Is Threelac Probiotic Safe and Effective?

Enterococci in Threelac Probiotic

Threelac Probiotic is one of the most popular Candida treatment products on the market today, but I have some serious questions about its safety and side effects.

I tried the product myself and had a very negative experience with a wide array of side effects. I developed what I believe was a bacterial infection. It gave me a high fever, sore throat, chills, shivers, shakes, sweats, and a severe vaginal yeast infection.

My adult son tried it as well and he got much sicker than I did. His fever was very high, sore throat, chills, migraine, and sweats. He tells me he was so sick he couldn’t get out of bed for two days.

I was rather perplexed and quite disappointed in our experience because I had heard such great things about it and I was really hopeful that it was going to be effective. Before buying the product, I had done a little research, and at the time, I couldn’t find any bad reviews about it.

At first, I thought our experience was unique, so I just chalked it up to our body chemistry for the time being. However, as time went on I discovered more facts that raised quite a few questions.

Over at curezone.com Candida forum I found quite a few people who shared bad experiences and opinions about the product and some even feel it is a scam.

The most disturbing fact I stumbled upon is that Threelac Probiotic contains a bacteria called Enterococcus faecalis. This is an opportunistic gram-positive bacterium that can make you very sick. A lot of countries, like Australia and Canada, ban products that contain this bacteria in their country. Enterococci are consistently the second or third most common culprit in urinary tract infections, wound infections, and bacteremia in hospitals and are involved in a significant percent of endocarditis. You can learn more about Enterococcus faecalis here.

There’s a great deal of disagreement in the alternative health field over this ingredient and proponents of Threelac argue that they use a different strain that is supposedly not harmful. Well, my feeling is that even if that’s true, I wouldn’t want to take the risk of any strain. My own experience proved to me that my body developed an infection.

I decided that people should really know that not everyone is having great experiences with this product and I posted my review of Threelac Probiotic on my site so that people could hear both sides of the story and make an informed decision.

After I posted my review on my site, I started to get quite a few customers who shared with me that they got very sick from taking Threelac. I also get a lot of emails from people who thank me for sharing my honest experience and say they have experienced the same thing.

Last week I received an email from someone who says that when they started taking Threelac Probiotic it gave them stabbing pain in their perineum, the shakes and shivers, sweating, inability to sleep, burning throat and burning in the left eye. Not only that, after they stopped taking it, the symptoms continued. They can’t make it go away.

I find this very disturbing. What the heck is going on here? Why is it that some people have no negative reactions and other people have violent reactions?

Well, I still believe it basically boils down to body chemistry and vulnerability. I think it depends on how severe you’re Candida overgrowth is and how susceptible you are to not only the bacteria that is in the product but also the yeast and sugars which are added to feed the bacteria. It appears that some bodies, perhaps ones that have a weaker immune system, leaky gut, or a less functional liver are prone to develop an infection when exposed to this bacteria, while other people with a stronger constitution may have no problem.

Proponents of the product feel the negative symptoms and side effects must be die-off, but I disagree. I’ve been dealing with Candida for more than 20 years and I’ve taken about every product out there and endured some horrific die-off, but I have never experienced what I felt with this product. What I had was clearly a bacterial infection.

Additionally, I received an email from another holistic health professional who had the same experience as mine and she told me that Threelac’s own information states that the product should not be used if you have leaky gut syndrome. I don’t have a package of Threelac to read and verify if that’s true, but if it is, that’s absurd. Almost anyone with severe Candida overgrowth has leaky gut syndrome. She concluded that the leaky gut allows the bacteria in Threelac to enter the bloodstream and becomes pathogenic at that point. Which sounds like another logical explanation.

I don’t recommend Threelac Probiotic to anyone, because I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. Maybe you’ll be one of those who will be okay with it and maybe you won’t. I would exercise extreme caution before giving it a try, but that’s my particular preference. However, you’ll find many holistic and alternative health practitioners who do recommend it freely.

I recommend caution not only in regard to Threelac but any new product you haven’t tried. Always do a little research and see what other people saying. The alternative health field is not immune to scams or ineffective treatment. Unfortunately, the fact that so many people are now taking an interest in alternative and holistic medicine, makes it even more vulnerable. I’m not saying that is the case with this particular product, I’m just saying that it’s always best to be an aware and informed consumer regardless of what product you’re considering.

If you need more personal help dealing with any aspect of Candida, I offer consultations by phone. You can find out more by visiting my health coaching page.

You may also want to look at my newest book on Candida, which is now available in paperback and goes into great detail about probiotics.

Alternatively, I have a handy little eBook called Candida Secrets that covers all the basics and comes with recipes, meal plans, and tips for staying on the diet.

How about you, did you have side effects with the Threelac Probiotic? Do you have an experience you’d like to share? Leave your comments below.

Holistic Health Coaching with Cynthia

169 thoughts on “Is Threelac Probiotic Safe and Effective?”

  1. Vanessa de la cruz

    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

  2. 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….

  3. 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.

  4. 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
    🙂

  5. Threelac sufferer

    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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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?

  8. 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.

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-symptoms/

    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.

    https://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets/

    Best Cynthia
    🙂

  9. 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.

  10. 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?

  11. 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.

  12. 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
    🙂

  13. 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
    🙂

  14. 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
    🙂

  15. 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.

  16. 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
    🙂

  17. 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.

  18. 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
    🙂

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

  20. 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!)

  21. 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),

  22. 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

  23. 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
    🙂

  24. 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

  25. 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!

  26. 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.

  27. Hi Julie,

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

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/threelac-reviews/

    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.
    🙂

  28. 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.

  29. 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.

  30. 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!

  31. 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.
    🙂

  32. Elizabeth Gallagher

    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

  33. 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.

  34. Elizabeth Gallagher

    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

  35. 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

  36. 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:

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-symptoms/

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/what-is-fibromyalgia/

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/symptoms-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

    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.

    https://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.

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/category/holistic-health-care/

    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

  37. 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.

  38. Elizabeth Gallagher

    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

  39. 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

  40. 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.

  41. 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.

  42. 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

  43. 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

  44. 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!!

  45. 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.

  46. 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.

  47. 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

  48. 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

  49. 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.

  50. 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….

  51. 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.

  52. 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.

  53. 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:
    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-symptoms/

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

    Best
    Cynthia

  54. 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.

  55. 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

  56. 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

  57. 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 https://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Dutch-patients-die-after-taking-probiotics
    and also
    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/97757.php
    and a bonus one on pancreatis which arrived in my email this morning
    https://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

    1. 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

  58. 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

  59. 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

  60. 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.

    1. 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

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/sugar-addiction-facts/

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

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-diet/

      Best
      Cynthia

  61. 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.

  62. 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:

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-symptoms/

    https://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.

