September 20th, 2016 | Posted By: Magdalena Wszelaki | Posted in Adrenals, Articles, Estrogen Dominance, Thyroid | Tagged , , , , ,

How I Avoided A Hysterectomy—One Woman’s Story of Stress, Nutrition, and Healing Ovarian Cysts

Avoiding Hysterectomy - One Woman's Story of Stress, Nutrition, and Healing Ovarian Cysts

Darlene was part of my team for nearly two years. Hard working, smart, diligent and detailed, she and I somehow barely ever talked about personal things. She reached out one day with the kind of diagnosis hundreds of thousands of women hear each year: ovarian polyps and cysts. Her doctor’s advice? Remove the uterus. Western medicine renders women’s organs useless beyond our child bearing years. As if the uterus was a useless organ. As if there were no factors that need to be uncovered that caused it to be full of polyps and cysts. I still remember our emotional, frank but hard conversation as Darlene wasn’t sure if she wanted to put in the work. She did and this is her story.

When Hormones Go Astray

My journey with hormones gone haywire started in 2000 after the birth of my first child and a bout with postpartum thyroiditis—a condition where within a few months after birth, the thyroid gland becomes inflamed, releases too much thyroid hormone, then too little, and then it returns to normal. Luckily, I dumped the first endocrinologist I saw who told me I had hyperthyroidism and would need to have my thyroid destroyed with radiation, and instead, I’d found an endocrinologist who took a wait-and-see approach, confident my thyroid hormone output would normalize.

My thyroid gland did begin working normally within a few months, but I was warned that with subsequent births, the postpartum thyroiditis would likely return and that someday, I could eventually develop hypothyroidism. Sure enough, with the birth of my daughter two years later, my thyroid went crazy for a few months again before going back to normal once more. Twelve years later, in 2014, I did indeed develop hypothyroidism, and then it ended up being Hashimoto’s.

It Wasn’t Just My Thyroid

In the years between thyroid challenges, I struggled with severe adrenal fatigue, fluctuating sex hormones, and reproductive disorders caused by estrogen dominance. In the mid-2000s I developed severe allergies and adult onset asthma. In 2011 I was diagnosed with uterine polyps which were removed by hysteroscopy, and by the following year, I began testosterone replacement therapy. In 2016, the telltale symptoms of more uterine polyps began, and upon examination, I was told I also had a couple of ovarian cysts.

But First, Let’s Go Back Again…

Throughout the years, it was difficult to find answers. When the adrenal fatigue started around 2005, conventional doctors brushed me off, citing chronic fatigue syndrome. Basically, they had no idea what was wrong and had nothing but antidepressants to offer me (which I refused). When I became so allergic that I couldn’t walk into a grocery store without having an asthma attack, I tried NAET and naturopathy (I took so many supplements) before finally caving into conventional treatment. Breathing took precedent over attempts at alternative remedies.

At some point, I went to a nutritionist who got me believing that there was something to food as means for healing. She was a raw foodist, however, and that wasn’t going to work for me and a young family. A friend of mine was macrobiotic, and I thought I could do that. I went vegan macrobiotic, shed a lot of weight and felt a lot better within weeks. I learned about the energetics and elemental nature of foods and cooking methods, and a lot of my symptoms improved. Eventually, I added fish and eggs back into my diet.

A couple years had passed before I had a name for my debilitating exhaustion. A friend had given me a book on adrenal fatigue, and my world opened up. By taking a protocol of adrenal glandular supplements, adaptogenic herbs and lots of B and C vitamins, my adrenals healed and I could function in the world again.

The Role of Stress in My Life

The one thing I’ve not yet addressed is my level of stress during this time period. My husband and I had started a business while I was pregnant with my second child, and so those early years with two young children and a growing business were very stressful. I have no doubt this pressure contributed to my adrenals burning out. In 2006 I left the company to become a doula, childbirth educator, and business coach. While I enjoyed the work, the stress of being on call wasn’t good. Added to all this was financial pressure due to the tech crash that directly affected my husband’s business, and the fallout—losing our home and eventually filing for personal bankruptcy. Being in a constant state of stress for so many years, I gave up my birth business and went into a hibernation of sorts sometime in 2011.

