01/09/2026
Before I ever started supplements, I was in a really dark place. I was miserable, severely depressed, and angry with myself for letting my health slip so far. I weighed more than I ever had — even more than when I was pregnant with my girls. I was completely exhausted. After working a full-time, high-stress desk job, I’d come home, sit on the couch, and reheat leftovers just to get through the week. Even cleaning our small townhouse took an entire weekend because I had to take so many breaks.
That began to change in September 2013 after starting the supplements. I noticed I finally had energy again — real energy. I could get things done around the house without feeling wiped out, and over the next seven months I lost about 45 pounds.
Fast forward to January 2018 — just two days before my 50th birthday — when we got custody of our 3-month-old and 13-month-old grandbabies. Starting over with babies again was a huge adjustment because my youngest daughter was 23. Plus commuting an hour each way to work, and we were juggling schedules, routines, DHS requirements, and taking the babies to DHS for weekly visits with their parents. Survival mode kicked in quickly.
Before we knew it, fast food became our go-to during the workweek, and the weight slowly started creeping back on. Then 2020 hit, COVID shut everything down, and I was working from home. On top of that, menopause arrived — thankfully without hot flashes, which I personally credit to our Shine women’s hormone optimizer — but it still made everything harder. We kept trying to get back on track, but life kept happening, and we’d fall off the wagon again.
Eventually, I found myself in a mental funk. When the Gut Collective launched, I ordered it, and it honestly helped pull me out of that place. I noticed less inflammation, lost a few pounds, and maintained for a bit — but menopause eventually stalled my progress again.
When I heard that XMD Wellness Peptides would be launching in Fall 2025, I was nervous. I did my research, especially looking into women who had recently gone through breast cancer and their experiences. That mattered to me because in August 2024, I was diagnosed with DCIS stage 0, grade 3 breast cancer in my right breast. I had two lumpectomies and underwent 20 rounds of radiation due to concerns that microscopic cancer cells may not have been detected on imaging because of the aggressive grade.
When XMD Wellness officially launched in November, my husband was affected by the government shutdown and worked nearly two months without pay, so I had to wait. As soon as we were able, I ordered my injections. I’ve lost a few pounds so far, but what I’ve noticed most is how my body is changing — even when the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. I started at the lowest dose since peptides were new to me, and after my third injection, I spoke with the provider about increasing my dose for my second bottle.
I’m excited — and cautiously hopeful — to see what month two brings once it arrives.
✨ This is my personal experience only. Everyone’s body and journey are different. I’m not giving medical advice, and any health decisions should always be made with a qualified healthcare provider.
💛 If this speaks to you, I would truly love to lock arms with you and walk this journey together. We can accomplish so much more with an accountability partner — someone to lift us up, cheer us on, and remind us we’re not doing this alone.
