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95 responses so far ↓

• Vanessa de la cruz // Sep 21, 2008 at 2:36 pm

  ok so ive read your information on threelac and im so glad i did, i was just about to buy it. My question to you now is what can i do without taking this, i was diagnosed with cfs, i have the usual headaches and pains tinnitus ect, so what can i try that is safe? Kind regards vanessa

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Sep 26, 2008 at 10:40 am

  Hi Vanessa,

  Overcoming yeast requires more than just taking something. Visit the Candida section of my website. It has a whole lot of information about what to do.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

  Alternatively, my Ebook called Candida Secrets, gives you a comprehensive blueprint on all the important steps that should be taken.
  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets.html

  Best of luck.
  Cynthia

• Neil // Nov 25, 2008 at 3:53 am

  Hi Cynthia
  I really appreciate your honest and clear thoughts on three lac. I tryed it about a year ago and found neither good nor bad reaction. I was doubtful of it’s effectiveness to begin with so…I quit. I have learned a lot about intestinal flora and immune responses in the last couple of years. I had (and perhaps still have) a bacterial infection comprised of Blasto. Hominis, and Dientamoeba Fragilis. In my research on this problem it became pretty clear that one does not have Candida in isolation. If you’ve got Candida you’ve got an imbalance throughout your digestive system. Different flora reacts / processes incoming substances differently. It seems likely to me that some common combination of flora (good and or bad) turns three lac into poison. I’ve also read that one is not to take antifungals with three lac because it kills the active bacteria in the product. Maybe it doesn’t kill all the bacteria and as a result throws the balance out. There are so many variables and so much to lose when taking a potentially lethal strain of bacteria (Enterococcus Faecalis) that I agree whole heartedly with your recommendation. Avoid Three Lac or at the very least be careful….

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Nov 26, 2008 at 1:01 pm

  Hi Neil,

  Thanks for you thoughts. Yes, there are many variables to consider and Candida definitely is accompanied by an imbalance in the digestive system.

  

• Teri // Dec 5, 2008 at 12:59 am

  I just now ran across your site trying to find out if anyone else had a bad reaction to Threelac. I received my Threelac a little over a week ago and anxiously began taking it. The first day was okay, but then for the next week to follow I had THE WORST headache everyday, coupled with MORE brain fog. ( didn’t think that was possible!) I also experienced body and muscle weakness to go with it. I was told this was probably “die-off” and to stick with it, as it would pass. I also have to add that I was alot more moody so I opted to lay off of it for a couple of days and try it in a day or two. Wondering if this was an allergic reaction because I have been diagnosed with leaky-gut syndrome. Today I didn’t take it and did not have a headache. Thinking if it was “die-off” I should have still experienced a headache today. Any comments or advice would be welcomed. Thanks.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Dec 8, 2008 at 10:42 pm

  Hi Teri,

  Well that’s the problem, it is sometimes hard to tell if it is die off or a negative reaction. Your particular symptoms do sound more like die off than what I experienced and what I ‘ve had other people share with me, but there is no way to tell for sure.

  If the symptoms you are experiencing are typical symptoms you usually experience with more intensity, then it could be die off. If they are an entirely new set of symptoms then I would tend to believe it isn’t die off.

  However, an important point to keep in mind in regard to die off— a little die off is a good thing, but a lot of die off is not a good thing. If you overload your body with die off toxins, the liver can’t detox them quickly enough so you just end up sicker. This is not healthy either.

  You can minimize die off with high doses of Vitamin C, enemas and exercise. However if die off continues to be severe I feel it’s best to either cut back on the antifungal or find one that isn’t quite as strong.

  Cynthia
  

• Threelac sufferer // Dec 21, 2008 at 9:22 am

  Yes, Threelac has given me chronic fatigue and a whole bunch of other sideeffects like rashes skin disease, indigestion etc. These side effects never happened to me taking other probiotics. If you notice it says on the carton (Not approved by the FDA) but it is still in the market. I blame it on the same bacilus f. strain which is actually a pathogen. Threelac uses this strain and its side effects to make people think that the candida is going through Die Off reaction. but in reality its just your immune system trying to fight off the pathogen in it. I want to personally sue this company along with others that have been harmed by it. Pllease email me if interested.

• Don Forum // Feb 3, 2009 at 11:59 am

  I LOVE threelac and am ordering more of it this morning. I have gotten relief from candida using this product and I would reccomend it to anybody that is suffuring from yeast. I didn’t feel worse taking it…I feel real good taking it. I am going into my 3 month of twice daily use and I take 2 whole packets a day, right from the start. My itchy skin, my brain fog and my little aches that travel around my body have pretty much disappeared.

• Matthew // Feb 22, 2009 at 5:10 pm

  I really could use some help. I’ve been experiencing severe bloating and flatulance, seeminlgy provoked by any carbohydrate – I never used to have a problem. For the last 2 years I’ve been very anxious and depressed, my mind feels slower than usual. My energy levels are very unstable, some days I can’t stay awake. My tongue has a white lining even though I don’t smoke. What should I do, I wanted to try Threelac but now this site has me worried?

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 22, 2009 at 8:33 pm

  Hi Matthew,

  Well remember what I pointed out in the post — that not everyone has a bad experience. I hear a wide range of experiences about this product. Some people see no results or symptoms at all, some people feel better and some people get really sick.

  That is the usually the case with any treatment product. It largely depends on body chemistry, the level of health of the individual and how many different conditions one may be dealing with.

  This is also true of any health condition, not just Candida. What works for one doesn’t always work for another. It takes trial and error.

  From what I hear from others, it appears that Threelac is most effective and tolerable for those who aren’t very sick.

  However, there are many different antifungals, besides Threelac, that are effective against Candida and many steps one can take to find relief.

  I have at least 10 pages of free information on my site that can be found by starting on this page.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

  You can usually see drastic improvements in your symptoms, by making simple changes in the diet, like removing sugar, refined foods, caffeine and high carbohydrate foods.

  Additionally, I have a very affordable Ebook that provides a blueprint of all the steps needed to address Candida that can be found at this link.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets.html

  Best Cynthia
  

• Angela // Feb 23, 2009 at 5:36 pm

  My daughter took this product in December 2005. First the ThreeLac gave her a sore throat, fatigue and soreness. It then became worse and she began urinating with blood in it. She was hospitalized and it gave her severe renal failure. I would like to know if anyone else has experienced kidney issues with use of ThreeLac.

• Matthew // Feb 24, 2009 at 9:00 am

  Hi Cynthia,

  thanks for the swift relpy. Ok, so I went on a website that promotes Threelac and argued the point you raised. Their response is this: Threelac uses a non pathogenic strain of the questionable bacteria. And that people suffering severe illness or renal failure in the case above have had severe candida overgrowth. They say the threelac is in fact so effective that the body is being overwhelmed with toxins as the candida die, so much so that the kidney’s cannot function… does this sound like rubbish to you… what other probiotics help? Should I take Candex, an enzyme as opposed to probiotic?

• Sophie // Feb 24, 2009 at 5:07 pm

  I’ve had a problem with candida for at least a few years now. I started taking threelac (one sachet per day) last week and a couple of days later I developed a pain in my lower back. I thought it was my kidneys working overtime and hadn’t experienced any other ‘die-off’ symptoms. However my lower back pain is still there, along with fever and pain passing water. I’m drinking LOADS of water to compensate but now I’m freaking out that I could end up with serious kidney problem after earlier post. I’m on prescribed antibiotics now but feel a bit like a fool if I’ve done this to myself! Apart from this, threelac was already starting to help, I felt like ‘brain fog’ was starting to lift and had loads more energy. I don’t know what to do now.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 24, 2009 at 11:19 pm

  Yeah, Matthew, I know that proponents of Threelac say it is a non pathogenic strain, but my personal opinion is that I don’t want to be
  exposed to any strain.

  I know that proponents of Threelac say that it is die off that causes these unusual and sometimes dangerous symptoms, but I disagree. As I said previously, I’ve had a lot of die off in my life, and what I experienced with Threelac was not die off.

  However, I can’t say for sure that is not the case all the time. I’m not here to bash Threelac. I’m here to educate and help people make informed choices. I’m just saying, do your research and be careful.

  It is true that some people have organs and detoxification systems that can’t handle die off. Die off most certainly can overwhelm and incapacitate. However, I’ve never experienced nor heard from anyone else that they have experienced, the kinds of symptoms and extreme severity that are experienced with Threelac, with any other Candida product.

  However, even if that were the case, it is dangerous and not healthy to overload the body with die off toxins. Die off should be kept to a minimum and steps should be taken to minimize it’s impact on the body. If a product produces severe die off that incapacitates, I discontinue it or cut down the dosage.

  Another explanation is that the strain of bacteria in Threelac is toxic to some people. Not all people — but some people. That is my opinion. This may be because our livers, kidneys, colon, gut and other detoxification organs are too damaged, we have a weaker immune system, something in our body chemistry makes us more vulnerable to this bacteria or some unknown factor.

  Regardless of the reason why, the fact remains that some people get very sick with this product.

  I tried Candex and saw absolutely no results at all. It didn’t make me sick, but it didn’t help either. Some people tell me that Candex has been helpful, while other people tell me it did nothing.

  There are many different kinds of probiotics and antifungals, you’ll need to do your homework and try some out for yourself to see what works best for you, but overcoming Candida overgrowth requires a lot more than just taking a probiotic. As I mentioned, I’ve already written about this topic extensively. You can find the information by following the links I provided in my previous post.

  Best
  Cynthia
  

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 24, 2009 at 11:37 pm

  Hi Sophie,

  Sounds like you may have developed a urinary tract infection. Is that why you’re taking an antibiotic?

  Could be a variety of reasons this happened. Could be that Candida moved into your urinary tract when you were trying to kill it. Could be die off. Could be that the bacteria in Threelac caused the infection or made the Candida proliferate.

  There’s no way to know for sure. I’d see a good holistic medical doctor and have kidneys and everything checked out. Then I’d try some different antifungals.

  No need to feel foolish. Don’t beat yourself up. Believe me, most of us have been there in one way or another. You had no way of knowing and were trying to do a good thing. Just remember to be careful in the future.

  Best
  Cynthia
  

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 24, 2009 at 11:41 pm

  Hi Angela,

  Thanks for sharing your story. I’m so sorry about your daughter. That’s horrible. Hope she’s doing better.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 24, 2009 at 11:49 pm

  Hi Threelac sufferer.

  Sorry you went through such a bad time. Yes, the symptoms with Threelac are completely different than any die off I’ ve ever had and that is the case with most people who have a hard time with it.

  However, the fact that it’s not FDA approved is not really an issue. Most natural or alternative health treatment methods are not approved by the FDA. FDA approval doesn’t really mean much. They approve things that are really harmful and ban things that are really effective. So I wouldn’t let that be a determining factor in making decisions.

