Has anyone here had candida? What test did your doctor do to confirm that you had candida?
I'm asking because 3 years ago I had thrush that would not go, it lasted a year and since I'd say it returns a few times a year. Ithe seems to go on its own then months later it'll return.
Recently my tongue has had a coating on it, well it has for a while but this week it's been quite thick to thr point my mouth felt dry. I used a tongue cleaner to remove it and underneath the tongue was rough and sore. It's healing slowly.
I have chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, underactive thyroid, rosacea on my face.....and I know these symptoms can be related to thyroid. I'm 4 weeks into 75mg of levo. I got my tsh down to 2.6 on 50mg but 3 months later it went up to 5.7 so my gp increased my dose. I'm doing my blood test in 3 weeks. I'm just not feeling any better, if anything my fatigue and brain fog this last week or 2 feels worse and I've had zero energy to do anything. Which concerns me the levo isn't helping.
I'm considering mentioning testing for candida to my gp. I just wondered how it's tested for, blood; swabs or stools? A friend of mine has candida and I wondered if it could be effecting me as I've had the issues with thrush on and off for 3 years. I've been on the contraceptive pill for 4 years. I used to take antibiotics for sinusitis twice a year. I've not had any in 2 years.
It just got me wondering. I thought I'd ask here if anyone knew about this condition before I see my gp. He's digging around trying to find another cause for my fatigue as he doesn't believe I'm hypo enough to be this fatigued and drained daily to the point I'm having energy crashes landing me in bed. He's wanting to keep re testing me for diabetes and be did a full MOT in November with blood work that was ok, all good other than sodium and potassium tad low but recent tests showed they'd increased and it was a blip on the day. Random glucose was 8.9 but I'd just eaten and my hba1c was perfectly fine at 35 but he still wants to monitor me every 3 months for diabetes as it causes fatigue despite having a perfect hba1c 3 times in the last year lol! Grrr.
Candida is linked with athletes foot - not necessarily yours, but your family's or from public swimming pools. The same prescription is used for athletes foot as for candida.
Do you mean oral or vaginal thrush? I have lichen planus, which was misdiagnosed first as candida then as psoriasis. I had possibly five years of fruitless treatment for thrush before I was told it was psoriasis (treatments are opposite) and the latest dx is sort of immaterial as both are autoimmune and treatment is the same. I'm just saying it might require further investigations and referrals. The gp, gynae and even dermatologist seemed to know very little about any of this stuff. I saw multiple docs at the GUM clinic, then was referred to what they call the 'chronic clinic', then a dermatologist and finally a dermatologist w specialism (blistering diseases) before it was diagnosed.
I doubt you'll get much more than an antifungal from an nhs gp. I don't think they go in for systemic candida as the cause of multiple health problems.
The other thing to keep in mind is that you're still on too little medication and it's still early days. You need to be on enough levo for long enough to know whether or not it will relieve your symptoms. Hopefully you'll feel better when stabilised on levo.
I meanthink I had vaginal thrush for a a year which returns occasionally. The mouth thrush symptoms are recent and just the last few days it's been thick and sore.
I started levo in may last year. 25mg when my tsh was 9.28 and for 15. I went on 50mg in September and in November my tsh was 2.6 and ft4 19 ish. I felt much better but then in December I hit a stressful time and I suffered an anxiety setback and with it my energy dipped and I was diagnosed with depression. I've not bounced back since energy wise. I tested my thyroid last month and tsh had gone back up to 5.7 and ft4 17. Gp increased to 75mg. Shouldn't I feel some improvement after 4 weeks?
