Story Time...

As a 44-year old woman who has spent countless hours learning everything there is to know about menopause and hormone replacement therapy, it shouldn't surprise you that when I run into other women, about the same age, the topic of menopause comes up.

Two days ago, I went in for a routine teeth cleaning and my dental hygienist asked me if I was taking any medications. I told her I was on estradiol and progesterone. She looked at my age and asked, "Did you have a hysterectomy?". I said, "Nope." She said, "Well I'm older than you, so I'm curious as to why you're on hormones." So I went into all the symptoms I experiencing and left her with the name of Dr. Mary Claire Haver. She assured me she would look her up on her lunch break because of course, none of her doctors have said a word about perimenopause and what to expect. Why would they? Most doctors aren't trained in menopause care in med school.

Then, yesterday I had a hair appointment and was going to be there awhile, so I brought my latest menopause book, "The Great Menopause Myth" to read while I sat under the heater. So during my cut, my hairdresser asked me about what I was reading (I've been going to her for a while so she knows I'm a health coach specializing in women's mid-life health). She shared that her doctor had put her on Prempro to treat her hot flashes and night sweats. Well, that would cost her $120/month to be on WITH insurance. So she didn't take it. She's miserable! So her doctor put her on an anti-depressant.

I explained to her that Prempro (while it is an option for menopause care) is a conjugated estrogen and a progestin. Conjugated estrogen can either come from the urine of a pregnant mare, or synthetically made in a lab. Progestins are also synthetic versions of progesterone. While these 2 things mimic estrogen and progesterone in our bodies, they do not have the same molecular structure. So I left her with a post-it note of the names of bio-identical forms, estradiol and Prometrium (bio-identical progesterone). Not only are these options much cheaper, but she'll also have decreased risk factors taking the bio-identical forms instead of synthetic forms.

AND THIS IS WHY I DO WHAT I DO! BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WELL MEANING DOCTORS ARE TRYING TO HELP, MOST AREN'T TRAINED IN MENOPAUSE CARE.

WE HAVE TO EDUCATE AND ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES!

Follow these women on Instagram for more info:

@DrMaryClaire, @HeatherHirschMD, @DrMennobgyn, @DrRachelRubin, @Dr.AmybKillen, @DrVondaWright