  Best
  Cynthia
  

• Sophie // Feb 26, 2009 at 5:59 pm

  Thanks for your reply Cynthia. I’m on anti-biotics because of UTI but I’m trying to take them for as little as possible so don’t make situation worse.

  This probably sounds silly but I suppose you don’t recommend taking any more threelac?! I think I know myself it’s not good but feel like it’s such an uphill struggle to overcome candida.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 27, 2009 at 12:31 pm

  Hi Sophie,

  Yeah, I thought so. Well, we do want to avoid antibiotics unless absolutely essential, but sometimes we have no choice. A uti can travel into the kidneys, so it must be treated. There are some natural remedies like cranberry and baking soda that can assist with uti’s as well, that you might want to read up on.

  I’m sorry I can’t tell you whether you should try Threelac again or not. That’s a decision you will have to make yourself.

  I can tell you, that if it were me, I would not take it again. It’s too risky. Anytime a product gives me serious or overwhelming symptoms I discontinue it’s use. It means one of two things, either something in the product is causing the symptoms directly or my body can’t handle the healing crises. Either way it’s not healthy.

  Best
  Cynthia
  

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Feb 27, 2009 at 2:53 pm

  P.S. Sophie

  I also encourage you to follow your gut or your inner voice. Sometimes our desperation to get better leads us to go against what our inner wisdom may be telling us.

  

  Cynthia

• Karen // Mar 14, 2009 at 2:25 pm

  Cynthia,

  I’ve been taking Threelac and a host of other products from the sellers of Threelac, designed to compliment Threelac, for almost 2 weeks now. I had a few days of feeling better — could have been a placebo effect — then several days of not much change, and yesterday I had a day of very uncomfortable nausea. From reading your website and your blog and all of the comments on your blog, I think that I am just experiencing die off. However, I must say that your blog and everyone’s comments have scared me quite a bit.

  I actually started poking around on the internet looking for info on one of the complimentary products, and that’s when I stumbled onto your website.

  I’m not sure what I’m going to do going forward. I am taking two packets of Threelac daily, and I’m thinking that my nausea yesterday was caused by the complimentary product.

  I hear you saying that different people react differently to different products, and it also sounds like most of you who had serious side effects had a reaction almost immediately. Have you heard of folks who did OK on Threelac and THEN developed serious reactions?

  I need to consider my options. Thank you.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Mar 15, 2009 at 9:41 am

  Hi Karen,

  No, I’m sorry, I personally haven’t heard from anyone who has been okay at first and then had a reaction, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. I’m a pretty small fish in a big sea.

  In my opinion, I think serious reactions are likely to be experienced a lot sooner than two weeks, but I can’t say for sure.

  Could be die off or could be the complimentary product, as well. You’ll just have to monitor your progress, weigh things out and go from there.

  Best
  Cynthia
  

• Jodi McCormick // Mar 26, 2009 at 3:17 am

  I tried threelac and stayed awake for 16 nights.
  Also I developed a bladder infection that I believe was caused by it.

• Adrianna // Mar 31, 2009 at 7:58 pm

  Hi Cynthia & everyone -

  I read your article and Review and also all the posts above – I guess I’m one of the lucky few that had a good reaction to Threelac, (finally something worked for me)! A friend gave me a week’s worth of packets to try and I didn’t have any bad reactions to it; in fact I started feeling a tiny bit better (mood and energy) within 2-3 days of taking it. I’m so glad I finally found something that works! I’ve been very sick for over three years now and have not been able to work for over a year, obviously resulting in serious financial problems.

  If anyone that does not like their Threelac is willing to donate their remaining packets to me, (instead of throwing away) I would be more than glad to accept it. Threelac is expensive, I’m extremely tight on finances and can’t afford to buy it. I would really appreciate it.
  Just email me and I’ll send you my address.

  Thank you very much.
  (I only request that it not be past the exp. date – I can’t afford to get any sicker. Thanks!)

• Vanessa // Apr 5, 2009 at 8:54 pm

  Threelac flared up my autoimmune disease to the point that I was completely out of it for several days, I tried tiny doses of it on several occasions but for whatever reason, it made me very ill, It took several days for me to get back to my usual subpar state (which is better than the really horrible state it put me in),

• Isabella // Apr 10, 2009 at 3:03 pm

  Hello, I began taking Threelac about a week ago, and seem to feel better than usual, although I have severe itchiness that started mostly with my nose and head, and after a week, has gotten increasingly worse and while still mostly on my nose, face and head, I am itching all over. I called the company and they stated that this is a normal reaction. I wonder if you’ve heard this particulair complaint regarding this product and if so, any advice on something to counter-act this? I plan to call the company back today to ask this question as well, but figured it couldn’t hurt to put it out here as well. I’m hesitant to stop taking it, as I have noticed some positive effects as well and don’t want to have to start all over again if this itchiness is something that will soon go away.

  Thanks,

  Isabella

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Apr 13, 2009 at 12:03 am

  Hi Isabella,

  No, I haven’t heard of this particular side effect, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

  It is possible that it’s die off, but there’s no way to know for sure. If it is die off, then it should subside shortly.

  It’s also possible it’s a reaction to the bacteria, the yeast or the sugar that’s in Threelac. If that’s the case, it won’t get better with time.

  If it is die off, the symptoms might be relieved with high doses of buffered vitamin c powder. Activated charcoal or bentonite clay may help as well, as they absorb the toxins.

  Cynthia
  

• Caren // Apr 15, 2009 at 9:33 pm

  Hello. My two oldest children are sensitive to just about every food on the planet. After years of searching for help with this issue we discovered an acupuncture treatment that eliminates the sensitivity. Unfortunately it is costly and must be done one food at a time (but it worked so we were game). After a year and a half of regular treatments we felt we were done and began looking at other aspects of their health in order to address the few remaining physical symptoms. On the recommendation of a friend we gave them ThreeLac. They took one pack a day for almost three weeks and then instantly all of the acupuncture treatments came undone!

  I am wondering if anyone had a similar experience or any thoughts on why this might have occurred? Not sure if this was a reaction to “die-off” or what? Which makes me also wonder if we need to continue on with the ThreeLac or not (we have stopped for now)?

  Thanks,
  Caren

• Julie // May 21, 2009 at 1:06 pm

  I am glad I found this website. I have been doing so much extensive reading about ThreeLac and was desperate to fix my problem. I still am. I don’t like the idea of cutting out every single problematic food. I know my body can’t possibly be allergic to everything I’m supposed to stay off of when doing the Candida diet. To be honest, it’s pretty ridiculous to cut out all of those foods. And it’s so ridiculously expensive.

  However, this site WILL make me keep looking at more info about ThreeLac. I started thinking it might be a God send, but I need more research first. I was curious if you have heard of anyone initially starting the program on ONLY the ThreeLac product and not the accompanying ones they try to sell you with it… and perhaps instead of starting so ‘hot and heavy’ with multiple packets a day… what about one instead, if you think you might have bad reactions? I was thinking that might be a good way to test it, and also with a 60 day money back guarantee that gives you a little time to truly see if there’s improvement.

  On another note, I notice alot of people wound up getting UTI’s from using it. I used to be horribly prone to UTI’s (nevermind sinus infection of which I’ve been suffering from a chronic one for years now). I’ve unfortunately also had a kidney infection, and when I look back, every single little problem I ever had growing up, was treated with antibiotics AND prednisone. When I see how horribly that probably screwed up my health, I find myself pretty livid that my doctor would dare repeat and repeat and repeat those things. Don’t they teach them in medical school about side effects, or effects of repeated usage? Geez.

  However, I was able to take the reins on one of these issues, with great success thus far. My last bladder infection was over 5 years ago. When I had it, I unfortunately did take antibiotics and prednisone. Once it was gone, however, I decided “this is it, these are horrible!” and knew I couldn’t keep suffering from them. It was actually something really simple that fixed it for me. Of course I’m a natural water lover, but I now am sure to never have more than one glass of something “else”. I don’t drink soda’s often, or highly sugary drinks, but if I am ever in the mood just one is all I have. Really I don’t feel a sacrifice since I like water anyway. But here’s what I did, for all your readers with UTI’s. Since mine were so repetitive and aggravating and it seemed I’d have them for life, I found cranberry pills. There’s a natural company called Melaleuca, and they have inexpensive chewable cranberry pills. They are actually quite yummy – fruity and a little tart!- and I take one of them every single night and am sure to have at least a little water before bed. When I wake up, I use the bathroom with no problems at all, and that has worked for me for five years. It’s a yummy, easy, and effective remedy for at least myself, in eliminating bladder infections.

  Thanks for all your information… I’m off to read more!

• heike // May 28, 2009 at 4:22 pm

  i just read all the reviews, okay this my story, a few years ago i thought i was lactose intolerant and stopped any dairy product, first i felt better than starting getting worse. i ended up with a lot of bloating, no energy and more. i have to say i love sweets and often i had a craving for it or fruits and often i felt shaky and craved for carbs. Recently over a weekend i felt better, hm, why?? i fdid not had any sweets and barely carbs, i was for over 3 days gluten free, just corn tortillas, rice ,veggies and meat. then i found out about candida. so this is what works for me and makes me feel better, every morning and night 1 teaspoon of L-glutamine in a glas of water and i take now 10 billion probiotics[ 3 capsules] you have to start with a lower dose of probiotics because of the die -off, i started around 4 billion and only the 4 billion and the l-glutamine made me feel worse for a few days- just like in the books . so this was the start ,gluten and yeast free, dairy free ,no fruits,no sweets ,no vinegar ,pretty much only meats, eggs, fish, veggies, yes i did corn tortillas, rice, apple cider vinegar[ is actually good for you] in salads. Now i can eat kind of normal after about 3-4 weeks , but ! this is the deal not much of the other stuff, so if i had a gluten free cereal w/ soymilk , i can have for lunch a wheat sandwich and for dinner i eat meat stirfry and rice. i started even eating some sweets or fruits, but in moderation, so 2 -3 pieces of chocolate is fine but if i eat close to a half bar like last night – not good ! i also bought virgin unrefined coconut oil, supposed to take a table spoon twice a day. so with l-glutamine , probiotics and coconut oil, i hope can eat normal, but not over doing eat with the no no foods . i also think that the candida got stronger because of the imbalance ,yeast versus probiotics, since i had been cutting probiotics out of my live for a couple years.
  so if you don’t want threelac, maybe the L-glutamine[ heals the intestinal tissue ] the probiotics[ buy the refrigerated kind and at least 4 billion and more than 3 probiotic strains- i have right now 3.4 billion per capsule and take 3 of them twice a day, with 6 beneficial probiotic strains] and the virgin! unrefined! coconut oil works for you.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 4, 2009 at 10:37 am

  Hi Julie,

  Yes, if you take a look at my original review of Threelac found at this link

  http://www.holistichelp.net/threelac.html

  you’ll see that both my son and I were taking a very reduced amount of Threelac. Both of us were only taking about 1/4 of a package. Neither one of us were taking any of the complimentary products.

