Candida And Vitamin B12

Question: Question for doctors...I have an unusual medical condition and need advice..can u help please? I have candida overgrowth in my intestines & gut which stops my body absorbing nutrients..I suspect I'm vitamin b12 deficient as I've had the overgrowth for about 6 years causing me all kinds of symptoms- http://www.healthe-livingnews.com/articles/what_is_the_truth_about_candida.html I've also developed vitiligo on my hands arms and feet... I'm so down and depressed about it it's made me suicidal at times because my doctor thinks taking Nystatin for 3 days will sort the problem but it's too severe for that. What tests are available for this kind of problem and what should I ask for as my doctor doesn't seem to understand the condition and thinks candida can only be in the vagina. Because I'm agoraphobic and haven't left my house for 4 years (because of the candida symptoms) it's difficult to get tests etc. You help is very much appreciated. Thankyou.

Answer: Here is an interesting site. I may be useful since you don't have to go the doc. Good luck, my mother got this from being on chemo and inerferon back to back. It was horrible for her. Hope you feel better! http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/intro1.php

Question: What is wrong with me? For the past year I have had health problems like lower back pain, weakness, muscle spasms, and neurological issues. My body's response to sugar seems messed too. I am only 21 and have been to many doctors who just would refer me to other doctors and prescribe anti-depressants etc. I was thinking my problem was related to candida yeast but I have taken many strong supplements and seen no improvement. The other day I took vitamin B12 and a CALCIUM / MAGNESIUM / ZINC pill and felt better than I have in a year. Eating lots of vegetables and alkaline foods really helps me too.

Answer: The last sentence in your questions spoke volumes. Eating healthy is the first line of defense against illnesses that can attack our bodies. You should be eating several servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Make sure you have a healthy portion of fish or poultry that has been grilled or baked, avoid fried when possible. Even some red meat once or twice a week is good for you. Avoid Energy drinks and sodas, all they do is dump loads of sugar into your body that it doesn't need. Avoid fast food when possible. Lastly, start exercising on a daily basis. I think you will find you feel much better and a lot of your symptoms will vanish just by doing these simple things. Take care and be well.

Question: Am I causing my boyfriend's angular cheilitis? I'm 25 years old and my boyfriend of 6 years has suddenly gotten cuts/sores on the inside corners of his mouth. I have googled angular cheilitis and saw that it is caused either by a fungal infection (candida albicans), i.e. too much yeast, or a vitamin deficiency, namely riboflavin (B12). What I'm concerned about is that I am the cause of this. It happened a couple weeks ago after we were intimate one night and the sores have not gone away. I have not had any yeast infections as of late. I have had them in the past and I know I don't have one now, but just because I can't feel anything doesn't mean something isn't wrong. Could I be the cause of the angular cheilitis and if so, what can I do to improve my health? I appreciate all comments with good intention and a sense of maturity. Please respect this question as it is a real concern of mine! Thank you.

Answer: There is a very high chance you are giving this to your boyfriend...the only way to know for sure is to go to a doctor, and they will swab his cheek and test the culture and find what is growing in the Petri dish. They will let you know if it is indeed a fungal infection. And yes, it may be embarassing...but...doctors see/hear/deal with these kinds of situations every single day. If you are the cause, you can ask the doctor to reccommend some kind of medication you can take orally. I was given Flagyl when I had a 'down there' infection during this pregnancy of mine. Good luck, and ignore any rude/mean/idiotic comments that I'm sure will be posted on here.

