Personal Healthcare

There's no doubt that healthcare is changing.  The internet has opened up so much information and accessibility to people wanting to take charge of their own health, and fortunately, personal research has opened the door to more educated and informed decisions about healthcare.  The high cost to enter the Western medicine machine is a moving monetary target when it comes to doctors visits, lab work, and suggested treatments to make one feel better.  For instance, do you cringe when your physician wants to order labwork?  Do you wonder, what it's going to cost?  Is it covered by your insurance?  Or maybe you're not insured at all??   We can all agree that there's nothing quite like the shock and surprise of a big bill in the mail for something that's supposed to make you feel better. That's no way to feel better at all.   In fact, research is showing that people are not going to the doctor simply because of the expense to do so these days. 

Did you know that I can offer a private consultation for hormone testing, adrenal testing, thyroid testing, food allergy testing, and comprehensive blood testing for other general wellness and nutritional needs?  The cost will be very clear and definite right up front so that you won't feel the shock of an unexpected expense to take better care of yourself.  Then, with your involvement, we can discuss a personal plan to match your testing profiles, your symptoms, and your goals.  It's very customized and individualized and something that is growing at a very rapid pace as people search for better and more affordable options to manage their personal healthcare.    Being healthy doesn't have to be expensive.

So how can you get started?

Appointments can be set up by calling 417-334-4032 Lakeland Wellness inside Providence Medical Spa.  If you haven't seen inside the new medical spa location, you're missing out.  WOW!! WOW!! WOW!!  So beautiful.....

If you live away from Branson MO or possibly in another state, we can set up an internet connection to do a remote consultation.  Don't let distance be a barrier.


This is a list of some of the most common services, treatments, and testing options that I am asked to provide:

Hormone Testing and Evaluation
Adrenal Testing and Evaluation
Thyroid Testing and Evaluation
Iodine Testing
Neurotransmitter Testing and Evaluation (anxiety, A.D.D., insomnia, depression)

Personalized Supplement Regimens

Blood profiles (cholesterol, nutrition, MTHFR, women's health, men's health, hormones, thyroid, glucose, insulin, vitamin D, etc.)

Food Allergy Testing and Evaluation


Customized Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Multi-ingredient Pain Creams
Adrenal Fatigue Testing and Treatment Protocols
High Quality Supplements and Nutraceuticals
Weight Loss
Autoimmune Disease Protocols and Treatments
Dermatology/Skin therapies
Anti-Aging Regimens
Hemorrhoid and Fissure Treatments
Gastrointestinal disease
Fertility Testing and Evaluation
Erectile Dysfunction
Mens Health and Hormone Therapies
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Diaper Rash Remedies


Thank you for stopping by this BLOG and I do hope that you will reach out soon to take the best possible care of yourself.

All the Best!
 Dr. Sonja O'Bryan

Declining Hormones and Escalating Symptoms

Estrogen.
We've heard Dr. Zava call it the "angel of life, and the angel of death." Too much can be hazardous. Too little can be problematic also.
Not many people realize this, but estrogen plays a role in more bodily functions than just reproduction. In fact, estrogen has many important functions in the brain.
Studies show that decreasing levels of estrogen can cause two of the most common perimenopause symptoms – hot flashes and mood fluctuations. Curious how this happens? Read on to learn the details of this biochemistry.

Horsing Around With Your Hormones

The hormone replacement pill that many physicians prescribe for menopausal and premenopausal women is a pill known as Premarin.  However, I want to interject at this point that I have a growing number of physicians (especially OB/GYN's) who are referring their patients to me like never before to get them converted to bio-identicals.  It's been amazing to watch the shift in their treatment approach with their patients.  Yay!
 
Let me break this down for you so that you understand the title of my blog a little better.  The root, "pre"gnant-mare-urine is where the medicine name Premarin comes from.  (I think I heard your gasp from here).  I'm not horsing around with you on this little known fact, so please take the time to research it for yourself.  The truth is that Premarin is literally a way to horse around with your hormones by using a non-human source and placing it into the human body as an FDA approved treatment option for menopausal symptoms.  How can that be good right? The production process involves putting horses into stalls, collecting estrogens from their urine, and giving the final product to you in a pill form.  That is likely going to make you feel a mess.  Common horse sense right?!?! Blah!!!

