Living with HPU: Jessie's Journey to Stability and Self-Awareness

Jessie, a 44-year-old mother of two from Berlin, has known about her HPU diagnosis for three years. Her mother, after reading about HPU online and noticing overlapping symptoms, encouraged Jessie to get tested. Jessie's positive test result and a subsequent 24-hour urine check from Holland confirmed her condition.

The diagnosis brought Jessie immense relief. She stated, "Ich war als das Ergebnis, ich war einfach richtig erleichtert. Es hat einfach so viel erklärt, ich spinne nicht, irgendwas in meinem Körper funktioniert nicht." This validation helped her understand the physiological roots of her persistent health issues. She also noted that HPU affects her entire family, including her children.

Before her HPU diagnosis, Jessie experienced a severe breakdown. During this period, she was unable to work or care for her children, with her husband taking on all responsibilities. She recounts having "alles an Symptomen gehabt, was so ein Körper hervorholen kann" within three months.

Jessie attributed her panic attacks, which she had since her early 20s after a severe car accident, to the accident itself. However, in retrospect, she believes they were linked to HPU. She admits to a long-standing coping mechanism of suppressing symptoms and 'functioning' until her body could no longer maintain it, leading to the breakdown.

Jessie's health struggles extended long before her accident, pointing to a chronic underlying condition. She reported ongoing issues with histamine intolerance, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, and skin conditions. During her peak breakdown, she found herself unable to tolerate most foods.

She recalled persistent skin issues, diagnosed as neurodermatitis, and food sensitivities since age 15, noting, "Ich hatte schon immer Probleme mit der Haut, ähm schon immer Probleme mit was ich nicht vertrage an Lebensmitteln. Seitdem ich 15 bin, keine Milchprodukte. Ich habe halt richt Neurodermites, haben sie gesagt, ne?"

Jessie also reflected on a history of anxiety, which, while not always manifesting as panic attacks, was a constant presence. She believes she was likely highly sensitive to various events and triggers since childhood, although she did not question these sensitivities at a young age.

Jessie identified her pregnancies as periods where significant health issues, now linked to HPU symptoms, arose. She experienced bleeding disorders during both pregnancies, requiring hormone and iron injections, which she noted aligns with common HPU presentations concerning iron and hormonal imbalances.

Additionally, she faced difficulties conceiving due to hormonal imbalances. These symptoms, including the challenges with pregnancy, are now understood by Jessie as early indicators of her underlying HPU condition.

Jessie, describing herself as a "straf organisierter Mensch" (strictly organized person), adopted a systematic approach to her health recovery. She began by eliminating toxins from her home environment, focusing on household cleaning products and other potential sources of 'müll' (waste).

She also set strict boundaries in her social interactions and work life to protect her nervous system from stress. This included changing her career path entirely and undergoing EMDR therapy as an alternative to traditional talk therapy, stating, "Ich habe den Beruf gewechselt komplett einmal mit allem und dran. Hab noch eine EMDR Behandlung gemacht."

Following a micronutrient analysis, Jessie began taking specific supplements and further adjusting her diet. These steps led to a significant reduction in her physical symptoms. She specifically noted the improvement of previously unexplained facial and body tingling, symptoms that doctors could not diagnose even after MRI scans of her back and head.

Jessie stated that with each stage of her treatment, there was a noticeable difference, adding, "Habe dann angefangen, die Produkte zu nehmen. Und auch bei jeder Etappe war schon einen riesen Unterschied zu merken... Ich hatte Gesichtskribbeln. Ich hatte Kribbeln im ganzen Körper und das war sowas, wo Ärzte gar nichts mit anfangen konnten." She is now focusing on improving her gut health, with recent laboratory tests for her intestines.

Three years into HPU therapy, Jessie reports significant improvements in her overall well-being, stating that she has never felt as good as she does now. While some symptoms still occur, they are no longer daily, and she can identify triggers like certain foods. She now leads a normal daily life, working in a home office and sleeping well.

Jessie contrasted her current stability with her previous experience of experiencing severe 'crashes' every 3-5 years, a pattern that has not recurred since starting therapy. She recognizes that fluctuations are normal, especially during infections or stressful events, and the goal of HPU therapy is to build a fundamental stability that prevents minor stressors from causing a complete breakdown.

She emphasizes the importance of allowing her body to recover, citing a recent cold that took four weeks to overcome, during which she consciously took the necessary time off instead of pushing herself to function immediately. Jessie also uses wearable technology to monitor her sleep and stress levels, which helps her observe and understand her body's recovery needs after demanding events.

