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4 episodes with prempro
2 episodes with prempro
2 episodes with prempro
2 episodes with prempro
Many women don't realize there's a big difference between synthetic progestins and natural bioidentical progesterone when it comes to hormone support. In this short episode, Tara breaks down the key distinctions between these two types of progesterone, explaining why bioidentical forms are the safest and most effective option for women in midlife. Tara highlights the potential harms of synthetic progestins—which are commonly found in birth control pills, certain IUDs, and some hormone replacement therapies—including increased risks of breast cancer, negative cardiovascular impacts, mood disturbances, and more. In contrast, natural bioidentical progesterone supports sleep, mood, brain health, and overall well-being, without the risks associated with its synthetic counterparts. If you're on hormone therapy or using birth control, Tara encourages you to check what type of progesterone you're taking and consider making a switch if necessary. This episode is full of clear, empowering information to help you make the best choices for your long-term health as you navigate perimenopause and beyond. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: What's REAL progesterone and what's FAKE? Tara breaks down the difference between bioidentical (aka body-identical) progesterone and synthetic progestins—and why you should absolutely care. Why progestins (the fake stuff) can be harmful Learn about the potential risks progestins carry, including higher chances of breast cancer, cardiovascular issues, and unwanted mood disturbances. How natural progesterone actually supports your health From better sleep to improved mood, bone strength, a happier heart, and even better hair—Tara reveals why this hormone is your BFF in midlife. Where these progestins are hiding Birth control pills, IUDs (hello, Mirena!), and even some outdated hormone replacement therapies are common culprits. Tara drops key brand names and what to watch out for (don't worry, she's listed them in the show notes too). What to do if you think you're on a progestin Tara offers concrete advice on how to talk to your healthcare provider about making the switch—and why there's almost always a natural, better alternative. Commonly Used Progestins (synthetic forms): • Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) – used in Prempro, Provera • Norethisterone (Norethindrone) – found in some birth control and HRT pills • Levonorgestrel – used in IUDs (e.g., Mirena, Kyleena, Skyla, Liletta), birth control pills • Norgestrel – in some oral contraceptives • Drospirenone – in pills like Yaz, Yasmin • Desogestrel, Etonogestrel, Dienogest – in various contraceptive options You may also enjoy these episodes: Episode 96: What is "estrogen kickback" when you start on progesterone HRT? Episode 99: Everything you need to know about progesterone & replacing it, with Carol Petersen LIVE TRAINING: The Perimenopause Reset: From Exhausted to Energised. Your Proven 3-Step Roadmap to Thrive in Perimenopause—Naturally and Confidently. WHEN: Wednesday, May 14th at 5pm PST / 8pm EST, (which is 10am AEDT on May 15th) REGISTER HERE [Limited Spots Available] Mentioned in this episode: HRT Made Simple™ - Learn how to confidently speak to your doctor about the benefits of hormone replacement therapy so you can set yourself up for symptom-free, unmedicated years to come without feeling confused, dismissed, or leaving the medical office minus your HRT script. Hair Loss Solutions Made Simple™ – This course will teach you the best natural, highly effective, and safe solutions for your hair loss so you can stop it, reverse it, and regrow healthy hair without turning to medications. The Hormone Balance Solution™ – My signature 6-month comprehensive hormonal health program for women in midlife who want to get solid answers to their hormonal health issues once and for all so they can kick the weight gain, moodiness, gut problems, skin issues, period problems, fatigue, overwhelm, insomnia, hair/eyebrow loss, and other symptoms in order to get back to the woman they once were. [FREE] The Ultimate Midlife Perimenopause Handbook - Grab my free guide and RECLAIM your confidence, your mood, your waistline and energy without turning to medications or restrictive diets (or spending a fortune on testing you don't need!).
I give two to three lectures a week. No matter who I am talking to or what the topic is, the part I like the best is the Q and A. It's always different and I never know what I am going to get. In this episode I answer 37 questions in a 45 minute webinar I did on behalf of Midi Health where I am the Medical Director of Community Education and Outreach. If you are looking for in-depth explanations like I often give, you won't get that in this episode. But, if you would like more detailed information I have listed some of the questions below along with past episodes that covered the topic in more depth. Some sample questions that were covered... · Can a woman over age 60 take HT? Episode 123 Hormone Therapy After Age 60 with Dr. James Simon · I went to see my doctor and she only prescribes Prempro- is it OK to take Prempro ? Episode 124 All Hormones Are Not Created Equal with Dr. James Simon · Is it OK to take a break in HT? · What is the typical cost of HT?- How many types? Is it covered by most insurance? · Is it appropriate to order blood testing to optimize treatment? · Is it best to wait a full 12 months without a period to start HT? · Will hormone therapy help my uterine prolapse get better? Episode 38 Pelvic Organs Dropping? How to STOP the POP! · What are the chances that Testosterone will help my libido and what are possible side effects? Episode 21: Say Yes! to Testosterone for Women · Why would a Dr. Prescribe Veozah instead of Estrogen? Episode 77 Fezolinetant! A New Non-Hormonal Hot Flash Drug · What causes periods to be irregular in perimenopause? Episode 23: Welcome to Peri-menopause · My hot flashes came back after a long hiatus. Should I start estrogen? Episode 53 Not All Hot Flashes Mean Menopause · My Calcium score is Zero- can I take HT ? Episode 123 Hormone Therapy After Age 60 with Dr. James Simon · I am still using Nuva Ring for Birth control- when should I transition to HT? Episode 23: Welcome to Peri-menopause · Does Estroven work? Episode 95 Non-hormonal options to treat VMS- Herbs Spices &Wishful Thinking · Is it normal for orgasms to get weaker and what can be done to make it stronger? Episode 15: Post Menopause Orgasm- Everybody Come! About Midi Health JoinMidi.com Midi is a virtual clinic specializing in perimenopause and menopause. Midi offers both hormonal and non-hormonal evidence-based care from experts. The Next Midi Ask Me Anything Webinar https://www.instagram.com/midihealth/p/DBwlpqkRYTv/ November 20, 2024 2:00 PM/3:00 PM ET Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause, and a Senior Research Fellow of The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She is a certified menopause practitioner of The Menopause Society. She is the Medical Director of Community Education and Outreach for Midi Health. Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago's top-rated news program, the WGN Morning News, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr. Radio, Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News Now, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and World News Tonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine. DrStreicher.com Instagram @DrStreich Facebook @DrStreicher YouTube @DrStreicherTV LinkedIn @DrStreicher Sign up to receive DR. STREICHER'S FREE NEWSLETTER Books by Lauren Streicher, MD Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist's guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy To Find a Menopause Clinician Midi Health www.Joinmidi.com Midi Health is a telehealth company that provides high-level menopause care and takes insurance in all 50 states. Dr. Streicher is Midi's Medical Director of Education and Community Outreach and is familiar with their medical protocols, which are all regularly updated and set by the top academic menopause experts in the country. The Menopause Society- Certified Menopause Practitioner List Menopause.org To find a menopause practitioner: https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx Put in your zip code and designate NCMP or CMSP to get a certified menopause practitioner. While all people on this list have passed a competency examination, Dr. Streicher does not vouch for every one of these clinicians. Most are excellent. Major Medical Centers It may also be helpful to check with major medical centers in your area. Many have menopause clinics or lists of doctors who are interested in and expertise in menopause. If you are in the Chicago area, the center founded by Dr. Streicher: The Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause Sexmedmenopause.nm.org Dr. Streicher's Inside Information podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement, not replace, care by your personal healthcare clinician. Dr. Streicher disclaims liability for any medical outcomes that may occur because of applying methods suggested or discussed in this podcast.
