Dr. Rick Sponaugle MD

Oldsmar FL

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.