CarolynC, With all due respect, this isn't about you personally at all.
Its about figuring it out for everyone invovled, especially since this is an IBS forum. You may say its real and say lots of doctors ect., but that is NOT the case, lots use it to make money.
Its funny there is no test for a proliferation of an OVERGROWTH of candida in the gi tract that can't even be seen with a microscope?
Nobody finds that odd?
Again this is a problem, people call their IBS candida overgrowth syndrome.
Its NOT and that message needs to be very clear here.
You don't want people with IBS to be misdiagnosed do you?
I am glad you feel better, seriously but this information is important to IBSers themselves.
IBS is diagnosed in the absence of organic conditions!!!!
For a reason in fact many reasons and its a condition of the large colon or sigmoind colon. Not a blood stream infection or an infection at all.
Both the USA and Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy and the leading fungus doctors in the world have never found this condition in 20 YEARS. They have looked hard for it, that you might have a altered bacterial gut flora is not Candida overgrowth syndrome. There is no amount the gi tract has millions, so its how the "Doc" personally interprets the tests. It would also be in your blood work.
Unorthodox Techniques for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergy, Asthma and Immune Disorders
Advice needs to be "evidence based"
When considering testing and treatment, advice needs to be "evidence based". In other words, there needs to be evidence that a particular test or treatment is reliable, based on studies of other patients with the same condition. Reliable tests need to be able to distinguish between those with illness and those without. Therapeutic trials are designed to show that any improvement seen is due to the treatment, and not just due to chance or coincidence.
Inappropriate Testing
Tests for 'dysbiosis'
Use: Diagnosis of food sensitivity / allergy and other non-specific symptoms
Method: Some laboratories offer pathology tests including stool bacterial/chemical analysis, urine metabolite profiles, intestinal permeability assays, trace metal analysis, Candida antibody / cellular proliferation assays and blood / urine fatty acid and amino acid profiles for assessment of "dysbiosis". The concept of 'dysbiosis' states that there is a balance of 'good' versus 'bad' bacteria in the bowel of each person, that imbalances result in disease, and that this can be assessed by various metabolic and bacteriological measurements. Such tests are often used by unorthodox practitioners as a rationale to guide (a) megadose nutritional supplementation; (b) 'probiotic' and/or antibiotic therapy; or (c) dietary modifications. These treatments are promoted as a means of restoring a 'healthy' balance of bowel flora.
Evidence: No evidence
Comment: There is no sound evidence to support the notion of 'dysbiosis' as a cause of allergic diseases or related clinical conditions. The clinical validity of the tests involved or treatments advocated has not been demonstrated.
Unorthodox Treatments
Chronic Candidiasis
Use: Treatment of a variety of ailments including allergy, irritable bowel, food allergy and intolerance, autoimmunity, arthritis and psychological conditions.
Method: This approach is based on the concept that imbalance of gut flora results in overgrowth of Candida albicans within the gut. Release of fungal toxins results in a variety of symptoms including fatigue, arthritis, irritable bowel, food intolerance as well as psychological symptoms. These toxins weaken the immune system, predisposing to further symptoms from ingested foods and toxins. Treatment centres on dietary supplements, administration of antifungal drugs such as nystatin, and restriction of "Candida friendly" foods such as those containing sugars, yeast or molds.
Evidence: Level II
Comment: Candida is a normal gut organism, and immune responses (antibodies, cell mediated responses) to this organism are both expected and observed in healthy controls as well as those allegedly suffering from this condition. There is no evidence of overgrowth of Candida or altered immune responses to this organism in patients complaining of this syndrome. There is neither a scientific rationale nor published evidence that elimination of Candida with diets or anti-fungal therapy is useful for management.
http://www.allergy.org.au/content/view/322/271/
Why is there candida in the bowel in the first place in humans?
