Positive Health Online

Introduction

In October, 2000, I was very desperate, exhausted and itchy. I felt that I had exhausted all possibilities for a cure through modern medicine and decided to seek alternate therapy.

I researched this disease by reading books and surfing the internet, and was amazed to find out that many of these supposedly unrelated symptoms could be related to Candida. I was also able to explore how mainstream modern medicine has labelled these symptoms with different names, including chronic and incurable. I soon came to realize that remarkable faith, good reasoning and endurance would be required by me to combat this disease.

At this time, I chose to be in control of my treatment and cure. I am not a Medical doctor; I have two post-graduate degrees – a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering and Business Administration. I have been under treatment for Candidiasis, which is a form of fungal infection. The cure has taken more than 41/2 years and I am on the way to full recovery from many chronic symptoms, including sinusitis, eczema and allergy shiners. I have included a few photographs of my vanishing eczema and dark circles around the eyes.

Why I chose Alternate Medicine for Candida treatment

Although two MDs, Dr Orion Truss and Dr William Crook, have done groundbreaking work on the 'Candida-Yeast Infection' almost 20 years ago, this form of Candidiasis is not generally recognized by modern medicine as a disease.

Over the last ten to 12 years, I often asked my own doctor about a cure for the excessive mucous, post-nasal drip and eczema. In the meantime, I had had four recurrences of the Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) since 1985. The UTI recurred more frequently in later years. I was referred to an urologist and I went through renal ultrasound, blood and urine tests, all of which came out negative. Antibiotic treatment relieved the urinary tract infection temporarily but other symptoms persisted. I was also told by my doctor that there is no cure for eczema, post-nasal drip or dark circles under my eyes which he called Allergy Shiners. According to my doctor, cortisone ointments and antihistamines can provide temporary relief for these symptoms. However, I believe that my doctor is well-qualified in internal medicine.

What is Candida?

Candida is a fungal allergic infection of the gastro-intestinal and urinary tract. Many women and men are affected by this disease. Candidiasisis exacerbated by a wrong diet, undue stress and antibiotics. The symptoms of Candidiasis are broad and many ¡V chronic fatigue, depression, hives, eczema, urinary tract infection, colitis, Crohn's, sinusitis, muscle ache, haemorrhoids, blurred vision, allergies, to name a few.

Personal Experiences

In my case, the Candida infection had become systemic.

Systemic Candida overgrowth occurs when Candida breaks the intestinal lining and enters the bloodstream. From there, it can travel to various parts of your body, call it a residence and multiply. The symptoms of systemic Candida overgrowth are: muscle aches, sore/stiff joints, fatigue, problems with particular organs, recurrent urinary tract infections, serious illnesses (Asthma, ADHD, Diabetes, MS, Arthritis, CFS, Fibromyalgia). If you're experiencing systemic symptoms then you need some systemic anti-fungals (anti-fungals that enter your bloodstream in sufficient quantity to reach your joints and organs). The most mainstream doctors recognize systemic Candida overgrowth, but believe that only hardly immune-compromised persons (AIDS, cancer, organ transplant patients) can be affected. (www.infosky.net/~alexmi/candida.htm#2.8)

I had various chronic symptoms – post-nasal drip, sinusitis, dark circles around the eyes (allergy shiners), recurrent urinary tract infections and eczema (both dry and wet). Additionally, I had been noticing gradual degradation in my health – drowsiness, lethargy (depression), excessive mucous in throat, lungs and sinuses, rectal itching and an erratic sleep pattern.

My research on the internet has shown a possible connection between the urinary tract infection and fungus. According to the Prostatitis Foundation:

"Here is food for thought, a hypothesis based on the above: "Antibiotic therapy causes prostatitis". Most of us get antibiotics for various conditions that have nothing to do with the prostate (sinus or chest infections, preventive antibiotics accompanying surgery, infected wounds, etc.) This allows yeasts to proliferate (where they are) and sometimes to invade (where they were not). Sometimes they invade the prostate. Somehow this 'opens the door' for bacteria (the bacterial infection is secondary here, backwards from the usual scenario in which bacteria are followed by yeasts. The bacteria take over and the yeasts are suppressed to a low level. When the bacteria are eradicated by antibiotics, the yeasts emerge again and have to be treated separately. If there is anything novel here, it is in the supposition that the primary infection of the prostate can be a yeast infection, with a secondary bacterial infection following and taking over." (www.prostatitis.org/yeastessay.html) "Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic sinus infections ¡V an immune system response to fungus. They say this discovery opens the door to the first effective treatment for this problem, the most common chronic disease in the United States". (www.mayo.edu/comm/mcr/news/news_773.html)

According to WebMD, "Allergies or Allergy Shiners" – dark circles under the eyes – have no cure in modern medicine; Allergies cannot be prevented. However, they can be treated and controlled. WebMD resource on the internet also finds a possible connection between sinusitis and the dark circles under the eyes and the post-nasal drip but bundles them under allergies. Another example is modern medicine showing a connection between eczema and fungal infection, allergy and stress. Again, no cure is available. According to the National Institute of Health Bulletin, "If a patient experiences a sudden flare of (eczema) illness, the doctor may check for a viral infection (such as herpes simplex) or fungal infection (such as ringworm or athlete's foot)".
(www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/dermatitis/index.html)

These research findings were self-directed. They generally pointed to 'fungus.' Hence, I became more willing and resolute in seeking alternative treatment for my Candidiasis because, unlike conventional medicine, it provided hope for a cure by correcting the yeast or fungal imbalance.

