I spent $4,000 on products that didn't work.

My hormones were destroying my life.

At 32, I was exhausted in ways that sleep couldn't fix. My periods were unpredictable and debilitating. I'd gained 18 pounds despite eating well and exercising. My brain felt like it was wrapped in cotton wool. Every doctor I saw told me my labs were "normal" and handed me a prescription for antidepressants.

I knew something was wrong. I just didn't have the vocabulary for it yet.

I started researching obsessively — PubMed, Reddit threads, functional medicine forums at 2 AM. I discovered the world of femtech: wearables that track hormonal patterns, devices that use targeted heat and electrical stimulation for period pain, supplements backed by actual clinical trials. I was desperate enough to try everything.

The expensive education.

Over 18 months, I spent over $4,000 testing products. Some were genuinely life-changing. The Oura Ring gave me data that finally helped me understand my cycle's impact on my sleep and recovery. A TENS-based period pain device eliminated my need for ibuprofen entirely. A targeted magnesium protocol cut my PMS symptoms by about 70%.

But most products were expensive disappointments. Hormone-balancing supplements with no clinical evidence. Wearables that collected data but offered no actionable insights. "Cycle syncing" apps that were just repackaged period trackers. I wasted hundreds of dollars on things that Instagram influencers swore by but that had zero effect on my body.

The difference between what worked and what didn't wasn't obvious from marketing pages. You had to dig into the research, understand the mechanism of action, and actually live with the product for weeks to know if it was doing anything.

Why I built this site.

I started sharing my findings in a small online community for women with hormonal health issues. The response was overwhelming. Women were making the same expensive mistakes I had, buying the same overhyped products, getting the same disappointing results.

Cycle Unlocked started as a spreadsheet I shared with friends. It became a newsletter, then a website. The rule I set from day one: I would only recommend products I had personally tested for at least 30 days, and I would be honest about what didn't work — even if those products paid higher affiliate commissions than the ones I loved.

My goal is simple: I want every woman who lands on this site to leave with a clearer picture of what's actually worth her money and her body's trust. The femtech market is only going to grow. The noise is only going to get louder. Someone has to cut through it honestly.