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I think my Candida has spread to my brain. I'm listening to myself read this post, and I know what you are all thinking. I sound totally neurotic: Fruit loops! I'm writing this anyways because maybe someone else out there has noticed this connection or will after reading this. I have suspected this for a long time, but I have some more confirmations lately. For years I used to have horrible sinus infections and was routinely given antibiotics for the sinus infections. It would get so bad they would x-ray my head and show me how bad the congestion was in the x-ray. The sinuses are very close to the brain. It makes perfect sense that if I had a Candida problem in the sinuses that it would spread to the brain eventually.
Interesting article on Candida and Sinus infections from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/ent-rst/chronicsinus.html
(the link thing does not work on this website, so you have to type it in)
I was reading this article yesterday and all of a sudden this thought came to me. There were two times in my life that I had really serious panic attack issues and depressions. When I think back now, both times were literally days after having really bad sinus infections. I now remember pretty clearly, just being paralyzed with this forehead pain that just came out of what seemed like nowhere and nothing would help. Tylenol, advil, etc. The doctor told me I had a sinus infection. It took a while till I had some relief. Just several days or maybe it was a week after that I spiraled into a huge depression. Then four or so years later the same thing happend again. I just never put the two and two together till last night.
I never gave the biological factor so much credit. Now I see how much my anxiety and depressions are related to the Candida. I have problems like everyone else, but it seems that when the Candida gets out of hand. I just can't handle anything and it magnifies everything. Everything seems so much worse then it actually is and I lose my focus, composure, and optimism.
What I still have not figured it out. Is it too late once the Candida is in the brain? How does a brain detox from Candida? I know how it detoxes in the digestive area, but in the brain, the idea sounds like there is not really any place for the Candida toxins to go?
Out of all my symptoms this is the most difficult one.
After taking Sf's or some anti-fungals many times I feel like Wow, clarity! I can think clear, my brain does not feel as fried, I can focus and I seem more emotionally stable. I tell myself OMG I can't believe I said that, or I felt like that, but the clarity does not last long and the Candida problem goes back into this heavy fog.
I know the brain is not Matia's specialties and IC is her specialty, my most major complaint is the brain. I'm wondering if there are any other people going through what I have gone through. Sometimes the Candida makes me feel like I'm drunk or on drugs.
The other issue that I have is constipation. Although it seems unrelated, it is. I have really really bad constipation ( from the Candida) . It is this spiral issue, I can't get out of. According to Matia, when the die-off happens it causes the constipation, but then I don't go. When I mean I don't go. I don't go for days. Not going for days means that the bacteria and yeast count actually starts growing, so this only makes the Candida problem worse! When I have bad constipation for more then a couple days I get really sick, many times I get fevers and develop respiratory infections. It is vital that I don't skip more then 2 days.
The only thing that seems to make me go lately is 4-6 cups of coffee with almond milk and dates. I know this is sooo bad for the Candida! I am just feeding the problem. After I drink it I get a post nasal drip, I get brain foggy, I feel yeasty in my esophogus. I feel it is a lose-lose situation, because if I don't poop the consequneces are much worse! I have tried so many things: Eating tons of cabbage, water, all sorts of vegetables, yuca, cucumbers, tablespoons of olive oil, fish oil, flax seed oil, avocadoes, doing sit ups. I even tried enemas, but that had some other bad consequences so I stopped doing those a long time ago.
How do I break this cycle? Does anyone have the secret?
Constipation
The best thing which worked for me was magnesium (Twinlabs, 2 caps at bedtime). I tried the poop soup which gave me terrible tum ache. Eating plenty of veg (some raw if tolerated), the right amount of water and exercise all important but despite all these still had that horrible blocked up congested feeling. I reckoned that all those toxins being retained in the body was worse than taking magnesium on a temporary basis (about x2 a wk to start with, then was able to cut down to x1 a wk) and now don't need it at all.
Afraid to ask...
I'm afraid to ask.... What is poop soup?
poop soup
Search 'Constipation 911' a blog entry by Matia for details of poop soup.
Cecilia
I can relate to you in soo many ways. I have a history of chronic sinus infections. They are horrible! I also share your frustration with constipation. For me, everything in my sinus whether pain, burning, stuffiness relates to my intestines. I have trouble getting my bowels to move and the longer stuff stays in there the sicker I feel in my head with congestion. The olive oil and avocado have helped me but my bladder isn't tolerating them right now. It's soo challenging to kill the yeast and also have bowel movements. I drink coffee everyday and still have issues. I wish I had answer for you....~shar
Candida
On the flip side, I too have had sinus infections and continue to have a terrible time with sinusitis on a daily basis. My bowels are always very loose, and I get indigestion/nausea from the sinuses constantly draining. So even though my bowels move on a regular basis, I still have the sinus problems and sometimes get the brain fog.
Yes, Matia can help
Cecilla,
I have been under treatment with Matia for chronic candidiasis since June of 2008. Matia does and can treat candida in all it's forms. I have had great improvement in all areas of my health under her care. Just have faith you are in good hands, and you will get well. The brain fog will go away over time.
Cecilia, don't think your
Cecilia, don't think your crazy for thinking the candida has reached your brain. Now it's in the lymph and the lymph travels the whole body so yes it's possible to reach the brain. It's also possible to get rid of it. I have a lot of head symptoms and a lot has improved as well so don't worry it takes a LONG Time for the yeast but it does go away and it does get better. As far as constipation I have made a change in my diet that I feel is very helpful for me. For the first week I ate soup for lunch and dinner. I made it light no red meet and I took out potaotes and I already don't eat rice if your eating bread I would cut that too. I put carrots in for a carb about a half or whole carrot per serving. sounds like a lot but it's not. I lost 5 lbs doing this and i needed it cause I was gaining from not pooping. After the first week ended I went to eating the soup for dinner. I eat my red meat for lunch with the potatoes and veggies and i have my eggs for breakfist with my potatoes. Now that I am off the first week of doing the soup both meals I put mashed potatoe in the soup so it's thicker it sustains me more. I have had a BM every day for the fist time in a long time and when i was doign the only soup i had two bms. Normally I would have a bm every other day to every two days and sometimes only some pellets that is usually what I would get just pellets. This has helped me the most.
my soup
one cup water with 4-5 lg carrots cut put in a big pot
in another pot I steam 1.5 lbs of king crab steam for 10 min while the carrot cooks
I deshell the crab
chop cellery one stalk
4 cups chopped cabbage
about a tbs fresh chopped oregano ( anything you can't have just sub or omit)
2 health valley chicken broth cans. or homade chicken broth aprox 3 cups
put all the veggies in and then add more water once the veggies are cooked add the crab
in the second week i make it more hardy by adding mashed potatoes. I add about 4 servings worth I put it in once the veggies are cooked.
when i make the mash potatoes i put the cooked potato in my blender and I add chicken broth to the potatoes to help add more flavor. I make more then 4 servings so I have some for lunch and breakfist. then i just add a little butter and salt as I heat them up for my lunch breakfist portions.
You can also make pankaes out of the mashed potoes. I haven't done this though too lazy I love having all my food made for me. I just spend a day making it all and I am cooking a lot less.
Potatoe Pancakes
Nicole, Do you have a recipe for potatoe pancakes? I am eating potatoes several times a day and looking for something new to try :o)