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I don’t care what the numbers say I KNOW how I feel !!! August 26, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Case Studies In Natural Compounded Hormone Therapy, Hot BHRT Topics, Uneducated doctors , add a comment

I just received this e-mail from a friend about her recent interaction with her doctor: “When he asked if I had concerns I told him I was going to the cottage his face got red and he laughed.  He said my labs didn’t indicate I was premenopausal.  BUT, he didn’t offer any other solutions or address my concerns in ANY way.  I am SO frustrated with that attitude.  I don’t care what the numbers say I KNOW how I feel.  Thanks again for helping me get better !  Most of all for understanding and listening to us ALL !”

YOU GO, GIRL!! You are exactly right. Until we women stand up for ourselves to our current non-validating practitioners, we will never be treated any differently. Just because natural hormone replacement therapy isn’t taught in medical school, does NOT make it a non-option. Especially because we are out of the big pharma network does not make us a wrong option. WE are ALL about women’s health and we have your back because quite frankly, no one else does. Isn’t it interesting that he determined you can’t possibly be having hormone issues because your blood levels indicate that. IF he would have used saliva testing, he could have seen your hormone levels at the tissue level of cells where it really matters. Of course that isn’t taught in medical school either. Heaven forbid he also check cortisol levels (only found in saliva-not blood) for adrenal heath AND the T3 in thyroid. Even endocrinologists don’t check T3 levels. Why? It wasn’t taught in medical school. I bet if a drug company came up with a drug to fix T3, it would be taught in the medical community tomorrow!
And let’s talk about bone health, shall we? If I hear one more woman say that she had a dexascan and discovered her bone density is in the osteopenia range (next step-osteoporosis) so her doctor told her to take calcium AND SHE BELIEVES him, I might just slap her! Seriously! The only way to build new bone is to signal the osteoblasts in the bone to make more. Guess what does that?? Customized Natural Homones! We check your current hormone levels and, if your testosterone levels are below range, we recommend testosoterone. NOT those drug coompany drugs currently on the market that actually interrupt the bone-building process. And guess what?? Just taking calcium will NOT build new bone. How stupid are we to believe that? we have to ask why our bones lose density in the first place as we get older? What is different? Is our diet different? Are we suddenly drinking less milk to lose bone mass? And why isn’t drinking more milk fixing the issue? The same reason taking calcium supplements isn’t. One loses hormones through the aging process, so replacing those hormones with natural hormone therapy is the answer.
Until WE stop taking our doctors’ word as law and start thinking for ourselves, things won’t change. YOU are exactly right! YOU know how YOU feel and YOU know there are answers for YOU. YOU are in charge of YOUR journey. Congratulations to YOU for stepping up to the plate and being an advocate for YOUR body. Thank you for your trust in us at the Happy Hormone Cottage and our Piqua Medicine Shoppe. We have your back and I promise you, you WILL feel better.
Warmly,
Lyn

Seniors Get It August 24, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Hormone Therapy Joy, Hot BHRT Topics , 2comments

I had a fun experience at a recent Happy Hormone Hour at the Beavercreek Senior Center! I met with close to 50 women (and 2 poor men!!) between the ages of 55-90 and just had the best time. Several of them came into the room yelling, “Is this the hormone room??!!” or, “Do you think I will look just like you when you’re finished??!!” or, “Bring those hormones on!!”  (no pressure!  LOL!!) I really enjoyed speaking with the women and answering their questions. I think it finally hit home how far we are from the way we used to do things back in a simpler time, when one of the guests asked me about compounding “back in the day.” It is true. Compounding was how we used to make medicine customized for each patient and dosed for that individual. Do you know what happened in the mid 1900s to change the face of that? The inception of drug companies! After that, dosing medication for the masses became the way to go! I don’t think that’s a good thing! Why would I want to take the exact same therapy and dosing as every other woman? Aren’t we all different and unique? Especially in the area of women’s health with sex hormones, adrenal glands and thyroid. I want my OWN therapy made just for MY body that will meet MY body’s needs. Anything less than that just doesn’t make sense! I also drove home the point that it is no longer okay to visit your practitioner and just accept every word as law. Since when have we given up any opinions about our own bodies? When did we lose our voice? When did we stop being heard?? It is way past time to take our power back and become educated and empowered to take charge of our own journey. I think doctors appreciate intelligent conversation and respect our choice to stand up for our own bodies. You have permission to dialogue with your doctor about YOUR care. I did a recent blog about current standard of care and how it isn’t always the best option. In fact, just the opposite. I talk with women ALL day EVERY day and never cease to be amazed at how many of them just blindly accept their doctor’s word as law and don’t explore holistic options. You have no idea how many 20 year olds I meet on a daily basis who have had a hysterectomy! In their 20s! And when I hear the reason why…..because it is the “standard of care,” I just cringe! Come on, people! We are beyond this now. We are BETTER than that! Visit our “Resources/Reading” page to become educated. If you haven’t read Natural Hormone Balance by Uzzi Reiss or Ageless by Suzanne Somers or Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson….it is time to start! Keep me posted on your journey. I have your back!