""Candida albicans, and other strains of Candida are yeast that normally inhabits our digestive system: the mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. Candida is a normal part of the bowel flora (the organisms that naturally live inside our intestines, and are not parasitic). It has many functions inside our digestive tract, one of them to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria. Without Candida albicans in our intestines we would be defenseless against many pathogen bacteria. Healthy person can have millions of Candida albicans."
"About chronic candidiasis
An overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract of the usually benign yeast (or fungus) Candida albicans has been suggested as the origin of a complex medical syndrome called chronic candidiasis, or yeast syndrome.1 2
Purported symptoms of chronic candidiasis are fatigue, allergies, immune system malfunction, depression, chemical sensitivities, and digestive disturbances.3 4 Conventional medical authorities do acknowledge the existence of a chronic Candida infection that affects the whole body and is sometimes called chronic disseminated candidiasis.5 However, this universally accepted disease is both uncommon, and decidedly more narrow in scope, than the so-called Yeast Syndrome"a condition believed by some to be quite common, particularly in people with a history of long-term antibiotic use. The term chronic candidiasis as used in this article refers to the as yet unproven Yeast Syndrome."
Real Candidiasis which is a "Systemic Candidiasis are "systemic infections"
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic76.htm
IBS is NOT an infectious disease.
Dr. Andrew Weil, bestselling author of Natural Health, Natural Medecine has to say about candidia...
Candidiasis
Candida albicans is a kind of yeast that normally lives in the gastrointestinal tract and vagina without causing any problems. Under certain circumstances it can reproduce wildly, causing symptomatic infections of the mouth (thrush) and vagina as well as intestinal upsets. A common cause of yeast overgrowth is antibiotic therapy, which can kill off the "friendly" bacteria that compete with candida for food and keep it in check. If you have to take broad-spectrum antibiotics, it is a good idea to take supplemental acidophilus; to reduce the possibility of yeast infections. Candidiasis also tends to occur in people with suppressed immunity, such as patients with cancer and AIDS and those on long-term treatment with steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs.
In recent years Candida albicans has received much notoriety in certain circles as a major cause of illness. Some holistic practitioners diagnose everyone coming through the door as having systemic yeast infections, and health-food stores make a great deal of money on supplements that claim to fight yeast. I have read books and pamphlets that give the impression that everyone who has ever taken an antibiotic or steroid now is infected with candida, and that undiagnosed yeast infections are responsible for fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings, behavioral problems in children, allergic reactivity, skin eruptions, and most chronic digestive problems. I have had patients who believed yeast was growing in their blood, lungs, and other vital organs and begged me to prescribe strong drugs to kill it. They shunned beer, wine, bread, vinegar, and even mushrooms in the belief that any food associated with yeast or fungus would contribute to their disease.
Most of these ideas are unsound. Diagnoses of systemic candidiasis usually have no scientific basis, and most treatments people take for it are a waste of time and money. If you had yeast growing in your blood or vital organs, you would be in an intensive care unit, critically ill. Since candida is a normal inhabitant of the human body, no objective test can prove it to be the cause of general symptoms. Culturing it from the throat of a depressed patient does not mean that yeast infection is the cause of the depression.
Most of the treatments prescribed for this faddish disease are harmless except to the pocketbook. One that is not is the prescription drug ketoconazole (Nizoral). It can be toxic to the liver and should not be used except on the advice of an infectious disease specialist. The more commonly used drug nystatin (Mycostatin) is usually safe because it is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
Women who have recurrent vaginal yeast infections should see the entry on that subject. Others who worry about yeast in their system would do well to eat raw garlic every day; since it is a very effective antifungal agent. Take a course of nystatin if you wish (it must be prescribed by a doctor), and try to cut way down on sugar in the diet. Pau d'arco, an herbal remedy made from the bark of a South American jungle tree (species of Tabebuia, also known as palo de arco, lapacho, and taheebo) is often recommended for candidiasis, but I do not prescribe it. Much of the bark that comes into this country is contaminated with pesticides.