See all the Healthcasts at https://www.biobalancehealth.com/healthcast-blog In the history of medicine over the last 2 centuries there have been many changes in the recommendations given to patients by their doctors. In general, to change the way medicine is practiced improving the care of patients, a new treatment had to be opposed by one or two courageous doctors who were willing to put his/her livelihood and status in the society of medical doctors on the line. Any medical practice that was contrary to the dogma that had been taught to doctors in training was looked down upon by medical peers and often the doctors who were trying to improve the life of their patients were ousted from their practices and lost their livelihood. I have been one of those doctors trying to improve the practice of medicine in the face of criticism and “name calling” by other doctors who didn't want to change any of their practices. In all cases it took a decade or more to regain my status and acceptance by other doctors and in some cases the changes I have made for the sake of my patients are still not accepted, and most likely won't be for another decade. How and why medicine improves is a painful and complicated process that is always opposed at first. How Progress of Medical Practice Has Been Thwarted by Doctors' Dogma Example #1 Handwashing between examining patients, When Did That Become a Medical Requirement? Doctors now embrace the practice of washing our hands between examining patients, and the practice of wearing one-use disposable gloves to do a vaginal exam on pregnant patients. However, before 1847 doctors didn't believe in hand washing between examining patients. There were no sterile procedures or wash basins available in doctors' suites, and vaginal exams were done on many patients in a maternity ward, one after the other without handwashing. Bacteria had not been discovered in that century and therefore washing away bacteria was unknown, then bacteria were discovered and the presence of dangerous “bugs” that one couldn't see was questioned by the older doctors and the, but Ignaz Semmelweis proved that ha dogma of the day. With the discovery of bacteria by young doctors and scientists presented a change to the practice of medicine that the older physicians in charge didn't accept. Then Dr. Semmelweis showed up on the scene, touting the new knowledge, and insisting that he must wash his hands between Obstetric patients in the ward. This set off an explosion and pitted the old guard versus one young, new doctor. His insistence in washing his hands caused the doctors to throw Dr Semmelweis off staff of his hospital and peer pressure caused him to be shunned by all of the physicians on staff. He had a hard time finding a medical practice and ended his life destitute and without anyone recognizing that he was right the whole time. Medical handwashing became mandatory long after Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered its effectiveness (in 1846) in preventing disease in a hospital environment. He was before his time, and if he had been listened to, thousands of laboring women would have survived childbirth, instead of dying from childbed fever! In retrospect we can sympathize with him because we now know he was right, and his refusal to accept a dangerous practice and to help women live through childbirth, was a personally costly stand to make, but was the first step toward an advance in the practice of medicine. Example #2 Is Estrogen Replacement for Menopause: Dangerous or Healthy? Reference--Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society Vol. 26, No. 12, pp. 1366-1374 DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001405 ß 2019 by The North American Menopause Society Estrogen for menopausal women has always been a hot potato for medicine. Many studies done in the 1950s and 1960s documented the benefit of giving women estrogen after menopause. Medicine embraced this belief, and the majority of women were put on Premarin, the most popular estrogen replacement. All went well until late in the 1960s and early in the 1970s doctors noticed that women with uteruses were getting uterine cancer at a very high number and the majority of women were taking Premarin. Research confirmed that estrogen replacement without progesterone/progestin could cause uterine cancer! This caused two things to happen: Research began within the drug companies to see if giving Provera®, a synthetic progesterone, would protect women from uterine cancer; The second thing that happened was that women immediately stopped their Premarin therapy and were suffering all over the US. “Premarin” and “Estrogen” became bad words in the doctor's offices, on the front page of papers. This emotional response to a drug name was hard to erase when several years later, when I learned about Premarin replacement through medical school. About that time Premarin + Provera, Prempro® was introduced to the public as the answer to getting uterine cancer in menopausal women. That took over a decade to scientifically establish safety, and menopausal women were without their estrogen to relieve their symptoms. It took that much time to produce enough research to prove that estrogen replacement was not going to cause uterine cancer, but they were right. Estrogen of any type when combined with a progestin protects against uterine cancer, not every case of uterine cancer because there are other factors, but the majority of the time. All was well in regard to E2 during the 1980s-2002 when the next shoe dropped. In 2002 a flawed study was released from the NIH called the WHI or Women's Healthcare Initiative, which was published with a headline that startled doctors and women patients alike “Post-Menopausal Hormones Cause Breast Cancer and Heart Disease”. This Press Release Title was a misinterpretation of the data in the NIH Research article that claimed that Estrogen plus Progestin caused heart attacks and strokes! The truth has been excavated from the huge report describing the study, in the 20 years since the WHI article was published, but the original misinformation won't go away! The study scared millions of women off hormone replacement and caused doctors to stop prescribing them. The outcome of the WHI study is that one brand of estrogen, Premarin(estrogens) PLUS Provera a synthetic Progestin, together do cause heart attacks and strokes. However, estrogen (Premarin or estradiol) alone, does not cause either of these diseases and were proven to protect women from getting heart disease and breast cancer! The original press release of the WHI study should have been titled, Provera, a Progestin, Increases the Risk of Heart Disease and Breast Cancer, and the FDA should have pulled Provera from the market. If it had been properly titled and interpreted by the publisher, doctors would have just changed the Provera® prescription to a natural progesterone (bio-identical progesterone or Prometrium®, progesterone in oil) to take with estrogen, and women would not have had their quality of life changed for 2 decades without estrogen for their menopausal symptoms. I am shocked that Provera® is still on the market with this kind of study showing the damage it can do! I believe the FDA is protecting the pharmaceutical company that makes this substance. I, personally, have not prescribed Provera® since before the WHI when I tested blood levels of my patients and found very high levels of estrone. As is typical, a fearful headline always stays in people's minds even when it is proven to be a lie, so for 20 years, most women have not been able to treat their menopausal symptoms. Since 2002 a multitude of studies have been published (usually by women) stating the real benefits of estradiol replacement to prevent: Heart Disease, diabetes, obesity, dementia, arthritis, hot flashes, insomnia, longer life, and many more symptoms of aging. You might guess, I never stopped giving estrogen to my post hysterectomy patients, and bioidentical progesterone plus estradiol to my patients with a uterus, to protect their uterus from cancer, yet to allow them to have the benefits of estradiol after menopause. Because I read the whole WHI study, I realized that it was not estrogen, but progestin that caused the problem in the WHI study. However One very old doctor told one of my patients that I was going to “kill” her….he was just ignorant of the study. This seems to be how doctors react when they hear part of the information published about one of the medical treatments in question. Interestingly it is an emotional response that causes them to react negatively to new information instead of investigating it like scientists, which is what we are supposed to be! They have now been proven wrong and I look pretty good to the patients who remember. You can see why it is both difficult to trust the information given us as doctors, and why even if we know the truth, it is difficult to treat patients in the negative environment that is caused by careless journalists. This makes it difficult to make changes in medicine for fear someday, a researcher will find fault with it. Example #3: Medical Advice about Drinking Water with Your Meals 100 years ago the JAMA Journal printed an editorial that said no one should drink water with their meal because it isn't healthy. There was no scientific research to back up that medical advice and they didn't say what would happen to you if you did drink water with your meals, but they were adamant that it was dangerous. In the following century doctors have discovered and presented scientific proof that drinking water with your food helps your food digest, makes you feel full now doctors recommend that everyone drinks water with their food! This is proven with scientific research and finally replaced the previous dogma that restricted patients from the simple habit of drinking water with their meals. It took a long time to reverse the beliefs of people, and I remember that in the 1970s my parents believed that no one should drink water with food. The outcome of that habit was that they both had kidney damage as they grew older! They maintained an environment of dehydration in their bodies which is physiologically dangerous to kidney function. Conclusion: So why should we listen to these medical “experts” when they are not advising us in a healthful lifestyle?? Well, about half the time they are right, and half the time they are wrong---it's a toss-up! How does one tell the difference between bad and good advice from their doctor? You have to ask your doctor and trust her advice. As a doctor I read research that tests a given medical practice then I compare the outcomes of the research with the outcomes of my patients, and if their findings agree with my patients' experiences, then I embrace the research and include it in my medical advice. If not, I don't use that information and wait for a better study to parallel what I see every day. You can do the same thing. If you think that the advice a doctor gives you is not consistent with your own experience, then you have to decide whether you take the medical advice and use it or not.
