Things are happening!

It's been a while...

I guess returning to work has kept me busy and away from here.  Things have been happening (family, health and work).

Benjamin is growing and more active than ever!  He is starting to use some words and figuring out that he can communicate things more effectively.  He now waves and says "bye-bye"...so cute! And he runs to the kitchen cupboard where some of his food comes from and says "na" (snack...he learned this from a girl at daycare).

Matthew is working hard at his new position at work.  It comes with some major responsibilities and stress, but he's doing great!

I've been working at my contract position for over 2 months now and I'm still loving it!  I've learned a lot and really enjoy what I am doing, (editing/correcting errors in published geological maps).  It's pretty nit-picky work and I love it!  The BIG news is that I had an interview this past week for a permanent position...got my figures crossed and lots of prayers happening, so here's hoping...(It was my best interview and I don't believe I could have prepared any more or better, so regardless of the outcome, I will know I did my best).  I should have an answer in the next couple of weeks...

As for my health, in early March I started back on Fluconazole for 1 month (after lengthy discussion with my Lactation Consultant and a doctor).  Right near the end of the month I got a throat and sinus infection that required antibiotics, which of course flared my yeast symptoms, so I stayed on the Fluconazole for an extra 10 days.  I got so fed up with my health!!!  I insisted on seeing my family doctor, having blood work done, a vag. swab, saw a dietitian and even signed up to see a Naturopathic Doctor.  My family doctor got the test results in and told me I was totally healthy (no yeast, no  bacteria, nothing), but if symptoms returned again, she would recommend an extended 6-month treatment of Fluconazole...6 more months of a drug I have tried over and over again for 1.5yrs!  No WAY!  And only AFTER that failed to fix my problems would she refer me to an infection specialist in town.  Ya, right...I really want to stay on this restricted diet for another 6 months with no change!

The Naturopath had different ideas...she looked at my test results and did a urine test (which no medical doctor had even thought to do).  She found/saw some interesting things and prescribed various treatments.  Guess what...I am getting better!  I am eating fruit for the first time in MONTHS with no yeast infection symptoms!  The Naturopath says I am a "text-book" case of chronic Candida infections; she pin-pointed the root of my problems in the urine analysis and within a week of treatment my symptoms disappeared!  I only feel better and better as treatment continues!  She believes I will be completely cured of my Candida issue (which is really a bacterial issue allowing the yeast to get out of control) and be able to return to a normal diet with no problems!!  I can't wait!...but for now, I am thoroughly enjoying the return of some fruit in my diet!  Very exciting stuff...at least it is for me!  Who knew...we've been treating the yeast infection (because those were the symptoms that I was feeling) instead of the underlying bacterial problem!

Candida Symptoms Update

I spoke with my Lactation Consultant and she recommended I return to the strict (Stage 2) Candida Diet for 1 week and if I symptoms were gone again I could start SLOWLY reintroducing the foods recommended in Stage 3.  She suggested I maintain a high intake of probiotics for good, basically; as well as the recommended 3 doses of 250mg Grapefruit Seed Extract per day.  She figures my body just needs the extra help to stay more alkaline (yeast flourish in an acidic environment). Oh ya, she also said the pain in my breast could not have been yeast if it cleared up in less than 2 days; a yeast infection that painful would have required the Fluconazole to clear up.  She suggested it was a blocked duct or something along those lines, caused by pressure(s) on the breast (my bras have been fitting loosely from the weight loss, and I recalled adjusting one strangely one night to keep that breast from falling out, so it was probably the cause of a blockage/deep breast pain).

I did the one strict week (lost another 5lbs!) and then began eating Stage 3 foods.  First grapefruit, then beans in a chili, raspberries, blueberries, brown rice pasta, flavoured brown rice rice cakes (with no yeast), etc.  So far so good.  But...I have been doing a Canesten treatment at the same time, (my hubby thought why not help kill the yeast - at one point when I was pregnant the midwives said it couldn't hurt to do a vaginal treatment "just in case" - so that was his logic).  I have chosen to avoid major carbs like breads, baked goods, etc.  I am still staying away from anything sweet/sugary (I doubt I'll be able to handle that stuff ever again until after I stop breastfeeding)...

