Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; Candida albicans

Hi there,

I have some questions about this topic because it is wandering like ghost through this forum.

Are we with AS more affected by the yeast candida albicans or not? I read on this site:
"Patients suffering from AS, during active phases of the disease, as defined by elevations in acute phase reactants, have specific antibodies to Klebsiella pneumoniae, but not to other bacteria, such as:
[...]
or the yeast Candida albicans."

But in some threads it is discussed as a trigger. So I understood. But how can it be a trigger, in what way? Maybe somebody knows more!?

The background i, that I am dealing with a flare since the end of 2015 with irits, enthesitis and backpain at the beginning. Now it is much better but I am avoiding carbs as good as it gets and I treat myself with Nystatin for candida because I suspect that I have issues with it because I react to carbs (I think). I read, that iritis could be connected to candida but I didn't find something about candida and AS.

So, I would like to read about your experiences and your knowledge with candida.

Thank you very much!

Rayd

Hi Rayd, I too have very much felt that candida has played a significant role in my illness, though I'm not sure how. It definitely seems to have been a part of my major flares. I don't know much about such things, but I imagine it has to do with the balance of good and bad in the gut, and excessive levels of candida can wreck the balance. The opposite could also be true - if the balance is bad, the candida can flare, and I guess the bad bacteria might be flaring at the same time for the same reason.

I take oregano oil to keep it in check. I haven't had any for a couple of months as my yeast symptoms seem to have reduced, but despite this a comprehensive stool analysis has just revealed elevated levels of various candida species, especially a very rare one called candida krusei. It apparently doesn't respond to the normal antifungals but does respond to oregano oil, so I guess it'll be more of that for me.

I too keep my levels of carbs in general very low. Apart from being strictly no starch, I find that I can't eat much fruit, and no sugars /honey /maple syrup /sugar alcohols etc. I have a little stevia and my fruit intake is mostly limited to strawberries, blueberries, kiwis and a little pineapple. My AS pain is massively reduced, though I'm still battling with my other autoimmune issues.

It might be worth your while finding a doctor of functional medicine to work with, and getting some advanced type of stool analysis done. Mine has shown no klebsiella but has been informative in other ways and was money well spent. My diet has been severely restricted for several months - I'm hoping that once some of these issues are addressed I might be able to eat more normally, even if I have to stay off starch.

I feel it is critical to get the bad bacteria and yeasts in check, and replenish the stock of healthy bacteria. I've been taking strong probiotics religiously so was shocked to see my levels of healthy bacteria were so deficient. I'll be seeing my functional medicine doctor next week and hopefully we can start some serious improvements.

I hope I've been able to help a little - good luck Rayd!

Hi Janclebro,

thank you very much for sharing your experience! It was definitely helpful.

I think I have to check on my gut bacteria as well.

How do you take the oregano oil and how much?

I would be grateful to read, what your doctor said and which treatment you get.

All the best for you too!
Rayd

Hi Rayd

My apologies - I haven't been in here for ages. (It would be great if the site could somehow notify us by email if one of our posts receives a reply!) So much has happened in the meantime - my husband has been diagnosed with cancer for one thing.

My doctor changed the Oregano for Berbermycin for a while, then back to Oregano. Unfortunately she keeps prescribing for me supplements that I can't tolerate, sometimes because of starch content and often because of my inflamed gut. I'm starting to feel too embarrassed to keep going back and telling her I can't tolerate yet another supplement! I feel my progress is terribly slow and I'm thinking that biofilms in my gut might be protecting the pathogens from whatever I send to fight them. I'm now contemplating FMT (faecal transplant). I've found a my kind professor who has taken an interest in my health problems and is willing to test donors for me at no charge, and will prepare the samples for me once a suitable donor is found. I'm hoping it will give my gut bacteria a good boost and will help me beat the overwhelming pathogens.

I strongly recommend the stool analysis, not the normal one done by the average lab, but a really thorough one cultured over a couple of weeks, for showing up hidden issues. My yeast levels are very very high and I believe a major part of my problem. I'm guessing my bacteria issues are the reason NSD helps, and my yeast issues are probably why I also have to keep sugar low. I also have digestive issues which complicate things further, for example I can't eat raspberries which are neither high starch nor high sugar. Raspberries etc give me stabbing pains and aching joints all over.

Are you considering stool analysis?

Best wishes
Jane