I'm 58 and have been plagued with insomnia and occasional night sweats for a year and a half.
I've seen my pcp and 2 sleep specialists and the best they can do is prescribe a 30-day trial of ambien.
If it helps reset my sleep cycle, great. If not, back to zero.
Also consulted with a naturopath but didn't 'feel' this individual was what I'm looking for.
None recommended hormone testing, stating the numbers are basically meaningless because we expect the levels to be off with menopause and don't really know what they 'should' be.
Since my insurance will not cover naturopathic medicine, it's all out-of-pocket monies.
I need to find an effective practitioner without having to spend a fortune MD-shopping. Doubt my insurance would look favorabley on me shopping through multiple providers who are covered. Always some out-of-pocket there as well.
As a medical professional and certified life coach, I realize that wellness and well-being have many components and that naturopathic medicine takes a look at the whole individual, not just slices in areas where the deficits are. I regularly work on my own 'life wheel' and strive for balance and harmony in my life. I have many spiritual practices in place, which serve me well. (Thanks, Oprah).
Perhaps I'm missing something here in the grand scheme of naturopathic medicine but though I'm open to explore options, I'm really not interested in a prolonged trial-an-error approach to this issue.
I'd like advice on what works for others like me and I'd like advice/clarity on the changing hormone levels as contributing factors to the insomnia. Perhaps tweaking my nutritional habits as a boost to more body harmony.
I'm sure I can do better in this area. My work has me on the road 5 days a week and I'm limited to some degree in what I eat. I never have a lunch hour and rarely eat fast food.
Anybody with suggestions for a practitioner? I live in SW Portland, near I-5 and Capitol Hwy.
Thanks,
Mary Bigler