I firmly believe that the drug companies are behind this spreading of mistruths about BHRT, so women will take whatever these companied have produced or are planning to produce and on which they will make tons of $. Somewhat like bad mouthing Ivermectin and then producing something very similar and acting like it’s the new best Civid drug. I have taken BHRT since 2000, topical estrogen and progesterone, then added oral progesterone for sleep, and finally topical testosterone. I have tons of energy, look much younger than my 73 years and wholeheartedly recommend this approach to dealing with menopause and beyond. I don’t want to be like my mother who never took hormones. She lived to be 99 1/2 but had dementia for the last 10 years of her life.
so just because somebody’s doing hormones doesn’t mean they do them in a way that might be optimal for that patient although all of this is very controversial, but I’m aware that some of the people that you mentioned practice quite differently than we discussed in our group here so just FYI but thank you so much for your input. Well appreciated
I spoke with Dr. R yesterday about this very topic. I still hear many conventional docs touting FDA approved as best, and anything that is not FDA approved as unsafe. This too is 100% false as you well know, yet it’s being talked about. I know NAMS is holding its meeting this week, and I’ll be curious to hear what is said about compounded HRT. I’ve heard a lot of NAMS providers “dis” compounded BHRT saying that they are unregulated, without any basis, which sadly perpetuates these false rumors about HRT.
This is completely nuts! I have to say, I recently read the highly-recommended book Estrogen Matters and while it was a great read, he also parroted some very incorrect information about bio-identical hormones--even to the extent of calling out Dr. Brownstein by name! So even though he does a great job at dispelling the myths about hormone replacement in general, he has also been "taken in" by prevailing mythology regarding anything not controlled by the FDA.
Dr B, I recently requested a discussion about HRT w my D.O. Gynecologist. After listening to why I was interested in possibly trying Estr/prog/testos she launched into that I was far to old to begin (I’m a very young healthy 71) and that “very bad things” like stroke, heart attack and cancer would happen, so she could not prescribe. End of conversation.
Am I too old? I realize I’m late to the party lol, she did write a script for estradiol gel which now I question whether safe to use without progesterone. I’d asked about testosterone for a libido boost which was met with a “deal with it” remark. I was half way expecting a DO to be more on top of the newer studies but she definitely was relying on the WHI tale.
Did I miss the party or should I continue to look?
I’ve been on BHRT for many years and every time I hear it’s under threat again it sets off my anxiety! It’s so frustrating to have to constantly have this uncertainty looming especially when so much false formation is circulating about BHRT. I’m also in the Austin- area. I was a patient of Dr Edgerton’s for years and also saw Dr Oubre. Wasn’t happy with either. I’m not familiar with the others but good to know some names. I currently use Wiseman for some things and am mostly very happy there. After going through HRT providers for almost 20 years in this area it’s a challenge for sure but slowly getting better.
Thanks Dr. Berkson for this article. I am in your area, actually Round Rock Tx. Do you have any doctors in the Austin area, that you know to be good hormone doctors? I have been to 3 different ones now, and I am not convinced any of them have much experience with BHRT. Do you see patients?
For one more research studies are needed on BHRT to determine the benefits and risks.
My gynecologist is the one that recommended them to me in my early 60s many years after a complete hysterectomy. My understanding is that people who have hysterectomies at an early age are more prone to Alzheimer’s. Not sure if BHRT can help prevent this if started many years after the surgery was done. It seems there is a disparity between what women go through and what men don’t have to go through. If men had to have a yearly screening of radiation to detect cancer there would be more of an uproar. Women had hysterectomies like it was getting a tooth pulled. If something similar happened to men there would be a lot more questions as to why. It seems to me there is a bias towards women’s and I’m not sure why this is acceptable.
DR. Bergson, I commented before on a hormone post and was not very clear at all and you called me on it, so let me attempt it again. I use bioidentical cream of estrogen and testosterone, via functional medicine doctor, and the expense is too much for me at the moment. Can I get the same effect of administration by using the estrogen patch via my gynecologist per my insurance at no cost? The testosterone must cease bc my blood tests registers too much testosterone. Is this better posed? I believe in Bioidenticals and want to continue but my expenses are a little overwhelming at the moment as I contribute to my mother with advanced Alzheimer's, which scares the crap out of me. I DO NOT WANT THIS EXPERIENCE!!!
