Confession #8: Hair Today. Gone Tomorrow.

I love a good birthday card. Maxine cards are my favorites — you know, the little old lady with the purple hair. I even have some Maxine slippers with purple hair that my sister-in-law gave me when I turned 40. My kids think they are hilarious. 

Well, I found another hilarious birthday card at the Beehive the other day. I just have to share it with you. It’s not a Maxine card, but it shares the same sarcastic view of life-as-an-aging-woman. “These aren’t chin hairs…they’re stray eyebrows!” is the comment on the front of the card. Those words are decoratively written on a sign held by an obviously-more-mature-but-trying-to-look-younger lady wearing a sash that says “Miss Optimistic.” Inside the card are the words “Happy Birthday to an ageless beauty.”

What is ageless beauty? And how about those stray eyebrows? I’ll save the ageless beauty column for a rainy day, but sister, we are going to talk about those stray eyebrows.

One of the most difficult parts of growing older is hair. And hair is one of those outside garnishments which envelopes the self-esteem of every self-respecting, card-carrying Southern woman! You know, we already have the challenges of heat and humidity around here. But there are also internal challenges that wreak havoc on our pursuit of a “good hair day”.

Did you know that hormones, the body’s communication system, can greatly affect your hair? Two years ago, I was suffering from a great amount of hair loss due to an undiscovered thyroid issue. Handfuls of hair, I’m telling you! Clean out my hairbrush every day kind of hair loss. And to make matters worse, I was growing hair in places I didn’t want it — my ears, my face, my chin, etc.! That was due to an elevated testosterone level. After having my hormones tested and discovering how out-of-whack my hormone levels were, I tried bioidentical hormones, achieved a better hormone balance and the hair started staying on my head instead of jumping off my head and into my hairbrush! Plus, the random hair growth in unwanted places decreased dramatically!

So why am I bringing up a subject we’d rather not talk about? Especially in the holiday/New Year issue of The Minute Magazine? Well, here’s my answer. ‘Tis the season! We’ve got to look good for our holiday parties. And then there’s that whole issue of “New Year/New You” for 2010. With holidays and New Year resolutions approaching, there’s no time like the present to talk about hair!

Hair Tip #1: Hormone Balance

It doesn’t matter what you do, if you don’t solve your body’s mysteries, you will just have to continually deal with this problem. So let’s start with hormone testing. If your doctor doesn’t test hormones, then find one who does. And make sure that you are retested on a periodic basis. Hormones can become unbalanced again due to stress or other events in your body. So this is a constant monitoring process. You and your doctor should have an ongoing dialogue about your hormone levels. And moms, this can affect your teenagers, too. As their hormones fluctuate, hair growth can result. Hormone testing can  be beneficial for teenagers, too.

Hair Tip #2: Waxing

Waxing is a method of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root cause. Almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows, face, bikini area, legs, arms, back, abdomen and feet. New hairs will not grow back in the waxed area for two to eight weeks. I’ve used this method of hair removal since I was a teenager for my brows and lip. It works well, is relatively inexpensive, and available at most salons.

Hair Tip #3: Waxing with Epilar Treatment

This treatment begins with waxing, followed by application of an inhibitor gel and an activator gel. This treatment works on all skin and hair types and can be used on all body parts. The procedure targets hair follicles left empty after waxing, specifically hairs that are active and in the growth phase. Epilar application will also increase the intervals for depilation and leave skin smooth and soft between treatments. I haven’t personally tried this, but I know it is very effective for women who might have a lot of hair on their cheeks and would just prefer to have smoother skin.

Hair Tip #4: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

FDA approved for permanent hair reduction, intense pulsed light is fast and very effective in eliminating large areas of unwanted hair. Light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair and converted to heat in the follicle. The heat damages the follicle and disables it from growing new hair. IPL is excellent for areas such as the lip, under arms, or even the bikini area. This treatment lasts only 10 to 15 minutes, works best on darker hair, and is usually recommended in a series of four to six treatments. I have had IPL treatments under my arms. And yes, I rarely have to shave there anymore. This is truly one of my small joys in life! No more itchy, scratchy, five-o’clock shadow in my pits!