  The diet is the most important aspect when trying to overcome Candida overgrowth. Food allergy or sensitivity is only one aspect of why the diet is changed. When addressing Candida, the main reason the diet is changed is because it’s important not to eat foods that feed Candida. So the main goal in removing so many foods is not to address allergy, but because so many foods make Candida proliferate. It is impossible to reduce Candida without eliminating the most common foods that feed yeast like white flour, sugar, yeast, wheat, all refined carbs, alcohol, dairy and caffeine. Complex carbs must reduced as well, because they too break down into sugar in the body and make Candida proliferate. No it isn’t very easy or pleasant. Most people don’t like it, but it isn’t ridiculous. It’s crucial if one wants to make progress. Not only that, these types of foods are not only unhealthy in regard to Candida, they also play a major role in obesity, heart disease, addiction, diabetes type 2, depression, anxiety and many more.

  Most people don’t want to give up these foods, because they are addicted to them. So that is why Threelac is so appealing to most people. They claim you don’t have to follow the diet. That advice is not only preposterous, it is irresponsible. If anyone wants to make improvements in their health, the diet must be changed.

  Yes, many people find cranberry effective for UTIS. Thanks for sharing that.
  

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 4, 2009 at 10:44 am

  Hi Heike,

  Thanks for sharing your experiences, I”m glad you’re finding something that works for you. However here’s a couple things everyone should keep in mind…

  What is helpful for one person is not always helpful for another. It’s really a matter of body chemistry. There are many different factors to take into consideration such as: how much Candida overgrowth one has, which strain of Candida they have, how well the liver and detoxification system is functioning, how the well the colon is functioning, the overall health of the individual, what nutritional deficiencies each person has and the health and functionality of the organs. Each of these factors will play a role in what treatment approach is helpful or not. For example, someone with mild Candida may feel better with a particular herb, while for another it makes them terribly ill, because their liver may not be able to process it.

  Glutamine is an amino acid. Amino acid supplementation can be of great benefit to our health, however care should be taken and each person needs to do their homework for their body. Each amino acid has an impact on all the others and they are all dependent on one another to function properly. By supplementing the body with just one it may throw all the others off balance and cause other problems. Although you may be getting some relief initially, it could cause more problems down the road. Additionally, high doses of glutamine without other balanced nutrients can be hard on the kidneys and result in constipation. Sometimes a deficiency in glutamine occurs because there are deficiencies in other crucial amino acids, vitamins or other co-factors, so the most effective method for addressing the need for more glutamine may actually lie in taking several other amino acids or a combination of nutrients that will naturally increase the production of glutamine.

  The best approach is to have an amino acid lab test performed that will tell you which amino acids your body needs so you can take a combination that promotes balance and addresses all the issues your body has without creating more.

  It has also been found that some people don’t tolerate high doses of glutamine because it may increase ammonia in the body as it is converted to glutamate. This can be addressed by taking a combination of amino acids designed for this problem, particularly alpha-ketoglutaric acid. But again it’s important to remember that “balance” is the key word and what works for one does not necessarily work for another.

  Although some people may see some improvements in symptoms with the use of just probiotics and glutamine, not everyone will and those that do are not likely to see the long-term ability to keep Candida overgrowth under control, because there are too many other nails in the shoe that must be tended to. It must be combined with a comprehensive approach that addresses all the issues.

  Another word of caution with coconut oil. Yes, it is a healthy food and it appears to have anti-fungal properties for some people, but again, this is very individual. It is also very high in fat. If you have a gallbladder problem it can make you very nauseous and trigger a pretty severe gallbladder attack. If you don’t have gallbladder problems, it has many health benefits.

• White // Jun 6, 2009 at 4:01 am

  I’ve literally just ordered some ThreeLac and then found this blog and glad that I did.
  I’m not too concerned with some short-term side effects (like what you would experience with die off) but now I’m concerned about doing some long term damage to my body. I am a Type 1 Diabetic and also suffer from a lot of the symptoms that ThreeLac proposes to assit with – chronic sinusitis, persistent chest infections, bloating and gassiness.
  Do you think it would be too much of a risk to try ThreeLac considering that I have Diabetes? Or are these things totally unrelated. I don’t have any history of kidney damage/infections.

• sal // Jun 7, 2009 at 8:31 pm

  I can tell anyone considering taking three lac or five lac or any other of the lacs on the market that before I took the product, all I had was some bloating and a white tounge which was due to Candida, after taking the product I became terribly ill, never having had an allergic reaction to any type of food before, after 3 weeks of using this product, I developed the most hideous case of food allergies know to man, no longer could I eat oat meal, fruit, processed food, and too many other foods to list, the symptons run the gamet from cloudy thinking to disorientation, lack of energy, stomach pains, dry mouth and the list can go on and on. If I had known there was even a remote possibity of this happening I would have gladly endured the status quo for the rest of my life, rather than sign on for this living Hell! whether it was caused by the bacteria strain which is supposedly in the product or some other mechanism I cannot tell but the crap and its peddlers in my opinion should be banned from selling the stuff!

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 8, 2009 at 1:11 am

  Hi White,

  I’m sorry, but I can’t advise you one way or another whether you should try it or not. That is a decision you will have to make yourself by weighing out the facts and the risks.

  Best of luck.
  

• Elizabeth Gallagher // Jun 12, 2009 at 7:59 am

  To Threelac sufferer
  I have my own story with Threelac I was ” advised” by someone who swears by it and sells it that I ” just had to accept my life wasnt going to be great for a while” so i kept on taking it more and more but I was getting iller and iller. This went on for 5 months.
  ( first 3 months on a low dose I felt a benefit)
  I eventually almost collapsed one day walking my dog, my muscles went weak.
  I spent 4 days not ill but sleeping.
  I had stopped taking it by then.
  That was 5 weeks ago.
  In the last 5 weeks I have spent every day in bed sleeping a lot.
  My joints started clicking – i was weak and floppy, headache – sore throat – swollen glands – sweaty hands feet and underarms.
  feelings of being stuffy like I wanted to sneeze.
  and legs ache a lot – my joints ache now too, no swelling just clicking aching joints. tinittus
  All coming and going through out the day
  Of course doctors says its a virus. Ive had plenty of viruses but none made my joints click and ache and none made too weak to do anything.
  I think Ive develloped M.E after yrs of living with candida and then pushing my body and weakened immune system through candida threelac die off
  I have a lot of dental work and during this threelac period i was stupid enough to have 4 silver fillings removed.
  Im sure this has added insult to injury
  I think my body and immune system has collapsed finally and I 40 and have spent the last 10 yrs at home house bound with various health issues.
  Quite frankly my life feels worthless.
  I dont have the energy or patience to keep asking experts whats wrong with me anymore.
  I was given a ray of hope with Threelac and it lifted my depression..I saw a light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in 9 yrs.
  Then my body just couldnt cope anymore.i wrote to my Adviser and said ” somethings wrong” he said i was hysterical and no one had responded so strongly to such a low dose before
  so i felt i was being a softy and was determined to fight it i cried when i stopped taking it as i felt defeated.
  he said I would never get rid of candida with anything else.
  Then i became weaker and weaker and tired.
  I just know I have pushed my already weaknened immune system into M.E or chronic fatigue – something I never had before.
  I was ill but not exhasuted, my joints didnt ache and I didnt have sweaty hands feet and underarms??

  I am lost and hopeless

• Charlene // Jun 12, 2009 at 3:37 pm

  Hi Cynthia, everyone and especially Elizabeth who posted this morning:

  Elizabeth – I read your post and I’ve been reading everyone’s posts as they come in…..and I SO feel for you. Just PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE stop taking the Threelac, it is making you worse.

  THREELAC DOES NOT WORK – it is a horrible product that makes Candida EXTEMELY worse. The only people that push Threelac are the people selling it. I will explain why.

  I too, tried Threelac for about 2 weeks and like everyone else had a decent reaction to it for the first week. I even felt that “light at the end of the tunnel” feeling you mentioned. I felt like my body was cleaning itself out. Luckily for me someone gave me 1/2 leftover box so I didn’t have to waste my hard earned money on it.

  The reason why people have a positive reaction to it INITIALLY is because there is alot of fiber in it, and it helps people go to the bathroom easier which basically starts the cleanout of your bowels, etc.

  HOWEVER, there is ALOT of sugar and yeast in it which is HORRIBLE for Candida – in the first week that I took it, it made my somewhat bad ichy yeast infection horribly worse. The sugar and the yeast in it just feeds Candida faster than if you ate a powdered donut. I mean, it’s just basic common sense. I don’t understand how ANY company can have the audacity to say that this product will help cure candida – they are just making an incredible financial profit off of people who are so desperately ill and will try anything. That is SO wrong and I think this company should be put out of business.

  Elizabeth – I don’t know your whole situation, but I also have Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency (cfids) and have also been dealing with it for 11 years. In your post I felt a lot of familiarity with what you are saying. I have had many days, weeks and even months when I felt my life was worthless and didn’t want to continue like this.

  Please, please do these few things for yourself, if you haven’t already:

  1. Start taking Oregano Oil – NOW has an inexpensive enteric coated softgel that you can purchase from iHerb. Take 2 caps. 2 times a day.

  2. Go to your Gynecologist, or better an Endocrinologist and INSIST on getting your Adrenals Hormones and Thyroid levels checked. (that includes TSH, T4 and T3, Estradiol, Progesterone, DHEA and Testosterone) I srongly suggest this because I have been suffering since I was 35, my Gyno, even after I asked for it 2 years ago finally did my Hormone panel, turns out I’m EXTREMELY low on Progesterone and Testosterone which is why I have no energy or strength. Your now 40, you need to get these things checked, and don’t take NO from your doctor. Find another one if they don’t listen to you. (Trust me, I know they’re a pain to deal with.)

  3. If you have muscle pain take L-Glutamine, it’s an amino acid that will help repair your muscles. Being this ill your body basically breaks itself down and uses your muscles for energy (catabolic) then you lose all you muscle strength and energy.

  4. There’s another whole slew of vitamins I take also, you don’t have to try everything at once. But here’s what I use on a daily basis: Folic Acid, 800 mcg, B1 200 mg, Pantothenic Acid (B5) 1000mg, Vitamin C 2000mg, Omega Complex, Magnesium 6-800mg at night (helps with sleep) and of course Probiotics.

  5. Also, stay away from all sugars, INCLUDING FRUIT! The only fruit your supposed to have in grapefruit and green apples, low sugar.

