Candida - asthma

[Rosie007]

I have chronic asthma and have for over twenty years, I have a very healthy lifestyle and do lots of exercise despite this condition. Just lately however, I have suffered sore throats, terrible asthma, skin rashes, aching joints and bones. I was diagnosed with severe candida. I am taking cider vinigar tablets and pre/probiotics but this condition has lingered on and on. Any advice?

[Hidden]

If it's persistent your best bet is to see your GP and get put on anti fungal medication.

After that prevention is the main aim. You don't mention your routine after you have used your steroid inhalers. It is important to gargle and rinse out after using your preventer inhaler. I gargle and rinse out, clean my teeth and then gargle and rinse out again which works for me. Others on this site may have other routines that work for them.

Hope this helps.

[Lorcas_15 in reply to Hidden]

My dentist's advice to patients in general is not to rinse after cleaning teeth to allow fluoride in toothpaste to have maximum effect.

[Hidden in reply to Lorcas_15]

That's interesting, I've not heard that one before:-).

Well, in the past thirty years I've had just three fillings - two of which were work arising from old fillings, one of which was recent. Admittedly I've only been doing that very thorough rinsing and gargling routine for the past three years, but apart from that one filling which needed additional work during that period (apparently my teeth form a very effective food trap at that point) my dentist has been very complimentary about the state of my teeth. So what I'm doing after taking my inhalers can't be that bad for them:-).

On the other hand, the reason I was advised to up my post inhaler routine was because of oesophageal thrush (and believe me, if you get that you really will know about it; it's very unpleasant). Now granted we do not know for certain if my inhalers were to blame for it (and personally my own feeling is that at most they were a contributory factor) but having had an infection of that sort I'm not keen to have it again and will take all possible measures to avoid it.

I do have an extremely thorough teeth cleaning routine (forget the recommended two minutes, mine takes between five and ten), and I use a very small, very soft tooth brush (one designed for babies actually), an interdental brush, and (at night) dental floss. I have another condition which pre disposes me to receding gums so my dental hygiene has to be really good but also quite gentle on my gums. Maybe that's why my teeth are coping with the rinsing out routine after I have used my inhaler:-).

[Lorcas_15 in reply to Lorcas_15]

Your teeth sound in much better nick than mine. My dentists has posters up about spitting after teeth cleaning but not rinsing. Also about the dangers of dried fruit consumption! I gargle with water after each of my two puffs on the inhaler then clean my teeth. I have suffered from hoarseness since starting on inhalers - never had it before - but since reading about rinsing and gargling on this forum have only been slightly hoarse occasionally. Unfortunately any singing still irritates my vocal chords (:

[Hidden in reply to Lorcas_15]

I do have some issues with them, they are very sensitive - eating ice cream can be a very painful experience, but again that is almost certainly connected to the receding gums(:.

I've also had problems over the past eighteen months with a dry mouth at night and sometimes during the day. We don't think this is inhaler associated, mostly because I've been on steroid inhalers for decades but also because at about the same time I really began to notice issues with dry eyes (for which I now have to use two lots of eye drops). Saliva is extremely important for oral hygiene, so a lack of it can cause problems with teeth. Having discussed this with my dentist I now use sugar free chewing gum for twenty minutes after every meal to stimulate saliva production. I don't use the fruit flavoured versions, having read somewhere that the acidity from the fruit juice used in them can cause problems with teeth.

[Lorcas_15 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I have sensitivity too because of receding gums and also use sugar free gum (bought some Airwaves this pm in fact - Airwaves help if I'm feeling slightly wheezy or tight as well. This on the advice of hairdresser also an asthmatic). I certainly find my mouth is drier now I'm older and I take antihistamines for itchy eyes and use drops as and when. Have to try and keep healthy all round!

[risabel59]

I would think about asking your GP to see a Rheumatologist, who specialises in the immune system problems. It may be that you have something going on. As Asthma is a disease caused by the immune system over reacting. There are a lot of tests that can be done. And you may have something other than candida or as well as.

Best of luck

R

[Karjade]

I had Candida through my body and it took over two years to be diagnosed. My immune system was non existent! I had a swab test in my mouth in the end and they allowed things to grow and was diagnosed with severe candida. I had 3 weeks of antifungal tablets which cleared it and then I went to a dietician who helped me with a yeast free and Candida diet. It was such a long haul and I felt so ill at the time. Nobody would listen to me and they thought it was all in my head!