She kept showing up. She wanted to feel like herself.
At 46, she was managing a career in financeâand years of Hashimotoâs symptoms. Medication hadnât resolved the brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, or brittle hair. She wanted someone to look at the whole picture.
Her actual journey, shared by FMofD. Individual results vary.
CAPABLE. COMMITTED. STILL NOT HERSELF.
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HER STORY AT A GLANCE
46 · Finance professionalLiving with Hashimotoâs for years
Illustrative image · not the actual patient.
01 Time to be heard02 A plan with a purpose03 Support as life happens
IF THIS FEELS FAMILIAR
The hardest part wasnât only the symptoms.
It was putting in the effort, seeing specialist after specialist, and still leaving without a clear way forward. She felt there was nothing more being offered, even though daily life still felt harder than it should.
Her questions about more thyroid testing and antibody follow-up hadnât given her the clarity she hoped for. She came to FMofD feeling discouragedâand ready to try a more comprehensive conversation.
Explore each chapter. See what changedâand the part she played.
SEVEN MOMENTS. ONE PERSON.
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Progress came through a plan, practice, and regular check-ins.
CHAPTER 01 OF 07
BEFORE FMofDYears of persistent symptoms
She had a diagnosis. She still needed a way forward.
Brain fog made it harder to feel sharp. Fatigue lingered. Her weight was increasing, and her hair had become brittle. Despite medication and multiple specialist visits, she still didnât feel like herself.
She had begun to feel that this might simply be her new normal. Coming to Functional Medicine of Delaware was her attempt to find a clearer path.
THE DAILY LOADFour symptoms. One life to keep showing up for.
Illustrative image · not the actual patient
Brain fog
Fatigue
Weight gain
Brittle hair
A visual snapshot of the symptoms she described.
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She took another step, shared what hadnât been working, and brought her unanswered questions into the conversation.
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Next: A first visit with time to hear more than a symptom list.
FIRST VISIT60 minutes with her provider
A full hour. The whole picture.
Her first visit was a detailed conversation about her health history, current symptoms, and past treatments. Her provider also explored nutrition, sleep schedules, stress, and the routines shaping her day.
There was room to explain what she was experiencingâand to ask questions. Together, they began looking for factors that might be contributing to how she felt.
A FULLER CONVERSATIONTime to connect her health with her everyday life.
Illustrative image · not the actual patient or provider
60min
Time for her history. Space for the whole story.
Symptoms & historyNutritionSleepStress
The first-visit topics described in her story.
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She shared the details of her real routine, including the parts that were difficult. That context helped shape the next steps.
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Next: Complete the testing selected for her before the results visit.
BETWEEN VISITSInformation before decisions
Testing with a question behind it.
After the deep dive, her provider ordered advanced bloodwork, GI-MAP stool testing, adrenal-related testing, and hormone testing. The goal was to add useful information to her history and explore possible contributors to her symptoms.
Explore the illustrative thyroid report, then tap a test category for more context.
Advanced bloodwork +
Her provider used bloodwork to look more closely at her health alongside her thyroid history. Which markers to check depends on the individual and the questions being investigated.
GI-MAP stool testing +
This was part of her providerâs exploration of her broader health. Stool testing has limitations, and it does not establish the cause of Hashimotoâs. Ask how a test could change your own plan before proceeding.
Adrenal-related testing +
Her plan included testing related to adrenal hormones. The clinical question, test type, and collection timing matter. This is not a test every patient needs.
Hormone testing +
Her provider included hormone testing in her evaluation. Symptoms, history, and life stage guide whether and when hormone testing is useful.
ILLUSTRATIVE REPORTFictional values · not this patientâs results
FMofD · EDUCATIONAL PREVIEW
Expanded thyroid panel
Example of how thyroid markers can appear together in a report.
LAB PREVIEW
Record DEMO ONLYSample BloodworkPurpose Explain the format
Tap a marker name to learn what it measures.
Mock thyroid report: all values below are fictional examples.
Marker
Example result
Units
4.8
”IU/mL
2.7
pg/mL
0.9
ng/dL
18
ng/dL
240
IU/mL
8.0
IU/mL
TSH · Thyroid-stimulating hormone
A signal from the pituitary gland. TSH is usually the starting point for evaluating thyroid function.
Free T3 · Unbound triiodothyronine
Measures unbound T3. It has limited usefulness in routine hypothyroidism evaluation; interpretation depends on the clinical question.
Free T4 · Unbound thyroxine
Measures unbound T4. It is commonly interpreted with TSH to assess thyroid function.
Reverse T3 · An inactive thyroid hormone form
Included here at the practiceâs request. Reverse T3 is generally not useful for routine hypothyroidism evaluation and is not a standard test everyone needs.