  There’s a website called FibroandFatigue.com – they have a lot of info on CFS and Fibromyalgia. There’s also a lot of articles about how Thyroid and Hormone problems cause the same types of symptoms and CFS and FM. Check it out, you can also call and speak to someone.

  I hope this all helps. I’ve been where you are, not too long ago either; there is hope, the Oregano oil helps alot with killing the candida in your intestines.
  The hormone replacement (bio-identical) have starting giving me my muscle strength and energy back, even in the month and half that I’ve been taking it.

  Just PLEASE stop taking the Threelac.

• Elizabeth Gallagher // Jun 12, 2009 at 5:01 pm

  Many thanks for your reply I am almost desperate for my recent condition to be hormonal and not ME
  I am due to go back to the docs for hormone tests but thankfully i took out private medical insurance 2 mths ago so i can and will demand a referal to a specialist and demand the tests you suggest.
  Ironically i wrote on your site when i first took threelac and “slapped your hands” for poo pooing it because at that time i felt it was working for me.
  Not now.
  I stopped taking it 5 weeks ago.
  I think, if your very ill with candida or ME or anything that supresses your immune system taking threelac is just too much for our systems to cope with.
  I still believe in the product there are too many positive experiences to dismiss but they mostly seem to be from people who have mild candida symptoms.
  My immune system has been so weak for so many yrs with one thing and another that i got to a stage or dose were the amount of candida it killed was just too toxic for me, my advisor sent me an alternative called Symbion which has the same pro biotics but none of the fillers in Threelac – the yeast – the lemon flavour – the lactose etc its just bacteria and after 10 days thats when i crashed completly so i am not sure that its the stuff in threelac that made me ill so much as the die off on a very under nurished and weak body.
  i take coloson which is fantastic it oxygenates your colon and is the only thing that has worked for my 10 yr struggle with constipation. And i was taking that whilst i was taking threelac so I was sure my colon was cleansed.
  I think all of our bodies are all different, we react to things differently much like taking anti depresants can work wonders for one person but make another feel awful.
  I wish it worked for me…was devastated when i had to admit defeat after 5 months of die off.
  You hear so much how its a good thing but not goes on for months and gets worse without any increase in dosage…that implies a build up of toxins your body cannot eliminate in my opinion.
  I know candida can throw your homones how and as such die off can do more so so maybe thats what im looking at severe hormone imbalance I pray its that simple and am reassured by your comments on how ME symptoms are very similar to hormone imbalances so i will visit that site and get the appropriate tests done and buy the vitamins you suggest.
  I am taking vit c 5mg a day
  magnesium (tons)
  b12 ( tons)
  Vit D ( as i havent seen day light for more than a second or 2 for 5 years following malignant melanoma diagnosis 5 yrs ago and I am house bound 90% of the time )
  Q10
  Iron as i was told i had low ferrous levels 3 yrs ago and never did take any iron so maybe thats an issue too?
  But only been REALLY taking these for 5 weeks so too soon to say if they’re working yet.
  Anyway I wont spam your site with my life story!
  Thank you ever so much once again

• Angela // Jun 12, 2009 at 5:23 pm

  I have been reading these comments. I have to say that I am certain that ThreeLac was huge factor in my daughter havfng severe kidney failure

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 13, 2009 at 2:31 pm

  Hi Elizabeth

  I’m sorry you went through such an ordeal. First of all I want to point out that Charlene, who responded to your post above is a site visitor, not a health care provider or me (Cynthia) the publisher of this blog, so although her post is helpful, keep in mind that you should do your research and do what your body tells you, not what other people tell you. What works for one person, does not always work for another, as you have learned through this experience.

  There’s probably several factors going on here:

  One is that it sounds like Threelac is not the product for you. You must listen to your body. Many people selling Threelac and all the other Candida products really know nothing or very little about Candida and detox.

  It may be a reaction to the Threelac or your bodies inability to deal with it. Either way it isn’t working for you. If we have die off that is too severe, that is counterproductive as well. Yes, you can expect to not feel good when having die off, however if you become completely debilitated from it, either you’re having a reaction to it or your bodies detoxification system is not able to handle it and that isn’t good either. The toxins are just continuously recirculating in the body, causing symptoms.

  If this happens then other steps must be taken to help the body detox and absorb the toxins, and/or the dosage needs to be cut down or stopped all together. If an antifungal is not compatible or die off is too severe, then a different one should be taken.

  At this point your body may be too overloaded to even handle oregano oil. Oregano oil is very powerful, if your Candida is not resistant to it. Sounds like you need to give your body a break and allow it to detox and recover from the overload of toxins it has in it right now. If it were me I would focus on taking things like charcoal, high doses of vitamin c, bentonite clay, exercising and giving the liver a little relief. Enemas would probably be very helpful in getting rid of the toxins and may provide some immediate relief. Glutamine can be problematic for some people with Candida as well, so care should be exercised with that as well.

  Always listen to your body, not what someone else tells you. And keep in mind that “natural” does not always mean that it will be free of side effects or that it is good for everyone. Each person is different biochemically, has unique needs and responds to protocols in a different way.

  I encourage you to read the Candida section of my website as well as the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue (ME) section, found at the following links:

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

  http://www.holistichelp.net/fibromyalgia.html

  http://www.holistichelp.net/chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html

  Additionally, the fact that you had your amalgams removed during this situation probably overloaded your body even more. Sounds like you’re dealing with way too many toxins. Did you have the amalgams removed by a knowledgeable provider who knew how to remove them in the correct order and follow Dr. Huggins protocol? Did they give you intravenous vitamin C? Did they give you any type of chelation? These things should have been done to help the body detox the mercury. If they weren’t removed properly, then you could have more problems. I would suggest visiting this page for more information about how to remove mercury from the body.

  http://www.evenbetternow.com/mercury-poisoning-removal.asp?PARTNER=holistichelp

  All these factors would throw the hormones, adrenals and thyroid off balance. These conditions often occur together and symptoms overlap. Testing should be done by a knowledgeable provider, not your standard GP or Gyno – someone who uses bioidentical hormones. I offer a simple self-administered lab test that can test your hormones, adrenals and thyroid that you can perform at home and receive the results yourself with recommendations from the lab on what’s needed to restore balance. Contact me through the Ask Cynthia page if you’re interested. If you have the testing done by another practitioner, they should use a test that tests the saliva, not your blood. Saliva is the most accurate way to test.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/ask-cynthia/

  Your adviser is not correct. As evidenced at this post, many people have severe reactions to Threelac. People who seem to do well on Threelac are those who are not very sick. There are many other options besides Threelac. You can make a lot of improvements with symptoms with diet alone. Anytime someone tells you that you are hysterical because their protocol is not working for you, then it is time to find a new adviser. A competent adviser or health care provider knows that anything is possible and there is not a “one size fits all” protocol and will not blame the customer.

  Wishing you the best.
  Cynthia

• Charlene // Jun 14, 2009 at 2:37 pm

  Cynthia -

  Oh my gosh, I NEVER stated that I was a health care provider – I don’t know where that derogatory comment came from; in fact I mentioned numerous times throughout my post, the medical problems I have been going through also, which are the same as what everyone else is going through.

  I thought this was a blog where we could get opinions of others, and help others going through the same medical issues we are – and not be criticized. We get enough of that already from our doctors.

  I’ve read through this entire blog several times and you have not criticized anyone else. Wow, I’m shocked that you would criticize me for trying to help someone that is in a similar situation as I am.

• Elizabeth Gallagher // Jun 14, 2009 at 5:41 pm

  Hello

  yes my error, I responded on my iphone not from the PC so I couldnt see correctly the order of comments.

  Charlene, I think Cynthia has to be careful as the website owner in claims she makes and those made on her site by other for legal reasons.
  If I followed ” said” protocol and ended up dead (God Forbid) then maybe my family could sue Cynthia because ” Elizabeth only took ABC following the advise on X site”
  Much like hosting another persons images or IP you have to make a disclaimer or as the host of the site you can end up in hot water legally.
  I think thats why Cynthia dropped that line in.

  I will be sure to follow all advise and I always read up and research products. I dismissed the Threelac hysteria initially as I took it to be die off and its true that many ppl do give up after a week claiming ” it doesnt work for me”
  So i was expecting die off but it just went on too long and got too severe and I managed to work upto 2 pkts a day and that took me 4 months to get there!

  Anyway, many thanks for the feed back I was not going to rush into ANY form of anti candida right now.. my immune system is in such a mess i would be petrified. I need some stabiltiy health wise for a good few months before I consider trying anymore anti candida diets and yes mercury is something I think is an issue for me/
  I have read that when die off is too server or goes on for too long heavy metal poisoning is often the cause and i have had a ton of dental work done over the 25 yrs root canals and silver filings which have been removed now.
  I personally believe my immune system broke down with over toxicity and viruses that lay dormant in our bodies re surfaced so i am having a lot of Zinc Vit C B12 Q10 and praying I can support it to fight off what ever it is I am going through, I have never been bed ridden for 5 weeks in my life.
  Many thanks once again.
  Liz

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 15, 2009 at 9:59 am

  Charlene,

  I did not criticize you. It is obvious in Elizabeth’s post that Elizabeth was under the impression that “you” were “me” and that your advice was from me. I was making sure that she understood that was not the case and clarifying my position on the matter.

  Stating that you are not a health care provider is not a criticism or a derogatory remark. It is stating a fact. A fact that needed clarified because there was confusion for Elizabeth. It was important that Elizabeth knew that your post was not my advice, because that is not the advice I would give.

  There was no need to point this out for anyone else because nobody else gave explicit instructions telling someone else what they “should” do and nobody else was mistaken for me.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Peter // Jun 17, 2009 at 6:35 am

  Hi Cynthia, I am currently taking the antibiotic levaquin for a lung infection.. my doctor gave me 5 pills to take of it. I’m always paranoid when it comes to taking medications because I know that a lot of prescription medications can be very dangerous and doctors I feel like don’t even really care about the risks associated with the medications. After doing some research I found out that it is actually a very dangerous antibiotic and I am a bit pissed off my doctor prescribed it to me, but he has been my doctor since I was a child so I guess I will trust him on this one. I know antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria, so I was wondering what you think would be a good way to get some good bacteria back in my intestinal tract after I finish this round of antibiotics, I am worried the antibiotics are going mess up my intestinal flora.

• Ann // Jun 19, 2009 at 6:07 pm

  Cynthia,

  I wanted to thank you for your posting of your experience with Threelac, as well as for having this blog for others to share their experiences. I didn’t discover all of the reports of negative reactions until I had already placed an order for Threelac. I decided to start using it slowly and to closely monitor how I was feeling. After one dose, I was unable to sleep that night due to my heart pounding, had an upset stomach and diarhea, felt a headache coming on, and thought I felt a lower back ache coming on, too. So, I didn’t take another dose and the product will be returned. As others have said before, though it bears repeating, this product is not safe for everyone. It’s not worth it to me to risk my health and end up with possible kidney problems and the other problems noted by others. I’ve recently learned that parasites can cause candida overgrowth, so have begun using a product called Clarksia that addresses both parasites and candida all at once. So far, have had no ill effects whatsoever with this product.

