itching and rash on legs

As documented elsewhere on this site, I recently flirted with a very powerful new probiotic preparation, which my doctor was eager for me to try. That didn't end well, as candida has a nasty habit of fighting back if attacked too strongly. While in their death-throes, it seems the organisms can produce large amounts of toxins which don't do the host any good at all. Anyway, I'm going to give myself another few weeks to fully recover from the die-off symptoms, then start the probiotic again... but this time on only about a quarter of the recommended dose to begin with.

I'm considering asking my doctor whether he could prescribe a systemic anti-fungal course before I attempt the probiotic again. I've had two of these in the past 10 years. When on this stuff, you have to start slowly then build up to the full dose over about a month. I should have remembered this, I suppose, and started slowly on the probiotic, but I've only started to understand the full implications of candida die-off since experiencing it for myself.

The idea would be to complete the anti-fungal course, then start the probiotic straight away, while candida levels were already low, to keep it under control. Although both the courses of systemic anti-fungals were very successful (I even got beautiful toe-nails!) it was only about a year before the candida was back with a vengeance. And this in spite of the fact that I've never had a sweet tooth and eat a very low-sugar diet. According to received wisdom, a high-sugar diet is reckoned to be the main cause of candida overgrowth, btw.

Never a bad idea to give up sugar if you're a Sjogren's sufferer, quite apart from the candida connection. Because most of us have reduced saliva, we're much more prone to tooth decay.

Yes, there are a lot of "live" yoghourts on the market, and I'm sure they help a bit. The problem with yoghourts is that they only contain tiny quantities of live bacteria, and not always the right ones for gut flora. Even when they do contain the right bacteria, these will only "take" in a favourable environment. This is where the "prebiotics" come in - a whole range of chemical substances (all available from food, of course) that also need to be present in the gut to give the bacteria a fighting chance.

The product I was taking contains only two bacteria: Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis. These are the good guys, and it's worth checking for these names on yoghourt pots. However, it contains more than 25 other active ingredients, ranging from vitamins and minerals through amino acids to things like extracts of turmeric and green tea.

Eating live yoghourt and cutting back on sugar - particularly the refined sort, but don't overdo fruits either - will certainly help, especially if you're eating a really good diet providing all the other nutrients your gut needs.

and my thraot spasms a lot today..dont understand

i had to ake valium bu come back

Like Sjogren's, there's no one definitive test for scleroderma so your doctor would have to take your entire condition into consideration.