On reading the Q&A ‘A Candida crisis’ (WDDTY vol 16 no 1, page 9), I was so surprised that I nearly dropped your newsletter! The symptoms described so closely matched those of my brother that I thought it was a letter from him.

Jeremy has been suffering from dizziness, nausea and occasional blackouts, all of which caused him a lot of anxiety. His symptoms proliferated to such a point that, about five years ago, his anxiety reached phobic proportions, and he became housebound. After running the full gamut of blood tests, MRIs, CAT scans, etc., he was told there was nothing wrong with him - and he became almost suicidal.

Being a natural therapist at the time, I read a great deal and found that many of Jeremy's symptoms matched those of people with severe anxiety disorder (‘panic agoraphobia’). We found a doctor who specialised in treating this disorder. Within 18 months of therapy, my brother was a new man! He rented an office, started his own business, renewed contact with an old girlfriend, got married and moved to Australia.

While the anxiety is now under control, he continues to suffer dizziness, nausea and fainting spells. Under the advice of a doctor, who suspects that this may be a case of Candida, he has been following a rigid diet (gluten-free, sugar-free, yeast-free) for over nine months now, but the symptoms simply have not subsided.

He has undergone a whole-blood analysis and another MRI scan and, although the results have not shown any signs of Candida overgrowth, I still believe it may be playing a role in his symptoms, but there is no way to prove it or treat it. Jeremy’s condition is not life-threatening, but his symptoms bother him and prevent him from leading an enjoyable life.

Jeremy (and I) would love to hear from others who have suffered, or are suffering, from this debilitating and depressing disorder in the hopes that someone, somewhere, has the answer! If there is one other out there, there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people who might benefit from a suggestion that worked for someone. - Mrs R. Woods, Australia

WDDTY replies: If you would like to share your experience with Candida or any treatment suggestions with Mrs Woods, please e-mail her at: robinluxor@ gmail.com.