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

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

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/the-alcat-test/

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/uncovering-hidden-food-sensitivities/

    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.

    https://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets/

    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

  63. 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.

  64. 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???

  65. 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?

    1. 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 https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/the-alcat-test/

      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

  66. 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.

  67. 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

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/signs-of-hypothyroidism/

    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

    https://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets/

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

    https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-diet/

    All the best.
    Cynthia

  68. 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

  69. 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.

  70. 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

  71. 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.

    1. 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

  72. 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.

  73. 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

    1. 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

  74. 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!

    1. 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

  75. 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.

  76. 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 :-D) would be very much appreciated!!

    Thanks – David

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

  77. 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!

  78. 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.

  79. Hey Cynthia!

    I am wondering about using symbion.. im having a Candida infection for two years now…

    You recomend it? im already having die offs begause of the Candida diet.. so I already have a lott off really annoying symptoms, so what do i got to lose right? 😉

    Cheers

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Gio,

      I personally haven’t tried Symbion and haven’t worked with anyone who has. However, it contains a bacteria that is related to the controversial enteroccus bacteria that is in Threelac, that I am not very comfortable with, so I wouldn’t use it myself.
      Cynthia

  80. I tried giving my 4 year old autistic son Threelac because of all the rave reviews I have read. I actually saw improvements in the first week. After that it all went down hill. He developed severe OCD behaviors and also aggresiveness that he did not have before. He has started biting and scratching when he is in the middle of a tantrum. At first I thought it was die-off like everyone else, but the tantrums were getting out of control so I decided to stop. I also tried giving him clay baths and activated charcoal while taking the Threelac to alleviate symptoms but nothing helped. It has been almost 2 weeks since we stopped and he is still having these horrible episodes. He is also putting his hands down his pants a lot and rubbing his genitals on things. I’m thinking he has a UTI but I stay away from antibiotics as much as I can and I am wondering if there is something I can give him to help. Please help! I desperately want my son back the way he was!

  81. Dear Cynthia and All Others

    I have been reading this page with interest and feel blessed that I am no longer suffering from Candida.

    When I first came to the U.S. in 2005, suffering acutely from Candida, I bought a product online called ‘Target Candida’. I remember the Internet was FULL of this product. Has anyone ever heard of it? It was in a sachet form and after taking it for a few months my Candida died off, and has never recurred. Prior to taking the ‘Target Candida’ I had done years of strict Candida diet and a few severe liver cleanse – nothing worked. Only after this product did I feel as if I was healed. For the last five years I have eaten a normal diet, drunken wine in moderation, and have never suffered a relapse.

    I now want to help a friend and when I came to search online could no longer find ‘Target Candida’. Then I began to read about Threelac and the whole can of worms opened up again. I remembered how scared I had been to try ‘Target Candida’ and wondered whether it was all a hoax. Now, after reading about Threelac, I am too nervous to recommend it to my friend.

    If anyone out there has heard of ‘Target Candida’ please write about it and let’s try to get to the bottom of this mystery – it may help suffers out there.

    Love and Light

  82. I tried the Threelac product hoping to feel the health benefits, but the side effects were so severe I had to discontinue use. The first few days were okay, then after about a week I started to have some dizziness along with head throbbing, and a disoriented feeling and unable to think clearly. Not knowing if this was from taking the product, I continued to take threelac, at one pack a day dosage. Other symptoms started, a constant ringing in the ears, lack of concentration, fatigue and weakness and not being able to function normally. After I stopped taking the product, it took several weeks to fade off.

  83. Check out this link:

    https://forum.owndoc.com/showthread.php?102-The-ThreeLac-scam

    I was thinking of buying ThreeLac and noticed there are so many different websites promoting it, that I figured, it must be good stuff. But I wondered, why are so many different sites selling it and all for the same price? Why can’t I just get it directly from the manufacturer? As the above link explains, it is all clever marketing. Anyone can set up a website promoting ThreeLac and get paid a commission from GHT (the parent company) for the sales they bring in. It creates a positive web presence for the product, because everyone seems to be pushing it and raving about it. But it turns out it is all just clever marketing and most likely a lot of B.S. Who knows if the stuff does anything, but one thing seems for sure, it is making some people seriously ill. After reading all this, there is no way I would put this stuff in my body!

  84. Hi Cynthia,

    I just finished reading all the posts here. I’ve recently self diagnosed myself as a candida sufferer so I started reading everything relating to the Candida overgrowth.
    I’ve also bought your book Candida-Secret and finished reading it!

    Now after digesting all this information from many sites and some books, I believe I have a little understanding of the Candida overgrowth.

    It all started exactly 1 year ago november 2009 to be precise. The first symptoms I had was flu like symptoms, rhinitis, post nasal dripping, then soon after I had my first asthma attack. I never had any kind of asthma or chest tightness prior. Then when I was battling with my asthma I started experiencing all kinds of strange symptoms I never had before. I never had any trouble with any kind of food before I could eat almost anything and didn’t have any stomach or gastrointestinal problem. Soon after the asthma attack I started having a very full gassy stomach and the problem was I couldn’t pass the gas out. Strange thing was when I went with empty stomach for a few hours i had very tight feeling around my diaphragm and chest, and couldn’t breath abdominally but as soon as I ate something my stomach tightness would ease. Other symptoms were heart palpitation, hard time sleeping and getting up early, also a lot of allergy and mucous build up.
    The good thing was I was able to find the cause for my sudden asthma attack, and the cause was from naphthalene inhalation poisoning from moth balls (this is again my own diagnose but i’m pretty sure)

    So I threw away all the moth balls and cleaned all my clothes and condition improved vastly.
    But the stomach problem remained and it’s so debilitating. I feel like I have to push my abdomen out all the time to ease my breathing. And when I do that I hear a lot of gas growling in my intestine (which won’t come out!). Few months ago I went to the doc to check this and the doctor said I have H.Pylori and put me on a 3 week antibiotics, ppi course. That didn’t help my bloating. So I thought I might have different condition and that maybe something relating to candida overgrowth!

    Additionally for the past 2,3 months I started experiencing twitching all over my body and possible restless leg syndrome. Had sleeping difficulty. General fatigue.
    One other big change was my eyesight became considerably bad I didn’t wear glasses before but now I have to. The change was from -0.1
    to -1.25.

    But the problem is I want to be 100% sure that I have this condition. I went to many doctors and told them I might have system candidiasis, but almost all of them shrugged the idea away! So I had to diagnose my self.

    However there are some mismatching condition in my symptoms with the candida overgrowth symptoms.
    My symptoms that match the candida include:
    Severe intestinal gas, but for some reason I have difficulty passing flatulence.
    Allergy, asthma symptoms although improved vastly from the cleaning but occasional symptoms.
    General fatigue.
    Muscle twitching, abdominal tightness, heart palpitations.
    Eyesight problems.