Show Summary: "About 30 years ago, a patient stomped into my office. She wanted me to pay attention because she said she was going crazy, which was a surprise. After all, this is a very successful woman who retired in her mid-40s. She was in perimenopause, so I gave her some progesterone. Three weeks later, I got a letter from her saying, 'Oh my god, I can't believe this. I'm myself again, thank you so much.' That caught my attention because this was a dramatic result. It happened with so little time."Women who undergo midlife crises are often punctuated with the unpleasant effects of menopause. Aside from hot flashes, mood swings, sleeping disorders, body aches, muscle loss, osteoporosis, and incontinence can easily diminish their confidence and self-esteem. At the ripe age when knowledge, experience, and wisdom are supposedly at their peak, the sudden hormone shift can cause their life to fall over the cliff.Our guest, Dr. Daved Rosensweet, M.D., is a world-renowned menopause expert. Guided by a deep sense of purpose and passion for holistic medicine, his mission is to heal and turn the tide of this planet. Specializing in women's hormones for the past 30 years.In this episode, we shall know of the elegant benefits of bioidentical hormones in supporting the menopausal stage. Aside from easing the dreaded symptoms, women now have a choice to significantly extend and live out their gifts even past their prime years.Be empowered from needless suffering. Listen to Episode 53 of the Gutsy Health Podcast to learn more!Exceptional Highlights:For about 1000 years, Chinese aristocrats replenish their hormones by collecting the pee of young men and women. Rich in metabolites, dried urine served to maintain health and youthfulness.Premarin was the most popular and profitable hormone supplement in the US from the 1960s. Its name also comes from its origin known as pregnant mare urine.Show Highlights:The Women's Health Initiative study in 2002 has caused the majority of 18 million American women to miss out on the benefits of taking Premarin.Dr. Daved Rosensweet 13:31Horse-derived urine alone reduces the risk of breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke. But in the study, it was combined with the problematic artificial progestin. Despite the statistically insignificant 1.26 relative risk, the media sensationalized the findings that were redacted later on.Breast cancer is rare in pregnant women, whose estrogen and progesterone are a hundred times higher compared to non-pregnant women.Dr. Daved Rosensweet 21:23Though high levels of estrogen and progesterone have been linked to breast cancer, as a multifactorial disease, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors also contribute to its development.The best time to consider bioidentical hormones is as early as possible. Women's estrogen and progesterone levels peak during their 20s, then decline.Dr. Daved Rosensweet 30:46Start paying attention to hormonal balance if symptoms include brain fog, irregular periods, breast tenderness, headaches, or PMS.Get 10% off your first order of Odyssey Snack Bars, a powerhouse snack for hormone and blood sugar regulation. Order yours at www.odysseysnacks.comSponsor Link:www.odysseysnacks.comImportant Links: Gutsy Health Podcast InstagramDaved Rosensweet WebsiteBriteThe Menopause Method
About 15 years ago physician came to me telling me that she was opening a new venture, distributing plant-based bioidentical hormones, and surgically implanting those hormones as pellets. She wanted me to send her all of my patients who presented in menopause because "with bioidentical hormones they won't need weight loss surgery." She went on to say how every woman would be tested for their hormones and then a compounding pharmacy would make up the exact hormones to replace the ones the person was not producing enough of. This would, "almost reverse aging and cause weight loss." In fact, those bioidentical hormones cause weight gain. Bioidentical hormones, from whatever source, cause weight gain, not weight loss (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23924704/ (reference)) . In spite of a number of "advertisement" from providers who wish to provide you with "compounded" bioidentical hormones that propose they will cause weight loss - they don't. This physician was not an Ob-Gyn, nor was she a board certified endocrinologist, in fact her specialty was about as far from treatment of complex menopausal hormone replacement or obesity as one could imagine. The red flags for this clinic were (a) proposing weight loss (b) associating with a compound pharmacy (c) offering anti aging treatments (d) a provider that is not an expert in the field of endocrinology or gynecology. Bioidentical hormones made by any compounding pharmacies do not meet rigorous FDA standards. In fact, compounded forms of bio-identical hormones are similar to supplements, and have the same issues that supplement industries have had that we have outlined https://www.yourdoctorsorders.com/2015/04/vitamins-supplements-lables-that-lie/ (previously). Menopausal Hormone Replacement is Medicine, Compounded bioidentical hormones are ? With every scam there is a separation of the chaff from the wheat. Here is the current evidence about hormones and changes that occur as women enter menopause. Accepted sources for this information include The Menopause Society as well as The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Women undergoing menopause they decrease their production of certain hormones. This can lead to severe symptoms of menopause that hormone replacement therapy can alleviate. Symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, joint aches and pains, mood changes, vaginal dryness. That is undisputed and the improvement in quality of life is why many seek hormone replacement therapy. There is also potential benefit to decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease, if started within ten years of symptoms and before the age of 60 years. The major concern of hormone replacement therapy came from the https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/195120 (study) published in 2002, the Women's Health Initiative, showing that hormone replacement, with the most commonly prescribed medicine, Prempro, led to an increase in heart attacks, strokes, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism as well as breast cancer. The concern among gynecologists led to a rapid decrease in the prescription of Prempro by nearly 70%. This also led to a decrease in the quality of life by women going through menopause. Some gynecologists and endocrinologists continued to prescribe hormone replacement therapy. Compound Pharmacies Filling the Gap Bioidentical hormones made by any compounding pharmacies do not meet rigorous FDA standards. In fact, compounded forms of bio-identical hormones are similar to supplements, and have the same issues that supplement industries have had that we have outlined https://www.yourdoctorsorders.com/2015/04/vitamins-supplements-lables-that-lie/ (previously). To quote from the FDA "Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs. Consumers and health professionals rely on the drug approval process for verification of safety, effectiveness, and quality....
This week we're replaying a classic episode where your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Zoe Littlepage of Littlepage, Booth, Leckman ( http://www.littlepagebooth.com/ ). Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review Case Details: Three Nevada women who developed breast cancer as a result of their use of Wyeth's hormone replacement drugs, Prempro and Premarin. The jury found that Prempro and Premarin helped cause their cancers and that Wyeth misled the public about the drugs' health risks. The court ultimately awarded $22.8 million in compensatory damages and $35 million in punitive damages. Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents Guest Bio: Zoe Littlepage's practice focuses on complex cases including mass torts, defective medical product or drug cases as well as human rights issues. She typically spends months each year in trial, all across the country. Ms. Littlepage's jury awards made the list of the Top 10 Largest Verdicts in the country for 2007, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Zoe Littlepage was induced into The Inner Circle of Advocates. Founded in 1972, The Inner Circle of Advocates is an invitation only group of 100 of the best trial lawyers in America who are selected for their character, experience and success in the courtroom. The Inner Circle of Advocates was described by The Washington Post as, "A select group of 100 of the nation's most celebrated trial lawyers" and is recognized as one of the most exclusive groups of attorneys in the nation. Inner Circle members often work collectively to share experience, skills and knowledge in pursuit of justice. American Lawyer magazine as well as Fortune magazine named Ms. Littlepage as one of America's “Premiere Lawyers.” She has also been nominated as a “Super Lawyer” as well as “Top Lawyer” in the country multiple years running. In 2008, she received the Clarence Darrow award for Best Mass Tort Lawyer. Texas Lawyer praises Ms. Littlepage's tenacity stating “all bets should be on Littlepage.” Chambers USA, a legal publisher, recognizes Zoe Littlepage as a leading lawyer in nationwide product liability litigation and notes that “Zoe Littlepage of Littlepage Booth does ‘a bang-up job for plaintiffs.'” According to lawyers interviewed by Chambers USA, “[w]hen you see her, you know you have a fight on your hands.” Read Full Bio Here Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LegalTechService.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Harris, Lowry, and Manton - hlmlawfirm.com Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Zoe Littlepage of Littlepage, Booth, Leckman (http://www.littlepagebooth.com/). Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review Case Details: Three Nevada women who developed breast cancer as a result of their use of Wyeth's hormone replacement drugs, Prempro and Premarin. The jury found that Prempro and Premarin helped cause their cancers and that Wyeth misled the public about the drugs' health risks. The court ultimately awarded $22.8 million in compensatory damages and $35 million in punitive damages. Click Here to Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents Guest Bio: Zoe Littlepage Zoe Littlepage's practice focuses on complex cases including mass torts, defective medical product or drug cases as well as human rights issues. She typically spends months each year in trial, all across the country. Ms. Littlepage's jury awards made the list of the Top 10 Largest Verdicts in the country for 2007, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Zoe Littlepage was inducted into The Inner Circle of Advocates. Founded in 1972, The Inner Circle of Advocates is an invitation only group of 100 of the best trial lawyers in America who are selected for their character, experience, and success in the courtroom. The Inner Circle of Advocates was described by The Washington Post as, "A select group of 100 of the nation's most celebrated trial lawyers" and is recognized as one of the most exclusive groups of attorneys in the nation. Inner Circle members often work collectively to share experience, skills, and knowledge in pursuit of justice. American Lawyer magazine as well as Fortune magazine named Ms. Littlepage as one of America's “Premiere Lawyers.” She has also been nominated as a “Super Lawyer” as well as “Top Lawyer” in the country multiple years running. In 2008, she received the Clarence Darrow award for Best Mass Tort Lawyer. Texas Lawyer praises Ms. Littlepage's tenacity stating “all bets should be on Littlepage.” Chambers USA, a legal publisher, recognizes Zoe Littlepage as a leading lawyer in nationwide product liability litigation and notes that “Zoe Littlepage of Littlepage Booth does ‘a bang-up job for plaintiffs.'” According to lawyers interviewed by Chambers USA, “[w]hen you see her, you know you have a fight on your hands.” Read Full Bio Here Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LTSatlanta.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Harris, Lowry, and Manton - hlmlawfirm.com Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2
This show deals with the lack of authenticity in humanity throughout time and up to today, especially in medicine, hormones and even peer review science. Listen and learn how doctor’s voting down FDA back of bioidentical hormones often choose bioidentical hormones for themselves. Why? They are safer and more effective. Their claim. No peer review trials. Are there any peer review trials on the synthetic hormones now available? No. The only randomized trial on hormones (Prempro – horse urine along with MPA) were prematurely stopped as the synthetic progestins causes issues. You will learn about science and what the ex-editor (for two decades) of the most prestigious scientific journal in the world today (New England Journal of Medicine) has to say about trusting science and many physicians. You will also hear: About the role of satiety hormones and Alzheimer’s disease. About oxytocin and couple’s alcohol counseling. The role of the gut and Parkinson’s disease especially constipation and appendix removal. How women deal with stress differently than males and that stress hormones is women boost hunger hormone (ghrelin) which then can damage eggs sitting in reserve in the ovaries. What Dr. David Hawkin (functional psychiatrist turned metaphysical teacher) has to say about how the masses can be so easily controlled. Dr. Berkson shares in her somewhat poetic voice, why authenticity is so elusive (it has been this way since the beginning of mankind). Discover how you might develop authenticity in yourself and why you would want to do so. Learn how to better tell if others are “for” you or “against” you. In the world there have always been the “few” trying to control the “many”. But today many are trying to get our attention, money and respect. Learning how to be more authentic and discern authenticity in others, or lack of, are great tools. You will gain some of these assets by the end of this marvelous show.
THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT PROGESTERONE REPLACEMENT IN WOMEN. Ladies, what if I told you there was a medication that you could take that could control your PMS, balance your moods, improve your cholesterol, improve heart health, decrease bloating, all with one pill. Would you be interested in that? I’m going to give you the three most important things you need to know and understand about progesterone, and the two conversations that you need to have with your doctor today. WHAT IS PROGESTERONE? Progesterone is a hormone made by women in their ovaries and their adrenal glands. And during pregnancy, it is made by the placenta in very large amounts. WHAT ARE IT’S BENEFITS? It supports a healthy pregnancy (“pro-gestation” or pro pregnancy). It is the mainstay of treatment for PMS. It treats postpartum depression (due to a sudden drop of progesterone once the placenta is delivered). Improves heart health. Improves sleep. Improves bone health. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOIDENTICAL AND SYNTHETIC PROGESTERONE? Bioidentical progesterone is the exact molecule that your organs naturally produces. Synthetic progesterones are called, Progestins. Study after study have shown that progestins cause cancer. The most famous progestin is called Provera. WHERE DOES ALL THE CONFUSION COME FROM? Much of the confusion around the safety of progesterone (and estrogen, for that matter) has been extrapolated from the Women’s Health Initiative which showed that women using Provera (synthetic progesterone) and PremPro (synthetic combo of estrogen and progesterone) were at an increased risk for breast cancer, blood clots, and stroke. After all the data was fleshed out, it was concluded that the risks were linked to the synthetic progestins. Unfortunately, the negative outcomes from the study were applied to all hormones which has caused a lot of unwarranted fear around natural bioidentical hormones because of the extrapolation of risk from these synthetic variants. In my private practice, I use only natural progesterone. When progesterone levels in women are optimized, long term health benefits are realized, and they feel amazing! HERE ARE THE TWO CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE WITH YOUR DOCTOR AROUND PROGESTERONE. 1) Should I consider replacing my progesterone? The truth is, all adult women should be taking progesterone or at least considering it. Pre-menopausal women tend to be estrogen dominant, so progesterone helps to stabilize mood, even out irregular periods, improve PMS symptoms, and improve sleep. For peri-menopausal women, it is an excellent treatment for hot flashes which comes from the sudden decrease and drop of estrogen in your body. And for postmenopausal women, the benefits are improved bone health, cardiovascular health, and prevention of breast and uterine cancers. 2) Is my progesterone level optimal? Normal progesterone levels in premenopausal women are 4-25 based on the timing of the menstrual cycle. Optimal progesterone levels in women are 10-30. HERE ARE THE BIG TAKE HOME POINTS: Progestins, like Provera, increases your risk for for stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, and uterine cancer. It is not the same as natural or bioidentical progesterone which are safe. Virtually all adult women would benefit from optimizing their progesterone. All of them. Optimizing your progesterone level is one of the most important things you can do to increase your lifespan and quality of life. Talk to your doctor about optimizing your progesterone. You deserve to live the most vibrant life you can, free from cancer, heart disease, and brittle bones. In the next post, we will discuss thyroid, one
THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT PROGESTERONE REPLACEMENT IN WOMEN. Ladies, what if I told you there was a medication that you could take that could control your PMS, balance your moods, improve your cholesterol, improve heart health, decrease bloating, all with one pill. Would you be interested in that? I’m going to give you the three most important things you need to know and understand about progesterone, and the two conversations that you need to have with your doctor today. WHAT IS PROGESTERONE? Progesterone is a hormone made by women in their ovaries and their adrenal glands. And during pregnancy, it is made by the placenta in very large amounts. WHAT ARE IT’S BENEFITS? It supports a healthy pregnancy (“pro-gestation” or pro pregnancy). It is the mainstay of treatment for PMS. It treats postpartum depression (due to a sudden drop of progesterone once the placenta is delivered). Improves heart health. Improves sleep. Improves bone health. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOIDENTICAL AND SYNTHETIC PROGESTERONE? Bioidentical progesterone is the exact molecule that your organs naturally produces. Synthetic progesterones are called, Progestins. Study after study have shown that progestins cause cancer. The most famous progestin is called Provera. WHERE DOES ALL THE CONFUSION COME FROM? Much of the confusion around the safety of progesterone (and estrogen, for that matter) has been extrapolated from the Women’s Health Initiative which showed that women using Provera (synthetic progesterone) and PremPro (synthetic combo of estrogen and progesterone) were at an increased risk for breast cancer, blood clots, and stroke. After all the data was fleshed out, it was concluded that the risks were linked to the synthetic progestins. Unfortunately, the negative outcomes from the study were applied to all hormones which has caused a lot of unwarranted fear around natural bioidentical hormones because of the extrapolation of risk from these synthetic variants. In my private practice, I use only natural progesterone. When progesterone levels in women are optimized, long term health benefits are realized, and they feel amazing! HERE ARE THE TWO CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE WITH YOUR DOCTOR AROUND PROGESTERONE. 1) Should I consider replacing my progesterone? The truth is, all adult women should be taking progesterone or at least considering it. Pre-menopausal women tend to be estrogen dominant, so progesterone helps to stabilize mood, even out irregular periods, improve PMS symptoms, and improve sleep. For peri-menopausal women, it is an excellent treatment for hot flashes which comes from the sudden decrease and drop of estrogen in your body. And for postmenopausal women, the benefits are improved bone health, cardiovascular health, and prevention of breast and uterine cancers. 2) Is my progesterone level optimal? Normal progesterone levels in premenopausal women are 4-25 based on the timing of the menstrual cycle. Optimal progesterone levels in women are 10-30. HERE ARE THE BIG TAKE HOME POINTS: Progestins, like Provera, increases your risk for for stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, and uterine cancer. It is not the same as natural or bioidentical progesterone which are safe. Virtually all adult women would benefit from optimizing their progesterone. All of them. Optimizing your progesterone level is one of the most important things you can do to increase your lifespan and quality of life. Talk to your doctor about optimizing your progesterone. You deserve to live the most vibrant life you can, free from cancer, heart disease, and brittle bones. In the next post, we will discuss thyroid, one
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE DIDN’T HAVE TO HAPPEN? And what if I also told you that by treating the symptoms of menopause with bioidentical hormones you could not only feel better, but you could live longer? Well, it’s true. SYMPTOMS LIKE HOT FLASHES, INSOMNIA, MOODINESS, AND WEIGHT GAIN….. GONE. In this post, we’re going to discuss one of the most controversial topics in women’s health, estrogen therapy for postmenopausal women. And, I’m going to give you three conversations to have with your doctor about estrogen replacement. WHAT IS ESTROGEN? Estrogen is a hormone that, in women, is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands, and is massively important for health and well-being. It shows up around the age of 11-13 when females’ bodies start taking shape, they begin to ovulate, and they start their periods. It rises and falls each month until you either become pregnant, take birth controls to suppress it, or you hit menopause. When a woman hits menopause, the ovaries stop producing estrogen. BUT MENOPAUSE USUALLY DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. About 5 years before menopause, ovarian estrogen production begins to lower and women don’t don’t produce enough to feel balanced, or optimal. This is called perimenopause — or “around menopause” — and it is when women begin to experience hot flashes, moodiness, weight gain, bloating, and brain fog. These symptoms are miserable in the short term. In the long term, inadequate estrogen levels can have devastating effects and put you at risk for a plethora of diseases. THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF INADEQUATE ESTROGEN ARE DEVASTATING. Women have been suffering with these symptoms unnecessarily because of confusion and fear around the safety of hormone replacement in menopausal and postmenopausal women. A lot of the confusion originated from a study called the Women’s Health Initiative which looked at long term effects of hormone replacement therapy in women. The study had three arms: Provera only (synthetic progestin) Premarin only (synthetic estrogen) PremPro (a combination of Premarin and Provera) MOST OF THE FEAR AND CONFUSION AROUND BHRT ARE ROOTED IN THE WHI STUDY WHICH ONLY LOOKED AT SYNTHETIC HORMONES. All risk and/or benefits of bioidential hormone replacement has therefore been extrapolated from the synthetic variants in this study — which you just can not do. This is a very important variable. When they fleshed out all the data, the culprit causing an increase risk in breast cancer, strokes, and blood clots in the WHI trial was the provera — the synthetic progestin. Not the synthetic estrogen, prempro. SYNTHETIC PROGESTINS ARE NOW KNOW TO BE THE PROBLEM. But what actually happened was that estrogen took the blame. It was then extrapolated from this study, that all estrogen use in postmenopausal women should be avoided. So because of misinterpreted and inaccurate data from the WHI, massive amounts of confusion and fear around hormone replacement was born. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS… Bioidentical Estrogen replacement in menopausal and post-menopausal women does not cause cancer. Synthetic estrogens (example: premerin) do increase the risk of clots and strokes in women over the age of 65. Synthetic progesterone (progestins) do provoke cancer. Bioidentical Progesterone is protective against cancer. HERE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I THINK YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT. 1) Who gets estrogen replacement, and do I qualify? Estrogen replacement is not for women who are still having periods because, by definition, if you’
