Answers at Last and Better Sleep

Um, about really just your entire journey through functional medicine, here, what your experience with the team has been like, what your experience with you know, the lab panels, how that compares to your life before, how your life is now, just like the whole well-rounded picture, but because it's your care, you know, you don't have to talk about anything you don't feel comfortable talking about. Um, but let's start with what brought you to our practice. Um, trying to figure out what was going on with me. And what was that? um, well, for one, I was having awful hot flashes. Oh, wow. Yeah, and um, and then I was having like a lot of weird symptoms. Um, I I really wasn't sure what was going on, and I had had a lot of them for years, but then I was getting new ones, and I had been bit by a tick. And yeah, last August, and then um, I got diag- diagnosed with lupus from a skin biopsy, and then here with an ANA, which she tested, thank god, because I never would have ever thought that I had lupus, and my mom and my daughter had suggested that I did, and I'm like, "I don't have lupus." So, yeah, I would have never known, um, if I hadn't come here, and also with the skin biopsy, but yeah, I would have never never connected the dots, but then I think the tick bite also brought out two other more things, so, which I would have never known, cuz I wasn't relating anything. And thank god, Dr. Rose, she figured it out. Yeah. Yeah, and a a lot of the symptoms I had for years never would have contributed to lupus. Wow. And yeah, she yeah, she said, "Classic, classic." I Yeah, my doctors never never figured that out. So, what were some of these, you know, you said kind of weird symptoms? What were some of these weird symptoms that you were experiencing? Uh rashes, terrible rashes. Um I couldn't go in the sun. Didn't know why. I thought I was having sun poisoning all the time. Um another one was panic attacks, like severe panic attacks. And I guess that's all part of the autonomic nervous system, and that's what the lupus has been attacking with me. So, yeah, it's been crazy. Like and little things set me off. And then after the tick bite, those mast cell activation syndrome on top. So, yeah, it's been crazy. And then I did do a whole um gut panel, and that revealed all kinds of things. So, yeah, I had no idea. So, and how are these things impacting you day to day? Oh, they do. But yeah, especially the POTS because it's like trying to do anything and I just get until the evening, and then I am great. You know, I'm not 100% but I'm like, oh my gosh, I can do stuff. And my husband's always like, slow down because yeah, you're you're overdoing it and I do, I pay for it the next day I'm worse. So, I have to like pace myself. But um the medication she has me on seems to be keeping things more level. Thank god. Um so, yeah, it's What about before you were here? How's it impacting you day to day? Well, before I was here, I wasn't having all the other the symptoms of the POTS or the mast cell. Um it was the lupus symptoms that you know, I and I kept thinking, what am I a hypochondriac? Like I don't know what's going on. Like all these crazy symptoms. And my husband's like, "You're always sick. What's going on?" You know, he would get frustrated. And I was frustrated. Like, I don't know. I don't understand, you know? Until I came here, and then, you know, they did the full blood panels because the other the other doctors are so limited that they can't. So, "No, insurance won't cover it. Insurance won't cover it." I said, "Yeah, that's so many times." Yeah. Yeah. It's really tough. Yeah. And how did you find our practice? On Facebook. Yeah. Good way to find it, right? Yep, and I called, and yeah. At that point, it was mostly I was going nuts with the hot flashes cuz I mean, I was well past menopause and still having them. I'm like, Yeah. Ugh. This is Yeah, my sleep was terrible, absolutely awful. Um but and that's greatly improved with Yeah, with the medication the Yeah, the medications she has me on. So, replace my hormone replacement therapy. Mhm. Yeah. HRT? yes. That's made a huge difference. So, thank god. So, um let's talk about that discovery call. That first call. What was that like? It was very good, very friendly, um upbeat. Um my memory's not the greatest, but I remember it was very friendly, very upbeat, um and hopeful. Yeah. So, after your discovery call, do you um recall feeling some that type of way when you went in versus when you came out? You mean Just from that Just from that first call. Did I feel Like did you have an expectation, were and was an expectation met that you had it thought of? Was it below your expectation? Oh, yeah, it definitely met my expectations. Yeah. Yeah. And then what about that first visit here, getting your initial lab panel, your interaction with the team, and the InBody? They were great. I mean, the first the first um time I came, you weren't completely set up, so I was like in where they have the um what do you call it? The the heater thing you go in the Yeah, the sauna. The sauna, yes. Sorry. I have one of those at home. You'd think I'd know what it was. But yeah, um I had to do it there. It was kind of like, oh, okay. But you guys were just getting set up. And now, you know, after that, the next time it was great. And I love that I can do telehealth with the the visits over the phone because it's such a long It takes me almost 2 hours to get here, so. Yeah. Yeah. And and that um let's say not the blood panel. We'll talk about that after, but what about the InBody scan? That was great. I'd never done that before. That was quite revealing. Yeah, wasn't good. What about your experience tracking it? Every time you come in, you do the InBody. Yeah, it's good. Um you know, I I need exercise more for sure. But because of the POTS, it's made it so hard. And then I've been fighting vertigo. So that's been another new