Overcoming Chronic Illness, Fatigue & Inflammation: My Recovery Story

Struggling with chronic illness, fatigue, and inflammation? After years of misdiagnoses and failed treatments, I finally found healing through natural diet changes and limbic system retraining. Here’s my story of recovery and what I learned along the way.

The Beginning

“I’m in so much pain, I can barely get through my day at work. The typing is killing my hands, all the way up to my elbows. I’ve heard of carpal tunnel after years of repetitive work, but I’m only 22. What’s going on?”

I sat on the exam room bed, the paper crinkling beneath me. The doctor glanced over my urine sample results, flipping through the clipboard in his hands. He was chipper and relaxed, completely unconcerned with the story I just shared.

“Well, the good news is all your labs look great. It shows you are perfectly healthy.”

That was it. Appointment over.

I remember him nearly laughing as he told me I was fine, politely shooing me off so he could move on to the next patient. He had no clue—nor did he care—what I was experiencing.

I was afraid.

I felt like I was 80 years old. The aches and pains, the inability to do my job—if I felt this way at 22, what would I feel like at 60?

Searching for Answers: My Health Symptoms & Challenges

Desperate for answers, I turned to research. I looked into everything that could help with carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and inflammation—both of which I had to self-diagnose after my dismissive doctor’s visit. I wore wrist and elbow braces all day at work, sometimes even while sleeping. I adjusted my desk setup for better ergonomics and did interval stretching throughout the day. I stopped doing things I loved, like playing the piano and crocheting, because they caused too much inflammation.

Then came another doctor’s visit.

Recurring Infections and More Dismissals

When I saw my gynecologist, I shared concerns about ongoing discomfort and recurring infections.

“It looks like you have BV and a yeast infection again,” he said matter-of-factly. “Can we send the prescription for your antibiotics to the same pharmacy as last time?”

Again?

How was this happening month after month? I had heard of the occasional yeast infection, but this was becoming a regular occurrence. I felt gross and broken.

“Why am I getting infections almost every month? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“It’s just how some women are.”

Another smiling doctor. Another dismissive response.

Later, due to a change in my health insurance, I switched gynecologists. My infections had become so frequent that she eventually stopped scheduling appointments for me.

“You get these pretty much every month, and you know what they feel like, so I’m just going to write you a standing prescription. You can refill it yourself whenever you need it.”

She thought she was doing me a favor—no more unnecessary doctor visits or missing work. What she didn’t tell me was that these monthly rounds of antibiotics were damaging my gut microbiome, making my health deteriorate even further.

When I told her about other symptoms, like random heart palpitations, she immediately suggested an antidepressant—despite me having no signs of anxiety or depression at the time.

I asked her to run a hormone panel to see if imbalances were at the root of my issues. She said it was pointless.

My Health Worsened: Fatigue, Blood Sugar Crashes & Chronic Symptoms

During my second pregnancy, my health spiraled. I experienced extreme sugar crashes, near fainting spells, and inexplicably low blood pressure. I even brought in my own blood sugar readings, proving that something was wrong.

“All your tests look normal.”

Shrug. Goodbye.

I started carrying emergency sugar tablets everywhere. At work, I would often be in the private room, lying upside down with my feet in the air to raise my blood pressure. All the symptom management strategies I used came from my own research—not my doctors.

In this season of my life, I did come across one doctor who genuinely tried to help. She ran a full blood panel and found that my yeast count was high. She recommended pharmaceuticals, and I followed her plan exactly.

I felt the same.

As usual, my labs were “perfect.”

She looked at me with genuine concern.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do. We can start sending you to specialists, but I’m not even sure where to start.”

At least she believed me.

But I declined. I already knew how those specialist visits would end.

Thirteen Years Later: My Recovery & Healing Process

Looking back, I now recognize the early warning signs I displayed as a child and teenager—signs I never understood at the time. I had been sick for a very long time, but I didn’t realize it until my body started shutting down at 22.

Now, I can finally share the hopeful part of my story.

I have made significant health improvements. My journey was long and difficult, filled with trial and error. I experienced severe chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, IBS, mood disorders, food intolerances, and insomnia. I even developed a bizarre reaction to direct sunlight at one point.

My path to wellness was not linear—it got better, then worse, then even worse… and eventually, I found healing.

The Breakthrough: Natural Healing & Limbic System Reset

Through intensive diet changes, restoring gut health, reducing toxic exposures, and limbic system healing, I finally turned a corner. The science behind this is fascinating, and it played a major role in my recovery. I can't wait to share more about it with you in the future.

One resource that helped me was DNRS (Dynamic Neural Retraining System). I’m not sponsored in any way, just forever grateful and want more people to find hope and healing.

Sharing My Story to Help Others

The number of people I need to thank for my healing is countless. Every blog post, online forum, book, podcast, and interview—these were my teachers.

But most of all, I thank God.

It is only by His grace that I found the right information, the right voices, and the right stepping stones along the way. Some of the most life-changing discoveries I made… I don’t even remember how I found them.

But He led me there.

And now, I can sit here, typing this blog—pain-free, clear-headed, energetic, and determined to share everything I’ve learned.

So many ups and downs. So many tears. So many victories.

And now, I want to hand it all to you.

Let’s do this.

______________________

If any part of my story resonated with you—if you’re tired of being dismissed, frustrated with endless prescriptions, or simply looking for answers—I invite you to keep exploring. I’ve written ad continue to write other blog posts that dive deeper into the exact steps I took to heal my gut, reduce inflammation, calm my nervous system, and so much more. New blogs added weekly! You can check out my other Natural Health blogs here.

And if you're looking for safe, gentle products to support your journey from the outside in, I create small-batch natural products for bath, body, and home right here at West Texas Soap Co. Everything I make is inspired by this journey—focusing on ingredients that don't further toxify the body and instead promote natural wellness. Visit the shop here and know that you’re not alone in this. Healing is possible.