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE DIDN’T HAVE TO HAPPEN? And what if I also told you that by treating the symptoms of menopause with bioidentical hormones you could not only feel better, but you could live longer? Well, it’s true. SYMPTOMS LIKE HOT FLASHES, INSOMNIA, MOODINESS, AND WEIGHT GAIN….. GONE. In this post, we’re going to discuss one of the most controversial topics in women’s health, estrogen therapy for postmenopausal women. And, I’m going to give you three conversations to have with your doctor about estrogen replacement. WHAT IS ESTROGEN? Estrogen is a hormone that, in women, is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands, and is massively important for health and well-being. It shows up around the age of 11-13 when females’ bodies start taking shape, they begin to ovulate, and they start their periods. It rises and falls each month until you either become pregnant, take birth controls to suppress it, or you hit menopause. When a woman hits menopause, the ovaries stop producing estrogen. BUT MENOPAUSE USUALLY DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. About 5 years before menopause, ovarian estrogen production begins to lower and women don’t don’t produce enough to feel balanced, or optimal. This is called perimenopause — or “around menopause” — and it is when women begin to experience hot flashes, moodiness, weight gain, bloating, and brain fog. These symptoms are miserable in the short term. In the long term, inadequate estrogen levels can have devastating effects and put you at risk for a plethora of diseases. THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF INADEQUATE ESTROGEN ARE DEVASTATING. Women have been suffering with these symptoms unnecessarily because of confusion and fear around the safety of hormone replacement in menopausal and postmenopausal women. A lot of the confusion originated from a study called the Women’s Health Initiative which looked at long term effects of hormone replacement therapy in women. The study had three arms: Provera only (synthetic progestin) Premarin only (synthetic estrogen) PremPro (a combination of Premarin and Provera) MOST OF THE FEAR AND CONFUSION AROUND BHRT ARE ROOTED IN THE WHI STUDY WHICH ONLY LOOKED AT SYNTHETIC HORMONES. All risk and/or benefits of bioidential hormone replacement has therefore been extrapolated from the synthetic variants in this study — which you just can not do. This is a very important variable. When they fleshed out all the data, the culprit causing an increase risk in breast cancer, strokes, and blood clots in the WHI trial was the provera — the synthetic progestin. Not the synthetic estrogen, prempro. SYNTHETIC PROGESTINS ARE NOW KNOW TO BE THE PROBLEM. But what actually happened was that estrogen took the blame. It was then extrapolated from this study, that all estrogen use in postmenopausal women should be avoided. So because of misinterpreted and inaccurate data from the WHI, massive amounts of confusion and fear around hormone replacement was born. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS… Bioidentical Estrogen replacement in menopausal and post-menopausal women does not cause cancer. Synthetic estrogens (example: premerin) do increase the risk of clots and strokes in women over the age of 65. Synthetic progesterone (progestins) do provoke cancer. Bioidentical Progesterone is protective against cancer. HERE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I THINK YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT. 1) Who gets estrogen replacement, and do I qualify? Estrogen replacement is not for women who are still having periods because, by definition, if you’
Dr. Brittain: Good afternoon. This is Dr. Brittain. I want to share with you a personal story here about a patient that I saw in my office today. This is a woman who comes in who is interested in hormone replacement therapy. As you might know, women tend to lose their hormone production as they go through menopause around the age of 50, or sooner if they are surgical and have had their uterus removed. There could be some gradual or rather abrupt changes that occur because of the decline in hormone production. In menopause, women lose about 90% of their estrogen production. Estrogen helps with hot flashes, night sweats, concentration, memory, mood, vaginal lubrication, skin texture, joint lubrication. Women also lose a large percentage of their testosterone production, which happens mostly in the ovaries. Testosterone helps with strength, endurance, muscle mass, mental clarity, sexual desire. Progesterone levels decline dramatically during menopause. Progesterone helps with mood and has a calming effect and really works along with estrogen to help women sleep a lot better. This is really important because I don't know if you're aware of this, you can live 30 days without food, about seven days without water, but only five days without sleep, so in some respects sleep is more important than food and water, and we tend to neglect this as a health issue. I'm going to now present our patient, Mrs. Johnson, that's not her real name, and this is a real interview prior to examination in my office. Dr. Brittain: Hi there, Mrs. Johnson. How you doing? Mrs. Johnson: Just fine, thank you. Dr. Brittain: Well, welcome to our practice. I'm Dr. Brittain. Erica here is going to take some notes for us. How can I help you today? Mrs. Johnson: Well, I came in looking for some answers for hormone replacement I believe. Dr. Brittain: Okay. Well, what are your questions? Mrs. Johnson: The questions are you know, as you get older, the sex drive's not there and seeing what solutions is out there. Dr. Brittain: Okay. Well, what have you done so far? Mrs. Johnson: Not really anything. Dr. Brittain: Uh-huh. So suffered in silence? Mrs. Johnson: Yes, yes. Talked with my regular family physician and she referred me. Dr. Brittain: Have you mentioned this along the way that you're having some problems, have you mentioned to any other doctors? Mrs. Johnson: Basically I had talked to her about it for a few years. She just suggested maybe extra time and put forth a little bit more effort maybe. Dr. Brittain: Yeah, you know, that's a pretty common thing that a lot of doctors do and it's not because they don't want to take care of you but they're not maybe tuned in to what our bodies need and the proper interpretation of the literature. And it's unfortunate because there's a lot of things that we can do. As you know at menopause all this crazy stuff happens. You have hot flashes, night sweats, problems with concentration, memory, mood, vaginal lubrication, strength, endurance, muscle mass, mental clarity, sexual disorder. All those things suffer for want of hormones that are pretty easy to replace actually. It has to be done properly and under some supervision but there's some pretty cool things that we can do medically. But I'd like to educate you for just a moment if you don't mind, about what we know and maybe some things that you might think are going on or that you've been told that just aren't so. Let's start with the Women's Health Initiative which was begun in 1997 and in 2002 there was this report, "Oh, my God, estrogen is killing women. It's causing breast cancer. Quit taking it." I don't know if you remember that or not? Mrs. Johnson: Yeah. Dr. Brittain: Okay. Well, what actually happened was that these researchers studied placebo and Premarin and Prempro three different groups of women, large groups, 9,000 women in each group, and they wanted to look at different outcomes. Placebo is a sugar pill. Premarin is the old fashioned conjugated estrogen and then Prempro is the conjugated with a synthetic progesterone. After five years of this study they noticed that the Prempro patients had a little more breast cancer so ethically they said we need to stop that part of the study. But at the same time, the women who took only the estrogen had less breast cancer than the women who were taking nothing. Well, let's continue that part of the study. But the public media got a hold of this and all they could see was, "Well, there was estrogen in this pill. It must be bad. Everybody should quit taking it." Millions of women quit taking it. Thousands of doctors quit prescribing it without reading what the study actually said and meant. I read the study and I realized that this was a gold mine of information but the press was interpreting it incorrectly. The average person and the average doctor didn't read the study. So these doctors went ahead and continued studying these women who were taking just Premarin compared to the women who were taking the placebo for another eight years. At the end of 13 years of study, the women taking Premarin had more than 20% reduction in breast cancer incidence than the women who took nothing. So in that part of the study, women taking Premarin actually had less breast cancer than the women who took nothing. Mrs. Johnson: I have been advised