💛I flew to Turkey to get answers about my migraines

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taking matters into my own hands.

My story, my symptoms, and why I chose Turkey for my full-body health check.

A note from Sarah:

If you're here, I know it's because you care deeply about your health — or the health of someone you love. This letter is a big one. It's full of information, details, and results from dozens of tests I did in Turkey. It’s not a magical fix — because chronic pain rarely has just one cause or one cure — but I know there’s something in my experience that will help you.

Whether it’s a new question to ask your doctor, a sense of clarity you’ve been needing, or simply a reminder that your pain is real and deserves care… this letter is here to give you that. And if you want more support in navigating your own healing path, there’s something special for you at the end.💛

1. The Beginning

A year ago, I was spending most of my days trapped inside, in the dark.

The pounding in my head was so intense I couldn’t open my eyes, text friends, get up to get water, or even listen to an audiobook.

I was 25, and I had been getting chronic hemiplegic migraines for 11 years.

They started when I hit puberty. Fainting spells. Blindness. Back pain so bad I couldn’t go to school.

Doctors called it hormones, growing pains, puberty.

They said I’d grow out of it. But I didn’t.

Last May, I hit a breaking point. I realized this wasn’t something I was doing wrong or needed to fix alone. This isn’t how I wanted to live.

I accepted that I live with chronic pain. I started using the word "chronic" for the first time. And while it still feels dramatic to say, I know it’s true.

This past year has been a total transformation.

I changed how I eat, exercise, work, and socialize.

I tried acupuncture, osteopathy, physical therapy, somatic therapy, CBT, got my IUD removed, moved homes to avoid mold, and started eating meat again after nearly a decade.

I did all of it for the hope of a healthier, freer life.

2. Why Turkey

The U.S. healthcare system dismissed me. It normalized my pain and offered numbing meds as the only "solution." I wanted clarity, not sedation.

Living in Bali these past 2.5 years has opened me to healing I didn’t know existed — somatic therapy, breathwork, new nutritional knowledge, deeper emotional work.

I was doing so much healing that my body started reliving years of suppressed trauma, and yes, that showed up in pain. But I don’t regret it.

I looked into medical tourism in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand too. Before heading to Turkey, I'd been researching test options, messaging hospitals directly, and emailing back and forth for days.

In the end, I chose Turkey because it offered:

Scheduling everything in one day
A flat, affordable price — no surprise bills
No pushback or fighting the system to get care
A calm, collaborative, and respectful support team

And I had a secret weapon: my best friend Elly, who is Turkish.

She was ready to stand by my side through all of this. Her mom even knew a doctor at a private hospital who wanted to help us. And when we weren't in the hospital, she showed me Istanbul.

3. Feeling Terrified Before

The first day, we were in the hospital arranging everything. I think the most memorable moment was when the main doctor assisting us said to his financial assistant, "Treat her like my own child."

That moment broke me. I cried in the hallway, because I had never felt so seen in a medical space.

I was also so overwhelmed by the possibility of either terrible answers — or a life-changing breakthrough.

What if they found cancer? What if they found nothing? Both felt terrifying.

With Elly translating, I fully customized my health package, and organized every appointment.

And even then, I reminded myself: only I know what it feels like to live in my body. That’s the compass.

We set up everything for the next day: 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Back-to-back testing and consultations. I was terrified, hopeful, and completely cracked open.

4. The In-Hospital Process

The day started with blood tests, urine tests, scans, x-rays, and exams.

I had cold gel on my throat, stomach, chest. Fingers in my scalp, on my chest, in places I wasn’t expecting. I was scanned, examined, and questioned over and over.

Only two doctors out of more than 10 spoke any English. My best friend translated for all 20+ appointments and tests.

It was intense and exhausting. But it was also efficient and surprisingly thorough.

Elly’s mom advocated for me to get a better neurologist after the first male doctor told me it was all in my head. That advocacy led to better care. I felt seen, even when it was hard.

5. The Tests — What I Actually Did

General Exams:

Internal medicine, eye, dental, ENT, physical therapy, dermatology, and more

Instrumental Tests:

EKG, lung x-ray, brain MRI, ultrasounds (thyroid, breast, abdominal)
Pulmonary function, kidney scan

Labs + Panels:

Full blood work, liver + kidney function, thyroid, infection screening, cholesterol, blood sugar, vitamin + mineral panels

Cancer Screenings:

Cervical, breast, colon, liver, and more

Full results breakdown coming soon. Cost below.

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6. The Cost, The Value, The Truth

Total cost: 43,700 Turkish Lira, or $1105 USD.

This includes 2-3 months of migraine-specific medication, which was about $36 total.

This was at a private hospital with all the above tests.

In the U.S., this would’ve cost me $3,000 - $15,000 and taken months.

It was intentional spending, and still stressed me a bit to charge my card that much at once. But I don't regret a single penny spent. I even added extra tests because they were affordable.

If I had to change anything, I would’ve hired a professional translator to give Elly a break.

I still had frustrating moments, but I didn’t go in expecting a magical fix. I went to gather information. To advocate for myself. To collaborate with my body.

