A 21-year-old woman came to my clinic fainting five to ten times every day—and had been since she was 15 years old. She was six months pregnant, terrified, and none of her doctors could figure out what was wrong.
In just one month, she completely turned her life around.
My name is Dr. Tom Rofrano from the Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and author of the FreeDiet®.
Her Symptoms: Six Years of Blackouts and No Answers
This patient’s story is one of my favorite transformations in nearly 40 years of practice.
She came in at 21 years old, six months pregnant, and had been fainting 5–10 times daily since age 15. Her symptoms included:
- PVCs and heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Numbness and tingling in her hands and feet
- Low back pain
- Bloating
- Indigestion
- Heartburn
She had seen many doctors, worn a heart monitor, and still had no answers.
Her OB/GYN told her the blackouts were “just part of being pregnant”—but she had been fainting for six years, including during her previous pregnancy.
She needed real answers.
What Her Doctors Missed: Root Causes Revealed
Comprehensive testing showed multiple issues contributing to her symptoms.
- Low Ferritin (Stored Iron)
Ferritin represents stored iron in the body. Low ferritin reduces oxygen delivery to every cell.
During pregnancy, iron needs double—and her body was running on empty.
This caused:
- Borderline anemia
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Palpitations
- Numbness and tingling
- Headaches
- Low Calcium and Low CO₂
Both can contribute to:
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Neurological symptoms
- Multiple Nutrient Deficiencies
She had below-optimal levels of:
- Vitamin D
- B12
- Sodium
- Potassium
- High Cortisol
Chronic stress from years of symptoms elevated her cortisol levels.
- Gut Issues Causing Malabsorption
Her gut problems were preventing her from absorbing iron and other nutrients—leading to the deficiencies that caused her fainting episodes.
Individually, these issues might not cause all her symptoms. But combined, they created chronic, debilitating health problems.
Her Recovery: One Month to Stop Fainting Completely
I put her on a specific diet and supplements (modified for pregnancy), and at one month:
- No more fainting
- No blackouts for three weeks
- No more headaches
- No more numbness or tingling
- No more palpitations
- Gut symptoms improved
At two months, she continued feeling better.
She delivered her baby a month later, but after stopping supplements for nearly two months and having a C-section with blood loss, her symptoms returned.
She restarted her diet and supplements, and one month later:
- No more blackouts
- No dizziness
- No headaches
- No numbness or tingling
Repeat labs showed:
- Ferritin doubled (still below optimal, but no longer low)
- Sodium and potassium improved
- Red blood cells and hemoglobin increased
- B12 and vitamin D increased
- CO₂ normalized
How She Healed: The FreeDiet®
She followed the FreeDiet®, which I developed years ago while healing my own autoimmune Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, fatigue, and skin issues.
Foods to Avoid on the FreeDiet®
- Gluten
- Grains
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Soy
- Legumes
- Nightshades
- Processed foods
Because she was pregnant, I modified the diet to include additional healthy carbohydrates at lunch and dinner.
If you’d like the FreeDiet® Phase 1 Food Chart, I’ll include a link below.
Supplements That Supported Her Recovery
Her supplement plan included:
The Functional Five™:
- Multivitamin
- Fish oil
- Vitamin D with K
- Magnesium
- Probiotic
Plus:
- Iron glycinate
- Sublingual B12
- Vitamin C (to enhance iron absorption)
These helped replenish nutrient deficiencies, support her gut, and restore healthy iron levels.
Her Long-Term Results
She went from debilitating symptoms to enjoying her life again. She even began competing in fitness competitions, had two more children, and continues to live a full and active life with her husband and four kids.
The Bottom Line
If you have symptoms like fainting, dizziness, fatigue, gut issues, or abnormal ferritin, it’s essential to get:
- Proper testing
- Proper interpretation
- Root-cause solutions
When you uncover what’s driving your symptoms and address it correctly, I believe almost anyone can get better.
Go here if you would like a free copy of the FreeDiet® phase 1 food chart.
