Q & A with Janis, Nurse Practitioner @ Emerald Key Wellness

I have received such great support from family, friends and many new people in my life who have reached out to seek treatment and guidance in my new office. I am thankful and humbled, and today I thought I would share a little more info about me, my wellness clinic, and provide a few easy options for you to get started with making your health a priority….

There are so many people dealing with low energy, irritability, poor sleep, lack of motivation and inability to lose weight. My goal is to help you to realize you don’t have to live that way.

My story began with chronic abdominal and pelvic pain, bloating and fatigue. By the age of 30 I had been through 2 colonoscopies, an upper endoscopy, and had my gallbladder removed with little or no relief or answers. At the age of 35, I had a hysterectomy- and was diagnosed with endometriosis. I had one remaining ovary. Little did I know or understand, endometriosis is microscopic, and estrogen driven, and without complete excision, it continued to grow and spread on the tissue throughout my pelvic and abdominal cavity. I was actually thankful for a diagnosis but knew little about endometriosis as it is very under-studied and under- diagnosed. 1 in 10 women experience endometriosis, but so many are left untreated.

I am now 43. I have had 4 more surgeries to address the endometriosis, but it wasn’t until 2 months ago that I had my final surgery- with a specialist that treated me with such respect, was thorough and finally removed it the only effective way, through excision. Endometriosis was attached to my ureters and bowel, causing adhesions and required an extensive surgery to remove it completely. It changed my life, and I want to help others see that you don’t have to settle for feeling miserable. So many things have contributed to this change in addition to the surgery and those include dealing with my “long-hauler” COVID symptoms and finding effective treatment for my Hashimoto’s- an autoimmune thyroiditis. These issues both cause a major inflammatory process within the body and while there is no magic pill to address these issues, there are many things that can be done to help reverse the process.

My point is, you have got to be your own advocate, be motivated to find answers, and you must put in some effort to make effective changes. My goal is to help you get to the root cause of why you feel the way you do and help you to start your healing process.

Let’s start some Q & A….

My most often asked question when I talk about Emerald Key Wellness, my wellness clinic, focusing on hormone optimization, supplementation, thyroid and gut health….

1) You are too young; how do you know anything about menopause?...

Well, let me just say I beat the majority of women my age to menopause, and I am here to help you so you can avoid the misery… I experienced it first through a medical menopause 2 years after my hysterectomy (with one remaining ovary.) I had an awful, failed medical treatment for my endometriosis. I had uncontrollable hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, night sweats, brain fog… all of it, not to mention continued pain, fatigue and bloating from endometriosis. I knew at that point that not only did that treatment fail, but I was aware of what I had coming when I went through natural menopause.

But, I didn’t get to experience natural menopause…. Because not long after, I went through surgical menopause as that remaining ovary was removed in my 4th endo surgery. I woke up knowing I would need hormone replacement, but I had no idea where to start, and was given few options and had very limited guidance. So, I began my own research study on myself. I have tried patches, creams, pills and pellets, supplements, oils… you name it! I know the ins & outs, the benefits, the risks, and the effectiveness. I have read so many books, articles, posts and sought treatment from multiple providers. I knew I didn’t want to utilize synthetic treatment due to the increased risks, so I began my true research with Bioidentical hormone replacement and now here I am, a Certified pellet Provider.

2) I just don’t feel “right” lately…. What can I do to help me feel better?

There are so many things that can be contributing to your symptoms…. It could be a drop in your hormone levels, a vitamin deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, or any number of things. My best advice and recommended plan for my patients is to have a brief consultation to describe symptoms, questions and concerns and then get a full panel of blood work. Between listening to your symptoms and reviewing the blood work results we can make a plan to address your concerns. The initial blood work typically includes a basic blood panel as well a thyroid panel, vitamin levels and hormone levels. There are so many options and sometimes it is as simple as a supplement regimen, or maybe trying a cream or patch, a thyroid medication, maybe a specific diet or exercise regimen can be discussed, or there are bioidentical hormone pellets that can be placed every 3-4 months for consistent relief. So many options! These can be in a broad price range, and my goal is to help you determine what will work best for your symptoms, for your budget and for your sanity!

Referrals and additional testing or imaging may also sometimes necessary to address abnormalities.

3) What are the benefits?

This depends on what we find out through the blood work and what you consider your concerning symptoms. If you have low energy, irritability, hot flashes, inability to lose weight, brain fog, night sweats, mood swings, lack of motivation and or just don’t feel well those are the things we can address together. Can you imagine waking up from a good night’s sleep feeling rested, feeling decent energy throughout the day, losing those stubborn pounds, making through a day or night without sweating and feeling miserable? No? Well, you can. And I can’t wait to help you begin to address your concerns.

4) Is this just for women or can men benefit as well?

My goal is to help Men and Women feel their best. As we age, the body’s ability to produce key hormones like testosterone and estrogen is disrupted. And when your hormones are out of balance, it can affect your body in all kinds of ways. Don’t you want to have the energy, libido, and motivation you had in your 20’s? I do.

Men should be seeking answers just as much as women. We age because our hormones drop, because our gut health is compromised, because our vitamin levels are low, or our thyroid is not functioning appropriately. Let’s address that.

5) You’re not a doctor. How are you doing this?

Nope, not a doctor. Don’t want to be, don’t pretend to be.

I am a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. I have an Associate degree in Exercise Science, a Bachelor’s in Nursing and a Master’s in Nursing. I was a Registered Nurse for 10 years working in the hospital, in gastroenterology procedures and offices, and in Hospice.

I have been an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse since 2019. I work a full-time job as an NP for Curative Care Center, a clinic dedicated to testing and treatment of STD’s, HIV and HIV PrEP as well as Hepatitis C and primary care.

I have my autonomous FNP license in Florida, meaning I can practice independently within my scope of practice. I started the process of opening Emerald Key Wellness in January 2022, and officially opened the doors in June. I know my limits as an NP, have no intention of treating outside of my scope or capabilities and have several specialists I know and trust and refer my patients to when their condition requires advanced care.

I have 2 beautiful teenage girls, a very hard-working husband (who is experiencing the benefit of testosterone therapy) and I have several pets including my crazy chickens. I am happiest at the beach, and I have worked incredibly hard to get where I am in my life and health, and I want to share the knowledge to help others realize their potential.

6) How can I get started? Can I buy any supplements? How can I make an appointment?

Call us to discuss making an appointment for a consultation. We can briefly discuss your concerns and symptoms and will gather information and place an order for blood work to be completed at Quest. When those results are available in about 2 weeks, we will schedule a consultation in office to discuss results and recommendations. We can set up a plan and then follow up will be based on the treatment regimen. Prices for blood work and follow up will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Every patient has an individualized care plan, and I want to work with you to get the best answers for your unique situation.

You can call or text 321-794-0938, or you can email janis@emeraldkeywellness.com to make an appointment.

If I don’t answer the phone, please leave a message or send a text or email with a good time to reach you.

Thorne supplements- https://www.thorne.com/u/PR750381

My go-to's from Thorne include Glutathione, Magnesium CitraMate, and Creatine!

7) Why did you name your clinic Emerald Key Wellness?

I love the color green, I love the Florida Keys, I love the beautiful water at the beach, and I love the idea of finding the key that will help you unlock the best version of yourself. I recently learned that the emerald stone symbolizes growth, focus, love, strength and harmony. How perfectly fitting, and who doesn’t want to see all of that in their own life?

Give me a call, send a text or email. Looking forward to helping you feel your best.

- Janis Oenbrink, FNP-C