• Ann // Jun 19, 2009 at 6:12 pm

  Correction – the name of the product I’m now taking for parasites and candida is Clarkia, not Clarksia.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 19, 2009 at 7:23 pm

  Hi Peter,

  Trusting that doctors in mainstream medicine will protect our health is a little like putting our life in the hands of a mass murderer. More than 100,000 people die every year from medical mistakes.

  I would find an alternative medicine doctor at the Academy of Environmental Medicine or the American Holistic Medical Association.

  Yes antibiotics kill both the good and bad bacteria, there is no doubt it will mess up the gastrointestinal system. They always do.

  The way to restore healthy bacteria to the gut is by taking probiotics. Most knowledgeable health care providers advise people who must take an antibiotic to take the probiotics during and after the round of antibiotics, but you should check with your health care provider to make sure there are no interactions.

  There are many good probiotics on the market, so you’ll have to shop around and pick one. A good probiotic should have billions of live bacteria. The bacteria should contain saccharomyces, lactobacillus acidophilus, and bifidobacteria in the billions and should also include a prebiotic like inulin, to keep the probiotics alive.

  I use one that is called PB8, because it contains all the crucial components and is very affordable. You’ll find lots of overpriced companies boasting that their product is better, but there really is no need to spend an excess of money to get a decent product.

  Another way to recolonize the gastrointestinal tract is with what is called a retention enema. After flushing the colon with a cleansing enema, then take a cup of water and pour the probiotic in the water. This cup of water is then inserted and it is retained, so the probiotics will flourish.

  Be sure to do a little research on your probiotic and make it sure it is from a reputable company.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jun 19, 2009 at 8:50 pm

  Hi Ann,

  You’re welcome.

  Yes, it is believed by many practitioners that parasites usually accompany a Candida problem. So it may be an issue for some people, but not all. It is always advised to look into.

  The product you refer to called Clarkia contains alcohol, so it may not be tolerable for people with severe Candida. Because Candida produces alcohol in the gastrointestinal tract, many people with Candida are sensitive to alcohol and/or their liver can not process it. However the three main ingredients in Clarkia are wormwood, cloves and black walnut, which are considered to be one of the most effective methods for eliminating parasites. These three ingredients can be found in a variety of other products that don’t contain alcohol, so if one wants to take them and avoid the alcohol that is quite possible. However, some people with severe Candida can’t tolerate cloves, because they are sensitive to the natural chemical composition. Everyone is different and has to monitor the way their body reacts to each method.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Teri // Jul 20, 2009 at 1:09 pm

  Hi Cynthia,
  Yikes, just rec’d ThreeLac today, and found your web site. I’m NOT taking it! Hoping I can
  get my money back. However, just getting over
  Diverticulites, major antibiotics, the works, I also ordered Global Health Trax Flora Five probiotics, do you know anything about that? I appreciate your insight and information!!

• Ken // Jul 25, 2009 at 10:07 pm

  Greetings,

  An important issue is that if you actually have an ALLERGY to candida/yeast, then when the yeast cell wall ruptures from “candida killer” products, you will be exposed to the cytoplasm substances from inside the yeast cell. This has the ability to cause a significant allergic response, which can potentially be life threatening at its worst. I’m not sure how to prevent this, but it is important to consider before trying such a product.

• Shair // Jul 30, 2009 at 5:42 pm

  I came across your website today as I am presently taking Threelac and had some “die off symptoms” and wanted to see if anyone else experienced the same. I see that some have. I took Threelac because of severe acne and food allergies that developed as a result of Candida according to my holistic doctor. I to think Threelac is a Godsend, but would like to hear others input. The first week of taking Threelac I felt wonderful and my acne that i dealt with for years completely cleared up. It was amazing. I decided at the beginning of week 3 to up the dose and took 3-4 packs a day and then I begin to get ill. I initially had night sweats, chills, fever, fatigue for the 5 days. Now I have a sore throat, headache, dry mouth and extreme fatigue. This has gone on for a whole week. I thought it was die off and decided today to look and see what I could find on the net. Yesterday i cut my does to 1 pack and will see how I feel. Any suggestions? Also, will these symptoms go away? I feel like I have the flu and I have not been sick in over 10 years.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jul 30, 2009 at 7:27 pm

  Hi Teri,

  Sorry, no I don’t have any personal experience with any of their other products.

  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jul 30, 2009 at 7:35 pm

  Hi Ken,

  Yes, that it is a possibility with some antifungals. It depends on how the antifungal kills the Candida. Some are worse than others.

  This can be a very significant road block for many people as the symptoms can be unbearable.

  Although it could possibly be life threatening in some cases, that’s probably not the case the majority of the time. Most people will just be extremely miserable and sick and feel like they are dying.

  This is usually viewed as die off and some people are able to reduce the suffering by doing enemas, taking charcoal tablets, bentonite clay and high doses of vitamin C.

  However I always advise that if symptoms are too severe, then a different antifungal should be sought.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jul 30, 2009 at 7:47 pm

  Hi Shair,

  Yes, many of us have had similar symptoms with this product. I’ve already shared my thoughts, opinion and feelings on this topic in my post above and on my review page also mentioned above. Be sure to read both and all the responses to this post and visit the links I mention numerous times.

  Then you’ll have to make your own determination on whether it’s die off or a reaction to the product itself. There’s no way we can make that call.

  It’s possible that you didn’t experience die off until you increased the dose, or it’s possible you didn’t experience a reaction to the bacteria until you increased the dose.

  Symptoms went away for some people, but did not for others.

  Best
  Cynthia

• steve // Aug 4, 2009 at 7:47 pm

  Hi all, I just wanted to add to the discussion.
  The FDA does not approve of any supplement so that point is moot.
  Besides, the FDA is worthless (look at the harmful drugs the FDA DOES approve!).
  I have been using Sedona Labs iFlora, which seems to at least help my IBS. I also find Kyodophilous 9 to be of some help.
  It can be very confusing trying to find the right probiotic to use so trial and error is usually the best way to go. Some people may need more bifidus, some may require more acidophilous so that may be why one product may work great for someone and not for someone else.
  Of course, none of them should make you feel worse and I am going to skip trying the Threelac.
  Thanks for the warnings.

• Rosie // Aug 6, 2009 at 12:04 am

  I am a Three lac user as well… However I don’t know what to think of the product.. I take about 2 packets a week maybe not even that.. but when I take it I get an upset stomach that usually lasts about a day…. Sometimes when I take it nothing happens as in I don’t go to the bathroom… so I dont know what to think… I personally never take medications unless its serious… I like to take the holistic approach.. I started taking this because I had pcos(pretty much it’s when you don’t have a period. Going on 7 years now) hoping that what ever caused this will be eliminated out of my body and my body will go back to a natural state.. well it didn’t work for me and now I also have type 2 diabeties….

• Alfred J. Barrera // Aug 8, 2009 at 6:57 pm

  I just started taking threelac today, and i feel very out of bodied/fog minded/and out of it. Will this pass? Should I continue taking it? Or should i just say this isn’t for me and try another way. Maybe i should take it for a week and see how i feel.

• Irina // Aug 12, 2009 at 11:25 am

  hi. I am Irina. I wanted to buy Threelac but now I see that it won’t help me. I was on a diet for two weeks and then I quit. I take oregano oil and coconut oil but it doesn’t help much. I dunno what to do since I know that Threelac won’t help me and the diet isn’t very helpful either.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Aug 17, 2009 at 9:31 am

  Hi Alfred,

  I’m sorry I can’t tell you whether you should continue taking it or not. You will have to do your research, weight the pros and cons and make the decision you think is best for you.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Aug 17, 2009 at 9:36 am

  Hi Irena,

  The diet must be followed for more than 2 weeks and it must be adhered to quite strictly. Most people see improvements by simply removing sugar from the diet.

  Be sure to read the entire section of my site on Candida that can be found here:
  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

  There are many factors that need to be addressed. Controlling Candida overgrowth requires a long-term and comprehensive approach.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Kacy // Sep 26, 2009 at 7:06 am

  Thank you very much for sharing your thorough research it is a big help.
  Sincerely,
  Kacy A.

• Keith S // Oct 30, 2009 at 1:18 pm

  Three years ago my daughter had been diagnosed with chrons / collitis and was having serious side effects from prednisone and Imuran. I wondered if it was a candida problem and decided to stopped medical treatment for a short period. We used ThreeLac for 1 months at two packets a day then 1 packet for the next month. She has had no sympthoms or digestive problems since. So yes we support Threelac.

• Mimi // Nov 4, 2009 at 6:30 am

  Hi,
  With regards to taking probiotics whilst on antibiotics .. this can be very dangerous. It nearly killed me. When your body and immune system have become so weak from prolonged CF/FM etc, what can happen is that the probiotics and antibiotics ‘clash’ attempting to do opposite things in your body and my (completely out of the blue) pancreatic attack nearly finished me off. This is not so unusual, it also happened to some 24 patients at a Uni in Holland who were on a medical trial. When you’re really ill, beware of taking antibiotics and probiotics at the same time, your body may not be able to handle this. Not many people are aware of this. Not many people (including me) realise how delicate our immune system and health can become after prolonged illnesses.

  Great blog Cynthia, thank you.

  Mimi

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Nov 7, 2009 at 11:50 am

  Hi Mimi

  Wow, I’m sorry you went through such an ordeal. I have never heard of this kind of reaction before, however the one thing I know for sure about anyone with FMS, CFS, MCS etc., is that we often do not respond to treatments in the same manner as the general population and anything is possible. I did some research and can’t find other experiences like this or the Holland situation that you mentioned. Do you have a link to this event?

  Although I believe it is certainly possible that it was the acidophilus and the antibiotic, I would also say that it could have been a variety of different contributing factors. I have had pancreatic inflammation and attacks that came out of nowhere in response to environmental toxins, certain food combinations and even terpines from natural vegetation. It could also have been the antibiotic itself, the bacteria itself got in the pancreas or the antibiotic caused Candida to infiltrate the pancreas or a combination of these things.

  So I would encourage others reading this post to take caution and be aware of Mimi’s experience, but not assume that they shouldn’t take acidophilus with an antibiotic because we have no way to know for sure. Many doctors recommend taking acidophilus with an antibiotic, while others say you should wait till you’re done with the antibiotic because it will be futile. Each person will have to make the decision they feel is best.

