Toe Nail Fungus

[Ellen]

If there was a way to set up an anonymous poll asking who has experienced onychomycosis, who has tried oral meds, who has tried Penlac, or tea tree oil, Vicks Vaporub....I would set it up. Anyone care to share? ;-)
Nail susceptibility to fungal infection in patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes under long term poor glycaemia control

[Article in Polish]


Macura AB (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Macura%20AB%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Gasińska T (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Gasi%C5%84ska%20T%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Pawlik B (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Pawlik%20B%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Obłoza A (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Ob%C5%82oza%20A%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
Zakład Mykologii Katedry Mikrobiologii, Collegium Medicum, Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w Krakowie. mbmacura@cyf-kr.edu.pl
Onychomycosis is a common disorder in adults. Its prevalence increases also in diabetics. The objective of the study was: 1) evaluation of finger and toe nail susceptibility to Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes with long term glycaemia under poor control as compared with healthy persons, and 2) checking whether or not various aetiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes may influence the intensity of fungal nail infection. The materials comprised finger and toe nails sampled from 26 patients with type 1 diabetes (20 females and 6 males at average age 51 +/- 10 years), 25 patients with type 2 diabetes (17 females and 8 males at average age 58 +/- 4 years). Twenty two healthy volunteers (18 females and 4 males at average age 47 +/- 14 years) served as controls. All of the diabetics (except one with type 1 diabetes and four with type 2 diabetes) had increased fasting glycaemia; moreover, all of them had poor controlled long term glycaemia because the concentration of glycated haemoglobin HbAlc exceeded 7.5%. The patients with type 1 diabetes were treated with insulin while those with type 2 diabetes with diet only (one person), with gliclazide (sixteen persons), with glimepirid (five persons), and with metformin (four persons). Enhanced fingernail susceptibility to Candida albicans infection was detected in 38.5% of the patients with type 1 diabetes, in 28% of those with type 2 diabetes, and in 22.7% of the controls. Intensive toenail infection was found in 34.6%, 20%, and 22.7% respectively. Enhanced fingernail susceptibility to Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection was found in 30.8% of the patients with type 1 diabetes, in 48% of those with type 2 diabetes, and in 4.54% of the controls while intensive toenail infection in 15.4%, 20%, and 18,2% respectively. Statistical analysis gave evidence of statistically significant higher susceptibility to infection of finger and toe nails with T. mentagrophytes but not with C. albicans in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics, as compared with the controls. In the diabetics, no significant correlation was found between the susceptibility to C. albicans and T. mentagrophytes infection and the age of the patients, metabolic diabetes control (evaluated on the basis of serum glucose level and blood HbAlc concentration), as well as the duration of diabetes.
PMID: 18159848 [PubMed - in process]

[My_Dana]

No need for anonymity for me.
This is probably a very common problem but also an unpopular topic.

I have a very mild case of toe nail fungus (both feet) that I have had for years.

My wife has a more severe case on both feet (most nails) for years as well.

I can't really recall when it started. I was not that in tune with health related issues that far back. But knowing what I know now, here's my assessment.

We know candida/yeast infections are far more common than previously thought. Lots of symptoms and nail fungus is one.

We also know that steroids, antibiotics, and probably other immune suppressing meds are a big part of the problem in fighting yeast, as they can create and promote a yeast-friendly environment.

That would be my guess as to why the toe fungus is more prevalent in D people.

For the topical battle of fungus, we have tried Vic's Vapo Rub, Tea Tree Oil, bleach (although not for any length of time). Did help a little.
But having multiple toes is most likely a systemic yeast problem, which can be a real bugger to fight.

In another post I listed what is a good plan to beat it. It is a hard protocol.
Basically need to give up all yeast-fungus feeding foods. That includes all sugars, fruits, alcohol, cakes, pies, ice cream...pretty much all the "sin" foods we like.
Then you need to load up on probiotics, and take anti-fungal supplements.

I read somewhere that candida it more effectively beat with such protocols, rather than dangerous drugs like Lamasil.
I think a trashed liver in exchange for nicer toenails is not a very good deal.

Did it work for us? Well, not really because we didn't stick with the diet restrictions. It is hard. It can take 1 month or 12 months depending on the amount of candida around.

That's my 2-cents.