Why Didn't You Tell Me?

I visited with a physician this week who shared that his wife was on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.  I've heard this so many times over the years, but it always sparks a question in my head...."Why don't you tell your patients about this treatment option?"  I mean he knows about it, the wife knows about it, their doctor knows about it, I know about it, but why aren't patients given this information?"

OBGYNnews published an article (Jan 15, 2009) which highlighted the results of a study done by a physician at the University of Texas.  At the end of one year, not only did the patients symptoms resolve, but blood pressures went down, triglycerides went down, clotting factors went down, depression scales (you guessed it) went down, anxiety decreased and so on.  They were simply balanced with customized transdermal hormone therapy.  Did it make the headlines?  The answer would be a big fat NO!!  I think every female struggling with these symptoms 'we dare not speak of' should be told about something like this.  There is compelling evidence that customized hormone therapy is beneficial in so many ways.

I don't watch much TV, but I am aware that Suzanne Somers, Robin McGraw, Oprah, Linda Evans and others are bringing attention to this in the media.  Yes they are celebrities, but obviously they are transparent enough to share that they are not Super Women forging through the valley of the shadow of Estrogen.  They have the best physicians and treatments available to them at all times.  They choose this plan and you should know about it too.

A typical day for me is sharing this treatment option, discussing personal symptoms with patients, testing their hormones, and working with their physician to provide an individualized treatment plan.  I want you to know about this.  First do your own homework on synthetic versus bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.  That's where you need to start.

Now YOU too know about this highly personalized one size does NOT fit all option.
~DrSonja