At this point, I want to keep breastfeeding (and so does my son!), so I've resigned myself to this new way of eating.  But it's not all that bad...and the weight keeps coming off, so that's a great encouragement.  It's taught me that what I eat really does have a consequence in regards to how I feel and how I look!

Candida Symptoms Return - Part 2

Sunday night was rough.  During the day Sunday my left breast began to hurt and last night it just got more and more sore, deep inside the breast tissue.  One side of it seems almost lumpy and extremely painful...yeast!  I have called and left a message for my LC (its a holiday here today).  I have no idea what to do about my diet (Stage 3 or back to Stage 2), and now that the symptoms are this bad, would she recommend I begin taking Fluconazole again?  This thrush/Candida thing is tough to beat!

On a more positive note, my milk blister on the right nipple seems to be mending wonderfully, I don't feel it at all anymore.

Candida Symptoms Return - Part 1

I woke to nurse Mister at 3am and my left nipple was so sore; yeast all over again.  I'll start using the APNO after every feed and see how things progress.  I'll increase my Grapefruit Seed Extract intake to 3 doses a day and increase my probiotics to 50,000 BCU twice a day.

Looks like I'm going to have to continue on the CD indefinitely, at least as long as I want to continue breastfeeding.  I just don't know if I can return to strictly following Stage 3 or if I need to go right back and repeat the initial Stage 2 for 28 days.  I kind of figure that if the yeast has regrown enough to cause these symptoms all over again, I probably need to promote another Die-Off (which will not be fun because it made me really sick and now I am working full time).

10 Days Post-Candida Diet Update

Don't you just hate when you've written almost an entire post and your computer decides it's suddenly the perfect time for an update/reboot?  

Yup, I had a wonderfully detailed post of my last 10 days 
in regards to my choice of foods as I finished the 
Candida Diet and began reintroducing foods.  

In the last few days of the diet I began using Kraft salad dressings (just got so tired of lemon juice and olive oil) - and yes they contain a little sugar and some vinegar.  Then I began making smoothies for breakfast as a way of introducing 2 of the recommended berries (blueberries and raspberries - lower sugar); mixing them with plain yogurt.  I then had a few meals of brown rice pasta with Parmesan cheese (avoided during CD due to potential for mould).  I thought it was perfect timing when I saw Kellogg's come out with Brown Rice Rice Crispies, so I began having about 1/2cup of that for breakfast (but with 1% milk which does contain sugar - still have not developed a taste for almond milk).

Note: I have continued to take one dose of probiotics and grapefruit seed extract daily.

The worst has been this last week; I've returned to work.  At work I had one cup of coffee each day (that means caffeine; and with milk sometimes which means some sugar).  Wednesday night we went out for dinner to celebrate our 4th anniversary and I figured I'd been so good while on the diet that I'd treat myself to a real dessert.  I ordered a slice of decadent chocolate cake which we shared some of and brought the rest home.  We had more of it for dessert on Thursday after having pizza for supper (I only had 2 small pieces).  But today was the kicker at work; I had a chocolate glazed doughnut in the morning and in the afternoon I indulged in red licorice and some smarties.  I know, what was I thinking?

Tonight I am wondering if I am beginning to feel vaginal yeast symptoms (there is the potential that it's simply pre-period twangs of pain).  If it's yeast symptoms, that means I will have to re-start the diet ALL OVER AGAIN!  (and I still have some of that amazing chocolate cake left in the fridge). This makes me wonder what I might have done wrong the first time because if all the yeast was killed off as it should have been, how could it repopulate to a point of causing symptoms so quickly?  In some ways I don't mind the thought of getting back on the CD; as I felt quite healthy and loved the bonus weight loss (I've been getting lots of compliments lately)!   I know that before I said that if my yeast issue returned, I would consider weaning Benjamin and stopping breastfeeding, but I am not ready to give up breastfeeding (and I now know that I can survive the CD - I'll admit the weight loss is bonus encouragement to repeat the CD).  My major concern about starting to follow the CD again will be the likely "die-off" symptoms (I felt so sick last time, I could hardly do anything for the first week and a half).  I need to be able to manage at work now.