Candidiasis is a wonderful example of a fashionable disease. It appeals to our fears of being vulnerable to foreign invaders and satisfies a need to blame our vague and general symptoms on a specific causative agent. ten years from now it may be out of fashion. In the meantime, if you have used antibiotics and steroids for a long time and have clear symptoms and signs of yeast infection, by all means follow the recommendations above and see what happens. If after a reasonable trial, say four to six weeks, you have not experienced dramatic improvement, consider another diagnosis.
The recomended anti-candida diet is VERY similar to the specific carbohydrate diets that are recomended for both IBS and IBD by the alternative therapy community.
Real Candidiasis which is "Systemic Candidiasis are "systemic infections"
Systemic Candidiasis is rare and usally found in highly compromised immune systems such as AIDS and Cancer and can be life threatening.
From the Dr Fungus website. An exppert on all fungi
Overview
It has been proposed that the asymptomatic colonization with Candida might be associated with a variety of symptoms and cause a "Candida Hypersensitivity Syndrome" [592] This concept was popularized by William Crook, MD in his book The Yeast Connection [485]. Previously, C.O. Truss, a physician from Birmingham, Alabama had proposed the existence of such a malady [2232, 2234]. Other names that have been given to this presumed condition include:
Candida-Related Complex
Polysystemic Candidiasis
Chronic Candidiasis (This term should not be confused with Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis)
The syndrome is theoretically due to an overgrowth of Candida albicans in the gastrointestinal tract or in association with mucous membranes. The syndrome is said to occur in connection with some or all of the following risk factors:
Use of broad spectrum antibiotics
Use of oral contraceptives
Ingestion of diets rich in yeast-containing foods or readily utilizable carbohydrates.
Pregnancy
Tremendous attention by public media and health magazines has created a large body of uncritical publications on this topic [395, 480, 484, 2024, 2231, 2232, 2233, 2234, 2425]. There are no rigorous data to support these concepts. The whole idea is based on historical controls and no working definition has been ever assessed [218]. Although brief communications by the proponents have appeared in major journals [477, 478, 479, 481, 482, 483, 486], the actual studies performed by these physicians do not appear to have been subjected to peer review. The American Academy of Allergy and Immunology published a position paper in 1986 stating that the concept was "speculative and unproven" [82]. Later, a carefully designed study on the topic by Dismukes et al. demonstrated that the condition does not appear to be reproducible or verifiable [592].
Clinical Manifestations
There is a broad range of symptoms that have been associated with this syndrome. They can be classified in the following groups, although it is not clear how many or which of them are required to make a diagnosis nor is there scientific data linking these multiple clinical manifestations with Candida albicans overgrowth [218, 260]:
Vaginal. Recurrent episodes of Candida vaginitis associated with the classic symptoms of pruritus, burning and abnormal discharge.
Gastrointestinal. Heartburn, bloating, diarrhea or constipation.
Respiratory allergy. Rhinitis, sneezing and/or wheezing.
Central nervous system. Anxiety, depression, memory deficits and/or loss of ability to concentrate.
Menstrual abnormalities. Severe premenstrual tension and/or menstrual irregularities.
Other Systemic Symptoms. Fatigue, headache and/or irritability.
Specific Diagnostic Strategies
The proponents of the existence of this syndrome base their diagnosis on the clinical picture previously discussed [484, 485, 2425]. There is no laboratory test that allows a clear identification of patients affected with this presumed disorder. Actually, "no clear definition of the disease has ever been advanced" [218]. Considering these facts, it is impossible to set criteria to establish and identify patients affected with this supposed disease.
From a practical viewpoint, we recommend that all women with recurrent vaginitis be carefully evaluated for possible causative factors. Patients with more general complaints should receive a general physical examination. A CBC, general serum chemistries (including liver enzymes), and thyroid studies should be checked to eliminate the possibility of an anemia, subclinical hepatitis, and so forth. Finally, Renfro et al. reported that approximately two-thirds of patients with chronic fatigue had an underlying psychiatric diagnosis [1871].
