Success Series: Down 30 pounds and professionally blogging!

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, gluten intolerance and PCOS by Dr. Bain in May 2010. 

I had a large weight gain (40 pounds in 4 months), bloating and puffiness, stomach pains, neck pain and swelling (where my glands are), irregular periods, knee pain, joint pain in my hands, bad migraine headaches, dark underarms, irritable bowel problems, and an inability to lose weight no matter what I did (needed to lose about 110 pounds).

I decided to make the healthy changes after my diagnosis because I wanted to get better and finally lose the weight. I knew I had to make the changes in order to get there. Best decision I ever made. 

I started on thyroid meds (Nature-Throid), went totally off of gluten, ate more fruits and veggies, became more active, added supplements and vitamins and Evening Primrose Oil. Dr. Bain had sent me the Freedom From PCOS ebook and the book was a huge motivating factor in helping me want to get well, in combination with the diagnoses from Dr. Bain. 

After reading Katie’s book, I purchased the supplements from Insulite Labs and have done private coaching with Katie. Well worth the money spent!

Now, I feel so much better. I am more alert, not as fatigued. I don’t feel as puffy as I have in the past. I have lost 30 pounds since my diagnoses. I have dropped 2 sizes and my skin looks a lot better. I am constantly getting compliments from friends and family on how much better I am looking. I am also more focused on activities and more engaged with my son. I feel great overall.  

Since working with Katie, I finally started to pursue my passion (or as I call it, my “gift of gab”), and started a professional blog. I want to share with others how I eliminated gluten from my diet, and the massive changes it created in my life. I needed the extra push, but now I’m up and officially running my “Rockin’ Gluten Free” blog! I am so excited to share this information with the world. (www.rockinglutenfree.com)

If you feel like something is wrong and you are not getting the right answers from your doctor, be persistent! I found that working with a D.O. versus an M.D. made the difference. They have the same amount of time in medical school but just different approaches. A D.O. connects all the dots from your symptoms versus an M.D. who just looks at the dot (one symptom at a time). 

Dr. Bain is a D.O.  He was also more aggressive in treating me for my thyroid problem. For many years, I was told my thyroid was normal when it was not. Most endrocronlogists go by the lab ranges given by the labs. Dr. Bain said the normal ranges are not normal. They need to be adjusted! Plus, you need to not only have your TSH level tested but your T3 and Free T4 levels, too. Also, synthetic thyroid meds do not really work as well as natural thyroid meds. You need to find a doctor that prescibes Nature-Throid or Armour. I have close relatives with thyoid problems that have had nothing but problems on synthetic thyroid meds and either have had goiters or have had to have their thyroid completely removed. 

I hope other women are inspired by my story and understand that this is not just about “looking good.” This is about taking control over your health and creating the life you really want. That’s what I have done, and you can do it, too!

To learn more about Andrea’s blog, go to www.rockinglutenfree.com

To learn more about the Freedom from PCOS book, go to www.PCOSStore.com

To learn more about the Insulite Labs PCOS System, go to www.PCOSSystem.com