Candida Checklist


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The Quick Candida Checklist:

Candida—also known as yeast—is a condition that is commonly found (and commonly underdiagnosed) in those are either currently on antibiotics, or have taken them during their lifetime. The condition, by itself, will create many of the symptoms that beset lyme sufferers such as fatigue, inability to concentrate, etc.

It's my own personal belief that there are any number of recurrent external conditions (athlete's foot, jock itch, vaginal infection, psoriasis) that are truly only an outward manifestation of an internal yeast condition. What really irks me (as you'll see if you go on to read the next page, The In-depth Discussion on Candida), is that some of medical science knows this, and turns it's back on what would be an "easy fix". (As if the people who have psoriasis don't care that they have it!! ...but I'm not gonna get started here.) ...And while I'm on the subject, for any who will come to desire to know what to do to eliminate it, I've listed a page at this site that discusses the natural preparations that have, in my experience, worked easily and successfully to resolve this condition. (See this listing for that discussion.)

Meanwhile, on the next few pages, I've put a few diagnostic tools to help to reader to begin to recognize, understand, and finally strategize against this condition. The first one, a quick checklist directly below, is the fastest way for the reader to get a picture of Candida, both in terms of general information, and in specific for himself. The essay on the following page is a much more in-depth discussion of Candida—where it comes from, and what to do about it..

For the checklist below, you may want to print out a copy as a worksheet—it'll take about five pages. Either way, keeping a tally of the responses to the below questionnaire, should give one a good idea as to whether or not candida might be a factor. For the sake of comparison, my own score has ranged from a high of 193 (as a male — whose scorings are different from female), to a current 98, with the resultant decrease due to a three month course of decreasing sugar consumption, and the taking of some natural (non-prescription) preparations as discussed previously.

 

 

Candida Questionnaire and Score Sheet

The following questionnaire is provided by the gracious work and permission of Dr. William Crook. For information on contacting Dr. Crook's office, see below.

This questionnaire is designed for adults and the scoring system isn't appropriate for children. It lists factors in your medical history which promote the growth of Candida Albicans (Section A), and symptoms commonly found in individuals with yeast-connected illness (Sections B and C).

For each "Yes" answer in Section A, circle the Point Score in that section. Total your score and record it on the line at the end of the section. Then move on to Sections B and C and score as directed.

Filling out and scoring this questionnaire should help you and your physician evaluate the possible role of candida in contributing to your health problem. They it will not provide an automatic "Yes" or "No" answer.

Section A: History

    Point Score
1. Have you taken tetracycline's (or other antibiotics) for 2 months (or longer)? 25
2. Have you, at any time in your life, taken other "broad spectrum" antibiotics (Including Keflex®, ampicillin, amoxicillin, Ceclor®, Bactrim®, and Septra®*) for respiratory, urinary or other infections (for 2 months or longer, or in shorter courses 4 or more times in a 1-year period? 20
3. Have you, at any time in your life, been troubled by persistent vaginal problems or had 3 or more episodes of vaginitis in a year? 25
4. Have you been pregnant 2 or more times?
    Have you been pregnant 1 time?		 5
3
5. Have you taken birth control pills for more than 2 years?
    For 6 months to 2 years?		 15
8
6. Have you taken prednisone, Decadron® or other cortisone-type drugs for more than 2 weeks?
    For 2 weeks or less?
15
6
7. Does exposure to perfumes, insecticides, fabric shop odors and other chemicals provoke...  Moderate to severe symptoms?
                  Mild symptoms?
20
5
8. Are your symptoms worse on damp, muggy days or in moldy places? 20
9. Have you had persistent athlete's foot, "jock itch", or other chronic fungous infections of the skin or nails? Have such infections been ... Severe or persistent?
    Mild to moderate?
20
10
10. Do you crave sugar? 10
11. Do you crave breads? 10
12. Do you crave alcoholic beverages? 10
13. Does tobacco smoke really bother you? 10

TOTAL SCORE, Section A...............................................................................    __________

*Such antibiotics kill off "good germs" while they're killing off those which cause infection.

 

Section B: Major Symptoms

For each symptom which is present, enter the appropriate figure in the Point Score column:
      If a symptom is mild, ....................................................................... score 3 points.
      If a symptom is moderate, ............................................................... score 6 points.
      If a symptom is severe or disabling, ................................................. score 9 points.

Add total score for this section and record it on the line at the end of this section.

                                                                                               Point Score
1. Fatigue or lethargy.
2.

Feeling of being "drained"
3. Poor memory
4. Feeling "spacey " or "unreal"
5. Depression
6. Numbness, burning or tingling
7. Muscle aches
8. Muscle weakness or paralysis
9. Pain and/or swelling in joints
10. Abdominal pain
11. Constipation
12. Diarrhea
13. Bloating
14. Troublesome vaginal discharge
15. Persistent vaginal burning or itching
16. Prostatitis
17. Impotence
18. Loss of sexual feeling
19. Endometriosis
20. Dysmenorrhea
21. Premenstrual tension
22. Spots in front of eyes
23 Erratic Vision

TOTAL SCORE, Section B............................................................................    __________

 

Section C: Other Symptoms

For each symptom which is present, enter the appropriate figure in the Point Score column:
      If a symptom is mild, ......................................................................... score 1 points.
      If a symptom is moderate, ................................................................. score 2 points.
      If a symptom is severe or disabling, ................................................... score 3 points.

Add total score for this section and record it on the line at the end of this section.

*While the symptoms in this section occur commonly in patients with yeast-connected illness, they also occur commonly in patients who do not have candida.

                                                                                               Point Score
1. Drowsiness
2. Irritability or jitteriness
3. Incoordination
4. Inability to concentrate
5. Frequent mood swings
6. Headache
7. Dizziness / loss of balance
8. Pressure above ears...feeling of head swelling and tingling
9. Itching
10. Other rashes
11. Heartburn
12. Indigestion
13. Belching and intestinal gas
14. Mucus in stools
15. Hemorrhoids
16. Dry mouth
17. Rash or blisters in mouth
18. Bad breath
19. Joint swelling or arthritis
20. Nasal congestion or discharge
21. Postnasal drip
22. Nasal itching
23. Sore or dry throat
24. Cough
25. Pain or tightness in chest
26. Wheezing or shortness of breath
27. Urgency or urinary frequency
28. Burning on urination
29. Failing vision
30. Burning or tearing eyes
31. Recurrent ear infections
32. Fluid in ears
33. Ear pain or deafness
34. Tubes in ears
35. Other symptoms:

TOTAL SCORE, Section C............................................................................    __________

GRAND TOTAL SCORE (Add up Total Score for Sections A, B, and C)......    __________ __________

Evaluation:

(Note that the scoring will be different for females and males since seven questions apply exclusively to women, while only two apply exclusively to men.)

If your point score is over 180 in women (and 140 in men), candida almost certainly plays a role in causing your health problems.

If your point score is over 120 in women (and 90 in men), candida probably plays a role in causing your health problems.

If your point score is 60 to 120 for women (and 40 to 90 in men), candida possibly plays a role in causing your health problems.

If your point score is less than 60 for women (and 40 for men), candida is less apt to be playing a significant role in causing your health problems.

Information on contacting Dr. Crook:

For anyone interested in contacting Dr. Crook's office directly, his address is:

45 Conrad Drive., Ste. 100,
Jackson, TN 38305

Phone contact is (901) 660-5027.

(In contacting them personally, I have found his office exceptionally gracious, caring, and more than willing to help.)


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Last modified: August 15, 2008