  On the other hand, anyone with a health condition should always be aware that their organs and systems may not respond as expected and be careful with any method they choose.

  Thanks for sharing Mimi.

  Cynthia

• Mimi // Nov 7, 2009 at 5:42 pm

  Hi Cynthia,

  Thank you for your blog, it is not only very informative but also you are validating people’s experiences which is near enough unheard of nowadays. Thank you for that.
  I learn something new every time I visit your site.

  Links to dutch study http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Dutch-patients-die-after-taking-probiotics
  and also
  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/97757.php
  and a bonus one on pancreatis which arrived in my email this morning
  http://www.vitacost.com/DailyHealthTip/Air-Pollution-May-Cause-Appendicitis-Study.

  Just to clarify, I took antibiotics and probiotics at the same time orally, not by IV as mentioned in the study. Not was I aware that I had a ’serious’ problem with my pancreas at the time.

  Thank you Cynthia.

  Mimi

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:07 am

  Hi Mimi,

  Thanks for the links. You did not mention the very crucial fact that the people in this study already had acute pancreatitis. It’s important anytime you share information on a blog that you share all the facts, so people are not misled. Not including all the facts is how misinformation gets passed along.

  The people in this study were not taking an antibiotic with their probiotics. So it “was not” a combination of antibiotics and probiotics that caused them to develop a pancreatitic attack, as you indicated in your earlier comment. It was also not the cause of their death.

  These people already had acute pancreatitis “before” taking the acidophilus. They were being treated for acute pancreatitis and took acidophilus only. Antibiotics are not mentioned in this study.

  These people did not have MCS, FMS or CFS or any other health conditions — they had acute pancreatitis. Therefore we cannot draw the conclusion that anyone other than someone with acute pancreatitis might have a problem with acidophilus. And the key word here is “might.” The health researchers in this study do not know what caused the deaths. They think it was something related to the acidophilus, but they don’t know for sure. It could have been the result of many different things and may have had nothing to do with acidophilus.

  It’s also important to note that the people in this study were in intensive care and received the probiotics through a feeding tube directly into the intestines. Additionally, nine people died in the control group as well – people who didn’t take acidophilus.

  It would be expected that someone in the acute phase of pancreatitis would react differently to a treatment modality than someone with another health condition.

  This study has nothing to do with taking an antibiotic and acidophilus together.

  The effects exhibited in this study would be unique to people with acute pancreatitis. It would not extend to the rest of the population or other health conditions.

  This study does not indicate that we should not combine antibiotics and probiotics.

  Your third link is about appendicitis, not pancreatitis.

  From what you’re saying it sounds like you may have had a pre-existing condition with your pancreas that you were not aware of, that is likely what resulted in your pancreatic attack. We cannot jump to conclusions that other people with other health conditions would have the same result when taking an antibiotic and acidophilus. We cannot conclude the antibiotics and the acidophilus were the cause of your attack.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Mimi // Nov 10, 2009 at 9:22 pm

  Hi Cynthia,

  Thank you for you response, I’ve sent you a rather lengthy explanation and clarification. I apologise to anyone who felt misled by the info I posted. This was certainly not my intention. My experience was and is real and I would not want any one else to have the same with fatal outcome.

  God bless

  Mimi

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Nov 12, 2009 at 12:00 pm

  Hi Mimi,

  I’m not saying your experience wasn’t real and I understand your desire to inform others. I’m just saying that the Dutch study is not the same as your experience because they were not taking antibiotics. I’m also saying that the Dutch study does not support the possibility that antibiotics and acidophilus shouldn’t be taken together because antibiotics are not mentioned in this study. I’m also saying that both your experience and the Dutch study occurred in people with pancreas issues, so therefore if there is an issue with acidophilus it is occurring only in people with pancreatitis.

  Yes, people with health conditions should always be careful with any treatment method, however we don’t want to frighten people from taking acidophilus with information that may or may not actually be related to acidophilus. Acidophilus provides most people with healthy benefits. Each person should follow their doctors advice on whether to take them with an antibiotic or after.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Sam // Nov 29, 2009 at 9:51 pm

  Cynthia,

  I have been having what I’m thinking to be Candida-related problems for several months now. I have been suffering with recurring bacterial/yeast infections and just recently a UTI. It feels like I can’t completely get rid of the infections. Accompanied with them I have strange body aches (my skin feels more sensitive to the touch in certain spots on my body), headaches, dizziness, stuffiness/congestion, lower back pain, and digestive problems. I was put on antibiotics every time I was diagnosed with an infection and I feel like that only made things worse. I researched Candida and I matched up my symptoms to a majority of the ones I found, and even took online tests to see if I could conclude that I’m having yeast-related problems – all of which made my assumptions seem correct. I want to see a doctor and talk to them about this to see if I’m taking the right approach, but I feel like it might be in vain because it seems like very few doctors are well-educated about this. And quite frankly I feel like the crazy amount of doctor visits I have been making lately have only ended up in more antibiotics, which do not seem to be having a positive impact on my health.

  I purchased a whole slough of new groceries to try to begin my Candida cleansing diet, which I know is going to be very hard to follow but I’m tired of feeling sick and I’m determined to help myself. However, since I’m new to this I’m not exactly sure how to approach it the right way. Do sugars need to be completely cut out of your diet, or is it okay to have at least a small intake daily? I feel like it’s near impossible to completely cut sugars out of your life. Especially since half the things they sell in stores include at least a little amount. I bought as many whole grain and gluten-free products as I could find, though. I also started taking a multi-nutrient probiotic supplement today called “Candida Forte,” however I know nothing about its effectiveness. I’m hoping it’ll work for me, though.

  I also was considering purchasing Threelac because I had read some positive statements about it online, but I then came across your blog and read other peoples’ comments and now I’m a bit skeptic. I don’t know if I should give it a try or stay on the same path I started today. I’m guessing I’ll just try the diet change accompanied with the supplement I bought and if that doesn’t seem to do the trick I can always try a different route.

  Thank you.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Dec 5, 2009 at 12:22 pm

  Hi Sam,

  Yes, sugar should be cut from the diet completely. It is the most crucial aspect when addressing Candida overgrowth. If there were only one food that had to be removed, sugar would be it. It is impossible to reduce yeast if one continues to eat sugar.

  Initially it is difficult to cut sugar, but it is not impossible. It requires making a major adjustment in the way you shop and the way you eat. If you pick the right foods, they will not contain sugar. A diet that consists of nothing but whole foods will not contain sugar – unprocessed meat, fresh or frozen vegetables, unsweetened yogurt, raw nuts, seeds, fresh or frozen fruit, unrefined oils like olive, walnut and sunflower. This is the diet we should be eating.

  Sugar is not only bad for us because of Candida, it is detrimental to our health for many reasons. It is the easiest and most effective step we can take to improve our health.

  You can learn more about sugar on this page

  http://www.holistichelp.net/sugar-addiction.html

  And I have a lot of info on the Candida diet on this page

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-diet.html

  Best
  Cynthia

• Brittany // Jan 10, 2010 at 11:26 pm

  Hi Cynthia

  I’ve been dealing with alot of intestinal issues for about the past year in the half and I just couldnt pin point what happened.
  I’m moody, lost my sex drive, I have trouble passing stool, I have a itchy anal, I’m bloated all the time, I have terrible gas which causes me to pass gas like every five minutes and I’ve had vaginal issues as well.

  I wasn’t experiencing this before but all of a sudden it started one day and Ive been dealing with it ever since. I stared researching my symptons and came accross the idea that i too could be suffering from an excess of candida in my intestine so I immediately set out to heal my self. Im taking garlic supplements, drinking apple cider vinegar tonics, pro-biotics and Ive started the anit-candida diet (which by the way is hard and limiting.) I can say that I haven’t noticed a huge difference (it hasn’t been much time since I started trying to heal myself) but I want to know what do you recommend?

  I have taken notes on different natural remedies as I would like to save myself a trip from the doctor (who probably wouldn’t help anyways) but I’m desperate. I came accross threelac but reviews are fishy so I dont know what to do?

  I’ve been on the birth control pill for about 3 1/2 years straight without an break plus i live a stressful lifestyle and eat a not so good diet so I attributed that to why I had the imbalance of flora. I recently discontinued my birth control so i don’t really know if that will help. all i know is that im on a tight budget and I want relief but I would rather spend money on something will work instead of wasting my money on crap that will just mask the problem or make it worst.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Jan 11, 2010 at 11:04 am

  Hi Brittany,

  Yes, these are all very typical symptoms of Candida overgrowth. My recommendations are written about extensively in the Candida section of my site and my blog, so it would be redundant and too time consuming to rewrite them all here. I encourage you to read all of them which can be found at the following links:

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

  http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/category/candidiasis/

  However, here are a few thoughts specific to your issues you mentioned. The birth control pill is one of the main contributors to Candida overgrowth. It is impossible to make progress if one continues to take the pill.

  The diet is crucial. Yes, I understand it is difficult, but it must be done. It will get easier as you go along. It is impossible to make progress if one continues to eat sugar, white flour, refined foods, drink caffeine, too many complex carbohydrates etc. The primary diet should basically consist of meat and low carb vegetables. If you’re still eating sugar and refined foods, you’re not likely to see any results.

  There are many different strains of Candida and some are very resistant to treatment. Your Candida may already be resistant to garlic and apple cider vinegar doesn’t work for everyone – it made my Candida worse.

  Many of the symptoms you mention above can and often are indicative of food sensitivities as well as Candida. Candida and food sensitivities go hand in hand. Where you find one, you find the other. I would encourage you to find out if you sensitivities, which can be done with an ALCAT test, here are links to the test itself and pages that provide info about it.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/is-alcat-testing-really-effective/

  http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/why-the-alcat-test/

  http://www.holistichelp.net/alcat-test.html

  http://www.holistichelp.net/food-allergies.html

  Some of the symptoms you experience can also be indicative of a gluten intolerance which can also be identified with the ALCAT test as well.

  Finding effective ways to manage and reduce stress is also crucial as high levels of stress increase the level of glucose – blood sugar in the body and this will aggravate Candida. Additionally on going excessive stress damages the adrenal glands.

  Candida is very complex and involves many variables, adrenal issues, immune system, pH, metal toxicity, colon functioning, sensitivities, detoxification, thyroid, hypoglycemia, liver functioning, etc. all play a role in overgrowth and must be addressed.

  If you’d like to have all the information you need to know in one place, you can find it in my book Candida Secrets which can be found at this link.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets.html

  Addressing Candida overgrowth is a journey. It takes time, persistence and commitment, as there is a great deal to learn and everyone is unique and must find what works for their body.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Patricia // Mar 3, 2010 at 6:56 pm

  After doing some (what I thought was thorough) research on Threelac, and only seeing positive things, I decided to purchase a box.
  Day 1 – Diarrhea within 3 hours of taking 1st packet
  Day 2 – feeling o.k.
  Day 3 – Severe Vaginal Yeast Infection and Sever UTI.
  Stopped taking Threelac and symptoms started disappearing.

