Joy: Menopause Sleep and Symptom Support After 6 Years

I had but not the best experience with my prior doctor. I would go in, explain the issues that I was having and I almost felt written off and I kept saying, "I have this going on, I have that going on." and she just would say, "You need to work out more. You need to eat better. You need to do this." Never checked my labs in the last 2 years. Frustrating. very frustrating. Very frustrating. Yeah. Um so, what brought you here specifically to us? How did you find us? Actually, it was just an online ad my husband saw and he said, "Oh, have you seen this?" And I go, "No, I've heard about it, but I haven't seen it." And for Christmas, he actually got me a gift card Oh, okay. to come. So, I'm like, "All right, let's do it." I didn't know what to expect, but it was wonderful. Everyone's been great. So, this that first, I guess, the initial visit that you have when you come you get your labs done. How did that go? Very well. Everyone was on time. The facility is beautiful. Um everyone was very patient with me because I was extremely nervous. They explained what they were doing. Amazing. Yeah. And what are some of the symptoms issues that you were facing that impacted, you know, your everyday or you were noticing sometimes? Yeah. So, I'm an older person, menopause has kicked in, I'm 6 years in and I I was doing other hormone replacement, but I wasn't feeling better. No sleep, hot flashes, irritability, anxiety, all the things. So, we've been doing this since January and it's getting better. It's taken some time. Everyone's super patient, so it's been great. And you see who's your provider? I see Colin and Jamie. They're so good. They're so good. Um and you do Have you been watching the podcast? I have. I've watched one or two and there's one coming up on Thursday that I'm super interested in, so. Oh, yes. I did about that one. [laughter] Um and these symptoms like you said the I guess hormone therapy that you were on before, how does it differ than this treatment that you're on So, I was doing progesterone, which is an oral supplement at night and I was also doing a patch and it had been up to a few times, but it still wasn't great. Hot flashes, waking up, I didn't sleep was my biggest struggle. Sleep was and that affects everything. How you feel the next day, how much you want to do, your anxiety, everything. It really does. Yeah. Um and then your treatment plan now, how does it differ? So, my treatment plan now has differed. We've actually introduced testosterone, which was very frightening at first, but I'm now on a compounded cream for my progesterone Excuse me, for my estradiol and for testosterone, and I've upped my progesterone, and I sleep much better. And also changed my supplements. Okay. been good. Colin's very big on this stuff. Yes. And it's not a lot of them. It's actually less than what I anticipated. I think I do four. Four? Which ones are they? Uh let's see. Vitamin D with K, zinc, selenium, and magnesium. He introduced me to magnesium. Nighttime. I just actually got, side note from this, the Lush um lotion magnesium bar. Oh, is it? I have some magnesium cream that's good, too. I have never even thought about like topical magnesium, but it's been [clears throat] wonderful. It is. Um so, tell me a little bit about, I guess, not just from your initial visit, like getting your labs done, but that first visit with Colin, how was that? The most amazing thing was he was extremely patient. And let me just start It was 30 minutes long. I've never had a doctor or any nurse or anyone spend 30 minutes, undivided 30 minutes. And it was on the phone. I live 3 hours north, so we could do it through telehealth. And he listened to everything, and he also repeated everything he said back to me, so I could understand. As soon as we were finished, and I understood everything, Jamie jumped on, and she went, "Okay, do you understand this, that, and this is the plan." So, they're great. They're great. Truly like a superhero team of them, like the two of them. It's crazy. Um and then, I guess, comparing like your process from then to now, like this initial visit to now, how would you explain that experience? It's been great. I think I've had three or four telehealth visits, because I had a couple concerns or questions. Jamie reached back out within a couple hours. I would get a message. The app is wonderful. It's super easy to use. It has everything you need. And she answered my questions and she would say, "Do you have 20 minutes? Can I call you?" And we would chat about whatever where Colleen can jump on and we're going to talk about this or should we change something or dial something back. And it's been great. And then How is your life different? I sleep. That's the biggest thing. I actually sleep. And of course there's other things I want to do. Of course I want to be more fit and I want to lose weight and all that and that will come. But just being able to sleep you're a better person. Your anxiety's better, work is better, friends are better. You actually want to do stuff. So it's good. to hear. Sleep is They They did a sleep podcast. Yeah. Deep sleep. I learned a lot. [laughter] And