If you would like more information or want to take your power back (!), come join me for my next Happy Hormone Hour on September 15, at 6:30 p.m.at our newly remodeled Piqua Medicine Shoppe. PMS presents a Happy Hormone Hour! Kind of has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? See you there!

Fondly,

Lyn

“LET ME CHECK WITH MY DOCTOR!” July 8, 2010

Posted by admin in : Hot BHRT Topics, Natural Hormone Compounding Doctors, Uneducated doctors , add a comment

I love when I hear this…..”I just want to check with my doctor before I sign up for customized natural hormone therapy.” I always think to myself, “WHY??”  I know women love their doctors. I also have a great one, Dr. Paul, whom I enjoy, actually get a kick out of, and I KNOW he has my best health as his goal. But when I took in all of my studies and literature on natural hormone therapy AND I told him this is not only my philosophy BUT MY PASSION (!), he looked at me like I had grown two heads!! He had really never heard about it; most certainly had NOT learned anything about it in medical school, so really couldn’t add much to the conversation. Trust me when I tell you that doctors are NOT learning this in medical school! They ARE learning how to diagnose and treat illnesses with drug therapy. This is just what they do. And that’s not a bad thing! I know when I’m sick, I go to my doctor, he diagnoses my illness, prescribes my medication and I get better. That is his job and I appreciate that. BUT IN THIS AREA OF WOMEN’S HEALTH-HORMONE IMBALANCE-HE IS PRETTY MUCH OUT OF THE LOOP! Identifying a hormone imbalance involves checking hormone levels, preferably through saliva testing, which measures the hormones at the tissue level of cells; and then creating a specific strategy customized for THAT individual to best replace those hormones with customized, compounded hormones that bioidentically match the hormones that are no longer being produced in your body. Pretty simple! It is a matter of determining the CAUSE of the imbalance and fixing that; not just drugging you as a band-aid to alleviate the symptoms. See the difference? One method determines the cause and fixes that. The other simply ignores the cause and just drugs to help alleviate the symptoms.  I discovered that most women in my age group were all on anti-depressants for their hormone imbalance because that is really all their doctor knew how to do. That is why I opened my Happy Hormone Cottage. I just couldn’t take one more woman being put on an antidepressant or worse, a synthetic drug masking as a hormone, where there are serious health risks associated with them. And to have this method as THE standard of care just boggles my mind! How did we let this happen?? I think it is exactly because women say, “Let me check with my doctor.” Why NOT say, “Let me do some research. I know there is information out there….let me find it. I want to become informed and empowered in THIS area of my life!” Because the truth is that if YOU don’t do that and you JUST rely on the opinion of others-probably most especially the opinion of those who have gone to medical school, your hormone imbalance issues: weight gain, fatigue, low libido, memory issues, brain fog, low energy and no joy-will simply be band-aided with drug therapy and you will never really find the cause to fix that. This is why I do what I do. We have to get the word out there. Just because natural hormone balance isn’t taught in medical schools does not make it a bad thing. It just makes it something WE have to learn about and teach our doctors! So the next time I hear, “Let me check with my doctor,” I’m going to say, “Why don’t you go teach your doctor what YOU know.  YOU could be the one to change lives!”

The Happy Hormone Cottage and the Three Myths June 28, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Hot BHRT Topics, Uneducated doctors , 4comments

Once upon a time in the Heart of Centerville was an adorable little cottage where a team of stunning patient counselors lived! They were terribly busy helping women and men navigate the muddy, muddy waters of hormone imbalance by educating them on the strategies for natural hormone balance through customized natural options. Everyone was happy learning new strategies that didn’t involve antidepressants and drugs(!) and women left the cottage feeling validated and respected, AND feeling better than they had in years.
One day it came to the attention of Lyn, the director of the tiny little cottage, that somewhere in the land, 3 myths were being perpetuated. She got fed up and in a fit of energy, burst forth with these 3 “myth busters!”

Myth #1 “Compounded Hormones Are Not FDA Approved”
The FDA’s job is to approve manufactured drugs for the masses. WE customize therapy for one individual. So WE are strictly regulated by the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy.
**HOWEVER, each of the following hormones we use ARE FDA approved: Testosterone, Estradial and Progesterone.