A Word of Caution

One of the biggest challenges in Candida treatment is the understanding of the 'die-off reactions' and the rotation of anti-fungals. It is very easy to give up when the 'die-off reaction' starts. One may think that the symptoms have worsened, when in reality, the patient may be getting better!

During the second month of the treatment, I found that my sleep improved and my energy level also shot up. However, my sleep and energy levels went through a roller-coaster ride during the 'die-off' because the main source of the Candida infection was in the sinus, which had manifested into excessive mucous in the throat, lungs and other organs. The clearing of the mucous from the intestine and the lungs and throat was relatively fast during the first six months. However, the clearing of mucous in the upper respiratory tract was a much slower process and so was eczema. In fact, they were totally related.

Frequently expelling the mucous out by coughing was very important, since swallowing it would cause more die-off reaction. The mucous was laden with Candida toxins. Except for the die-off periods, which invariably occurred within a few days of various fungicide treatment, the mucous build-up decreased, post-nasal drip improved and the eczema on my leg gradually receded. This gradual positive effect motivated me to persevere for months and years.

I kept rotating the anti-fungals and the toxin flushing methods (hot sauna, hot bath, enema and aerobics). As the toxins started to leave through the skin, rashes appeared and my face became grey and pale. According to the book, Ending Fatigue and Depression – A Patient's Manual, "Facial rashes started to appear, my complexion turned grey due to the Candida toxins die-off (Nolan 15)". Of course, after quite a few months, my facial skin gradually became smoother and shiny.

My Treatment

Anti-fungals: Neem (Ayurvedic) powder, psyllium husk, grape seed extract, garlic, MSM, goldenseal, Chinese herbs, homeopathic medicine, neem oil, eucalyptus and tea tree oil for Neti (nasal irrigation method).

Toxin Flushing Methods: Cleansing fasts, acupuncture, enema, Neti, hot water bath with Epsom salt, hydrogen peroxide gargle, dry and wet sauna, walking, tennis and aerobic exercise.

Diet: Mostly whole grains, as breakfast or a snack, no sugar for the first six months, only small amounts of sugar in tea (after six months), yoghurt, flax seed oil, vegetables, lentils, some rice, fruits and nuts.

Vitamins: A, C, E, Zinc and Aloe Vera gel for skin.

As of May 25, 2005, my sinus has totally cleared and my eczema has almost vanished. My facial skin has more lustre and the dark circles under my eyes have faded. The skin on both my legs is also becoming smoother. My energy level is better and I am able to enjoy regular, sound sleep. I am cured of post-nasal drip and I do not have any recurrence of the urinary tract infection since I started the treatment for Candida. Amazingly, both the sinus and the eczema cleared in unison throughout my recovery.

Conclusion

Modern Medicine heavily relies on diagnostic tests and, unfortunately, reliable tests for detecting Candida overgrowth has not surfaced yet. Orion Truss, MD in his seminal work, The Missing Diagnosis, suggests that "the (Candidiasis) diagnosis can only be based on the clinical picture (Truss, 34-35)." One of the reasons that my allopathic doctors in the US were not able to help me is the scarcity of diagnostic tests for Candida (Senerchia 15-17).

The treatment for Candidiasis should be given serious consideration because complete recovery from many chronic ailments is possible and the treatment is rather simple, inexpensive and harmless, but complete cure takes time.

References

Chattow L. Candida Albicans. Rochester. Vermont. Healing Arts Press. 1998.
Crook WG. The Yeast connection – A Medical Breakthrough. New York. Vintage Books. 1986.
Nolan D. Ending Fatigue and Depression – A Patient's Manual. Redmond. WA. James McCormick & Co. 1987.
Null G. No More Allergies. New York. Villard Books. 1992.
Sehnart K and Winderlin C. Candida Related Complex – What Your Doctor Might Be Missing. Dallas. Taylor Publishing. 1996.
Senerchia D. Silent Menace 20th Century Epidemic – Candidiasis. San Francisco. Strawberry Hill Press. 1990.
Tips J. Conquer Candida And Restore Your Immune System. Austin. Texas. Apple A Day Press. 2000.
Truss OC. The Missing Diagnosis. Birmingham. Alabama. The Missing Diagnosis. 1985.