Dr. Rick Sponaugle MD

Oldsmar FL

I had black mold poisoning. Yes, everyone will tell you it doesn't do damage, but I was unbelievably sick. I lost my short term memory, couldn't concentrate, couldn't think or even follow and carry on a conversation. I went to countless doctors for over a year, had so many tests performed, and was told I was getting dementia. Not one doctor wanted to hear about the two months I spent on demolition of a mold-filled building. That's when I knew that the regular medical community was not going to help me. I spent months, using the little brain abilities that I had left, researching online. That’s where I found Dr. Sponaugle. I'm thankful every day that I took the chance on going to his clinic. I spent a little over 3 months getting treatment. I regained my cognitive abilities, I was able to socialize, and I am enjoying life again. I would recommend him to anyone. He literally saved my life.

My husband was treated at Sponaugle Wellness Clinic in 2019. We were there for quite some time and I can truly tell you my husband would not be alive today if we had not gone there. SWI will forever be one of the most important places in our lives and we are forever grateful for the work of Dr.Sponaugle and his entire staff, especially our nurse and friend Candy.
“Neurological Toxicity” (related to Lyme, Mold and other co-infections) is often unlivable. Most of the medical world does not believe it, let alone understand it. Hence, very few places are actually equipped to treat it. This clinic takes the patients who have been dismissed by the rest of the world, and treats and educates them, with an individual treatment plan that is assessed daily. It is not an easy or cheap process, but anyone who suffers from this can attest to how complex and difficult it is, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise. You are under the care of the clinic 24/7 while you’re there.
This clinic is ahead of everyone else in this field because Dr.Sponaugle never stops researching and learning, and his experience in treating so many patients over the years has given him the confidence and knowledge to set up protocols that help the sickest of the sick. Not to mention the fact that God has gifted him with this ability to treat and understand patients by truly knowing what is happening inside their body and brain (often just by looking at them) and actually believing how they feel. He is nothing short of a genius and he does this because he cares. I can personally attest to this!
We still return for cleanup sessions a few times a year, and this clinic has become like family to us. We never would have made it through the treatment without the care and heart of our nurse Candy who was by our side fighting for us every step of the way.
We now have the tools and knowledge on how to combat and fight against this illness, and that is why my husband is able to work and continue being a father to our three young children.
Thank you SWI staff for all you do. You convey the essence of care and fight a difficult battle everyday with the very sick patients you help. We pray for all of you always and for God to protect this clinic and continue to guide Dr.Sponaugle in all he does.

Our family is extremely grateful to Dr. Sponaugle and all the wonderful staff at Sponaugle Wellness Institute. After years of sickness and searching for answers, Dr. Sponaugle helped us. He not only gets to the root cause of things and knows how to treat them, he also educates his patients. Thanks to the care and education provided by Sponaugle Wellness Institute, our family is healthier and happier!

My son developed weakness in his left leg late in 2017. His primary care physician tested his reflexes and was very concerned when he had a positive Babinski reflex. His PCP immediately recommended my son see a neurologist. We contacted a neurologist associated with a very well-respected hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. After a number of negative tests which included Western Blot Lyme, nerve conduction testing, multiple MRIs and a spinal tap, the doctor sat with us and explained he was concerned of motor neuron disease. He did not know why my son was having the weakness and foot drop. He recommended IVIG therapy to see if antibodies from someone else could fix what his body couldn’t. As terrified parents, my wife and I were researching frantically to try to find answers. From the research we found and the stories shared by others, we were convinced our son had Lyme disease or mold toxicity. As we researched, we came across the Sponaugle Wellness Institute. The information and patient testimonials made us feel like this could be what was going on with our son. I called and spoke to Deborah with a list of questions. She was very knowledgeable and helped us understand the process. Before going to SWI for treatment, a patient undergoes a bunch of testing which will be used to understand what is going on in their body. The testing data goes directly to SWI and is reviewed before the patient arrives so treatment can begin right away. As a family, we discussed the options and the overwhelming decision-making point was that going to SWI would hopefully lead us to the root cause of our son’s problem. In hindsight, that was the best decision we could have made. We met with Dr. Sponaugle at the end of the first week for hours and were told my son had Lyme disease, mold toxicity and industrial toxicity. Dr. Sponaugle showed us the key data points from all of the testing done before arriving. From the day we arrived until the day we left (12 weeks later), we had an educational experience of a lifetime. Dr. Sponaugle is incredibly knowledgeable and confident…exactly what you want when you’re trusting someone to help your child! The staff at SWI could not be more accommodating and capable. My son’s nurse, Gary, was a gift…just a great person and incredibly good at what he does! The bond developed between patients and their caretakers is very special. Patients can talk to other patients and caretakers can talk to other caretakers. You never feel alone. The process is not easy and, at times, you wonder if you made the right decision. Emotions run high and some people just don’t feel well at times so it’s not uncommon to hear raised voices. Staying committed to the process is a critical component to your chances of a successful result. We will never forget what Dr. Sponaugle and his amazing team did for our son!