    The symptoms that mismatch is:
    I don’t crave for sugar or carbohydrate (although one of the reason I believe i have candida is that my diet changed considerably starting 2.5 years ago after I arrived in Japan, I was eating mainly carbohydrate after coming)
    My bowel movement is normal most of the time.
    Don’t have foggy mind or loss of memory or anything to do with mentally except some possible depression or anxiety from the physical pain and social stress.

    About 4 days ago I started following very strict candida diet plan. And was planning to get threelac or similar probiotic supplements.
    But after I started my diet plan I started experiencing very strange itching around my hand and leg and when I scratch them they turn into very bright red spots but disappears after few minutes. This usually happens during the evening.

    So could my problem be related to candida. I really want to get rid of this cramping and bloating around my abdominal area it is so debilitating since I can’t breath normally always have to force to breath. And from the hoard of other symptoms.

    Peace and Love
    San

  85. Can the probiotic ingredient Enterococcus faecium be harmful like the Enterococcus Faecalis? The probiotic Symbion has this ingredient. Any experience with this antibiotic? Ihad severe reaction to the ThreeLac and fortunately refunded due to ordering on Amazon!

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi San,

      Yes, the problem with Candida is that the symptoms do overlap with many other conditions. The other problem is that Candida is notoriously difficult to diagnose. As I mentioned in my book, Candida Secrets, there are many tests out there that a variety of practitioners use to diagnose Candida, but they are not reliable. Candida does not always show up in blood, urine and stool, even when it is present. An Organic Acids test, which looks for the byproduct of Candida, is considered by many to be the most reliable. However, I cannot testify to that personally. In my opinion, the most reliable test is the written questionnaire in Dr. Crook’s book, The Yeast Connection. If you score high on that, then chances are good you have Candida.

      I am not an advocate of Threelac. Please read these pages:

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/is-threelac-safe-and-effective/

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/threelac-reviews/

      The symptoms you are experiencing are common for Candida, but on the other hand they are also indicative of other factors. It could be food sensitivities, gluten intolerance, parasites, nutritional deficiencies, neurotransmitter imbalances or some other bacteria and adrenal fatigue. I would consider getting an ALCAT test to identify food sensitivities. You can learn more about it on this page: https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/the-alcat-test/

      Also a GI Effects Stool test to identify parasites and bacteria and a saliva stress test to test adrenals. An Organic Acids and Amino Acid test can identify problems with neurotransmitters and nutritional deficiencies. If you’re interested in these, contact me for a consult.

      The other thing to keep in mind is that Candida usually does not occur in isolation. It is often accompanied adrenal fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, neurotransmitter imbalances, parasites, bacteria and food sensitivities. They go hand in hand. So you may have all of them.

      Best
      Cynthia

  86. Really need help. Was on 3 lac for about 3 months up to 4-5 packeets per day and got severe reactions. I could not function. Complete brain fog, nervousness, fatigue beyond fatigue and immense nausea. I stopped cold and still almost a month later cannot function. I went to the hospital and they found nothing wrong. I sweat profusely, have chills and now not only am I fatigued but im zo jittery-wired that I cannot sleep. I mean at all. Zero. I feel ike i may not ever sleep and that we know what that means. This is for real. Has anyone gone thru this kind of “detox” and will I come out the other side?

  87. Really need help. Was on 3 lac for about 3 months up to 4-5 packeets per day and got severe reactions. I could not function. Complete brain fog, nervousness, fatigue beyond fatigue and immense nausea. I stopped cold and still almost a month later cannot function. I went to the hospital and they found nothing wrong. I sweat profusely, have chills and now not only am I fatigued but im zo jittery-wired that I cannot sleep. I mean at all. Zero. I feel ike i may not ever sleep and that we know what that means. This is for real. Has anyone gone thru this kind of “detox” and will I come outofthis?

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Pete,
      Nice talking with you today. Hope you found our time together helpful. Keep us updated and let us know if you improve and how long it takes.

      Cynthia

  88. Pete

    Am sad to say that using Threelac is probably the reason I am still so ill now, 2 years later! Was using it only for one month to try and address a few digestive upsets and muscle pains. Thinking it might be candida etc. Had never had any other major problems. Took Threelac for one month and by the end of that spell was incredibly ill. The nausea was immense 24/7, chronic upsets stomach, unable to hold conversations or even stand after eating any food. It never wore off! Terrible nigth sweatsa nd day time shivvering. Gradually lost 2 stone over a year and then malnourished eventually the GP got me sent to London for assessment as they had no idea what was wrong. I didn’t tell them about Threelac as I was embarrased that I may have brought it on myself!

    Anyway, one year ago they diagnosed me with a severe bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine which had damaged the gut lining and I now have permanent food intolerances, dairy, yeasts, all histamine foods, all artificial adds etc etc. They have controlled the overgrowth with huge pro-bos (450 million per sachet – only on presecription) but I’m left with all the food intolerances that I never had before.

    So, although I have no proof that it was Threelac I can only think that it was because there was no other change in my diet or health immediately before taking it. As far as I’m concerned it is poison!

    As for any advice, remove all sugar of any description including all fruits, bland your diet as far as possible and if you can afford it purchase the best quality pro- bos you can afford, but only those that are cleared as safe of course.

    Be prepared though – it may take smany months to feel a little more human. The stuff should come with a severe health warning – just in case you’re one of the ones that have this type of a reaction.

  89. Thank you for posting these comments on your website. I have been using Fivelac since 2/6/11 and have had indigestion each day for the last three weeks. I have been on Nystatin for 3 months along with Monolaurin and Oregano oil the past two weeks for systemic candida diagnosed by a blood test over two years ago along with many food intolerances. I thought the reaction was die off from the new probiotic product, but my naturopathic didn’t think the symptoms would be from that and advised aloe vera juice. Now that I read your article and looked at the ingredients on the box, I realize that there is refined dry yeast and casein. These are two foods I have an intolerance which gives me a sinus histamine reaction. I just took my final dose of Fivelac this afternoon right before I read this article so I will not be using the product anymore and will be returning it for a full refund because Global Trax has a 60 day guarantee. I hope this is what has been causing the indigestion in the last weeks and that will clear up after this is out of my system. I will have to go back to my previous probiotic that has no dairy.

  90. I’ve been using the yeast-free alternative to ThreeLac for the last 4 1/2 weeks, Symbion, and while I haven’t gotten overwhelmingly sick from it, for the last two weeks, the majority of my main Candida symptoms have increased in ways that I wouldn’t associate with die off.

