chronic illness relief
I want to thank you for your positive feedback and help in attaining wellness. When I came to you the first of December, I was physically, emotionally, and psychologically drained. I was officially diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in February 1998. However, I had been battling tiredness and poor health due to low immunity since 1996.
I had tried everything to conquer my fatigue. Doctors prescribed sleep, antidepressants, vitamin therapies, allergy diets, B-I 2 shots, a job change, more sleep, and homeopathics. Nothing worked short-term let alone for the long haul. The only possibilities I had left were an acupuncturist and a native American Shaman. I jokingly told friends my final options were to be poked with needles or embark on a vision quest!
I had been sleeping 12 or more hours a night and still awoke not feeling rested. At the end of my first session of acupuncture, I felt more energized. I felt even more energetic at the end of the second session. Within two weeks, I began to have a life again. I could stay up till 11 at night and talk with my husband who gets home at 8:30pm. Can you imagine the crunch my 9pm bedtime had put on our relationship?
Not only has my husband noticed a significant increase in my energy, my personal trainer has remarked I possess more stamina and ability to lift weights than a year ago. I now have the energy to work, shop, exercise, all the things that for so long were just too tiresome to do. In less than 3 months, I feel I have attained 90% of my energy back; when I met you I was operating at about 25%.
Thank you for providing a treatment that worked for my CFS, an illness that afflicts so many people which is going misdiagnosed, mistreated, or simply ignored. I highly recommend your ML Special Treatment for anyone plagued by CFS. Your belief in my illness and confidence in my eventual wellness helped me regain my lifestyle. Thanks again to you and your staff.
My best to you, TC
My symptoms actually started in the mid-80’s. I have never been an outside person, not woodsy in the least. I was originally diagnosed with Epstein-Barr (chronic fatigue) when I started missing work for 6-9 months at a time. My doctor put me on a number of antibiotics during this time.
I was diagnosed in 1991 with Lymes disease, in its later stages. It was mis-diagnosed, as mentioned above, in its’ beginning stages. I had already been non-functional for awhile, meaning that I had major headaches, what I call ‘brain dysfunctioning’, eye problems, total body pain, problems walking & breathing, even with my coordination. I experienced asthmatic episodes, as well as uncontrollable sugar / diabetic attacks from high AND low sugar levels. Being around sick people would incapacitate me for days and even weeks at a time. My family knew that if anyone were ill nobody could visit me. I couldn’t be around anyone with any sickness/illness even a common cold put me through a total body malfunction.
My main doctor called in infectious disease specialists, and I went to the hospital a number of times, with 24-hr intravenous off & on. I would do nothing but work and go to bed, at times my system was too tired to even eat.
At times, when these symptoms were severe, I was bed-ridden for months at a time. I was out of work for long periods of time, as walking was just about impossible, and had an oxygen tank at home, to assist my breathing. To top this off, I had high-blood pressure due to a certain degree of obesity.
Of course there were the associated emotional problems because of the above.
All throughout the period between 1991-1997 my symptoms were quite severe, attacks were lasting longer & longer, and by the summer of 1997 the fight was becoming too much, I was just about to give up. In May of 1997, I picked up the book ‘Feeling Light’ and started reading it. I didn’t read it all because it was too tough for my brain, but thought that acupuncture might be something which could help though my mental processes considered it a ‘taboo—not a normal approach. Throughout the summer I was ready to give up. During this time frame, the word ‘death’ came up too many times during the day in my mind’s eye – then all of a sudden, while driving to work I began to feel it was about me – my body and life was winding down.
I couldn’t do my job, my pain was so great that my brain could not function properly and went out on sick-leave.
In August, I went to my doctor, Dr. Burkett, who admitted that he was losing me. He suggested acupuncture but couldn’t recommend anyone in specific. I got information about the ‘Women Healing Women’ seminar on a whim and saw Shoshanna’s picture in the brochure. I went to Shoshanna’s workshop and the question I asked was about Lymes disease, and Shoshanna responded that “yes, of course, acupuncture would help!”
I felt from that moment that this was the person I had to see. I called and made an appointment with Shoshanna. I cancelled my first appointment, and my husband made sure I was rescheduled.
The day I came in, I was very sick – by the third visit I told Shoshanna that “I don’t remember my first visit” and Shoshanna’s response was “You weren’t, only your spirit was here”. At this time, I was feeling I was going to die, and did not want to be a burden on my family, all I wanted to do was to make it through the holidays and I thought that by February, I would leave my body, on it’s own. I was giving up that much.
Acupuncture was my last resort and I was willing to give another six months. I would be committed to fight this last battle, maybe this would be the answer.
I have been coming in regularly for the past 16 months. At times I would feel “immediate” changes in my body, right during her treatment. I also started tai chi and meditation during this time. I was, at that point, still on excessive medications, and yet within about 5-6 months, I was able to decrease my different dosages and got off 95% of my prescriptions.
Once in severe pain, during one of my initial treatments, I used one of Shoshanna’s meditations, and during the second time through, as the dove flew away, so did a sheet of pain. On a number of occasions, I literally felt a change happening. Within the first week, I was confident that this was what I needed.
Since beginning acupuncture, I have only needed antibiotics three times, stopped using inhalants and my lungs feel much better now. I don’t get sick like I used to and can be around others. I have even lost 65 pounds.
