Cara’s Story – Tired All the Time, Severe Menstrual Cramps

I have always been tired. I mean…always! Even as a teenager, I would sleep more than other friends of mine, and that’s a lot! But then, so did my Mom. I thought that was “normal”. I also had severe menstrual cramps, headaches and irregular periods. I would miss school because I could not get out of bed due to the pain. But again, I talked with my friends and my gynecologist and was told I was a normal teenager. The doctor put me on birth control pills to ease the symptoms and to regulate my periods. Since a lot of my friends were on the “pill”, I thought that was the way to handle this condition.  My periods did become regular and the cramps were tolerable. My Mom agreed with it, so it had to be OK. Right?

 
FAST FORWARD about 20 years. Now I am in my late 30s. I am moody, depressed, irritable, stressed out from work, and of course, tired!   I mention this to my gynecologist, and he recommends having some blood work done.  My thyroid levels were normal but I have high cholesterol, and he says I need to stop taking the birth control pills that I have been on for 20 years. My body could not tolerate the “pill” anymore. Not wanting to have any more children, another form of birth control was a necessity. So, a friend told me about Depo-Provera. It’s a shot that is administered once every 12 weeks and one of the nice perks was, NO MORE PERIODS! I followed the doctor’s orders and had his nurse give me a shot at each interval. It was easy! He did tell me that I needed to up my intake of calcium though. Since I don’t like milk and never have, I found myself just popping some calcium supplements, when I thought of it.
 
FAST FORWARD another 5 or so years. I finally go off the Depo-Provera since my husband was kind enough to “take care” of the birth control issue. I wake up tired! I am exhausted by about 5PM.  I fall asleep at night only to wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep. My menstrual cramps have returned and so have my headaches. Sometimes I have a period and sometimes I do not.  My doctor tells me I am perimenopausal and these are normal symptoms and suggested considering getting back on the “pill”.  After having a bone density test performed, I find out I have osteoporosis in my hip and osteopenia in my back. He told me I was too young to have these “conditions” and he put me on some medication to rebuild bone density.  At this point, I decided I needed to find out what some other options were…..this was the turning point in my life!
 
A friend had told me about a holistic approach to menopause. So, I found a very well- respected, well-educated person that practiced this method. The supplements were expensive, and I found the experience not helpful at all. I wasted hundreds of dollars. Then, one day, my husband mentioned how he listened to this program on AM radio each morning about health and wellness. He said that the doctors on the program talked to people that called in and they talked about the same symptoms that I have. The doctors mentioned getting your thyroid levels checked. Well, I had done that. Mine was within normal limits. But, I was searching for a solution to my ongoing symptoms. So, I called Hotze Health and Wellness that day! I wanted to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible. Dr. Sheridan had an opening the next day. 
 
I walked into Hotze Health and Wellness office, and I was greeted by a smiling, friendly lady. I filled out a questionnaire, and I was taken to an examination room where I had my blood drawn. Dr. Sheridan came in to see me, and after an exam, within minutes he told me that I had about 80% of most common symptoms of low thyroid (hypothyroidism). How could that be? I was told by my doctor, that I had gone to for many years, that my thyroid was within normal limits. Well normal for me resulted in symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, menstrual cramps, high cholesterol levels, Osteoporosis/Osteopenia, sleep problems, moodiness, cold clammy skin, thinning hair and eye brows, and mild adult acne. You see, I have a very common condition called hypothyroidism. I now take Armour thyroid daily, along with bio-identical Progesterone, Testosterone, and Bi-Est.  I feel great!
 
I have learned a very important lesson! I am in charge of my own health and well-being! I ask Dr. Sheridan lots of questions, and he LISTENS! I continually strive to eat better, and exercise regularly.  I plan on living life to its fullest! 

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