What are S/X oF Candida?

I have noticed quite a few people on here that are on Diflucan for Candida.

I am just wondering how did you find out you had Candida?  I know that us Benzodiazepine Addicts are more susceptible to Candida after coming off Benzo's, but I am not sure exactly why this is, is it because our Immune Systems are shot?

Also, I have been wondering myself if I could possibly have Candida or not, I don't really have a coated Tongue or anything.  But I did break out in a skin rash about a week ago, and although it has gone down, it is still there.  My doctor prescribed me Fuscidin cream to put on.. when I asked him if there was a test for Candida, all he said was that it was more "naturopath" and I never did get an answer. 

So, do you guys know what symptoms you had for Candida, and if there is also a test for Candida?

Supeudol,

I have candida. I noticed back in June.. I was having some growth on my foot "Athlete's Foot" also around my teeth, there was this thrush. The thrush also would get on my tongue and in my throat. It was overgrowth. My stomach hurt, nausea on and on. I knew what it was, really. I also noticed that my breath smelled very bad. I think in my case, I let it go too far. I also had acne breakouts and even growth on my upper lip, that's gone. There is a test where you spit in a glass. You can youtube it. I did that before going to the doctor and I knew I had it for sure. I went to the doctor at the end of September and he took one look down my throat and knew right then and there what it was. He did do some other tests besides the swabbing (sp?) he did blood work and a urine test.

Here are some symptoms of candida-

abdominal gas and bloating

headaches

migraines

excessive fatigue

cravings for alcohol

anxiety

vaginitis

rectal itching

cravings for sweets

inability to think clearly or concentrate

hyperactivity

mood swings

diarrhea

constipation

itching

acne

eczema

depression

sinus inflammation

pre-menstrual syndrome

dizziness

poor memory

persistent cough

earaches

low sex drive

muscle weakness

irritability

learning difficulties

sensitivity to fragrances and/or other chemicals

cognitive impairment

thrush

athlete's foot

sore throat

indigestion

acid reflux

chronic pain

I highlighted the symptoms I had from it, but consider some of these symptoms are withdrawal too.

The main thing I would look for is Thrush.

Note: I have a history of candida.

Billy.

You have asked a very good questions.  This has been a major piece to my withdrawal puzzle.  It has been so long for me and I seemed to be stuck in healing.  After much research, I finally was diagnosed with a huge overgrowth of Candida.  Unfortunately, doctors shrug their shoulder to Candida as much as they do for Withdrawal.  I had to seek out many doctors before one would listen.  Following are some links that helped me understand what was going on.  You will see that symptoms are identical to withdrawal and I think you will be able to relate.

I do believe that anyone that has food intolerance issued during withdrawal has a very strong chance of having Candida.  But then again, since withdrawal and candida mimic so many of the same symptom, the fungus, once it becomes systemic can settle in almost any area.

The first thing to do is just for experiment, try the candida diet, which I have listed a link for too.  If after a few weeks, you start to feel better, this would be a good indication that your yeast has mutated into fungus.  It is a very long process to rid your body of fungus once it has become systemic, but you can irradiate it.  I had no clue about candida and mine got bad.  Hopefully, if you have it, it has remained in your GI track.

I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any questions, I have been battling it for some time now, but it has gotten better.  Take care!

http://www.candida-albicans-cure.com/candida-albicans-symptoms.html

http://www.thecandidadiet.com/foodstoavoid.htm

http://www.thecandidadiet.com/candida-die-off.htm

I do believe that anyone that has food intolerance issued during withdrawal has a very strong chance of having Candida.  But then again, since withdrawal and candida mimic so many of the same symptom, the fungus, once it becomes systemic can settle in almost any area.

I agree!

lislis,

How long did your candida last?

Thanks,

Billy.

Candida has to do with disbalances in the ph of your body. You can have it in your digestive system but also in your vagina.

I had (before my benzo time) vaginal candida en by utilizing Lactacyd ( vaginal flush) which affect the ph. It went away. Toegether with using it daily for quiet a while I changed my diet. Improved it interms of more vegies, more fibres, less sugar... and it went away.

So the sum of it all improve what you eat!!!  Maybe this is also an important part on reducing our withdrawl symptoms.

