Hi Katie,

First of all, you CAN get well. I had similar symptoms (and more) several years ago, and I was able to regain my health. It does take time, though, so you have to be patient.

Given the severity of your constipation, I would not suggest the psyllium/bentonite or Holistic Horizons at this time. These are excellent colon cleansers, but could create further congestion given your history with constipation. You might want to try a tablespoon of liquid Bentonite alone mixed in a glass of water and taken once a day. The Bentonite will help to absord some of the toxins and is not as binding when taken alone. Pay close attention to how your body responds and if you don't feel any noticeable improvements or your symptoms worsen, discontinue it for the time being.

It sounds like you may have several things going on. Candida can cause a lot of symptoms, including the ones that you have described. Candida produces a variety of toxins, including neurotoxins that can lead to a drunken feeling. Candida can also mutate into a branching form that can contribute to leaky gut syndrome leaving small holes in the intestines. As food passes through the digestive system, particles escape through these holes and the body reacts to them like a foreign invader creating allergy-like responses.

Some candida strains are resistant to various anti-fungals. If you are not experiencing any significant improvement with caprylic acid you might want to try another one. Some people have good success with oil of oregano, tea tree oil, garlic, etc. I had good success with an herbal combination called Biocidin by Bio-Botanicals. A short course of pharmaceutical anti-fungals can also be helpful in severe cases when the candida infestation is further compromising the immune system and a quicker response is needed.

The combination of candida and severe constipation is creating a lot of toxins in your system which can also account for your symptoms. Enemas have a limited ability to clean out the colon because the water only reaches the sigmoid. My guess is that you feel bad after the enemas because the toxins get stirred up, but you are not eliminating the contents of your colon. I'm not discouraging you from enemas...I'm just offering an explanation for why you feel the way you do afterwards.

I would avoid coffee enemas in your case, though, for two reasons. Coffee is a mild diuretic and can contribute to dehydration if adequate water is not consumed...which can exacerbate constipation. coffee enemas also stimulate the liver to release toxins. This is a good thing PROVIDED that the toxins are quickly expelled from the body. If they are not, they will re-circulate in the body creating considerable discomfort in some cases. As congested as you are, it is likely that you're not expelling the toxins rapidly or thoroughly.

Along with addressing the candida, relieving your constipation is the first thing you need to do so that the main passageway for toxins is clear. I would not recommend any sort of laxatives as they work by irritating the intestinal lining and may aggravate any inflammation that is present. I would suggest that you find a colon hydrotherapist who uses a closed-system apparatus. Some hydrotherapists are much better than others and if yours was unable to help you release you need to find another. You may benefit from a series of back-to-back colonics. On occasion, a person will have minimal release on the first colonic, but if a second colonic is performed the next day they expel a considerable quantity of waste. This is especially true when severe constipation and dehydration are present. The first colonic rehydrates the colon and softens the material so that the second one can clear it out. You may need to repeat this one-two approach for a few weeks and then decline to weekly colonics for a while. Daily water enemas may also help speed up the process. Once your bowels are moving on a more regular basis you can begin an herbal Colon Cleanse such as the psyllium and Bentonite or Holistic Horizons. And once the colon is cleansed you can begin repairing the digestive tract. Probiotics are necessary and glutamine is an essential nutrient for rebuilding a healthy intestinal tract.

I would also recommend that you begin using digestive enzymes taken every time you eat. They assist in breaking down food so that it is more thoroughly digested and can be beneficial when food sensitivities are resulting from a leaky gut. I would also recommend that you juice...particularly vegetables, and especially greens. Fresh juice has a high concentration of enzymes and nutrients that are easily absorbed by the body. Good nutrition is necessary to repair your digestive and immune system, and it is likely that you are not absorbing nutrients from foods well because of the state of your digestive system.

Once you've made some headway with improving your digestive functioning, other cleanses should be performed...particularly a parasite cleanse and liver/gallbladder flushes.

It is essential that you minimize your exposure to any additional toxins. This includes any chemicals, sythetics, pesticides, etc....especially those found in cleaning and body care products.

I hope this helps. Feel free to email me directly if I can assist you further: a_sante@earthlink.net.

Regards,
Pam

Dear Katie,
Sweety don't give up!! Have you tried to massage your colon? You can get a vibrating massager or use a tennis ball to massage and relax your colon. Sounds like you may be suffering from severe stress or trauma. That can back you up big time. Are you dealing with the emotions that are holding you back? I have heard squatting helps to evacuate the bowels better. you need to try to take time to relax and breath and massage the bowels. the strings of mucus you are getting are simply mucoid plaque that is building up in your colon. This is true especially if this mucus is painless and without pain. Try a good Colon Cleanse such as Colonblow.com or grandma's herb colon cleanse. I've tried the colon blow! It sounds funny but it really will evacuate even the toughest bowels like mine and you will get lots of mucoid strings and plaque. You may also need to do a parasite cleanse. You may have parasite (worms) constipating and taking up your bowel space. Please hang in there and check out those websites and informyourself. Try to relax as much as possible and get a good bowel mover with cascara sagrada or senna in it. NOt to be used all the time but once you get your bowels moving you will feel emotionally better. I've been almost where you are. So look into these ideas. I'm not a doctor but I hope this will help. Don't give up on colonics either, you are so impacted that they didn't help you yet. but as you get your stool to soften, colonics will begin to help. What happened right before you started these problemsa? Trace back and see what may be the root of the cause sweety. Work on yourself, you are worth it. your husband and children need you to be with them. Take care. Keep us informed. We care!!!