Myth #2 “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Compounded Therapy”
Actually most insurance companies DO cover not only the cost of compounding, but also reimburse for the cost of the saliva testing, as it is considered a billable lab fee.

Myth #3 “Commercially Made BHRT Products Will Produce The Same Results”
Good luck with that! Commercially made BHRT products are “one-size-fits-most”. so the dosage can not be adjusted, we can not customize for the individual, so therefore expectations are not met.
For example, Prometrium®, the commercially-made Progesterone capsule comes in only two doses: 100mg and 200mg. Prometrium® is dissolved in peanut oil and only lasts in the body for 6 hours. On top of that, the dosage can not be adjusted, so when the patient gets unexpected results, adjustments can not be made. The commercially-made Estrogen products on the market (the patches and gels) are developed by drug companies based on blood serum data. When one uses blood serum hormone levels, the levels have been depleted by the heart so they are very low. The result is that the drug companies make their products with WAY TOO MUCH ESTROGEN to compensate for these low levels. IF they would use saliva test results, where the hormones are being measured at the tissue level of cells, maybe their products would be dosed accordingly. Giving too much Estrogen to an already Estrogen dominant woman does not make sense and may actually increase the risk of breast cancer. Also, some of these products were approved by the FDA after only a 12-week study.
Bonus Myth #4 “Compounded Topical Hormone Therapy Increases The Risk Of Blood Clots”
Actually, oral Estrogen has been shown to increase the risk of blood clots. We have several studies that show there is no risk of blood clotting with topical hormone replacement therapy.
Once these myths and untruths were addressed across the land, Lyn, her Happy Hormone Cottage and all who came to get tested, get treated and get better lived happily ever after!
The moral of the story is to always, always think for yourself. Do the research! It’s out there! Become educated and empowered to make the right choice for YOU!

TO BHRT OR NOT TO BHRT-THAT IS THE QUESTION!! June 28, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Hot BHRT Topics, Uneducated doctors , add a comment

I heard it again! One of my neighbors, late 30’s, actually talked her doctor into doing a hormone check on her and of course, “Your results are normal!” Why the big surprise? Her practitioner used blood serum to check her hormone levels, where the levels have been depleted by the heart, and the ranges that are used are set for post-menopausal women. At least her levels were checked. I do appreciate that. What I don’t appreciate is the “normal’ ” comment. What is normal anyway? Is “normal” for someone else the same thing as “normal” for you?? I think not. Hormone imbalances are not age OR gender specific. They can happen to women age 18-98 AND men. I will say it again: in this area of women’s health, where the waters are very muddy and the misinformation and untruths are perpetuated, it is up to YOU to become empowered and educated. Do the research; read the books. In fact, a great place to start is with Natural Hormone Balance by Dr. Uzzi Reiss. This is a great read and written in layman’s terms to give you the truth on natural hormone balance. Secondly, it IS OKAY TO QUESTION YOUR DOCTOR WHEN S/HE GIVES INFORMATION. Much of what we do is outside the realm of medical training. Trust me on this-NATURAL HORMONE BALANCE WAS NOT TAUGHT IN MEDICAL SCHOOL. For example, when your practitioner tells you that customized hormone replacement therapy is not FDA approved so it should not be an option, YOU can actually inform your practitioner of the reason: The FDA approves drugs that are manufactured for the masses. When we customize therapy for just one, WE are instead strictly regulated by the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. HOWEVER, THE PRODUCTS THAT WE MAKE ARE INDEED FDA APPROVED: ESTRADIAL, PROGESTERONE AND TESTOSTERONE. So that argument is really an untruth. Let’s get with the program people!! YOU are in charge of YOUR health. YOU need to get educated. YOU need to think for yourself. It is OK to ask questions and to even question your doctor. Only YOU know the best plan of action for YOU.