Hair Tip #5: Electrolysis

FDA approved for permanent hair removal, electrolysis is a procedure in which individual follicles are destroyed with chemical or heat energy. The hair is then removed with tweezers. Once the follicle is destroyed, it can never reproduce hair. Electrolysis can only be performed by a Licensed Electrologist. Electrolysis works on all hair and skin colors and is great for small areas that can’t be treated with IPL like ears, eyebrows, and for white-blonde, red or gray hair. Many factors influence hair growth, so the number of sessions needed to remove hair permanently from an area will vary. Treatments typically occur once a week and last 15 minutes to one hour. Electrolysis is on my list of things to do. I’d like to never again see a hair on my big toe again! Can anyone relate to that? This is also great for those “stray eyebrow hairs” that show up on your chin!

Whew! That’s it. Five tips for hair! And none of them involved cutting, highlighting, styling, weaving, extensions, horse shampoo, or other strange products. While this conversation has been geared towards my lady friends, it applies to our men as well. The ear hair that you would like to see disappear from your honey’s ears (this will help him actually hear the honey-do list you so lovingly give him) can be permanently gone, not to mention the nose hair. I do recommend that you LOVINGLY and DELICATELY talk to your honey about getting his coiffure in order PRIOR to the company’s Christmas party! After all, guys are as sensitive about their hair as we girls are. They just use fewer products — hair gels, straighteners, hairspray, to name a few. This is the moment when you can educate your man about hair removal. And after you make your own appointment, make him an appointment, too!

So if you, like me, would like to reduce or eliminate the hair issues in your life, then join me on the appointment calendar at my favorite two places for hair reduction and removal: Seasons – The Spa and Seasons Medical Aesthetics in association with It’s Permanent. You can find Seasons – The Spa at 1809 Northpointe Lane, Suite 202 in Ruston, LA. You can find Seasons Medical Aesthetics in association with It’s Permanent in Monroe at 1033 N. 6th Street. And to make an appointment or get more information about any of these procedures, contact our Ruston office at 318-255-1155 or in Monroe at 318-340-1778. In the meantime, girls, let’s put our best hair (and hair removed) forward!

From The Doctor’s Desk: The Moral of the Story? Hormone Balance Key To Reducing Breast Cancer Potential.

I have four kids that range in age from four to eleven. One of my favorite things to do is read them a great story. So today, let’s talk about some very important stories and the moral each one presents.

The story about breast cancer potential has more characters than just estrogen and progesterone as we discussed in my last post. There are other hormones that are integral characters in that story also. As you will learn in this post, the moral to the breast cancer story is balance — balance between all the hormones in your body.

The Story On Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) — Say That One Three Times Fast!

DHEA, a testosterone precursor, is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and plays a part in breast protection. DHEA plays an important role in supporting the immune system. DHEA stimulates the production of good T-helper lymphocytes-1 and their associated good cytokines: interferon, Interleukin-2 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-beta. This is in contrast to the bad T-helper lymphocytes-2 and their bad cytokines. DHEA levels typically decline as we age. The decrease in DHEA levels are inversely correlated with increasing age-related disease. The strength of this correlation is yet to be determined, but the decline in immune system due to low DHEA is clear. So where does that leave DHEA? Individuals with low DHEA levels have more disease, and in this case, more breast cancer. The moral of this story? Low DHEA = a compromised immune system = breast cancer vulnerability.

The Story On Melatonin — The Sandman Hormone.

Melatonin is the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. It is produced from the pineal gland in the brain. Low melatonin levels have been linked to breast cancer through the additional benefits of melatonin. Melatonin boosts the immune system, decreases estrogen and progesterone production, and acts as an anti-oxidant. Bench studies (non-human studies) have shown significant increase risks of breast cancer with low melatonin levels. Can you guess what happens as we age? Yes, you guessed it. Our melatonin levels fall. Ever talk to a post-menopausal woman? Most women of that age have sleep-related complaints. The moral of this story? Low melatonin = a compromised immune system = breast cancer vulnerability.

