From Fear and Panic to Peace: Healing Dysautonomia After Antibiotics

In this episode, we share a real recovery story from dysautonomia after antibiotics. This is a story of fear turning into calm—and sickness turning into healing.

Get some help yourself. 

https://drhughwegwerth.com/discovery-call/

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How dysautonomia can start after antibiotics
• Why symptoms often make no sense
• How stress and survival mode block healing
• What helped calm the nervous system
• How real recovery happened in months—not years

Amy’s symptoms included:

• Extreme fatigue and dizziness
• Head pressure and brain fog
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Heart palpitations
• Blood sugar crashes
• Digestive and hormone problems
• Poor sleep

What changed her recovery path:

• Lowering fear and stress
• Calming the nervous system
• Anti-inflammatory nutrition
• Protein-focused meals
• Sleep and brain support
• Simple, steady daily habits

The result:

• Less anxiety
• Stable blood sugar
• More energy
• Better sleep
• Confidence returned
• A calmer nervous system

Final message:

• Dysautonomia is not permanent
• Your body is not broken
• Healing is possible when the block is removed

If you or someone you love is dealing with dysautonomia, antibiotic injury, or unexplained symptoms—this episode brings hope, clarity, and a real path forward.

Transcript

0:00

Okay, great. So, um, we have a special guest today. Um, this is this is Amy, and she's, um, a client, and she was damaged by antibiotics, and she's just going to go through her story. Um, but before you start, Amy, I just want to kind of give a shout out is these videos is, um, I think. Did you watch any of my videos before you reached out to me? Um, I searched for, um, dysautonomia because those were my symptoms. Those were your symptoms. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Um, so I looked at some of the things that you had on Instagram before I reached. Okay. All right. It's interesting where people get information, but my whole, my my whole point of this is if you are watching this, um, you know, it takes some courage for someone like Amy to come on and be recorded, right? So just I just want people to know that, that there's some bravery with, with someone coming on and recording them. And I talked to Amy about this, um, and she agreed. And at the end of the day, really, these I know these videos make a huge impact on someone, because when people come to me, they say, I saw XYZ or, you know, and the reference a person in one of these videos. So, so whoever's going to see this, this is, you know, the internet, anyone can see it all over the world. Like you are definitely going to make an impact on someone because I know for sure with 100% certainty someone took these antibiotics, Cipro, Levofloxacin, whatever it is and is having the same symptoms that that you were having. Okay. Yeah. So, um, you've been we've been working together for about six months, and I just kind of want to read. I was looking at some of the texts that we had, and I just want to read one line from one of the texts, and I think it kind of sums up like where you started from, um, and, and you said to me here or in a text, uh, you said, which now you're completely different. You said I break down multiple, multiple times every day in tears over how awful I feel. That was in July of 2025. Just to give people a reference. Now it's December of 2025. So so six months. So maybe just kind of speak your heart and what happened to you and what kind of things you were you you went through and your symptoms and and it was take it from there. Sure. Yeah. Thank you. Um, I know that, you know, God provided you at the right time in my life. It was very frightening. I wasn't sure what was going on. I was having all kinds of symptoms, um, and from fatigue, dizziness, uh, heavy, full head, um, I tiredness, hormone imbalance, digestive issues. And then those anxious, that anxiety, those anxious thoughts, um, plus many more things heart palpitations, blood sugar issues. And I wasn't sure what was going on. And, um, I was yeah, at a breaking point and, um, I started to do a little bit of research and came across, um, dysautonomia, which seemed to kind of match what I was experiencing, but I needed to know some more. So I reached out to you, Doctor Hugh, and, um, yeah, pretty desperate for help. And I know God provided, um, some things, including you, uh, in my journey over these last few months, so. Well, I appreciate that. Uh, that made me cry a little bit. I didn't expect that. Wow. Well, thanks. Yeah. That's, uh, means a lot. And, um, it's interesting because I remember, you know, um, it's just like me and my my assistant, like Tammy, who's like, my wife, like, we we don't have a huge office or, you know, we do telemedicine. And I remember when I got that text I was actually laying in bed. It was at night that somehow you reached out to me and I responded back to you. Um, and then, like, here you are six months later, way, way better. So why did you initially take these, these drugs? What was the initial problem? Um. I don't remember us exactly talking about, you know, that it was the antibiotics that damaged, but I. I remember telling you that I had taken antibiotics several times in my life, um, for sinus issues, for chronic sinus infections. Um, so, yeah, it has been a long time since I've, you know, used antibiotics. I don't remember, um, which ones I had used. Um, but, um, I know that in previous years and it's been a while since I've had a sinus infection, but I