A Story Like Hers: Women We Serve

She’s a woman who’s dealt with irregular cycles, hormonal acne, heavy and painful periods, fatigue, weight gain, and other symptoms for as long as she can remember. Despite seeking help, her doctors haven’t taken her concerns seriously, often suggesting birth control as the only solution. She either tried it, only to see her symptoms return when she stopped, or she avoided it altogether.

In the past, she received generic advice to “eat healthier” and “exercise more,” but she’s never felt certain about how to implement these changes. She’s overwhelmed by conflicting diet advice online, unsure which approach is right for her. Deep down, she senses that her health journey requires more than just diet and exercise, but she’s not sure where to start.

Now that she’s trying to conceive, she hasn’t had success over the past few months. Her doctor advised her to keep trying for 12 months before coming back, but she feels instinctively that something is off. She’s been struggling with her health her whole life and doesn’t believe waiting another year will make a difference. Frustrated, she wishes her doctors would truly listen to her concerns, as she dreams of holding a baby in her arms – hopefully within a year.

Despite feeling dismissed by her medical providers, she still has hope and has started exploring other models of healthcare. Financial limitations make IVF and other reproductive technologies less viable for her, and although she wonders if IVF might be her only option, she’s slowly learning about other women who have achieved natural pregnancies by addressing root health issues.

She’s ready and motivated to make the necessary changes to reach her goal of natural conception. Though she has self-doubts, she believes she can succeed with the right support. She knows there’s work to do but feels overwhelmed about where to begin. She’s a researcher at heart, eager to take an active role in her health, but she needs someone to guide her and help her cut through the noise.

Right now, her top priority is getting her health and hormones back on track. She isn’t feeling isolated or ashamed, and her supportive spouse is by her side. She hasn’t faced pressure from others about having children, nor has her journey impacted her marriage. But the thought of an infertility diagnosis looms, and she’s determined to address this now before it becomes an even bigger hurdle.

She’s been managing a condition like PCOS or endometriosis for years, working with a NaPro physician who has helped her address some underlying issues with medications, supplements, and surgery instead of relying on birth control. Now that she’s ready to start a family, she’s aware her condition may make natural conception challenging, and her religious beliefs lead her to avoid IVF.

While her NaPro physician’s approach aligns with her values, the support feels limited to Clomid, cycle tracking, Mucinex, possible progesterone replacement, and general advice like “eat healthy and exercise.” She’s following the advice, but she’s frustrated to see little progress and feels that the approach lacks depth. As hope wanes, she wishes for someone who can offer fresh insights and take her concerns seriously.

What she needs is a fresh set of eyes on her charting, someone who can evaluate her current efforts and suggest new strategies. She’s looking for a listener, someone she can ask questions of, share her research with, and feel validated by. She’s open to suggestions and motivated to set health goals but needs a sounding board to find clarity. She’s active in her health journey and knows that ultimately, she must be her own advocate. Still, she longs for someone who understands her goal and is as invested in it as she is.