ADHD, candida and my successful journey to get off meds.

I was diagnosed with ADHD about about 10 years ago at the age of 25. I was undiagnosed until then but displayed all the standard symptoms (as do my father and grandfather)my whole life. At the time of diagnosis (10 years ago) I was put on Wellbutrin and found that it gave me about a 75% improvment. It worked pretty well. In fact, I was finally able to focus so I went back to college. Instead of the "C" grades I was used to receiving, I started getting straight A's. Things made sense finally! I went on to graduate school, got a PhD in chemical engineering, and went on to work at a fortune 500 company. Success story huh? Well, let me go on..... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4 years ago, I developed orthostatic intolerance, which is a condition where you get dizzy when you stand up. The docs put my on a beta blocker (Toprol). That worked for a few years, but then I started to develop digestive issues, major brain fog and fatigue. My doctors were clueless. They weren't open to any anecdotal findings, only to double blind studies that were peer reviewed. Since there aren't many of those out there for what I suffer, I found myself to be on my own. So I started my quest to understand and to heal myself. That was the biggest blessing in my life! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have found that my problems stem from candida, which in turn is modulated by diet and stress level. When I eat foods that the yeast feed on my ADD goes wild. If I get too stressed, my immune function gets suppressed and the yeast go wild (and so does my ADD symptoms). So my plan has been twofold: 1. kill back the yeast 2. support the immune system and the cognitive funtions. I have been able to entirely eliminate the Wellbutrin and the Toprol by doing the following: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1. diet. strictly follwed the candida diet for the past 8 months. No sugar, no starches. Only recently even added in green apples as a treat. No alcohol period. I do use some apple cider vinegar on my salads. homemade yogurt with FOS-free inulin. 3L of spring water per day(hydration is very important for me). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2. rotate antifungals. Grapefruit Seed Extract (this kicks ass for me); Oil of Oregeno (also quite good), coconut oil, fungal defense (1 course) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3. liver flushes (4 in past 8 months and more to come), kidney cleanses (Andreas Moritiz) and bowel management (coffee enemas once per month, occassional probiotic implants, P& B shakes on and off); parasite cleanse (it turns out I also had giardia). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4. supplements. vit C (4 g/day), grapeseed extract, vit E, evening primrose oil, flaxseed oil, daily energy enfusion w/ B complex, primal defense probiotics. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5. excercise. this really acts to clear my mind. I think it acts to clear the candida toxins from my body. When I started this 8 months ago I didn't have the energy to work-out so I would rebound on a minitrampoline for 15 minutes per day. I did that for about 5 months. More recently, as I have recovered I have been able to go to the gym and do some moderate cardio, weight lifting (followed up by a dry steam sauna on occassion). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6. spiritual. As a scientist, I feel wierd about sharing this, as it is personal and unscientific but I will anyways as I think it is playing an important role. Over the past 8 months, I began to question life, if there was an after life and why I was here. As some history, I was never very religious or spiritual. In fact, I delved into the drug subculture (meth)for several years. I spent a lot of time with really bad folks who didn't do nice things. In light of this, even married and living a normal life years later I always felt badly. I had read that one curezone member who had a chronic illness (candida) had said prayers to cast out demons (I know it sounds funny). This resonated with me so a few days later I said prayers to the effect of casting out any evil, the devil or demons. Then I went to sleep. That night I awoke suddenly with a start, I cramped forward and couldn't breathe (like losing your breathe when you get hit in the stomach). In my mind at that exact moment of waking was an image of a woman standing over me. I don't know how I knew, but I did know that she was evil. I didn't put the prayers and the waking experience together until sometime the next day. Interesting, my health has really been improving since then. May be coincidence, but my gut feel is that it isn't. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No matter what your faith or belief, I do feel that the spiritual portion of healing is just as important as any other. In my journey I am in the process of working through this and for me has involved discovering Jesus. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In summary, my cognitive function without the meds (and on my current protocol) is equivalent to that with the meds. In essence, by managing this through diet and excerise I have been able to eliminate the meds. It has been a lifestyle change but my take is that I am now in tune with what my body needs to operate optimally. In fact, my moods are more stable, I am more empathetic, have less anger and anxiety and in general am a much better person. I am becoming what I was intended to be. I don't feel restricted in my diet but instead feel a sense of freedom since I no longer require potentially harmful pharmaceudicals to live a productive life. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I wish you all luck in each of your quests for physical and spiritual health. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> -Craig Tweet