I get very worried because I don't see many people who post about the level of fatigue I have. I then worry is this all hypo. I'm daily so fatigued in my body and head that I feel I'm dragging myself around to do anything and have to take regular breaks or I feel woozy and drained. I feel so exhausted doing anything. I'm a housewife so I'm very lucky I don't have to work. I've 3 children so it's hard work. I've no support other than hubby so it's exhausting every day. I've had chronic fatigue for a year, eyes heavy and stinging, body feels drained and occasional leg weakness. If I overdo things say I pop out to the park with the kids or we have visitors it lands me in bed for 2 days with severe fatigue and weakness. I also have brain fog and unreality at times and high anxiety mainly because I fear how I feel daily. I'm forever saying 'I'm 37 I shouldnt feel like I'm so fatigued I can't even walk around my house'. I cry a lot too because of it getting me down. I've ended up quite agoraphobic because of it all. I feel so alone with it. My gp did a full MOT of bloods in November testing so many things and all ok as I mentioned in my post. Yet he's still suddenly very concerned at my level of fatigue and wants to run more tests. Repeating the same ones he did 3 months ago and frightening me to thr point I am refusing a home visit right now. I'm afraid because last year he saw me 4 times and did 2 lots of bloods. He was never concerned about the fatigue I had daily, even with my energy crashes I had, he just blamed mood or anxiety. Now suddenly he's saying it's been a year of fatigue and he's worried. He's scaring the life out of me. He's tested for autoimmune illnesses, I've also not got hashimotos, no glandular fever, no diabetes even though he wants to monitor it as he's obsessed thsts why I'm fatigued despite good results, irons all ok and full bloods fine. Just my ferritin is 34 which is low but I've had low ferritin for years. It doesn't seem to come up much more than 49. I take liquid iron as I can't take iron tablets. B12 ok, foliate fine.... he even tested my muscles via a blood test, liver and kidneys. I'm exhausted with tests and him scaring me thst it can't be thyroid causing my levels of fatigue.
Sorry to ramble. I'm just worried and afraid if im this fatigued a year on what if he missed something serious a year ago and now I'm going to be terminal and leave my children. Thsts how worried I am but my gp said my white cells and full bloods were all good so I'm not to think like that.
I'm sorry you're feeling so unwell. You could of course feel some improvement after four weeks but it may take far longer to stabilise your dose and so it may be some time before you see better resolution of symptoms.
Tbh 25 is a low dose to start you on if your tsh is almost 10 unless you have heart problems, and then they left you on that tiny dose for four months if I've read that correctly. It can take 6-8wks for levo to stablilse so best to have a blood draw no more than 8wks after a dose change. You may want to stay on top of these changes and ensure things are done in a timely manner so they don't leave you hanging when you feel unwell.
It is still early days and you're still on a relatively low dose. You should be back for a blood draw no more than 8wks after your last dose adjustment (was that in Jan?) and if tsh is still high (even in range) you'll need another dose increase until your tsh is low in range (some people only feel better when tsh is below 1) and t3/t4 are in the upper quarter of the range.
It can take some time to feel normal on thyroid meds but patience and perseverance will help.
I just feel worse the last 2 weeks and thsts why I'm scared. I'm more weak than usual, more tired than I was and I explain it as I'm dragging my dead body around with me all day. All day I cry with fear worried why I feel so bad. Terrified to see the gp as he's made me an anxious mess.I keep trying to stay positive I've had bloods done and nothing nasty flared up but when I walk around I feel so bad my anxiety hits and I cry. I know adding stress will only make me feel worse.
I had my bloods done 4 weeks ago so I'm hoping to do them in 3 weeks. My tsh came down from 9.28 to 2.6 on thr 50mg. 9.28 was the highest it got to. But then I stayed on the 50mg and it crept back up and last month showed my tsh was 5.7, ft4 17.4 and ft3 5.0.
I'm just worried as I swear I feel worse not better.
Anxiety can be a hypo symptom, so just keep in mind that may improve w treatment. I know exactly what you mean - when I was diagnosed I felt like I was dying - but this will get better. If levo isn't for you, you have other options. You may find other factors can be improved (folate, b12, d, ferritin and iron for example) and will also help.
Just a thought, since you have so many blood results why not go back into your post (click the little arrow underneath and it will give you the option to edit) and list your test results w lab ranges. If you have the results in a column under the dates it will be easy to see what everything looks like. Add any meds changes where applicable. (Or if you prefer you can do this as a separate post asking forum members to comment.)