    I came to do research about Candida after pulling some last straws over 2 plus years of chronic sinus infections that were unresponsive to natural remedies or OTC decongestants or antihistamines. A week into Candida cleansing completely by diet and natural antifungals, and taking enzymes and probiotics, I was able to breathe through my nose for the first time in months. I wasn’t terribly strict with my diet- I didn’t consume sugar but occasionally consumed dairy and alcohol, and I stayed away from yeast and refined carbohydrates and occasionally had potatoes and things of the sorts, and the results remained. I would experience some minor sinus congestion hours after alcohol or dairy consumption, but nothing that couldn’t be cleared with a nose-blowing, and they were symptoms that were immediately taken care of by continuing on with diet and natural antifungals.

    When I started on the Symbion, I was hoping for a jolt in the healing process, and had read so much about both products’ good results. The order came with personal instructions from Alysson Cobb and an encouragement to keep in touch via email if I had any questions along the way. Part of the instructions include things like “if you’re not on a restricted diet, don’t go on one. If you’re on one, stay on it and start including off-limits things as symptoms improve” and “don’t take natural antifungals like oregano oil or raw garlic or coconut oil, they kill off the bacteria of ThreeLac and Symbion and don’t do anything for the yeast.” There went SO much of my Candida cleansing menu.

    Within the first week, my sleeping quality began decreasing. I regularly get 8+ hours a night, and when I started the Candida cleanse, I would wake up energized and rested, and I stopped craving morning coffee. But since taking Symbion, I haven’t had a morning I haven’t woken up foggy headed. Also, ‘sleep in the eyes’ got so bad after the first week that I was worried I was developing pink eye.

    Now, in the past I have bad allergies that get rather intense this time of year, but they were almost immediately gone when I started the natural Candida cleanse after suffering all winter and flare ups were taken care of by homeopathic nasal sprays and the occasional antihistamine. As soon as I started on the Symbion, they started sneaking back in and got worse little by little. Sure, pollen count is extremely high this year where I am, but the occasional antihistamine should do the trick in between neti pot usage and things of the sorts. Nothing has worked.

    A week and a half ago I had an allergy attack so bad that I thought my throat was going to start closing up. Since then, I’ve been constantly congested at various levels of intensity with no relief, fighting regular allergy attacks, and the puffy-eyes and brain fog that come with sinus inflammation.

    In the past few days I’ve been including back all of the natural yeast killers ThreeLac/Symbion instructions tell you to avoid, and my diet is also returning to what it was in the initial cleansing stage. I should have known better, that there is no magical product. Some things are better than others in helping us along in regaining and maintaining our health.

    When I emailed Alysson and asked about the bacteria strains In further reasearch, I’ve found that Symbion is a product developed directly by Alysson and Mark Cobb themselves, and I’ve grown to be terribly critical of it. It’s unfortunate because they sell hope so well.

  91. I am so glad I found this blog. I just received my “double” order of ThreeLac today, but I’m going to return it to Amazon.com. I have been battling chronic vaginitis, bacterial colitis and fibromylagia for about two years now. Not to mention the chronic fatigue I suffer…I could literally sleep for days and still be exhausted. All these conditions started after a very hefty dose of Cipro for 14 days to treat a UTI. My life has never been the same since. I struggle daily to function at a level that allows me to work, take care of my home and my son. I was put on Cymbalta but that has done no good. How do I find a doctor that will try to get to the bottom of what is causing all my problems?

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Lisa,

      The best type of doctor is one that practices functional medicine or environmental medicine. You can search for one at the Academy of Environmental Medicine or The Functional Medicine Institute.

      However, keep in mind that you are one the who needs to get to the bottom of the problem by educating yourself. A doctor should be used as an aid, an assistant, a guide. Nobody knows better than your body.

      I offer consultations by phone and can teach you everything you need to know to identify your root issues. You can learn more about my services on the following page: https://www.holistichelp.net/integrative-holistic-health-coaching/

      Best
      Cynthia

  92. Cynthia

    Finally the destruction of Threelac is coming to light.
    Like many others i too suffered from candida, threelac was to be the miracle cure. i started taking it about eight years ago, i gave it to my husband and son also. a couple of weeks after first taking it i noticed that at night my muscles were twitching in my arms and legs, my husbands symptoms were more severe. over the years the muscles in our digestive tracts have continued to tighten, so much so that now my husband has difficulty breathing at night. we have been to several consultants, and not one can find a problem. all muscle test come back clear. i had a test on my throat because i had difficulty swallowing my food nothing showed up. i am at my wits end i dont know where to go for help before its too late. i would welcome any suggestions. A word of warning to any thinking of trying threelac avoid at all costs its poison.

  93. Hi all… I have been taking one threelac sacthet a day for a bit over a month, but ive noticed in the last week my eyes have very dark circles around them, I am beyond tired all day and have no energy, i keep getting alternating swollen glands (underarms/neck and groin), sweating, aching muscles in my arms, a sore lower back and an annoying sore throat…….. I didnt draw any parallels with the threelac, and have been worried that something serious was happening to me, but after reading some comments on here I have been thinking it could well be the threelac, and as of today i have stopped taking it. I guess im wondering if y’all think those ailments could be from the threelac???
    Thanks guys
    Hope you’re all feeling well !

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Ky,

      Well there are three possibilities.

      1. It could be a negative side-effect of Threelac.

      2. The Threelac is actually making the yeast proliferate.

      3. It’s die off.

      Unfortunately, there is no way to know for sure. However, the lower back pain could be a bladder or kidney infection, so I would be careful. Whether, it’s die off or proliferation, either way, it sounds like it is not good for your body. If die off is too severe, then one needs to back off, because it will overload the body.

      Best
      Cynthia

  94. Hi Cynthia,

    Thank you for all this great information and for your attention to everybody’s questions. I’ve been struggling with this Candida battle for a long time and it’s very disheartening and difficult to know what is truly going on inside my body, and how I can fight it. It’s at least comforting to know I’m not alone in this.

    I will try to be concise–13 years ago my dermatologist put me on antibiotics for my acne, for EIGHT YEARS STRAIGHT, and i also took birth control for a couple years during that time. During that time I developed many digestive issues (diarrhea, rapid weight gain, bloating, gas, acid reflux, etc), many allergies, and my immune system was compromised (i had mononucleosis a record 3 times!).

    I have done many different things over the years to get better and nothing has worked. Eight months ago I went on the Body Ecology Diet (Candida diet plus food combination, blood type, acid/alkaline principles), which I am still currently following very strictly. I went through a severe die-off and then felt myself slowly getting better after 3 months. Then I slowly started getting worse again, and I have been up and down with my symptoms this whole time. I now generally have regular solid bowels (huge improvement, i know), but in a lot of ways I am actually worse than before I began the diet!