Am I the only guy who has the candida?

I think a guy named Johny on here has it, too.

Not sure.

For me it is thrush in my mouth, and athlete's foot on one foot.

Ashton Manual-

Immune system. "Why do I get so many infections?" This question is commonly asked by patients withdrawing from benzodiazepines. They seem to be prone to colds, sinusitis, ear infections, cystitis, oral and vaginal thrush (candida), other fungal infections of the skin and nails, cracked lips, mouth ulcers and influenza. Also common are complaints of adverse reactions to antibiotics used to treat some of the bacterial infections.

It is not clear whether there really is an increased incidence of infections in people undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawal, because there have been no comparisons with otherwise similar populations who have not been exposed to benzodiazepines. However, many factors affect the immune system. One of these is stress, with increased output of the stress hormone, cortisol, which inhibits immune responses. Another factor is depression, also related to stress and associated with increased cortisol secretion. Increased cortisol levels can reduce resistance to infection and also cause flare-ups of incipient infection. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can clearly be stressful but, strangely, in patients that I have tested, blood cortisol concentrations have been low. So this subject remains a mystery and probably merits further research. The message for people undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawal is to try to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, plenty of exercise and rest, and avoidance of extra stress where possible. Slow dosage tapering (Chapter II) is the best way to reduce the stress of withdrawal.

Billy.

PS- I do not think my candida is from withdrawal because I had it to some degree before Benzo's.

Candida Albicans has not ever been medically proven to course these problems. The diagnosis are often given in alternative treatment, and most doctors do not believe in the diagnosis.

I am not saying that the whole Candida issue is a hoax, that enables health advisers to earn a good living from treating psychosomatic problems, but I know that the medical community in large claim that to be the truth.

Again, I am not taking a stand here, I am just aware that MANY in withdrawal are anxious, and the alleged symptoms of Candida can apply to almost anyone.

Candida is not in your mind, I can tell you!

For the guys -or girls that are dealing with digestion isssues the book

Gut reaction from Gudrun Jonsson is very useful in understanding how digestion works, what is the right ph balance and what to eat.

Candida Albicans has not ever been medically proven to course these problems. The diagnosis are often given in alternative treatment, and most doctors do not believe in the diagnosis.

 

I am not saying that the whole Candida issue is a hoax, that enables health advisers to earn a good living from treating psychosomatic problems, but I know that the medical community in large claim that to be the truth.

 

Again, I am not taking a stand here, I am just aware that MANY in withdrawal are anxious, and the alleged symptoms of Candida can apply to almost anyone.

No, Candida is very real.. believe me.

When your tongue is coated in white and you can scrape it off, there is a problem.. and not everyone has this!

Stomach feels so sour and just nauseous. The itching and athlete's foot.

Not to mention the other symptoms it causes on top of withdrawal.

I think it is a good thing to get checked for candida because it can add to the problem of withdrawals.

the alleged symptoms of Candida can apply to almost anyone.

Don't think so, sorry!

Is your tongue coated in white every morning or around your teeth?

Nausea?

Athlete's foot?

Wasn't really a question, just a statement.

But if you ever have it.. you will know!

Trust me!

Have a good day!

Billy.

Sigma

Dont kill the messenger, I am just stating facts, I am not taking a stand.

From the list of symptoms you describe in your previous message, I would be able to determine Candida as the course of almost every single condition.

I am just making sure that everybody knows that the Candida diagnosis is a condition only accepted by a minority of doctors.

This said, It might be very true what you state.

This said, It might be very true what you state.

If you ever get it.. you will know.

Have a good day, Noolie.

Oddly enough I found myself questioning the candida phenomenon after being off benzos since March 7th 2010.  I consider myself 98% healed, although I can tell you that my lymphatic system goes crazy whenever I consume refined sugars.  Heck, even fruit can spike me.  I know that it's candida because when I do eat sugars my tonsils swell up and so do all my lymph nodes.  It makes breathing very difficult.  My chest tightens and the elephant returns.  Chronic fatigue sets in, along with cog fog.... only to pass after 72 hours.  Then comes the stomach bloat and atrocious gas..... I feels like Mr Wizard put vinegar and baking soda in my intestines... honestly.

