Ep 13: Carrie Drinkwine | Regenerative Health Guru's Battle and Triumph Over a Life-Threatening
Summary of Carrie Drinkwine's Medical Journey and Mission
Carrie Drinkwine, CEO and founder of the Institute of Regenerative Health, shares a harrowing personal story of a medical crisis that began with an elective surgery in Peru to remove abdominal scar tissue. This scar tissue was a result of four childhood abdominal surgeries and four cesarean births, and had become extensive and problematic, causing two inches deep of ropey tissue to wrap around her organs, leading to a warning that she might need a hysterectomy if it wasn't removed.
The Initial Surgery and Complications:
After struggling to find a surgeon in the U.S. willing to perform the specific scar tissue removal she needed (most offered abdominoplasty), a friend connected her with a renowned surgeon in Peru.
Despite a strong intuition that something would go wrong, including a premonition of an infection, she proceeded with the seven-hour surgery, which initially seemed successful.
Carrie initially opted out of antibiotics, using Nano Silver instead, which her surgeons allowed with a waiver.
However, about four days post-surgery, she developed discoloration, and by day five, she was purple due to internal bleeding between the muscle and fascia.
On day ten, her belly was distended due to dried blood irritation, necessitating a second surgery to drain the blood and wash out the area. Her blood work at this point showed no infection.
The Turning Point: Antibiotics and Worsening Infection:
After the second surgery, doctors insisted on antibiotics due to the high risk of infection with drain tubes and a second opening. Carrie, though a "regenerative health guru," reluctantly agreed and stopped taking her Nano Silver.
This decision marked a significant downturn. Within 48 hours, she was severely distended, looked pregnant, and developed rashes, indicating an allergic reaction to Clindamycin. She was then switched to Levofloxacin.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated. By the Monday after the Friday surgery, she developed a full-blown fever, and by Tuesday, she was rehospitalized with a 104°F fever and a distended belly. Infectious disease specialists were called in, recommending IV antibiotics. Carrie pointed out that since she was already on antibiotics, the infection was likely resistant.
The Fight for Her Life and Alternative Approaches:
In a critical state, Carrie flew in one of her institute's graduates, a holistic doctor, who brought a large supply of Nano Silver and other natural remedies from Minnesota.
Remarkably, the Peruvian doctors collaborated with the holistic doctor, allowing her to bring in and administer Nano Silver, redox signaling molecules, and anti-parasitic herbs. Advanced kinesiology testing (ART) indicated she didn't need the IV antibiotics.
Under pressure from family, Carrie agreed to a combination of IV antibiotics and her natural protocol. However, her body reacted severely to the IV antibiotics, with nine veins collapsing. This led to the discontinuation of the IV antibiotics.
The infection was identified as a very aggressive gram-negative bacteria, resistant to almost all antibiotics except penicillin (to which Carrie is allergic). The hospital had no prior history of such an infection.
Carrie pieced together that this bacteria was likely dormant within her since infancy, when she had a reflex valve problem and underwent long courses of antibiotics, leading to resistance. The scar tissue, she theorized, had encapsulated this toxic bacteria, which was unleashed when the tissue was removed. The Nano Silver had initially managed it, but stopping it in favor of ineffective antibiotics allowed the infection to rage.
The Climax and a Miraculous Turnaround:
One night, alone in the hospital, Carrie's fever spiked so high she lost her vision and consciousness. She awoke on the shower floor, surrounded by staff, her wound having burst open, pouring out infection – the body's desperate attempt to expel the bacteria.
This led to a dramatic third surgery. Due to failing liver enzymes, she could not have anesthesia or painkillers and was wide awake as doctors reopened her, pumped her with saline, and washed out her abdomen.
In a pivotal moment, she begged her doctors to wash her out with Nano Silver and a redox solution, and they agreed. This, Carrie believes, along with their humility and willingness to try alternative methods when conventional ones failed, saved her life.
Within 24 hours of this third surgery and the Nano Silver/redox washout, her fever was gone. Within 72 hours, she was released to outpatient care, a stark contrast to being near death previously. She underwent four more washing procedures as an outpatient.
Reflections and Mission:
Carrie is now four weeks out from her ordeal in Peru, vibrant and alive. Her biological age is 26 (she is 42), which she attributes to her pre-existing healthy lifestyle and "reserves" of energy.
She believes this experience, including a near-death moment where she felt immense love and peace, was something her higher self asked for. A medium later told her that if she had done the surgery in America, she would have died.
Her journey solidified her belief in the body's intelligence and its capacity to heal when given the right support. It also highlighted the importance of being an advocate for one's own health.
This experience reinforced her mission with the Institute of Regenerative Health, which trains and certifies practitioners in a unique approach that goes deeper than functional medicine or naturopathy. The curriculum focuses on regenerative detox, cellular health, and understanding the body's electrical nature.
A key part of her institute's model is to prevent practitioner burnout by providing pre-built 20-week programs for common ailments (e.g., Hashimoto's). This allows practitioners to serve communities of people online simultaneously, fostering support and making healing more accessible and less isolating for patients.
She also provides graduates with a technology platform (RegenPro) with website templates, workflows, and funnels to simplify the business side, addressing the tech-savviness gap many practitioners face.
Carrie passionately argues against the "broken healer" narrative and the societal discomfort with healers achieving financial success. She believes money is energy and is necessary to fund the mission of healing the world, advocating for wealth and wellness to be merged.
The core of her message is to empower individuals to understand their body's power, to become sovereign over their health, to challenge limiting beliefs about genetics and disease, and to rewrite their health stories.
Call to Action/Resources Mentioned:
For practitioner training: instituteofregenerativehealth.com
For consumers (DIY programs): Carrie Drinkwine offers online programs like a longevity program and "90 Days to Transform Your Terrain."
For consultations: Wise Wellness Clinic (online and in-person).
Instagram: @carriedrinkwine
Carrie's story is a testament to resilience, the integration of conventional and alternative medicine, the profound intelligence of the human body, and the power of turning personal suffering into a mission to help others heal.
