Hormone Heroes
Testimonials from real people who have experienced bio-identical hormone therapy. Men and women share the symptoms they have experienced and the difference proper hormone replacement has made. Men discuss the advantages of testosterone and women discuss the benefits of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone therapy. The roles of thyroid, adrenal health, insulin resistance, intermittent fasting, and micronutrients are also discussed.
Hormone Heroes
Innovative Heart Solutions and Hormonal Changes: Christi's Inspiring Story
Unlock the future of heart health with Christi Campbell from Chattanooga, Tennessee, as she introduces us to the multifunction cardiogram—an innovative tool that's transforming early detection of cardiovascular disease. This groundbreaking device goes beyond traditional heart tests, assessing blood flow and microvascular dysfunction to reveal potential issues years before they become life-threatening. Christi's personal journey highlights the test's impact, including its role in identifying her need for methylated folate due to an MTHFR genetic abnormality. Together, we emphasize the importance of starting regular testing at age 30 to proactively combat heart disease.
In a compelling narrative of resilience, hear the transformative tale of a woman's battle through perimenopause and recovery from a major accident at 53, facilitated by hormone therapy. Experience the profound shifts that bioidentical hormones and functional medicine brought to her life, managing symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain, and sleep disturbances. Transitioning from estrogen troches to hormone pellets, including estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone, she found a new lease on life with improved energy, sleep, and weight management. Her story, enriched by personal insights and minimal side effects, showcases the life-changing potential of hormone therapy and the possibility of reclaiming long-lost passions like running.
Welcome to Hormone Heroes, where I share testimonials from real people who have experienced bioidentical hormone therapy. Men and women share the symptoms they have experienced and the difference proper hormone replacement has made. I'm your host, dr Kelly Hopkins, and I have been in the functional medicine space for over 30 years years, with a focus on hormones for 20 years. Please keep in mind this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with your physician or practitioner for medical advice. Let's get started with today's guest. Welcome to the podcast. Today we have Christy Campbell. She's from Chattanooga, tennessee, and she is the founder of Heart Care Corporation, which is a company who offers multifunction cardiogram testing for doctors and patients. Welcome, christy. Thanks, dr Kelly. So first of all, tell us what multifunction cardiogram testing is.
Speaker 2:Okay, the multifunction cardiogram is a relatively new device, especially being introduced here in the United States. It was invented by a doctor in New York and was FDA approved in 2012. But, as you well know, with our American healthcare system and insurance coverages and things like that, adoption of new technology is extremely slow. What it does, it's really the first early detection device for cardiovascular disease. It's different from what's out there because it will test the functional health of your heart rather than just giving you an anatomical picture of your heart at a given moment. Yeah, so it's functional, which is super, super important. You know that for sure. It's going to tell us things like blood flow, supply and demand issues. It'll tell us whether something is congenital or metabolic in nature. It even will detect microvascular dysfunction. So that's something that you know. It detected for me and you know I was able to quickly, just with a supplement, you know, turn my scores around very quickly. So you know heart disease.
Speaker 2:People are like, oh, I don't want to know, I don't want to know, and it's kind of like, well, you really do, because heart disease is probably one of the easiest things to fix if we know it's there, right, the problem with heart disease and the reason it is the number one killer worldwide is because we don't find it until it's in late stages. We don't go to the doctor, you know, until we start feeling something, you know. We don't go for a prophylactic, you know, nuclear stress test, you know. So this gives us a safe and easy way. It's a 10-minute resting test. There's no stress to the patient, there's no chemicals or dyes, and it's just a 10-minute resting test that will tell us six to eight years in advance about 26 different areas of your heart.
Speaker 2:So it's very comprehensive, not just picking at one or two things, not just picking at the plaque or picking at you know hey, I've got, I'm short of breath. So you get on that stress test and we try to see if there's a blockage there. So it will tell us things like about blockages. It even tells us about microvascular disease, which is especially a problem for women. Some men do have it, but microvascular disease is huge for women and we don't see it. We can't even see it on an angiogram. So this test picks it up though.