Within months my attacks became less frequent, less severe with shorter amounts of time. I basically do not take medications anymore. Prior to this ‘healing crisis’, I was very active and life just about disintegrated over the years. Today, my healing is about 75%, there’s a way to go BUT my husband reminds me that I am doing so much more than I have over the last few years. I attribute my healing 100% due to Shoshanna’s acupuncture and caring. She was a god-send. My turn-around has been simply amazing… D.L.
I came to Shoshanna a barely functioning shell of myself. I was experiencing a seven month long heavy detox from a medication and my body was not recovering. My symptoms were so numerous and so severe that most days I could not get out of bed let alone work, socialize, drive or even carry on a conversation. I had chronic nausea and vomiting, chest and stomach pain, sensitivity to light and sound, hallucinations, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, emotional numbness, dangerous weight loss, insomnia, vision problems, hot flashes, racing heart, palpitations, brain zaps, shortness of breath, dizziness, etc. I visited multiple doctors over the course of many months including other acupuncturists and even the Emergency Room a few times. No one was able to help me and I was losing hope that I would never recover.
Unsure of where to turn, I found Red Bank Acupuncture online and decided to give it a try. After one short phone call with Shoshanna, I knew in my heart that she would be the one to help me. However, feeling the pressure to stick to conventional medicine, I ignored my instincts and went to the osteopath instead. This was the wrong decision as I ended up even sicker than before. Unable to move from bed the next morning, I finally made the decision to have a consultation with Shoshanna.
I showed up at her office in a daze. As clouded and trepidatious as I was, I immediately felt safe and hopeful with her. Being that I am extremely sensitive to energies and that I was in such a vulnerable state, Shoshanna had the challenge of treating my severe condition in a minimal and gentle way. After my first two treatments, I was amazed at how incredible I felt. After being sick for so long, I had started to forget what it felt like to feel normal! Over the next few months, I experienced many ups and downs as my being began to come into balance. Healing is a journey and I came to each appointment in a different state with different needs. Shoshanna not only listened to my words, but she listened intently to what my being was calling that day. She spent as much time with me as I needed, sharing in both my afflictions and successes. Within weeks, many of my symptoms disappeared and I began to step back into life. Three months later, I am 95% better and practically symptom free. I am back to work and traveling with newfound strength. Not only am I standing on my own two feet again, but I am thriving in a bright new way. So much of my success is due to the physical, energetic, mental, emotional, and spiritual support Shoshanna has provided and continues to provide me. She has empowered me to take the lead in my own healing and in turn has helped me heal myself. She is a true healer in every respect and an all-around beautiful human being. I am deeply humbled and eternally grateful to have her as my healer, confidant, loving guide, and friend. J.B. Manalapan, NJ
I have not been able to function for much of my life since about 1985. I was finally diagnosed with Lymes disease in the later stage in 1991. While public awareness was increasing during this time, none of the professionals thought about diagnosing me as having the disease, as I am not a ‘woodsy’ person. During this period I suffered from headaches, brain dysfunction, eye problems, total body pain, depression, difficulty walking and breathing, and poor coordination. I also experienced diabetic attacks due to uncontrollable fluctuations in blood sugar levels, asthma, obesity, and high blood pressure. My immune system was so compromised that I couldn’t take any visitors even if they just had a cold for fear of my being incapacitated for days and even weeks at a time.
At times, when symptoms were the most severe it was not unusual for me to be bed-ridden for months at a time because walking became impossible. I even needed to have an oxygen tank at home. During other periods, I would do nothing but work and go to bed. Many times I was too tired to even eat. I was hospitalized a number of times, on 24 hour intravenous antibiotics, and my primary physician called in an infectious disease specialist. No matter what was done for me my symptoms became more severe and attacks were lasting longer and longer. By the summer of 1997 the fight was becoming too much, I was just about to give up. I thought about death often and one day realized that I might be dying soon. It was as if my body and the life that it held was winding down. Even my physician, Dr. Burkett felt that he was losing me.
I learned about acupuncture from Dr. Burkett, who recommended that I try it. I learned about Shoshanna from her book, Feeling Light, and from attending her acupuncture lecture at the Women Healing Women Symposium in October of 1997. During the lecture I asked Shoshanna if acupuncture could help Lymes disease, and she responded affirmatively. I knew from that moment on that Shoshanna was the person I had to see. I called and made an appointment, cancelled, and then rescheduled as my husband made sure I was going. Acupuncture was my last resort. I was willing to give it a trial period of six months and felt committed to fight this last battle with the hope that it would be the answer.
I have been receiving acupuncture treatments on a regular basis for the past 16 months. Within the first week, I was confident that it was what I needed. Many times I would feel immediate changes in my body during the treatment. Within months my attacks became less frequent, less severe, and of shorter duration. Within 6 months of starting treatments I was able to decrease my medications by 95%. I have only needed antibiotics three times and have totally stopped using inhalants for my asthma. My lungs feel much better now. I don't get sick like I used to and can be around others even if they are sick. Today, my healing has reached about 75%. I still have a way to go but my husband always reminds me how much more I'm capable of doing since starting acupuncture. I attribute all of my healing to Shoshanna's acupuncture and caring. She is a 'god-send.' My turn-around has been simply amazing…I have even lost 65 pounds. DL
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