Dr. Sarah J. Zielsdorf, MD

08/01/2025

Happy Friday everyone! Some MM updates at the end of another week...

TL/DNR Summary: Welcome back to Roxana, Dr. Z out of office 8/15-9/1/25.

The long version here:
We are grateful to have Roxana back in the office seeing patients next week. Please give her lots of love as she settles back in to patient care. I know that her patients have missed her terribly, as we have as well.

I have been excitedly hearing about all of my patients' summer travels as I work toward my own yearly break. For the last 5 years my family and I have camped for close to two weeks around the end of August -- a huge privilege and a daunting responsibility to plan.

We started camping trips with our kids during COVID - they were 3 and 7 years old. That first year Jack hiked more than 3 miles in Mammoth Cave, and many miles in Moab and Arches/"Candylands" NPs [Canyonlands]. We got to see Eva triumphantly scramble up her first rocky desert trail. The US/Canadian national parks have been a huge passion, to see our beautiful country and the things my husband and I never did as kids.

We've been out west to Carlsbad Caverns/White Sands, Mount St. Helens in WA, and the epic "big trip" to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons/Glacier/Badlands/Theodore Roosevelt and many more parks. Two years ago we circumnavigated Lake Michigan and one of my favorite memories was my son biting it and sliding face first laughing hysterically down the Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes NP. Last year we circumnavigated Lake Superior, where my son and I got epically seasick on the crossing back from Isle Royale to Copper Harbor. It's really funny now. And because of the boat delay due to the rough seas, we were treated to the northern lights while we set up our campsite in Minnesota at 2am.

Three years ago I must have seen something on social media about renting camper vans in Iceland and I decided we were DOING THAT to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. So two years ago I rented a van and last year I bought plane tickets. Suddenly the trip is 2 weeks away. We will be camping the Ring Road and Westfjords. So. Much. Planning. Packing a portable toilet in a checked bag because kids. And very excited!

Mostly, I am excited to wake up before my kids and find a place to be alone on a fjord and think. Alone. 🤣

I spend all of my days being with people, talking intensely and listening intensely to people and working to solve complex problems. It's a bit sad that I have to wait for twice a year to get away and have a little solitude but, such is life. A good problem to have.

So, this is my official two week notice to patients to please check meds, check needs, check appointments, labs etc so I can take care of everything possible before leaving. As always, urgent messages will be answered and I will be notified about emergencies. Otherwise I will sign off and reboot for September.

Thank you very much for all of your help so I can come back (maybe not refreshed as this is a TRIP and not a vacation), with a renewed spirit.

*Photo credits: Jason Zielsdorf
- 2022, Devils Tower, WY
- 2024, Pancake Bay, Ontario
- 2024, Peninsula State Park, Door County, WI

07/17/2025

I recently sat down with my friend, pharmacist Steve Hoffart from Magnolia Pharmacy to discuss all things thyroid! Please share!

Blog link:
https://magnoliapharmacy.com/blogs/the-trusted-pharmacist-podcast/dr-sarah-zielsdorf

Apple podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-your-doctor-wont-tell-you-about-fixing-your-thyroid/id1804101083?i=1000717640803

Podcast Episode · The Trusted Pharmacist · 07/17/2025 · 57m

06/08/2025

June is Men’s Mental Health Month. As a physician, I am acutely aware that men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health problems, and they are also more likely to die by su***de. We must end the stigma. It starts by affirming and supporting our little boys.

https://www.nami.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mens-Health-Month-2025-1-pager.pdf?utm_source=nami&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=MENH2025

06/08/2025

Every time I leave the Midwest I can’t believe I was born and raised in Ohio. Ohio?!? Seriously?!? And coming home to the cloud decks and rain and construction I get sad and pine for blue sky and mountains.

But I am a Midwesterner.

And I still love the Cleveland Browns, who have broken my heart for over 40 years.😣💀

06/07/2025

LDN 2025 Conference Day 2! Woke early, had a full body weight workout with weights and a BAB (Big Ass Breakfast) to fuel my day, and finished packing. Gave final lecture on autoimmune small fiber neuropathy with a Q+A, some LDN press and then a hustle to catch my fight home. Adding some action shots from yesterday’s talks.

