Question: Hi, I am a 45-year old female, have always been relatively healthy. I am 5'2" and weigh 95 lbs. I work out regularly, eat organic and no processed foods. I recently got a yeast infection (doctor says probably from not showering soon enough after workout). He gave me Diflucan - 2 150 mg doses to be taken 3 days apart. I did not start taking right away, hoping the infection would resolve itself. A week later, i noticed a cottony feeling in my mouth and my mouth felt dry. My tongue had a whitish coating with a thick white line in the middle (no cottage cheesy patches, though). Saliva was thick and pasty. I assume this was thrush. I immediately started on the Diflucan regime. The yeast infection went away, the thrush got better, but did not go away. My dentist prescribed Nystatin mouthwash 2 days ago and now the thrush is improving. I have been concerned as to why I was getting all these fungal infections, so decided to get a complete blood workup. I tested negative for HIV, Hep B and C, diabetes. Kidney and liver function are fine. The nurse did say my blood protein level was 8.4, which is slightly high, and wants me to come re-test. I am not having any symptoms of high blood protein and I know that Hepatitis and HIV would be the main concern, now those are ruled out. Should I be alarmed? Could the candida infection be the cause? Is there anything that could have caused a false reading on the test? I read that if the tourniquet is left on too long during blood collection, that can skew the results of blood protein. The nurse left it on through all 6 vials of blood (I wondered at the time why she didn't take it off sooner). Do you think that could have caused it? Should I fast for the re-test?

Thanks - that definitely puts me more at ease. What are your thoughts about the simultaneous fungal infections - possibly not showering after the workout, combined with maybe too much sugar intake (I have recently been in the habit of drinking a decaf cafe latte most evenings)? I have also been stressed with my financial situation and my job recently. No antibiotics in the last several months. Not necessarily an indicator of a compromised immune system due to serious illness?

Thanks again :)