Hi, my lovely old Ma has been suffering for a few months with a sore mouth (white gunk on her tongue), digestive issues and a couple of toe nails with fungal infection. Despite begging her to go to the GP, she won’t go. She fears they’ll find something terribly wrong and so buries her head in the sand. I’ve offered to take her and reassured her that it’s pretty common and can be treated. She’s also having terrible cravings for sugar and now can’t drive past McDonalds without stopping off there for 2 sugar donuts! It’s laughable but so not since she won’t go to the GP.
Today I’ve become very concerned as she’s complaining of severe joint pain in her left shoulder and down her left arm. I told her I wanted to take her to A&E as any pain in the left arm should be checked immediately. She got very angry with me, refused to go and said it feels like a trapped nerve but her fingers keep swelling and then going down.
I’ve just googled Candida Infection and wish I hadn’t as this could be a sign that it’s got into her blood stream and could be arthritis caused by the Candida.
Does anyone have any experience of this and should I take her to A&E to have it checked out?
Many thanks
Moira
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Moiseym
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I developed a thrush infection after 2 months on steroids. Food tastes funny too. Clearing it up is easy. They can either give her a liquid to swish in her mouth or a pill. Toenails can be very difficult to clear and, the older you get, the harder it gets. Nothing you can get over the counter will help much. Sometimes, ingesting probiotics can help to get things back in balance. I think that she needs to be checked for diabetes as well.
When experiencing a heart attack, women will feel it in their left arm exactly as you describe. It won't be relieved by a change in position. She needs medical attention.
Unchecked Candida can have lasting consequences but if you get her to ease up on the sugar, things should improve pretty quickly.
I have used Oregano Oil, Pau d’arco and Grapefruit seed Extract (GSE) to combat candida but this is incredible slow and has to be combined with a strict sugar free diet. If you want conventional meds and can’t get her to a doctor, Fluconazole can be bought over the counter but only one at a time. Just get plenty of advice from the pharmacist as it is for your Mother.
Supplementing probiotics will also help keep further candida in check. kvmj's suggestion of getting her checked for diabetes is good as elevated sugar levels could be another cause of the candida.
Also craving sugar can be down to insulin resistance when there is enough sugar in the blood stream but it is unable to enter the cells for use, so making one still feel hungry.
Systemic candida is a beast to deal with (if that is what it turns out to be.)
*First, she has to get off the sugar.
*Tcp Original Antiseptic Liquid mixed with warm water and swished in mouth can relieve discomfort and is antimicrobial and healing. It's good for mouth issues in my experience.
*Brushing with non-fluoride paste and swishing with warm salt water afterwards (Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt) may help.
*Virgin coconut oil mixed with pink salt and swished in mouth is very soothing and antibacterial/ antifungal (make sure to spit in waste bin and not the sink. It can clog the drain.)
*A good anti- (fungal/ yeast/ parasite) herbal blend can be helpful. Look for herbs like Wormwood, Garlic, Clove, Black Walnut Hull, Oregano, and Pau D'Arco along with healing herbs like Turmeric and Ginger in the formula.
*Apple cider vinegar can be used undiluted on the affected toenails. Use a cotton swab to apply several times a day. (If Clotrimazole or Miconazole creams are available over-the-counter for yeast infections/ athletes' foot, you can mix in some with the ACV and swab on, as well.) But, kvmj was correct that toenails are difficult to treat, especially with age/ entrenchment.
*Drinking 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar in a glass of water daily is good for balancing out digestive system, along with a good probiotic. (I have found that the probiotic is better started later down the road after you have been treating the candida for a few weeks. All of the die-off of the yeast is a shock to the system and can cause digestive issues that can be aggravated when you add in the probiotic while actively still trying to kill- off the yeast. But, that is just my personal experience. If taking a probiotic from the start, be sure to take it a few hours away from the antifungal.)
*I have found 1000 mg of Milk Thistle daily is helpful. It can ease the burden on the liver while it is dealing with clearing the yeast detritus. Take at night before bed. Early a.m. is when the liver does it's work.
If she can make it through 4-5 days of no sugar, then she will be surprised to see that she just isn't craving it like before.
Eating good protein, eggs (if not allergic), healthy fats, green vegetables and cooking with coconut oil for it's antifungal benefits is a good way to go about it.
That's not to say she will never be able to have sugar again. But, when she does it would preferably be a balance of fruits, complex carbs, natural sweeteners in small amounts (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar). Stevia and monk fruit are naturally sweet, non- sugar sweeteners that are also good.
These steps have really helped me keep candida under control. When I fall off the wagon, I just get strict with the steps above again 😆
The pain in the shoulder and swelling in the fingers could be gout.
There is a lot that can be done to help you mum but sounds like she is refusing the help. If you phoned 111 and described her left sided arm pain they might well want to send an ambulance and I am wondering if that wouldn't be a bad idea, she might listen to the ambulance crew better than yourself. It might also be worth phoning her GP for a chat as he or she might have more success in persuading her to accept some help than you. I would think with this level of over growth something thing like Nystatin would be appropriate followed by the herbs, probiotics and cider vinegar after. You could also try threatening her with 'I will phone you GP if you dont go' or 'I will phone an ambulance' to see if that get her moving toward accepting some help. I am not sure if you can buy nystatin over the counter.
This sounds like my mum. She had a terrible fear of doctors and hospitals, for what they might find. You will have to be very firm with her, she will probably get angry but she obviously needs help. Could you get the doctor to come out to her?
I wish I had forced my mum to seek medical help, she is no longer with us. I wish you all the luck, our mums are so special as they say you only get one mum x
Great article! Thanks so much. I have personally had much success with goldenseal and warts! (Fell right off after two or three days with liquid goldensea taken internally!). Makes sense that it would also work for candida - which is like warts, a fungus. Wish I had thought of that!
It's a good link - just be careful to double check for contraindications to goldenseal including some meds. Interesting about the warts. I wonder if it also works for ringworm (also fungal) which my other half had recently (also an itchy dry scalp).
Interesting. That article mentioned Berberine, which I recently learned about from another post in this forum. I have ordered some capsules which will arrive in a few days. I am hoping it will help me to lose some weight and keep blood glucose levels from rising. I also read that it helps to get rid of sugar cravings, which sounds like something that would help the OP's mother. I will have to see if it does anything to help me get rid of my intractable toenail fungus.
However well intentioned, advising people to threaten their mother isn't a good idea, and depending on her personality, could have the reverse effect of what is intended - if someone threatened me with a "you do X or I will do Y" ultimation they would be out the door. However concerned we might be, unless someone is intellectually incapacitated, or in a 999 situation, we should respect their autonomy, and instead continue to offer encouragement support and advice to help them reach their own decision to seek treatment if that is what's required.
More great, yet gentle wisdom here on HealthUnlocked. Keith Ayers, a great coach out of Australia had this to say about autonomy: “When someone is given an ultimatum, they have two choices: to obey and feel enslaved, or to rebel.” Neither of those options make for good relationships, nor do they motivate. (Book: Engagement is not Enough). We will all be 77 one day - hopefully!
I would be sure to cut out added sugar completely. Sugar seems to be addictive so once you've gone without it for a week or so it does get easier (I've done it). Garlic and coconut oil are anti-fungal so make sure you include them in the diet. Coconut oil is nice for cooking- for frying, roasting or baking say. Here's a free e-book you can download which will give loads of good advice : mercola.com/ebook/yeast-inf...
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