Overcome by yeast! Please help!!

I have been dealing with Candida issues for almost six years now. I was only just diagnosed with Lyme a year ago. I started the tinctures about three months ago, and started to see significant improvement about two months in. Then everything went to hell in a handbag! My Candida that I have worked years to get under some semblance of control has come raging back! I am in excruciating, out of control pain. It causes insane inflammation in my head, eyes, and ears, to the point I feel my head will literally explode! Plus it causes hypersensitivities to everything, including chemicals. I am back to wearing a mask in public a lot because I can't tolerate any strong smell. I eat no carbs, grain, fruit, or any kinds of sugars and haven't for a long time. I did Nystatin for a full year with only a little relief the first few months. I don't know where to turn. The natural antifungals don't seem to be making a dent. My Lyme symptoms are returning because I had to transition from tinctures to the whole, powdered herb and I'm not even close to the dosing I was up to because of the extreme inflammation and pain. Can anyone relate? Has anyone had Candida this bad? Or could it be mold related? I had a mold exposure in my house a few years ago, which started my downward spiral, but I have been tested for mycotoxins and tested negative. Please, please, can someone give me some advice on what to do next or who to seek help from?

Hi Elizabeth - Yeast sucks! I suffered with it for over 10 years before finally getting the problem fixed. And it wasn't by taking pharmaceuticals. Nor is it related to your diet - or rather indirectly. The problem is you have leaky gut and until you fix that, the yeast will continue even with Nystain or all the other yeast meds out there along with your diet restrictions.

If you have a LLMD that can do this for you, I suggest you contact him/her pronto: It's an amino acid test from Genova Diagnostics (approx. $230). They will test your urine and I think there's some blood draw. Your local blood draw place can do this for you and send out the specimens to Genova which is in Chicago (about $20 for processing). The doctors at Genova will also help your doctor understand the results.

You'll know which amino acids and quantities to take to solve the leaky gut problem. I took my aminos for 6 months but noticed results almost immediately (within 1 week.) After the prescribed time period for aminos, then buy a small Biotic Silver and Yeast Cleanse by Solaray from Vitacost. Take recommended dose for a month to finish up the left over yeast. This protocol will solve your yeast issues permanently.
(Biotic silver also helps kill some of the lyme infections but you have to take it religiously all the time. I don't and there are times I really regret it!)

Good luck!

Hi Elizabeth - I believe it's called the ION Test (individual optimal nutrition). If you are in NY it's code: 0190 NY ION. Also noted is "Amino Acid 20 Profile - Plasma". That might actually be the name of the test.

Here's Genova's phone: 800-522-4762
Website: gdx.net

(If you do this and want to mix up your own aminos, you can buy bulk from Bulk Supplements Warehouse website. I don't suggest bulk phenylalanine. It doesn't dissolve very well in water. Buy that in capsule form. If you have a pharmacy mix up the aminos for you, plan on spending about $300 per month vs. $120 for 6 months if you do your own.)

Hope this helps.

P.S. Biotic Silver is not made by Solaray. Biotic Silver's a brand.

I got lyme in 2006 or 7 and the Dr. I had at the time didn't do anything when I came in with a fever, a large bruise on my leg, sore throat and neurologic problems. He did the ELISA test and that of course, came back negative so I didn't get any other help until 2010 when I went to an out of state doctor. She didn't think I had lyme either because my Western Blot came back negative and I didn't have the pain I do now. I didn't get help again until 2011 when I found a new Dr. in my area and she said she was sure I had lyme.

This doctor put me on doxy for 3 months but my leaky gut wasn't fixed so I had MAJOR yeast issues. It was terrible so I had to go off the meds. She's now looking at trying the doxy again since my gut is healed. (I'll probably take the Biotic Silver while on the doxy just to make sure I don't get infected with an over abundance of yeast.)

If you have a choice or can wait, you might want to delay the antibiotics until you get your gut fixed. In my experience, I was in worse shape when I took the doxy with leaky gut; almost impossible to eat anything without a flare up of yeast and other lyme infections.

doxy - doxycycline

If you need any other information, let me know.

Elizabeth i'm fighting a yeast infection as well so wanted to share what is going on with me. My LLMD put me on VSL #3 which is a very powerful probiotic to repopulate the gut might want to look into it or talk to your doctor about it. I think it has 350 billion organisms. There's also a prescription version that insurance may cover called VSL DS (for double strength) in pill form. The OTC one is in a refrigerated packet.

Nystatin and Diflucan pills did nothing for me. I'm currently taking clotrimazole since my yeast overgrowth is primarily affecting my throat so may not be the right regimen for you.

Antibiotics definitely wreak major havoc on your system especially if you're on them long term. If you have to be on them trying pulsing to lower the impact. For example I've been off abx for a few weeks and took one regimen causing i was having a bad day and I can't tell you the stomach pains and diarrhea I had the rest of the day. Just an insight into how destructive they can be on your body.