Maddie Tretter was an accomplished Division 1 swimmer at Cleveland State, preparing for the Olympic Trials, when she she started coming down with a laundry list of seemingly unrelated symptoms: panic attacks, nausea, migraines, swollen joints and more.

After trying several treatments with no success, Maddie was encouraged when she finally tested positive for Lyme disease - she figured now that she had a diagnosis, she’d complete a course of antibiotics and be back in the pool.

Despite treatment, her symptoms continued to worsen to the point where she could barely keep down food or walk to the mailbox.  At the encouragement of a family friend, she began working with a functional medicine practitioner who used an array of traditional, alternative, and integrative therapies, and slowly her symptoms began to improve.

Says Maddie, “Treating my whole body and not just trying to cover it up with a pill changed my life.”

After nearly two years of treatment, Maddie was finally able to re-join her collegiate swim team and finish out her senior year.

These days Maddie credits prioritizing her nutrition and active lifestyle with helping her remain symptom-free.  “I know to stay healthy and functioning I can’t sacrifice the little easy things. Advice I would give to other people going through my experience are not to give up and to always always advocate for yourself.”

You can connect with Maddie via Instagram @maddietretter

Related Episodes:

Ep 73 - Caroline Burckle & Rebecca Soni: Olympic Swimmers RISEing to the Occasion

Ep 104 - Physical Therapist & CrossFit Games Athlete Amanda Barnhart