Now don't get me wrong, some women will benefit from this "synthetic" version of hormone replacement therapy, but many will complain that they feel "unnatural" on Premarin.  Maybe it's because women weren't born with four hooves, I don't know. 

I just received results on a patient this morning who wants to convert from synthetic hormone replacement therapy (Premarin) to bio-identical hormone therapy.  Her hormone values are a mess due to the foreign chemicals her body is trying to process.


Seriously though, these are side effects listed from the package insert on a stock bottle of Premarin:

vaginal bleeding
breast changes
abdominal bloating
nausea/vomiting
headache/migraine
fluid retention
BP elevated
mood changes
yeast overgrowth
glucose intolerance
hair growth on the face (not cool in women)
acne

For the last hundreds of years, the human female system has been running quite well on three separate estrogens: estriol, estrone, and estradiol which occur in a particular ratio, with estriol being the most abundant.  Pregnant-mare-urine (sorry I couldn't help myself) consists mostly of estrone, equilin (a nice name for horse estrogen), and estradiol.  Where is the Estriol?  Not there.  Notta.  Nill. Zilch. 

So what's the big deal about that?

Estriol plays an important role and has been used in European countries for decades.  In general, studies from Europe show that menopausal women who use natural estriol to replace their natural "human" estrogen have a reduction in typical menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and thinning of the vaginal tissue (vaginal atrophy). Estriol is also considered as an estrogen with built in cancer protection.  It tends to bind to the receptors in the uterine lining and the breast to bump off cancer producing estrogens and therefore sends them through the process of elimination from the body.  It's not just available in Europe though, we carry and use Estriol is the majority of our menopausal patients.  It's simple good medicine.

Now that you know this, what should you do?  Get to a provider that understands the physiology of a female and leave the horse work to the veterinarians.  After reading this, you should understand why more and more women are seeking the bio-identical hormone replacement route for their menopausal needs.  Who in the world wants to take a pill made out of horse urine? 

So, what should you do?
Read about hormone replacement therapy options and especially bio-identical hormones. 

Check out a few books at the library before making your move.  I enjoy when women (and men) come to my office asking questions from their own research.  Remember hormone replacement therapy is now showing benefit in cardiovascular health, cognition, osteoporosis, alzheimers, along with many other things.  And, it simply helps patients look younger and feel better. 

Hormone levels should be tested in every female before considering treatment, and an individualized therapy can be formulated to meet each individuals needs.  A family history is also of critical importance when determining how best to treat symptoms.  Using the mildest dose and a customized approach is where it's at as far as I'm concerned.  I have been providing this care for hundreds of women for over 20 years now and our services are spreading across the country to those women wanting a better option in addressing their hormonal imbalances.  This treatment option is not new.  It's been around for many years.  Oh, and it's not just celebrity (Robin McGraw, Oprah, Linda Evans, Dr. Oz) medicine, or a treatment that you have to fly to California or Florida for which could cost you hundreds of dollars.   In fact, the average cost is about $50 per month for a customized treatment. Wow!!!  A small price to pay to feel better.   Very affordable and personalized to your needs.

Call my office if I can answer your questions and don't put testing off any longer.  I can offer saliva testing or blood testing to get your levels evaluated and from there develop an action plan with you.

drsonjaobryan@gmail.com

To your good health,
Dr. Sonja

An Estrogen Drought: 1 in 2 Women May Experience This....

Vaginal burning, itching, dryness, and discomfort are usually the ways that women describe the pain they feel with deficient hormones.  Hot flashes are certainly the most talked about aging symptom, but almost 50% of post-menopausal women experience what's called atrophic vaginitis.    This can also happen in in women who have had a hysterectomy with ovaries removed. 

The decline in estrogen with aging or hysterectomy basically causes thinning and inflammation of the vaginal walls. Over time and left untreated, this nuisance can lead to other things like discomfort during sexual intercourse, recurrent urinary tract infections, and incontinence. Ooooh....Ouch!  So how is this atrophy condition treated? Often, Estrogen therapy applied vaginally 2-3 times weekly can give resolution to this uncomfortable problem.  Non-hormonal solutions should always be tried first though and would include things like vitamin E, coconut oil, or vaginal lubricating products. 