The Story on Thyroid — The Energy Hormone.

How about the thyroid hormone?  The breast cancer link reaches to all hormones and everything seems to involve the thyroid these days! T4 (or better known as synthroid, levoxy, levothryoixine) is one of the most prescribed medicines today. But T4 is a very weak thyroid hormone. In fact, the body is looking for T3, a result of T4 to T3 conversion. The problem is that many individuals don’t convert T4 to T3 well. (Very often I see patients who have been on synthroid for years without symptomatic improvement even though their “levels” are said to be “good”.  I digress. That’s a subject for another post. Let’s get back to the breast cancer link.) Low T4 and T3 levels result in low sex hormone binding globulin levels (SHBG). SHBG is how some hormones are transported. When SHBG levels drop, the free availability of the hormone it transports goes up. In this case, the levels of free estradiol go up. Remember the negative breast implications of estrogen dominance from last weeks post (link)? The moral of this story? Low thyroid = low SHBG = high estradiol = estrogen dominance = breast cancer vulnerability.

The Story On Insulin — The Sugar Storer

Finally, Insulin. Insulin’s primary role is in the storage of glucose. However, due to the large percentage of simple or refined sugars in our diet, insulin resistance has become a major epidemic, and, yes, insulin resistance increases the risk of breast cancer. How, you ask? High simple sugars leads to insulin resistance and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). As a result, estrogen dominance and excess testosterone are produced which leads to weight gain. Remember that fat cells produce even more estrogen and estrogen stimulates breast cell growth (link). Young women will start their cycles at an earlier age and thus will increase their lifetime exposure to estrogen without appropriate progesterone balance. And to make matters worse, traditional therapy with birth control pills for these young women increases the breast cancer risk even further. The moral of this story? Insulin resistance = estrogen dominance = breast cancer vulnerability.

Change The Ending Of The Story.

Just because any of these hormone deficiencies might produce in you symptoms which you recognize in this post doesn’t mean that you are going to have breast cancer. However, the sooner you seek hormone balance, the quicker you are going to lower your breast cancer vulnerability/potential. As you can see, the hormonal symphony is what is important. Balance! When your hormones are balanced, the result is a symphony, and in turn, your body is in tune and makes beautiful music. But when your hormones are not balanced, then…well, you know the ending of that story.

From The Doctor’s Desk: Hormone Imbalance A Contributing Factor In Breast Cancer

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) increases breast cancer. Have you read headlines like that? Or perhaps you were told that HRT caused someone’s breast cancer.

Do hormones really cause or lead to breast cancer? Think about this: every women continues to produce hormones, even after menopause. So, it cannot be that hormones in and of themselves cause cancer. Scientific evidence indicates that synthetic hormones and hormone imbalance do contribute to breast cancer.

The ABC’s of Estrogen.

Estrogen’s effects in the body are regulated through two different kinds of receptors: alpha and beta receptors. Estrogen-alpha receptors stimulate breast cell growth. Estrogen-beta receptors inhibit breast cell growth.

• Estradiol, the most potent estrogen, equally stimulates alpha and beta receptors = growth stable
• Estrone, the second most potent estrogen, stimulates alpha receptors 5:1 over beta receptors = pro growth
• Estriol, the weakest variety of estrogen, actually stimulates beta receptors 3:1 = growth inhibitory

The key element here is balance of hormones. Higher levels of estrone present in your body (produced by fat cells) result in more breast stimulation. Higher levels of estriol present in your body results in less breast cell stimulation and, therefore, breast protection. Estriol = Good. Estrone = Bad. If you have heard of someone developing breast cancer after starting Premarin, there’s a logical explanation for that. Guess what Premarin is loaded with? Premarin contains (48%) estrone (estrone = bad = breast cell stimulation).

