It hasn’t been an easy journey with my health over the years.. it’s honestly hard to know when my health issues even began because most of my life I struggled with some sort of issue after another. I just figured it was “how I am” and just a part of me.
When it began…
I was sick constantly as a child which I very much still recall. Late nights with my Mom rocking me with the loud nebulizer machine on so I could breathe, constant stuffy/runny noses, coughing, ear infections and late night walk-in clinic and ER visits. I had at least two ear infections a year until I turned 22 and moved away from the area I had always lived. This meant many years of antibiotics (as I’m a part of the generation where it was handed out like candy) along with an immune system that just couldn’t seem to catch up.
Teenage years I struggled tremendously with my mental health. Around age 15 is when I was first put on antidepressants and anxiety medications just to survive. I was barely eating any food as my depression had taken over completely and I became more undernourished. I also was put on multiple forms of birth control throughout these years, from the pill to the depo provera shot which altered so much with my body immediately after.
I finally started to catch a break with the ear infections and constant sickness in my early 20’s as the hormonal issues began. Extremely painful periods, along with cystic acne and painful cysts on my ovaries were the first to really start my symptoms. I would go doctor to doctor (as I was traveling for work at this time) looking for answers.
It took me years later to finally get a diagnosis of PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome. There are a few different forms of this for me I would randomly get large cysts on my ovaries (vs small all over) I had painful cystic acne, weight in my midsection I could never lose, and excessive facial and body hair which I never had before, clumps of hair falling out of my head, along with very painful periods. There were random times I would have extreme pain on my ovaries, lying on the bathroom floor hoping for it to just go away. It wasn’t until I caught it at just the right time with an ultrasound, bloodwork and an OBGYN that was willing to actually listen to me. He explained how unfortunately there’s not much knowledge behind PCOS and my options were spironolactone and birth control but that these did not fix PCOS. No further explanation of nutrition except don’t eat carbs and try HIIT workouts.
This was what really lit a fire under me to start digging more into WHY this was happening and what I could do to undo this. I attempted to diet but my brain could not fathom the rules. I craved carbs and sugar ALL the time and could barely function without multiple cups of coffee and energy drinks thanks to my chronic fatigue. I came across herbs and tinctures and started incorporating them, although looking back they were POOR quality. I didn’t settle for this diagnosis although I had NO idea where to begin. I finally just said forget it and went on the spironolactone and birth control as I was fed up feeling horrible and figured I was desperate to feel better. I went on this combo for about 2 years and was able to clear my skin up, not have as bad of periods and lose weight FINALLY. This was about the time before my wedding and I knew if I wanted to look and feel good and be happy with my wedding photos, I had no other choice.
Once the wedding was over I immediately went off this combo and my symptoms came back 10x WORSE. Little did I know I was also living in a VERY moldy house that was making me even more ill. I was stressed to the max with the traveling job, gaining weight rapidly, my acne was even worse and I could barely function with how tired I was and after a few years of being completely off antidepressants, I was back on them. Everything I had just shoved down came back up hard in my face. I felt completely defeated and had no idea where to turn. I kept adding in random supplements and working out as hard as I could regardless of feeling like my muscles had zero give left at all times.
I was becoming more and more fatigued, was missing work days because my period pain was so bad, my scalp was on FIRE all the time, I had acid reflux so bad I thought my esophagus was going to burn out. Then life happened.. I lost one of my best friends to suicide. It was the most traumatic day I had ever endured and my whole world was flipped upside down. I felt more alone than ever before and somehow losing someone to suicide almost creates a domino effect of suicides to follow. This included my own mental health completely reaching its breaking point and fighting through each day to not take my own life. I don’t think I have ever felt so much physical, mental and emotional pain in my life. Being an empath and caring so much about this friend I felt his pain along with the pain that there was nothing I could have done to help him.
This event led my health completely down the drain. I had every symptom you could think of and was basically couch ridden at this point. I was trying to push through with a happy face for a while and I finally had enough. I wanted people to see my pain and see how badly I was suffering. I felt like I was drowning, trying to keep my head above water for so long and no one could hear my screams. I felt like everyone was just watching my drown but didn’t know how to pull me out.
This was the same time the world shut down in the pandemic and I realized I was either:
1. Going to die from taking my own life or
2. Get my sh*t together and get healthy so this virus doesn’t take me out.
At this time I was able to find a practitioner online. I had been following her on Instagram for a while and this whole virtual thing was really new. I felt like for the first time ever I was seen. All of my symptoms and suffering and she actually had solutions. I figured I’m either going to waste some money trying my last ditch effort at getting better or change my life for the better.I felt in my soul this was the answer. She wasn’t claiming to heal people or solve everyone’s problem, she was giving background as to how root cause works. This was a concept I had always agreed with but didn’t know how to act on it.
Two years into undoing SO much that was burdening my body and it was the best decision I have ever made! This also led me to going back to school becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practioner, along with a certification in Master Blood Chem with Em.
0 Comments