What an honor it is to provide personalized medicine unique to the individual.  Very real stuff but also very treatable. When I visit with patients one on one, it's amazing to hear the 'hidden' problems they are experiencing.   If this is something that you are struggling with, reach out! (thehormonemaven@gmail.com) 
A simple phone consultation and possibly hormone testing could bring a positive change for you in this area of health and wellness. 

Best,
~DrSonja

What Testing Can You Provide Dr. O'Bryan?

In the last 20 years I've been asked this question A LOT! 

It doesn't have to be complicated OR COSTLY to test some of the most important things in your quest for better health and wellness. In fact, because of high insurance copays and costly doctors visits, many people are flooding through our doors because they know, in the end, it will save a considerable amount of money. 

There are so many options in testing that I have available today and I thought I would give you a running list that I offer to clients in case you too might have this same question.  They say knowledge is power and when it comes to living, looking, and feeling better, it all comes down to a knowledge of where you stand with your personal and metabolic profile.  Or what about your strong family history of certain diseases?  It's important to get started in preventative care and testing key markers can be very important in helping you to ward off those same conditions.  That's Anti-Aging Medicine! Plainly stated, there's power in knowing the facts so that you can work more strategically on your personal goals.


Here is a current list of TESTING OPTIONS that I can provide to a person: 

Testing Kits _Dr. OBryan

Hormone Profile Testing (male and female)
Adrenal Stress Profile Testing
Nutrient Testing
Heavy Metal Exposure Testing
Neurotransmitter Testing 
Weight Management Testing
Infertility Testing
Thyroid Testing (including common markers for Hashimoto's)
Cardio-metabolic Testing
Vitamin D
B12 Levels
CRP and Homocysteine
Blood Glucose/Insulin Testing
Men's Wellness Testing (comprehensive lab profile)
Women's Wellness Testing (comprehensive lab profile)
Food Allergy Testing (your response to the top 95 most commonly eaten foods)
Iodine Testing
MTHFR Testing



These services are ALSO available:

~Custom Designed Creative Medicine. That's right! Specific and hand designed for the individual.

~Private Consultations-office located inside Providence Medical Spa Branson MO. $65 fee applies

~Custom Vitamin/Supplement regimens
~Autoimmune Disease protocols and treatments
~High Potency Nutraceuticals
~Laboratory Blood Work
~General Wellness Assessment and Regimens
~Customized Respiratory Allergen Toothpaste.  Why get allergy shots every week? (labwork and appointment required)

~Pain Management Therapies
~Insomnia, Fatigue, Headaches, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD tailored regimens
~Anti-Aging and Longevity Protocols
~Weight Loss/Management strategies and protocols.
~Bio-Identical Hormones

My strongest advice to a person is to TEST and ADDRESS.  If there's something on this list that you have been curious about in your own care, please send a message to drsonjaobryan@gmail.com. 

Live Well,
Dr. Sonja O'Bryan,, Pharm.D., ABAAHP

One Destination-Endless Possibilities! Meet The Professional Team Inside Providence Medical Spa

There's ONE place located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of Branson MO where you will find the most intentional and caring professionals in Healthcare, Anti-Aging, and Wellness.  It's true!! 

Often referred to as the "Dream Team of the Midwest", these providers are experts in their field and have come alongside each other in a collaborative network to now hold offices inside ONE place offering ENDLESS possibilities in mind, body, spirit, WHOLE PERSON, care.  It's no wonder this place is becoming a favorite by not only the locals of Branson Missouri, but also by all of the vacationing guests that make their way to Branson each year.  If you have not visited this beautiful place of Rest, and Relaxation, and Rejuvenation, then you are missing out.  We want you to know more about Providence Medical Spa and this team so that you can make plans to enjoy some of the services that are offered inside.  Here's a sneak peek at all of the client services that you will find at this special place. Wow!

