A Moment with Dr. Stillman
When we first met, she was struggling with severe knee pain.
“I was in tears. They were really, really bad.”
A midlife, active woman who lifts weights 30 minutes a day and is an avid hiker, she was still dealing with:
Knee pain so intense she dreaded standing up from a chair
An odd smell to her urine that no one could explain
A recent crash in energy and a “really bad couple of months”
Conflicting advice about bone medications she did not trust
Multiple therapies (acupuncture, massage, chiropractic) without lasting relief
She felt like she was doing everything and still not getting answers.
Where She Started
Day to day, it looked like this:
Bracing herself to stand up because of knee pain, often in tears
Wondering, “What is wrong with my body?” every time she used the bathroom
Feeling frustrated after her prior doctor dismissed the urine odor because there were “no signs of infection”
Saying “thank you very much” and walking away from bone meds she didn’t believe were right for her
Juggling acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, detox powders, and more, without a clear plan
She wasn’t lazy, no one gave her a plan.
What We Did Differently
We started personalized supplements and bioidentical hormones. Both have a major impact on every symptom she presented with.
Here’s what that looked like:
Personalized nutritional supplements, specifically minerals and vitamins based on hair testing.
Protocols with MSM, vitamin C, and iodine.
Dr. Stillman’s Detox Powder.
A thorough dietary history, so we could make adjustments based on data instead of vague theories.
Bioidentical hormone replacement to youthful levels. Bioidentical hormones keep our joints, organs, and bones strong and healthy, so it’s no wonder people get more pain, inflammation, weight, fatigue, and organ diseases as they age.
This is the foundation of our approach. Here’s how it worked for her over the course of the past year.
Where She Is Now
Here’s where she is now:
Knee pain: down from tearful and debilitating to a 5/10, with “bad days nowhere near the way they used to be”
Weight: 6 pounds down while eating more
Triglycerides: 131 → 90
Total cholesterol: 296 → 247
Homocysteine: 11.9 → 9.2
Free T4: 1.02 → 1.59 (almost doubled)
IGF‑1: 125 → 136
Urine bacteria: now zero, and “my urine now smells like urine… It’s been years… and now it does not.”
In her words:
At a recent outing: “Halfway through I’m like, my knees feel good. I was able to get up without pain.”
“My bad days are nowhere near the way they used to be.”
“I’ve trusted you so far and you haven’t steered me wrong.”
This is what’s possible with a comprehensive program of care and months of commitment.
Things to Think About
A few lessons from her case:
You can lose weight and feel better while eating more when you fix micronutrients and metabolism instead of just cutting calories.
With the right program of care, your labs should improve. When they’re not improving and you’re not feeling better, it’s time to troubleshoot. Her labs show what’s possible with the right program of care.
Pain is a sign that the body needs something it’s not getting. The key to resolving pain is to give your body what it’s starving for.
P.S. If you’re tired, foggy, and inflamed, and you’re ready for root-cause medical care, book an evaluation with a member of our team.
During the evaluation, we’ll:
Review your history and current symptoms
What you’ve tried, what’s worked, and what hasn’t
Get you clarity on where to go next, whether that’s becoming a member of our practice or a referral to a trusted partner of ours
For a limited time, we’re also including a copy of my new book, The End of Autoimmunity, so you can learn more about our process. (Valid only for those who join their scheduled call).
Book your evaluation today. If you’re tired, foggy, and inflamed, we’d love to help you reclaim your health.
For more on this, read my book, available now, you can purchase it here.
Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman
Educational content only. Not medical advice. See full disclaimers.