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I decided to try the bioidentical hormone treatment. After reading books, studies and general information, I feel that I made an educated decision. I went to a seminar and personally talked to the doctor who founded the clinic. I spent hours on the web looking through positive and negative feedback from research studies, personal stories and major medical journals. And I used my brain.

I decided that I have tried conventional medicine. In many forms, I’ve given different conventional treatments a chance to make me healthier. Yet they have all failed. So why not try something that is different? With the many success stories and positive research, it seemed worth whatever risk might be involved (mainly, financial).

I had my first appointment today with the wellness center. The way their program works is that they address several main areas in your health to obtain an ideal wellness. The steps that I am on are for yeast overgrowth, thyroid issues and hormone imbalance, plus a general well being program. They do not rely on lab tests to diagnose a patient, but rather utilize the symptoms presented and patient history to treat. So the three areas are not scientifically proven, but rationally chosen by the doctors and nurses at the center. They do perform lab tests and a general health test, along with an EKG, in order to compare the results as you progress in treatment.

Today, I’m starting on bioidentical, cyclic progesterone to balance what they call estrogen dominance. This should take care of the polycystic ovarian syndrome, mood swings and premenstrual syndrome. Tomorrow, I will start on a natural thyroid medication to treat hypothyroidism. This will help with my general fatigue, joint pain, depression, weight gain and mental fog. A few days later, I start on natural cortisol to help with anxiety and aid the thyroid.

On top of the prescriptions, I’m going to be taking several natural supplements and doing a yeast free program. The natural supplements include a multi-vitamin (with higher strengths than the FDA’s recommended doses), extra vitamin D, 5-HTP (to help me sleep), iodine and potassium to help the thyroid, fish oil, and a few others. The yeast free program is the hardest part of all of this.

For thirty days, I am supposed to go completely yeast free. I’m to eat only vegetables, meats, eggs, nuts, and fruit in moderation. No dairy, no bread, no pasta, no potatoes, no rice, no sugar, no soft drinks, no alcohol, no vinegar (including things with vinegar like mayo or ketchup). I find this diet to be grueling and impossible. On top of the diet, I’m taking a prescription that kills yeast and acidophilus (which promotes the good bacteria) with a week of an anti-fungal.

If I wasn’t diabetic, I think I could handle this diet just fine. Sure, it would be difficult to cut out my chocolate shakes, juice and pasta. I love starches and carbohydrates. But being diabetic, it adds a whole new aspect into things. What will I eat to sustain my blood sugar? What will I use to treat lows?

The dietician has given me a few ideas, but basically my diet for the next month will be sweet potatoes, brown rice, organic juice (not complaining there!), applesauce and the previous list of good foods. I’m sure a month will fly by much quicker than I can imagine (especially since half my days will be spent taking pills), but I’m positive that I’ll be complaining the entire time. And stressing my fair share about keeping my blood sugars on a tight leash.

It’s all worth the trouble to me. I am ready to be healthy. I am ready to feel my age every day, all day. I am ready to not have serious health issues (besides diabetes, of course). Therefore, I’m not going to give up. I’ll take all the medications. I’ll stick to the diet as closely as I can. I’ll jump on one foot if they ask me to! At the end of it all, I just hope I can say that all these problems are completely a thing of my past.