by doctors that that would be my highest risk. If I would go on hormone replacement that it was a high risk of developing cancer. Dr. Brittain: It's a misinterpretation of that study that is still prevalent today that is scaring women away from taking hormone replacement therapy. What do you suppose is the number one cause of death in menopause? Mrs. Johnson: I don't know. Dr. Brittain: Heart disease. Mrs. Johnson: Heart disease. Okay. Dr. Brittain: So heart disease kills more women in menopause than the next 16 causes of death combined. There is a pretty great study out of Denmark published just about 10 years ago, where they have this healthcare system where everybody is in an electric medical record catchment, if you will. So, they can follow everybody. They looked at all the women who were between the ages of 50 and 59 and followed them for seven years and looked at what they took or didn't take and who got heart attacks, 698,000 women. And guess what? The women using estrogen properly cut their risk of heart attack in half compared to the women who took nothing. But the women who took Prempro, like the Women's Health Initiative, they had a higher risk of heart attack than the women who took nothing. The women who took just estrogen had a markedly reduced risk. So after years of studying and looking at this, the American College of Obstetricians/Gynecologists has said that in menopause women should take hormone replacement therapy unless there is some specific contraindication and that women who do, reduce their risk of death from preventable disease by as much as 50% compared to women who take nothing. So that's breast, heart, colon, less dementia, less osteoporosis. Oh, and you'll feel better. Mrs. Johnson: Alright. That's great. Everybody's looking for that magic pill. Dr. Brittain: Yeah, no kidding. Well, and if you think about it, you spent what, 40 years of your life making a lot of hormones? How did things work? Mrs. Johnson: Pretty good. Dr. Brittain: Yeah. So you had a life. Did you make babies? Mrs. Johnson: Unfortunately no. Dr. Brittain: Did you try? Mrs. Johnson: I tried. Dr. Brittain: Did that feel good? Mrs. Johnson: Many years of fertility drugs though, yeah. Dr. Brittain: But that felt good, right? Having the sexuality and expressing it with intercourse and all that. When you become menopausal around the age of 50, that hormone support disappears. What we know about this is if you can put those hormones back into you in a way that it makes your body think you're still making them, that's healthy and you can do it forever and you'll feel good. Mrs. Johnson: Okay. Dr. Brittain: Are you ready for that? Mrs. Johnson: I am ready for that. I definitely am. Dr. Brittain: Let me ask you a couple more questions. What seems to be bothering you? What prompted this visit? Mrs. Johnson: I think the low sex drive which in turn causes marital issues. Dr. Brittain: Yeah. I hear that a lot. Mrs. Johnson: Yeah, yeah. You don't want to be traded in for a 20-year-old so ... Dr. Brittain: Or a couple of them. Mrs. Johnson: A couple of them, yeah. Dr. Brittain: Are you having intercourse? Mrs. Johnson: Yes. Dr. Brittain: Is it painful? Mrs. Johnson: At times, yes. Dr. Brittain: Are you getting satisfied? Mrs. Johnson: No, I mean my sex drive has been pretty low for a while. Dr. Brittain: So you feel like just a passive recipient or just a ...? Mrs. Johnson: Yes. Dr. Brittain: So you're not getting anything out of it? Mrs. Johnson: Exactly. Dr. Brittain: But you did in the past? Mrs. Johnson: Oh, definitely, yes. Dr. Brittain: So you're not even able to have an orgasm now? Mrs. Johnson: Not with normal intercourse. Dr. Brittain: Yeah, yeah. But you wouldn't initiate that kind of thing now? Mrs. Johnson: Well, I still do, yeah. Dr. Brittain: Do you have to use a lubricant? Mrs. Johnson: Yes. Dr. Brittain: Do you get infections? Mrs. Johnson: No, no, haven't had any issues with that. Dr. Brittain: Good. Do you have any bladder irritation? Mrs. Johnson: No. Dr. Brittain: Do you get hot flashes, night sweats? Mrs. Johnson: I don't. I went through menopause probably at about 43. Probably because of a lot of years of fertility pills. Dr. Brittain: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Mrs. Johnson: Actually I've been one of the fortunate ones about ... Didn't really have many side effects from menopause. Dr. Brittain: Okay. So not a lot of the hot flashes or night sweats you said, okay. Do you get irritable? Mrs. Johnson: I don't think so. Dr. Brittain: How's your sleep? Mrs. Johnson: Good. Dr. Brittain: Have you had a bone density scan? Mrs. Johnson: Yes. Dr. Brittain: How long ago was it? Mrs. Johnson: Actually I just had one about a month ago. Dr. Brittain: What did it show? Mrs. Johnson: Not good but I've had some issues for about ... I guess my last one was probably six years ago and it showed not osteoporosis but ... Dr. Brittain: The osteopenia. Mrs. Johnson: Yes, yes. Dr. Brittain: Where did you have that done? Mrs. Johnson: IU Health. Dr. Brittain: Okay. Well, we can actually reverse that trend and improve your bone density with proper hormone replacement therapy. Has anyone ever looked at your female hormone levels? Mrs. Johnson: Yeah. Dr. Brittain: Okay. That's a pretty important thing to follow and, of course, your symptoms and your physical exam. So we put all that together. We look at what's going on with you with the various symptoms, vaginal dryness or whatever it might be, or low libido. And then we look at your blood work and we look at a physical exam and that usually matches up. Then we come up with a plan if you're interested. Mrs. Johnson: Um-hmm. (Affirmative) Dr. Brittain: And then we do some surveillance. Mrs. Johnson: Okay. Dr. Brittain: So what I tell my patients is that I'm glad to follow you. I love to do this work and to me it's not even work. To me it's emotional enrichment. But we're going to be metaphorically joined at the hip because you want to get a good result. You want to feel better and I'd like you to also and so that is going to involve, at least initially for a little while, a periodic exam, a reassessment of what's going on with your symptoms and some labs. Mrs. Johnson: Okay. Dr. Brittain: I may have to do this two or three times to get the proper balance of what works for you, that makes you feel better. Does that sound like sort of a plan? Mrs. Johnson: Sounds like a very good plan. Dr. Brittain: What kinds of questions does that bring up for you so far? Mrs. Johnson: Basically I guess just your guidance, what you recommend. Like I said, the doctors that I dealt with before was reluctant to put me on anything because I do have breast cancer in my family and they didn't want to do anything that might initiate on the cancer side of things. Dr. Brittain: Right, right. Mrs. Johnson: So I just came to you to see if there's better answers out there than what I've been given. Dr. Brittain: Well, I think there are and I have a lot of patients who think the same way. Once they get going it's like, "Oh, man, I'm never going back to the way it was before." Well, I'm going to start an exam here in just a minute and I'm going to turn off the recorder. If you have some questions at the end we'll sure take care of that too. Mrs. Johnson: Okay. Dr. Brittain: Thank you very much. Mrs. Johnson: Thank you. We just concluded our interview, examination, and an exit interview on Mrs. Johnson here. And, we came up with a plan to begin some vaginal Estrogen, some oral Progesterone. And both of these are bioidentical. And keep in mind that women are not deficient in Conjugated Estrogen like Premarin. They're deficient in biologically identical Estrogen. And, there's no reason in the world to consider using other than bioidentical hormone therapy. Even though some of the medical societies and so forth say, "Well, there's really no qualitative difference." Well, there is, and my wife is a family doctor. She and I attended the International Menopause Society's World Congress Meeting in Vancouver, Washington a few months ago and smart doctors from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, Australia get together every couple years. And people who attend these meetings are experts in treating the menopausal woman. And to a doctor, they advocated the use of Estrogen, Estrogen, Estrogen and don't quit. And, they also say it matters what you take, what form of Estrogen you take, and how you take it. And, the North American Menopause Society went a step further and issued a paper last fall. And put physicians on notice to remember that menopause is forever. If you have a 65-year-old woman, just because she's 65 doesn't mean she has to quit taking hormones. She can take them forever. Doctors in the past have frequently told their patients at about that age that, "Oh, you need to quit taking it." And that's not based on any evidence whatsoever. And one of the things that I pride myself on in my practice is to practice evidence-based medicine, and stuff that makes sense. So, we started Mrs. Johnson on some vaginal Estrogen, which is bioidentical Estradiol and some oral Progesterone at bedtime. And, got a series of labs which are pending. And then we'll do a follow-up examination after a couple months of doing just that simple intervention. And reassess how she's feeling biologically and emotionally, and with her vaginal lubrication and so forth. And then we'll get some follow-up labs at that time, and probably do a little bit more vigorous therapy. So this is kinda how I approach the menopausal woman. In this particular case there's variations of this, but this is a pretty basic look at the care of the menopausal woman. Now, if you have questions, I'd invite you to visit my website www.drbrittain.com Facepage that we have is Vibrant Life. That is the trade name of my private practice that I use for my hormone patients. And, you can call our office at 812-331-9160. Once again, that's www.drbrittain.com Vibrant Life on Facebook, and 812-331-9160. Hope to see you soon. Thank you.