I FEEL THE LOVE!! (not) June 8, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Case Studies In Natural Compounded Hormone Therapy, Hot BHRT Topics, Uneducated doctors , 2comments

I have never been one to blog unless I felt I had something significant to say. Boy, do I have something to say now! You will never believe what happened today! We had a client come through our cottage a few weeks ago for her free consultation. We listened to her and together, developed a strategy to deal with her hormone imbalance. In essence she was on board to “get tested, get treated and get better.” At least that was our game plan! Unfortunately, when we got her lab results back and sent our recommendation for her hormone balance to her practitioner to sign off on it, and fax it back so we could make her customized therapy, there was a glitch! This client went to a practitioner who we advise against because she is non-supportive of customized therapy. She would rather slap an estrogen patch on you or presribe a one-size-fits-most progesterone capsule based on your symptoms and be done with it. We strongly, passionately disagree! We feel women deserve to be respected enough to actually check their hormone levels. How is this difficult or even controversial?? Don’t doctors check every other level known to man (and woman)?? Again I beg the answer to “WHY NOT HORMONE LEVELS?”
Why NOT check hormone levels and then plan a strategy for restoring hormone balance via natural options? Why not just customize the therapy for that client?? How hard can this be really?? You guessed it! This practitioner talked our client out of customized hormone therapy that we recommended based on HER body’s levels, and instead prescribed the commercially available prometrium capsule. Although both are bioidentical progesterone, we get far greater success with our compounded progesterone cream because we can make necessary dosage adjustments during the process of balancing your hormones. From our point of view, using progesterone cream is a superior way to treat progesterone deficiency. Being able to adjust therapy is the key to success. I fully expect to hear from this client in the future when she isn’t experiencing the success she was promised. And we have no options to adjust her dosage when she is taking prometrium capsules. OUR focus is helping women get better with strategies that are customized for them.
In this case, this client loses.

BUYER BEWARE! January 29, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Hot BHRT Topics , add a comment

      I have to tell you that when someone offers you something that sounds too good to be true, it very often is! Let’s take the case of pellet therapy. Pellets that offer estrogen and testosterone, and are supplemented with progesterone- in either a topical cream or even a capsule, can be a balanced approach IF the woman’s hormone levels are checked prior to the pellet implant and that is the therapy of choice by that client and her practitioner to balance the woman’s hormone levels. Implanting  just testosterone pellets alone, while ignoring the need for estrogen and progesterone, in my opinion, doesn’t make sense. How is that balanced hormone replacement therapy? When these pellets are pumped into the woman’s body every 3 months-sometimes checking levels and sometimes not-scares me. Too much testosterone can make women aggressive and mean; and over time even change the woman’s facial appearance as it begins to take on masculine features! The moral of the story is to do your homework before engaging in any type of hormone replacement therapy. Read, research and ask the tough questions. If something sounds too good to be true-buyer beware!

Getting a Second Opinion January 18, 2010

Posted by Lyn in : Hot BHRT Topics , 3comments

I just overheard a comment from a neighbor that made my hair stand straight up! They were talking about a recent bone density test and how an acquaintance of theirs found out that she has osteopenia (that slippery slope on the way to osteoporosis!), so her doctor recommended she increase her dosage of calcium. First of all, calcium is a mineral and she is NOT calcium deficient…she has bone loss. So “upping” her dosage of calcium may help a little, but it’s not going to signal the osteoblasts to make more bone. Hormones do that! It is the role of estrogen and testosterone (and researchers also suspect progesterone plays a part in bone density) that build bone. So when women reach their middle-years and begin to produce less hormones, this compromises bone density and many women find themselves on the road to osteoporosis. The beauty of replacing your hormones in your middle years with natural compounded hormone therapy that is customized for you based on your hormone levels, is that it rebuilds bone-thus increasing bone density and putting your bone density levels back in the normal range. I can speak from personal experience with osteopenia at the age of 49, the lack of benefit from current “bone building drugs” on the market (they actually make bad bone!!) to my journey to natural hormone replacement. Six months from the date I began using my natural hormone therapy, my bone density scan came out in the low-normal range-  a far cry from the osteopenia readings I had been getting earlier! To add insult to injury, this same neighbor went on to say that HER doctor told her that she should never use hormone replacement therapy and that even a broken bone (hip perhaps??) is better than the risk of HRT. THIS is probably the singular most ridiculous statement I have ever heard a practitioner make. It shows total ignorance of the subject matter. Since when is it ok to lump all HRT under one umbrella and label it all bad? I understand that Premarin and Prempro-the synthetic drugs of choice are bad, bad, bad. (whoever thought giving a woman horse pee in the first place and having the FDA actually approve it was wacked!) But to lump the synthetic drugs with BHRT and natural compounded hormone therapy is just ignorant AND quite frankly, wrong.  If YOU have a doctor saying this to you, it is your job to get a second opinion. Even better, in this area of women’s health, where the waters are muddy and confusing, it is up to each woman to educate herself, ask the tough questions, do the research and choose the right path for her. Let’s focus on the CAUSE of the symptoms (i.e.bone loss) and take a holistic path, shall we, instead of a “let’s drug you and band-aid your problem” approach that is so popular among most practitioners today. Become empowered! Take charge of YOUR journey!