thing. Um so that it's been making it hard for me to really get in there and exercise. I I'm just afraid I'm going to fall or pass out and yeah. A lot of stupid fears that yeah. They're not stupid at all though, you know, because especially after so long of having all these symptoms. And I do a lot of smiles and I do a lot of marketing. And I do a lot of research. Oh, good. Okay, yep. people and patients. And I work very closely with the patient success coordination team. Um and we are constantly hearing people who have all these symptoms who are just they're not put together. And for so, so long, you're like kind of gaslit. Yeah, I see. And you're not gaslit. Absolutely. Um but but until you come in with these fears that are not actually invalid at all. Right. You know, they're very, very valid to have fears for your health. It's It's so true. And you're right about the gas. I was So, I had called my doctor for a prescription and um he was like, "Well, I You know, he just didn't want to give it to me." And it was for a cream that's like so safe. And I said, "You know, if I was a guy and I called for Viagra, I did. I was like, "You know what?" Cuz I know my husband went in there like no issue. Oh, yeah. Let me you know, boom, boom, boom. He got what he wanted. And you know, I I have to jump through hoops to get what I need. And I'm like, I was so upset. I'm like, never had that issue here. Dr. Rose actually did a podcast on HRT in the history of menopausal care. Oh. And she was looking into the amount of money that's been spent on male erectile dysfunction, and it is more than four times the amount spent on women's health care in general. I totally believe it. It's awful. It is awful how women are treated compared to men for those things. Yeah. Yeah. Very interesting fact. So, that makes sense. Um but let's go to let's return to your visit. Yeah. What about that first visit with Dr. Rose? It was wonderful. Yeah, I felt like I was being heard. Um she took time, listened, gave great feedback. So, I knew she was hearing me, you know? So, yeah, it was great. And is there a a feeling Do you remember a feeling that you felt going in versus how you felt leaving? Um probably was anxious going in and then coming out I was like, "Oh, this That was wonderful." Felt great. And what about your care? Like when you left, did you feel like you had a plan? Did you feel like you had a direction? I know a lot of people it's really hard when you're not given a plan or direction to think about your health the future of your health. Um did you see like did you feel brighter about your Yeah. Um but but I mean I've had so many things going on trying to figure out like you know how to because I'm so sensitive to so many things. So, she tried me on a lot of different things and they may work initially and then they would start giving me issues or they gave me issues right away. So, we'd have to try something new. So, it's been a progression of trying to get that figured out. Um but she works with me and she doesn't you know she doesn't say oh no just keep taking it anyway like most doctors would. You know, oh you know, that's normal. She didn't do that. She's like for your situation that's yes, I can understand why that could be happening. So, yeah, we'll stop that and we're going to try this. And doing that was like oh good, you know. So, like on the naltrox, you know, LDN. Um for thyroid? No. No, no, no. To keep the lupus try to Oh, okay. I'm not familiar with that. Yeah. Low-dose naltroxin, I think it's called. So, I had started going up. When I got to the higher dose, it was awful. I couldn't do it. So, then she brought me back down and just it stayed there and it's been great. That's kept me paced. So, And let's let's talk a little bit about um the lupus and your symptoms from the lupus and you know, aside from if we were to just focus I know you have a lot of different symptoms from a lot of different sources, right? But if you were to just focus on the lupus and you coming in here thinking I I don't have that, you know. And then now you're you know, managing these symptoms day-to-day, even if it's not, you know, fully gone, you're managing them. Yes. Can you talk about that experience and like your, I guess, the difference between your lifestyles with with just lupus? Uh Like How was it impacting your day-to-day then and how has it improved now, even with the adjustment of medication? Yeah. So, well, I didn't realize I had it for one thing. So, I didn't know what the heck was going on with me. Like, what is it what what are these symptoms I'm having? And then now knowing, okay, that's lupus. Um it's helped me to, you know, like, okay, don't go out in the sun in the middle of the day cuz I love to garden. I love to go to the beach. And so, now I know, you know, to cover up more if I do. And then the heat will get to me, too. Um but I love the heat cuz I'm always freezing. So, it's kind of hard. But um to pace myself. So, I know more. And now when it's attacking my nervous system, which it does terrible, I know, okay, it's the lupus, you know? Like, even my dog moving around in his bed will just send me over the edge. Or people's voices, certain things they say, it's like oh my gosh, my nervous system's like nails on a chalkboard. It's awful. Oh my god. Yeah. So, but but now I know at least this is what's happening and I think the medication is definitely helping to keep that more level, so it's not constantly up and down and all over the place. Um panic attacks, which those I had they had stopped a long time ago and I contribute that to God. But the ones in my sleep, I I had no control over. And those would I mean jumping out out of a dead sleep, running into walls. It was Yeah, it was awful. But, um since on this medication that's been good. It's been balanced. Yeah, it is amazing. So, um And then when I was at a doctor, I mean they would send me psychiatrists and they weren't helping me because it had nothing to do with mental health. It was all part of my dysregulation. Yeah, it's tough. