Karl’s Story

Ever wake up in the morning more tired than the night before?  I used to regularly.
Sick and tired?  That was me for many years.  Exhausted?  Yes; but I never saw myself as sick.  Allergies were something everybody had, I thought.  Random aches and pains were something common, I thought.  Weight gain certainly seemed common for everyone; but I had been trim all my life.

This is my brief story of How I Got My Life Back.  Maybe like me, you have struggled with allergies, fatigue, poor concentration, weight gain, joint pain, muscle aches, recurring sinus infections, sinus headaches, cold intolerance, night sweats, trouble sleeping, brittle hair, forgetfulness, light sensitive eyes, and irritable moods. Perhaps you’re deciding to get help as I did in June 2005.

At 40 years old, 6 feet tall, and 200 pounds; I did not appear bad off.  I had not been diagnosed with anything major; just been told to lower my blood pressure with a mild regulating medicine and take a little thyroid; but other than that I was considered healthy.  In reality, I felt terrible and was on the brink of collapse.  My issues started years earlier and became gradually worse.

In my early twenties, I started having allergy problems and used over-the-counters to get by. Fearing addiction, I used as little medicine as possible, but my sinus headaches were killing me.  I started taking over-the-counters more often, getting less and less relief. Sinus headaches woke me at night and my days were filled with nasal drainage, sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose, watery eyes, and stopped-up ears.  The situation finally got out of control around the age of 30.

While visiting my wife’s family in Fredericksburg, TX, I experienced an episode with hives (acute urticaria).  I did not know anything about hives at the time, but I got educated real quick.  Swelling of my lips and eyelids scared me into going to the Fredericksburg Hospital ER.  There the doctor asked me about insect bites, foods, medicines, and any contact with chemicals.  Suspicion as to the cause of the hives focused on an over-the-counter naproxen.  I was given a shot and sent on my way.  The next day my wife and I cut our visit short and returned home to Conroe, Texas.  Little did I realize, my hives episode was not over.

That night the swelling came back dramatically to my face, eyes, scalp, hands, and feet. 
I had rash areas and knots all over and my feet were swollen too badly to walk.  Not wanting to wake my wife, I sat up on the couch trying desperately to remain calm.  After a few agonizing hours, I was in the Conroe ER.  However, this time the swelling was choking off my airway.  The doctor gave me a shot of epinephrine to bring my system under control and the long, frightening ordeal ended.

Would I have suffocated? I do not know.  One thing was clear; I needed medical attention for my allergies. I started seeing an allergy specialist for allergy testing and was placed on a number of prescriptions.  Coping was much easier on medicine; but I still had to deal with one sinus infection after another, and from time to time was on courses of steroids to battle upper respiratory infections.  I had sinus surgery and eventually started getting allergy shots once a week until I built up to maintenance level of a shot once every three weeks.

The medical attention from the allergy specialist was helping me cope, but I never felt like the underlying causes were being corrected.  I was constantly on guard against upper respiratory infections, and at the first signs of problems, I would start on an inhaler to prevent full-blown infection.  I was hostage to the allergies and the medicines to control them.  Plus, I could never shake the feeling that the allergy clinic was just running cattle.

I gained weight—I was up to 225 pounds—and began struggling with persistent exhaustion.  The allergy medicine raised my blood pressure, so my family doctor put me on blood pressure medicine at age 37.  The next year, my family doctor put me on Synthroid for low thyroid.

My health seemed to be going backwards rather than getting better.  I did not like being on any medicine much less three or four everyday, regularly, for years into the foreseeable future.  I came to realize my health was a wreck.  If somebody mentioned exercise, I responded that I needed bed rest, not exercise.  I was burned out mentally and physically.  The effort to get through each day was becoming more and more impossible to muster.  I had to find help, but was lost as to finding it.  Besides, when would I find the time?

