiotics and ranitidine was not good for me and stopped taking both of my own accord and was determined to find an alternative cure for my health problems.

Unfortunately, within 3-4 days of coming off these medicines I had the spots again was`severely constipated and couldnt do anything to shrug this off. After a few weeks I went to see a Gastroenterologist as every time i was going to the loo I was shedding a lot of blood. The doctor gave me a colonoscopy and determined that I had small haemmorhoids but nothing more serious and put me on a fibre supplement twice a day - Fybogel and told me to drink 2 litres of water a day. After a month or so I was a little better but still passing blood in the loo on average 2-3 times a week although drinking more water had definately helped with the spots. I went back to see the gastroenterologist who passed me onto a surgeon who after examining me gave me minor surgery to shrink the haemmorhoids but told me there were no serious problems. I was still suffering from on and off constipation and a lot of it was due to what I ate the day before but at this stage I still hadnt fully realised how sensitive my stomach was and i believed it was all down to the amount of fibre in my diet. This was Feb 2004.

After Feb 2004 I quit my job and went travelling to the Far East and Australia. By June 2004 things still hadnt improved - I was eating much more healthily and drinking much less than the previous years and exercising much more but I was still mainly constipated and going to the loo had become a petrifying process and the spots were pretty much back despite drinking at least 2 litres of water a day and having a diet high in fibre. I went to see a naturopath in Melbourne who put me on a herbal mix, 3000mg of Vitamin C for the bowels and zinc for the spots. None of it worked and after a month I gave up. I now tried a complete detox programme for 12 days where I ate no sugar, salt, alcohol, meat and took herbal tablets that apparently cleaned out my intestines, liver, bowel and stomach. For the first few days it was great going to the loo but after that it went back to the old way.

I returned to England temporarily in Aug 2004 and went to see another naturopath who told me my condition was yeast related and that the IBS i had was caused as a by product of having Candida. He put me on something called Replete for 7 days to clean my guts and gave me Flora gard (which kills yeast and also is a probiotic) and Milk Thistle complex(to support the liver) for 3 months and told me to get on a yeast free diet for 3 months although I havent managed to stop that completely yet as giving up certain foods is very difficult and also Deep down I dont believe any more that this works after all I have been through. I have also started taking an Australian product Inner Health PLus which contains over 25 billion good bacteria.

I have seen a small improvement but I am still constipated most days and tend to get diarrhoea if I go out and eat certain foods or have a few drinks and then this is followed by the spots and I normally return to being constipated again after a couple of days.

I am so tired now with these conditions now. If anyone out there has any recommendations at all this would be most appreciated.

Thanks and Regards
Umang

I posted an entire supplement regimen along with a very detailed explanation of why I was recommending particular supplements and how you should feel at different stages. My computer disconnected and I lost the entire post.

I'm sorry, I dont feel like rewriting the entire thing. It took a very long time.

The gist was take these twice a day--1 multi with minerals, 1500 vitamin C, 1200 vitamin D, 600 calcium, 99 potasium, 1000 fish oil, 1000 borage oil, 1000 flax seed oil, 150 organic oregano oil (OOO), 2000 garlic, 200 milk thistle, 500 dandelion, 1560 alfalfa, 50 coq10. After 3 weeks, take 1 capsule psyllium at night before bed. That should cover everything. While some are for general good health, the extra vitamin D and the OOO, garlic, milk thistle, dandelion, and alfalfa, are specifically for the symptoms you've related.

Eliminate vegetable oils when possible and use only butter, lard, olive oil and coconut oils.

Natural vitamin D is NOT toxic at large amounts and certainly not at this level. Vitamin D (and the accompanying vitamin A) deficiencies are indicated in a host of ills/diseases and especially intestinal ones. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin but rather a super hormone that tells your body how to operate and oversees a host of essential but little thought of activities in the body that makes it work properly.

Notes
Maintain this regimen for at least 2 months.
You'll feel like crap the first week and incrementally better the 2nd and 3rd.
If after adding in the psyllium, your bowel movements harden, discontinue.
After the second month, eliminate milk thistle and dandelion.
After the third month, cut oregano oil, garlic and alfalfa in half. Take the total vitamin D down by 800. What remains can be taken indefinitely.


If you decide to do this, please let me know how you go on.

Hello

Thank you for your response to my story. Would you be able to tell me what you think my condition is and how overall these remedies will work.