TPO antibodies · Thyroid peroxidase antibodies
Antibodies that can help identify autoimmune thyroid disease. A level alone does not describe how someone feels.
Tg antibodies · Thyroglobulin antibodies
Another thyroid antibody measurement. Routine repeat antibody testing generally does not guide thyroid-hormone treatment.
Mockup only. These numbers are invented to illustrate a report, not her baseline, follow-up results, reference ranges, or treatment targets. An expanded panel is not needed for every patient. Reverse T3 is generally not useful for routine hypothyroidism evaluation; the provider selects clinically appropriate tests. Thyroid testing guidance â
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She completed the ordered testing between visits, so the next conversation could connect her results with her experience.
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For your own care: Only complete tests ordered for you. Ask about their purpose, limitations, alternatives, cost, and completion date.
SECOND VISIT45 minutes to review and plan
Results became a conversation. Then a plan.
Her provider spent 45 minutes reviewing the findings, discussing possible contributors to her symptoms, and explaining how the information fit together.
She and her provider worked together on a game plan based on the evaluation and testing. The focus was on practical next steps for her health, rather than leaving her to interpret a stack of results on her own.
FROM INFORMATION TO ACTIONA plan you can understand and put into practice.
EXAMPLE PLAN
01
Food & daily routinesPractical priorities that fit real life
02
Sleep & stress supportDiscuss habits and realistic changes
03
Supplements, if appropriateProvider-guided choices with a purpose
04
A follow-up on the calendarA chance to review and adjust
Illustrative supplements Her actual products were not specified.
Example plan layout. The products and recommendations shown are illustrative, not this patientâs prescription or a supplement shopping list.
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She helped turn the recommendations into a plan she could work on, then put it into practice between visits.
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Next: A follow-up about 8 weeks later to review how the plan was working in daily life.
FIRST FOLLOW-UPAbout 8 weeks later
The plan needed to fit her workday.
At her next visit, the conversation focused on what was working, what wasnât, and where she needed help. This was a chance to make course corrections.
She was having trouble following the gluten-free approach in her plan. She was also missing lunch at work. Her provider helped her work through meal options and shared quick, protein-forward, grab-and-go ideas.
SMALL ADJUSTMENTS. MORE PRACTICAL SUPPORT.Make the next workday a little easier.
Illustrative meal photo · not a prescribed menu
THE BARRIERGluten-free felt difficultâ
Work through meal options together.
THE BARRIERLunch kept getting missedâ
Have quick, protein-forward options ready.
Bring the practical questions.Meals, routines, and any prescribed supplements are worth discussing at follow-up. Supplement image is illustrative.
The two food-related barriers and support described in her story.
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She kept the follow-up and was honest about the hard parts. That gave her provider something specific to help her work through.
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Next: Continue the adjusted plan and complete repeat labs before the next review.
PROGRESS REVIEWAnother 2â3 months later
Progress she could see. And more importantly, feel.
She followed up with repeat lab work. Her thyroid markers had improved, and her antibody levels were trending down. She described this visit as the point where the impact felt greatest.
HER REPORTED PROGRESSThe numbers mattered. Feeling better mattered more.
10 lbReported weight lossOne part of her experience.
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Thyroid markersImproved in her follow-up testing
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Antibody trendTrending down in her story
Qualitative summary of the supplied patient story. No invented lab trends, chart values, or expected outcomes are shown. Her results are individual.
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She kept working with the plan, returned for follow-up, and completed repeat testing so her provider could review both her experience and the available results.
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Next: Celebrate her progress and agree on a plan to keep moving forward.
These are this patientâs reported outcomes, not expected or guaranteed results. No exact lab values were provided. A falling antibody level alone does not establish recovery or a cure.
LOOKING AHEADCare that evolves with her
From feeling stuck to thinking ahead.
With her brain fog and energy improving, she wanted to shift the conversation toward preventive care and hormone health as she approached perimenopause.
She and her provider created a plan for continued progress and discussed the next phase of her life. Her goals were evolving, and her care could evolve with them.
THE NEXT CHAPTERA little more space to look ahead.
Illustrative image · future goals are individual
01Maintain progress
Keep reviewing what is working.
02Preventive health
Make room for longer-term goals.
03Life-stage questions
Talk about perimenopause and hormone health.
Her next priorities, discussed with her providerânot a promise of any particular treatment.
THE PART SHE PLAYED
She shared what mattered next, turning improvements into an opportunity to plan ahead.
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Your next chapter: A first visit is a place to share your story and explore what appropriate care could look like for you.
Story summarized from the actual patient journey shared by FMofD. No patient name, actual patient photograph, direct quotes, or identifying workplace details are used. The timing and care described are specific to her.
A PLAN HAS TO WORK IN REAL LIFE
The honest check-in was part of the progress.
Her follow-up wasnât just about whether she followed the plan. It was about understanding what got in the wayâand finding a way through it together.
Explore two moments from her story.
Make the recommendation usable.
The gluten-free approach was part of her individual plan, but following it was proving difficult. At her check-in, she said so. Her provider worked with her on meal options and strategies she could use.
What made the follow-up useful: she brought the challenge into the room, and the team helped her work through it.
Work with the workday.
She kept missing lunch while working in finance. Her provider shared a list of quick, protein-forward, grab-and-go options to help her stay on track. The support addressed a specific obstacle in her day.
What made the follow-up useful: a real-life barrier led to practical support, instead of another recommendation that was hard to follow.
These were her individual care needs. A gluten-free diet is not automatically needed for everyone with Hashimotoâs.
WHY STAYING ON SCHEDULE MATTERS
A rhythm for care. Room for course corrections.
Each visit had a job to do. Between visits, she put the plan into practice.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOMENT
Have the information ready for a meaningful review.
Her follow-through: She completed the testing ordered after her first visit.
Having the available results for the second visit gave her provider information to review alongside her history and symptoms. The 45-minute conversation could focus on understanding the findings and agreeing on a plan.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOMENT
Catch the barriers while youâre building new routines.
Her follow-through: She returned about 8 weeks later and shared what was difficult.
That conversation surfaced the challenges with gluten-free meals and missed lunches. The team could adjust the strategy and help make it workable before simply carrying the same plan forward.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOMENT
Review how you feel, alongside the information you have.
Her follow-through: She returned another 2â3 months later with repeat lab work.
The visit brought together her reported improvements and the follow-up results. She and her provider could recognize progress, discuss what to continue, and make room for her next health goals.
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If labs are delayed or you need to change a visit, contact the office early. The team can help decide the next step. Your own provider will set your testing and follow-up schedule.
You donât need to arrive with all the answers. Start with a conversation about what youâre experiencing, what youâve tried, and what you hope can change.
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A COMPLIMENTARY WELCOME
Red light + electric meditation
Schedule your first functional medicine evaluation and receive a complimentary red light and Master Reset (electric meditation) sessionâa wellness experience focused on relaxation and taking a pause from daily stress.
One complimentary combined session with your first evaluation through this offer. The session is in person and scheduled after the team confirms suitability. Evaluation, labs, and ongoing care are billed separately. Mention the patient-journey welcome offer when scheduling.
Opens FMofDâs scheduling request page. This requests a callback; your visit is confirmed with the team.
Patient-journey welcome offer: a complimentary red light + Master Reset (electric meditation) session when scheduling my first functional medicine evaluation. Please confirm suitability and arrange the session.
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BEFORE YOU TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Good questions. Clearer expectations.
Will my journey look like hers? +
Your history, needs, testing, plan, and results may be different. This story shows one patientâs experience. It does not predict weight loss, symptom improvement, lab changes, or the time it may take for you to notice progress.
Does everyone need these tests or a gluten-free diet? +
No. Testing and nutrition recommendations should answer questions relevant to your individual care. The combination described here was part of her plan. Ask your provider what is appropriate for you, what it could change, what the limitations are, and what it costs.
What does an antibody trend actually tell me? +
Her story included a downward antibody trend, but that alone does not show that Hashimotoâs has resolved or explain all of her symptom changes. The American Thyroid Association notes that routine repeated antibody monitoring is generally unnecessary; thyroid function and the clinical picture matter. Her experience should not be read as a reason for every patient to request more testing.
YesâFMofD works alongside your existing care team. Keep your primary care and specialist follow-ups. Continue prescribed medication unless the clinician managing it advises a change. This patient story does not describe stopping thyroid medication.
Do you accept insurance? +
We accept most major insurance plans. Ask the team to verify your specific coverage and explain visit costs and any labs or services that may be billed separately before proceeding.
What is included in the complimentary session? +
When you schedule your first functional medicine evaluation through this offer, ask for the complimentary combined red light and Master Reset (electric meditation) session. It is an in-office wellness session focused on relaxation. The team will confirm suitability and arrange it with you. The evaluation, testing, and other care are billed separately.
Can I discuss perimenopause and preventive health? +
Yes, bring questions about symptoms, life-stage changes, and preventive health to your visit. Your provider can discuss appropriate evaluation, care coordination, and next steps. This story does not promise any particular hormone treatment.
LETâS TALK ABOUT YOUR FIRST STEP
You donât have to map it out alone.
Functional Medicine of Delaware · 35 W. Main Street, Middletown, DE
Illustrative image · not the actual patient
