decisions

3 Decisions I Wish I Made Earlier in My Hormone Journey

3 Decisions I Wish I Made Earlier in My Hormone Journey
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.” - Eleanor Roosevelt  

What a smart woman!

Mistakes are a part of life, but the fewer things you have to learn the hard way, the better, right?!

When it comes to sharing my own hormone journey, I’m an open book...Because I wish people shared this sort of information with me when I was just getting started.

Want to know the 3 decisions I wish I’d made sooner in my hormone journey? 

Of course you do!

Decision #1 - Get off the birth control pill sooner

I originally got onto the pill at 18 as a contraceptive measure, but also to help with painful, heavy and irregular periods (I didn't know there was a better way then!).

I got off the pill at 26 after having debilitating migraines, where I would literally lose half of my vision.

Funny story with that. A doctor in New Zealand saw my medical history, which included migraines, and said that I never should have been prescribed the pill that I was on as it could exacerbate migraines!

The doctors in the US, Italy, UK and Australia who all prescribed me the pill never picked up on that!

I am forever grateful to this doctor in NZ as his recommendation to come off the pill set my whole hormone healing journey in motion.

Now, why do I wish I came off the pill sooner? Well, there are a host of reasons, which I will cover in another post, but the main one is that I would have been aware that something was wrong hormonally much sooner...

Although painful, heavy and irregular periods was a pretty big clue...more on that in the next point.

Did you know that the period you have on the pill isn't a real period? Nope. It is simply a withdrawal bleed.

When I came off the pill I didn't have a period for two years!

A year in, the exploration and diagnosis of PCOS came in...as well as all the other things I have mentioned in previous posts. Search the blog for PCOS to read about that in more detail.

Want to learn about all your birth control options - both hormonal and non-hormonal? I got you covered in this webinar:  Birth Control Options (happyandhealthywithjen.com) 

Decision #2 Continue seeking opinions

When I was originally diagnosed with PCOS. I was told that there was nothing I could do about it. 

The first doctor I saw, literally went to Google and printed a couple of handouts for me...that was it!

I did end up seeing 4 other doctors who ran more labs and I was diagnosed with lots of other things, like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, adrenal fatigue and pre-diabetes...But again was told there was nothing to do for these outside of medication.

When my cycles did return - after changing diet, lifestyle and taking targeted supplements - they were again very painful and heavy.

It was until earlier this year that I had enough and said that there must be something else going on, like endometriosis, adenomyosis or uterine fibroids causing the issue as my hormones are all in balance (as shown by annual blood and saliva testing)...

So, I went to the GP and asked for an ultrasound to be done...

And sure enough adenomyosis was diagnosed!

This is something that should have been explored and picked up on over 2 decades ago.

Had I sought out more opinions, perhaps it would have been.

Which brings me to point number three...

Decision #3 - Seek help from holistic practitioners

While I did see one Naturopath. who is very well known and was highly recommended, she had her own agenda and wasn't listening to my wants and needs.

I simply wanted my cycle back and to have the option to have children, should I choose....She wanted to try and get me pregnant right away.

Instead of giving up on Naturopaths (crazy that I ended up becoming one!), it would have been good to go and see a different one.

Because it is the diet, lifestyle and supplements that put me on the path to healing - to where my conditions are either all managed or in remission - naturally!

I am forever grateful to my friend, and mentor, Vanessa Romero, who helped me with all of these things, but it would have been useful to also have a practitioner locally to work with concurrently.

Am I upset at my decisions along my hormone journey? No!!

I did the best that I could with the information that I was given...

But when you know better, you do better!

I don't want your hormone healing journey to be as long or arduous as mine was, which is why I share these decisions and educate you in my Instagram stories and feed.

Which, if you aren't following me - go do it! Jen l HORMONE HEALTH EXPERT (@happyandhealthywithjen) • Instagram photos and videos 

Have you already made some of these decisions? If so, well done!

If not, start thinking about which one will have the most impact on your own hormone journey and start there. 


MEET JEN

 
Hello! Thank you popping by! I’m Jen. I'm a wife, a furmama to two gorgeous dogs, a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and an advocate for natural ways to support physical and emotional wellbeing. Oh, and I’m a CEO! 

My journey originally started in Psychology. You see, when I was 16 my father took his own life after suffering years of a debilitating gambling addiction. I did a Bachelor’s in Psych as I wanted to understand why he made the choices that he did. I also wanted to ensure that I never went down that path and also help those suffering as he did. I loved it so much I went on to do a Masters.

It was during that time I got sick. I’m talking woke up one morning and couldn’t get out of bed, sick. For many years I felt helpless and frustrated!

Let me back up for a second. Prior to this life consisted of pain and fatigue. I had digestive issues and IBS from childhood. Through my teens and early 20's I was getting 2-3 migraines a month around my cycle and headaches more than half the month. My periods we very painful – I had to miss work or school the first 1-2 days. I would literally lie on the floor or the bed curled in the foetal position and cry from the pain. I could easily talk a full packet of Ibuprofen and still not get much relief.

Then, at 26, my period stopped altogether and things went downhill fast! For the first time in my life I was feeling apathetic and overwhelmed. Over the course of the next two years I was diagnosed with a host of conditions – are you ready for the laundry list? The first diagnosis was PCOS. I was told that I was infertile, that I would never have children, and that IVF wasn’t an option for me. I was also told that I was pre-diabetic, that my liver was worse than an alcoholic’s (and I don’t drink), that I had migraine disorder, vertigo, and adrenal fatigue. The cherry on the cake was a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s at 28.

I was in complete and utter shock. I couldn’t fathom that a 28-year-old Personal Trainer, who looked fit and healthy on the outside, could be in such disarray on the inside.  

Over the two years I saw five doctors and a Naturopath and nothing improved.

And then one day a friend and I got in touch. She told me to change my diet and take specific supplements. I figured I had nothing to lose, and so I did! I went onto a low-carb diet and was taking upward of 30-40 pills a day…and guess what?! Three months later my period started!! How incredible is that?!

Over the next two years all of my health ailments rectified! Well, all except my Hashi’s – more on that in a minute. My cycles became clockwork, they were manageable, the migraines and vertigo disappeared and my liver and blood sugar levels returned to the normal range! How exciting is that?! The best part, I can now have children should I choose! Having that option is incredible!

Of course I was so excited and inspired that I had to go to school and study Nutritional Medicine and Naturopathy.

Now, let’s talk about my Hashi’s. That only went into remission when my toxic load was decreased. That was a lightbulb moment for me and the moment I got fired up to share with others the importance of leading a low-tox life. I love educating people where toxins are found, what impact they have on physical and emotional wellbeing, and what products to replace them with to support your wellbeing. 

I sincerely believe that many of my health issues would not have presented if I were living a low-tox life. My Hashi’s has been in remission since I was 31 and I am so proud to say that! Praise God!

Life is so different to what it was 10 years ago. I have the energy and the mental capacity to engage in life! I am present and am thriving. Oh, and I laugh! I actually laugh out loud, something that eluded me for many years.

I am happy and healthy and it is my mission to help YOU be the happy, healthy person you are meant to be!
I would love for you to join our exclusive community and learn how you too can find freedom from physical and emotional barriers. I look forward to seeing you there!
 

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