Providence Aesthetics and Medical Spa: Co-Owners Jana Kueck, RN, and Dr. Robin Talley MD

Cornerstone Christian Counseling:  Owner Pam Hazell, Licensed Professional Counselor
(Individual, Family, and Marriage Counseling)

Lakeland Wellness: Dr. Sonja O'Bryan, Pharm.D., ABAAHP, Diplomate-American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
(Hormone Testing, Thyroid, Adrenal, Weight Management, Cancer Screening, Stress, Fatigue, Neurotransmitters, Heavy Metal Testing, Food Allergy Testing, General Labs-cholesterol, glucose, insulin, vitamin D, nutrients, personalized medicine)

Enhanced Health:Christi Crosson FNP, and Kate Crosson

(Functional medicine, hair restoration, sexual health, medical weight loss, health and wellness diagnostics, essential oils)

Where Peace Still Blooms Massage Therapy: Owner Jolie Jacobsmeyer, LMT

Douthard Physical Therapy: Dr. Tracy Douthard, PT, D.Min

COMING SOON!!!!  As if it could get any better......CHECK BACK WITH US AUGUST 2018 FOR THESE ADDED SERVICES 

Joining the  Professional Networking Team will be a Micropigmentation Specialist!! 

(Permanent Cosmetics, Microblading, 3D Aerola and Nipple Restoration.  

*We will announce more as the time gets closer and cannot wait to add these highly unique and specialized options to our client service menu. 

We hope to see YOU inside Providence Medical Spa very SOON.  Make sure to mention this BLOG when you call (417-334-4032) to get connected and to hear about current featured services and specials.

All the Best!

Low Hormones, High Anxiety, and Low Mood-Is There A Link?

In the aging process have you noticed that your moods and emotion seem a little more tender than in years past?  Has it been suggested that you take an anti-depressant for your depression? Is there a potential link between declining hormones and anxiousness? 

I'm asked these questions pretty commonly and wanted to address them more broadly through this blog post.  When it comes to depression and anxiety, serotonin frequently steals the spotlight with medical providers in regards to these concerns of their patients.  But, should another discussion open in considering declining hormones, the menopausal transition, and hormone replacement therapy as a therapeutic intervention?  I say YES! Anti-depressants may provide improvement for some in mood and stability, but have fallen short of optimal for others.  I'm happy to have 25+ years experience behind me in saying that the therapeutic toolbox seems to be opening up more in addressing the wondrous complexity of hormones and their affect on mood, emotions, and anxiety.  The heads of the medical community are now turning their attention to hormonal balance as a means to help patients in health and wellness.

Serotonin the "happiness molecule" helps us with many things such as adaptation to stress, energy balance, sleep, sexual behavior, and of course mood. To make serotonin in the brain and the rest of the body, humans convert tryptophan through food sources like meat, fish, dairy, nuts and seeds into serotonin.  A very important enzyme makes this happen but there are some other important cofactors that contribute as well (i.e. Vit B6, iron)  The pendulum can swing the other way in breaking down serotonin to the very important sleep neurotransmitter melatonin by yet another enzyme. Too much or too little can make a tremendous difference in symptoms for a person.

Estrogens are very important to serotonin in terms of it's production and lingering effectiveness. Simply, when estrogen goes down, serotonin may also take a dive leaving an individual with the classic symptoms of what we connect with depression, anxiety, and fluctuating moods.   A recent study provides evidence that depressive symptoms can be improved or prevented with hormone replacement therapy. This information is significant to many women who would otherwise have to take anti-depressants which can dampen sexual desire and performance.  Hormone deficiencies, it appears, need to be evaluated and included in the 'whole person' approach to health-care. 



Our stressful lifestyles can be another impactful implication in the imbalance of hormones and neurotransmitter production.  Hyperactivation of Cortisol can be a wrecking ball to neurotransmitter production and is worth consideration in assessing an individuals levels. If Cortisol is ramped up all the time as a response mechanism to stress, the person will often have noticeable symptoms. Many of which cross over into the realm of anxiousness, insomnia, low energy, and poor mood.  Remember, when it comes to testing of hormones, salivary assessment is a great indicator of the levels and is very convenient and affordable. 

There's much more to be researched on these topics, but I'm really happy to see women and men testing their hormones and not just immediately signing up for an anti-depressant prescription.  Now let me be clear that it's not wrong to take these medications and to many, as noted above, it can be a critical help.  I've recommend anti-depressants many times for different individuals with different clinical needs. But, (there's that word), if you have suspicion that your hormones have taken a dramatic shift, then I would suggest you test and address that as a part of your care plan.   To treat and Band-Aid one area of health without noticing the other contributors can leave you lacking in efforts to have "whole" wellness. 