By that time I had found a chiropractor who did saliva and muscle testing, so I had a more customized approach to tackling my adrenal fatigue. Although he highly suggested I start eating meat again, I refused, (naively) believing my pescatarian ways were best.

Food as Medicine

At some point a few years later, after a period of working out intensely, relying on processed soy for protein and juicing a ton of (raw) kale for a few months, I came out the other side with burnt out adrenals (again) from excessive workouts, and not surprisingly, Hashimoto’s. I finally took my chiropractor’s advice and started eating meat by doing a Whole30 and taking on a Paleo way of eating. I cleaned out the dairy, wheat, and sugar that had crept back into my diet (I’d given up macrobiotics by then). During this time I also learned about fixing the gut and addressing inflammation, and also about finding food sensitivities through elimination diets.

It was shortly thereafter that I began working with Magdalena. I closed up a lot of holes in my knowledge about healing the body with nutrition, and I’d implemented many of her suggestions. It was when I was diagnosed with uterine polyps and ovarian cysts, however, that Magdalena’s advice to me really hit home.

What To Do About Those Ovarian Cysts and Uterine Polyps

My gynecologist offered me two choices. Since the cysts were benign, she said I could 1) have a hysterectomy and just be done, or 2) have another hysteroscopy. However, because I had polyps before, it would be highly likely they would recur, and she would not do another procedure, and would recommend a hysterectomy next time. I wondered about a third option, and I asked if she had ever had a patient who was able to resolve the polyps or cysts using dietary measures. She said that although they were likely caused by estrogen dominance, she didn’t have any experience with anyone who’d been able to shrink them with dietary and lifestyle changes. She was especially skeptical that the polyps would shrink. However, my doctor agreed to give me eight weeks to wait. I actually pushed it to 10 weeks.

Nurturing Body, Mind and Spirit

When I told Magdalena about the diagnosis and my options, she made some nutritional suggestions. In addition, she urged me to do what was necessary to reduce stress, and she also suggested I do some inner, emotional work. Basically, she emphasized that if any inner work needed to be done, that physically, I could have my uterus removed, but energetically, unexpressed emotions that weren’t dealt with would manifest as disease elsewhere in the body. I believed this could happen, so I took heart and did the following:

  • I was consistent with seed cycling
  • I regularly consumed lacto-fermented pickles and sauerkraut
  • I made sure to stay away from wheat, dairy, and sugar
  • I ate a lot more veggies, and especially cooked crucifers
  • I made sure to start my day with a PFF breakfast—Protein, Fat and Fiber
  • As much as possible, I used superfoods like camu camu and broccoli sprouts instead of supplements
  • I couldn’t bring myself to eat organ meat, but I compromised by finding a high-quality desiccated liver supplement
  • I did a liver detox and regularly drank dandelion and chicory root tea
  • I cut my workload down to the bare minimum
  • I delegated some household responsibilities

In addition, a friend suggested I see an acupuncturist, so I began weekly visits for acupuncture and moxibustion and started taking Chinese herbal supplements. These treatments played a big part in my self-care, and I also rested more and did a lot of self-reflection during this time.

The Results

Ten weeks passed, and at my follow-up ultrasound, I was half-expecting to walk out of the office with an appointment card in hand for a hysterectomy. I was as surprised as my doctor (she was stunned, actually) to find that the polyps were gone and that the cysts, while still there, had shrunk. We agreed on one more follow-up ultrasound in four months.

I continued the same diet and herbs, adding in some foods based on my constitution at acupuncture appointments. I also continued making lifestyle changes, made an effort to reduce stress and dealt with my emotional issues. In my most recent visit a few weeks ago, my ultrasound showed that there was one cyst remaining that was about 3mm in diameter, and my doctor suspected it might just be scar tissue from my previous hysteroscopy. Because of these results, we decided that I no longer have to come in for follow-ups unless I begin having symptoms again. Yay!