always have, you know, um, recurring, you know, just sinus drainage and things like that. And so, um, but but back way back when I was on antibiotics quite a bit for different sinus infections. So, um, I don't know. I don't remember us talking exactly about that being, you know, one of the main root causes or anything. Um, but I know for a lot of people, it can it can impact them greatly. So. Yeah, for sure. So tell, tell people like what? What you went through, what what you did and how you're doing now. Okay. Yeah. So when I first, um, uh, found you and started, um, uh, becoming became a client of yours, um, I, like we just said, was in pretty rough shape. And I think fear was playing a lot of, uh, the part into that, just not knowing what was going on. And so what was so helpful to me right off the bat was that you sent me, um, your website with a whole bunch of content. You sent me emails, you sent me text messages, um, with a personalized, um, personalized content that really made me feel seen and heard and, um, um, things that you thought might be able to really help me initially, like, start to get rid of that low hanging fruit. Like you said, even before we onboarded, you said, this is what it could be. This is these are some options. Um, and it was just such a I just breathed a sigh of relief, like, oh, maybe there's help here. Yeah. Um, and so that was fantastic. I've never dealt with a doctor before like that where you were available, you know, through text or through, um, email with any questions. And I know we kind of chuckled because at the beginning, I, I messaged you a lot. I was like, well, she's messaging me a lot. Yes, yes, I had a lot of questions. I had a lot of concerns. And like I said, I realized, um, now, you know, feeling so much better that that fear played a big part of it, too. When you don't know what's wrong, when you don't know what's happening, um, you know, people can experience that. Of course. So, um, but you took some of that out and you said, we're going to get you some help. And, um, you know, I really felt that. And so I watched a lot of your content. I watched a lot of other people with similar, um, symptoms, like some of the videos that you had out there on your website. And they were, um, very helpful to me. And then, uh, you came up with a plan within, like, two days of, you know, how we could start to take care of some of this. And really, what it ended up being is, um, something, but, uh, it could have been some of the antibiotics or different things down, you know, in my past and in on my journey. Um, but a lot of different stressors, right? In life we have just different things that cause us stress. Um, just became a limbic system or nervous system kind of breakdown, which is very correct me if I'm wrong, but it's very much in line with like dysautonomia and different things. Mhm. Yeah. Um, and so all of those things were all of those um, systems in my body were impacted by this nervous system breakdown. Um, and um, yeah, I was starting to, um, understand a little bit more as I was doing some research and God was revealing things to me as I was praying and really giving that over to him and not being so afraid, um, and just just trusting him. And so through this whole process, um, you know, you had me, um, start to cut down on some anti-inflammatory foods and, um, do a meat and fruit diet for a while and then start to put things back in to see how I responded. And, um, you know, to try different supplements, um, like fish oil and different things that can help with the brain health and anti-inflammatory. So, um, and then you also helped me to sleep better because that was an issue as well. And so that was really important right off the bat to, uh, to start sleeping better as well. So yeah, I think, you know, one of the things we talk about, um, you know, when people have, uh, illness, chronic illness, weird symptoms and they don't get people just aren't getting answers in the conventional system. That's just not happening at all. And then, like, what I really try and do is have all this content, um, on my website. So when you would text me or we'd have the phone calls. I would like give you very specific content, like, you know, watch this, watch that. Yeah. And I think that's really critical for people because then they have like a direction. They have like a roadmap. It's not mysterious. It's not crazy. It's not all in your head. Right. There's things that can be done. And this is the information. Once you watch it then it like makes sense of what's happening. And I know in particular like one of the things that we were really dealing with was like a hypoglycemia kind of condition maybe. Could you describe kind of what happened with that? Sure. So I'm a petite, you know, frame and size. And I most of my life, since I was about 19, 20 years old, um, I noticed some hypoglycemic, um, episodes where if I wouldn't eat, um, enough or, um, too much time had gone by, I would start to feel shaky and sweaty and hot and, um, you know, just I guess shaky is the word. I often used it to describe it. So, um, that's happened for many, many years. But, um, I have found, um, with your suggestions that having smaller meals and more protein in my diet has been a huge help for that as well. But I also believe that, you know, that nervous system. I think, you know, I ended up being living in fight or flight. That was what was going on. Right. And, um, but for it takes a lot for the, I'm assuming, for the body to kind of get to that fight or flight all the time breakdown kind of mode, years and years of like living in stressors or the way that we handle those stressors. And so I think even when that started for me in my early 20s, um, it probably was already an indicator of, you know, some, um, hypervigilance of stress and different things. And so, um, definitely when I have been learning to manage the stress in my life, um, through just taking it to God and, and, you know, those replacing it with truth from God's word and things. Um, it's something I wish I would have known or done, uh, years and years ago, because I do think that impacted, um, my blood sugar levels, too. And they would just kind of dip all the time. But, um, so managing the stress has been huge, but then changing my, um, uh, eating habits and more protein, um, and smaller, more frequent meals has been, uh, key for me as well. Yeah, that's that's really, really, uh, significant. And then too, also you, you were so anxious, like you actually gave up driving for, for a period, right? Um. Yes I did. Yep, I did. It was um. Yeah. I think, uh, like I said, that fear of what was wrong. I and then that just starts to kind of take over if you let it. But yeah, I've gotten back to as my nervous system has been healing and, um, you know, just been taking those steps, um, to just, you know, not be so stressed and to let go of control and, um, understand just, um, that I'm going to be okay. And what, what it was. And, um, I had to actually step back into it slowly. It I couldn't just drive again. I had to kind of, um, you know, exposure train with that because I had just. Yeah, really gotten very fearful and anxious. Um, and all of that is much better today. So, yeah, I think when we, I if I recall, when we first met on the zoom call, I had you do some like neurological things and that kind of spurred on some. I think you got kind of anxious and nervous when I just did those basic neurology tests on you. Um, yeah. So that was definitely telling you that your nervous system was like, kind of like really, really fragile. Yes. Yeah. Hypervigilant for sure. Yeah. Okay. Well, great. If there's anyone out there watching them, what would you what would be your advice to that person? That because someone's going to be watching Amy right now and they're going to be relating to them. Just your overall experience, um, and how you're doing? Yeah, I would say there's hope, there's help. Um, you know, first of all, God isn't surprised by it. Um, I don't know where everyone's faith level is, but, um, you know, it's it was the number one important thing for me, um, to remember that God's in control. I don't have to be. And then, um, just. If he's put Doctor Hugh in your path, let him, uh, work through through that and, um, you know, try not to fear and, um, just, um, just trust knowing that there is a plan and, um, um, there's help, there's hope, and it's going to be okay. And Doctor Hugh has some, uh, excellent content. He's so knowledgeable. Um, and he will help you to discover what is best for you, what's going to work for you, and, um, ultimately, yeah. Just, um, put your, your faith in, in the Lord, and, um, and if it's stress, um, if it's stress, uh, just let go. Let go and let God for sure. That's awesome. That's really great. One thing, um, when I, when I try and, you know, make these initial calls like, we have the initial calls like I'm a spiritual person, right? And I say this in every conversation is, you know, God designed us to be well, right. So every, every zoom call, when I first meet a person somewhere in that conversation I'm talking about, you know, God designed us to be, well, like you're designed to be. Well. So the thing is, we need to figure out if you have a chronic illness, if you have dysautonomia, whatever it is, there's something hindering your God given healing ability to function and heal. And that's all that we're trying to do here is figure out what that hindrance is. And then once you can clear that up, then the power that made the body, the spirit, the soul, whatever term you want to put onto it that heals. And I can tell you this, that I say that to everybody right away because I want to know. I want clients to know, like right away. I'm a spiritual being. And like if people have that awareness and unfortunately some people don't, they just think like they're a meat stick, right? They're just like this flesh, the flesh and blood. It's more than that. I can tell you. The people that get the best results are one people that are spiritual, that believe that their body can heal, that God designed to heal. And the second thing, if they're married, if they're married, that their spouse is supportive. And you had both of those in your corner and that's why you that's why you you got better. I mean, you made a full recovery. And in fact, in my viewpoint, sometimes people get are going to be in better health. And I think you're one of them, because there were some things out points that you didn't really know that were really out. But now, you know, for like example, the hypoglycemia thing. Right. So now that's handled to a high degree, where now you're actually have better health than before because you're handling these like kind of like mystery symptoms that maybe we're here and there but really weren't bothersome until boom, this atomic bomb got dropped in your lap. Right. Yes. Okay. Agreed. Well, great. Um, any last thoughts before we, um, end the call? No, just, um. Thank you again. I really appreciate your help. And, um. Yeah. Thank you. You're welcome. And remember, where there's help, there's hope. Mhm. Take care of me. Bye bye. Okay. You too. Doctor. Hugh. Bye bye. Bye bye.