06/06/2025

Day 1: LDN Conference 2025 - Portland, OR
Due to the 2 hour time difference, I was able to have an amazing early morning of getting in research prep for my talks, meditation and prayer, a workout, and extended time to get ready! My topics I spoke on were S*x Differences in Opioid Receptors, and ULN for Opioid Weaning.

06/04/2025

It's LDN Awareness Week! Tomorrow I fly to Portland for the 2025 International LDN Conference! I am excited to teach and learn with some of my favorite thought leaders in personalized and precision medicine. I am proud to be the volunteer Education Director and one of the Research Advisors to the Trust. Every speaker and advisor does so on a voluntary basis. None of us gets paid for our published chapters, guidelines, conferences or other work. We do it because we believe in the science of Low Dose Naltrexone and the hope of supporting the innate healing ability of humans with chronic illnesses. I am one of the authors in the LDN Book 4 (Case Studies).

~Dr. Z

05/14/2025

Speaking to the PCCA compounding pharmacist delegation on my work. Today we take legislative meetings on the Hill in Washington, DC! Today I represent all of my patients that rely on compounded medications for their health and well-being.

05/13/2025

Headed to rainy Washington, DC for PCCA ACT Legislative Conference - 3rd year in a row to advocate for patient access to compounded medications!

05/04/2025

Illinois HB2827 is not dead yet! If you are available and near Schaumburg, please consider going to the meeting, where I hope it will be extremely respectful. 130K witness slips, thousands of calls, "conversations", meetings with representatives and 7000 people at the Capitol did nothing. It is hard to believe at this point that our thoughts want to be heard. You must RSVP. I would be there if I could.

Oh, and the correct address for the meeting is:

Schaumburg Township Building
1 Illinois Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, IL

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1068604008417027&set=a.275823454361757

Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in our town hall! We have reached capacity, and responses are now closed. We apologize if we cannot accommodate all interested parties this time - please stay tuned this summer and fall, as we plan to hold more events where this bill will be discussed.

If you have any questions, please email jkaiser.repmussman@gmail.com.

Commissioner Kevin B. Morrison State Senator Laura Murphy Schaumburg Township State Representative Fred Crespo

05/04/2025

In December of 2014 my physician prescribed Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for a severe Hashimoto's flare following pregnancy with my (now almost 11 year old) daughter. I didn't know at that time how common autoimmune flares are between 6 weeks and 1 year postpartum. I wasn't prepared after doing so well and having an uncomplicated pregnancy and natural delivery! I was in residency and suffering greatly, working 80-100 hours a week 6 weeks after delivery (*huge red flag*) after already coming back from a nearly year long bout of being bed bound from my last autoimmune flare and clawing my way back to health mentally, physically, emotionally, and more. To say I was down was an understatement. But within a month on LDN my brain function and body pain improved, and the rest is history.

In 2017 I started volunteering for the LDN Research Trust. All of the teaching and publishing (books and guidelines!) I have done gives me no financial gain. I do this to give hope to others and hopefully, change medicine. In preparing for this year's LDN Conference, one of my presentations is on S*x Differences in Opioid Receptors and sex-related medical bias. Here are just some of my research articles used in its preparation.

Did you know that women's pain reports are more likely to be attributed to psychological causes rather than physical ones? And that women wait longer for pain medication in emergency settings and face extended time to diagnosis? Female patients receive less aggressive pain treatment and more sedatives than male counterparts. And that cnical trials historically underrepresent women, leading to treatment protocols based primarily on male physiology. Additionally, gene polymorphisms, women's menstrual cycles and frequent hormonal changes may affect both tolerance of LDN and its efficacy.

As a physician that teaches on and treats patients with LDN, I am especially interested in treatment nuances that may especially affect women, who disproportionately are affected by autoimmune diseases.

~Dr. Z

05/02/2025

Thank you to a dear patient for my new book; an almost autobiographical memoir of another Sarah who is passionate about showing her kids the country, one road trip at a time. I think it’s something special about us Midwesterners: we get in the car and go! 10 hours to Voyageurs National Park, 8 hours to Copper Harbor, UP, or 6 hours to Cuyahoga Valley National Park? No problem! I don’t know about you but I am itching for an outdoor adventure as we peak out of winter.