I am a patient of Dr. Sponaugle. I was at his clinic from the fall of 2019 through the summer of 2020. He treated me for toxic black mold illness.
Exposure to toxic black mold happened in 2015. I was extremely ill. After seeing many doctors and going to numerous clinics for help with no improvement I found Dr. Sponaugle. His treatment protocols that he developed is what saved my life. I would like to encourage anyone seeking help for toxic illness call the Sponaugle Wellness Institute to inquire for information. To anyone seeking help it is certainly worth a phone call. I am forever grateful to Dr. Sponaugle for his research, studies and continued research for helping me and others with this debilitating illness. Also, a special note to his staff, you are very much appreciated and I thank you as well for your kindness and support.

When coming to Sponaugle Wellness Institute, I had exhausted all my options and considered this clinic as my last hope. I was wheelchair bound, unable to stand, had slurred speech and sometimes unable to speak, had intense seizures, and had stomach issues. Dr. Sponaugle and his staff treated me and believed in my healing even when things seemed lost and unhopeful. There were countless nights when Dr. Sponaugle and his nurses spent hours trying to stop my seizures and get me stable. He even stayed during Hurricane Irma to treat several patients, including myself, who were too ill to evacuate. Dr. Sponaugle never gave up on me, and for that, I am forever grateful. He and his staff will do whatever they can to bring their patients to health and healing.

Healing lives, creating futures is Sponaugle Wellness Institutes tagline, and I think Dr. Sponaugle does more then that, he saved my life! I was a patient at SWI just over 3 years ago and was treated for chronic Lyme disease and mold toxicity. When I arrived I was in a wheelchair and extremely ill. Within weeks I no longer needed that wheelchair and by the time I left I knew that I had my life back. It took awhile after leaving for my body to fully heal post treatment, which is expected, and now three years later I still feel amazing!

Prior to receiving treatment at SWI I saw over 25 doctors, which non-could diagnose me or even begin to treat me. I had been suffering with Lyme disease for a majority of my life and within minutes of meeting Doc, I knew I was in the right place and he was able to explain to me exactly what had been causing me such pain for so many years. Doc and all his staff are amazing to their patients and their family. I loved that Doc taught us about Lyme and explained to us what was happening so that we always understood what was happening to our bodies throughout his treatment.

I am so thankful for having found Sponaugle Wellness Institute as without it I don’t know where I would be. But I know that I would not be the lively, health, active, person I am today.

Since treatment at SWI I have watched friends and family go through the same amazing healing process as I here. I will continue to recommend this treatment centre for anyone who I talk to.

I just completed my first week here at Sponaugle Wellness Institue. My name is Ashley and I am a 29 year old female from PA. I have been sick since birth and no doctor, hospital, or professional was able to give me any hope until I met Dr. Sponaugle. He is the most intelligent, educated, wise, and passionate doctor I have ever met. The nurses and staff are all just as exceptional. Growing up I was in and out of the ER with stabbing pain in my right side. I was an athlete my whole life and had to work 10 times as hard to perform due to breathing problems, muscle fatigue, and pain issues which I now know was due to Lyme, co infections, and mold toxicity. I went to college where I was a starter on a national championship field hockey team with a scholarship that I fought like hell to keep in the midst of losing my health and my mind. I had access to the “best” doctors, trainers, and hospitals all around me due to my status as an athlete, yet I was struggling to not take my own life I was so sick and hopeless. No one could figure out why I couldn’t breathe, use my legs, overcome migraines, stop being depressed and anxious, sleep like a normal person, or figure out what was causing my chronic pain. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue, chronic pain, IBS, acid reflux, insomnia, migraines, food sensitivities, over training, PTSD, depression, anxiety, PCOS, and shuffled off to a pain clinic where I was fed pain medications to keep my symptoms at bay enough to keep me quiet. I settled for a garbage quality of life and just decided to try to make other people happy and healthy since I gave up hope for myself. I pushed through symptoms and went to grad school for clinical mental health still suffering quietly and taking my pain medication. I graduated and was working my dream job as a drug and alcohol counselor when I fell severely ill again. I decided to take myself off my pain medication this year and that when I realized I was right back in the same horror I left. I was unable to work because I had no more motivation or inspiration left in me to pass to others who were in such a dark place; which was my biggest asset prior to falling ill again. Hormone imbalances became so bad I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. Doctors began throwing around the idea of surgeries and a hysterectomy. If I would have accepted that misdiagnosis it would have been a permanent irreversible mistake. I knew I had hit my limit with chasing the symptom trail and demand to be tested again for Lyme; I tested positive twice. No doctor felt confident in treating my Lyme and having a positive outcome. The plan was antibiotics for at least 9 months with no guarantee of improvement. My family friend said Sponaugle saved her life and recommended I go there. I am so grateful I found this treatment and Dr. Sponaugle. As I said, I had access to the “best” doctors and NONE of them diagnosed me or treated me properly. I want to stress you don’t have to be in a wheel chair to come get help. You can be suffering immensely and still look functional on the outside. You can have a pain tolerance high enough to smile when you feel nothing but torment. I knew I was suffering but I had no idea how badly I needed this help until I walked in these doors. Dr. Sponaugle knew the second he saw me what was wrong with me and what direction to go. He took the time with me and traced things back to my birth about my brain chemistry, he helped me put the pieces together of what makes me sick so for the first time in my life, I can get better. Don’t settle for a poor quality of life. I have learned so much in the first week from Dr. Sponaugle and the nursing staff and will continue to share.