Here are some more ugly facts about Premarin, also know as conjugated equine estrogen. Premarin actually decreases estrogen beta receptors. So, if you take Premarin, then you are taking high doses of estrone (estrone = bad) and decreasing your estrogen receptors that inhibit breast cell growth. In a nutshell: you are taking more of the bad estrogen and decreasing your amount of the good estrogen. This equates to a prime set up for breast cancer.  Don’t take my word for it. See the wonderful article by Kent Holtorf.

Progesterone: The Growth-Inhibitor Hormone

The confusion out there about estrogen and breast cancer is bad enough, but the confusion is even greater on the subject of progesterone.

Pregesterone is the key hormone in the second half of a woman’s cycle. Estrogen is the dominant hormone in the first half of your cycle (estrogen = growth = growth of the uterine lining to support implantation of an egg). The counteractive hormone to this growth phase is progesterone (progesterone = no growth = sloughing off of the uterine lining). It’s the amazing and fascinating way that woman was created.

Synthetic progestins, often prescribed, are NOT the same as the progesterone your body produces. Just look at the structure and you see that they are not. The one thing they do have in common is they both protect the lining of the uterus against excessive estrogen growth. But, that is where the similarities end.

While there are many differences between the two, our focus here will be on the difference in breast cancer potential. Simply stated, synthetic progestins are pro-breast cancer and bioidentical progesterone is breast protective. The Women’s Health Initiative (link) revealed a 26% increase in breast cancer as a result of taking synthetic progestin. The Nurse’s Health Study (link) found that synthetic progestins tripled breast cancer risk over that of estrogen only. The use of Provera, a synthetic progestin and component of Prempro, has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer by 800%!

The statistics for bioidentical progesterone are the opposite. Bioidentical progesterone has many positive breast benefits:

• Progesterone decreases estrogen production
• Progesterone moves estradiol to weaker estrone
• Progesterone moves estrone to inactive (sulfated) form
• Progesterone moves estrone to weakest/safest estriol
• Progesterone down-regulates estrogen receptors all together
• Progesterone activates the cancer protection gene, p53

The idea that progesterone is a safer alternative to synthetic progestins is not new at all.  As early as the early 80’s, there has been a call for safer progesterone over synthetic progestin counterparts. In 1981, nearly 30 years ago, L.D. Cowan showed that just having low progesterone levels increases the risk of premenopausal breast cancer risk 5.4 times.

Unfortunately, progesterone-deficient states, (or estrogen dominance) are very common in women today as a result of many factors: being overweight, PCOS, environmental xenoestrogens, excessive estrogen therapy, and perimenopause. Another study, showed progesterone to have a 400% decreased breast growth rate.

The Scientific Evidence Is Clear.

The evidence in the scientific literature is clear with regards to estrogens, progesterone, and hormone balance.

Bioidentical and synthetic hormones should NOT be used interchangeably. They are not equal. They have very different physiologic effects on the breast:  synthetic progestins (Provera notably) increase breast cancer (800%) and bioidentical progesterone protects against breast cancer (400% decrease breast growth rate).

Estrogen therapy is not for everybody and is definitely not a panacea drug; in fact estrogen dominance is a major contributor to breast cancer risk. But if estrogen therapy is needed, then estriol (Estriol = good) is the best.

Hormone balance is the key. Without estrogen and progesterone balance, a women’s cycles are irregular, and infertility can be a big problem.

You know, once we understand hormones and the balancing cycle between estrogen and progesterone, it makes perfect sense that imbalance would cause breast problems. And the scientific evidence indicates just that. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s time make sure your hormones are balanced and protect yourself from breast cancer.

Confession #6: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 3 of 3.

This is the third of three posts in response to a Newsweek headline, “Crazy Talk,” and the accompanying article, “Best Life or Risky Advice?” which blasted talk-show host Oprah Winfrey for many things, including her support and use of bioidentical hormones.