Well, who am I kidding...I'll finish the rest of the piece of chocolate cake in the fridge tomorrow and THEN I'll decide if I'll begin following the CD again.

Candida Diet - Summary of my food choices

I meant to do a little more blogging, tracking my progress on the CD.  Today is Day 24.  I can't believe I am so close to being done the 28 days I set out to do.  I have done very well, if I say so myself.  It's been interesting to see how my "sweet tooth" has changed, over the course of the last 24 days, I've been using less and less Stevia, if at all.  Here is a summary of typical foods I've been eating.

Beverages:
- water with lemon juice
- less than 1 coffee per day (usually decaf; makes a nice "dessert" in the evening sweetened with Stevia)

Breakfast:
- 2 eggs (scrambled - sometimes with veggies mixed in, over easy)
- Bacon (Maple Leaf has a new "Natural Selections" with no chemicals/preservatives and 0 carbs!)
- sometimes 2 Tomato slices
- rarely 1 Brown rice cake (plain) [7g carbs]

Snack Options:
- Celery sticks or
-  Brown rice cake (cheddar cheese flavor) [7g carbs] or
- Nuts (almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds)

Lunch:
- Salad
     - spinach or mixed greens
     - veggies (snow peas, cucumber, celery, tomato)
     - sometimes topped with leftover chicken
     - homemade dressings (lemon juice/E.V. Olive Oil/herbs or E.V. Olive Oil/plain yogurt/herbs)

Snack Options:
- Celery Sticks or
- Snow Peas or
- Raw Turnip (I enjoyed the crunchy veggies as snacks) or
- Brown rice cake (cheddar cheese flavor) [7g carbs] or
- Nuts

Dinner:
- Meat (chicken, pork or salmon - cooked in Coconut Oil on the George Foreman Grill)
- Steamed veggies (turnip, asparagus, green beans, etc).

Dessert/Evening Snack:
- Coffee (sweetened with Stevia)
- Walnuts and pecans chopped up in plain yogurt (sweetened with Stevia)

I've Finally Started the Candida Diet

After over a year of suffering on and off with thrush/candida yeast infections, I've finally admitted to myself that I have no other option but to do the Candida Diet.

Our midwives suggested it way back when we were first diagnosed with thrush.  My lactation consultant has told me for about a year that this is what I need to do.  When I have asked employees at health food stores what I could do to battle yeast, they all said I need to do the Candida Diet.  On Friday, I spoke again with the doctor that prescribed me the most recent, long-term treatment of Fluconazole.  She told me that being on and off of Fluconazole for months like I have been is really not wise.  She said that if the yeast comes back again, she highly doubted another doctor will prescribe me this type of treatment with Fluconazole ever again.  The drug is very strong and extremely hard on the liver.  (And Benjamin does get some through my milk, too).  So, she said that I am really running out of options to deal with my yeast problems.  She asked how long I plan to continue breastfeeding; because she believes that if I stopped, I'd no longer have trouble with yeast.  (I have no plans to stop any time soon).  Then she conclude that doing the diet is really my last option if I want to keep breastfeeding and be thrush/candida free.

I've been reading lots about it, trying to find a list of foods to eat/avoid that I could follow.  Every website says something different.  I know the whole premise is to cut out sugars and carbs to starve the yeast and kill it off.

After my discussion with the doctor, I know the severity of the situation now, and that my breastfeeding is on the line.  I definitely don't want to give that up!

So, Saturday, January 14th I woke up determined.  I announced to my hubby that I was starting the "diet" that day.  Everyone I spoke with said I need to do it for 28 days, it's only 28 days of my life, and in jeopardy is my health, my son's health and our breastfeeding relationship.  So, I am totally on board and I will do this! 

Today is day 4 and I am doing well.  The mornings have been the toughest, because I have woken up weak, light-headed and a little nauseous (all expected symptoms resulting from candida die-off)...but still hard to deal with.  This morning was a little better, so hopefully I am on the up-swing and my mornings will get better.