Do u think I have candida or is it some other disorder.

Also, would you recommend any other herbal pills or something as having tried a number of different mineral plans/diets I am beginning to believe that nothing like this will work. What would u think the chances of success on the schedule u wrote for me would be.

Thank you once again and hope to hear from u soon

rgds
umang

I think you might have a bit of candida, if so the OOO will take care of that. I really think you have intestinal problems, perhaps the start of colitis and infection or pockets in your intestines and that's whats causing the sores to breakout. The lining of your intestines is damaged and toxins are leaking into your blood. Your diet was woefully inadequate in green life and vitamin D and that lack can infect/affect intestines and digestion and thus bowels. However, once you have the problem, trying to incorporate the wrong type of green life and too much roughage/fiber can actually further aggrevate the situation. Some people immediately think digestion fiber but psyllium can actually be pretty rough on the system and cause further damage to the intestinal lining.

I think the following this regimen will cure the condition you have. Alfalfa will always be your friend and you should still take it regularly once this situation is cleared up.

The only possible addition I see to the list I gave you is aloe vera juice which will help your intestines heal faster.

Hello, Once again thank you so much for your feedback - I appreciate it so much.

If possible could you answer a few more questions for me pls?

1) Sorry for my ignorance but does multi with minerals refer to a multi - vitamin supplement? Wasnt completely clear on this?

2) Do I have to get 1500 mg vitamin C, 1200mg Vitamin D individually as pills - I assume they are not combined in any 1 pill/tablet. Does the Alfalfa come as a pill also - so far I have only come across alfalfa in sprout form. Could you clarify for me what coq 10 is as well as I have never heard of this previously?

3) I have been using psyllium husk in a number of powder forms so far and as you know it hasnt been the best. In your recommendation you refer to me using psyllium - can I use the powder form I have used before or does it come in a pill form that may be better to use?

4) Apologies again for my ignorance but could u also clarify what u mean exactly by 'green life'?

5) Could you tell me what else I can eat while I go on this schedule? Would i be able to eat cereal with soy milk for breakfast, sandwich for lunch with yeast free bread? Meats like chicken and fish? Alcohol?

6) Should I continue with the current medication - 25 billion acidophillus/bifidobacterium every day, Floragard - probiotic and yeast killer, milk thistle complex twice a day where each capsule contains milk thistle(180 mg),turmeric (160mg), artichoke leaf (150mg), black radish (20mg). I also take slippery elm usually every evening as well.

7) Finally, would you be able to tell me what you think caused the candida, constipation and diarhoea - do u think I have IBS? Was it my poor diet/lifestyle, antibiotics?

Once again sorry for the long list but I just really want everything clarifed in my head and your help is most appreciated.

Rgds
Umang

1) Yes, I mean a multivitamin with minerals.

2) The amounts I gave are for that 1/2 day's dose--you will need to add multiple pills of some supplements to get the proper dose of that supplement. These are individual supplements, not purchased in combination form. Alfalfa comes in pill form. CoQ10 is Coenzyme Q10--It's explained here
http://faculty.washington.edu/ely/coenzq10.html

3) Psllium can be used in a powdered or capsule form. I prefer you use the capsule. As I said earlier, psyllium can be very harsh on the intestinal tract and the colon. In your case, it might be detrimental for you to use it at all and certainly not before three weeks into this regime so your body can do some healing. That's also why I suggested the capsule form. I'd like the psyllium to do as little irritating as possible but allow it to rest to absorb fluids for elimination.

4) Green life refers to plant matter, vegetables and and the nutrients and trace minerals that are found in them. Green life promotes a healthy digestive and elimination system and provides beneficial flora for that system.

5) You can eat pretty much anything in reasonable amounts. Yeast producing carbs should be a small part of your diet but you can have them when taken in concert with other foods. The same with alcohol. It should only be taken with food and in small amounts. Alcohol can interfere with the absorbtion of nutrients. If you like red wine, it would be better to have that. Vegetables should be cooked at this stage. Cooking helps break down fiber and makes the nutrients more readily available to your system. You want to stay away from salads. They will probably just irritate your system and give you gas. You'll have enough of that as you're body starts cleaning itself out. You don't want to take in too much roughage, the alfalfa will foster all the lubrication/fiber you need. Did I warn you to drink at least a gallon of water/day? No, that was in the post that got lost. It's vitally necessary.

