“You’re Not You Anymore, Mom”: One Woman’s Turnaround

by Dr. Karlee Tario ND

When Jen, 45, walked into our clinic, she wasn’t the one who made the appointment—her family did.

“My teenage daughter sat me down and said, ‘You’re not you anymore, Mom.’ That gutted me,” she said through tears.

Over the past year, Jen had been in survival mode. She was gaining weight despite eating less, constantly exhausted, snapping at her kids, and craving sugar and carbs to “just get through the day.” She wasn’t sleeping. She bled so heavily during her period that she ended up anemic.

“I thought I was just being a bad mom and a bad wife,” she admitted. “But I didn’t feel like I had control over anything—not even my emotions.”

What Was Really Going On?

Jen was in early perimenopause, and her body was shouting for help.

• Her cortisol was dysregulated from years of stress and poor sleep—leaving her wired and tired.

• She was developing insulin resistance, leading to increased belly fat and cravings.

• Her estrogen and progesterone levels were fluctuating wildly, triggering heavy periods, sleep issues, and emotional highs and lows.

Together, we created a plan personalized just for her:

• Adrenal Support to stabilize energy and manage stress 
• Blood sugar balancing supplements and nutrition to reduce cravings and support metabolism
• Hormone therapy to lighten her periods, regulate sleep, and smooth the emotional turbulence

The Shift

“Within a month, I was sleeping again. My mood was more even. I wasn’t yelling all the time,” Jen said. “My family noticed the change before I did. My daughter hugged me one night and whispered, ‘I missed you.’”

Over the next few months, Jen’s periods became manageable, her energy returned, and the emotional eating subsided naturally as her hormones came back into balance.

“I don’t just feel better—I feel like I have control over my life again. I wish I’d known this was hormonal. I wish I’d asked for help sooner.”

The Real Talk:

If you’ve been told your fatigue, irritability, weight gain, or mood swings are just part of being a busy mom or getting older—it’s time to ask better questions.

This isn’t about being dramatic. It’s about being heard.
And it’s about knowing that there are real solutions that work.