My Story

It all started a few years ago when I began to notice that my body was changing very rapidly. I didn't recognize myself and felt completely lost and devastated. Everything that used to work for me as a dance teacher, personal trainer, and yoga teacher was no longer helping. I was tired, had no energy, had problems sleeping (either too little or too much), and was losing my creativity, which is a crucial part of my work process.

The mood swings were getting worse, my periods were becoming a nightmare with non-stop bleeding for six to ten days, and the pain was unbearable. My PMS was worse than ever, and my recovery time after each period was about one week long, leaving me with only one good week every month. This was frustrating because my work is physical, and I help people reconnect with their bodies. My body is my vessel, whether it's for dancing or any type of movement, and I felt disconnected from it.

I did what everyone else told me to do—I went to the doctor. At 41 years old, I told my doctor (who was a female) about my symptoms and that I thought I was in perimenopause. She looked at me with big question marks in her eyes and said, "No, you're way too young for that." She ordered some blood tests, which showed very low iron and B12 levels. I asked for hormonal tests, but she refused. She did send me to a gynecologist, though.