testing for candida

[Ange29]

I think I have candida, how do doctors test for it?

[Ange29]

I forgot to mention, when I was a kid, about 8-10yrs old, my big toe nail started to flake, the doctor at the time gave me some kind of cream for it and it never went away, when I was in my teens, my new doctor had me leave it grow long and sent it out for testing, it came back normal!!! last year I was seeing a dermatologist for a wart on my foot(been there since my teens) and he said there's nothing they can do to get rid of it. It started to spread to my other toe nails on that same foot a few years ago. I'd have to say all my problems started when I was about 8-10yrs old and I guess I got use to them all, pretty sad.

[Ange29]

I didn't edit my status, but I am female, I'm just going to name all my symptoms, it could be easier:
-abdominal gas and bloating
-IBS
-headaches almost daily
-excessive fatigue
-not feeling rested after 8-12hrs sleep
-waking feeling hung over
-very difficult to wake in the morning even after 8-12hrs sleep
-cravings for sweets(I have a very big sweet tooth)
-inability to think clearly or concentrate, often stare into space
-constipation
-itching, hives almost daily
-acne(I'm 29 but feel like a teenager with this acne)
-sinus inflammation(been on antibiotics for infections before with no resolution)
-dizziness(several times a day, had tests done with no results)
-poor memory(always forgetting thing, even my husband comments that I forget)
-earaches
-low sex drive(makes it hard when we are trying to conceive)
-irritability
-sensitivity to fragrances(I get migraines)
-sore throat, always have some sort of infection or its really irritated
-felling spaced out sometimes for days at a time
-pressure in my sinuses with no infection
-pressure in back of my head
-no motivation to get off the couch, even with 2 young kids

I went to the doctors and he told me that people with candida are way more sick then I am and he didn't want to test me, I only told him a few of my symptoms, maybe I should write them on paper for him to look at.
so what do you's think, OH I did this home test where you spit in a glass of water first thing in the morning and it came out so gross, a lot of string like things hanging from my spit with globs of I don't know what floating at the bottom, it was just bubbles when I first spit then it was going kind of yellow after only a few min. Not sure if this is a ligitamite test but I found it online.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
It depends on what infection you have. Skin infection can be tested by clinical examination only. For systemic infection an antibodies test is done. A stool or urine infection can be diagnosed by culture. A vaginal infection (I understand you have registered as male—but on net one never knows) is diagnosed by taking vaginal swab or scrapings and making a slide with potassium hydroxide.
Hope this helps. Take care!

[world78]

I found this.

How Can You Diagnose Candidiasis?

If you have the predisposing factors and suspicous symptoms, then tests can be done. There are blood tests which measure for increased antibodies to candida indicating overgrowth, there are blood tests for candida immune complexes, and there are stool culture and sensitivites when GI symptoms predominate.

When you are able to get a positive stool culture and sensitivity, it aids treatment because it tells you which natural and presciption items will work best with this patient. The candida organism is extremely resilient and can keep mutating into resistant forms, so often is resistant to a number of items in the test. If your doctor is open to learning they can find out more about these tests from the labs which offer them.


Antibody Assay Lab: http://www.antibodyassay.com (opens new window)
Immunosciences Lab: http://www.immuno-sci-lab.com/index2.html (opens new window)
Immunodiagnostic Lab: http://www.idl-labs.com (opens new window)

The labs for the stool culture, sensitivity and preferably for their Comprehensive Stool and Digestive Analysis which gives other helpful information in treating candida are:

Great Smokies Laboratory: http://www.gsdl.com (opens new window)
Advanced Access Lab: 1-800-328-7197