Persistent/recurring yeast infections. What cured you?

[WCM]

Without getting too wordy, here is the most relevant history: I had lots of yeast infections as a teen. I ate loads of junk, yo-yo'd on and off sugar in extremes. I 'cured' myself through treatment, cotton pants, better health, balanced sugar, etc.

Fast-forward 20 years. I haven't had them in years. 3 years ago I started messing with my diet, suspecting celiac and having insomnia/depression issues. The yeast infections returned, because of the extreme changes I made. If I stopped eating all sugar, I got one. If I went from moderate to too much sugar, I got one. No 'natural' remedies like yogurt or garlic have ever worked for me. I sought my MD who gave me diflucan. After my 3rd treatment (because the infection would return after a month or so) (in about 4-5 months) he commented that he was concerned about diabetes, as I was getting recurring infections. Did the glucose test, I'm fine. Go back to moderate, balanced eating, no more infections.

Now, I'm trying to get a handle again on my mood through diet, which meant cut out sugar plus other things (dairy, gluten). As usual, I went from little to moderate sugar to too much, so started back on my Clean Eating ways. NO sugar, dairy, caffeine or gluten, loads of veg and water and meats.

I have had a yeast infection for a month. I ate a bit of sugar last week and my infection went away. iN a few days (of no sugar) it was back. Clearly I know I have chronic candida, right?

But I'm not ready to commit to a long-term candida diet. My friend has been on one for 18 months and is still not feeling better. My life is hectic and food is complicated in our family, I do not want to start anything unless I know I can make it work and that it will *help* me, not just throw me into some other extreme-diet issue.

Does anyone have experience that can help me? Did you cure chronic candida through diet? Did you do something else? Did you find an alternate theory on all of this that you can share?

I really appreciate your help.

WCM

[wombatclay]

((hugs))  Have you considered meeting with a nutritionist or having your doctor recommend someone you could meet with to discuss your specific health concerns?  It sounds like there may be more than just a yeast issue...

In my case I had a yeast infection that lasted nearly a year despite trying all the different "holistic" options.  Eventually I sat down with my doctor and really went over everything in my record with a fine tooth comb.  The ultimate treatment was antibiotics for a month and diflucan for 2 weeks (starting the antibiotics first, then adding the diflucan in after three weeks so there was overlap and then just diflucan) along with diet and lifestyle changes.  Sort of "wiping the slate" and starting fresh.  It worked, but it was a very specific treatment that had been tailored to me specific history.

Since you have noticed a clear dietary tie-in, and have such a long history of symptomatic flares, a nutritionist or doctor familiar with yeast overgrowth would be a HUGE help.

[heatherdeg]

I would agree that consulting with someone would be a big help.  There are things you can do that could provide interim relief while you work a longer-term plan.

The first thing I would suggest to you is to keep a log on yourself.  It's tedious, but it's a HUGE help in identifying subtle problems that would otherwise be overlooked.  Log everything--including when you pee/poop and note what that looks & smells like (sorry, but critical!  BOTH of them).  Log your sleep, what you eat (try to include brands when you can, drink, how much of all of it, and log times of everything.  Do this for a month.  Include supplements, meds, etc.  If you need help, I have a form you can print out and keep 30 empty copies in a report folder that will help you.  Just pm me.

Getting on a probiotic that contains Saccharomyces boulardii is a HUGE help--far more than any other pbx.  (Jarrow makes this--it comes in a turquoise label bottle)

Young Living also makes a product called "Inner Defense" that is both oregano and Thieves oil; and is recommended to be taken with a probiotic because of it's strength.

The two of those things together should at least carry you a bit so that you can work the longer-term protocol to healing your system.

Best to you

[Crafty]

Have you tried acidophilus? I had a problem with constant yeast infections when I was in my late teens. Mine seemed to be caused by stress, followed by, ahem, irritation of the husbandly sort, lol. It was pretty awful. I searched online and found out about acidophilus (I'd already tried everything else I could think of and I was so, so miserable and frustrated), so I started taking acidophilus in capsule form. I've never had another yeast infection. That stuff was magic for me.

[gcgirl]

Candex. OMG, I wish they had this years ago. It's enzymes that dissolve yeast cell walls. I no longer crave sugar and haven't had a yeast infection since I started taking it.

[WCM]

How long have you been taking the Candex? How long are you supposed to use it?

I'm doing acidophilus in my smoothies, BIO-K liquid form. I can get it to abate if I eat a moderate balance of sugar, but as the years go by my memory and fatigue are getting worse, so chronic/systemic candida fits in my mind, but again, I've not heard of anything/plan/diet that actually WORKS in the long-term. I want to feel great again! The friend I mentioned is on the Body Ecology Diet but after 18 months still has Candida issues.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

[EarthRootsStarSoul]

Vitamin C!!!  Last year I had like ten yeast infections until I started taking Vitamin C tablets.  500 mg.  I chewed two or three a day and stopped getting yeast infections.  Now I usually take one a day and haven't had another one in like a year. 

[mbravebird]

Have you tried olive leaf extract? It doesn't kill beneficials, but it does kill yeast. It was the only thing that kicked my toddler's thrush and also helped restore intestinal normalcy for him -- and we tried so many other things.

I second the S. boulardii recommendation. That, too, was a key part of my son's return to intestinal normalcy. You can get a bottle of just S. Boulardii and add it in addition to your other probiotic.

Also, have you tried Dr. Ohhira's probiotics? Bio-Kult is really good, but I've heard great things about Dr. Ohhira's being even better. His are fermented at room temp for three years, and have long-term viability in the gut because of that. I haven't tried them yet because they're expensive, but they're on my list to try.