This client has done amazing!

I first met with her April 10th, 2022.  She told me she had gained 40 lbs. over the past few years.  She could usually take phentermine for a few months and get her weight down.  But this time it didn’t work. 

She also felt bloated and struggled with constipation.  She told me her hair was thin and her skin was dry.  She slept well but felt tired all day.  This client felt irritable all day.  Although, some of this may have been related to a very stressful job. 

She started at 5’6” and 210 lbs.

She had gone to multiple providers saying “I feel like something is off with my hormones.  I can’t lose weight.”  They would do basic thyroid labs and tell her to decrease her calories. 

You can see the hormone evaluation I ordered and how “off” her hormones were!  No wonder she couldn’t lose weight.  You will also see at the bottom image that her cortisol curve is almost flat.  This is bad.  She had been so stressed for so long that she couldn’t even produce a physiologic cortisol response.

Here was our plan:

-We used semaglutide for weight loss.  This medication reduces appetite and portions.

-We used Licorice supplement in the morning to elevate her cortisol.  The natural pattern is for cortisol to spike upon rising then decrease throughout the day.

-To reduce her afternoon cortisol, we used a supplement called QuiCalm.  This supplement uses Magnolia, Phellodendron and L-theanine to reduce stress and anxiety. 

*We were first focusing on cortisol since this can inhibit production of other hormones.

-Progesterone is low.  But this is most likely due to having a Mirena in place.

-Estrogen, Testosterone and DHEA are very low.  DHEA is actually the precursor for estrogen and testosterone.  DHEA also has an inverse relationship with cortisol.  For this reason, we started by supplementing DHEA alone.  I prescribed a low dose of 10 mg daily.  I knew that once her cortisol improved All of her hormones would improve.

-We also used resistance training, a high protein diet, omega 3, vitamin B and vitamin C to improve her hormone balance. 

Results:

You can see from the clients 90 day labs that her hormones have improved significantly!  Her morning cortisol is actually normal.  She is still very stressed in the afternoon and after what she told me has been going on, I am not surprised! 

The client feels great!  She is less tired!  She is losing weight.  At her last visit she reported her weight at 178 lbs!!!  She told me it has been years since she has seen the 170s!

We still have a way to go!  I am increasing her DHEA to 20 mg daily.  She is also going to try to reduce her stress in the afternoon (walking, meditating, green tea, Ashwaganda). 

This is her journey so far.  Everyone is different.  I am so proud of her hard work!