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Candida, Lyme & the Immune System

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 6/27/2012 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
I have had chronic Lyme for 3 years (diagnosed). I have been on Zithromax 250 mg twice a day and also hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice a day for 2 years. It was a miracle at first. Then I could not afford my meds. I started looking for other treatments.

What I discovered was that 80% of your body's immune system is in the intestines. When candida yeast grows there due to eating wheat, sugar and junk foods or taking antibiotics, this seriously weakens the immune system which we need to fight Lyme.

So I went on a candida cleanse and followed the diet for 6 weeks. It was hell due to the candida die off symptoms but in the end I did feel better.

My symptoms of Lyme got worse this Spring (I think I was reinfected due to planting veggies) and I restarted the meds. However, the antibiotics give me terrible diarrhea which creates the Candida overgrowth. I cannot tolerate most probiotics though I keep trying different brands and levels.

Now I am trembling, my fingers, thumbs and eyes twitch and I am totally exhausted. I have uncontrollable shivers all the time, too.

I ordered the Pinella and Samento and am going back on a diet closer to the Candida diet. So if you do nothing else, eat a lot g garlic every day, drink peppermint tea every day and eat curry and ginger. Take Coconut oil. These foods kill Candida.

Sorry for the long post but Candida logically must make Lyme worse so I thought I would share.
Posted 6/27/2012 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Candida infections can certainly be terrible, and they are unfortunately often overlooked. I have been on Doxycycline for a few months now and even though I normally don't get yeast infections (sorry if this is "TMI"), I've gotten them every month since on the antibiotics. I talked to my doctor about Candida and she prescibed me Fluconazole (Diflucan). I took one a day for three days to clear up the yeast infection and interestingly, I felt WAY better. I've been much more careful about my sugar/yeast/flour intake lately and I think it has helped a little.

My mom did a Candida cleanse for a year (she has fibromyalgia) under the supervision of a Chinese Herbalist and it changed her life. Not only did she lose weight safely and slowly as a side effect of the diet, but she brought her fibro into remission and has been doing great for years other than the occasional flare ups which are few and far between.

I have never been on Zithromax long term, but I do know when I've taken a Z Pack for a sinus infection it gives me really bad diarrhea. Probiotics, yogurt, fiber, flax seed oil, and strachy foods like potatoes can sometimes help a little.

Good luck! I'm sorry to hear about how you are feeling. :(
Posted 6/28/2012 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for sharing this! It really is amazing how easy it is to overlook our diet, even though most of us who have altered it realize how much it can help! I've had some amazing luck with samento - I hope you do too!
Posted 6/28/2012 11:09 AM (GMT 0)
Holding Out Hope - Do you know what your mom took? I did a month on Candi'Gone. I know it was working due to the severity of the die off symptoms. I should have stayed on this longer perhaps. After restarting my meds Herx are terrible.

Thanks, borderlyme.
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