Speaker 1:Wow, and Christy, I've actually you've done this test on me and it is the easiest thing to do. You get to lie down, or you know, slightly lie down, and it's very restful. You're usually listening to gentle music or something you know, and you have these electrodes placed. How many electrodes?
Speaker 2:are yeah, so you just actually have one electrode on your chest, your left rib cage, and then you have clamps that are placed on your wrist and your ankles.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's all there is to it and it's a 10-minute test and it gave me some really good information about myself, one being the need for methylated folate, which was interesting, and a lot of our patients have done this test as well through Christy. So can you just dive down a little bit more into what might? First of all, who is a good candidate for this test? Where can they find someone that does this test? Yeah, let's cover that first.
Speaker 2:Okay, a good candidate. Really, what we say is you know, unless you've got cardiovascular disease baby in your family or you know that you have a congenital issue, if we just started this test at the age of 30 and did it one time a year as a well check, you know you could completely prevent heart disease from ever occurring Because the test really gives you a roadmap to, for instance, say, like one of my categories that I was five out of five on was cardiomyopathy, which is stiffening of the heart wall. So the doctor was able to say, okay, you've got this issue going on and we can tell that about 95% of the time, if you've got this issue, you're either using alcohol excessively or you have this MTHFR dysfunction or you have you're diabetic. Well, I'm not. I wasn't using alcohol excessively and I'm not diabetic. So he said, let's try the, let's do this genetic test for this MTHFR genetic abnormality. And we did it and I was homozygous. I had it from both parents, obviously.
Speaker 2:So I was very deficient in this and this was something that you know. It interrupts your nitrous oxide production, gives you brain fog, yeah, it can cause depression, all kind of different things. And so Dr Sam, when he looked at. He said, chrissy, you're gonna be feeling so much better so soon. I was like, well, I don't really feel that bad. He was like, well, do you have trouble, you know, gathering your thoughts? Do you have, you know? So he starts naming a few little things and I was like, well, yeah, but you realize that you just start living with these things, that they're not really things that you even think are wrong with you anymore, it's just part of who you are. And so, because I was homozygous, he put me on the supplement three times a month for three months and then just once a month for the rest of my life. And, yeah, great difference, as I noticed specifically with, you know, the brain fog and just just being a little bit more sharper mentally.
Speaker 2:Then I forgot what I was going to tell you on that one. Oh, oh, yeah, my score. So my score, I was a four. The test will rate you from zero to 22 and anything four and above is clinically actionable. You need to do. You know it's time to get to work. Okay, so my score was a four the first time and just by taking that supplement the next time, I took it six months later, my score was a two Wow. So just from a $20 a month supplement. You know that I had no idea, was even you know an issue with me that I'm 22 points, so that was pretty exciting.
Speaker 1:And where can a patient look at a provider or learn more about the test?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so if you'll go to our website it's heartcarecorpcom C-O-R-P and go to the, there's a menu on there that will tell you about the authorized testing locations that are in the United States. It is relatively new. You can travel to one of these locations and then we do have some providers that will come to you. So, like relatively new, you can travel to one of these locations and we do have some providers that will come to you. So, like for Dr Kelly's office, since I'm in Chattanooga, when she wants to do a test day, she lines up patients and I actually go to her office and test people for her. So we do that a lot with doctors that don't want to actually invest in buying the technology themselves, we provide hosted test days that we can do that for them. So there's other ways. If there's not an adopter near you and you have some friends that want to get tested, we can work that out. We can come to your house and do a test party. Sounds great, that's a fun way to do it too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and I do know the patients that have done the test in our office are very excited to learn the results, and it's information they would not have gotten when they go to the cardiologist. You usually go to the cardiologist when it's too late, and this is a way to prevent ever having to go back to the cardiologist. So, christy, how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm 57.
Speaker 1:And I do know that you were in a very tragic boating accident how long ago.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's been. It was four years in September.