Food as Medicine + Lots of Self-Care = Improved Health

In addition to healing the polyps and cysts, the efforts I made resulted in me lowering my thyroid meds and eliminating some of my asthma meds. As a Type-A personality, I continue to push myself sometimes, but I try my best to be mindful of good nutrition and rest.

I’ve spent over a third of my life dealing with hormonal issues, and much of it stems from chronic stress. I’m really glad that there is now more information and research online about thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, and estrogen dominance. More importantly, I’m grateful that there are professionals such as Magdalena with a passion for educating and helping women afflicted by the conditions caused by hormone imbalance.

A doula trainer once taught me and some fellow doulas that we are our own best primary caregiver, and I’ve kept that in mind ever since. I’ve long been a believer that food is medicine, but up until the past year, I was missing some crucial information.

Because of Magdalena and what she teaches, I’ve come to see that women truly do not have to suffer from symptoms and conditions that estrogen dominance causes. Unfortunately for most of us, seeing a change in our symptoms requires us to make changes—to the way we eat, the way we think and how we move in the world. Our disease didn’t happen overnight, and it is a fallacy to think we can just take some pills or have an operation and we will be healed. I hope that if you are reading this, and if you have been plagued with health problems, you’ll do some due diligence and commit to making nutrition and lifestyle changes in your life.

Magdalena’s book Cooking for Hormone Balance will absolutely teach you a lot of what you need to know, but you’ll also have to do the work to reap the benefits. It’s possible to give up foods you thought you could never live without, eat really well, and come out on the other side healthier in mind, body, and spirit. I hope you’ll have the courage to take the leap.

Helpful Tip:

If you’re struggling with estrogen dominance and would like to learn more about how to balance your hormones, we invite you to join the Estrogen Reset program.

This is a great resource if you are suffering from:

  • Fibroids
  • Endometriosis
  • Breast lumps and fibrocystic breasts
  • Hot flashes
  • Amenorrhea (lack of periods)
  • Irregular periods Dysmenorrhea & PMS
  • Menorrhagia (heavy periods)
  • Thyroid nodules
  • Infertility
  • Hip fat and cellulite
  • Breast cancer (ER+)
  • High testosterone (PCOS)

You can enroll in the Estrogen Reset program here.

Darlene MacAuley is a small business coach (www.inspiredbirthpro.com) who helps birth professionals start and grow their businesses so they feel free to share their authentic selves with the world and make an awesome living doing the work they love. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, two beautiful teens and one spunky jackhuahua. She’s obsessed with small kitchen appliances, NYC, and the Hamilton soundtrack, and most recently she created a homeschool high school course for her daughter – A Survey of Broadway Musicals – just so they’d have a legitimate reason to go see more musicals.

Learn more with Overcoming Estrogen Dominance

OED Book Pages - Article Footer

“The body has an amazing ability to heal. We just need to give it the right resources.”

In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, my goal is to empower and give you the tools to take control of your hormones and health.

More than 70% of women experience estrogen dominance. The symptoms range from lumpy and fibrocystic breasts to thyroid nodules, hot flashes, fibroids, uterine polyps, painful, heavy or irregular periods to infertility and miscarriages, from mood swings to insomnia, weight gain to fatigue.

So many women have experienced the pain and frustration that comes when they feel their symptoms and complaints are dismissed or minimized. This is particularly true for women who are experiencing the symptoms of hormone imbalance. Even when doctors do offer treatment, it’s typically in the form of prescription medication or invasive surgical procedures.

In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, I hope to show that those extreme interventions are often unnecessary and to give women a roadmap to reverse estrogen dominance using food, herbs, supplements, and natural protocols to rebalance hormones.

To get your copy of Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, go here.

