Fungus among us

Hi Everyone. I've been too sick to call India and get my internet repaired, so I'll be quick.  Flare: extreme weakness (needed help dressing) constant heartburn, thrush, congestion, chills, sweats.  Saw rheumy yesterday. The constant heartburn is from Candida (yeast) growing in my esophagus.  AAAggghhhhh!  So I'm back on diflucan and promise to use my swish and swallow mouthwash until the yeasty bugs are beat into submission.  Rheumy also gave me a Z-pack for the chills/sweats. Lastly, I'm back on medrol and stopping methotrexate. The acupuncture continues to help tremendously with my pain, so that's not an issue and my psych drugs are doing their thing keeping me a happy lupie.  Love, Butterflake

Hi Donna, Long time no see. I'm glad that the pain is doing well but the rest of the stuff. Wow, i feel so bad for you. It sounds like a terrible flare! That's kind of scarey about the esophagus. Have you ever had it scoped? I hope you get your puter fixed real soon. But mostly I hope you get over this nasty infection.
love ya
carol

Hi Butterflake, So sorry the yeasty bugs got ya!! Sorry to say this, but the Z-pack will likely give your yeast a good boost. So REALLY stay on the diflucan and the swish/swallow stuff. Also make sure to eat yogurt (with live cultures) or take probiotics. That will help control the yeast too. Sorry you are having trouble sleeping . . . that is really the pitts!! Keep us posted! Blessings!

Hi Donna,

 

OY, you have it bad right now girl. I'm so sorry you're dealing with so much.  I'm on steroids if you have any questions about them. Like Rosie said, the z-pack will make the yeast worse, likely. 

 

The yeast thing is brutal.  I had issues with it too, until I started taking acidophilus or probiotics (like Rosie mentioned).  I haven't had a yeast issue since.  They're safe to take and are extremely beneficial to our systems.  I take a high potency capsul once or twice a day. 10-15 billion live organizms is what you want.  Keep the bottle in the fridge. I get mine from my naturopath, but you can get a good quality bottle from any health food store.  Just make sure the bottle comes out of the fridge and not from on the shelf.

 

Let us know how you're doing okay,

 

Ginny

Thanks for the well wishes ladies.  I'm allergic to milk, certain other dairy (yogurt), and eggs, but Rosie and Ginny, I completely forgot about the probiotics. I bet they will really help!! Hippi- always good to hear from you. Harmony- thanks for the warm fuzzy. I'm going back to bed.  Love, Butterflake

My rheumy prescribed twice a day Nystatin to help with all the yeast issues (yes, from steroids) -- it really took care of the vaginal yest, thrush, and all the gas/gi issues I was having. We had tried the probiotics, a thrush treatment, and a genital yeast treatment, but everything kept coming back. I've now been on Nystatin, one AM, 1 PM, for quite a while and am happy with the results. Cheers,

Tink, Lynnwood and Audrey Ann thanks so much for the tips and well wishes. My tongue is so swollen it presses against my teeth, so I have ulcers too. I've started the probiotics and I didn't have a clue that nystatin came in pill form.  That's great to know in case the probiotics don't kill my yeast (I'm visualizing).  On the down side, I have been getting progressively weaker since my rheumy visit last Tues, and I really didn't think I could get any weaker.  My internist wasn't in, so I saw a PA who consulted with their endocrinologist. Lots of blood drawn and started 20mg prednisone per day for 1 month, decreasing 1mg per month.  My face is so puffed that my eyes are just teeny, tiny slits. It's a good thing I remember where my lips are or I'd be the first lupie to starve while on prednisone. Thanks again ladies. Love, Butterflake

Hi Harmony. I live with my boyfriend who is a statistician so he keeps regular working hours. My 23 y/o daughter helps by taking me to medical appts. She lives in my house about 6 miles away.  As for the swollen face, my rheumy was perplexed.  The endocrinologist thinks it's steroid related, but he ordered lots of tests to be sure.  I called my rheumy and he agreed with the 20mg pred/day. I see my internist Monday. As much as I hate prednisone, if it gives me some energy, I'm all for it. I really appreciate your (and everyone's) concern. It means so much to me.  Love, Butterflake

Hi Donna,

Ooooooh, ouch! I feel so, so bad for you. This is one uncomfortable, painful infection. I had the exact same thing this past February--candida coating every available surface in my mouth and down my esophagus. I ran fevers over 102 to over 103 degrees. I also had a wicked ulcer on my tongue. I was one miserable, leave me alone, don't leave me alone, I'm hot, I'm cold, I don't know what I want kind of person.

My white blood count was nearly 0; my neutrophils were 2. I can't remember the normal ranges but it was serious. I begged them not to admit me to the hospital. I promised I would go in the next day if I didn't show some improvement. The next day I started turning the corner so I escaped hospital h*ll.

Take good, good care of yourself. Get totally over it before you resume "normal" routine and activities. Infections like this really take a lot out of you.

xoxo emmie