For more information, email: thehormonemaven@gmail.com if you would like to test your hormones.

All the Best,
Dr. Sonja O'Bryan

What You Might Not Know....

What you might not know, could be affecting your health in ways that you don't even realize.  If you have symptoms, concerns, or just want to know where you stand on certain healthcare matters we can help you.

Did you know? 
Our team provides so many options when it comes to addressing all of the needs that can come up in Health-care and Wellness.  I italicize healthcare because in America it seems that disease care is where most of the attention is focused.  You know....wait until the disease happens, and then respond to it.  Yikes! Never good.

 But.....the tide is changing back to true health-care. (sigh of relief)

Preventative, Functional, Integrative,, Longevity...(whatever name you want to call it "medicine"), is on the rise and I'm seeing trends in people wanting to take charge of their care long before a physician and medical team has to get involved in disease management. It's something I have spent over a 20 year career to see happen and I'm delighted that our team is trained, ready, and 'in the vein' (so to speak) of where healthcare is going.  Our patient base continues to climb and it's mostly based on referral, after referral, after referral.  We've had calls in the last week from Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Oklahoma, and of course Missouri.  That's a far reaching distance, but it's because we provide so many great options to Assess and Address problems.   Even well known and famous celebrities are reaching out to our team for care.  Sometimes I pick up the phone and can't believe who's on the other end of the line.  That's life in the personalized medicine lane.....  It's what people want! So awesome!

What options are available? 
Todays blog is to give you a list of all of the options and interests that might help YOU in your quest to have better health and wellness.  The list is not fully comprehensive, but it should give a pretty good understanding of the most common requests that come our way. 

Hormone Testing-if you haven't tested your hormones, I would encourage you to do so.  We provide testing for both men  and women.   It's very easy, convenient, and affordable to test your hormones.
Adrenal Testing-worn out, fatigued, sleepy, foggy, not sleeping.  It could be adrenals?
Thyroid Testing-losing hair, unable to lose weight, tired.  I would suggest thyroid testing
Fertility Testing-If you have had difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term, please give us a call.  We can provide some testing that will help to set the stage for a safe and successful pregnancy.
*I can mail a saliva testing kit, blood spot testing kit, or put in a blood work order to a laboratory near you. The fees will be 100% known before you test.  No surprise and shocking bills in the mail from labs and facilities.

Erectile Dysfunction-If you are a man with Erectile Dysfunction give our team a call. If you are a man that gets up in the night multiple times to pee, give our team a call.  We have a compounded option that can help with sexual and urinary dysfunction.  It's VERY affordable and worth trying for these needs.

Private Consultations-my favorite.  Let's sit down one-on-one.  Call Providence MedSpa for an appointment. 417-334-4032. We'll go over all of your history, concerns, and future goals. ($50)

Personalized Regimens-You probably have that stock of vitamins and supplements that you bought from the last round of get healthy and skinny peddlers and you're not sure if it's the best thing to use. If so, bring them with you upon your visit and we will go over the ingredient list to make sure.

Blood Work-If you are a personal and connected client, I can order blood work for just about anything you want to know.  (thyroid, hormones, nutritional status, cholesterol, glucose, insulin, etc.)

Food Allergy Testing-Are you noticing that certain foods just don't seem to agree with you?  Noticing skin rashes or flares?  Feeling bloated or swollen?  I can provide an at-home testing kit to find out if you have an inflammatory response to the 95 most common foods that Americans eat. 

Customized Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy-Once we see hormone levels from your saliva or blood work, we can discuss a plan for YOU as an individual.  None of this cookie-cutter medicine stuff right? Right!   Hormone testing and treatment are so important in anti-aging care.

High Quality/Highly Effective Supplements- Are you taking the right supplements for your symptoms?  Are you taking the right things to prevent certain diseases and problems in your family genetics?  Lets sit down and talk. 

Customized Pain Therapies- Where do you hurt?  What are you other medical needs?  What things have you tried to alleviate your pain?  We can help design a customized therapy for you which might include many different agents to control your pain and inflammation.

