Are you one of the unfortunates who suffer from ailments your
doctor can’t diagnose? I was, and went through a living hell for
months. I was shuttled from doctor to doctor (nine specialists
in all), only to be told “It’s all in your head.”
I was finally rescued from these ‘diagnoses’ of hypochondria by
a perceptive doctor who identified my problem as Candida
Albicans, a systemic yeast infection — a common but often
elusive ailment that frequently escapes doctors’ attention.
Since being diagnosed and following some simple remedies, I have
my life back and now feel better than ever. If you have mystery
ailments and aren’t getting satisfaction from your medical
providers, you might want to hear my story:
In the summer of 1997 I found a lump in my neck. It didn’t hurt,
didn’t bother me at all, so I ignored it. Then one lump became
two, and two became three. I was still ignoring them since they
weren’t painful. I had to go to my primary-care physician (an
Internist) to renew my Prozac prescription (I’ve been depressed
as long as I can remember, and on Prozac for 2 1/2 years) so I
mentioned the lumps…
Since then I have seen nine (yes, nine!) different doctors,
specialists, and physicians assistants. I’ve had more blood
tests than I can count (I swear the doctor’s have more of my
blood than I do!). I had ultrasounds of my neck. I saw two
endocrinologists, two surgeons, a hematologist, and none of them
could even agree! Through all this I still felt NORMAL (which
for me includes being tired, depressed, irritable, and having
frequent headaches.).
On January 15, 1998, I had the original lump (a swollen lymph
node) removed. The lab work showed it WASN’T Cancer, Cat Scratch
Fever, Aids, or Psittacosis (parrot fever). But, they still
didn’t know what it WAS.
I was left with a two-inch scar, painful ‘pins and needles’
across my jawbone and down the front of my neck, and NO answers.
Then I started to feel miserable. I had pain from the surgery
and started sleeping 14 to 16 hours a day. I couldn’t stay
awake! The times I was awake I had no energy or ambition to do
anything. I wasn’t functioning like a person and certainly not
like a mother to my five year old son.
More blood tests, more doctors…When I went back to the surgeon
for a follow-up and complained about the painful pins and
needles in my neck and jaw, he told me that it couldn’t be from
his surgery and that I must have developed arthritis.
Funny, I’m 35 years old, never had arthritis before, and I was
under the impression that arthritis is in joints and bones, NOT
skin– but now I had arthritis.
More sleeping. I couldn’t work anymore. More blood tests, more
antibiotics, more of my husband doing housework, cooking meals,
and taking care of me. But still no answers.
On March 10, 1998, I had Bone Marrow Testing done by the
Hematologist because all my blood numbers were off kilter. Too
many red blood cells, too many white blood cells, and too many
platelets. I got my period twice that month (the doctor thought
that might be my body’s way of getting rid of the ‘extra’
blood). During the procedure (which is NOT fun), the doctor hit
a nerve. My leg went numb and hurt for two days. I also had
internal hemorrhaging, so the pain from the procedure lasted
almost two weeks instead of a few days.
When all the tests and reports came back, the Hematologist told
me that I had developed allergies. Funny, I never had an allergy
in my life, but suddenly they developed now, after surgery!
Nothing specific, mind you, he never said WHAT I was allergic
to, only that I had allergies.
I’m very skeptical of doctors who believe that side effects from
surgery include arthritis and allergies!
I DIDN’T have Leukemia, Lupus, Mononucleosis, Lyme Disease,
Hepatitis B or C, Tuberculosis, Diabetes, or Sugar problems.
Again, we still had no answers. No one could figure out what I
DID have.
One morning I woke up with 103.2 degree fever. More blood tests,
more antibiotics, more sleeping. I had big, white pus pockets on
my throat but the culture came back normal! Again, nothing was
diagnosed, and the fever went away in a few days.
My doctor did notice, however, that the bone marrow results
showed absolutely NO iron in my system (the Hematologist didn’t
mention this, only allergies) so he put me on an iron
supplement, and referred me to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor.
Thank God for Dr. Deems! In just one visit he found out that I
had the Epstien-Barr Virus (also known as the Yuppie Flu), and
more importantly, a systemic yeast infection called Candida
Albicans. The Epstein-Barr had to run its course. Since it’s
viral, there’s no medication. The Candida can be controlled, and
sometimes eradicated, with medication and diet.
Within weeks of starting the anti-Candida program (mostly a
change in diet and one medicine), I was feeling better than the
old me…no more tiredness, no more mystery illnesses, no more
questions. The headaches were becoming fewer and farther between
and I wasn’t in a fog every morning when I woke up.
Dr. Deems also thought we should take out my tonsils (I hadn’t
had them removed as a child because of a blood disorder I was
born with. Thirty years ago they didn’t have the technology to
operate on me–now they do.) I was told it would cause a
set-back with the Candida, but he thought it would be worth the
short-time reversal. On June 5, 1998, the tonsils came out. The
set-back was hardly noticeable. I went right back on the
anti-Candida program, sans tonsils, and wound up more than 25
lbs. lighter (with no exercise!) than when I found the first
lump. My triple chin disappeared, and I got to go shopping for
short-shorts!
Best of all, though, is how GOOD I have felt ever since! If you
or someone you know has some, or all, of the symptoms I did, a
Candida infection could be the culprit.
Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired? by Patty Blair is
available through Blair House at: Sick-and-Tired.info
ISBN#0-615-12386-4 $7.95