  I didn’t think that Threelac could cause this severe of a reaction so I started taking Threelac again about 3 days after I stopped it.
  Day 4 – Felt o.k.
  Day 5 – Symptoms started returning,but thought I would try to push through it.
  Day 6 – Severe Vaginal Yeast Infection and Thrush. Also Severe UTI again, with blood in urine.
  Stopped taking Threelac and went on my usual natural remedy to cure yeast infection and UTI. It didn’t work! I tried many days to get rid of the infections, but it was only getting worse. My kidney’s starting aching, then I broke down and went to the doctor and got antibiotics. I’ve been antibiotic free for for around 8 months now, by using holistic and all natural products, until I started taking Threelac. I feel like a failure, and it makes me so angry that I would have this kind of reaction to a product that is supposed to make it better. In my personal opinion I would not recommend this product to anyone because of the reaction that I had.

• Kristin // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:38 am

  I was going to buy threelac…Maybe not now. A bit scary. Damn candida.
  I think its funny though, the website called, Candida Support .org
  pretends to be a ‘help’ website but is just seems to be an agent for threelac and they say,
  ‘One thing you can know for sure, when it comes to Candida products, if a claim sounds ludicrous it is ludicrous.’
  HaHa! Doesnt threelac’s miracle solution sound a bit ludicrous???

• Sandy // Apr 5, 2010 at 5:17 pm

  Cynthia,
  Hi, found this blog while trying to find my threelac
  at a cheaper rate. Have been using it for 2 years,
  1 packet a day before bed. Haven’t had a vaginal
  yeast infection in that time which is a record.
  However, in the past year I’ve had what I call episodes which come on out of the blue,( chills,
  body ache, muscle ache, sensitivity, indigestion,
  etc.) and have caused me to see my physician,
  orthopedist, rheumatologist..had blood work done and the only thing they can find is vitamin D deficiency. Next is the neurologist. Any chance this could be from using the threelac?
  I really thought it worked well for me keeping the infections at bay, maybe these symptoms
  are something else developing but the Dr’s all
  shrug their shoulders and tell me there’s nothing wrong & good luck finding out what it is. I’ve had yeast issues all my adult life, thought it was finally under control. What’s your thoughts?

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Apr 6, 2010 at 9:48 pm

  Hi, Sandy,

  Well, I have no way of knowing what it could be with certainty. It could be the Threelac, as some of those symptoms are what some people experienced when taking it. However, in my opinion it sounds like you are still having Candida symptoms. Those are also symptoms of Candida overgrowth. You may have had improvement in your vaginal yeast, but the yeast may still be present and causing problems in other areas of the body like the muscles and gut. Those symptoms could also be a reaction to an undiagnosed food sensitivity, allergy or intolerance or a chemical or mold sensitivity. These usually occur in conjunction with Candida. You can learn more about this at this link http://www.holistichelp.net/alcat-test.html

  It’s also possible your symptoms could be a combination of both these issues. If it were me, I would stop taking the Threelac and switch to some different antifungals and see if I had improvement. Vaginal yeast can be cleared up quite easily by inserting acidophilus capsules in the vagina.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Apr 6, 2010 at 9:56 pm

  Yeah, I agree, Kristin. Pretty ironic.
  Cynthia

• Craig // Apr 7, 2010 at 4:54 pm

  Hello,

  My wife has been having many health problems that we associated with her 18 amalgam fillings. We had planned to have them removed and starting taking products required before the removal. My wife then started losing handfulls of hair every day. We had two quadrants replaced and then had to wait for fiancial reasons. During the time (4 months) my wife has continued to lose large amounts of hair. We have been to doctors and all tested for hormones and thyroid issues (as she just stopped breasting our daughter). All that was fine and then I started researching and believe her problem to be candida. I order the Threelac this morning and then later found this site. I have read many sites and found only positive reactions until now. This is a shock and I will probably just try to sent to material back as my wife is very sensitive to everything we have tried for the mercury. My wife is 33 years old and has lost 75-80% of her hair that has never been cut in her life. I have taken the product myself 2 years ago and noticed nothing (good or bad). Was hoping this to finally be the answer to my wifes help problems but all the bad comments have me scared.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Apr 7, 2010 at 9:07 pm

  Hi Craig,

  I’m sorry you’ve been through such an ordeal.

  Having amalgams removed is serious business, so be sure you are using someone who is following the proper protocol by Hal Huggins. It is essential that the protocol be followed.

  Hair falling out can have a variety of possible, causes, hypothyroidism, hormones, heavy metal toxicity, candida, liver problems and nutritional deficiencies.

  Be sure you are seeing a doctor who is testing the thyroid and hormones properly. Standard testing is not reliable. Here is the proper way to test the thyroid

  http://www.holistichelp.net/hypothyroidism.html

  Hormones should be tested through saliva. You might want to test for nutritional deficiencies.

  Additionally, make sure your wife isn’t using any hair dyes, perms etc., they contain toxins that can make the hair fall out.

  Candida is almost always a factor in these kinds of health issues, and it is much more complex than taking a product like Threelac. I have an ebook that covers all the bases, if you’re interested. It can be found here

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets.html

  Changing the diet is crucial. You can read about that here

  http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-diet.html

  All the best.
  Cynthia

• Cathy // May 18, 2010 at 5:24 pm

  I have been reading information on your blog and was wondering what you would think about my situation. My five year old daughter has had very bad skin issues for at least 3 years. She has had her share of ear infections and most of time she acts like she is tired. I was looking for something that would help her from itching her skin off. She just came off of an antibiotic for a staph skin infection and I was looking for some answers. We did the Candida spit test and it came back possitive. I did a little reserch and heard good things about Three Lac and how it could help with eczema so I ordered some and put her on it. It did help a lot with the itching but about 2 weeks after she started it, she also started to have a yellowish – green vaginal discharge. She never complained about pain so I let it go thinking it was die-off and it would stop. 3 months went by and then I took her to see the doctor, they did a culture that came back possitive for strep and put her on an antibiotic.
  I took her off of ThreeLac and other probiotics while she was on the antibiotic. After the course of antibiotic I put her back on ThreeLac and probiotics not thinking that might be what caused it in the first place. Two weeks after being back on ThreeLac she started again with the vaginal discharge with a fowl odor and a red rash. I then thought ThreeLac could have something to do with it and stopped giving it to her. She has been off of it for 2 weeks and her sympoms are the same if not getting worse.
  Do you think this could be a vaginal yeast infection and if so how would you recomend treating it in a child? I have come across information to use yogurt or acidophilus in the vagina. What do you think?

  Cathy

• Deliyen // May 18, 2010 at 7:37 pm

  I have bad experienced taking Threelac too, it was 4 years ago, after having severe candida, I tried Threelac for 5 months.
  At the begining, I have bad reaction that I supposed it was die off, then gradually I felt better and started to be able to eat fruits again without reaction and also nearly almost any food, but later on after 5 months, sudenly my vagina felt achy and ichy, unbearable, and my brain fog flare up again, it was so frightened, and I couldn’t drink any water from the tap, even after the water been boiled. so I just have to stop taking Threelac. for so long I asking myself, is it only me to have this bad reaction or is there any other person who have similar experience? Glad to know now that I am not the only one. Actually I was going to try again, but after reading this blog that confirm me that indeed Threelac is not always good for everyone.

• Deliyen // May 18, 2010 at 7:45 pm

  I have taken probiotic that is good for me so far, is Nature’s biotic or Body biotic they call it now, I have it for three years now, but sadly, the last time I bought this probiotic, about a month ago, the custom at the Airport mailing centre held it up, saying I have no permit to import or that supplement is prohibitit entering New Zealand, where I live now.
  That is why I was thinking to try Threelac another go, out of desperation, because we can buy Threelac in NZ. But before I buy, I better searching information that able to convince me it is good and save, but now after reading this blog I better not to buy Threelac anymore for the rest of my life.
  Thank you for having this blog

• Sue // May 20, 2010 at 12:20 am

  Hi Cynthia,
  I was about to try Threelac. I’m in Sydney Australia and wondered why it has to come from New Zealand. Thanks to you – now I know more! I have a fuzzy head and vision blurring, problems thinking and memory issues. Shaky inside, jumpy and hyper-vigilant. Weird nerve pains in my hand and foot. Touch a spot and get an “electric shock” type pain. Cold most of the time. Stomach feels sick in the mornings. Food always helps but sometimes it’s a struggle to eat, and I have to go slowly.-Mornings only – My appetite is good otherwise and my tummy sort of gnaws at me if I only eat 3 meals a day. I’m rarely bloated but have either diarrhea/soup or wind and I always need to go two or three times before I can get out of the house. I never crave sugar, I hate sweet stuff, but maybe I crave carbs.? I do like pickles and sour things. I need energy to be a long distance runner and bread and pasta feature heavily in my diet. 2008 and last year I spent lots of money on many tests. IGg in May 2008 came back with 72 foods I was positive for. Cut them out while marathon training and survived but nothing improved – after 6 months – and I was ’starving’! Then read that I needed to fix up my leaky gut… After my Dad died in Dec. 2008 – in England – I was really sick. Energy kept going, vertigo, all sorts… Normal doctor’s tests showed fatty liver, (I don’t drink much!) pancreatic enzymes low, pottasium low, Progetserone 2, – low, and under active thyroid – only diagnosed from my low body temperature. He put me on enzymes and Thyroxine. I took the Thyroxine for 2 weeks because my Dad had been on it, then thought NO! it’s for life, and my thyroid playing up is probably a symptom not a cause. I’m a skinny 55kg. runner too by the way! Vertigo specialist/Neurologist said all ok and sent me to a psychologist saying I’d be fixed in two weeks. Believed it, but it didn’t work. Nothing wrong with my nerves either. Tried bio-identical hormones which I still take but still no real improvement. Also Iodine drops, L-glutamine, adreno complex, Multi vitamin, fish oil, Chinese herbs… Iron doesn’t seem to help and my levels are always skimming the bottom. Now on HCl type enyzmes. My energy came back a few months ago I think due to just going running despite it, and thinking that all of this is an emotional thing. Dr. Sarno and Monte Heuftle have been my reasons for going down this track. – TMS – I’m really believing this is the way to go. This can take time and sometimes I’m thinking I’m ok but only for a few hours, and then get frustrated, and this only keeps it going… The reason I am here then is because I was unsure whether Candida could be a TMS thing, and was just going to give Candida treatment a try if it was as easy as the Threelac people say! Clearly not. How do you really know if you have Candida? That saliva test?! Really? How do you know what strains of Candida? Do I have the right symptoms? Also what to do also as I am in Australia and products are plentiful but different to yours? Thanks for listening. Sue.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // May 20, 2010 at 11:11 am

  Hi Cathy,

  First of all ,I would recommend that you find a knowledgeable alternative health physician by going to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine and asking for a referral. http://www.aaemonline.org/

  The symptoms your child has are indicative of Candida overgrowth and food sensitivities.

