Candida - Die Off or Herxheimer reaction

This is the miserable part of the treatment. I'm going to detail the basics and then I will post my week 1 update.

Die-Off or Herxheimer reaction

When yeast cells are rapidly killed, a die-off (or Herxheimer reaction) occurs and metabolic by-products are released into the body. These by-products cause allergic reactions and inflammation that lead to an array of undesirable symptoms.

Generally speaking, most folks experience die-off as an exaggeration of their existing Candida-related symptoms or as a worsening of chronic health conditions. Die-off is experienced differently by each person Most folks experience die-off at some point in their recovery. There really is, however, no sure way to predict what point or to what degree one is likely to feel it.

The die-off reaction normally lasts from one day to one week and can come and go throughout the program (it is especially likely to occur during the first weeks of a new Phase of the program). However, as your body becomes stronger, your susceptibility to Candida toxins is reduced and thus so are your die-off symptoms.


The severity of an individual's symptoms depends upon the weakness of the organs most affected by Candida, the strength of your immune system, the degree of Candida infestation, and the environmental and emotional stress you are experiencing.

Common Die-Off Symptoms:
Fatigue, brain fog, gastro-intestinal distress such as nausea, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, low grade fever, headache, sore throat, body itch, muscle and / or joint soreness or pain, feeling as if coming down with a flu.



Managing Die-Off Reactions
Of course, you'll want to try to prevent die-off symptoms from manifesting throughout the rest of your program. The fact is that more die-off symptoms don't necessarily indicate that you are killing more yeast, just that your eliminative organs are becoming overwhelmed. This is how die-off can become your foe instead of your friend, since overwhelming your body is not conducive to healing. A slow, gradual yeast elimination process is much healthier.



You may have to back off of or stop your anti-fungal remedies for a few days.


Lots of water to flush toxins.

Rest or you will feel worse.

If you've cut out all grains from your diet and are experiencing yeast die-off reactions, the re-introduction of a small amount (half a cereal bowl per day) of brown rice may work wonders.

Measures must be taken to encourage more frequent and complete bowel elimination.

Enema's can be an excellent way to ensure the waste is not being allowed to further ferment and release more toxins.
To deal with the symptoms and help speed up your bodies riddance of waste there is alot of talk about epsom salt or sea salt baths, doing things to rev up your lymph system and drainage, lots of vitamin C, saunas, dry skin brushing, and alot more. I will try to come back and detail this section out a bit more when I get time and am not busy trying to figure out what to do to lessen how miserable I am!!!

NOTE:

Remember, it's very important to make proper dietary changes before beginning an antifungal treatment. There are two important reasons for this, which go hand in hand.

First, if you continue feeding the yeast while taking antifungal treatments at the same time, you’re not going to make much progress, as the two actions are going to be canceling each other out.


Second, if you continue feeding the yeast while at the same time taking antifungals, you increase your chance of experiencing some pretty severe die candida die off reactions.

 
most of this is taken from: http://www.wholeapproach.com/newsletter/archives/2003/06_June.html
or: http://www.thecandidadiet.com/candida-die-off.htm
or: http://www.modernherbalist.com/dieoff.html