My almost 17-year-old son has had persistent ringworm for almost a year, despite constant application of OTC creams (lotrimin then lamisil) and two separate month-long courses of oral lamisil. He also has a white tongue. Seems like he may have candida overgrowth. Should taking L. Acidophilus be enough to combat this? Until recently, he was taking Advair, a corticosteriod, for asthma. Online research implies this may inhibit his immune system and enable the candida overgrowth.

He had thrush when he was an infant and a homeopath provided Borax which worked miraculously. We don't have an affiliation with a homeopath here now and I'm skeptical.

Hi Jane,
I'm puzzled by your last comment--what are you skeptical of?
Would you like helping finding another homeopath? That would be MUCH
the best way to proceed!!

Other than that, the drugs--both topical and inhaled--are surely not
the best thing for him. Topical applications are apt to
suppress--possibly make the skin better, but possibly in the same
stroke make other things worse. In any case they do not address the
*reason* he got ringworm! It is (I am told) an extremely common
organism (a type of fungus, I think?), but most of us (people and
animals) do not have any problems from it. Your thought of candida
overgrowth, possibly contributing to the vulnerability to this other
fungus, is a very plausible one. Your thought that perhaps his asthma
drug is contributing to the candida overgrowth is also a very
reasonable one. (You say "until recently"--is he now asthma-free, or
?)

Nutritionally, I've read that nutrients which support the skin and
immune system can be helpful--vitamins A, D and E were suggested.
Probiotics might also be helpful, though I think a broad-spectrum one
(not just acidophilus) might be more useful.

But, changing what sounds like a pretty deep susceptibility with
vitamins and diet is a MUCH slower, more difficult, probably more
expensive, and certainly less "permanent" (well, I'm using that word
rather loosely :-) ) approach than to get him back under homeopathic
care (assuming you can find an appropriate practitioner), and follow
that process through. Still, it would be preferable to using drugs to
mask symptoms of an imbalance that drugs can't even begin to set right
(but may worsen)!

Anyway--say more? Would you like help finding another homeopath?
Best wishes,
Shannon

On May 27, 2008, at 11:46 PM, homeolist (AT) otherhealth (DOT) com wrote:

>
> My almost 17-year-old son has had persistent ringworm for almost a
> year,
> despite constant application of OTC creams (lotrimin then lamisil) and
> two separate month-long courses of oral lamisil. He also has a white
> tongue. Seems like he may have candida overgrowth. Should taking L.
> Acidophilus be enough to combat this? Until recently, he was taking
> Advair, a corticosteriod, for asthma. Online research implies this may
> inhibit his immune system and enable the candida overgrowth.
>
> He had thrush when he was an infant and a homeopath provided Borax
> which worked miraculously. We don't have an affiliation with a
> homeopath
> here now and I'm skeptical.
>
>
> --
> janelogon

dear jane
see link for directory of homeopaths for each state
National Center for Homeopathy - Home Page

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein