Full Transcript Life Before Illness 0:04 My name is Carly. And before I became 0:04 My name is Carly. And before I became unwell, I was a very busy, enthusiastic, 0:11 unwell, I was a very busy, enthusiastic, 0:11 unwell, I was a very busy, enthusiastic, energetic 0:13 energetic 0:13 energetic mom. I had multiple businesses. 0:17 mom. I had multiple businesses. 0:17 mom. I had multiple businesses. And I was very health focused, very uh 0:23 And I was very health focused, very uh 0:23 And I was very health focused, very uh was exercising regularly, was eating all 0:26 was exercising regularly, was eating all 0:26 was exercising regularly, was eating all the right things. 0:28 the right things. 0:29 the right things. And I still managed to adopt a chronic 0:32 And I still managed to adopt a chronic 0:32 And I still managed to adopt a chronic illness. In January of 2022,
COVID and the Onset of Long COVID 0:37 illness. In January of 2022, 0:37 illness. In January of 2022, I got COVID. And the acute illness was 0:43 I got COVID. And the acute illness was 0:43 I got COVID. And the acute illness was not severe in nature. It just felt like 0:45 not severe in nature. It just felt like 0:45 not severe in nature. It just felt like a regular flu. 0:47 a regular flu. 0:47 a regular flu. But about a month later, I found myself 0:49 But about a month later, I found myself 0:49 But about a month later, I found myself experiencing 0:52 experiencing 0:52 experiencing um 0:53 um 0:53 um ongoing fatigue 0:55 ongoing fatigue 0:55 ongoing fatigue and uh 0:57 and uh 0:57 and uh accumulating a lot of shortness of 1:00 accumulating a lot of shortness of 1:01 accumulating a lot of shortness of breath. 1:02 breath. 1:02 breath. And so, I was moving through my days 1:04 And so, I was moving through my days 1:05 And so, I was moving through my days feeling quite tired, unable to 1:07 feeling quite tired, unable to 1:07 feeling quite tired, unable to accomplish my regular tasks, 1:10 accomplish my regular tasks, 1:10 accomplish my regular tasks, uh experiencing a lot of shortness of 1:13 uh experiencing a lot of shortness of 1:13 uh experiencing a lot of shortness of breath, which caused me a lot of 1:14 breath, which caused me a lot of 1:14 breath, which caused me a lot of anxiety, and then a lot of dysregulation 1:18 anxiety, and then a lot of dysregulation 1:18 anxiety, and then a lot of dysregulation to my nervous system. I was waking up 1:20 to my nervous system. I was waking up 1:20 to my nervous system. I was waking up with heart palpitations and sort of 1:22 with heart palpitations and sort of 1:22 with heart palpitations and sort of tremors throughout my body. Um 1:26 tremors throughout my body. Um 1:26 tremors throughout my body. Um I would often become 1:28 I would often become 1:28 I would often become uh nauseous even to the point of 1:30 uh nauseous even to the point of 1:30 uh nauseous even to the point of vomiting after eating certain things. 1:33 vomiting after eating certain things. 1:33 vomiting after eating certain things. And I had never had any kind of 1:34 And I had never had any kind of 1:34 And I had never had any kind of allergies or anything like that in my 1:36 allergies or anything like that in my 1:36 allergies or anything like that in my life before. And it got to the point 1:39 life before. And it got to the point 1:39 life before. And it got to the point where I could barely get out of bed. I 1:43 where I could barely get out of bed. I 1:43 where I could barely get out of bed. I went and I had a an MRI on my brain, a 1:49 went and I had a an MRI on my brain, a 1:49 went and I had a an MRI on my brain, a CT scan on my chest. I saw a 1:52 CT scan on my chest. I saw a 1:52 CT scan on my chest. I saw a hematologist, a blood specialist. I saw 1:54 hematologist, a blood specialist. I saw 1:54 hematologist, a blood specialist. I saw a cardiologist and wore a 24-hour heart 1:57 a cardiologist and wore a 24-hour heart 1:57 a cardiologist and wore a 24-hour heart monitor. 1:58 monitor. 1:58 monitor. Um I went to every specialist possible 2:01 Um I went to every specialist possible 2:01 Um I went to every specialist possible and for about 5 months I barely got out 2:04 and for about 5 months I barely got out 2:04 and for about 5 months I barely got out of bed and I thought that my life was 2:05 of bed and I thought that my life was 2:06 of bed and I thought that my life was over. Um 2:07 over. Um 2:07 over. Um I I didn't have the energy to play with 2:09 I I didn't have the energy to play with 2:09 I I didn't have the energy to play with my children. I all but shut down my 2:11 my children. I all but shut down my 2:11 my children. I all but shut down my business. 2:12 business. 2:12 business. And uh it was it was a very dark very 2:15 And uh it was it was a very dark very 2:15 And uh it was it was a very dark very dark time. In the end I was diagnosed 2:17 dark time. In the end I was diagnosed 2:17 dark time. In the end I was diagnosed with POTS.
Testing, Specialists, and Diagnosis 2:19 with POTS. 2:19 with POTS. My doctor had me fill out a checklist 2:22 My doctor had me fill out a checklist 2:22 My doctor had me fill out a checklist around mast cell activation syndrome and 2:24 around mast cell activation syndrome and 2:25 around mast cell activation syndrome and said that was what I likely had as well. 2:28 said that was what I likely had as well. 2:28 said that was what I likely had as well. Um I 2:30 Um I 2:30 Um I was 2:32 was 2:32 was officially diagnosed as long COVID, but 2:35 officially diagnosed as long COVID, but 2:35 officially diagnosed as long COVID, but I came to the end of a program offered 2:38 I came to the end of a program offered 2:38 I came to the end of a program offered through my province and 2:41 through my province and 2:41 through my province and the doctor then just pivoted my 2:43 the doctor then just pivoted my 2:43 the doctor then just pivoted my diagnosis to chronic fatigue fatigue 2:45 diagnosis to chronic fatigue fatigue 2:45 diagnosis to chronic fatigue fatigue syndrome chronic fatigue syndrome and 2:47 syndrome chronic fatigue syndrome and 2:47 syndrome chronic fatigue syndrome and sent me on my way. In the beginning
Holistic Treatments and Turning Inward 2:50 sent me on my way. In the beginning 2:51 sent me on my way. In the beginning I focused heavily on 2:53 I focused heavily on 2:53 I focused heavily on um holistic therapies and I saw two 2:57 um holistic therapies and I saw two 2:57 um holistic therapies and I saw two different naturopaths and I spent 3:00 different naturopaths and I spent 3:01 different naturopaths and I spent $5,000 3:02 $5,000 3:02 $5,000 on different treatments that did not 3:04 on different treatments that did not 3:04 on different treatments that did not help me. 3:05 help me. 3:05 help me. I ended up having to step back from all 3:07 I ended up having to step back from all 3:08 I ended up having to step back from all of that and really lean into 3:11 of that and really lean into 3:11 of that and really lean into um more practices of going inward and 3:14 um more practices of going inward and 3:14 um more practices of going inward and just trying to regulate my nervous 3:16 just trying to regulate my nervous 3:16 just trying to regulate my nervous system on my own through breath, through 3:19 system on my own through breath, through 3:19 system on my own through breath, through slow yoga movements and things like that 3:22 slow yoga movements and things like that 3:22 slow yoga movements and things like that doing so small practices in my bed and 3:26 doing so small practices in my bed and 3:26 doing so small practices in my bed and that's when I learned about the Gupta 3:27 that's when I learned about the Gupta 3:27 that's when I learned about the Gupta program. Right away in the Gupta program
The Gupta Program and Recovery 3:30 program. Right away in the Gupta program 3:30 program. Right away in the Gupta program I was able to shift my perspective to I 3:34 I was able to shift my perspective to I 3:34 I was able to shift my perspective to I am healing. 3:36 am healing. 3:36 am healing. To 3:37 To 3:37 To I I remember early on in the program 3:40 I I remember early on in the program 3:40 I I remember early on in the program he said something along the lines of "If 3:44 he said something along the lines of "If 3:44 he said something along the lines of "If you knew for certain that 100 days from 3:48 you knew for certain that 100 days from 3:48 you knew for certain that 100 days from now you would be in complete health 3:52 now you would be in complete health 3:52 now you would be in complete health then none of these patterns of 3:54 then none of these patterns of 3:54 then none of these patterns of reactivity 3:56 reactivity 3:56 reactivity would be occurring in your body. 3:59 would be occurring in your body. 3:59 would be occurring in your body. And he helped me understand that 4:01 And he helped me understand that 4:01 And he helped me understand that patterns of reactivity does not mean 4:04 patterns of reactivity does not mean 4:04 patterns of reactivity does not mean that it's all in your head. Like the 4:07 that it's all in your head. Like the 4:07 that it's all in your head. Like the diagnosis that I got from the doctors, 4:09 diagnosis that I got from the doctors, 4:09 diagnosis that I got from the doctors, having all of my blood work and all of 4:11 having all of my blood work and all of 4:11 having all of my blood work and all of my things looking fine, was basically 4:15 my things looking fine, was basically 4:15 my things looking fine, was basically it's all in your head, so here's some 4:16 it's all in your head, so here's some 4:16 it's all in your head, so here's some antidepressants and some anti-anxiety 4:18 antidepressants and some anti-anxiety 4:18 antidepressants and some anti-anxiety medications. 4:20 medications. 4:20 medications. Well, 4:21 Well, 4:21 Well, Ashok helped me understand that 4:25 Ashok helped me understand that 4:25 Ashok helped me understand that it's not all in my head, but it is a 4:27 it's not all in my head, but it is a 4:27 it's not all in my head, but it is a function of my brain. It is a function 4:29 function of my brain. It is a function 4:29 function of my brain. It is a function of my inflammatory system and my immune 4:32 of my inflammatory system and my immune 4:32 of my inflammatory system and my immune system overreacting and that I can help 4:36 system overreacting and that I can help 4:36 system overreacting and that I can help that system to stop defaulting to 4:39 that system to stop defaulting to 4:39 that system to stop defaulting to overreaction. 4:41 overreaction. 4:41 overreaction. And so 4:42 And so 4:42 And so by embracing that ideal of 4:45 by embracing that ideal of 4:45 by embracing that ideal of I can 4:46 I can 4:46 I can I 4:47 I 4:47 I I 4:48 I 4:48 I if I know I'm going to be in complete 4:49 if I know I'm going to be in complete 4:49 if I know I'm going to be in complete health, then the patterns of reactivity 4:52 health, then the patterns of reactivity 4:52 health, then the patterns of reactivity can stop in my body. 4:54 can stop in my body. 4:54 can stop in my body. It was just an opportunity for me to 4:56 It was just an opportunity for me to 4:56 It was just an opportunity for me to exhale. 4:58 exhale. 4:58 exhale. For me to not be so worried that I was 5:00 For me to not be so worried that I was 5:00 For me to not be so worried that I was going to be reacting to everything under 5:01 going to be reacting to everything under 5:01 going to be reacting to everything under the sun. So I joined the program in 5:03 the sun. So I joined the program in 5:03 the sun. So I joined the program in September of 2022 and by January of 5:08 September of 2022 and by January of 5:08 September of 2022 and by January of 2023, 5:10 2023, 5:10 2023, I was back to work full-time. I had the
Life After Recovery 5:15 I was back to work full-time. I had the 5:15 I was back to work full-time. I had the energy to play with my children again. 5:17 energy to play with my children again. 5:17 energy to play with my children again. And I would say that I'm 95% better. I 5:21 And I would say that I'm 95% better. I 5:21 And I would say that I'm 95% better. I have some lingering allergies or 5:25 have some lingering allergies or 5:25 have some lingering allergies or reactivity, a little bit of extra 5:27 reactivity, a little bit of extra 5:27 reactivity, a little bit of extra fatigue, but it's all just little 5:29 fatigue, but it's all just little 5:29 fatigue, but it's all just little reminders for my for me to take rest. 5:33 reminders for my for me to take rest. 5:33 reminders for my for me to take rest. My life feels more vibrant and I feel 5:36 My life feels more vibrant and I feel 5:36 My life feels more vibrant and I feel more myself than I did before I got 5:38 more myself than I did before I got 5:39 more myself than I did before I got sick. 5:43 I approach my work in a different way. I 5:43 I approach my work in a different way. I approach parenting in a different way. 5:46 approach parenting in a different way. 5:46 approach parenting in a different way. I have so much more 5:50 I have so much more 5:50 I have so much more compassion for myself.
Comments