Hi there. I was diagnosed with celiac in July 2005. I was doing really good and feeling great until about a year ago, where I came on to this forum and ya'll helped me figure out to go the endocrinoligist, which she figured out that my estrogen was high, progesterone was low, and I had no cortisol. So, I have been dealing with that and doing very well. She also said that I had a candida infection in my body. So, she gave me a 14 day supply of diflucan. I took that I all the symptoms went away for awhile. Which was amazing because I thought I was going to have to live with that for the rest of my life. Problem is, it keeps coming back. I am having a horrible time with this. Is this common with celiac? Is anyone else having the same problem and if so, what do you do about this???

Thanks!!!

Yes, candida overgrowth is common in Celiacs-- I think it becomes very noticeable after you've been on the diet while and gluten symptoms go away.

I think there's a couple reasons for this. One is that Celiac itself may cause an unbalance in gut bacteria. Another is that undiagnosed Celiacs are often prone to recurrent infections- and repeated use of antibiotics is sure to kill off the good bacteria in your gut. There are probably other things I haven't thought of.

Diflucan is an anti-fungal. It kills the yeast. But you need to take a probiotic WITH it, to add back the good bacteria. Something like Acidopholus, Threelac, ProFlora, or Theralac.

Also, you may want to take a look at the "Candida Diet" thread, in the Other Disorders/Leaky Gut forum. If you take a good long round of anti-fungals and probiotics (14 days may not be nearly long enough,) and it STILL comes back, you probably need to also be on the Candida diet. It's rough, but sometimes it's the only way. It involves eliminating a lot of foods that yeast thrives on.

Hope this helps.

Thanks! Actually I am taking probiotics. I have been on them for a few months now. I was doing pretty good, but through the holidays and stuff, I ate more cookies and sodas and all the bad stuff..gluten free though!! So, sounds like your right. Guess I do need to watch my diet more. I thought the gluten free diet was enough, guess I need to watch the sugars and stuff too.

Thank you for your help. Atleast I don't feel so alone now. I thought it was just me.

I think it's me too, although I didn't realise it until now. This gluten thing really does affect a whole lot of things, don't it.

I am 56 was dign. at 52 I had yeast infections off and on my whole life untill I went gluten free and I have not had a single one and they use to be so bad it hurt to walk and did't want to be around any body because it was so bad.

Candida is a nasty virulent little demon of a bug that once it gets a hold is very hard to control. I say control because you can't ever get rid of it. It is part of the intestinal 'flora' and as long as it is under control it is pretty harmless. Unfortunately it luuurrrves sugar and carbs. So much so that if allowed to get out of control it actually makes you crave the things it feeds on!

The only way to control it is to eat the things it doesn't like. Nice healthy food. Get back to the 'stone age' diet. Fruits, veg, tolerated grains and any tolerated dairy, plenty of water. Easier said than done I know, but it does work. Trouble is we are constantly surrounded and bombarded with images of yummy scrummy stuff that is like the proverbial carrot and most are not allergic (unfortunately) to sugar. We live in a Society that has a VERY sweet tooth. In many products that have been in production for many years is as much as twice the sugar now as there was originally. There are many many problems out there, but it is almost certainly likely that sugar consumption followed closely by Candida is the root trigger for the vast majority.

Whilst most in the Medical Profession treat the idea with contempt, Candida is doing far more damage than many realise and is undoubtedly behind most of the allergic reactions known to man. The thought of it spreading out its invasive mycelial fingers letting all the toxins out is enough to turn my stomach. If only turning my stomach was enough to get rid of it.............. Who's for a bit of internal 'dry rot' then?

Yes, AliB, I agree with everything you said. I too struggle with the little buggers. It seems the bane of my existeance from time to time, especially after the holidays. Candida albicans overgowth/fungus infection what have you. As a result I get cravings from time to time even when on a good sugar and yeast free plus gluten free diet, usually just because I too am human and live in this sugary culture and at times don't want to feel deprived or have a celebration I have to deal with. It is hard no matter how "good" one tries to be with alternative stuff.

Am discovering that not only pro biotics are important but also regular ingestion of pao de arco and semi regular taking of barberry and/or neem. Best anti candida stuff I know.

Can take barberry internally (somewhat sparingly since it is so strong) and also make an ointment with either vaseline or aquaphor and the powdered barberry plus pao de arco and neem powder--or just the barberry mixed in. Much more effective and cheaper than all those anti fungal jock/exterior vaginal itch etc. creams one can buy.

Taken internally it/they reduce the fungus/candida population considerably (not with the vaseline etc. of course!!). Best to use marshmallow root with it to protect the lining of the gut as well as dandelion root to help one's liver deal with the detoxification. Should alternate dandelion with milk thistle every 10 days or so. Shisandra is also a nice addition to help reduce sugar cravings plus it helps balance the liver and kidneys and reduce diarreah as well as aids sleep etc. Doesn't agree with everyone but for those it does its great. Burdock root is also agoody for those that can handle it. It is a good all around systemic herb that helps keep things under control. Can even buy the root and put it in your soup.

Ditto with either yellow dock or oregon grape root (not in soup however!) though they are more specific for the gut and very much like the barberry. Actually you could alternate yellow dock or oregon grape root with the barberry if desperate to get the candida etc. under control. Don't take them all at once--it would be too much!!

But one still has to stay away from sugar. Its like an old shoe that got moldy. Even when you kill the mold, in warm wet conditions it just comes right back. So I just regularly take this stuff from time to time, especially if I am exposed to something or eat something sweet or am under stress.