The more you learn about what's going on in your body the better you will be equipped to help yourself.
Do you know why the blood test was done at four weeks? And will be done again in three weeks? Some of us need more levo in the winter, so this could be why your tsh crept up, but also you've only been on low doses so far and you may need more to feel better.
Try not to worry that you're not feeling better yet. It can take time. You need to be on an optimal dose of levo first, and for enough time, and I doubt you're there yet.
levo will not help if u have candida overgrowth....drs are crazy everywhere...it took me years to find people to help me....you are fatigues because of candida....I don't even want to get up and move when I'm having a flareup,,,
Tammy
in reply to
I know how you feel. I was diagnosed with a sleep disorder. I take sleeping pills
which has improved my sleep disorder no end. The stress and anxiety with the worry of fatigue and having to look after the family and keep going, increases nervous exhaustion. Sleep is the best restorative treatment for you as sleep deprivation leads to brain fog, and confusional states.
Try another doctor in your practice, and tell him/her you feel utterly exhausted and can't get to sleep, or wake up several times during the night..
Normally they give a short prescription, but if yours is a stubborn case, then you may need to take them long term. I find if I miss my sleeping pill, I'm wide awake all night!
The thyroid is a complex gland - but hyperactive thyroid leading to hashimotos or graves disease, is usually distinguished with long term sleep deprivation.
Sometimes antidepressants can make you sleepy and unable to cope as a side effect. So may be you need a change in prescription if you need it.
Amytriptolene might help, as it dampens down muscle tension and spasm.
I do hope you find a doctor who can give you confidence - because this is half the battle, if you feel the treatment is going in the wrong direction.
Doctors understand vaginal thrush, but they don't, in general understand systemic candida. And the tests for the latter are unreliable on their own, you need a whole battery of tests taken together, and you won't get that on the NHS.
Candida can indeed cause fatigue etc and look much like hypo, especially if its deeply entrenched. But so can a number of other things. 'Silent' coeliac disease, where there are no or few gastric symptoms, and B12 deficiency and MS spring to mind, but that is because I have friends who have been affected.
If you crave sugar and sweet stuff, have had multiple courses of antibiotics or were on the pill for a long time you are a prime candidate. I decided it was likely, and after looking at the complexities of testing I just decided to treat it. I bought the Humaworm candida treatment and my raging sugar cravings disappeared after two weeks. Other treatments that seem well respected are by Elle Belle and CCWS. If you have candida you will almost certainly have die-off symptoms when you take it, headaches, flu like symptoms or even a full on herxheimer reaction (some googling for you to do). If you don't then nothing much will happen and it will do no harm. That was my reasoning, but I am willing to believe otherwise if someone knows better!
I've had b12 tested and it's ok, also negative for coeliac but I'm gluten free anyway as I and awful ibs eating gluten. Ms hasn't been suggested to me. I've just had hypothyroidism diagnosed and possible cfs.
I used to be on strong antibiotics twice a year for sinusitis. I've not had any in 2 years. I've been on the pill since summer 2012.
I worked with three people who all got diagnosed with MS in the same year. One had fatigue, although not quite as crushing as you. She was told it was very rare but did occur. My sister also had it, and with her it was her balance that went first.
Hey, I've had candidia pretty much constantly since I was diagnosed over 2 years ago. My levels are good now but I still have it and I worry constantly that I can't seem to find the cause. I have researched endlessly and tried many different approaches. The only things that keep it at bay are a low sugar, low yeast diet. I also personally find that high doses of l-glutamine before bed help.
The doctor gave me endless anti fungals and one even suggested a low alkaline diet but in the end concluded that it was chronic and no point giving me anymore meds. They said I just had to learn to live with it. I am totally exhausted most of the time and short tempered with my little 3 year old and feel very bad about it.
The only thing that really helped recently was when the Endo put my t4 (levo) up, the thrush disappeared for a good 3 months and it was so good to have some respite. I'm going to make another appointment and ask them to raise it again because it is still in the bottom half of the range.