Question: Could I possibly have candida overgrowth, I am 27 and cant get diagnosis? I have gone through numerous tests due to my abdominal pains, they radiate to my sides and rear ribs, the general mood that describes me is "very uncomfortable" as in my body always feels that way in the torso area. I never could imagine a pain lasting for so long, only letting up a a few hours a day (but not even all the way) or when sleeping. Thank god I have great insurance, I look very healthy from the outside, but on the inside the pain is constant in the background, when it flares up sometimes I feel like life is not worth living. Here are all the tests I have had: ct scan when this all started in june- normal Ct scan with contrast 3 months in - normal Ct scan with contrast again 6 months later - normal mri of abdomen/liver/pelvis with gado contrast 6 months into this- normal abdominal ultrasound - normal Hida scan with cck - 83% ejection fraction rib xray - normal small bowel follow through - normal (possible intestinal spasming seen) hydrogen breath test - spiked twice at 2.5 and 3 hours (abnormal?) cbc and various blood work - normal except elevated ferritin 386, elevated alt liver enzymes 141, elevated total and indirect bilirubin ~2.2 (they say I have gilbert's syndrome which causes elevated bilirubin?) colonoscopy 3rd month - normal endoscopy 3rd month - normal mri of thoracic spine - normal hepatitis panels - normal tsh thyroid test - normal vitamin b12 test - normal celiac test - normal camera endoscopy - normal various stool tests - normal The only relief I get is from using magnesium citrate (a laxative) and dulcolax (a stimulant laxative) Then after 24 hours of not eating, when I am completely empty I start to feel better.. but very fatigued because I am hungry. Could it be possible that candida overgrowth could be causing my symptoms? Has anyone that had candida overgrowth in their intestines and overcome it, and do my symptoms sound similar? I am also constantly suffering from a whitish tongue and bad breath (the dentist says my mouth is fine though) I have been taking these peppermint oil pills lately and I notice 4 hours after taking them I can taste the peppermint in my mouth, like it is in my blood stream. Could this be that "leaky gut syndrome" that is caused by candida? The only test I ever tested positive on was that hydrogen breath test that spiked twice at the end, for possibly bacterial overgrowth in my small intestine. I did a round of rifaximin, but it was only minimally helpful. Most doctors say I don't have candida because my immune system is not compromised and I do not have aids. What do you think?

Answer: Hi, I have to disagree with the lovely Tink here. I'll break my answer up into a few sections of you dont mind. 1.It seems like you have some good doctors( or insurance or however it works in USA )that are actually really trying to get to the bottom of your symptoms and im glad they havn't thrown you to the pit of the psychiatrist or tried to stick on the "easy" label of fibromyalgia. 2.Presuming that your tongue looks likes the first picture that i have linked below,then this is actually bacteria. This is something that is confused by many people including some medical doctors to be Candida(thrush) and sometimes M.D's have mistakenly prescribed people with this Antifungals in the belief that it was candida only for the patient to find no change/relief in symptoms ultimately. The second and third photos are what Candida really looks like(warning: photos not for the easily startled) 3.I would really doubt that you would have intestinal candida overgrowth but the leaky gut Tony mentioned,hmm maybe?........ but this is controversial disorder however and there are some other avenues i think would be worth exploring first if your doctors havn't already done so. I do think its a good idea to avoid Gluten like mentioned though. 4.Peppermint oil pills can cause some people reflux.The way to avoid this is to take Enteric Coated Peppermint Pills so that the pills are kept intact until they reach the small intestine. If you mean something different regarding your "peppermint taste in your mouth" sensation and not this what i described above,the could you please elaborate further? 5.Have your doctors absolutely confirmed that your elevated Bilrubin levels are caused by you having Gilberts Syndrome or is this just something that they are suspecting? 6.Maybe you have some IBS or other intestinal motility disorder or Small Bowel Overgrowth but i think theres probably a more ultimate cause that is causing those symptoms too & they are could possibly be a secondary result & not the primary disorder. 7.Did the ultrasound include all of liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas?Were you asked to eat something the night before but then nothing after? 8.Ask your doctors for these tests if they havn't already done them(some of these you have probably already had?) Fecal fat test,serum lipase,fecal elastase,MRCP,AMA blood test(not ana,you possibly already had that before too?),HFE gene test and to check regarding these: More test for Gallstones-they sometimes dont show up on abdominal ultrasound. Primary sclerosing cholangitis,Autoimmune pancreaitis,Chronic pancreatitis,Pancreatic cysts,Pancreatic pseudocysts,Sphincter of Oddi dysfuction,Acalculous Cholecystopathy(no stones,ultrasounds often normal) and Ascending Cholangitis. Web MD says HIDA scan "does not work when the patient's serum bilirubin is greater than 15-20 mg%." 10.What are your stools(poo) like?What colour are they?Do they have fat in them?Do they float?Are they sticky looking like tar?is there any undigested food etc etc? 11.Were you taking any pharmaceuticals or herbs prior to this starting or traveled to somewhere like Asia? In the meantime,avoid fatty foods and be careful with fiber as it actually makes some constipation worse. Take Care