how do you feel about your health future? I think it's going to be great. It's going to be better than it's been in the last 5 years. It has to be because I want to be able to take care of my grandbabies and stuff like that. So. And what are I guess some things that I guess differ from I know we talked a little bit about the appointments and that You know that Yeah. the [clears throat] um your results of what they were what your conventional practitioners were telling you. How would you say that this experience has impacted you? It's made a huge difference in everything because I've taking everything. I'm listening to them and doing it. I also was set up with a I don't know if he's a trainer or what. I talked to him for 30 minutes and he made me a Yeah, health coach. He made me a whole outline. Do this, do that. What do you have for injuries? What can you do? What do you have for home equipment? Just motivating and checking in and saying, "Are you doing your So you have you need to you need to do it. That's amazing. And what are [clears throat] you feeling that you can do now? I know we talked about sleep, but what are you doing now that you couldn't do previously? Oh gosh, I don't even know. I don't know. I just feel better. I think just being happier and that's huge and no one prepares you for this whole menopause journey that you you're on, but you need to make the best of it and and get the best help you can get and get out there and move and and also sharing it with your friends. I actually have a friend that I'm probably going to send here. You should. You get a referral credit. I I know. I wish I wish it was in Bangalore because I know she would go. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Um that's amazing that you drive 3 hours Yeah. to here. Like that's that's incredible. Speaking of friends, if somebody were interested in functional medicine and they didn't really know what it was, how would you describe it? I would describe it as a holistic approach to your whole well-being. They listen to you and they want to know, "Okay, what are your goals? What's worked in the past? What's not working? What do you think?" And then they have great suggestions. And it's different. And I know I had a doctor's appointment yesterday for a sinus infection and they're like asking me about my medication and they would it wasn't on their list and they're like, "Oh." And I get the little side. I bet they said, "How are you feeling?" I said, "Wonderful. Wonderful. Better." So. Interesting. Interesting that you were telling them, "You know, I'm feeling good." and they were not Yeah. very receptive. Well, just the the CMA was just, you know, they have their list of things to see what you're on. It wasn't on her list. So. It was Yeah. She was a little questioning everything, but that's okay. And for somebody on the fence, like what say somebody is Yep. They know about functional medicine. They're a little bit on the fence. What would you tell them? I would say you just get have to give it a chance. It's not a quick fix. I know this is not a quick fix. I'm 5 months in and I've got a long ways to go. So, you really need to give it time, but you start in a couple months you go, "Okay, I'm all right. I'm going to be okay." because it really is frustrating when you don't sleep. You just don't feel like yourself and you don't know why. And when you start feeling like yourself again, it's a great thing. What I guess following up from that, like what are some pain points I guess that you've experienced or like in your own journey of functional medicine, your own journey coming here, what do you think some pain points you had was it like if it was price, if it was location, if it was, you know, insurance, like whatever those were? It is it is an investment. It's an investment in your health. Insurance isn't going to cover everything. You have to decide what's more important. I know a lot of people that do a lot of supplements and other programs and when I ask them how much they're spending, it's not any more than what I'm spending. So, you just have to decide what works for you, what's in your budget, and go with And everyone here is great. They don't push anything on. They never ever push anything. They give you options, and then you decide what works. And is there anything else that you would want to No, just that everyone's great. Jamie and Colin are great. And I always see the same people, which that's a big deal. You feel more comfortable. The first visit's a little strange. You're sharing a lot. So, it's great to Oh, and she just calls like, "Hey, what's going on? What's What about this? How was your vacation?" That's huge. She's wonderful. She's great. Everyone I know for breakfast Yes. [laughter] I would I would recommend that. Thank you, Jamie. Yeah, she's great. She's great. Thank you so much. Yes, thank you. This is incredible. And honestly, from a personal opinion, it was like amazing to It's amazing to hear like you feeling better. And someone who has a lot of problems with sleep, too, I can definitely relate. So, I'm so glad that you're feeling Oh, thank you. just close for yourself. Thank you. Thanks for your time.