Post your results when you get them. It is likely you are possibly undermedicated and maybe you don't convert t4 to t3. I take t3 and t4 separately.
Ive recently started seeing a lovely lady via Skype who is a functional medicine doc and looks at DNA results, Genova ONE urine test results and various other things to pull a full picture of my health together. I think she is helping and I'm hoping we can work on the thrush soon. The problem I have is that I'm so exhausted all the time that I don't really have the energy to massively change my diet again ( I already went gf, low sugar, low yeast).
Anyway. I'm rambling now. Hope that helps a little even if it makes you feel less alone!! Chloe
Those results are on 50mg of thyroxine. Prior to that my tsh was 2.6 and had come down from 9.28. I've increased levo 4 weeks ago. Testing bloods again in 3 weeks.
Your tsh is too high. Hopefully it will have come down a bit by your next bloods. Both your levels could go up a bit. Maybe someone else could comment on them as they don't look as bad as I'd expect with a tsh like that.
Did you already say how your other levels were? (Iron, b12, folate etc?)
Yes! I had Candida (still have I think) but its getting better. I found lots of helpful info here bodyecology.com/ and here thecandidadiet.com/
Truth be told I only really just got it in control mainly with a LCD dietdoctor.com/ and the right supplements; humaworm.com/home.html do a good Candia all in one.
There is a specific stool test you can do, I had mine done through a private Dr from the thyroid uk list.
It is well worth finding out as with dysbiosis (gut issues, candida) you will contiue to have issues (I have found)
Have had the Candida stool test (private) but it was inconclusive, though my symptoms all point to it, as they followed a hefty antibiotic that advised docs not to give it to patients who'd ever had Candida - I had and asked for an alternate - told to take it anyway - and 2 years later, still can't shake it despite diet and medications. NHS offered a 'stick up the bottom' as a test, but whether it would be positive for fungal or bacterial was never made clear - that's when I went to Genova. Trying a salivary antibody and another stool test again. It's a B*****
I wasn't even aware of a blood test, but this was ordered by MD who usually works with allergies (I tracked him down as was told he could prescribe Nystatin, which most docs haven't heard of.) Saliva checks for antibodies, so I guess they'll only be there in presence of overgrowth. Have read Candida can evade stool tests thanks to its biofilm, and also thereby medications.
Lugol's Solution, a mix of diatomic iodine and potassium iodide (aka iodine potassium iodide) will kill candida albicans. See this study: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/107....
Taking potassium iodide will probably intefere (temporarily) with your thyroid function and test results). It may cause a surge in metabolism due to the extra iodide, and taking it at high dosages can cause the thyroid to slow down, so it can cause both temporary hyper- (inititally) and subsequent hypo- issues. It can take a couple of weeks for the thyroid to adjust to a higher intake of potassium iodide.
You can mix Lugol's with water and use as a mouthwash, but I would NOT do this if you have any silver amalgams as these contain about 50% elemental mercury, and the mercury will react with the iodine/iodide and make you feel quite unwell.
Iodine has good antifungal properties, and I would recommend anyone with yeast/candida problems to research this thoroughly before trying it. If you suffer from hyperthyroidism you should NOT take potassium iodide. If you suffer from hypothyroidism expect initial increase in thyroid function followed by sudden decrease that will take a couple of weeks to settle. If you have any silver (mercury) amalgams, get these replaced before putting any iodine in your mouth. You might get away with taking tablets, but be aware that iodine is secreted by the salivary glands, so some of this iodine will find its way back to your dental fillings.
I take half an Iodoral tablet each day (6.25mg). Women may have a greater requirement for iodine compared to men since it is stored in breast tissue and ovaries:
I had thyrotoxicosis (fT4 > 100) which was treated with carbimazole. I now have hypothyroid symptoms, possibly due to DIO2 gene (I have one copy of the defective polymorphism).
