Candida Complete Recap
I started to get away from writing about Candida when I started to feel a bit better. But, the thing is, that after over three years of treating it, Candida still runs my life. And I wanted to look back through all of my posts and pull together a comprehensive look at the beginnings, middle and nearing the end for anyone out there who might also be searching for an answer or working through changing their diet and lifestyle.
At first, I was really sick and no one could figure out why but I had all of these constant and worsening symptoms. I was exhausted all of the time, I lost about 30 pounds – and dropped from a size 9/10 to a size 1/2 in about a month, my tongue had leisons on it all of the time, and my throat would close up making it painful to swallow almost constantly. Eventually I had a constant pain in my lower right abdomen that was there all of the time.
I saw a lot of doctors and specialists, all of whom thought that this was all in my head. For details see this post. I saw A LOT of pompous, ridiculous doctors (everyone from a ear nose and throat specialist, to a OBGYN, to a GI to a dermatologist) who I had to fight with at every appointment just to try to be heard. The absolute worst was the GI the day he said all of this and called everything I was doing “Hocus Pocus”! It made me so angry. All they did was give me more antibiotics which, in turn, made the candida worse. The only person who showed some signs of hope was the rheumatologist.
I had every kind of test done – catscans, colonoscopy, gastroscopy, ultrasounds and even and endoscopy.
Finally I started to see a naturopath who also sent me to see an osteopath (and here). She did koru food sensitivity testing and I had a seven page report of all of the foods I couldn’t tolerate (in general, gluten, sugar, cow dairy, mushrooms, melons, citrus, and anything fungusy). She also did a candida test and my numbers were off the charts (in the bad way). The naturopath was amazing and actually LISTENED, which was more of a relief than anything else. Though she did make me cry as the saga of the candida waged on, she got to the heart of the matter and, more importantly, the correct diagnosis.
After over three years of feeling ill and searching for an answer, I finally admitted that I had Candida and wrote up this synopsis of the condition.
I switched my diet and started on anti-fungals right away. I wrote and followed all of these (which cover the treatment):
What to do if you think you have candida
More Candida Advice and Lessons Learned
Candida Combat Starter and Questions
And constantly tracked down information, guide books, and (most importantly) cookbooks. And I also wanted to let other people know about Candida – so that they were not misdiagnosed and so that they would have the ammunition they needed to explain how they felt to doctors. And, how to eat! There are lots of posts on Candida here and on Gluten, dairy, sugar free food here. And more on my experiences with “the dyingness” (as I called it).
Even a year in, my family doctor was still angry with me. And two years later he actually admitted “well, I’m a medical doctor, so I can’t believe in that stuff”.
So stick with it – I can’t even imagine not having candida now. And not eating this way! I’m still fighting it every day, but there are much worse things (and I want to make sure that this candida doesn’t turn into anything worse as there are some links to cancer from candida).
Friends Keep Saying I Should Blog... 
I’m sitting here reading your most recent post and on the verge of tears. I’ve been trying so hard to beat this for the past three years and feel it’s just impossible. I can’t afford to continue working with my nutritionist or holistic doctor and every ounce of extra cash I have goes to “candida diet” foods and supplements. I’ve been on a strict candida diet now for a full four weeks, but because I don’t have any guidance I never know if I should be doing something else differently. I get so confused by the all the different recommendations. I could go on and on. This is the first time I’ve reached out to someone else who’s going through this, so I have tons of questions for you. I would love to correspond further. thanks for posting. It’s helped me to see how others are experiencing similar struggles.
Carrie
February 5, 2009
Hi Carrie – I know what you’re going through. And I have to say that the key is this food sensitivity testing (koru). It gives you a whole list of what you can and can’t tolerate and how strong your candida is. That way you get a print out of ALL of the foods that you can and can’t eat. The reason there are differing opinions and treatments is because everyone’s food sensitivities with candida are different. You also will need to take some strong anti-fungals in the beginning – and probiotics too. You’ll have to switch up the anti-fungals because the Candida will adapt – it will do anything to stay alive.
doth
February 7, 2009
thanks for your suggestions. I will certainly look into them. I’ve been taking a strong pro-biotic for almost a year now, but I haven’t been that strict with the diet until about a month ago. I agree that I think it’s just finding the right combination of everything. I just hope I can find the right guidance to get me on the right track. Thanks again!
Carrie
February 8, 2009
Thanks for writing this. What an awesome summary. I hope you continue to feel better and beat this thing.
Zesty
February 20, 2009
HI,
I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU ARE COMPLETLEY CANDIDA
CURED OR YOU STILL FIGHTING IT?
YISHAY
April 22, 2009
Geeez doctors can be so bull headed and idiotic! I went to an MD by me that also does holistics, and he told me I probably have Candida. That was about 13 days ago and I’ve been on the diet and the antifungal meds ever since. I think it’s helping but it seems to be going quite slowly.
Cynthia
June 22, 2009
I would just like to thank you so much for writing this very informative blog. My post is a bit late compared to the rest of these but I wanted to comment despite this. My struggle with candida began this year. I started to feel unusually exhausted, with an incredible urge for sweets and other bad foods. My blood sugar felt low and i just did not feel “right.” I went to a naturopathic doctor last month because i thought I was deficient in a vitamin or something like that.. but it turns out I have candida and I am very “akaline.” I have been on the candida diet for a good month, however I have cheated with pretzels a few times and a brownie. I am so glad to have stumbled across your website as I am in search for more resources because i am certainly not eating as clean and “anti-candida” as I should be. i must say though, I feel a lot better, but this past week has been a little difficult. I am jumping back on the wagon though. Thank you also for posting these delicious recipes. I cannot wait to try them and I will be sure to check out the literature and resources you have provided.
natalie
September 4, 2009
I have candida, and my main symptom is eye floaters. I want to know, for people who don’t have eye floaters – what symptoms depress you most? I will only consider myself ‘cured’, when the floaters are gone.
John
January 7, 2010
Wow this is crazy. I feel the same way. I don’t think I have Candida because I don’t have the same symptoms, but with the symptoms I do have (unexplained and sudden weight gain, vertigo, fatigue, mood swings, loss of menses, high blood pressure, hypothyroid, constant sinus infections and more) doctors were just telling me that if I just stopped eating and lost weight I would feel fine. I finally saw an Natropathic doctor yesterday and she put me on a diet almost exactly like the Candida diet. Even though we don’t have the same illness, at least I know I’m not the only one who was treated like that by ‘professionals’.
btlit13
November 10, 2010
I could of written this post… Everything you went through sounds exactly like my problem. I am healed of the candida… or so they say, but now I am dealing with a burning tongue.
I just started working with the people at Humaworm. I am so tired of trying to heal this tongue myself that I went to them for help. I am writing on my blog how things are going. Hopefully this goes away fast because I am totally sick of it.
Terry
January 14, 2011
Seems like a lot of people are facing this candida issue with doctors. I have a family member that bounced from Dr. to Dr. seeking the proper diagnosis. She is now running a website dedicated to educating the public on Candida too, http://www.candidacleansing.org.
Really hope you have beat the candida once and for all. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Izzy
March 15, 2011
Candida is bad news and most doctors aren’t very sound when dealing with it. Glad to hear you are winning your battle against it. Keep it up.
Issac
April 19, 2011
Hey guys! I just wanted to share my opinion. I think that the only real way for beating Candida is using an alkaline diet that I found on this site http://www.candidadieoffsymptomsreview.com . Those old school Candida diets don’t seem to work too long. Anyway, that’s just my take on it . Hope your doing better!
Amy
October 18, 2011
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cassidyraymond5377
April 8, 2016