6) I would cut out the other medications except the Floragard, and Slippery Elm. They can't hurt and will help the healing process. The 25 billion acidophillus/bifidobacterium could be added back after a month, that's when it will do the most good.

7) This problem was most certainly caused by diet along with the vitamin and mineral deficiencies to which the diet gave rise. Often antibiotics, especially in long and recurring doses do more harm while killing off the infections for which you are taking them. I also think the Psyllium did more harm than good. The recommendation, in my opinion, should have been for a gentler, nutrient rich intestinal strengthener.

Thank you once again.

I will almost definately attempt this programme - probably in a few days once I get all the required vitamins you mention

I tried something similar with the detox programme I did but that was clearly on a scale much smaller than this I think. I really hope it works - as you can imagine living with something like this is very frustrating and painful when emptying my bowels and I have had no benefit yet from anything any of the doctors I have so far seen have provided me with. Would you know of anyone else who has attempted such a schedule and whether their problems cleared up from doing this programme. Any further info you have would be great.

Thanks and Rgds
Umang

The only case that came close to this was actually a bit worse. Someone had picked up a tropical bug and once the antibiotics did its job she couldn't keep anything in her system and food would run through her. She was on this regimen, with about double the dose of OOO and vitamin C, for about four months. She's fine now, last I heard.

Hi again

Again thanks for your insight. I went to a health food store today to get all the products you have given me. Looks like no one in Sydney has OOO- would u have any substitutes. They also seem concerned at the amount of products listed - do u think this will definately work? I am suffering really badly with constipation with bleeding in the last few days and I am so tired that if u think this will work then I am definately going to do it.

Rgds
Umang

I think this will work for you.

The OOO is very important though you can start without it for now.

Some Australian sources.
Australian Oils Websites
http://www.pennherb.com/pennherb/info/scan7.html
http://www.believe.com.au/pricesau.htm
http://members.iinet.net.au/~campbell1/herb/n-z.htm

People are probably concerned at the amount of D and alfalfa but those amounts are necessary.

Do check back with me after a couple of weeks and tell me how you're going on. More often if you want.

It's difficult to get OoO in Australia because it's still on the Class A poisons list since either no-one has asked or no-one has given a good reason for it to be taken off that list. That means it can be sold as an essential oil (which is what those internet retailers listed above sell it as) but not as an oil to be ingested.

I would be wary of ingesting the essential oil as it won't have gone through the testing, safety and quality control regimen that medicines for human consumption go through.

As an alternative, I would suggest grapefruit seed extract, either liquid or tablets. I use the tablets and they have worked very well (combined with anti-yeast diet) to control my yeast problems and related skin and digestive problems.

I would suggest ordering from goldenglow.com.au, they are very good and well priced.

One of the sites I gave you has a pure organic oregano oil. It should be fine. It dones need to be mixed with a bit of olive oil before ingesting. 2 drops to 1/2 tsp. I don't know what that is equivent to in your measurements. You would take 2 drops morning and 2 midafternoon.

I have suffered with IBS and constipation for many years. Your symptoms are so very similar to mine. For the past year I have been taking 3 pro-biotics after every meal. This has worked wonders for me. The only time I have problems is when I don't take them. Also very important to eat lots of high fiber foods.
You can find these in the refrigerator in most health stalls.

I have been suffering with IBS for years, and have found that a strict low carb lifestyle takes it away completely. It is the only time in the last 25 years that my abdomen has been pain free.

Also, with your problem with constipation, I would suggest taking a supplement that has fruit fiber instead of taking any kind of psyllium. You need to soften the stool. Magnesium can also help with constipation.

You definitely should not take milk thistle if you have a constipation problem. Milk thistle is a natural diuretic and will just make that problem worse.

It would probably be best to add one or two of these at a time. You won't know what is helping and what is not if you suddenly add in a bunch of stuff to you daily routine at once. Be especially careful with the dandelion and alfalfa, you could be allergic and not know it.

Regarding drinking, I can tell you I have a big problem with any type of alchohol. It's almost like an allergy. I can take one every once in a while, but if I drink it more than that, I get severe tummy troubles for a couple of days.

Please realize that the constipation/diarhea is a classic symptom of IBS. And this is possibly being caused by one or several food sensitivities.

One of the main things for you is consistency. If you are not going to do a strict low carb, which would also help any candida problem, then perhaps keeping a food journal would be a good idea.

Hope this helps a little bit.