Disclaimer

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

7 Comments to How I Avoided A Hysterectomy—One Woman’s Story of Stress, Nutrition, and Healing Ovarian Cysts

  1. Interesting article, I suffer from the same condition right now including Hashimoto Thyroiditis and I have had my gallbladder removed several years ago, I also have suffered repeatedly from Adrenal fatigue. Add in that right now I hold down three jobs and manage a big house and do English translations for my Italian husbands business my day starts at 9 am and finishes sometimes if I am lucky by 2 am.

  2. Wow. You’ve practically told my own story…the details and timeline are a bit different, but not much. The fatigue after childbirth, adult onset asthma, worsening symptoms after my second child, having our own business, facing foreclosure and BK, I now have hepatic adenomas, sinus polyps, lipomas, ovarian cysts, fatigue, weight gain…difficult to lose, the list goes on and on… My journey of discovery has been quite similar too. I tried conventional medicine (GP, endo, gastro, hepatologist) but all the prescriptions just didn’t sit right with me, I looked to chiropractic, acupuncture, naturapath, nutritionist. Every “new” modality worked for awhile and would then stop being effective. I am burnt out, worn out and tired of testing out new protocols for weeks and months at a time with no improvements….or temporary improvements. I will continue on my journey, but so appreciate reading your story. I’m certain I will find the right fit for me eventually and start healing.

  3. I suffered through an extremely high stress job while having three large ovarian cysts, only 2 months apart each time. The doctors I saw said the only things that could be done were changing my birth control to attempt to stop ovulation or inducing menopause. Never did they discuss diet with me and they told me point blank that addressing stress wouldn’t affect the cysts. After the second cyst, I researched alternatives and changed my diet, cutting out dairy completely and eating veggies like brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale every day. I also added pickled foods to my diet and occasionally seaweed. I changed jobs and make sure to not over-tax myself, as I’m also a type-A personality. My symptoms are nearly gone, a little over a year after all of this began. I used to feel the cyst/area pulse in pain when I was stressed, but now I feel almost normal again.

    Thank you for writing this article! There are other options out there besides surgery and drastic medications. I learned so much about my body and reproductive system from doing my own research – I know how to combat estrogen dominance now and my symptoms have been declining ever since I started these changes. Not to mention, I feel more “balanced” and it’s rare now that work/stress will cause my mood to change. Never doubt the power of diet!

  4. Dear Dr, I don’t know what I would have done without your help. I’m 32 years old and about 7 months ago I started feeling a sharp pain on my right side and my doctor confirmed that I had a 2.7″ ovarian cyst. I was on birth control pills for several weeks only to find out that my cyst grew to 3.4″. My doctor then suggested surgery. It was a nightmare. The thought of having my ovary removed and never be able to have children was unbearable.

    When I got home, I surfed the net searching for answers out of desperation, as I accidentally stumbled upon your site (drezomospellhome hotmail com) (was it faith?). While I was skeptic at first, I took the chance and ordered your wonderful herbs. I immediately started step 1 and threw away those awful birth control pills. Six days later, the pain on my right side was GONE and I felt exceptionally good. 3 weeks later and after completing step 3 of your program, my doctor performed another ultrasound and to my utter surprise my ovarian cyst has vanished…completely!

    Today, whenever I hear women talk about ovarian cysts I want to run up and tell them about your system. You have been a true friend all the way and I have no words to express my gratitude. God bless you!”
    For all of you having this kind of problem (Ovarian Cyst) you can contact DREZOMO on (drezomospellhome hotmail com) He will send you his herbal medicine and you will be cured from it.
    Goodluck

  5. Hi Magdalena!

    I would like to know if your program would help shrink complex cysts? Looking forward to your reply.

    • Hi Ess,

      When the body has what is needs, healing can occur. Many times it depends on the root cause. We have many testimonials from others that say Magdalena’s guidelines have helped resolve cysts. I hope that helps. ~HB Team

  6. Hello, your story is really inspiring. I have two cyst one on both ovaries, some endometriosis and small fibroids. I also have some bloating issues. I have looked for help in countless places. My OB is pushing for surgery but i believe our bodies can heal naturally. Was wondering if you know of any resources that can help me or any naturopath who are specialized in this area. Thanks and waiting for your reply.

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