We congratulate our Week contest winner: Barb B!

An excerpt from her story:

I was in, what I considered at the time to be, “good health.” Looking back … I was not. I ate the SAD diet, didn’t exercise, was overweight and under a lot of stress. I had been experiencing extreme swings and irregular cycles. My children didn’t want to be around me when I got in one of my “moods.” My informed me that I had premenstrual dysphoric disorder (). He gave me a for a drug called . I gladly took it. After about a week I noticed how much calmer I was – no outbursts that entire week. I did, however, feel like I was in a big cloud all day long.

Then it happened, one of the worse nights of my life. I awoke out of a sound sleep feeling like I couldn’t catch my breath. I jumped out of bed. Both of my legs felt numb and weak and I had to sit down for fear I’d collapse. Then I felt like my throat was starting to tighten and close up. I could barely suck in my breath. I told my husband in the little words I could get out that he needed to call 911. He did. While we waited the 5 minutes for them to arrive, I gasped for him to tell the children I loved them … thinking I was going to die.

When the paramedics arrived, my heart rate was over 200! I ended up in the ER for a full day of every test you could imagine …

I decided right then and there never to put another synthetic drug into my body unless it was life or death (and then to first consider the alternatives). And I have done just that to this day!

I found a wonderful through a referral from a friend … and the rest is history! Over time working with my , I learned to take control of my own health and life. No longer was I covering up symptoms … but I was getting to the root causes for my health issues. Now at almost 52, I’d have to say I’m in the best health I think I’ve been in for years!
We thank Barb B. for sharing her story of recovery with us and all of our readers! Find out about the contest prize and scoring.

Read Barb B’s full story:

My story happened about ten years ago. I was in, what I considered at the time to be, “good health.” Looking back … I was not. I ate the SAD diet, didn’t exercise, was overweight and under a lot of stress. I had been experiencing extreme mood swings and irregular cycles. At barely 41, I didn’t think menopause was a possibility. I went to see my OB/GYN who told me that I actually was going into pre-mature menopause and he promptly put me on to regulate my cycles, and help with the mood issues and other symptoms of PMS. I was on the for about a year, and the irregular cycles resolved … but the mood swings got worse. My children didn’t want to be around me when I got in one of my “moods.” I was like a different person. I hated the way I was acting, but it was like I couldn’t control myself.

I again returned to my OB/GYN who informed me that I had premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). He gave me a prescription for a drug called Serafem (which I later found out was another name for a like drug), which he said would take care of all my symptoms. I gladly took it.

I was taking this drug for about a week when I noticed how much calmer I was. I didn’t have any outbursts that entire week. I did, however, feel like I was in a big cloud all day long. I thought, at the time, even that was better than what I had been dealing with.

Then it happened, one of the worse nights of my life. I awoke out of a sound sleep feeling like I couldn’t catch my breath. I jumped out of bed and noticed my left arm and leg were tingly and numb. I thought maybe they had fallen asleep. I ran in the bathroom to throw some water on my face. I felt sick to my stomach and had cold sweats. Then it hit me … I must be having a stroke or heart attack! The panic set in. I woke up my husband and told him something was wrong with me and he needed to take me to the ER right away. Before I could explain more, I started feeling worse. (Just writing this down is giving me chills!). Both my legs felt numb and weak and I had to sit down for fear I’d collapse. Then I felt like my throat was starting to tighten and close up. I could barely suck in my breath. I told my husband in the little words I could get out that he needed to call 911. He did. While we waited the 5 minutes for them to arrive (which seemed like hours), I gasped for him to tell the children I loved them … thinking I was going to die.

When the paramedics arrived, my heart rate was over 200! I ended up in the ER for a full day of every test you could imagine. When all was said and done, they said I either had a few small break off and cause the breathing issues, or it was a . They said there was no way the drug I had taken could be the cause. The OB/GYN agreed. (I didn’t).

Well, at 41, I had never had a panic attack of any kind. I also wasn’t stressed that week at all! I was also sound asleep when it happened. They sent me home with instructions to follow up with a cardiologist and my doctor, which I did with no conclusive results. I continued to have minor attacks over the next several days (probably until the drug left my system), and then they stopped.

I decided right then and there never to put another synthetic drug into my body unless it was life or death (and then to first consider the alternatives). And I have done just that to this day!

I found a wonderful Naturopathic Doctor through a referral from a friend … and the rest is history! It didn’t happen overnight, it took my body years to get in the mess it was in, but over time working with my Naturopathic Doctor, I learned to take control of my own health and life. No longer was I covering up symptoms … but I was getting to the root causes for my health issues. Now at almost 52, I’d have to say I’m in the best health I think I’ve been in for years.

This experience changed my life so much that it became my passion to want to educate others. I didn’t want to see anyone go through what I had. I wanted to share what I had learned through my own health journey. This led me to start my formal education in natural health.

For the last several years I’ve been taking classes with a Naturopath … learning more every day. I also completed my training with Certified Natural Health Professionals and received my CNHP certification. I am currently continuing my education and am only a few classes from earning my Naturopathic Doctor (ND) degree.


Contest prize:

We thank Barb B. for sharing her story of recovery with us and with all of our readers! She will be rewarded with a one-year supply of the Pharmaca-brand vitamin or supplement of her choice! NDHealthcare.com judged all entries to select the most compelling and unique patient story that best exemplified the healing power of Naturopathic Medicine.

Score:

Compelling: 5/5
Unique: 5/5
Exemplifies Naturopathic Medicine: 4/5
Barb B’s total score: 14/15

Want to read another winning contest entry? Read Holly H’s story.

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