Speaker 1:Four years. In September, you lost your husband. It was you, your daughter and your husband. Your daughter, thankfully, almost came out of it without a scratch, but you were hospitalized. Tell us a little bit about what happened to you.
Speaker 2:Okay, I was pretty much broken from head to toe. I was airlifted to a hospital in Knoxville because they had a traumatic brain injury ICU, so they had me there. I was there for about two weeks. They did probably 19 surgeries within those two weeks.
Speaker 2:I had a left orbital fracture I'll start at the top had a left orbital fracture, two broken jaws, a broken nose. I had seven ribs on one side and eight on the other that were broken. I had an open fracture where the bone was actually outside of the skin on my left elbow, shattered my pelvis and shattered my right ankle. So that was. It was quite traumatic.
Speaker 2:So I spent about three and a half weeks in the hospital there in Knoxville and then finally got healthy or I don't know, strong enough, I guess is the word strong enough to transfer to a rehab facility and was there for another few weeks and in a wheelchair for three months, non-weight, bearing on my left arm and my left leg or both legs, I guess, both legs and my left arm so had to have help for everything for three months and then finally got up on a walker and then about a year later wound up having to have another hip replacement on that left side. So it took me about a year and a half to really you know clear, you know where I was, back to walking normal and feeling my shape.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So you're obviously not finished on this earth. No, obviously not. Yeah, you were saved for a reason, that's for sure. At that time, had you started going through perimenopause? What was your hormonal status right before the accident? I guess is the best way to Sure, sure.
Speaker 2:So the accident happened when I was 53 and probably around and 51,. At 50, I really stopped having periods, really wasn't having any periods anymore. Then I had started having hot flashes, not sleeping through the night, gained a little bit of weight, it wasn't too bad. But at that point I finally went to a doctor and started taking some hormone trochies.
Speaker 1:Okay, and a trochie is something that melts under your tongue, under my tongue. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:And so that was great really for the hot flashes, which was of course probably my well, I won't say it was my most menacing symptom, it was the most immediate symptom. You know, that just drives you crazy all day, so it did help tremendously with that.
Speaker 1:Was it estrogen testosterone? Do you remember what was in the trochee? I think it was just estrogen Okay. Estrogen testosterone. Do you remember what was in the trophy? I think it was just estrogen Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it was just estrogen. It helped a little bit, maybe with the weight, I don't know. I mean, and then when the accident happened and I was on, I couldn't, I was very active and I couldn't, I couldn't do anything anymore, you know. So that probably caused me to gain a lot of weight, plus all the medications and things that you're on for that period of time. I'm sure had an effect on my body. So I was really, I mean, for my height, you know, I'm like five, two, and I probably had gained 30 pounds. You know, that was it was pretty significant at that.
Speaker 2:So, and that's when I heard Dr Kelly talking and I was like, Hmm, I need to talk to this gal. So we talked a little bit and that's when you told me, that's when you told me you're like I think that we could be a little more aggressive. So she said, you know, I think your body would probably heal a lot faster. We thought it was 30 instead of 50. And I was like, well, yeah, probably Can you really do that? And she was like, yeah, I can really do that, you know. So we kind of started down that road and very quickly the weight left. So that was a huge benefit there, and the sleep totally normalized. In fact, that's when I know that it's time to go get more hormones. Is I stopped sleeping as well? Yeah, because I've always been a good sleeper too. That was what really bothers me, that was how it really bothers me.
Speaker 1:So not only did getting bioidentical hormones help your body heal quicker, your muscles got stronger faster, your bone health is good. You're not osteopenic or anything like that. You sleep better. You're certainly a go-getter. Your mental clarity is good. Your energy seems wonderful. Did you notice any? Well, first of all, what form are you currently using for hormone therapy? So I'm using the pellets now, okay. So you're doing estradiol and testosterone pellets? Yeah, and you take progesterone? Yeah, and I take a progesterone supplement, yes, okay, and do you do any thyroid or anything like that?