Controversy and Clinical Insights into the Health Effects and Breast Cancer Today on Couch Talk I am talking with Dr. Edwin Lee. He is a past Couch Talk guest and one of the best physicians I know. And we're talking about one of my favorite topics, the use of bio-identical hormones in the treatment of menopausal symptoms in women. Dr. Lee believes that the best way to treat hormonal imbalance is by natural bio-identical hormone therapy. Natural hormones are the exact and identical hormones that are made in your body (versus synthetic hormones which are not chemically structured the same as in your body). He feels that the use of bioidentical hormones with estradiol, estriol, progesterone and or testosterone in women is essential, whereas the use of testosterone in men is crucial to prevent early mortality. Dr. Lee combines functional medicine to determine the root problem with the use of bioidentical hormones to help his patients achieve wellness – along with an emphasis on improving on diet, lifestyle, and nutrition. Listen to the interview: A Great Way to Kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month! It's the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month, so this Couch Talk interview was very well timed! We talked a lot about our own patient and clinical outcomes over our decades of combined practices in using bio-identical hormones to treat hot flashes, depression, anxiety, mood swings, vaginal atrophy and other symptoms commonly seen in menopause. We also talked a lot about the confusion relating to breast cancer risk. In thisinterview, you will learn, Why Dr. Lee tells his menopausal patients that menopause itself is a dangerous disease with a higher rate of Alzheimer's or dementia, heart disease, and osteoporosis…and what he feels they can do to prevent all of this. The importance of both an individual patient's ability to detox and their current lifestyle (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.) in determining the right menopausal treatment plan for them. Why he doesn't recommend oral estrogen therapy (Premarin, Prempro) ever be used. Why bio-identical progesterone is truly the “wonder hormone” that helps with sleep, anxiety, irritability, PMS…and more…and how it is protective against breast cancer (and could save your marriage!) Why oral synthetic progesterone (Provera) is a bad choice, clearly linked to increasing the risk of strokes and heart disease. Why just taking a hormone is never enough (hint: you need to improve your lifestyle decisions)! What plant-based estrogen SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) Dr. Lee has recommended that helps with hot flashes (and is safe). And We Covered So Much More! Why is it that less than 1% of women who have taken HRT therapy in his clinical practice have developed breast cancer (compared to 11% of women developing breast cancer in the general population)? We discussed both of our clinical observations as to what the answer to this might be. Finally, we talked about our “polite disagreements” with the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (of which Dr. Lee is a member) recently stating in a position paper that they do not recommend the use of bio-identical hormone therapy in many cases… What? Well...we both feel that endocrinologists already use bio-identical hormone therapy all of the time for standard care with insulin, cortisol, thyroid, progesterone, testosterone, transdermal estradiol, etc.! So what is going on in this position paper? Is it the definition of what is “synthetic” versus “natural”? Is it a bit of bias from the Big Pharm companies? Such an interesting discussion with my favorite endocrinologist! Meet Dr. Edwin Lee A little bit about Dr. Edwin Lee, and I hope you'll listen to our interview in the audio posted above! He's board-certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, and has completed special training in regenerative and functional medicine. He is an author and an international speaker and educator. Dr. Lee founded the Institute for Hormonal Balance in 2008. Currently, he is the Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. In addition to writing his books, including two awesome children's books, one called, Your Awesome Brain, and the other is Your Amazing Heart—I highly recommend these—he's written, for those of us that really want to get a better understanding on hormones, a couple of other books. One is called Feel Good, Look Younger: Reversing Tiredness Through Hormonal Balance, and the book, Your Best Investment: Secrets to a Healthy Body and Mind. Dr. Lee has also published many articles on internal medicine and endocrinology. He is an author in the fourth edition of Textbook of Critical Care. He's an active member of the Age Management Medicine Group and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. Find out more about Dr. Lee at http://instituteofhormonalbalance.com/
Controversy and Clinical Insights into the Health Effects and Breast Cancer Today on Couch Talk I am talking with Dr. Edwin Lee. He is a past Couch Talk guest and one of the best physicians I know. And we’re talking about one of my favorite topics, the use of bio-identical hormones in the treatment of menopausal symptoms in women. Dr. Lee believes that the best way to treat hormonal imbalance is by natural bio-identical hormone therapy. Natural hormones are the exact and identical hormones that are made in your body (versus synthetic hormones which are not chemically structured the same as in your body). He feels that the use of bioidentical hormones with estradiol, estriol, progesterone and or testosterone in women is essential, whereas the use of testosterone in men is crucial to prevent early mortality. Dr. Lee combines functional medicine to determine the root problem with the use of bioidentical hormones to help his patients achieve wellness – along with an emphasis on improving on diet, lifestyle, and nutrition. Listen to the interview: A Great Way to Kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month! It’s the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month, so this Couch Talk interview was very well timed! We talked a lot about our own patient and clinical outcomes over our decades of combined practices in using bio-identical hormones to treat hot flashes, depression, anxiety, mood swings, vaginal atrophy and other symptoms commonly seen in menopause. We also talked a lot about the confusion relating to breast cancer risk. In thisinterview, you will learn, Why Dr. Lee tells his menopausal patients that menopause itself is a dangerous disease with a higher rate of Alzheimer’s or dementia, heart disease, and osteoporosis…and what he feels they can do to prevent all of this. The importance of both an individual patient’s ability to detox and their current lifestyle (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.) in determining the right menopausal treatment plan for them. Why he doesn’t recommend oral estrogen therapy (Premarin, Prempro) ever be used. Why bio-identical progesterone is truly the “wonder hormone” that helps with sleep, anxiety, irritability, PMS…and more…and how it is protective against breast cancer (and could save your marriage!) Why oral synthetic progesterone (Provera) is a bad choice, clearly linked to increasing the risk of strokes and heart disease. Why just taking a hormone is never enough (hint: you need to improve your lifestyle decisions)! What plant-based estrogen SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) Dr. Lee has recommended that helps with hot flashes (and is safe). And We Covered So Much More! Why is it that less than 1% of women who have taken HRT therapy in his clinical practice have developed breast cancer (compared to 11% of women developing breast cancer in the general population)? We discussed both of our clinical observations as to what the answer to this might be. Finally, we talked about our “polite disagreements” with the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (of which Dr. Lee is a member) recently stating in a position paper that they do not recommend the use of bio-identical hormone therapy in many cases… What? Well...we both feel that endocrinologists already use bio-identical hormone therapy all of the time for standard care with insulin, cortisol, thyroid, progesterone, testosterone, transdermal estradiol, etc.! So what is going on in this position paper? Is it the definition of what is “synthetic” versus “natural”? Is it a bit of bias from the Big Pharm companies? Such an interesting discussion with my favorite endocrinologist! Meet Dr. Edwin Lee A little bit about Dr. Edwin Lee, and I hope you’ll listen to our interview in the audio posted above! He’s board-certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, and has completed special training in regenerative and functional medicine. He is an author and an international speaker and educator. Dr. Lee founded the Institute for Hormonal Balance in 2008. Currently, he is the Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. In addition to writing his books, including two awesome children’s books, one called, Your Awesome Brain, and the other is Your Amazing Heart—I highly recommend these—he’s written, for those of us that really want to get a better understanding on hormones, a couple of other books. One is called Feel Good, Look Younger: Reversing Tiredness Through Hormonal Balance, and the book, Your Best Investment: Secrets to a Healthy Body and Mind. Dr. Lee has also published many articles on internal medicine and endocrinology. He is an author in the fourth edition of Textbook of Critical Care. He’s an active member of the Age Management Medicine Group and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. Find out more about Dr. Lee at http://instituteofhormonalbalance.com/
Conventional Hormone Replacement Therapy or “ HRT “ is best exemplified by the commercial drug Prempro. Prempro is a combination drug that has both manmade estrogens and a progestin. The estrogens are derived from the urine from pregnant mares and the progestin is medroxyprogesterone, a synthetic hormone not found in nature. Plus, doctors are still utilizing blood testing, which is incorrect, to determine a woman’s hormonal needs. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy or "BHRT" or natural hormone therapy, along with saliva testing, which is the only method of accurately determining what the balance and imbalance of any females endocrin system is. When the correct BHRT dosage is established with saliva collected over the course of one month and that dosage is taken as a sublingual lozenge, they are absorbed into the bloodstream as “free” hormones. They have not been packaged with a binding protein by the liver, because the liver did not have access to the hormones. Most of the “free” hormones are taken up by the red blood cell membranes, which are not analyzed by a common blood test. You might ask, “If there are hormones available that are natural to my body, why do doctors prescribe synthetic hormones?” The explanation involves the mindset of physicians to traditional pharmaceutical medicine and the powerful pharmaceutical industry in the United States; as well as politics and money. Tune in Wednesday at 7:PM, FOR THE REST OF THE STORY !
