One patient’s
journey from debilitating fatigue to restored vitality!
For Cheryl Pankow, feeling good seemed an impossible dream. After living with chronic fatigue for decades, Cheryl reached a point of absolute exhaustion.
"I simply had no energy and could barely function," Cheryl recalls. "I would come home from work and lay on the couch, then sleep all weekend. As I got older, the condition got worse and worse. I gained weight and really never felt good. I was simply surviving. My quality of life was horrible!"
At the suggestion of a good friend, Cheryl made an appointment with Dr. Dale Guyer, who began to peel back layer by layer the complex health issues underlying Cherly’s condition.
Extensive lab work revealed that Cheryl was suffering from chronic fatigue, thyroid and adrenal dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, memory deficits, and heavy metal exposure among other issues.
"First, we worked on low thyroid," she recalls. "I suffered from for Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ), and Dr. Guyer tried this technique of injecting sugar water into the jaw, which actually resolved the problem. I also experienced digestive and sinus problems. Over time, we tackled one condition after another."
Dr. Guyer’s treatment plan included nutritional IVs, thyroid and vitamin supplementation, hormone cream, acupuncture, and human growth hormone (HGH) among other therapies.
"We did vitamin IVs during the first weeks to help jumpstart my body," Cheryl remembers. "I underwent chelation therapy to rid my body of heavy metals. When we retested, we discovered many levels returned to the normal range, while other issues popped up. But Dr. Guyer assured me that this was not unusual. I am also taking digestive enzymes and other supplements, such and chromium and HCL, to aid with weight loss."
Cheryl is the first to admit that the long journey was not without detours.
"It took me a little longer to get to where I am today," she admits. "I can now at least see the top of the mountain. About a year ago, I felt better—sleeping perhaps one day on the weekend instead of two—and thought I could pick and choose what Dr. Guyer suggested. During that period when I did not see him as often, I began to regain weight and feel poorly, so I returned to Dr. Guyer."
The visit inspired Cheryl to complete the journey she began with Dr. Guyer almost five years earlier.
"When I went back, we did additional testing, including hormone levels," she adds. "Since that time, I lost all the weight gained during the year I did not see him and am currently working toward my goal weight and on improving my ‘cuteness’ level."
And for someone who slept all weekend, exercise is now part of her life.
"I started Pilates Class two months ago at Dr. Guyer’s suggestion because he thought I was well enough to start helping myself and thought I might enjoy the discipline," she reports. "I went from sleeping all weekend to harnessing enough energy to start an exercise class in Pilates! I really enjoy it, and love my patient instructor. To date, I have lost 33 pounds. Before seeing Dr. Guyer, I did not have had the stamina to exercise, but today I plan on adding to the regimen 30-minute walks, two days a week, to help increase my stamina."
Cheryl also met with a nutritionist and is reading books that Dr. Guyer recommended on achieving lasting and healthy weight loss.
Dr. Guyer’s unique and compassionate approach certainly resounds with Cheryl.
"When I went to conventional physicians, they tested my thyroid and found that it low, but still barely within the ‘normal’ range so they did nothing," she recalls. "He actually listened to what I was saying and how I felt. It is so wonderful to have a doctor who actually sits and talks with you and discusses the issues. When I went to conventional physicians and was overweight at my age, they just said, ‘You need to just exercise and eat less!’ But Dr. Guyer understood that until you have a certain level of wellness, you really do not have the energy to exercise—you are simply trying to survive. And he is so knowledgeable about all these new treatments and technologies. He is so open-minded that it is almost like talking with a good friend."
While the journey was long, the rewards are sweet.
"I would be where I am today much sooner had I realized that you have to prioritize issues," she admits. "I am single and cost is an issue. Sometimes I didn’t think that I could afford my treatments, but I have discovered now that I can’t afford not too! I rearranged my priorities. And it’s working!"
In short, Cheryl’s life has changed dramatically.
"I
am more interested in and excited about life," she states. "Previously,
I lived in a fog and felt negative, just trying to get through the day
and return home to the couch. I felt bad for so long that it became
the norm. It was hard to focus and make decisions. I am so much better
on so many different levels—my memory, mood, and attitude. It has
been a life-changing experience. I’m 58, and life is just beginning!"