    I am now extremely sensitive, fragile and weak. For one, it is difficult to eat enough calories a day on this strict diet, and i lost a lot of weight and am definitely malnourished. I have low energy and am sensitive to sounds and smells, my tongue is white and crackly, the symptoms are numerous…I now can’t eat anything with fat like seeds, nuts or oils, because my body no longer can digest fats. I take digestive enzymes, probiotics (now probiotics are upsetting me and i had to take a break), antifungal herbs (which made me worse!), colonics and enemas, and have weekly acupuncture. I’ve tried everything and I don’t know what to do! If i try to get off this diet my candida symptoms flare up like crazy–yeast infection, diarrhea, etc–but staying on it isn’t helping either and I feel like I need something to help beyond the diet but I am so sensitive to everything and nothing seems to work!

    I’ve seen a bunch of different alternative doctors and have spent a lot of money for them to tell me what I already know from my research and experience, and they have nothing more to offer than what I’ve already tried. Whenever I explain my symptoms and how I’ve reacted to what they recommend they always tell me they are perplexed and that I am a “mystery.” It’s really disheartening when a professional tells you that.

    Any advice, direction or guidance would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Miki,

      It sounds to me like the Body Ecology diet is not compatible with you and has actually made your Candida overgrowth worse. I recommend the Paleolithic diet.

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/paleolithic-diet/

      The increased sensitivity to smell and sound and white tongue are classing signs of Candida worsening.

      If you can’t digest fats, then there is probably a problem with the liver and gallbladder.

      Antifungals will make you worse at first, because they produce die off as the kill the yeast. However if it is too severe then a milder antifungal should be found.

      People with Candida typically have other organisms that may be producing symptoms as well. A GI Effects Stool Test can help identify what they are:

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/gi-effects-comprehensive-profile/

      Additionally there are typically many other underlying issues that occur with Candida like nutritional deficiencies, impaired detoxification and adrenal fatigue. You should consider all the tests on the following page:

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/what-is-functional-medicine/

      Candida is a very complex condition and there’s a lot more to it than diet and antifungals.

      You can find an abundance of information on Candida throughout my site and blog on the following pages

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

      https://www.holistichelp.net/blog/candida-overgrowth-symptoms/

      As well as my ebook, Candida Secrets

      https://www.holistichelp.net/candida-secrets/

      If you need a more personal touch, I offer consultations by phone. My fees and options can be found on the following page

      https://www.holistichelp.net/integrative-holistic-health-coaching/

      Best
      Cynthia

  95. Hi, I started Three Lac to help my life long constipation and I got very sick and nauseas. I hear the company that sells it buys the packets from a company for ten cents a packet. Tell me what can be good for ten cents, a fresh fig is more than ten cents. On one side you have candida and the other side people who make money off the sick. In the middle you have hard work like diet and exercise and lifestyle-you make the choice.

  96. Thank god I read this blog! I have taken the threelac for three days, at the first day it gave med diarrhea and headaches plus dizziness, the second day i felt better, but then couldn’t pee properly so i thought i was getting a UTI. Today i woke up with what felt like an ear infection on one ear and still feels like UTI symptoms. I’m glad I read this blog, since i’m not going to take it anymore now. Do you think, however, that three dosages of threelac could do any permanent damage? If yes, what can i do to flush it out of my system faster, drink more water?

    Sincerely,
    Christoffer

  97. Christopher, wow you took the question right out of my mouth! I too got diarrhea, dizziness and feel really weird and spaced out… Been 2 days since I quit Threelac… only took about 4 packets and hoping to heaven it didn’t do something permanent like some people claim. I’m drinking lots of water no question and I hear eating fiber can help? Any feedback welcome.

    I am going to put a bad review on Amazon and hope more of you sufferers do the same! W0uld have never considered purchasing it without all the glowing reviews… wonder if they are even real people or a big scam? Really disheartening, must continue with the diet and no video games which kill my adrenals until I get back on Isocort which has helped me in the past.

  98. Just wanted to thank you for this blog. Everytime I use a search engine to try to find solutions for candida, there is an overwhelming number of hits for ThreeLac – so much so that it seems like an infomercial and too good to be true. I appreciate the information you allow others to share on your site which confirmed my gut feeling about ThreeLac (no pun intended!).

  99. Oh my!

    I purchased a pack of Threelac on eBay last week and have been anxiously awaiting its arrival when I stumbled onto your site just now! Now I am admittedly scared to try it! My naturopath told me I have Leaky Gut Syndrome and now I’m reading that persons with LGS shouldn’t try Threelac, but I’ve also read that Candida and LGS go hand-in-hand…. I have all the classic symptoms of Candida ~ floaters in my eyes, bad bloating even on the Candida diet (all I’m eating are cooked veggies, salads, fish, chicken and healthy fats like olive oil and butter!), joint pain, muscle weakness, burning muscles with very little exercise, poor endurance, fatigue, brain fog, constipation (I have to take senna tablets every couple of days to keep things moving!), strange numb sensations on my skin, tingling in my feet, cloudy vision, heart palpitations (yes I’ve had heart tests done, all fine), ah the list could go on and on! So I got Threelac but it hasn’t arrived yet but now I’m thinking that I still do want to try it but instead of taking one entire packet like I’ve been envisioning myself doing the second it arrives I think I’ll just try a half-teaspoon amount and flush it with lots of water and see what happens? Does that sound like a nice slow-enough way to start? I’m a bit scared from reading all your stories! I’m hoping I’m one of the ones who this product works for! Some of your stories here are very frightening, and I can’t imagine what it must have been like to experience it. As if battling this monster called Candida isn’t horrid enough!
    I will try to post again when I’ve tried Threelac and share what happened!

  100. I took threelac for 5 years and it worked for me most of the time until last December. I started getting sick and it didn’t seem to work as it did. So this year I have been trying other anti-fungals. Non worked like threelac but everytime I try it again I feel horrible. I feel hot all over and feel like I have a bad infection. It seems like poison now. I am now on SF 722, coconut oil and garlic. I feel better.

  101. Hi, I was wondering what your thoughts are on Symbion??? Supposedly it’s just like Threelac minus the yeast. Thank you!

    Taura

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Taura,

      I’ve already posted my opinion on symbion earlier. Look through the comments above to find it.

      Best
      Cynthia

  102. The FOS & dry yeast in three lac gave me a vaginal yeast infection! In past I had avoided those ingredients, but due to the amazing overwhelmingly good reviews I tried it & forgot about the FOS & dry yeast.BUMMER!
    I did not realize it until, 3 rd day of using three lac.I stopped it as soon as I realized it.
    I had nothing different in my diet or life style, so VERY SAD NOT healthy to take this product.
    I also h ad blood test done & already have bacteria in blood, so another bummer for those who have low immune system & systemic candida.

