Hi,

I'm a 55 year-old male who suffers from Chronic Anxiety Disorder (which can lead to mild Petit Mal attacks when highly stressed) and other CNS issues resulting from having Meningitis as a baby. I also have a peptic ulcer which flares up every once in a while plus bowel problems (intermittent diarhea and/or constipation).

As most of you know, anxiety leads to depression when stressed thus compromising the immune system and making us prone to flus, colds, infections, etc.

For the past 6 weeks, I've been trying to shake a flu (no fever, fatigue, dry cough, terrible sore throat, sinus problems, frequent headaches, etc.) and not being keen on traditional antibiotics (which in my opinion, cause more damage than good), I've been searching the Net for alternative treatments to boost my immune system in order to fight this bug.

So, to make a long story short, here is my dilemma. Every time I find something on the Net that might help boost my immune system, I also find contradictions, drug interactions and warnings thus leaving me more confused than anything else.

So far, I've tried a "flu and sore throat remedy" found on another site which was a concoction made from cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar, sodium bicarb and water. This relieved the flu and sore throat symptoms but also made my ulcer and GERD flare up even though they also claimed that this recipe also cured ulcers (yeah, right).

I went to a Natural Products store and after talking to a "consultant", she recommended I take Probiotics and after taking them 3 times/day for 3 days, I got the infamous "kicking in and cleansing side-effects" such as acidic diarhea (twice only) and minor bloating. I was starting to feel better but I read the following on a few sites: "People who are immunocompromised or have an underlying disease or gut condition should take probiotics only under the care of a doctor, and even then, should only take well defined and characterized products produced by reputable companies."

So, I am quite confused on what I should take, any feedback would be appreciated. As far as drug interactions I have to be careful of, I take Clonazepam (Klonopin) 2mg/day for the Anxiety and Petit Mal and Nexium 40mg/day for the peptic ulcer.

In conclusion, I now only take my prescribed meds and gargle with Listerine 4 times/day for the sore throat (which is getting better) and nothing else. I've also noticed that I do get more anxiety episodes probably due to the fact that I'm severely depressed and exhausted and occasionaly have to take a little extra clonazepam.

Any help would be appreciated,
Gene

Sorry, I reread my post and I guess I didn't make myself clear, what I would like to know is what could I safely take to boost my immune system? The flu symptoms are slowly disappearing but with a weak immune system, I tend to catch every bug out there.

Thanks,
Gene

Hopefully what I'm going to say helps, or is useful in some way.

You need to make sure you're getting an adequate dietry intake of Zinc and Vit C sources.

For Vit C, Potatos, and certain Fruits will help, particularly Guava, although you might be better off taking Pink Guava, just for the Lycopene in it. I'm not saying Lycopene will help in your situation, but it's beneficial anyway, so I don't see any problems having Pink Guava if you did. Same goes for Tomatos, Yellow and / or Orange ones would be good, as mentioned here some time back, you will get a better source of Lycopene, as it's not converted like it is in Red, and again Tomatos should represent a Vit C source.

For Zinc, you need to eating things like Nuts, Whole-grains should be fine, Fish, Meat and Poultry, Legumes, Eggs and Dairy if you have any.

If you eat Fish, then choose something like Halibut, it should have Zinc, and also is the best source of Magnesium. Haddock might as well, but not all Fish sources are a Magnesium source as far as I'm aware.

Those are also many of the sources of Iron, which will help keep your Red Blood Cell count up, and help promote good Oxygen transportation around the body.

You could potentially try supplementing with some Vit C, and you might find Glutamine powder also assists in some degree. I use it, usually after exercise and before bed, and it has helped me with sleep and immune health, although I had to wait some time, after starting it some years ago, to be able to recognise it's immune benefits, as you can only know that when you're unwell.

You could should you choose to do this, take 1tspn before bed, and another when you wake, and if you exercise, one when you finish.

Being as it is a mild Neurotransmitter, and especially for sleep benefits, probably would interact with the Hypothalamus, in which case owing to its immune benefits, it may also assist in attenuating any fever signs, as the Hypothalamus is a temperature regulation area of the Brain, (part of the Endocrine system too), which attempts to regulate body temperature at around 96 / 96.5 degrees F, to 100 degrees F.

