I was with a group of friends listening to Jazz Thursday evening, under large oak trees strung with outdoor lights, at Central Market North in Austin. Kids were dancing, dogs were yelping, and the sun was setting. Good to get outside and breathe. We started to chat with folks at a table next to us.
Dear dr B,i am going to write a long comment that you will probably never read,but i would really like for you to know that your words have reached as far as Romania and that myself and a small group of friends who follow you are very greatfull for your posts on health and especially hormone replacement since it is a non existent topic in our country.You complained many times about the flaws of the american healthcare system and about America being a polluted country and it may be so.But pollutants come in many forms as i am sure you know and although you can probably still find in Romania some soil ,water ,vegetables,etc. that are almost as pure as they were in the middle ages,i must tell you that the air here is poisoned with ignorance when it comes to everything concerning women s health and wellbeing.As a woman entering peri menopause and starting to develop some nasty symptoms i realised that there is literally no one i can turn to for help.Doctors here are completely ignorant and have no interest on a woman s quality of life (even women doctors) and society sees women only as breeding cattle and working force,women themselves take pride in not complaining and swallowing as much shit from this life as possible without even thinking about changing something.As i said,living in the Middle Ages(although i should probably say The Stone Age),though chemically cleaner ,really sucks when you are a woman and when you were cursed with a brain that thinks,with a heart that longs for better things and a body that sabotages you every day.Not to mention that should a woman wish to remain a woman and be sexually active beyond reproduction is seen as a terrible sin here(it is an extremely religious country).When as a cosmetologist i perform waxing i see intimate parts that are completely ruined by the lack of estrogen especially in clients that have had breast cancer and women in their 40 s that have completely lost any will or posibility to be intimate with a man again and i find that so sad.A couple of times i just couldn t take it anymore and i sugested the use of at least vaginal estrogen to some women in terrible condition,which their doctors have noticed and were aware of ,but they dissmised them and told them to tell me mind my own business.I also want to tell you that even if one should find a doctor that knows something about hormone replacement(which is unlikely) she could probably not find the medication in pharmacies.So ,thinking ,and also feeling,are sad things to do.Especially when your own mother is telling you that this is what being a woman is all about and you should take it as it is.I always thought that a parent s job was to give a massage of hope,of never giving up,of trying to change the things that hurt you.But i have never personally seen a parent like that.In a world that offers women so little, to have even your own mother telling you that there s nothing you can do is terrible.But your message is one of hope and never giving up.Your personal story is inspiring.When i look at how beautiful and vibrant you are ,when i hear that a woman your age is still dancing i wish i was a citizen of that planet too.But for most of us women life is only about pain and struggle,bitter disappointment,endless duties but no rights at all.Please stay young at heart and healthy for all of us who do not share your well deserved and hard
Sadly today “learned helplessness” is almost enforced.. we are treated like sheep and herded through medical system that uses drugs to a path of managed symptoms rather than resolving issues. We do not really take responsibility for our health even with basic issues like diet, exercise and longevity.
💯let’s get resilient together!!! So very grateful for your work.
Dear dr B,i am going to write a long comment that you will probably never read,but i would really like for you to know that your words have reached as far as Romania and that myself and a small group of friends who follow you are very greatfull for your posts on health and especially hormone replacement since it is a non existent topic in our country.You complained many times about the flaws of the american healthcare system and about America being a polluted country and it may be so.But pollutants come in many forms as i am sure you know and although you can probably still find in Romania some soil ,water ,vegetables,etc. that are almost as pure as they were in the middle ages,i must tell you that the air here is poisoned with ignorance when it comes to everything concerning women s health and wellbeing.As a woman entering peri menopause and starting to develop some nasty symptoms i realised that there is literally no one i can turn to for help.Doctors here are completely ignorant and have no interest on a woman s quality of life (even women doctors) and society sees women only as breeding cattle and working force,women themselves take pride in not complaining and swallowing as much shit from this life as possible without even thinking about changing something.As i said,living in the Middle Ages(although i should probably say The Stone Age),though chemically cleaner ,really sucks when you are a woman and when you were cursed with a brain that thinks,with a heart that longs for better things and a body that sabotages you every day.Not to mention that should a woman wish to remain a woman and be sexually active beyond reproduction is seen as a terrible sin here(it is an extremely religious country).When as a cosmetologist i perform waxing i see intimate parts that are completely ruined by the lack of estrogen especially in clients that have had breast cancer and women in their 40 s that have completely lost any will or posibility to be intimate with a man again and i find that so sad.A couple of times i just couldn t take it anymore and i sugested the use of at least vaginal estrogen to some women in terrible condition,which their doctors have noticed and were aware of ,but they dissmised them and told them to tell me mind my own business.I also want to tell you that even if one should find a doctor that knows something about hormone replacement(which is unlikely) she could probably not find the medication in pharmacies.So ,thinking ,and also feeling,are sad things to do.Especially when your own mother is telling you that this is what being a woman is all about and you should take it as it is.I always thought that a parent s job was to give a massage of hope,of never giving up,of trying to change the things that hurt you.But i have never personally seen a parent like that.In a world that offers women so little, to have even your own mother telling you that there s nothing you can do is terrible.But your message is one of hope and never giving up.Your personal story is inspiring.When i look at how beautiful and vibrant you are ,when i hear that a woman your age is still dancing i wish i was a citizen of that planet too.But for most of us women life is only about pain and struggle,bitter disappointment,endless duties but no rights at all.Please stay young at heart and healthy for all of us who do not share your well deserved and hard
earned good fortune and keep posting on hrt.
Sadly today “learned helplessness” is almost enforced.. we are treated like sheep and herded through medical system that uses drugs to a path of managed symptoms rather than resolving issues. We do not really take responsibility for our health even with basic issues like diet, exercise and longevity.