A quick recap. Read the Newsweek article for yourself. Second, make medical decisions based on medical research and evidence. Third, the right approach to bioidentical hormones is balance. Fourth, there is no blanket prescription for womanhood.

Individualized Treatment Results in Balanced Hormones.

In my last post, I talked about the blanket prescription for womanhood that seems to prevail in the medical world out there. But for me, the right answer was a treatment plan that balanced my hormones.

At Seasons, my hormones were tested and found to be terribly out of whack. Dr. Goodyear developed a therapy plan which included several varieties of bioidentical hormones according to my individual needs and life changes like proper nutrition and exercise. After a period of time, they retested my hormones and adjusted my prescriptions. This cycle continues until the body returns to normal hormone levels with no bioidentical hormone support.

My course of treatment will soon come to an end. It has been nearly a two year journey marked by gradual and noticeable improvement. I feel so much better now. And girl has it been interesting! I am so much more educated about my body and how it works.

I also have more courage. I stood up to “hearsay” with scientific evidence. I feel comfortable researching medical issues. I am aware that there are multiple sides to any story. I am confident I made the right choice for me.

Give Kudos To Courageous Women.

Right or wrong, Oprah and Suzanne Somers said, “Hey…traditional medicine isn’t working for us! Is somebody listening?” Many of us echo that sentiment. I’ve had multiple conversations with multiple doctors in different states about my health problems. No one seemed to have an answer other than those treatments du jour I mentioned in Confession #5.

The fact is, Mr. Kosova and Mr. Wingert (authors of the Newsweek article), women listen to Oprah because they identify with her. She listened to us. She is one of us. She came from nothing, worked hard, made her dreams come true, and now helps her viewers and listeners accomplish their goals. She has challenged us to run marathons, read books, and ask questions. We listen when she asks questions! And we listen when she offers solutions.

And this time, she found the same health solution that I did.

Confession #5: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 2 of 3.

This is the second of three posts in response to a Newsweek headline, “Crazy Talk,” and the accompanying article “Best Life or Risky Advice?” which blasted talk-show host Oprah Winfrey for many things, including her support and use of bioidentical hormones.

A quick recap. First, read the Newsweek article for yourself. Second, make medical decisions based on medical research and evidence.

Bioidentical hormones are not the “solution of the week.” They are not a trend. Many out there are claiming bioidentical hormones are the cure for all that ails you. Seasons doesn’t make that claim. They are, however, a great solution for many women.

The Seasons Approach to Bioidentical Hormones is Balance.

The key to weathering the hormonal storms of womanhood is balance: balance between what we eat and how much exercise we get; balance between work and play; balance between rest and activity.

We also need balance on the inside. Balance between estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid, and melatonin. When these hormones became imbalanced (as mine did), we develop symptoms: hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, mental fog, weight gain, just to name a few. This may or may not have anything at all to do with menopause (mine was stress and pregnancy related). But once these hormones are back in balance, the symptoms diminish or disappear.

And, oh, the bliss when the symptoms disappear! Don’t underestimate the value of just plain old “feeling good.” (Ladies, feel free to chime in with an Amen here!)

There Is No Blanket Prescription for Womanhood.

We can’t just take three pills and feel better (and if that doesn’t work, just do a hysterectomy). But that seems to be how modern medicine treats us. Think about it. We all have different bodies, different levels of hormones. These hormones are affected by environment, genetics, stress, pregnancy, etc. There’s no way my hormones and yours could be the same. Our lives are different. Our genetics are different. It just doesn’t make sense that our solutions should be the same.

So why is it that many physicians want to prescribe the same treatment for all of us? Birth control pills and anti-depressants are the prescription du jour for women between 30 and menopause. And for the those approaching/in/completing the BIG change of seasons (menopause), the prescription du jour is synthetic hormones and (yes) anti-depressants. Don’t get me wrong, here. There are some who need an anti-depressant for true symptoms of depression. But as a blanket prescription for womanhood, anti-depressants are a bad idea.