I initially took kelp tablets and then switched to Lugol's/Iodoral for suspected SIFO (small intestine fungal overgrowth). Initially when taking iodine I had mild hyperthyroid symptoms, and afterwards hypothyroid symptoms. I stopped taking iodine when diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I restarted taking I no longer felt symptoms, my TSH then became elevated and the endo felt this was due to me taking potassium iodide. He said that iodine is sometimes used to treat thytoxicosis, so I assume this suppressing effect is well known.
Sorry, I did not realise that paper was an animal study, I am feeling very tired. I was looking for a paper that indicated that iodine was utilised by the ovaries.
Sorry for mentioning a website, I did not realise that was against the rules. I only mentioned it because I originally had problems finding someone who sold Lugol's Solution (several years ago).
If you suffer from hypothyroidism expect initial increase in thyroid function followed by sudden decrease that will take a couple of weeks to settle.
The member that started this thread ( Hidden ) does have hypothyroidism and is currently titrating her dose of levothyroxine. Having suggested that she might take Lugol's Solution as a possible remedy to kill candida, how would that work alongside her thyroid medication regime?
I would expect it to interfere with test results (it elevated my TSH). However I was on carbimazole, not thyroxine.
If someone is already being treated, it would probably be better to continue with thyroxine treatment to find optimal levels, as this may resolve many issues, otherwise you are going to be changing two things at once (and you may annoy your GP/endo), which will make it more difficult to find the correct dosage of T4.
My endo was deeply unhappy with me taking iodine when my thyroid was almost back to normal, but if I don't take it, my leg muscles take a week to recover after running.
As I said before, this is something that needs to be reasearched thoroughly.
Bear in mind that some of the symptoms of systemic fungal infections overlap with hypothyroidsm (brain fog, general malaise, fatigue).
Also bear in mind that if you take meds (either antifungals or iodine) and if you have SIFO (small intestine fungal overgrowth), then if the yeast in the intestinal tract is killed off you may experience a Herxheimer reaction (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaris... which manifests as flu-like symptoms for 24 hours. I think after taking 1mg iodine for about a week I felt ill, vomited once, drank lots of water, went to bed and felt incredibly well the next day.
Where is your proof that interference with the thyroid gland, when taking iodine, is temporary? That was not my experience at all. Iodine stimulates the gland to produce more hormone. Stimulating a sick gland is not a good idea, and will probably hasten its demise.
Excess iodine can exacerbate and cause all sorts of thyroid problems - yes, it can suppress, but it can also stimulate. It can also trigger Hashi's. And, if you already have Hashi's, it can make symptoms much, much worse.
Are you aware that if you are taking thyroid hormone replacement, you are already taking in extra iodine? Adding Lugol's on top is really not a good idea. And suggesting to someone with a known thyroid disfunction that she should take iodine, without suggesting that she should at the very least get tested for deficiency first, is totally irresponsible. You seem to have little idea of the damage it can do.
Of course it's possible had the study included more people one person might have had an adverse reaction. Everything has a risk, which is why I said "I would recommend anyone with yeast/candida problems to research this thoroughly before trying it"
While T3 and T4 contain iodine, I'm not sure if this can be utilised by non-thyroidial systems, e.g. salivary glands.
Tests can be inaccurate/wrong/misleading. Iodine is secreted in saliva, iodine kills yeast, hence if you are getting oral yeast infections it is suggestive of an iodine insufficiency.
Well, it might be suggestive of a deficiency, but l wouldn't want to count on it. I would still want to be tested. No way would l suggest that the OP, who is struggling to find the right dose, at the moment, risk taking something that could potentially skew everything. As for Wikipedia, whilst it's useful to get an overview of a subject, it's hardly state of the art, up to the second, scientific research, is it? Not for something that risks affecting you health for the rest of your life.
Our bodies convert T4 into T3 (and rT3) - that leaves one iodine atom free.
Our bodies convert T3 (and rT3) into T2 - that leaves another iodine atom free.
Our bodies convert T2 into T1 - that leaves yet another iodine atom free.
(Whether we do actually convert T1 into T0 seems a bit less certain.)