  In my opinion it sounds like the Threelac is what caused the strep.

  Since both times she took Threelac, she developed the vaginal symptoms, it is obviously the cause. That is one of the things it did to me as well.

  Yes yogurt and acidophilus inserted in the vagina are very effective. However, the diet must be changed, antifungals should be taken, etc. Please read this on vaginal yeast and the entire Candida section of my site.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // May 20, 2010 at 11:26 am

  Hi Sue,

  Sorry you’ve been through the wringer. But this is a pretty traditional story for anyone with Candida. Yes, these are all indicative of Candida. Thyroid, leaky gut, hormonal imbalances, lacking in enzymes etc,. are all part of the Candida syndrome and do not improve if Candida overgrowth is not reduced.

  There aren’t any lab tests that are reliable for diagnosing Candida. The best way to diagnose is the written questionnaire in Dr. Crooks book, The Yeast Connection. Your symptoms will tell you if you have Candida and you have all the classic symptoms. The spit test is not reliable. It may or may not identify Candida. It was created by the company who makes Threelac.

  To address Candida overgrowth, the diet must be changed, antifungals must be taken, probiotics taken, and all other factors that contribute to Candida like heavy metals, food sensitivity, pH, adrenal function, environmental toxins, colon health etc. must be addressed. It requires a comprehensive approach. You can find everything you need to know throughout the pages of the site by doing a search for Candida. I have written about it extensively. Alternatively, if you want everything in one place, you can find a comprehensive overview in my book – Candida Secrets.

  Best
  Cynthia

• Sue // May 21, 2010 at 2:56 am

  Thanks Cynthia,
  I forgot to mention sinus drip/blocked nose and sometimes an episode of painful lumpy swollen red sores between vagina and further back. Not your usual thrush but it may be my sort.
  I’ll try your suggestions and find your book. We have plenty of products here, I’ll do my research!
  Thanks. Sue.

• Cathy // May 23, 2010 at 9:19 pm

  Cynthia, thank you for your response. If ThreeLac is what caused the vaginal strep in my daughter, are anibiotics the only way to treat strep? I feel like I am in a crazy cycle of antibiotics and the effects of antibiotics. I was also wondering if Candida could test possitve for strep?
  Thank you for your help. I will be reading up on more of your information.

  Cathy

• Gilly // May 25, 2010 at 7:04 pm

  HI have read through this site and wondered if you have heard of this set of reactions? Had been ill with the usual stuff, gut problems and have since been diagnosed with IBS. Ok so that was already in place. Back in Feb 2009 took Threelac as I believed I also had an issue with sugars making me feel nauseous and hoped it might irradicate any bacterial imbalance.

  First few days no problem. Then quite suddenly my tongue began to swell and my mouth flood with water every few minutes. I began to feel terribly sick and couldn’t eat at all for days plus my muscles stang as if something was coursing round my entire system. Have never felt so ill but the symtoms didn’t match anything on the die off list. Took Threelac in the end for around 3 weeks and then stopped it as assumed it must be that making me feel so ill.

  Just over a year later my tongue still swells whenever I touch any form of sugar and am now unable to eat anything other than celery, old potatoes, meats and fish! Absolutely anything else and I feel utterly awful for days.

  Have been through all the right procedures, got a dietician who believes its just all about elimination and reintroduction but my immune system is now so sensitive that almost all types of food cause an allergy type reaction to my tongue. Can the Threelac bacteria have caused some sort of constant infection on my tongue so that any food at all is enough to swell it up?

  Totally bemused and have now seen top professor here in uk who’s only other suggestion is colon cancer or antibiotics for goodness sake.

  No one seems to have a clue but I do know that I had no food intolerances before Threelac!

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // May 29, 2010 at 10:43 am

  Hi Gilly,

  Wow, I’m sorry, that’s a pretty unique experience. I haven’t heard anything like that. Whenever I’m trying to determine if a supplement I’m taking is causing me a reaction I stop taking it until I get better and then take it again to see if I get the same effects. If I get the same effects then that makes it clear to me that it is the cause. However, since you’re reactions were so severe I wouldn’t try the Threelac again. It certainly could be that the Threelac triggered this issue. If I had no intolerances before Threelac and developed them during, then that seems like clear cut cause and effect to me, but I have no way of knowing for sure. Whenever I take a new supplement I only introduce one at time, so I can be certain which one it is that is causing problems if problems arise. You also have to analyze whether you made any other changes in your life at that time that may have contributed, like medications or environmental toxins. It sounds like your Candida level went through the ceiling and you need to reduce your level of overgrowth.

  In the early years of my recovery I often got burning on the tongue from anything sweet. This is an indication that the Candida level is very high. If I were you, I would be alternating my antifungals like grapefruit seed extract, oregano oil and garlic and sticking only to meat and vegetables and taking acidophilus. I’d also do an enema weekly or get a colonic. Enemas or colonics will reduce the level of Candida in the body very quickly. I’d also brush my tongue with peroxide. This will kill the Candida in the mouth.

  All the best
  Cynthia

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // May 29, 2010 at 10:50 am

  Hi Cathy,

  I’m sorry, but I don’ know the answer to that question. I don’t know a lot about strep. However bacterial infections in the vagina go hand in hand with Candida and usually improve when the Candida level is reduced. Many people find relief from vaginal bacteria by inserting acidophilus in the vagina. However, as I suggested above, I recommend finding an alternative medicine physician for your daughter.

  Best
  Cynthia

• valarie // May 29, 2010 at 3:03 pm

  hi – i was trying the threelac (along with my husband and two of my kids) my husband is doing fine with it, so is my son. my daughter developed a sore throat and a severely congested nose. me, i was doing fine until i developed a severe pain in the belly that came and went, then diarrhea for a whole day, until i ended up in the hospital for tests to see if it was appendicitis (which it wasn’t – they chalked it up to gas?!), but when i got home, i developed a 102.7 fever and ended up with strep throat. i haven’t had strep throat since, oh, like the early 80’s BEFORE I HAD MY TONSILS OUT!!! Now I’m on an antibiotic (after being completely bedridden for 2 1/2 days) and am feeling better. (except now, i’m constipated from not going for 3 days). I really do feel like this caused my strep (and possibly my belly issues). so i’m taking everyone off of it and just sticking with the colostrum supplement.

• David Ho // Jun 6, 2010 at 12:50 pm

  Hi Cynthia,

  I just finished the challenging task of reading all the comments on your blog as well as several of the entries you so kindly linked throughout your replies to comments.

  I, as a human being, and a content consumer conscious online marketer am thankful for your honesty and value-added content. In support of your efforts I purchased and printed out your Candida Secrets book. I’ll have to chew through that throughout this week!

  I’m a 26 year old guy who’s relevant medical history / symptoms consists of:

  - two rounds of Acutane around the age of 13 – after failure with several antibiotic treatments for severe acne throughout teenage years that persists at a more manageable level today – nowadays I can keep most of it off my face though my back and chest continue to break out regularly.

  - itchy anal hemmroids with occasional bloody bowel movements when I eat particularly bad developed early in my college years (~2005/6) – I still have that today.

  - I went through a bought of depression during college though that had external social causation.

  - I’ve also always thought there was a clarity in my mind that I lost somewhere around the time I took Accutane. I suppose you could call it an occasional cloudiness. More recently I had bouts of losing my train of thought when I was stressed to extremes and when there were far too many things on my mind. This has eased considerably when I relieve some of the pressures I put on my mind however I found it significant enough that it troubled me – I didn’t think it was normal.

  - Gas, bloating, and excessive flatulence, upset stomach, and diarrea are a daily part of my life. I’ve had digestional issues since my early teens – and I’ve had bouts where I basically didn’t eat for a day to let my system calm down as anything I put inside seemed to irritate me.

  - Semi-lactoseintollerance – for instance milk in the morning will send me to the toilet for hours – the same can be said for eating any creamy/processed cheese. If I eat any dairy close to bedtime the next morning is spent on the toilet in agony. However any dairy eaten in the middle of the day – as long as it’s not fake processed cheese – is absolutely fine.

  I’ve had a strong feeling, which I’ve been supplementing with research lately, that the root cause of these symptoms in whole or in part is Candida – I was actually determined to purchase Threelac prior to reading everything here, and still am considering it as I don’t believe my level of infection to be too severe and my immune system is in pretty good shape (in my undereducated guestimation).

  Do you think I’m on the right track? Any insight you can afford me outside of what’s in your book (I’ll collect that as I read through it this week ) would be very much appreciated!!

  Thanks – David

  P.s.- apologies for the wall-o-text!

• Lili // Jul 18, 2010 at 6:24 pm

  Well I started threelac a week ago and on the first day had an immediate great reaction! tons of energy, my anxiety went, memory was clear as anything, it was just like i had taken a ritalin tablet. The next day i took it and nothing, then the next day and the next, nothing! BUT it did let me eat some carbs and dairy without getting that awful heartburn and after 2 more days my cravings for carbs and sweets was gone. BUT last night I had the worst anal and vaginal pain that kept me up all night and that in itself is enough for me to stop taking this!

• Faye // Aug 2, 2010 at 2:11 am

  I took Threelac and the first time it seemed ok, but the second time I noticed no difference except to my pocketbook. I was pointed toward another product called Symbion for Life and tried it but became pretty sick and weak, although I am not sure if it is from the Symbion. I did some research and some of the ingredients in both of these are being called dangerous on many websites. I am almost at the point now of avoiding all these mail-order type probiotics altogether as I can’t afford them and they are not seeming to help me much anyway.

• Admin - Cynthia Perkins // Aug 12, 2010 at 12:34 am

  Hi David,

  I apologize it has taken me so long to respond to you. Your post got put aside when I was busy so I could come back to it and then it got lost in the shuffle. I just stumbled upon it by accident.

  So hopefully better late than never will apply here.

  Yes, I do believe you are on the right track. All your symptoms are classic symptoms of someone with Candida and you should find some relief by addressing this issue. Everything you need to know is in the book you bought and on the pages of this blog and site.

  However, your symptoms are also common in hidden food sensitivities, so be sure to look into that aspect as well on this page. Food sensitivities and Candida usually go hand in hand.

  http://www.holistichelp.net/food-allergies.html

  Additionally, accutane has been linked to a variety of serious gastrointestinal disorders and has been involved in a variety of law suits. So that may have a played a part in your symptoms as well.

  All the best.
  Cynthia

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