A 45-year-old woman came to my clinic feeling exhausted. Her labs showed low ferritin, low vitamin D, and a sluggish thyroid. But the real surprise wasn’t just her recovery—her 55-year-old husband, also my patient, was being treated for frozen shoulder. By addressing their root causes, we didn’t just fix her fatigue and his shoulder.
Two months later, after years of trying, she received shocking news: she was pregnant.
Here’s exactly what we found in their labs—and how their health transformation happened.
My name is Dr. Tom Rofrano from the Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and author of the FreeDiet®.
Her Symptoms: Fatigue, Neck Pain, and Hidden Deficiencies
This story is part of my “Top 40 Patient Success Stories” series, and it’s easily in the top three.
She came in with:
- Fatigue
- Neck pain
Her labs revealed:
- Below-optimal ferritin, causing borderline anemia
- Low vitamin D
- Sluggish thyroid function
She had been married for many years and had never gotten pregnant. All three issues—ferritin, vitamin D, and thyroid—can affect fertility and the ability to maintain a healthy full-term pregnancy.
Although her levels were technically “normal,” they were not optimal, which is what truly matters for fertility.
For example:
- Ferritin range for women: 15–150
- Her ferritin: 20
- Levels below 30 are considered deficient for fertility
The same principle applies to vitamin D and TSH—optimal ranges matter.
Her Husband’s Symptoms: Frozen Shoulder and Hidden Hypothyroidism
Her 55-year-old husband came in with frozen shoulder. He had tried other providers and therapy, but nothing worked.
He found our clinic by accident.
During his evaluation, I told him:
“Besides chiropractic treatment and therapy, we need to see what’s going on internally that’s keeping you from getting better.”
His labs showed:
- High TSH, indicating hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a risk factor for frozen shoulder due to inflammation and decreased microcirculation, which affects muscle and connective tissue repair.
It can also contribute to infertility in men.
Step 1: The Anti-Inflammatory FreeDiet®
I put both on 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
If you’d like a copy of the FreeDiet® Phase 1 Food Chart, I’ll include a link below.
Step 2: Targeted Supplements
For Her
- The Functional Five™ (multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D with K, magnesium, probiotic)
- Iron glycinate with vitamin C (for low ferritin and borderline anemia)
For Him
- The Functional Five™ (multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D with K, magnesium, probiotic)
- Thyroid support nutrients
- Healthy Inflammation support
Their Results After One Month
His Results
- TSH normalized
- Thyroid improved from over 7 to 3.29
- Frozen shoulder improved significantly
Her Results
- More energy
- Less pain
The Shocking News at Two Months
At two months, both continued improving.
She asked:
“My period is four or five days late. What do you recommend?”
I told her:
“Go across the street to CVS and get a pregnancy test.”
She insisted it wasn’t possible—they had been married for many years and had never gotten pregnant.
But we had been working on balancing their systems and restoring optimal health.
The next day, they returned:
She was pregnant.
They were in complete shock.
She was excited—and scared.
He was stunned:
“I’m 55. I was thinking about slowing down and retiring. I’ll be 75 at my kid’s high school graduation.”
I reassured him:
“This will be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
A Beautiful Ending
A week later, they returned home to South Carolina feeling better than ever.
Nine months later, we received a call—they had a beautiful baby girl, born on my daughter’s 7th birthday.
Coincidentally, they named her the same name as my daughter’s best friend.
Their entire journey began because he injured his shoulder, couldn’t get better, and accidentally found our clinic.
By treating both, they not only restored their health—they welcomed a baby girl into their lives.
The Bottom Line
Whether you have fatigue, pain, chronic gut issues, thyroid problems, or other symptoms, it’s essential to get:
- Proper testing
- Proper interpretation
- Root-cause solutions
When you uncover your root causes and are provided the right solutions, I believe almost anyone can get better.
Go here if you would like a free copy of the FreeDiet® phase 1 food chart.