Speaker 2:Yes, I do, I'm a thyroid, thyroid armor.
Speaker 1:Armor thyroid. Okay, and do you take any supplements? I know you take your methylated Bs.
Speaker 2:Yes, I do that, and then I take, you know, vitamin C, vitamin E, iodine magnesium.
Speaker 1:I don't have any prescription drugs other than the thyroid, okay, and the progesterone, right? Yeah, yeah, wonderful, well, you look beautiful. The audience won't be able to see you, unfortunately, but you do look like you've recovered I have you know, what's great is I?
Speaker 2:I mean a lot of my friends, you know that take hormone pellets here in moville, you know they'll say you know, I know when I'm running out because my my bone, you know, I just start hurting my joints or just killing me. You know I don't want to discredit or take any glory from God because I mean I absolutely, absolutely a product of a miraculous event. I mean what happened to me is completely supernatural. I give all of the glory to God. But I do notice I really don't even have any joint pain, and I should be. You know, for what my body has gone through.
Speaker 2:You know, I mean I play golf, actually was beginning to train for a 10k, so I'd like to see if I can run again, you know. So I mean I don't know if that's going to be part of my story from here on out I gotta take care of these hips, but I mean I mean they're titanium, they can't wear it as well as they look, that's right, you know. So maybe I can fish them, I don't know. But but you know, I think that that's been a great benefit for the whole one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's been part of it, for sure. It's, uh, something God may have used to heal you, for sure. Oh, absolutely. Have you had any side effects? No, I really don't To anything.
Speaker 1:No Good it is. You know what the body produces naturally. We just all try to give it back to patients that you know. When you take a functional medicine approach, what you're looking for is something that someone is missing, whether it's hormonal or nutritional based. So the body really accepts it. The receptors accept the hormones because they recognize the hormones to be their own and it just works out great. Sometimes someone might say they, you know, have an extra chin hair or something like that.
Speaker 2:I've noticed maybe a little bit of that, but nothing that's terribly out of place. Acne, maybe a little bit. I have a breakout every once in a while, you know, so maybe you know my skin thinks it's younger. I guess I don't know, but that's exactly what.
Speaker 1:So I think it's pretty obvious how hormone therapy has changed your life or has enhanced your healing and things like that. So, as a hormone hero because you are definitely a hero what would you like our audience to know, christy?
Speaker 2:I would just like I want them to be educated. I mean, just from being doing this heart scan and I don't come from a medical background, I'm actually the marketing director and founder. I founded the company because I feel like that. That's probably what caused our boating accident my husband just fell over while he was driving, and so that's kind of where my heart came to this and how I got involved with that company. So I'm not somebody that's medically educated, you know.
Speaker 2:So I've had to really, you know, read a lot and research a lot. So read and research I mean there's a lot of stuff out there that wants to scare you away from this. And I say I say, if you really do your research and listen to people that are hormone heroes, that it has changed life for them. You know, get the real scoop, get the real. Know the difference between the bioidentical hormones and the synthetic hormones. Because, yeah, synthetic hormones can be pretty scary. Yeah, because they can do some scary things. But don't because you hear, oh, my friend got breast cancer because she was taking hormone therapy. Make sure you know the whole story. Educate yourself. That's what I would say. That's very good advice, and don't be afraid To do what's good for you. Don't be afraid to do what's good for you. Don't be afraid to do what's good for you. It's so worth it. It's so worth it.
Speaker 1:Yes, well, thank you, christy, you've been a fantastic guest. And just to remind our guests, it's heartcarecorpcom, is that okay? Yeah, that's right. Yeah, and that is where you can find more information about the cardiogram testing.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Send me an email. I'll answer all your questions.
Speaker 1:Excellent, excellent, all right, thank you so much, christy. You've been a pleasure, you bet. Thanks, bye, bye-bye, bye-bye. Thanks for listening to Hormone Heroes. Take a moment to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss the next episode. While you are there, help us spread the word by leaving a rating and a review. No-transcript.