  103. I tried Threelac a couple of months ago. After being on it for a few days, I developed a SEVERE yeast infection. The discharge associated with it was in large clumps. When I say large clumps I mean the size of a quarter. I also began having diarhea that burned. The skin around both areas became red & completely raw to the point of a little bleeding. I stopped the Threelac and I tried natural yeast remedies, diflucan (which scares me on its own) and changing my diet. I’ve been a vegetarian for 4 years & I eat very healthy anyway but I have become even more strict while I try to battle this problem. It’s been over two months & my yeast infection has gotten better but hasn’t went away. The diarhea is a little better but it still burns and I’m still completely raw & red. It’s so miserable. Not to mention the havoc it has had on my sex life. I read through every remark on this page and I haven’t read anything that combined these symptoms. I’m wondering if it’s the bad bacteria in the Threelac that’s causing it or something else. I don’t know what to do. If I go back to the Dr. (which I really don’t have faith in) then they will probably want to treat me with the normal yeast infection cremes & diflucan again or they’ll chalk it up to BV & try to put me on antibiotics. Although maybe antibiotics would kill the E. faecalis (I haven’t researched what to do about it yet). I also have an acupuncture appointment in the next few days & will have a herbal consultation that I will discuss all this in. Basically, I’m scared. I don’t know what is wrong with me and I don’t see an end in site. I completely believe it was the Threelac that caused it. Has anyone else experienced these symptoms? Anyone have suggestions I could try? I appreciate any information. Thank you.

  104. I took Threelac a little over 5 years ago. I had not made the connections until just recently, that my current health condition may be due to this product. My symptoms did not show up until after I quit Threelac. I started getting severe yeast infections. The first round, I suffered through alone because of embarrassment. The symptoms changed from a vaginal yeast infection to something that acts like a 3rd degree sunburn (from the inside) that occurs on my right arm primarily. My arm starts itching and then red spots appear and the develope into blisters and starts peeling. It gets to the point that I cannot even bend my wrist and/or elbow. This can happen in a matter of hours. This seems to by cyclical as well – it flares up in July and November. I have been to a dermatologist that took cultures of the blisters and it was diagnosised as beta hemolytic streptococcus. At first he was giving me penacillin, after the 2nd or 3rd bout with this, penacillin no longer worked, I now take bactrim the minute I feel an itch. When I just realized that Threelac might be the cause of this, I started looking for answers and found this sight. It looks like that there are a myriad of symptoms and noticed some that were similar to mine but yet I had some other stuff going on. I know it may sound crazy how my symptoms manifest themselves and wanted to know if there might be others.

  105. Hi – I just stopped taking ThreeLac after about two weeks and started an anti-biotic today for a horrible rash/burn/skin infection started on my buttocks and low back and is working it’s way up my back. I felt like crying when I realized I might have to take an anit-biotic for the rash as I thought I was on the road to candida recovery after investing money and time in Three Lac and reading the rave reviews. I have never had skin problems like this before. I’ve never had a rash or skin infection period.I also got a horrible heat rash after exercising which has never happened to me before. I feel weak and woozy which I thought, or hoped, was “die-off” , but after getting the skin infection/rash and reading these posts I believe it is the Three Lac and I am appalled that this treatment is so highly recommended by others – perhaps for monetary gain. My skin has been itchy all over and my scalp is extremely itchy. Again, I thought it was die-off at first and it made me hopeful. I just happened to find this site as I searched for other probiotics like “Culturelle” to see if those would work better. I tried children’s Culturelle a few months ago becasue it was recommended by my pediatrician for my son who is on antibiotics too much because of asthma/ear infections. I am so happy I tried ThreeLac first on myself, becasue my plan was to try and it and if it worked great, then to give it to my kids to help them too. Now I know NOT to do that to my children. I feel blessed that I only took it for two weeks and was forced off by the rash and reading this website and hope the skin issues will get better and not be a long-term struggle to add to my Candida problems. I felt great taking Culturelle for a few weeks, but it did not cure my vaginal and rectal itching that I know is caused by Candida. (I don’t have health insurance so I have gone to Planned Parenthood twice in the last few months and both times I tested positive for yeast even after taking Diflucan twice and taking over the counter creams and suppositories).

    I also wanted to know your opinion of Symbion? I could not find the previous post – probably because my concentration is going and I’m bleary eyed after reading so may posts and feeling the wooziness of Three-Lac still in my body. If you could point me to the title of the post that would be helpful. Thank You for your guidance and making this forum possible!
    Irene

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Irene,

      I’ve commented on Symbion on this page in the comments section, which you are currently reading. Please read through all the comments.

      Best
      Cynthia

  106. All posts I read on symbion were the same as ThreeLac as they contain a strain of the enterococcus faecium which is supposedly different than the one in ThreeLac but just as negative. Basically to avoid both of them. I started off taking the Symbion myself for about three weeks or so and didn’t notice much of anything negative or positive so I decided to switch to ThreeLac which I have been taking just over three weeks and in the past week I just about thought I was going CRAZY. Not only do I go from being too hot to too cold but it seems like I have rather severe brain fog as well as extreme paranoia. I used to sleep with earplugs for over 6 months and recently started to wake up feeling claustrophobic and freaking out. From what I can say and from what I have read from others is to AVOID THREELAC & SYMBION at all cost. I would not chalk up my symptoms to die off but then again who knows. With everything I have tried I don’t know what to think anymore. What I do know is that I’m going to stop taking the threelac and hopefully start feeling better, mentally at least. One thing that definitely provided me with some relief through all of this has been Organic clear fiber which I take twice a day https://www.renewlife.com/organic-clear-fiber.html so far that has been the only thing to provide me with any kind of long term positive results. They carry a load of other products as well which I might have to try. I just don’t know what to do anymore.

  107. I have read a lot about Threelac, however I do have concerns and worry about how I may feel.
    thank you

  108. curious if you have any recommendations for clearing up candida in infants? My baby has severe eczema, reactions to food (skin reactions), and now has a yeast diaper rash. I actually look ThreeLac years ago and it cleared my chronic yeast infections, but I do hesitate to give it to my baby due to the negative/scary reviews on it.

    Do you have any experience with infants and candida?

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Hi Leah,

      I rarely work with infants. However, the process of recovery is the same for infants as it is for adults, just dosages would be adjusted. I encourage you to explore the candida archives here at the blog, as well as the candida section of my site. You may want to take a look at my book, Candida Secrets and the other books I recommend. Additionally, you need a good doctor when dealing with an infant, and that doctor should practice functional medicine so they will know how to guide you appropriately. If this problem is not addressed in infancy, then the child goes on to develop ADHD, behavioral issues, depression, anxiety addiction etc., in later years.

      Best
      Cynthia

  109. I just canceled my order on threelac. How disspointing! we have been trying to beat toddler thrush with GSE and probiotics but it is not budging. baby also has severe constipation. I have nipple burning and just took Diflucan single dose for a yeast infection. otherwise I stay away from white breads rice fruits and sweets. Do all the natural antifungal – raw garlic, oral and topical GSE, canlendula etc. but the baby’s (11 months) tongue is still white after weeks. I am weaning her incase it is coming from me so we can stop giving it back and forth. Threelac sounded promising and had some great reviews on baby center.

