7 Years of Suffering and Moving to Natural Therapies

Motivation

History on treatment: In 2012, I finally had the opportunity to travel to the USA as a foreign college student in order to see a family doctor. He diagnosed me with hypertension, palpitation, and panic disorder. He prescribed Celexa and Toprol XL which were very effective. I felt as if a miracle occurred after suffering from an unknown disease for 7 years. My blood pressure became normal, my palpitations disappeared, and my panic attacks decreased. However, after several months I have started to experience newer issues: tolerance and side effects. The Celexa seems to produce a weaker effect over time and lead to anhedonia. As for the Toprol XL it caused fatigue and difficulty in exercising. 

Encouraging Words

As I was surfing the internet, I decided to research my medications to know if they were really worth it. I have discovered how the Celexa and Toprol only managed my symptoms rather than treat it. I went to another doctor to seek a different therapy. I was told that the only natural effective therapy is cardiovascular exercises. He also added that Rhodiola is a promising herb that might work. This is why despite of the drug’s efficacy, I decided to seek the natural therapy.

Exercise Description

After taking some nutrition and fitness classes in college, I decided to design my own exercise and diet plan. At first, my exercise program was only composed of jogging for 30 minutes 3 times per day. Over time, I improved my exercise to increase the duration of jogging and incorporate muscular strength exercises as well. I currently jog for 40 minutes 5 times per week, lift dumbbells, and do some set ups, push ups, pull ups, and squats. The main challenges were getting bored from the exercises and lack of time to work out due to my busy college life. Eventually, I was able to overcome the challenges by using a schedule, mp3 player, and Ipad.

Treatment Description

After stopping my medications, I decided to seek herbal and dietary supplements to replace my medications. Rhodiola rosea, fish oil, and multivitamins showed promising results for me. I also customized my diet to contain oats, tuna, fat-free dairy products, legumes, vegetables, and healthy fats. I avoid foods that are high in salts, high in fat, or high in calories. So far, my health condition is stable and I’m proud of my natural improvement.