In fact, my husband told me a few years ago that I was the only wife he knew who wasn’t taking an anti-depressant – he and his friends actually had this conversation. That’s not to say I wasn’t having mood-swings. I just flat-out refused to take an anti-depressant even though my physician at the time offered it as an option. I knew depression was not my issue. It was something else. I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

You know, when the solutions you are offered in life just don’t work, you have to keep searching, especially when you just don’t feel good and you want your life back. I did keep searching. And I found a solution that worked. In my next post, I’ll complete my comments and share with you my solution.

See you there.

Confession #4: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 1 of 3.

Crazy Talk.

I’ve heard that expression before. But when I heard the Newsweek headline about Oprah was entitled “Crazy Talk,” I was scared to read the article.

Why was I scared? You see my own personal experience with bioidentical hormones has made me a huge advocate. When Oprah revealed on national TV that bioidentical hormone therapy had worked for her, I was thrilled! “Maybe Oprah’s support will encourage her viewers to learn more about them,” I thought. “Maybe her media power will help open the closed minds of many traditional doctors…give them a reason to listen when their patients ask questions…”

A week after it was published, I finally mustered up enough courage to read the article. It wasn’t as bad as I anticipated. The article certainly had a negative tone, but it was more about Oprah’s power than bioidentical hormones.

Read the Newsweek Article For Yourself.

The most important thing we can do is think for ourselves. To read the article at Newsweek’s website (“Best Life or Risky Advice?”, Newsweek, published 6/30/09), click here.

The authors, Weston Kosova and Pat Wingert, point a finger at one major issue: Oprah has an unopposed platform to air her views and give credibility to whatever she chooses. That’s true. Oprah’s greatest accomplishment is her media power, through television, radio, print and her website. With that great power comes great responsibility. Mr. Kosova and Mr. Wingert work on the assumption here that Oprah has missed the boat on the responsibility part. And while I might agree with some (or even much) of what they said, I think they “threw the (bioidentical hormone) baby out with the bath water.”

Make Medical Decisions Based On Medical Research and Evidence.

There is definitely controversy on the topic of bioidentical hormones, and plenty of it: controversy between traditional medicine and a more progressive approach to medicine; controversy between drug companies and compounding pharmacists; even controversy between doctors and their patients.

But there is also plenty of research and evidence that supports the use of bioidentical hormones. Loads of it, actually. Spend a little time exploring the Seasons website and you will find numerous links to research articles. I encourage you to read for yourself!

In my next post, I’ll continue with more thoughts on the “Crazy Talk” article.

See you there.

Confession #2: Who Knew I Had So Much In Common With Oprah?

During my journey back to good health, I have discovered there are many others taking the journey with me. Oprah and I go way back. Just kidding. Oprah and I do have two things in common: we were both born in southern states (she in Mississippi, me in Louisiana), and we both have a condition called hypothyroidism. And, it turns out, we are on the same journey.

You may have heard about hypothyroidism on recent episodes of Oprah (you can watch episodes on her website). Oprah has sought treatment for her hypothyroidism with bioidentical hormones, just like me. My condition was diagnosed in December of 2007 and I have been treated with bioidentical thyroid since that time. Because we have the same condition, I thought I would share with you some of the symptoms I experienced.

I had symptoms but didn’t even know they were symptoms. That’s one of the main reasons I am bearing my soul to you. I want you to know what I didn’t. If you have symptoms, my guess is you probably don’t know you have symptoms either.

Hair falling out. I have long hair (bra strap length). And when your long hair falls out, it just seems normal. In fact, when Dr. Goodyear asked me if my hair was falling out, I said no. After I began treatment with bioidentical thyroid, my hair stopped falling out. It was shocking. If you are pulling handfuls of hair out each time you wash, it might not be normal. I had handfuls while blow drying as well.