  110. Hi, I’m still new to the candida issue but it seems to fit everything that has been affecting my life. I”ve always taken antibiotics when proscribed and didn’t give it a second thought until recently. I was also diagnosed with MS several years back so I have gone through several long term course of steroids so it seems pretty likely that my problems are candida. My question is how long does it take to tell if your reaction will be bad and how long before you can tell if the Threelac is working? The average reaction tme will factor into my decision Oh and a liitle off topic but I believe that my MS diagnosis was caused by aspartame poisoning as I have had no Ms complications at all since cutting aspartame completly out of my diet.

  111. I think your right when you say that all bodies react different to threelac. My son is mildly autistic but still is in the spectrum. I put him on threelac and from the 2nd day began to see positive changes. He was talking more, making better mental connections and just being better overall. Then about 2 weeks later he got a mild fever, and it lasted for a few hours then went away. We concluded that it was part of die off. 2 days later he got a fever again, only this time it shot up to 103. I had a gut feeling that it was the threelac. He had no other symptoms but a fever. So he is off it now and is ok again. But he regressed a little, so the threelac was helping him. I think I might of went to heavy on the dosage. I gave him one pack first day, then very next day went with 2 packs. Perhaps, he might take to it well if he is giving smaller doses? I dont know. Funny thing is I’ve been taking it and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and candida issues. I’ve had no negative effects from it. So yeah, it comes down to how each persons body constitution will allow to play a part with threelac.

  112. Hi, just wanted to share this.

    I have tried Threelac, Symbion, and Oxygen Elements Max.

    Personally, Threelac has been very positive for me. I’ve only tried it for a few months so far though. Recently I’ve ran out and have just been using Symbion. To me, Symbion doesn’t seem to be doing much and maybe even having some negative effects. Oxygen Elements Max…can’t say. I started it around the same time as Threelac(didn’t try Symbion till a bit after). Maybe it’s helping, maybe not.

    Now I was having pain, have been for a number of years off and on, but sometimes for good stretches. There was pain in my hips, gut, lower and sometimes upper back, and pain in my testicles. Went to my doctor about it (and to urologists a few times for the pain in my testicles). They could never find anything wrong and my doctor put me on some anti-inflammatory medicine for the pain in my hips.

    When I got the Threelac I was in the middle of one of the stretches of time were I would have lots of pain in my testicles. I took it around 8 at night and went to bed pretty early. The next day when I woke up the pain was gone and has been gone cept for an occasional twinge near the beginning. It really did seem like a miracle, I read that some people got fast results from Threelac, but I’m still shocked by that. Have not taken any of the prescribed pain meds since then as the pain in my hips, gut , and back left completely too.

    I’ve had bad acid reflux for years. Threelac didn’t make it go away, but did seem to help some. Now I’ve been off Threelac for a few weeks due to money issues and it’s getting worse again. Symbion just doesn’t seem to be the same and I seem to be more tired lately.

    I will order Threelac again when I can, even though your website has gotten me a bit worried about it’s possible long term effects. Although most people who have bad effects seem to have them almost immediately. The way my pain went away so quickly is just something I can’t ignore. I will try and post again several months down the road after I get back on Threelac and off Symbion to update you all.

  113. I made the mistake of taking Symbion – similar to ThreeLac for two months, about 6 months ago. It gave me insomnia and malabsorption issues that have not gone away. I”m so sad that I didn’t find this site before ordering it and taking it.
    Does anyone know of a antibiotic or natural supplement that can kill the enterococcus faecium that is in this product?

  114. I have left comments here before about my son who is autistic and had severe OCD and sensory problems after taking Threelac. This was about 2 years ago. And now, everytime he comes in contact with a virus or especially strep bacteria all of these horrible symptoms come back. It never completely goes away, just goes in a horrible up and down cycle. After doing some reading about hypothyroidism and autism i came across an article about PANDAS. Everything about this disorder fits my son to a tee. I have spoke to his pediatrician about it, she said that she has heard of it, but that since there are no lab tests that can be done to diagnose it there is really not much she can do. I have since made an appointment with a Dr. Kovasevic in Hinsdale, IL. who has successfully treated over 400 children with PANDAS with IVIG therapy. IV immunoglobulin. I am very hopeful for my upcoming appointment and with keep this thread updated with his progress. Keep up raising the awareness!!!!

  115. I just wanted to say that I’m appreciative of this conversation you have going here — that although you’ve had an awful experience with Threelac, you are objective about it and putting the information out there for each person to make the best decision they can. This really helps in my decision making, thank you.

  116. I had a good experience with Fivelac, so decided to try Threelac after the intense cleanse period was over for me.
    Mistake.
    Severe bloating – I immediately looked as if I were five months pregnant again – severe cramping & pain, and the diarrhea. Unbelievably different products.

  117. I have had a very bad reaction to Threelac… Insomnia, Malabsorbtion, foggy brain the list is endless. I am writing this whilst on my hospital bed waiting for a camera to be put down my throat!.

  118. To Debbie Downie,

    Sorry to hear you took symbion and are having malabsorbtion and sleep problems…!!, have you tried Oil of Oregano, a powerful natural antibiotic!! But you must take Zinc supplement with it!!!… Try it,.. It worked for me!! As it is powerful against Enterococcal Faecalis, and am sure against faecium also!!

  119. Mani,
    Did you take Threelac and then the Oil of Oregano to clear your body of the Enterococcol Faecalis? Also, why zinc with the Oil of Oregano? Oh and what dosage did you take? Thank you!

  120. To Debbie Downie!

    Hi Debbie,

    Thanks for the reply!!!

    I took Threelac in July 2012 and I lost 2 stone in December 2012, then had massive malabsorbtion issue and then my inability to sleep!!! Along with other issues like clammy hands and feet and even worse sinus problems!!… Aching joints etc, dizziness and blurred vision !!! For three months I have had this!!,… But with Oil of Oregano (4 drops in half a tumbler of water three times a day) helped some, as I sleep for 4 hours now and Zinc at the same ratio!!!… Also Vitamin B12 and Magnesium have now been added!!… Do you have other Candida problems also???… And how is your mental position??…Anxiety etc?… keep in touch so we can help each other!!… Are you in UK or US ?

    1. Admin - Cynthia Perkins

      Debbie and Mani,

      Oregano oil is a powerful antifungal, so it may have made you feel better because it was also killing Candida, not just the bacteria. The same is true of zinc. Zinc deficiency can be a significant contributing factor to Candida overgrowth and many other viruses, bacteria etc. Zinc is a natural antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal. If the body does not have adequate levels of zinc, the immune system cannot fight off unfriendly organism like candida and bacteria.