Treatment
Proponents of this syndrome have recommended such therapies as:
Long-term therapy with antifungal agents at increasing doses until resolution of symptoms. Oral and usually vaginal nystatin are recommended. Other azoles, such as ketoconazole have been also used [260].
Diet modification including restriction of sugar and other simple carbohydrates [481].
Candida allergy shots [218].
Avoidance of mouldy environments [218].
The value of these therapies is unknown. Dismukes et al. conducted a prospective double-blind study to assess the impact of antifungal therapy on this condition [592]. This study compared oral and vaginal nystatin with placebo in 42 premenopausal women with the presumed diagnosis of chronic candidiasis. The remarkable finding of this study was that nystatin did not "reduce systemic or psychological symptoms more than placebo did "[592]. One of the major proponents of the syndrome, Doctor William Crook criticized the study by saying that nystatin is no more than one of the components of the "comprehensive and multimodal therapy" required for this condition [481]. The same author agreed on the urgent need for more scientific studies on the topic. However, a recently done and detailed Medline search on the topic yielded only the data that we have discussed.
Chronic Candidiasis FAQ
We often receive inquiries about the diagnosis and treatment of chronic candidiasis. Here is our FAQ list:
How can I decide if I have chronic candidiasis? Answer: We don't know. The syndrome has never been clearly defined and a workable diagnostic approach has never been put forth. While we have no doubt that there are individuals who suffer from some (or all) of the symptoms listed above, we are not aware of any testing procedure that can link these symptoms to a candidal infection.
My doctor cultured Candida from my stool. What does this mean? Answer: Candida spp. are frequent asymptomatic colonizers of the skin and bowel. Such cultures are of little significance unless you are critically ill in an ICU or are receiving cancer chemotherapy.
I took _______ (name of drug) or I altered my diet to include (or exclude) _______ (name of food) and now I feel better. Doesn't that mean I have (had) chronic candidiasis? Answer: The most common form of this question is "I took fluconazole and now I feel better--does this mean I had chronic candidiasis?" While we're glad you feel better, response to fluconazole is not a diagnostic tool. The various antifungal drugs have effects that go beyond the fungi (for example, fluconazole interacts with the enzyme systems of people, not just of fungi) and many diseases have a natural course of progression and regression. Similar concepts apply to changes in diet. If something makes you feel better, we're delighted for you. We just don't know what it means.
I still really think I might have chronic candidiasis. What should I do? Answer: At the risk of being repetitive, we'll say it again: We don't know of any useful approaches to diagnosing or treating chronic candidiasis. You should see a competent physician and be checked for the things that we do know how to diagnose (see discussion above). If these tests are negative, then we have nothing too specific to offer other than sympathy. We are not denying your symptoms. Rather, we honestly don't know what to do about them. If you can identify something that makes you feel better, then we'll cheer for you!
Is "yeast" the same as Candida? Answer: The term "yeast" is relatively imprecise. Medical mycologists use this term to describe fungi that reproduce predominantly by budding or fission. There are many genera of fungi that fit in this category. Beer and bread makers use the term to refer to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Doctors sometimes use the term "yeast infection" to refer to Candida spp. and its diseases. For example, yeast vaginitis is the colloquial phrase for candidal vaginitis.
This isn't to attack any person, this is about accurate diagnoses we all want to have personally and accurate information on IBS, a functional disorder asbsent organic disease. Is also about IBS awareness and promoting misinformation on IBS is a major problem to IBS doctors, researchers and pulic awreness people trying to get accurate information to the public in the first place about IBS, while everyone has there own IDEAS of what causes it and promotes them and not the actual research.
There is a bigger picture then just us as individuals out there that needs to be addressed as well as our own individual health and IBS management. Its also important for people with different conditions to be accurately diagnosed and treated, depending on what condition or disease they really are diagnosed with and then treated right.
If someone wants to pursue it after they have heard both sides then fine, but it NOT the cause of IBS, nor should it be promoted as IBS.
Thanks for listening and again no bad feelings towards anyone.
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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