By the time I reached age 13, I had racked up multiple diagnoses from conventional medical doctors: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, sleep disorder, cold urticaria, Sensory Processing Disorder, and others. I would later learn through holistic methodologies that these diagnoses were symptoms of bigger problems that had gone undiagnosed for years and thankfully not conditions I would have to manage for the rest of my life.
Growing up, I was led to believe I was always going to have to live with these conditions. Unfortunately, by 14 years old, I was rendered non-functioning as a human. Since my pediatrician and multiple specialists I had seen from Nashua to Boston only offered mental health drugs that weren’t right for my body, I needed to seek alternatives.
Perhaps one of the worst parts of illness thinking back was I didn’t realize various symptoms were abnormal because I simply got used to them over time, believing they were routine. I truly thought frequent sore throats from talking were normal. And the feeling of fluid rushing in my head, and leg and foot aches.
I was a child who never remembered not having these symptoms. How would I know if I didn’t ever experience normal?
I can never thank the providers at the NH Health & Wellness Center enough who were able to get to the root cause of those symptoms and saved my life. Finally, I had received accurate diagnoses and subsequent treatment:
I walked into NH Health & Wellness Center in February 2017 as a sick teenager for an appointment with Dr. Laura Chan. My mom had heard that she does amazing things for teenagers with severe anxiety and mine was crippling. Honestly, I was not hopeful as we had told my “story” of debilitating anxiety countless times over the previous 10 months. Anxiety had plagued me as a young child, but I learned to manage it. It had since become unmanageable, despite the numerous tools I’d received and practiced since a young age.
Dr. Chan listened to my “story” as countless others had. The difference was she really listened, and heard, and being trained in root cause of symptoms, knew something was underlying. I was still skeptical, but this was still the first time a doctor told me they would do lab testing to dig for an underlying cause.
She initially diagnosed me with Lyme disease in April 2017 after 2 months of analyzing intricate lab tests. Looking back when subtle symptoms first started, we traced the tick bite and infection to 12 years prior. Lyme can be very sneaky considering symptoms did not present until 2 years later - rashes and hives that eventually had to be nursed with Benadryl near daily.
Did I have the standard CDC Lyme test? Yes, however there are various accuracy problems with conventional Lyme testing. Traditional doctors follow CDC-approved testing, which results depend on a certain number of antibodies being present in the body. The test also relies on blood, and if Lyme has been in your system for a while, the infection has long left your bloodstream and traveled to your muscles, bones, and tissues. The longer you’ve had Lyme, or any infection for that matter, the deeper it burrows itself and the least likely you are to test positive. And unfortunately, the more likely you are to struggle with symptoms.
True healing finally began when I started Lyme Magnetic Protocol Therapy at the NH Health & Wellness Center. As I detoxed out 8 Lyme co-infections, significant strep that led to a PANDAS diagnosis, numerous parasites, metal toxicity, and more, it was grueling. Meanwhile, my parents battled the thoughts of “how did this happen? How could a teenager accrue so much infection when we took her to annual physicals and endless specialists?”
The simple answer is conventional doctors aren’t trained in Lyme disease, long-term infection, parasites, and environmental toxicities. They wanted to help, but could only see the symptoms and were only able to provide one of the tools they had - medication. They didn’t look for root cause because they are trained to deal with symptoms. Medication can be a wonderful solution, but in many cases, symptoms can become too severe and out of control, as in my case.
Magnetic Therapy was amazing at killing the infection. But because Lyme leaves a path of destruction, I have had to utilize various holistic treatments available at the Center. The four main elements were:
Lyme Magnetic Protocol Therapy: Magnets neutralize the body, diminish acidity, and restore the ideal PH level where infection cannot survive. For 18 months, I went to 1-hour magnetic appointments every 2-3 weeks where I laid on a table and my magnetic specialist, Janelle Salzman, placed magnets on various spots on my body to kill off infection. It’s relaxing and calming, but the detoxing/herxing process is something I’m relieved is behind me. I go back occasionally for checkups.
Elimination diet: Ridding my diet of gluten and dairy was Dr. Chan’s first line of attack to reduce symptoms. However, I only experienced a massive shift of relief until my body started purging infection.
Regular Lab Work: Lyme took its toll on my body, plus it worked hard to purge infection. My iron levels tanked, my thyroid wasn’t producing enough T3 and T4 hormones, I was low on silica, magnesium, vitamin D, and more. One of my persistent symptoms is gut issues - specifically SIBO-related issues and microbiome imbalances. Frequent lab work has helped determine appropriate probiotics and other support. My supplement regimen is extensive, but necessary and I’m grateful for it.
Clinical hypnosis: While my brain developed with symptoms of anxiety and fear, it later morphed into OCD and paranoia as pathogens infiltrated my body. It has been necessary to unlearn these unhealthy behaviors and rewire new neurological pathways to recondition the brain to respond in healthier ways to triggers. Hypnosis with Lois Hermann has helped me to access my subconscious and get at the further root of issues in addition to her life changing spiritual energy work.
One of the biggest myths associated with “chronic” illness is that it’s never curable and you have to manage the symptoms. It’s not true in many cases. Healing does take tremendous effort under these circumstances, but I feel with confidence that with support from the Center and my efforts, a full recovery is inevitable.
Caroline Snyder, 18, shares what she has learned after healing from severe chronic illness that masked itself as multiple mental and physical disorders for over a decade. She is published in Elephant Journal, The Mighty, and is also Reiki ll certified by Karen Cerato of the NH Health & Wellness Center. She was a book reviewer for the new, international #1 bestseller on Amazon, Chronicles of Hope: The Collective: Book 2 which teaches us how to raise our vibrational rate to positively shift our energy. Find her social media platforms and blog at www.carewithcaro.com.