Autoimmune Disease- Sadly autoimmune disease seems to be on the rise.  Psoriasis, Hashimoto's, Crohns, Rheumatoid and other autoimmune conditions often require strategic regimens to combat inflammation. 

Hemorrhoids and Fissures - That's right! It's a common need that we get requests to provide custom therapies for.  We can help you with these discomforts.

Diaper Rash-There's nothing quite so disturbing as to try to comfort a baby with a sore bum.  Give us a call and we can direct you on a proven and effective therapy to relieve the burn and rash for your sweet little babe.



Thanks for reading todays BLOG.  It would be hard to include everything that we are able to provide because of our growing list of patient care offerings. So, if I missed something of interest to you on this list, please don't hesitate to reach out.  Chances are, that we have some great options and direction for you in navigating your health and wellness needs.
email: drsonjaobryan@gmail.com

To your good HEALTH-CARE!
Dr. Sonja O'Bryan

Fertility Testing

Struggling with Infertility?  It's important to know what to test.                                                                                                                         

This blog explains what hormones are tested in ZRT's Fertility Profile and why each one is important.
LH & FSH are pituitary hormones, which means they affect the brain. Their communication with growing egg follicles in the ovaries is one of the only positive feedback loops in the body. On day three or four of the menstrual cycle (day one is the first day of the period) LH & FSH are at their lowest level. This relationship is normally a 1 to 1 function, but some women have LH levels that are two or three times greater than their FSH levels on day three or four of their cycle. This is a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and occurs in approximately 50% of PCOS women. The opposite problem can also occur - high FSH and LH levels.

Daily Migraine Headaches-A Personal Patient Testimony

Hi Sweet Sonja!

I am over-the-top excited to tell you that I went through a full cycle, a full month without one migraine! God is faithful, and His timing is perfect.

In 2015, I had a migraine almost everyday. In retrospect, it was probably due, partly, to some very serious medicine I was on for the trigeminal neuralgia I developed in 2013. There were, also, many things that triggered the migraines, i.e. certain foods, not eating enough, not eating for long periods of time, bright light, loud sounds, not enough sleep, not good, deep sleep, etc. 

One of the main things, that seemed to be like an umbrella, over all these symptoms, however, were my hormones. 

In 2016, I was off the serious medicine, and the trigeminal neuralgia pain was beginning to subside. The migraines became less, but continued in a cycle. One, in the middle of the month around the 15th, and four to five, in the last two weeks of the month. Sprinkled with one here and there due to the other triggers. 

I met you at the 2017 Women of Purpose Conference on the heels of my asking the Lord for wisdom, direction, and discernment concerning my health. He was opening up many opportunities for me to minister His love to women, and the migraines were a huge interruption! 

I was blessed to attend your workshop, and your message and expertise spoke directly to my heart. You were so very personable and available to me. Your advice for my medical doctor. to order a full hormone panel, and a full thyroid panel were received. My results came back pretty good, as you know, because you were so gracious to read them. 

You recommended some key things that I should start taking and I breezed through the 15th, and only had a tension headache on the 28th, and NO MIGRAINE through the entire month!!! 

I am most grateful for you and your work. You are a sweet blessing from God. He has used you in a miraculous way. Anyone who has suffered with a migraine knows how debilitating they can be. God answered my prayers through you, and now that my health is better, I'm even more excited to see how He will use me in 2018 to share Jesus' love. It's all for His glory! 

I'm so very grateful for you!

Many blessings,

Lisa

Still on a journey with the Lord Jesus Christ, Lisa Dorr tries to live her life yielded to the work of the Holy Spirit. She loves to encourage women to know who they are in Christ with Ephesians as her favorite book of the Bible. Blessed to have had opportunities to speak at MOPS and other Women’s Ministry events, she has led Bible studies, worshiped on the worship team, and is a contributing author and editor for God Stories. Lisa is the author of Every Little Detail, which is her story written to encourage women to find God in the details of life. DASH Girls is a group of women she enjoys ministering with, as they travel together and share the love of Jesus. DASH stands for Destinies. Aligned. to Soar. Higher. She lives with her husband, son, and two cats in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania.