Posted by AllergyDoc on May 03, 1998 at 19:26:09:
I read your questions about Candida and treating your headaches with diflucan. Unfortunately, there are no studies that prove that Candida actually is causing your headaches and that Diflucan has any role in its treatment.
This is what the textbook says:
(my source:> ALLERGY: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE by Middleton, pp. 1775-1776.)>
> CANDIDA HYPERSENSITIVITY SYNDROME:
> Candida Hypersensitivity Syndrome is also known as candidiasis
> hypersensitivity syndrome or yeast hypersensitvity syndrome. It is
> claimed to be an illness based on a theory that certain people develop
> hypersensitivity to a toxin released from C. albicans that normally
> exists in the G.I. tract and vagina. The illness is described as on with
> numerous wide-ranging symptoms but without positive physical findings.
> In fact, many patients are diagnosed with the combination of food,
> chemical, and Candida sensitivity.>
> DISEASE DESCRIPTION: Applied most often to persons with numerous
> subjective symptoms. Proponents state that there are no diagnostic and
> physical abnormalities and no abnormal laboratory tests. There is no
> evidence of overgrowth either locally or systemically. The syndrome
> therefore lacks a specific definition. Proponents of the idea state
> that predisposing factors include current or past use of antibiotics,
> corticosteroids, OCPs, diets of yeast (not Candida-) containing foods,
> sugars and other carbohydrates. They have presented no evidence,
> however, that patients in whom they diagnose candida hypersensitivity
> differ from a normal control population in exposure to aany of these
> factors.>
> THEORY OF PATHOGENESIS: There is no clear theoretical explanation for
> this presumed disease. A presumed toxin, as yet unidentified, from C.
> albicans is believed to have a suppressive effect on the immune system,
> although there are no clinical or experimental data to support such an
> immunotoxic theory applicable to these patients.>
> DIAGNOSIS: Diagnosis is based entirely on history. There a
> questionnaire based on symptoms and prior exposure to presumed risk
> factors, such as antibiotics, corticosteroids, and pregnancy. This
> diagnostic questionnaire was never subjected to critical analysis.
> There are no published reports that antibody levels to Candida antigens
> are higher in patients with this diagnosis rather than in controls. >
> TREATMENT: The recommended treatment includes diet, nutritional
> supplements, and certain medications. The diet restricts intake of
> sugar, yeasts (Saccharomyces sp.), and foods believed to contain mold.
> Nutritional supplement include a wide spectrum of vitamins and
> minerals. Nystatin, ketoconazole and occasionally ampho-B are
> recommended, usually in exceedingly low doses orally.>
> To date there ave been no clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness
> of diet and nutritional supplements. Dismukes et al showed that oral
> nystatin, vaginal nystatin, or a combination of the two was no different
> from placebo in altering symptoms in a randomized double-blind trial of
> patients identified as suffering from "Candida Hypersensitivity > Syndrome".>
> > The American Academy of Allergy and Immunology Position Statement on
> the Candida Hypersensitivity Syndrome states that "the concept is
> speculative and unproven" and "elements of the proposed treatment
> program are potentially dangerous".>
So, before you start yourself on a medication with potential side effects recommended by some stranger on the internet, I suggest that you ask your doctor (And ask your doctor to do some research before giving you an answer! You should even read the published articles first.)
And to that person who said Ibuprofen is not an NSAID---why don't you read up on it or ask your doctor !?!