Jessie has learned to manage sensory overload and establish personal boundaries, recognizing what her nervous system can truly handle. She described needing a week of solitude after stressful events like concerts. Initially, this behavior seemed strange to those around her, but she considers it a crucial lever for her health.

Sonja Schmitzer, the interviewer, noted that people with untreated HPU often lose connection to their own needs, constantly pushing themselves and ignoring internal signals. This detachment can lead to a cycle of overexertion, making it difficult to recognize when boundaries are crossed.

Sonja Schmitzer highlighted that HPU therapy often leads to a stronger connection with oneself, where individuals become more self-important and attentive to their own needs. This process allows them to accept that their needs might differ from others, which is a vital step toward healthy development.

Schmitzer emphasized, "was du jetzt beschreibst, sehe ich ganz häufig bei Menschen, die eine HPU Therapie machen, dass diese Verbindung zu sich selbst einfach wieder viel stärker wird und man sich selbst wichtiger wird und die Wahrnehmung der eigenen Bedürfnisse wieder in den Vordergrund kommt." She believes that recognizing and acknowledging these individual differences is perfectly normal and healthy, as not everyone needs to be the same.

Jessie actively models boundary-setting for her children, who also have HPU, to teach them the importance of respecting their own limits. She recounted an instance at a family birthday party where her son, after two hours, openly stated he was bored and wanted to go home. Jessie made a compromise, allowing them to leave after 15 minutes, prioritizing his need for peace.

She emphasized, "Und ich will natürlich Ihnen auch vorleben, dass es nicht okay ist über seine Grenzen zu gehen und zu sagen: 'Nein, wenn ich ne ist eine Grenze, will ich nicht oder kann ich nicht.'" Jessie observes her daughter learning to articulate her boundaries clearly, which she finds valuable. This approach highlights the importance of parents not just talking about self-care but actively living by those standards, demonstrating that it is acceptable to say 'no' without guilt when limits are reached.

Jessie describes her recovery from HPU as a cumulative effect of various interventions rather than a single solution. She made changes to her diet, detoxified her household environment, optimized her blood values, and consistently took supplements. She explained that each step contributed to gradual improvement, especially given the difficult state she was in at the beginning of her journey.

A critical pillar of her recovery has been managing stress and regulating her nervous system. She stated, "Ich glaube ganz stark für mich ist diese Nervensystemgeschichte das eine ganz große Sache für mich auch mit dem Stress und bei den Supplements war es auch so." Previously, she experienced severe intolerance to supplements, such as Vitamin C causing skin rashes after just two weeks, making consistent intake impossible. Now, for the first time, she can take supplements continuously without adverse reactions, contributing significantly to her stabilization.

Sonja Schmitzer affirmed that the essence of HPU therapy lies in identifying personal needs and actively listening to one's bodily signals, which Jessie's comprehensive approach exemplifies.

Jessie attributes her recovery to the comprehensive interplay of all measures taken, rather than a single intervention. She adjusted her diet, overhauled her household environment, monitored her blood values, and established a consistent supplement regimen. She emphasized that each step, though incremental, contributed significantly to her improvement from a difficult initial state.

A cornerstone of her recovery is the management of stress and nervous system regulation. "Ich glaube ganz stark für mich ist diese Nervensystemgeschichte das eine ganz große Sache für mich auch mit dem Stress und bei den Supplements war es auch so," she noted. Previously, she struggled with supplement intolerance, citing an instance where Vitamin C caused skin rashes after two weeks, preventing consistent intake. However, she now takes supplements continuously without adverse reactions, marking a significant milestone in her stabilization.

Sonja Schmitzer reinforced that HPU therapy fundamentally depends on individuals identifying their personal needs and actively listening to their bodily signals to guide their healing process.

Sonja Schmitzer concluded the interview by emphasizing that the fundamental principle of HPU therapy is to rediscover oneself and acknowledge personal needs. She highlighted that the body continuously communicates, and a key aspect of healing is to stop ignoring these signals and instead pay close attention to internal sensations.

Schmitzer stated, "Das A&O in der HPU Therapie einfach wieder zu sich selbst zu finden, und zu sehen, ich habe bestimmte Bedürfnisse und mein Körper kommuniziert die ganze Zeit mit mir." She stressed the importance of actively listening to the body to understand what is truly happening internally, rather than constantly overriding its messages.