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Kelly TeixeiraMSN, ARNP
I became a Registered Nurse in 1992 to help others. However, I found I needed help myself. I always struggled with fatigue. Even as a small child, I never had a high energy level. I often complained of stomach aches and had frequent colds.
After becoming a nurse, I continued to report fatigue to various doctors; no cause was ever found after the numerous tests. With each pregnancy, the fatigue worsened. Now I was told there was a reason, 'You work hard and have children. That is why you are tired.'
After my fourth child, I felt my health was further deteriorating. Could it be normal to be this tired? I finally decided to seek the advice of an alternative practitioner that took the time to listen to all my symptoms. He suggested a gluten-free diet. Could a little gluten really cause all these problems? Yes, and the blood work confirmed it. My symptoms became about 85% better within 2 weeks after a diet change. And that was just the beginning...
Patients with chronic illness, like my chronic fatigue, get lost in the current healthcare system. Even patients who want a higher level of wellness are not assessed properly. Now, as a Nurse Practitioner, my goal is to spend time to truly help others as I set out to do so many years ago- by using a functional approach. See A Functional Approach, PA for more information.