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's so many symptoms I had. Um sweating only on one side of my body. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. I Since Since I was a kid. That's That's why I think I had had this like for years and never knew until Yeah, it could be dormant. I think it was and the tick bite brought everything like everything out. And that's why it's hard to really say like how it was before to after because you know, like how I'm managing it. It Like at least now I know. So, that makes It does help. Um yeah, but I didn't have the POTS or the MCAS the you know, and then the gut things. And I eat so healthy like I eat and I have for years. I don't eat don't do seed oils. It may be extreme occasionally at a going to a restaurant and I always let them know. I have an allergy to seed oils just so they don't give it to me. And um we eat organic. We eat very clean. I cook everything. Like I don't buy things out of a package. So, yeah. So, that that really frustrated my husband like we're spending all this money, we're eating so healthy and yet you're still sick. Why? You know? And then I'd feel horrible like oh, maybe maybe it's in my head. You know, you just don't but rashes aren't in your head and all these other things. So, yeah. Yeah. Again, going back to being gaslit, you know, these things are not in your head. No, and you you end up gaslighting yourself. You do, you know? Cuz if you're told something so many times, eventually you're like, "I know these things to be true, but I'm the only one who feels them." Yes. You know? And that's really tough. That's really tough. And a lot of things like dizziness and things like that I I thought it was all sinus. Wow. Yeah. That's really interesting. Yeah. So, how would you describe functional medicine to a friend? Um night and day. Um I would say do it because for one thing, they're going to find things that regular doctors can't. They'll treat you more naturally and not with drugs that just keep your symptoms at bay, but don't cure you. That's probably the biggest thing. But what if they're like, "Okay, but you know, what what is it? What do they actually do? What is functional medicine?" How would you describe it? Um so, they do a much better blood work panel. Um and they they focus on your whole body trying to figure out what what's going on with everything. They don't separate everything when a lot of things are together. So, you could be having two symptoms that seem totally unrelated, but they're actually all related. Yeah. Yeah. And what about pain points? If somebody said, "Oh, but you know, they don't take insurance. It's expensive. It's far away. I don't have time." Cherry. Thank God for Cherry. Um you know, interest-free, um make your payments. And you know what? You're going to spend more in the end with a regular doctor because you're going to keep going, you're going to be on medications that cause a hundred other side effects besides just, you know, the symptoms. It may may help with these symptoms, but you're going to cause it's going to cause a lot of other issues that you won't get with the medications that a functional medicine doctor can provide, which are more holistic natural things that will cure you and not just keep you sick managing symptoms. And then the end you're paying a lot more money, you know? That's how I see it, you know? Makes sense. Is there anything else that you want to add? Um try it. I mean, I I think it's worth it. I have had a friend who ended up coming here um on a recommendation and he had I can't tell you how many doctors. He was going to everything, chiropractors, um acupuncture, trying everything. And finally he came here and had a blood panel and yeah, they figured out what was going on with him, which made total sense. How how a doctor didn't figure that out, I don't know. Like, yeah, that totally makes sense. It's so crazy. It is. It is. And I I I mean, at least for the last four five years that he's been going to different doctors. Struggling struggling yeah. Yeah. Wow. Thought it was depression I mean, he thought everything, depression, everything. Yeah. The body is a whole system, not just little parts. Exact That's it. That's it. You got to treat the whole body. Yeah, not just the symptoms. And that's what I don't like about regular medicine. They're great for emer- And I said this for years, they're great for emergencies. You're in a car accident, God forbid, nothing better than an emergency room to you. I mean, they're going to put you back together and hopefully keep you alive. But when it comes to chronic illness, oh, go to a functional go to functional medicine. Because then you're you're going to find out what's going on and you'll get healed hopefully and more cases than not, you know, just going to be treated by the symptom. You're going to be treated by what is actually happening in your body. So, yeah. That was very eloquently said. Oh, good. Very well what? I'm always good with words. No, but I mean I mean all of it was great, but that last part I was like, "Wow." Yeah. Probably cuz I've said that I've said that a lot to people. Yeah, you probably have to explain it a lot, too, right? Like even before I was coming here cuz I had called a few functional medicine places, they didn't take insurance and they didn't offer Cherry or any type of payment. Maybe um the one we talked about earlier. Um um CareCredit. Oh. Which nobody wants to do. Yeah. So, I didn't go cuz because I mean, I have some close to me that are functional medicine doctors, but one thing they didn't have a good their reputation really wasn't that great from a friend referral. And um but they didn't offer any type of payment. Yeah. You know. Interesting. Yeah. Well, thank you so much. You're welcome. amazing. Oh, good. Good. I mean, I guess you