I began experimenting with my medicines to see how little I could manage on while maintaining the allergy shots.  A couple of days would go by and I would need my medicine.  A cold front would blow in and kick up the mold and I would need my inhaler.  Mold counts on the daily weather report seemed to dictate my existence.  Then, purely by accident, I heard Dr. Hotze on the radio.  I was in disbelief and shock at what I was hearing.  Call by call, I learned small bits of new information that I knew held promise for me.

A visit to the Hotze website confirmed what I had been hearing on the radio.  I modified my diet, eliminating grains, pasta, bread, and flour.  The weight started dropping…I kept listening.  I became filled with hope.  It was very uplifting to learn that what I thought was chronic burnout actually had a specific cause and there was a promising likelihood of addressing it.

Interestingly, at my request, my family doctor replaced the Synthroid with natural Armour Thyroid; but it came with a huge catch.  I had to agree to let him put me on anti-depressants if the Armour Thyroid didn’t work.  Because of this discussion with my family doctor, I feel certain that the next phase of my poor health saga would have centered on anti-depressants; complete with all the negative associations that come with being labeled as being “on anti-depressants”.  I am grateful to have side-stepped that prospect.  Others have not been as fortunate.

On May 25, 2005, I purchased Dr. Hotze’s new book and read it cover to cover, taking notes along the way.  Two weeks later, on June 8, 2005, I was at the Wynden location enjoying my initial visit, listening intently to Dr. Sheridan.  I knew, beforehand, that the Hotze Health and Wellness Center held the key to my future good health.  Even still, my initial visit could not have been more pleasant or informative.  From the kind staff to the nurses, I received top notch care in a relaxed, comforting atmosphere.  The office experience reinforced the promising possibilities of addressing and correcting my chronic burnout.  In short, my life was being given back to me; it just required my willing participation.

Dr. Sheridan’s initial evaluation highlighted several distinct, bold indications that I was low thyroid.  First, my temperature was way low at only 96.4.  Second, my hands and feet were cold, which dovetails with the low body temperature.  Third, my tongue was teeth indented along the edges; a pronounced signal of low thyroid.  Blood testing only supported what Dr. Sheridan could see physically and hear from me verbally.

Obvious question:  Why wasn’t my family doctor helping me more? 

Subsequent answer: He listens more closely to the drug companies than his own patients.

By the way; my initial visit also indicated the possibility of yeast overgrowth in my system.  I have learned that yeast overgrowth produces toxins which depress the immune system, increase food allergies, and increase susceptibility to infection.  You probably know where I am going with this.

Obvious question:  Might this have been the underlying cause of my allergies?  Why was my allergy doctor not helping me?

Subsequent answer:  Absolutely!  A major contributor to my suffering; but my allergy doctor was too busy running cattle.

Seven months after my initial visit, I can report that my allergies are no longer ruining my life and my energy has returned to high levels.  My weight is what it was when I graduated high school (185 pounds).  I sleep all night and wake rested, not to mention my improved ability to concentrate.  Most of my joint pains and muscle aches have gone away and sinus infections seem to be a thing of the past.  When I caught a cold during the fall season, it did not get very bad and I got over it quickly.  I credit the Hotze Health and Wellness Center for my tremendous improvement.  Their sensible approach to health has been simple to understand and follow.

My thyroid and other hormone imbalances have been addressed using natural hormones, biologically identical to what my body already makes.  The yeast overgrowth in my system was corrected using a safe medicine for a month, while at the same time, following Hotze’s yeast free eating program.  The yeast free eating program not only helped with yeast overgrowth, but also helped isolate foods I was allergic to.  As it turns out, allergies and hormones are interrelated and can be worsened by poor nutrition. Through Physician’s Preference, Hotze offers all the quality nutritional supplements I will ever need.  Incidentally, the eating program lays out healthy foods for the long term and points out foods and additives that are dangerous. 

Hotze’s comprehensive approach to my health has put me on a path of immune strength and wellness.  The same approach, tailored to fit you can help you take charge of your health and write your own success story of how you got your life back.  The benefits are immeasurable.    

Can you relate to Karl's story? Contact us today and let us help you get your life back!