Dear Dr. Stoll,
I recently went through an epiphany of sorts when I discovered that my interstitial cystitits/vulvodynia was in large part due to candida. I now am determined to get over this mess! I've had it since September 1997, and I was on antibiotics for seven months. This past December, after hearing about a lady who has helped other women with IC recover, I flew from Florida to Rockville, Maryland to a nurse practitioner who started me on the road to healing. I do an hour's worth of physical therapy every night, stretching my piriformis muscles and working on my levator ani muscles. The therapy is a God send! I must also follow a strict anti-yeast diet. I am currently on 500 (mu's?) of Nystatin four times daily, along with one 100 mgs of Diflucan daily for 10 days. My pain has gone from a 5 to a 2, and I can wear clothes again! As far as vitamins/supplements go, I take psyillium, digestive enzymes, fish oil capsules (9 daily), a multivitamin, at least 9 acidophilus a day, Kyolic garlic, plus throw in a grape seed extract or two along with one pycnogenol. Here's the question? When will I be able to have something as simple as Mayo again on a sandwich? I was on a very unhealthy diet before--junk, junk, and more junk! However, I long for the days when I can have a banana or a grape. The bladder pain previously prevented me from eating anything acidic; however, I am recovering slowly but surely. I live in Florida, between Jax and St. Augustine, and I am looking for a doctor who knows the stuff that you know (at least knows about candida/Nystatin). Do you know of anybody in Florida who I can see? I notice that you live in Florida. ;)
Thank you so much!
Follow Ups:
Re: Determined to kill Candida & Find a Doctor in FL
Posted by Dawn G. on February 12, 1999 at 09:27:40:
In Reply to: Determined to kill Candida & Find a Doctor in FL posted by Susan G. on February 11, 1999 at 15:57:28:
Hi Susan,
If you can't find anyone closer to you, e-mail me and I can give you the name of my DO in Boca Raton.
DLGrenier@compuserve.com
Re: Determined to kill Candida & Find a Doctor in FL
Posted by Walt Stoll on February 12, 1999 at 10:45:18:
In Reply to: Determined to kill Candida & Find a Doctor in FL posted by Susan G. on February 11, 1999 at 15:57:28:
Hi, Susan.
Candida is frequently a complication of IC and vulvodynia BECAUSE they ALL are basically due to total body bracing and the attendant perineal bracing I have mentioned so many times.
Unless you practice the SR, regularly, all the things you are presently doing will eventually stop working even though you continue doing them. That is not to say that you should not do them. Of course, they will help---as you are noticing. However, NOTHING will take the place of the SR in the long run.
THe nystatin dose you are taking is inadequate. The least I have seen work is 750,000 units 4 times a day. Also, I am suspicious that the 500,000 dose you are taking is by tablet since that is the size of the tablet and physicians not knowledgable might prescribe that. You have to use powder and slosh it around in your mouth for a minute or so with each dose!
Tablets are NOT effective for this since they totally miss any candida at the gumline (where it tends to thrive) AND all the GI tract from the mouth to the small intestine. After each dose, you just reinocculate the gut from the mouth.
I AM in Panama City but have just moved here in the past 4 years. I have never practiced here & don't know the practitioners. I would call Dr Crook or Dr Trowbridge to get into their database of practitioners in your area.
ALSO, be aware that there is a VERY wide variance between the expertise of all candida docs. The best that one can say is that at least candida docs know that it is a problem whereas the conventional doc is still hiding his/her head in the sand trying to pretend it does not exist.
Walt