From what I have read, it appears that much of the iodine that is made free by deiodination eventually ends up in the thyroid again (at least in someone who has a functioning thyroid). Obviously, any other organ that can take up iodine directly could also get some of that iodine.
Trouble with a study that used 250 micrograms of iodine to suggest taking 6.25 milligrams of iodine as Iodoral is, I think, fairly obvious. A factor of 25.
I wouldn't have expected a dramatic impact from taking 250 micrograms of iodine. That is at the level that many of us could inadvertently consume in a day. Yet even at that low level, the paper says:
Patients with reduced echogenicity on ultra-
sound and patients with TSH concentrations greater
than 3 mU/l who were receiving iodine seemed to be at
greater risk of developing thyroid dysfunction.
Bear in mind, many of us already have at least a slightly elevated TSH - quite possibly more than 3. Bear in mind that the people running the trial stopped supplementing iodine as soon as subclincial hypothyroidism was observed (and re-checked).
FInally, the final sentence:
Thus iodine may change the natural
course of autoimmune thyroiditis, resulting in a more
rapid progression towards hypothyroidism.
Is that what we want? Is that what people expect from taking iodine?
There's a spit test you can do for Candida thecandidadiet.com/testingf..., though I don't know if it's reliable. I thought candida was my problem for years, but now I believe it's more of a symptom: if you're thyroid's not working properly nor is anything else and that can result in candida. You haven't mentioned your adrenals, it sounds as though you could have adrenal fatigue/crashes. Have you done a saliva test for it?
Yes I've had this - have heard some recommendations that natural yoghurt, can cut down
the incidence, so I buy low fat, non runny, yoghurt, which I thinks helps.
Some even suggest using the yoghurt, as a paste, but don't think I could do that!
Yeast foods are stimulants for candida as it is a yeast fungal infection - cut out beer, lager,
marmite, Chelsea buns, - buns cakes bread made with yeast, but you may find self raising
flour ok in cakes and bread, and biscuits. If you look on wikipaedia you might find
other foods with yeast in them - may be mushrooms - haven't checked them.
Best wishes Gadgrant
I had it really bad for years gut, vaginal and mouth and also convinced it caused athletes foot also. At the moment its the best it's been in years and almost completely gone but still have a feeling it's laying dormant and could resurface at anytime. I got repeated water infections and they always found thrush in the samples, put me on antibiotics which then made it worse. I don't know exactly what helped with me as I supplemented a lot and then went onto thyroid meds and carried on supplementing. Def cutting down on sugar helps but I also used raw apple cider vinegar as at one point it was also making me very intolerant to foods such as rice, carbs. It all seemed to settle once my vitamin and thyroid levels became better. It's about 90 percent better now which is livable. It's a stubborn one to get rid of and generally feeds off a low immune system it's horrid. Hopefully your levels will increase soon and you will see improvement. Manuka honey is good for it also. Although yes that's sweet like sugar it has something which attacks it I used to have a spoonful of that a day usually after some nasty apple cider vinegar. I tried digestive enzymes and tablets but nothing like that worked for me.
Doctors did nothing apart from suggest I go on a low dose of permanent antibiotics which I knew was a very bad idea. They prescribed thrush treatments but ones you can get over the counter. Once it's in your guts it really difficult to shift.
Hi, no but I will if it resurfaces again thank you. I am good at the moment with it, it is almost gone but pregnant so my immune system is a bit lower than usual. Still nothing on the scale it previously was though. I also have to be careful what I take at present.
I have been walking this since 2011...I had it 25 yrs ago and took liquid nystatin and I was back to normal af ter 6 months....this time...I had it too long..i hv been on 150mg of fluconazole pr day for 4 yrs... its the only way I can function..im working with a ND trying to sort it out...I can knock it back but cant kick it...prob due to the shells they hide in....I took blood tests comprehensive stool and urine are the best.... my urine showed very high arbinitol....that's a bi product of yeast.....im now taking a very good probiotic powder and eating lots of veggies, sauerkraut...I need to build up the gut bacteria...I feel so hungover without the medicine.....I have the MTHFR gene also.....
Tammy
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