I wouldn't go too heavy, and take any more than 15-20g a day. I have never heard of any side effects from it, but then I've never heard of people taking it in massive doses, like it's a weight gainer for example.

Hopefully that makes sense, or is of some benefit.

Hi Gene and welcome to natmedtalk!

And boy did you come to the right place for ideas! We are the idea people!

All that Boss said is very good and I concure. I would add this:

Beta glucagon. I have seen this boost immunity first hand several times.
I have a friend who was very sick with a mysterious liver disorder. Transfer Factor is saving her life and her family, as they rely on her for income.

Transfer Factor is kind of expensive and you may want to do it for 2 or 4 months to pull yourself up. And if you can afford it thats great. Keep on.

But others have had success with the Solar Ray and NOW brand version at a lessor price.
you can find them at www.iherb.com

You should also get your Vitamen D levels checked. Please find the thread on Vitamin D in this General Discussion area.

Then the other concern is that diarrhea and constipation. You may want to look into MMS and work with it for a month or two. It is not something to stay on forever but people with even very serious bowel issues have had fantastic results and it will clean out parasites and other microbes quite quickly, leaving a clean terrain inside that you can work to heal and restore.
There is a lot of mms info on this site and we have a forum dedicated to it and you can go here to read testimonials also:
https://www.healthsalon.org/mms-testimonials/

__________________

PS - I do think that it may be possible to get off the clonazepam also. Detox can do much to releive anxiety. Many people are lead into thinking that their anxiety disorders are due to psychological issues when actually it is a physiologial reaction to a toxic state. When stress occurs the toxic load prevents them from responding normally.

Believe me, in my work, I see people who never had an anxious day in their lives, suddenly beome plagued by anxiety when the toxin factor goes way up. They ask me why is this happening to me? I'm not an anxious person....so I have to explain to them they are not going crazy. Their body is just not detoxing so well these days and anxiety is a symptom of that toxic overload.

Why would toxins make people physically sick but have no affect on the brain, and hence mood and behavior? This is a critically neglected toxic effect that conventional medicine just can't or refuses comprehend, address and treat.

Thanks, printed your message and will have a closer look at it.

The only thing is, I'm on a bland diet (till my gut subsides) and have to be careful and watch what I eat, some foods or supplements which are acidic make my ulcer and GERD flare up.


Cheers,
Gene

Thanks Arrow, great to find people with ideas, I'm running out of them except for going to an emergency clinic (3 to 4 hour wait) or worse, hospital ER (average 18 hours waiting time) and either I will only do as a last resort. For the past couple of years, healthcare around here is awful and doctors don't take new "steady" patients, which means that roughly 65% of the population don't have a "family doctor".

And as I mentioned, seeing a GP would be a last resort measure, the most time a doctor can spend with you in one of those walk-in clinics is more or less 10 minutes thus giving ample room for a bad diagnosis which oftentimes means bad treatment. Anyways, I kind of lost faith in them...

There is nothing I would like better than getting off that crap because I'm feeling as many side-effects (fatigue, depression,etc.) as relief from anxiety. Unfortunately, I have been "plagued" with CNS disorders since I was 3 years-old (hyperactive, petit mal seizures, etc.) and was occasionally treated with Valium then Dilantin and finally Clonazepam for most of my life.

This condition was confirmed a few years ago by a Neurologist after a bunch of tests including an MRI which showed abnormal activity in an area of my brain.

Thanks for all the info, I guess I have a lot of homework to do. LOL!

BTW, how safe are probiotics? I read on most sites that they are great for quite a few ailments but they also warn not to use them if you have an immunodefficient system (after claiming that they're good for boosting the immune system???).

Thanks again,
Gene

Probiotics are safe. Perhaps someone else can recommend one as I rarely use them.

Well, perhaps such a cns disorder is not too likely to respond to what we might have to offer, especially the petit mal part. I wish there were a way.

But the other things could be corrected, including ulcer.

I believe your underlying problem is candida and leaky gut.

I think you could be right Health Junkie. I wonder if Gene suffered some kind of disease assault when is was 3 years old? Needing to take a lot of antibiotics. But then a bad dose of vaccination could have lead to a lot of problems also, including neurological.