When we started this podcast and writing articles, we were very naive about who would want to read this stuff. Honestly, I didn't think anyone would want to listen to a husband/wife couple-docs that only dealt with hormone balancing. Being an introvert, I am really pushing myself outside of my comfort zone with these articles and podcasts. I cannot believe how many readers and responses we have gotten. I am absolutely amazed at how many responses we have gotten from people outside of the USA. I am truly flattered and amazed that people from all over the world are reading and listening to our content. With that said, we have gotten lots of comments and questions from readers/listeners. It is hard to answer them one on one. So I wanted to write an article answering some questions that we have gotten. Some of these questions are from the states and others outside of USA. Regardless of where we are from, we still experience hormone issues. I believe these questions might help others going through the same hormonal imbalances. And help us to know that our concerns are valid and we are not alone. Question – Sherry Hi, What is Estriol made from? I know that Estradiol is from equine urine, and I stopped taking it for that reason and also it caused my breasts to get really large and very tender. I want a natural menopause supplement that isn't animal derived. Does Estriol fit this description? Thank you, Sherry. This is a great question. Many people are not sure of what BHRT and hormones are made from. Actual estradiol is not made from horse urine, or also known as equine estrogens. There are conventional hormone prescriptions that are made from horse urine. These are commonly called Premarin and Prempro to name a couple. But estradiol is a bioidentical hormone. But as we talk about on this episode, estradiol is the strongest form of the bioidentical estrogens. Estradiol is an amazing hormone. It helps with bones, mental energy, hot flashes, sleep, libido, and vaginal atrophy to name a few. But like I mentioned, estradiol can be quite strong. That is why Sherry is having the breast tenderness. For vaginal atrophy, we use estriol, which is the weakest, most gentle of the estrogens. It is great for vaginal dryness and atrophy without the side effects that estradiol can cause, such as breast tenderness and uterine thickening or spotting. So to answer Sherry's question, both estradiol and estriol are bioidentical. But the estradiol may have been too strong for her, and that is why she had the breast tenderness. Question – Rachelle I have vaginal dryness, and I noticed a little bit of spotting today. I haven't had sex in over 3 yrs, but I do walk a lot. And I use cream from time to time. I also have a lot of burning off and on. The cream seems to help, but I don't want to use it too much. That laser sounds worth it but too expensive for me. I was concerned about the spotting. I just had my pap smear done, and it came back good. This questions came from an article that we wrote about vaginal dryness. The laser that Rachelle is referring to is a procedure that doctors are using to relieve vaginal dryness and incontinence. It works really well for both, and usually, only three treatments are necessary. But the drawback is that it can be costly, and insurance does not usually cover right now. We have seen many patients that have vaginal pa
Our bodies make three different forms estrogens: Estrone (E1) Estradiol (E2) Estriol (E3) Estrone is usually considered an unhealthy estrogen. It is still bioidentical, but you do not want loads of estrone around when you are balancing the hormones. Estrone is common in young girls when they first get their periods and after menopause. Estrone metabolites can raise the risk for cancer. This is why you do not want a high level of estrone, which can also cause moodiness, feeling munchie, puffy and grumpy. With bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), we do not use estrone for the above reasons mentioned. Estradiol is the strongest of the three bioidentical estrogens. Estradiol is common in conventional hormone replacement in the form of oral, patches or transdermal. Premarin and Prempro are not estradiol and are not bioidentical. Because estradiol is the strongest of the estrogens, it has pros and cons to use. Pros of Estradiol: Great for keeping bones strong Eliminating hot flashes and night sweats Neuroprotective for the brain Great for short-term memory and memory recall Helpful for libido and sex drive Cons of Estradiol: Estradiol likes to grow things. (i.e. grow the lining of uterus, which can cause a risk of uterine cancer) Can cause spotting, bleeding, periods Grow breast tissue Cause breast tenderness Enlarge breasts which can be a risk factor Moody (weepy, irritable, anxious) Can be similar to a 24/7 feeling of PMS Weight gain Many women report gaining on average 6 to 8 lbs when taking conventional estradiol hormone replacement. It is primarily in the breasts and stomach. So how do we get the positive benefits of estradiol without the negative side effects? The best way to properly balance estradiol is to take estriol with it. Estriol (E3): Estriol is the gentlest form of estrogen. Some people refer to it as the weakest form, but I think that is a misnomer. When you combine estriol with estradiol you can get the beneficial effects of estradiol and estriol, without the negative side effects of estradiol.
The first guest of this show is Susan Wagner, President of Equine Advocates. The urine of pregnant mares is used to produce estrogen and hormone-replacement drugs such as Premarin, PremPro and PremPhase – and now DUAVEE, a “PremPro-Lite” which contains Premarin. Susan explained the history of these drugs, how harmful they are to the people who […]
The first guest of this hour was Susan Wagner, President of Equine Advocates. The urine of pregnant mares is used to produce estrogen and hormone-replacement drugs such as Premarin, PremPro and PremPhase – and now DUAVEE, a “PremPro-Lite” which contains Premarin. Susan explained the history of these drugs, how harmful they are to the people who […]
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy means that the exact molecule in the product is identical in structure to the hormone produced in our body's glands. These bioidentical hormones can be made into creams, capsules, gels, sublingual lozenges, sublingual drops and subcutaneous implantable pellets at a compounding pharmacy. Pharmaceutical companies make synthetic hormones that are not structurally the same as what our body produces. These chemicals have been altered by attaching a group to the compound therefore making man-made chemicals that can be patented. It is possible to find bioidentical hormones that are made by pharmaceutical companies and they do this by patenting their delivery system since bioidentical hormones themselves cannot be patented. For example, estriol or estradiol can be found in a patch form for women. Testosterone can be found in a gel form. This is how the pharmaceutical company delivers a bioidentical hormone in a patented delivery form. The molecule itself is not patented, only the delivery system. The Women's Health Initiative and the HERS Study both showed that the synthetic form of progesterone called medoxyprogesterone acetate caused thin women to have an increase in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart attack and stroke. After these two studies, an enormous amount of women stopped taking Prempro and Provera. But they still continued to experience symptoms of progesterone and estrogen deficiency. Women are actively seeking information on bioidentical hormone therapy and they want answers. Please see the video Why Hormones Are Not Enough to learn more about how it is necessary to supply your body with the proper nutrients so that your body is able to produce the hormones required for your body to function properly. by Robert Seik, PharmD
Hormone replacement therapy, also known as HRT, was prescribed to women to treat the symptoms of menopause for years. Then in 2002, a comprehensive women's health study was published. The study connected HRT to increasing incidences of breast cancer. Ringler Radio host Larry Cohen turns to Attorney Ted Meadows from the Beasley Allen Law Firm, for more details on hormone replacement therapy, ongoing litigation and the various plaintiffs involved in these cases.
An examination of the popular trend in women's health, bioidentical hormone therapy.
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