Over the years I've had a few auto immune related issues come up (peripheral neuropathy, "restless leg syndrome") that was linked to genetics and easily written off as "a part of life." The true change came when in mid 2024 I experienced facial numbness along the maxillary/infraorbital nerve. This really freaked me out because I was unable to feel half my face from my upper palate/gums, upper lip and along my nose face area.

Reaching out to my primary care clinic, they were unable to get me in to see my primary care physician for over a month. Needing to get some support in understanding what was going on I went to urgent care to see if they could help. They didn't have any doctors and only offered a junior nurse practitioner who was not any help. I remember sitting in my car after that appointment and really feeling that the health care system was broken and I was on my own. Right there in the car outside urgent care, I started researching and calling local neurologists. Calling one after another I was unable to find one that didn't have a multiple month wait list or took my insurance (a nice PPO I might add).

One listing stood out to me. A doctor, not MD, but of chiropractic and specializing in neurological rehabilitation and functional medicine/nutrition focusing on multiple neurological based issues including autoimmune & metabolic illnesses. This doctor was the only one with five stars. It was a long shot but I finally felt like there was a path forward.

After an initial video call and in-person appointment we started off getting extensive blood tests and facial and cranial MRI's. The tests took a few weeks to schedule and get results back on. Nothing stood out in the MRI's but with the blood tests there were some markers of an inconclusive auto immune condition. The doctor then put me on an autoimmune protocol consisting of an elimination diet, diet journal, and a hand full of supplements to take morning and night.

The elimination diet was not easy to follow but being faced with not feeling my face I didn't really have an option. I diligently executed on the protocol with few deviations. After a few months I started to getting feeling back in my face and areas that I've had longer term issues with such as my peripheral neuropathy.

The protocol has since been modified after narrowing down the items that do and do not cause issues (Protocol).