Hi Arrow,

There were quite a few "incidents" that caused the neurological problems:

- Both my parents were alcoholics and according to what I was told, Mom didn't stop drinking while pregnant with me.

- Suffered from viral meningitis when I was 3 months old and being that it was back in the early 50's, I have no idea what the doctor prescribed or what injection(s) were administered. The "bad" CNS bouts must have started a little after I pulled out of it but the petit mal (due to an overactive part of the brain) started to really manifest themselves when I was around 3 years of age.

- Like any kid of that era, I was vaccinated but the vaccine never took, the tell-tale buttonhole-like pattern on the upper arm faded away and when my Mom took me to the doctor, he gave me the vaccine once more and this one too faded away. Went back to the MD once again and he told my Mom that chances were that my body rejected the vaccine because my immune system didn't need it.

Darn thing is, there's no one to ask, everybody who would know about it has passed away.

Thanks,
Gene

I'm somewhat confused over Probiotics, the "consultant" at the health food store claimed that they were good at boosting the immune system and I found the same info on the Net. But then again, while some sites make that same claim, they don't recommend them to people with compromised immune systems, kinda contradictory...

Quote:

Well, perhaps such a cns disorder is not too likely to respond to what we might have to offer, especially the petit mal part. I wish there were a way.

Ever since I've been on certain meds (especially the Clonazepam), the petit mal has decreased quite significantly to maybe one or two small seizures/year. According to the 2 Neurologists I've seen, I'm stuck with Chronic Anxiety Disorder (the meningitis screwed up a part of my brain by making it overactive) and when the Anxiety levels are high, the petit mal kicks in.

Quote:

But the other things could be corrected, including ulcer.

This is what I'm concentrating on (along with trying to find a way to boost the immune system) but unfortunately, the only med that seem to be working is Nexium.

I also suspect the same thing, I started suffering from digestive problems at a very young age (6 years-old, if I remember correctly) and back then the MD's called it "nervous stomach". As I got older (adult) and going through various stressful periods, the ulcer and GERD kicked in. Candida is a possibility, I'm prone to all kinds of yeast infections (scalp (dermatitis), throat, genitalia, etc.).

Cheers and thanks,
Gene

I totally agree with Health Junkie. I believe that Gene's health issues are caused from fungus. After going on an antifungal diet, my GERD which I suffered from for nearly 20 years, is completely gone! It only returns if I eat alot of sugar or grains containing yeast!!! Yeast loves sugar, can't live without it! Yeast (fungus) also causes leaky gut.

Doug Kaufmann at www.knowthecause.com says that fungus causes anxiety and depression. I also suffered with anxiety since childhood. About 15 years ago I began learning about detoxing and eating healthy. I no longer suffer from anxiety. I was also constipated most of my life and most likely loaded with toxins. Since I have learned how to cleanse, eat healthy and use certain supplements I no longer suffer from anxiety. It is definitely as Arrowwind says "a physiological reaction to a toxic state!"

For a healthy immune system, IMO, beta glucan is the best supplement you can take. It also kills fungus! This is where I purchase a special form of patented micronized nsc beta glucan:

www.nsc24.com

There is alot of useful info at this site also. Check it out!

Dr. Simoncini who bellieves as Doug Kaufmann does that fungus causes most illness, says that drinking baking soda mixed in water between meals will cure ulcers, which are caused from fungus. Fungus cannot live in an alkaline environment. There is a video at www.knowthecause.com you can find in the newsletter archives of an interview with Doug Kaufmann and Dr. Simoncini.

IMO, you were on the right track to a "cure" from the beginning. When I suffered from GERD I would actually puke if I used apple cider vinegar! Organic apple cider vinegar such as Bragg's contains malic acid which is an antifungal. Now that I no longer have fungus, I use it every day in a salad. Also, one of the symptoms of fungus is not being able to tolerate fresh garlic and onions. I used to puke when I ate fresh garlic and get terrible GERD when I ate onions. Not so any more! For your sore throat I would recommend a grapefruit seed extract spray that I use often and always try to keep stocked up on just in case! My son uses it too. It is antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral! There are many good antifungals you could try such as olive leaf extract and oil of oregano. They must be rotated every couple weeks, so the yeast does not become immune to them. I highly recommend checking out www.knowthecause.com and read the articles and buy a book or two especially with the antifungal diet. I did it for three months and lost about 15 lbs. Doug has a book "What Makes Bread Rise" that talks about yeast being the cause of weight gain the same way yeast makes bread rise. Although, it takes longer in the human body because the body temperature is only 98.6 degrees as opposed to a 350 degree oven used to bake bread. Anyway, check out Doug's website. He also has a tv show called Know the Cause. You can find out if it is broadcast in your viewing area on the website.