So I did a bunch of searching and I found that Coconut Oil helps heal the "Leaky Gut Syndrome" that candida causes.  I remember I had some from a while back when I was fighting chronic fatigue induced by MONO.... btw I got that 2 months off... when my taper was complete.  

Anyhow... within two days I started feeling a bit better and I also noticed a ton of mucus started coming up when I took hot showers... even more than usual.  I lost about 6 lbs of water weight and don't feel so bloated.

I also heard good thinks about Threelac Probiotic, which is used to fight Candida.  I also read a lot about it being a scam.  This could be coming from the non-naturopathic people. Here nor there... I decided to give it a shot.  I just got it yesterday and well... I feel a bit better.. but can't tell you if its the coconut oil the Threelac.  I don't have the thrush on the tongue, but I do have it between my gums.  And I know that sugar intolerance is a big part of it all... I barely even touch sugar to this day.  Maybe a splenda here or there... but that crushes me.

I suppose it affects us all differently... much like benzo withdrawal.

Oh!  And if your trying to figure out if its benzo withdrawal or candida... stop!  It's so hard to figure out and if you "think" you have it, then see a naturopathic doctor.   I didn't even know I had MONO when I was going through benzo withdrawal... if that tells you anything.

Ziggy

Hi Ziggy,

Sorry to temporaily hyjack this thread on candida, I just had to ask this and say thank you.

I wonder if you are the same Ziggy on studentdoctor.net from 2010 that someone on here posted (yesterday?) on second page of this withdrawal support section of the forum -"Doctors discuss BZD use"?  If you are, I am glad you got that discussion going between student docs back in 2010 and posting the Ashton Manual etc.  People  were still on that thread as of May 2011.  It infuriates me, some of the ignorant comments on there, but good to see the pot was stirred and discussion happened.

Benzohno

Just like withdrawal is hard to explain to someone that never experienced it, candida is the same.  For me, I have never had so much improvement in such a little amount of time then when I went on the candida diet and started taking anti-fungals.  Some may say eating better is what helped me, but it was only after I started treating candida aggresivly did I see many things.  For one, and not to sound icky, but as I was killing my fungus and even to this day, shortly after I take anti-fungals, I start to not feel well a few hours later which lasts for a few hours.  The next morning when I wake up, I have clumps of dead fungus that have passed through my urine into the toilette.  When the clumps get less and less, I switch to another anti-fungal, as the fungus mutates and adapts to anti-fungals, so you have to switch it up.  Then when I start another one, in the beginning I have lots of clumps again.  I have been battling this since the end of this past July.  There are other indications, but you get my drift.  My bloatedness is better and the pain in my stomach has gone.

People can be growing fungus for years and remain asympotmatic.  However, after a major stress to our system like we experience in withdrawal, it no longer remains dormant and we start to fell the effects of it.  I know it is hit or miss with all these symptoms, but there is no doubt in my mind that my candida stemmed from everything I went through and the torment it took on my body.

I remember when i would try to tell people around me about withdrawal and they would just look at me like I nuts, and we all know how true that it.  Well, candida is greated with most of the same reistance.  There aren't any right or wrong answers, this is just the path that I was led to.  My body, even though how stressed it has been, has always seemed to know where it needed to be to get better.

Candida Albicans has not ever been medically proven to course these problems. The diagnosis are often given in alternative treatment, and most doctors do not believe in the diagnosis.

 

I am not saying that the whole Candida issue is a hoax, that enables health advisers to earn a good living from treating psychosomatic problems, but I know that the medical community in large claim that to be the truth.

 

Again, I am not taking a stand here, I am just aware that MANY in withdrawal are anxious, and the alleged symptoms of Candida can apply to almost anyone.

 

No, Candida is very real.. believe me.

When your tongue is coated in white and you can scrape it off, there is a problem.. and not everyone has this!

Stomach feels so sour and just nauseous. The itching and athlete's foot.

Not to mention the other symptoms it causes on top of withdrawal.

I think it is a good thing to get checked for candida because it can add to the problem of withdrawals.

 

the alleged symptoms of Candida can apply to almost anyone.

 

Don't think so, sorry!