7. The Test Results

Instrumental Tests:

EKG (Electrocardiogram): Normal
Effort Test (Treadmill): Normal
Lung Graphy (Chest X-ray): Clean
Breast Ultrasound: Normal
Thyroid Ultrasound: Normal
Panoramic Dental X-Ray: Clean
Whole Abdominal Ultrasound: Normal
Brain MRI: Clear (minor past concussions noted)
Pulmonary Function Test (PFT): Below Average (half expected lung capacity)
EPT (Kidney Function Test): Normal
ENT Examination: Deviated septum noted
Eye Examination: Slight astigmatism detected

Laboratory Tests:

Hemogram (Complete Blood Count): Normal
Complete Urine Analysis: Normal
Total Cholesterol: Normal
HDL (Good Cholesterol): Normal
LDL (Bad Cholesterol): Normal
Triglycerides: Normal
CRP (Blood Infection Marker): Normal
ALT, AST, GGT, ALP (Liver Enzymes): Normal
Creatinine & BUN (Kidney Function): Normal
Uric Acid: Normal
Bilirubin (Total + Direct): Normal
Stool Occult Blood Test: Negative
Fasting Glucose (Blood Sugar): Normal

Thyroid Panel:

Free T3, Free T4, TSH: Normal

Infectious Diseases Screening:

Anti-HCV (Hepatitis C): Negative
HBsAg (Hepatitis B): Negative
Anti-HBs (Hepatitis B Immunity): Positive (shows immunity)

Vitamins & Minerals:

Vitamin B12: Slightly Low
Vitamin D: Slightly Low
Serum Iron, Binding Capacity: Normal
Calcium, Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Chloride (Cl), Magnesium: Normal

Cancer Screenings:

Smear (Cervical): Negative
CEA (General), AFP (Colon), CA 19-9 (Liver), CA 15-3 (Breast): Negative

8. "Nothing's Wrong With You!"

Looking over all my tests results in each appointment, I hear the same thing over and over again.

Each doctor told me I’m incredibly healthy.

Every test came back clean, save for a few tiny details here and there.

Hearing "nothing's wrong with you!" was comforting — and frustrating.

I'm extremely grateful to hear that I don't have a brain tumor, cancer, or some other awful problem.

But I’m still not fine. And the migraines don’t go away just because the scans say "all clear!".

Knowing my body, I do agree with the doctors that a seemingly small thing probably isn't causing my migraines. A few of those small things included...

Half the lung capacity I should have (from childhood asthma)
Deviated septum
Misaligned hips
Shoulders / spine needing light physical therapy
Slight vitamin D + B12 deficiencies
Old sports concussions
Chronic allergies affecting sinuses

Alone? They're minor. But together? Definitely a recipe for chronic migraines. And I'm determined to uncover the rest of the ingredients list.

I'll be taking all my test results, combining them into a bigger picture, and using it to keep learning & moving forward.

9. I Got Meds! :/

The second neurologist I saw — a woman who actually listened — told me this is a chronic issue that likely won’t ever fully go away.

She validated the tools and changes I’ve made to ease my pain but also reminded me not to fear medication if it means I can actually live.

I’ve always believed in medication, including for mental health. But I’ve done so much without it because I wanted to get to the root. Now I’m ready.

I got 4 new medications prescribed to me: two daily preventatives and two abortives to take when a migraine comes. I also got supplements, an inhaler, a physio plan.

When I return to Bali — where the heat, sun, and barometric pressure make a huge difference — I’ll start the test protocol AKA the two daily medications and two abortives as needed.

We’ll start on low doses, stay in touch via WhatsApp (via Google Translate), and adjust from there. This is a bridge to a more stable, empowered life.

10. What Happens Now?

This wasn’t about finding a fix. It was about understanding my body better, and reclaiming power over my life.

Because of chronic pain, I now...

Advocate without apology.
Build peace despite pain.
Live differently on purpose.

I built a healthy, peaceful life even with an "unfixable" condition. And I help my clients do the same.

If that resonates, my August group coaching program — The Dream Girl Circle — is for you.

It’s not a treatment group. It’s a support space. A place to be heard, learn your body, trust your signals, and build the version of wellness that works for you.

I’m also still answering big questions like:

Why am I so sensitive to heat and bright light more than the average person?
What regular body / health maintenance is the most impactful to me?
What role does emotional & mental health play in this?
How do I become less sensitive to stress — since living with 0 stress isn’t realistic?
How do I stay active and busy while honoring that I fatigue easily and am extra sensitive?
How can I keep fine-tuning my ability to listen to my body’s signals more clearly?

There will always be questions. It’s not about answering them all.

It’s about trusting yourself to keep showing up, to use your voice, to listen to yourself, and to find body forgiveness for the struggles, acceptance for fluctuations, and your own version of a healthy, happy, free life.

You deserve answers. You deserve support. You deserve to feel at home in your body.

Click here to learn more about the Dream Girl Circle (limited spots).

Sending you love,

Coach Sarah💛

More questions? Reply directly to this email.

let's tap into body love together.

Sarah Simpson is a body image coach helping you defeat perfectionism & define what “healthy” means to you.

Sarah grew up always feeling like the “bigger friend” of the group, constantly aware of her size. She felt compelled to coach others to find confidence in their body & wellness after realizing how much her body insecurity was impacting her life.

She is the creator of Balanced Baddies Club, an online space for womxn to bond & grow. She also works with clients in her group program the Dream Girl Circle, as well as one-on-one.