I believe you are going in the wrong direction by eating a "bland diet." Grains feed fungus. The Phase 1, 2 and 3 antifungal diet allows you to eat organic meats, free roaming chicken eggs, organic plain yogurt, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, grapefruit, green apples, and all vegetables. Corn is a grain which contains fungus. You may not eat any grains at all while on the diet. Olive oil and coconut oil are acceptable. Coconut is also an antifungal. Organic apple cider vinegar is also on the diet. The meat you eat "must" be organic grassfed or it will contain antibiotics which are fungus and growth hormones as well as fungus from corn and grains that are fed to the cows and chickens and pigs!!!

IMO, "kicking-in and cleansing side-effects" are a sign that what you are taking is working! Probiotics are a must if you want to erradicate fungus from your digestive tract. When there is not enough good bacteria in the gut, the yeast takes over, as it obviosly has and you must replenish the good bacteria to get rid of the yeast. It sounds complicated but it is so worth it! Once you start to feel better you can't imagine why you didn't do it sooner!

MMS is also an antifungal. There is lots of info about it on this forum. I have used MMS, too. The probiotic I use is Udo's Choice Super 8 High Potency Probiotic. I did alot of research and I found www.vitacost.com to have the lowest prices on supplements.

Wow, I could go on and on because I feel this is so important for so many people who are needlesssly suffering with symptoms and never find the cause which is usually fungus related! Good luck!

Sally B.

I'm prone to all kinds of yeast infections (scalp (dermatitis), throat, genitalia, etc.).

Well, there you go Gene. Tackle the candida and I betcha you will get better.

Follow Sally's excellent advice. Doug Kauffman does know candida. I also go to www.wholeapproach.com to research. A lot of good candida recipes over there too.

BTW, my parents were big drinkers(dad was an alcoholic) so I probably had candida when I was born. Then if you take even one round of antibiotics, the ol' candida bug has got you. My childhood and young adulthood were hell with one sickness after another. My nervous system has been damaged as well. I have about 85-90% good health now.

Good luck Gene. Keep us posted on how you do.

Health Junkie

Gene,

I just now read your latest post. You were more than likely born with fungus due to your mother drinking alcohol. Alcohol contains brewers yeast! That's right, if someone drinks, they also have fungus (yeast) in their body! IMO, you probably have never had the proper amount of useful probiotics in your digestive tract to fight off the bad bacteria and yeast. The reason Probiotics are good for our immune system is that they keep the bad bacteria and yeast in check!!! People with compromised immune systems especially need more good bacteria (probiotics)! Go to www.nsc24.com and you will learn everything you need to know and more about probiotics. They have done their own scientific studies, you can believe what they say in their articles.

Fungus causes leaky gut. When foods that we eat are leaked into our blood stream before entering out intestine, they cause food allergies. Food allergies can cause seizures. My niece was having occasional seizures and spent thousands of dollars getting tests done and they (the doctors) found nothing wrong with her. I recommended she see a Naturopathic Doctor which she did. Immediately her doctor had her tested for food allergies and gluten from grains was the cause of her seizures. She has not had a seizure since she stopped eating foods that contain gluten. IMO the doctor cured the symptom but not exactly the cause, which is fungus! Gluten (grains) feed fungus which causes leaky gut which causes allergies!!! Shew! I learned most of this from watching Doug Kaufmann on Know the Cause and I have several of his books. I believe "all" of your health issues are caused from fungus. Although I am not a doctor, you can read the same books I read as well as doing a google on fungus and yeast (a type of fungus). Try to watch Know the Cause. You will learn alot! It took me until I was 52 years old to discover what was causing my health problems. I just turned 54 a week ago. No conventional doctor has a clue. If you have yeast outside your body, you also have it inside! Try to find an ND who is knowledgeable about fungus and please do your own investigating. You will not regret it!

Sally B.