Help ! Is this rash an allergy or yeast or what ?

[oceanmommy]

Help me !

I have a rash which reoccurs fairly often (every month or two) and I am starting to suspect it is an allergic reaction. It has been previously identified as yeast though by my doctor and my midwife. It occurs (of course) under hot, damp conditions , when skin on moist areas (groin, under breasts, armpit) is damp for a long period of time (like out all day in hot weather sweating). I do my best to keep "dry" but it is not always possible.

The reason I suspect an allergy is that it doesn't respond to yeast killer only, but needs hydrocortisone cream too. From what I understand hydrocortisone is a steriod that calms the inflammation caused by the body's own immune reaction to a foreign invader. Could this mean that I am allergic to yeast itself ? I do tend to have yeast outbreaks, and have stopped eating brewer's yeast for this reason I noticed this time when I got it I had hive-looking bumps on the nearby skin a few hours before the rash broke out, and I had just gone swimming in a heavily chlorinated pool. Usually I don't swim, so I don't know if this was a coincidence or not, that I got the rash the next morning.

Anyways, this is a painful, irritating, thing to deal with so please help me if you have any words of advice or links to potential info.

Thanks !

[Inwe Surion]

If you suspect yeast, check out yeast-free diets. It means cutting out all sugars, fruits for at least a while and anything that can ferment or is fermented. Check the archives on this topic. There is a lot and you will get much more information than I can give you!

[jaredsmom]

Oceanmommy,

Have you considered contacting a homeopath? Hopefully there is one in your area. It sounds like your in tune with your body, and, I'm assuming, your in touch with your whole being. (I mean mind, body, and Spirit.) These are qualities that are extremely helpful when in session with a homeopath.

http://www.homeopathic.com/procare/procare.htm

http://homeopathy-cures.com/

These are 2 websites that I have found. The first describes how to find the right homeopath for you. The latter lets you search for a classical homeopath in your state.

I hope you get better soon!

[LaLaLuna]

Oceanmommy- I can't give an opinion on whether your rash is yeast or not, but here are two things you can try if it is; take a bath and dump a cup or so of baking soda in the tub; this frequently soothes and even eliminates dermal symptoms of yeast. Worked like a charm on my kids when they got yeasty diaper rashes. Also, try putting some acidopholis in your diet. I always got yeast infections if I had to take antibiotics until I started dosing myself with liquid acidopholis. If your system is out of whack enough to let the candida beasties take over then the acidopholis can help restore that balance so that your body can fight off the yeast population. I like the liquid stuff (look in the refrigerator case at the health food or progressive grocery store) because it feels more "live"to me than the capsules.

Also, I don't know what youre using as a "yeast killer" but have you tried an antifungal cream? I think I remember that you're from the NW? Fungusus are common amongus.

Also ( did I say I only had 2 suggestions?) you can try what they do with the old ladies in teh nursing homes- tuck an absorbant cloth under your breasts to alleviate skin problems. Not classy or sexy but maybe helpful.

Good luck- tracknig down skin problems is tough sometimes!

[stirringleaf]

another great resourse on taking care of a "damp" condition is Healing With WHole Foods by paul pitchford.. this book combines eastern traditons such as aroveda and chinese menicine with modern nutrition and western science. i use this book all the time. recurrant yeast can mean you have a damp condition and need to avoid all dampening foods, like dairy, soy, sweets, etc, these are just examples off the top of my head, you should go to a bookstore and peruse through this book it is huge and $30 so if you cant afford it just go read the parts about yeast and dampness. if you can afford it, i highly reccomend it , its a great, well researched resource on nutrition and using foods to heal your body. on that note, if you are interested in trying acupuncture i have personally had great success with it, they dont only do needles they also work with your diet and use herbs. good luck on whatever you try! i hope you find something that solves this problem for you!

edited to add, your rash could also be cause by what is considered to be a heat condition, so i guess i would look up skin rashes as well as candida and dampness if that book is something you are interested in. for instance you could have a damp heat condition..LOL it sounds silly , but these terms refer to a very interesting system of balance within the body.

[oceanmommy]

Well, I do take acidophilous regularly to maintain freindly flora. Going on a yeast elimination diet feels really drastic (and hard) to me, so I'd like to avoid it at all costs and find other ways...it is my last resort.

I guess that's why I wonder about the allergy thing...how it responds to cortisone and how there were hives present before the rash broke out...I guess I feel an allergy would be easier to deal with than yeast, so I want to find out if indeed there is an allergy problem.