Four decades not sleeping well – until a doctor took my insomnia seriously
9 days ago
- #sleep-health
- #medical-gaslighting
- #insomnia
- Author Courtney Maum shares her lifelong struggle with chronic insomnia, detailing how it affected her mental and physical health.
- Despite seeking help from numerous doctors over 40 years, she was repeatedly dismissed, with many attributing her condition to hormones or stress.
- Her insomnia worsened after becoming a mother, leading to severe health issues like weight loss, irritable bowel syndrome, and debilitating mouth ulcers.
- After years of failed treatments (sleep clinics, medications, supplements), a friend suggested seeing an ENT specialist, who diagnosed her with upper airway resistance syndrome and a nasal valve collapse—physical issues obstructing her breathing.
- She underwent multiple surgeries to correct her breathing, which improved headaches, canker sores, and exercise tolerance, but her sleep issues persist due to psychological conditioning.
- Maum highlights the lack of awareness in orthodontics and sleep medicine, sharing stories of others (Sarah Canney, Christina Stoddard) who found relief through proper diagnosis.
- She now explores cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) while managing setbacks, advocating for greater recognition of insomnia as a serious, often physical condition.
- The memoir underscores the toll of medical gaslighting and the importance of finding doctors who listen, urging fellow insomniacs to seek validation and care.