Hey guys

So I'll (try to) keep it short and sweet as to not bore you all to death.
I'm wondering if I've possibly got Candida. I've been trying to figure out for the past 10 years what's wrong with me. I've gone to multiple doctors and they all say the same thing: "you're fine". It gets quite discouraging and you start to believe it's all in your head. Basically here's how it started:

When I was about 12 years old I woke up one day in a dream state (brain fog)... it stayed that way for a day and was gone when I woke up the next morning. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Several months later I was at home sick from a cold. I was standing there talking to my mom when all of a sudden it felt like a tonne of bricks hit me -- I was automatically exhausted and I was back in my brain fog dream state. I started crying because the feeling was so horrible.
Ever since that day (I'm now 23) I've been in that brain fog. I wake up with energy some days, but I still have brain fog... and other days I wake up physically and mentally exhausted.

With that, I figured it was maybe my thyroids. I've been tested many times and all doctors (including naturopaths) say I'm fine. I have the following symptoms:

Hair loss (quite substantial),
Fatigue
Brain fog
cold hands/feet
low blood pressure
irritability
When I'm very tired I see spots or get white flashes
poor memory (horrible in fact)
headaches
I always have a slight ringing in my ear
bloatedness
cravings for sweets (some days are a lot worse than others though)
and recently I've found that my hair is turning brittle

I did the spit test, although it wasn't first thing in the morning. My saliva is quite thick and I feel like I've always got mucus (sorry--gross) in the back of my throat. After about 30 seconds I noticed that my spit had legs... I'm going to have to do it first thing in the morn for actual results.

Also, I got my blood tests back today from the doctor and was told that I have a "slightly" low red-blood cell count but it's "nothing to worry about". I take liquid iron for the "slight anemia" that my doctor said I had... and to no prevail... I still feel crappy. He put me on anti-depressants to help me sleep better because he didn't think I was getting enough sleep... they made me feel even worse!

I'm thinking of going on a candida diet and a candida detox for a few weeks to see if it helps my energy level and brain fog.

Anyways, I'll wrap up my novel. What do you guys think? Can anyone relate? Thanks for your much needed support.

Hi! I can very much relate. I've had problems with candida for years. I've done cleanses and they always helped. But I ate sweats like they were going out of style, so it just came back. I think I'll have it for life, I thing most people do. Its just in controlling it! I use candida cleanses. I swap them out. Finish one kind and go to another kind. They say that the yeast can get used to the cleanses. THere are several threads on this subject. Or you could look it up on the internet. Don't get into a hurry and buy products. Study and think about it. They are really good at spending your money for you! I ended up at vitamin shoppe. The prices are reasonable and no one is trying to push a $50 cleanse on you.

Oh, In my opinion, a person should cleans for several months. It takes a lot to kill it off, if you don't get it all, it will just come right back quicker than ever. Find info, its out there.

Jacki

We're discussing mental clarity and diet in the Paleo section. You might want to read that thread: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=377860

Can men have candida? Stupid question, perhaps.... but a number of what sCal wrote strikes a chord, and I also saw that candida can be a major cause of itching.

Heck yes men can get it! My father and brother both have had it over the years. Father had "the itch" for years, kept putting cornstarch down their. Finally mom got it and the Dr recomend everyone in the house treat for it. My brother had to retreat before he left for the military.

Jacki

But I don't itch down there it's elsewhere.

Candida can attack all over your body - your mouth, your guts, your urinary tract, your skin. You'll get different symptoms in different places, but yes, men can definitely get it! I had jock itch when my candida was really bad, but long before that, and even after I cleared it up (by eliminating dairy, gluten and carbs) I still had a lot of candida symptoms.

Someone mentioned that a fungal problem may not necessarily be from the organism candida albicans, but regardless, the treatment is the same. I get althlete's foot from the same situations that give me "candida" problems. Warts, too - I got rid of a very tenacious wart on my chest with VLC, lacto-fermented foods and coconut oil.

Hi,
I can definitely relate to the brain fog, irritability and cravings for sweets and I have been dealing with candida for years. I have been reading a lot recently that ties sugar and carbohydrates in with bad mood and health problems and also with energy and thyroid issues. Doing an overhaul on your diet can't hurt no matter what the cause of your symptoms turns out to be. Candida love sweets and carbohydrates the most and can actually make you crave them because they need it to thrive! That's actually been the hardest thing for me has been kicking the food cravings that are feeding the candida in the first place cause eating them initially makes me feel better, but way worse afterward. There are a lot of great supplements that can help you kill the candida and help you with the other stuff you're experiencing. I've had to take a lot of seperate stuff to help me deal with my various symptoms~ amino acids for my mood, rhodiola for energy, different things work for different people so I'd just tell you to do some experimenting and see what works for you. Phellostatin from health concerns has helped me a lot recently with my symptoms and with my sugar cravings. There are a lot of great rescources you just gotta do some digging and find what works for you. Good luck!

I went off antibiotic and I got candida D:

but so far mine is under control~!( the only effect candida has on me is acne so far....i think the feeling of lack of energy on me is just a transition from going low carb)

here's what I do
I take 4 la'pahco pills with water on empty stomach once I wake up
I take oregano oil, olive leaf pills and 1 clove of raw garlic 3 times a day after each meal
then before I sleep I take 4 la pacho pills again

and so far things are good
but I ordered a pill called "candex" just to be sure I get candida under control before I test all the yummy recipe I found on this site
* from what I read candex dissolves the layer of candida and then we digest it~ but I also ordered this one !
http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Candida-Yeast-Management
the ingredient is the same as candex but slightly stronger~
they are still shipping to me in mail~

If you have a health food store nearby you can try getting some Caprylic Acid. It is in pill form and be sure to get a time or sustained-released one since it will disolve quickly in the stomach and not reach the colon which is where you want it. START SLOW! Trust me on that one-LOL! I took the full recommended dose and am suffering die off horribly. I have to cut way back now since it made me so sick.

Also get some probiotics and don't be too cheap with them either. They tend to be a bit pricey for the better ones but if you don't pay then you most likely are throwing your money away. Look for refrigerated ones since you will have a better chance of actually getting some live bacteria in your gut where you need it.

About Caprylic Acid

http://www.fungusfocus.com/html/caprylic_acid.htm

Coconut oil contains caprylic acid naturally, and also lauric acid, another good antifungal.

Coconut oil might help with the carb cravings too.