Five stars just isn't enough. I was treated for Lyme Disease and Mold toxicity by doctor Sponaugle and his staff a couple years ago. I was sick, screaming in pain some nights and not able to walk for what felt like a large part of my early teenage years. Going to this clinic turned my life around. I'm healthy now, and even able to workout again. That's something no other doctor in Canada could do for me.
When I first began treatment at the Sponaugle Wellness Institute, I finally felt like these people understood and believed what was happening to me. Because they really do know what they're talking about. Whatever symptom brought to their attention, there was a reason, AND a solution, not just a bandaid. To this day I cant say I trust anyone with my health more than doctor Sponaugle and his staff.

I suffered with chronic fatigue all my life until I went to the Sponaugle Wellness Institute. I have nine children and after I put them to bed each night I would run to bed myself. I took daily naps and was exhausted all the time. My sister, her family and our parents had been to the clinic for treatment of Lyme Disease, mold toxicity, brain fog and many other symptoms. I watched their lives be transformed after that. I listened, researched on line and learned everything I could from my sister. After about a year I called and talked to a patient coordinator for about an hour. He was so helpful and informative. He didn't give any medical advice but explained how things work and answered my hundreds of questions. I enrolled myself, my husband and two of our teenage children into the program. They were experiencing various symptoms of Lyme Disease and mold toxicity including muscle aches and pains, brain fog, fatigue, severe anxiety and much more. (Subsequently I had my house treated for mold which was in the duct work and blowing mold spores throughout my entire house. We also lived on a farm every summer and surely got tick bites as children and were never treated for them as we had no idea what damage a tiny tick could pose nor did we know about Lyme Disease.)
We went to the clinic and were treated for several weeks. We learned so much about our condition from the weekly lectures Doc gave, talking with other patients, spending time with nurses and private appointments with the Doc. This doctor and his clinic are truly a life saver. We saw many patients come in in a wheel chair and leave walking. I personally left there with the most energy I have ever had in my entire life. I had high mold levels, Lyme spirochetes and coinfections. Doc also discovered I had adrenal fatigue and low thyroid function along with a miriade of other things.
It has been three years since me and my family were treated at the clinic. I am a new person. I can stay up past 8pm like the rest of the world and don't walk around exhausted all day. I have vitality which I have never had in my life. I have stayed on many of the supplements Doc put me on and every year or so I do blood work and have my nurse review my supplements.
I have also gone back to the clinic for detox drips and I enrolled two of my other daughters for various health issues including anxiety, concussions, mold toxicity and Lyme Disease. Doc continued to treat my family with dignity, respect and his wealth of knowledge. He's a genius. He would FaceTime me for our meeting with him and one of my daughters since I couldn't be there in person.
I would go to his clinic again if I needed to and I constantly talk about him to people who are suffering so much.
Dr. Sponaugle and his staff are some of the most kind, caring and knowledgeable care providers I have ever met. I wish Dr. Sponaugle, his team and all his patients all the best in health and healing.

Dr Sponaugle and his team are so skilled at treating Lyme ,mold toxicity , parasites and really get to the bottom of any medical issue.Doc gives hands down the most thorough physical you could ever get. He gets down to the nitty gritty and figures out the cause of ailments,then goes about making your body healthy enough to cure its self ( with lots of assistance at first) and on top of giving me back my life and a vibrant health , Sponaugle wellness is a second home where there is love and friendship and compassion and yes a lot of laughs and learning as well. They really take the time to educate the patients. I practically got a PHD in so many areas i.e. Gut health, Lyme and effective treatment methods, mold and keeping my body safe and my home clear of mold, supplements and how they help balance your body, relationship between the gut and the brain, I could go on and on. i am very grateful how the clinic healed 24 members of my family from a variety of serious health challenges. God bless the Sponaugle wellness team for all the loving healing they deliver to their patients!