For general use I use stevia instead since it tastes sweet but has no actual sugar at all--though its becomes bitter if you use too much. I often use it on my non fat yogurt often with some fruit or other and sunflower seeds.

Xylitol has 1/3 less sugar than regular sugar -- use when desperate and you "just have to have" sweet cookies or chocolate or something. Mix part xylitol then with part stevia to taste.

By the way magnesium taken regularly helps ease the chocolate and sugar cravings plus helps against constipation. Just take it to bowel tolerance and back off a little.

I was reading in DANGEROUS GRAINS that most celiacs have too little magnesium which then also leads to loss of bone making ability, plus can create nerve and CNS problems as well as the sugar cravings etc.. The book suggests its important to take mag. with calcium usually in equal proportions, plus vitamin D and plenty of veggies or vitamin K and B 50 vitamins twice a day--the co-enzyme ones in my estimation and experience being the best. And then of course essential fatty acids... All of which helps against the sugar anti candida anti celiac etc. blues--and often helps one sleep better to boot.

Yolo

you are definately not alone, I have been suffering with chronic vaginal yeast infections since my 21/2 yr old was about 4 or 6 months old. It is very depressing and most doctors don't really know how to treat it, I went to my gyno a couple times to be sure it was yeast and he was useless in helping me with this, another family dr finally did help me, but I have since had it come back and I now pretty much treat myself, for lack of good help with this. I wish the medical community would realize the real problem that this is. It is tough cutting so much out of your diet and we all fall off the bandwagon from time to time, but when you see how well you feel and think clearly you will want to stay on it. when I get yeast it depresses me a lot, I get very irritable! Good luck!

I used to get vaginal yeast infections all the time before and had them for yeeaaarrs. Since I went gluten free (and everything else I am intolerant to) I haven't had one single one.

I wrote a long post a few years back on my yeast infections... I had them for like 6 months straight, no let up. I was even sent to a clinic in boston for Rx resistant yeast infections.. wow there were so many people there with them. Scary.

I was itchy and raw for months, really at my wits end when I started hunting for solutions to this in the online world (sometimes at the cutting edge of health and sometimes a bunch of baloney, so buyer beware). I found one web site where the woman's story was similar to mine (but she didn't have celiac) and she claimed she cured her yeast infections by douching with tea tree oil. I was skeptical but desperate.

So I bought organic tea tree (it can't be mixed with anything else) and followed her directions. Which really were this: get a douche kit (I didn't want a big huge contraption as I get yeast infections often and many times after sex (sorry to be so graphic) so I wanted something i could easily pack when I travel so I went to ebay and bought a "Tiny Kit" very small) fill it with warm water and stick 2 Q tips in the bottle of tea tree. Then take those Q tips and swish them around the warm water in the douche water. Use it 3x a day for a few days, then 2x per day then 1x per day until infection is gone. Once its gone, continue to use for a couple of days.

It cured my 6 month long yeast infection up in a week. No doctor was able to help at all. Since then, I now douche after sex and I don't get them at all any more.

I did mention this to my OB/Gyn and she said, "that little tea tree won't hurt you but I don't see how it can help" (doctors are so skeptical of anything that doesn't come on a prescription pad) but its worked for me like a charm.

For those of you really suffering it might be worth a try.

Susan

Thanks Susan,

I will defintiely try it. I also use the barberry powder mixed in Aquaphor (vaseline would probably do) for exterior yeast infections and take barberry internally as a tea with the rest of my teas. It really is helping immensely. I have tried tea tree oil externally in the past but it has only been intermittantly useful to me. The barberry works far better. But this tee tree oil douche sounds interesting.

Just goes to show having celiac and fungus/candida doesnt' stop one from having a sex life even if it can make one miserable from time to time.

Am so glad you have the beasties under control!!

Yolo

The trouble with Candida is that Thrush is merely an external indicator. If you have Thrush then you also will have systemic Candida. Whilst treating the Thrush will undoubtedly make that better, it is far better to treat the whole thing by cutting the carbs and sugar. We are programmed by our environment to want and crave the stuff and it ain't no good for us!

The over-consumption of sugar/carbs is behind everything, even Gluten Intolerance. Whilst some seem to have the ability to process it more effectively, many of us do not have that ability. Because we do not process it properly, Candida and similar yeasts jump in and take advantage and end up growing and proliferating and wreaking havoc throughout the body.

Taking anti-fungals is merely a temporary quick-fix that just knocks it back and gives it a chance to regroup and become stronger and more resistant. The ONLY way to control it is to change the food we eat. To cut the carb/sugar cycle. By restricting the foods it feeds on, the cell walls of the Candida collapse and it dies. We can only do ourselves good by cutting the carbs, not harm.

As long as we are ingesting enough protein and fat and water and some veg our bodies will cope perfectly well. Fruit is ok limited, but the less, the better, at least until the Candida is under control - and try to avoid yeast-based and fermented foods if possible).

There are lots of herbs like Pau D'Arco (Taheebo) that help. Also garlic is a strong anti-fungal as is coconut. There are many healing foods out there that can help get it back into control. If we have gone gluten-free but are still having a problem, our body is telling us that we are still out of balance. I think some feel that, because they cannot have wheat/gluten, they are deprived. They then try to redress that by eating other sweet/carb foods. Not good. Cut the carbs, you'll cut the Candida. You will be surprised. If you can hang in there, you will find after quite a short while you lose the craving for sugar and it becomes a whole lot easier. If you're not craving it, neither is the Candida!