      It’s also important to be aware that you should not take zinc for an extended period of time without also taking copper, or you can cause a copper deficiency, which can result in a variety of other negative impacts on things like neurotransmitter function, energy production, cardiovascular health and more.

      Cynthia

  121. Hi Cynthia,

    Do you think that we have harmed ourselves permanently with Enterococcal Faecalis or Faecium as in Threelac and Sumbion???

    As my bloatedness and other issues have gone worse..like sore throat and sinus congestion along with Muscular aches and ear problems!!! However my patchy white tongue has gone… But still have sleeping and now mental issues…. Please help!!!!

  122. Cynthia,
    Thank you for your comment and all the good information! So thankful for this site. Hopefully people will find it before buying a product that may hurt them! Wish I would have found this before using the Symbion.

  123. hi
    I came across your site when i was searching side effects of fivelac. I tried it about 2 years ago to help with candida and it worked really really well, many of my symtoms disappeared and i started to feel healthy again. I then stopped taking it and went back to a not so great diet. In time all my symtpoms came back so i recently bought some more fivelac. I had been taking it for about 2 weeks and then i noticed a pain in my stomach, i woke up on saturday with excrutiating pain in my stomach and right side and have spent the weekend in hot and cold sweats and pain. I do not think these are die off symptoms as i had nothing like this the last time i used fivelac and think that it has to be caused by the fivelac. I just don’t understand how it worked perfectly for me 2 years ago and now my body can’t seem to handle it. anyway i have stopped taking it and have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow,i think i have some kind of infection from it. Next time i think i will try some regular probiotics and a strict diet…or maybe the oil of oregano. Do you have to take zinc with the organo oil, or can you take it alone?

  124. Dear Cynthia:

    I recently bought for my autistic son some threelac. I began giving it him on and off but usually with multivitamins and fish oil. I stopped all the other vitamins except for the threelac and the fish oil which I have been giving to him for the last three days. Two days into one packet a day with the fish oil, I thought that my son was coming with a cold. he cant tell me sometimes what is bothering him but he made m touch his head and he was really in a lot of pain that I freaked. I stopped giving it to him today but today I took him to the park and he was really sacred of walking on the grass which has been no problem for him. it seems his sensitivity to grass has really increased to the extent that he wants me to carry him . he is 8 yrs old. I think it is the threelac and he is still like he is having a cold very quite and looks sick

  125. I wish that I would have seen your page before purchasing threelac.
    If we have a bad bacteria in our system, would it not make sense that they would not need to add one???
    I started taking threelac and in just a few days started experiencing extremely bad heart burn and pain in my stomach.
    I think this product should be avoided!!!

  126. I recently got back on Three lac after many years of not taking it. I have been sick with fever and achey joints four times in three months. I kept thinking about when in my life I have been sick like this and I realized it was back when I was taking Three Lac.

    Thank you for addressing the problems of Three Lac. I am throwing the rest of it out.

  127. Hi Cynthia,

    I took Threelac for a course if about 4 months five or six years ago, along with a strict diet and it worked well, I didn’t have any negative reaction.
    I did go back to some sugars in my diet since and have had a relapse in symptoms a few times, I researched online and found another product that is apparently new, would you have any advice on it’s safety? It’s called Lufenuron and there are apparently a lot of scammers that sell pesticide grade Lufenuron instead of pharmaceutical grade as they claim. Thank you!

  128. Hi, my 6 year old son was diagnosed with candida a few months ago as he had a really bad rash on his butt that would not go away to a point where it would ooze. Our doctor prescribed him nystatin and told me to get threelac to give him as well. The first week my had a high fever, his muscles in his legs started twitching/spasming and he wasn’t himself at all. There were a few incidences where when he was half asleep and we were putting him in bed he went into a crazy state where he was panicing, holding his head in pain, trying to run out of our arms, and screaming from the top of his lungs. He would then snap out of it after about 5-10 minutes of that horrible state and not remember a thing that just had happened. So we immediately called the doctor and he said they are all normal side effects as it was yeast die off. He only recommended to cut the nystatin dosage in half which we did. These effects only happened the first 10 days of the treatment and then everything was normal after. Until just the other day, almost a month and a half into the same treatment, we are almost finished with the nystatin and take a packet a day of the threelac and the rash is just nearly gone he woke up in the middle of the night with horrible stomach pain. The following morning he was puking uncontrollably and couldn’t keep anything down and had horrible pain. It went through the night to the following day. We took him into the ER as he was in so much pain and so pale and lifeless. They said it was probly just a stomach virus, gave him an anti-Nausea pill and released him. That same evening he had one of those spastic nightmares when getting him to bed and it was worse than ever before and I hope it does not continue Not sure what to do from here? Any advise will be so helpful!

  129. Thanks for sharing this vital testimony, just in time to avoid a catastrophe.

    I already purchased a package from GlobalHealthTrax and waited a few days to finish another natural product and I came across your experience.

    Although I suffer from severe intestinal Candida, and tried several probiotic formulas, one of them made me sick and contained Bacillus Subtilis, it gave me diarrhea and severe stomach cramps that lasted for days.

    I did not want to risk getting an incurable infection using the yet non proven safe Enterococcus Faecalis bacteria. It is absolutely true better be safe than sorry.

  130. Thanks for this information. I’ve been taking Three-Lac for a few months and my CFS has become increasingly worse — I suddenly wondered if it could be due to this product. Your review was very informative and helpful!!!

  131. Wow! I just began taking ThreeLac three days ago & now I’m scared. Testing revealed I am riddled with Candida albicans & I visited Mark & Alyson Cobb’s Candida free website & went with their recommendation.
    My tummy bubbled & I was burby & gassy very quickly upon my first powder dose. I could just feel something sitting there in my stomach bubbling away. So far I’ve had very mild stabbing stomach pain, a stimulated appetite (which seems to have passed now), a change in the frequency & texture of bowel movements & increased thirst.
    This morning my sinuses have completely dried out, I’m very thirsty & not hungry at all. The Cobbs recommend starting off very slowly with one packet a day for up to 6 weeks. Alyson responded to my email about stimulated appetite advising it would be temporary & to roll with the mild die off symptoms & not worry too much.
    My big issues are mucosal dysbiosis- constant ‘snotty’ nose & allergies (hay fever), recurrent BV & susceptibility to thrust (fun times ?).
    How long will it take for it to be obvious they ThreeLac is potentially messing me up? I’m hedging my bets that I will be one of the people that does OK on it. For all my snottiness I don’t get colds of flu & I’m robust with a strong constitution. No food allergies or sensitivities & a lot of things such as acne, mild eczema & irregular cycles etc. have cleared up over the years due to diet & lifestyle initiatives (they weren’t enough to knock the Candida though).

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