I firmly believe that the drug companies are behind this spreading of mistruths about BHRT, so women will take whatever these companied have produced or are planning to produce and on which they will make tons of $. Somewhat like bad mouthing Ivermectin and then producing something very similar and acting like it’s the new best Civid drug. I have taken BHRT since 2000, topical estrogen and progesterone, then added oral progesterone for sleep, and finally topical testosterone. I have tons of energy, look much younger than my 73 years and wholeheartedly recommend this approach to dealing with menopause and beyond. I don’t want to be like my mother who never took hormones. She lived to be 99 1/2 but had dementia for the last 10 years of her life.
Well, not all those doctors recommend Biest
And some of them recommend oral estrogen
so just because somebody’s doing hormones doesn’t mean they do them in a way that might be optimal for that patient although all of this is very controversial, but I’m aware that some of the people that you mentioned practice quite differently than we discussed in our group here so just FYI but thank you so much for your input. Well appreciated
I spoke with Dr. R yesterday about this very topic. I still hear many conventional docs touting FDA approved as best, and anything that is not FDA approved as unsafe. This too is 100% false as you well know, yet it’s being talked about. I know NAMS is holding its meeting this week, and I’ll be curious to hear what is said about compounded HRT. I’ve heard a lot of NAMS providers “dis” compounded BHRT saying that they are unregulated, without any basis, which sadly perpetuates these false rumors about HRT.
This is completely nuts! I have to say, I recently read the highly-recommended book Estrogen Matters and while it was a great read, he also parroted some very incorrect information about bio-identical hormones--even to the extent of calling out Dr. Brownstein by name! So even though he does a great job at dispelling the myths about hormone replacement in general, he has also been "taken in" by prevailing mythology regarding anything not controlled by the FDA.
Dr B, I recently requested a discussion about HRT w my D.O. Gynecologist. After listening to why I was interested in possibly trying Estr/prog/testos she launched into that I was far to old to begin (I’m a very young healthy 71) and that “very bad things” like stroke, heart attack and cancer would happen, so she could not prescribe. End of conversation.
Am I too old? I realize I’m late to the party lol, she did write a script for estradiol gel which now I question whether safe to use without progesterone. I’d asked about testosterone for a libido boost which was met with a “deal with it” remark. I was half way expecting a DO to be more on top of the newer studies but she definitely was relying on the WHI tale.
Did I miss the party or should I continue to look?
I’ve been on BHRT for many years and every time I hear it’s under threat again it sets off my anxiety! It’s so frustrating to have to constantly have this uncertainty looming especially when so much false formation is circulating about BHRT. I’m also in the Austin- area. I was a patient of Dr Edgerton’s for years and also saw Dr Oubre. Wasn’t happy with either. I’m not familiar with the others but good to know some names. I currently use Wiseman for some things and am mostly very happy there. After going through HRT providers for almost 20 years in this area it’s a challenge for sure but slowly getting better.
I agree , they are taking medical science backwards. Thanks for insightful blog. Best Wishes from India.
Thanks Dr. Berkson for this article. I am in your area, actually Round Rock Tx. Do you have any doctors in the Austin area, that you know to be good hormone doctors? I have been to 3 different ones now, and I am not convinced any of them have much experience with BHRT. Do you see patients?
For one more research studies are needed on BHRT to determine the benefits and risks.
My gynecologist is the one that recommended them to me in my early 60s many years after a complete hysterectomy. My understanding is that people who have hysterectomies at an early age are more prone to Alzheimer’s. Not sure if BHRT can help prevent this if started many years after the surgery was done. It seems there is a disparity between what women go through and what men don’t have to go through. If men had to have a yearly screening of radiation to detect cancer there would be more of an uproar. Women had hysterectomies like it was getting a tooth pulled. If something similar happened to men there would be a lot more questions as to why. It seems to me there is a bias towards women’s and I’m not sure why this is acceptable.
https://nutritionstudies.org/alzheimers-disease-and-women/
DR. Bergson, I commented before on a hormone post and was not very clear at all and you called me on it, so let me attempt it again. I use bioidentical cream of estrogen and testosterone, via functional medicine doctor, and the expense is too much for me at the moment. Can I get the same effect of administration by using the estrogen patch via my gynecologist per my insurance at no cost? The testosterone must cease bc my blood tests registers too much testosterone. Is this better posed? I believe in Bioidenticals and want to continue but my expenses are a little overwhelming at the moment as I contribute to my mother with advanced Alzheimer's, which scares the crap out of me. I DO NOT WANT THIS EXPERIENCE!!!