I'm on Day 10 of Induction and I think that I might be suffering from Candida. Could it have been there all along and I never realised until I started low carbing?

Yes, because you get the worst reactions sometimes from yeast die off. The populations die off because of starvation (no sugars to eat) and then their dead parts can trigger an immune response in people with antibodies. I have both IgG & IgA antibodies to yeast cytoplasmic proteins (only accessible to my immune system when the yeast cells die and break up) and if the load is high enough I also get an IgE (histamine) response as well. During Atkins induction I was itchy. Prior to Atkins I had done a candida diet for a couple of months after having a horrible hives reaction to a bloom and die off yeast episode. The candida diet lessened the yeast populations but it wasn't till I did low carb that the population die off really brought levels down to where I don't have symptoms anymore.

You could also be experiencing carb withdrawls as well. Induction also can make you feel bad for awhile until the enzymes that help with ketogenic metabolism kick in. Some people quit after the first week because they feel weak, have flu-like symptoms, headaches and some even get hives and rashes. It is hard to tease out which symptoms are due to which changes but if you hang in there it does get better and generally people feel better than the ever did before on a high carb diet.

Thanks Promenea!

My main symptoms are diarrhea (sorry ) and athlete's foot. I also don't seem to be losing weight like everyone else who is on induction. I'm getting a little disheartened.

Maybe my body is spending a lot of energy on dealing with the yeast in my system? I'm just not sure. I don't feel too terrible but I wondered if candida was playing a part in all this!

Are you eating a lot of products with sugar alcohols in them? Things like the lc bars or the sf chocolates? Sugar alcohols give some people stomach and digestion problems.

I haven't eaten anything with sugar alcohol in it to my knowledge. I've been sticking to what Atkins says: meat, poultry, fish, veggies and water. The only thing I wondered about was that we had chicken with dried fajita mix served over salad. I wondered if that had sugar in it?

Other than that, I've stuck rigidly to Atkins.

Thanks for trying to help!

You might want to start taking fober suppliment. It helps with the diareah by absorbing the excess water. Get a natural source like psphylum (sp) husks, or a pill/powder. Just be sure what ever you get doesn't have a ton of sugar like metamucil.

Are you eating alot of dairy? I found when I had large amounts of cheese or cream I would get the diareah. I cut out most of the dairy. When I started the candidia diet I cut out the cheeses as well except mozzarella and cream cheese and very little of these.

Hi Chezzer:
Don't give up chicky!!!! I know it is really hard with candida but remember, Atkins has an entire chapter dedicated to it because it will stall your weight loss efforts. With that said, remember that if you stop altogether now, your yeast infection will likely get worse.

YES YES, Athlete's foot is a big indicator of an internal yeast infection. My brother has had it and jock itch for over 20 years and I cannot convince (as he grows ever heavier with the passing years) that he has one and needs to deal with it (he and I were the only ones in the family with allergies as kids).

Stick with it Chezzer. Over time you will feel better and the weight will come off. Learn to love those vegies and they will love you back with good health.

Promenea (sorry about the mispelling): WOW, thanks for that post. I was wondering why, for the last few days, my armpits were itching like crazy. The mystery is solved

Cheezer...I too have not lost the weight like i should be. I Had been on atkins two years ago and lost 110 lbs, and then got pregnant. I had my baby in November and gained much of the weight back. I had been on induction for about two month when I went to the doctor (and i was in major ketosis for the whole 2 months). He didnt know what was up...then come to find out i have candida. its been 3 months now since i have been on atkins and i have not lost any weight. I have only been on yeast fighters for a week so we will see. I was obviously doing it correctly but the yeast was shutting down my metabolism. I read that it takes up to six weeks to get rid of candida....so keep it up. I am in the same boat...i feel ya. But the weight loss will come soon