Persistent Candida

[Rebecca Carey]

Dr Woeller
I have a 6 yo male patients with chronic candida. He was diagnosed 2 years ago after I did an upper endoscopy for reflux and found yeast esophagitis. He also had a dairy intolerance at that time. Additional issues have been behavioral (irritable, toe walking) and a chronic cough (maybe a tic). Symptoms always seem to correlate with recurrent yeast. Now I have been monitoring with the mOAT. He reacted to nystatin so I have been using diflucan but as it kept coming back I started to suspect immune issue or food sensitivity. IgE/skin prick all negative and basic immunology labs normal but IgG testing to GPlains positive for dairy, wheat and egg white (all greater than 6). He has a great family but restricting all of those foods will be very hard. So a few questions –
1. Am I on the right track thinking the food sensitivities are causing the persistent yeast
2. Do I really have to eliminate all those foods or can I just use a botanical for maintenance and maybe do a dairy free diet and follow his mOAT. You had mentioned in one of the modules the variable clinical sensitivity/phenotype that patients have to increased levels of yeast in the gut and I wonder in the non-autistic population how aggressive do you have to to get rid of the yeast. Am I increasing his risk of long term health problems but not totally eliminating.
3. Lastly persistent yeast and positive IgG food sensitivities implies increased intestinal permeability and to you routinely have any therapies that directly target that?

okay thanks!

[DrWoeller]

Dr. Carey,

1 – yes, the food sensitivities can definitely lead to constant inflammation and make it harder to eradicate or control Candida, which by its nature is difficult to control anyway. These food sensivities can also lead to tics too.

2 – I realize it’s hard, but I would emphasize to the parents to do their best at least with the dairy and gluten. The use of a botanical too is a good idea. For these situations I really like Biocidin as it doesn’t have a strong taste and is effective most of the time. I would personally use 5 drops three times daily.

3 – I don’t know of any therapy that specifically targets high IgG to Candida as this is an immune recognition marker. I would rely more on the mOAT and overall symptom improvement of the child instead.

Sincerely,
Dr. Woeller

2 –

[Rebecca Carey]

Thanks for all the great information
Do you feel as strongly about eradicating Candida in the neurotypical child as you do in the autistic child, or asked another what are the long term risks of not eradicating yeast. I get asked that a lot as not much emphasis is put on yeast in the conventional medical literature and my professional colleagues often question/don’t really believe it is an issue.
Rebecca

[DrWoeller]

Dr. Carey,
Estimates are that 80% of the worlds population has levels of candida in their body that does not cause a disease process. It’s most concerning in people with serious illness and an immune compromised state. Many individuals with autism are certainly sensitive to the presence and toxins coming from candida, but its not going to cause or lead to serious illness, at least from my experience. Therefore, trying to treat away all candida is not practical or necessary in everyone.

Dr. Woeller

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