 

Is your tongue coated in white every morning or around your teeth?

Nausea?

Athlete's foot?

 

Wasn't really a question, just a statement.

 

But if you ever have it.. you will know!

Trust me!

 

Have a good day!

 

Billy.

Dear Billy,

Candida is complex and easy!

It nearly drove me to insanity and all the quemical stuff form the doctors didn't work!

But incredibly 'Lactacyd' a product for women that exists in the market since the 50's and can be bought in the supermarket took it away in one go.  Just the change of the PH balance. The terrible iching and white rashed went away! Just like that!!!!

At a certain alkalinity the fungus dies - that all you need to do. So its you can get rid of Candidad!

The book of Gudrun Jonsson - gut reaction will help you do it for your tummy.

I wonder if you are the same Ziggy on studentdoctor.net from 2010

@benzohno... yea that was me.  I found out that one of our members who got banned was also on the student doctor forum.  Nonetheless, he has been kicked off of both forums.  Though for some reason his posts didn't get removed from their forum.

I haven't been back to check on the forum to see where it stands though... you have peeked my curiosity.

I suppose I was doing my best to educate these young students on the dangers so that hopefully their generation can stop the cycle.

Candida is complex and easy!

@elizabeth ... yes and no.  I mean if you are trying to figure out where it came from or if you have it or not - then it becomes complex.  But I always found it doesn't hurt to treat for candida.  At the worst it appears to simply rebalance your body.  Treatment can be as easy as a diet.... though tell that to someone going through deep withdrawal where going to the mailbox is debated for 3 hours in your head.  I was there myself.  

I simply had to put one foot in front of the other and eventually things started falling in place.  The hardest thing for me to accept was that there is no instant cure.  Even with herbs or supplements it can take months before you notice any improvements.... and then when you do feel improvements you start doubting the herbs and supplements you took because perhaps it was just time that made you feel better.  Here comes the complexity of it all.  The ONE thing most of appear to have in common here is that we have Type A personalities.  Meaning we must get to the bottom of everything.   In the end it doesn't matter... and perhaps that is what we have to learn... to let go... to just accept where we are at in life.  Only then does the drama begin to dissipate only to make room for the growth and healing process of life.

Ziggy

I would just advise if people thing they have Candida.. to get checked out.

It doesn't hurt.

Billy.

Thanks Ziggy 

Benzohno

i developed candida after  1st withdraw but then again i also was on diffrent antibiotics for

sinus infection,stomach infections,

did probiotics for 3 mths large dose 1oo million-nothing

put on fluconozle(sorry spelling)was sick as a dog

now on second withdraw have itching spells,thrush but no white patchs in mouth

problem is as was stated

wd symtoms mimic all these things

also i've read that this drug has a reaction with clonazapam

so tired of being picked and poked and scanned and xray

noticd when i was off benzo for two mths

i could eat what i wanted to

now it seems everything is upsetting

also heard going sugarless can cause problems as well(shock)

also heard treelac,wormwood etc can take you where you don't wanna go!

i notice difluican mentioned being used by some hear any adverse effects

i just don't trust docs anymore

Juust here,

I have some experience dealing with yeast but not (yet) in w/d.  This is from a really comprehensive site that I like... 

The first link explains "Understanding Male Yeast Infection":

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/maleyeastinfection.html

About Tests:

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/candidatests.html

You will want to starve the yeast which feed on sugar by eliminating sugar and refined flours.  Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any diet.  Eating this way made me feel amazing but I haven't been on it since I went c/t:

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/candidadiet.html

Medications for infections (but you will need advice from people who have taken these in w/d):

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/medicineforyeastinfections.html

You will also want to include pro-biotics to treat yeast (I use Ortho Biotic and haven't noticed any problems with it in w/d):

http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/probioticsforyeast.html

The author of the site is pretty strict and I found I didn't need to do EVERYTHING he said to get rid of my yeast but it is a good guide and reference place.

Candex is also a popular plant based fiber digesting enzyme supplement used to treat yeast.  I have used this in the past. 

http://www.pureessencelabs.com/Candex-candida_digestive_enzyme_supplement.html

Hope this helps!!

the candida is gone........

withdrawal induced!

Billy ~