Lack of energy. I have two young children, ages 10 and 4. My four-year-old didn’t sleep through the night on a regular basis until she was 2 ½. (No, I don’t need parenting classes. She had chronic ear infections and difficulty cutting teeth.) I assumed that my chronic exhaustion was due to my chronic lack of sleep. And I assumed that when I did get a couple of good nights of sleep and still felt tired, that I just needed more time to get “back to normal.” That never happened. Even after she began sleeping through the night, I remained chronically tired. I finally agreed with my husband that something just wasn’t right.

Weight gain/depression. For me, this was the worst symptom of all. Even on a diet, I gained weight. What’s up with that? Humiliation. Guilt. Frustration. I made great efforts to eat right and exercise but with no results. (Oprah’s battle with this is well-documented!) This led me, frustrated, back to the pantry to eat myself to happiness. After diagnosis and treatment, I learned that with hypothyroidism your body chemistry is working against you. You will gain weight…spontaneously, but because of your abnormal body chemistry, not because you overate.

Cold feet. No, not the scared to do something kind of cold feet. For me, socks every night was a must. Even in the summer.

Dry skin. I am the original oily-skinned girl. Shiny nose at noon. You know my type! My skin became dry but I didn’t notice it. My aesthetician made a comment to me following a facial about how my skin had changed. It was her comment that made me realize that my skin had become dry (as had my hair).

Fuzzy thinking/poor memory. I found myself unable to remember a list of a few items at the grocery store. I had to write EVERYTHING down. And I mean everything. Couldn’t even remember to return a phone call. (Anyone reading this who I forgot to call, now you know why! So sorry!) I couldn’t even concentrate to make the grocery list and counted on my husband to do that with me.

After Dr. Goodyear diagnosed me, I began taking bioidentical thyroid made by our local compounding pharmacist. Bioidentical thyroid takes a little longer to produce results than the synthetic variety. But my patience was rewarded with a return to normal thyroid levels. Within two weeks, my hair stopped falling out. Within three months, I could tell a substantial difference in my energy level and my ability to think clearly. Now, after 15 months of therapy, I am working again. It would have been impossible for me to have a normal job 15 months ago.

If you have questions about hypothyroidism and its symptoms, please send your comments.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Oprah on her battle with weight (cnn.com)
• Oprah Can Blame Her Thyroid. Can You? (usnews.com)
• Confession #1 (seasonswc.com)

My Doctor Said I Have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Each week, I wonder what I should write about on the SeasonsWC blog. Then, I listen to my patients, and they tell me what they want to know. (Funny thing listening to your patients). This week, at least three women had questions about their diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. Some time ago an ultrasound revealed that they had multiple ovarian cysts, and they were given birth control pills to control their symptoms. That was all they knew.

“So I learned I have cysts on my ovaries,” they said. “But what does that mean?”

Doctors call it polycistic ovary syndrome. To make things even more confusing, we’ll often just call it PCOS or PCO. (It’s fewer syllables.)

PCO is a hormonal syndrome. A syndrome is a group of symptoms that collectively indicate a disease or other abnormal condition–and PCO is an abnormal condition, not a disease. Of course, abnormal conditions can lead to disease. But an abnormal condition can also be restored to a healthy condition, whereas disease cannot.

PCO is the most common hormone problem in women today, effecting 5% of reproductive aged women. It causes androgen excess, another fancy medical term that means a woman’s body is producing too many male hormones. This means women may have facial hair, hair loss, low voice, acne… Androgen excess in women has been recognized by doctors since Hippocrates. You may have heard of the Hippocratic Oath. Hippocrates discovered a lot of things, including facial hair in women.

To be more specific, PCO is characterized by

• High androgen levels (think testosterone)
• High insulin levels and insulin resistance
• Irregular cycles (due to anovulation)
• Multiple ovarian cysts

It doesn’t really sound so bad–just facial hair, acne, deep raspy voice, and irregular cycles. Obviously, those symptoms are a very big deal for many women. In fact, they are the primary complaints of women with PCO. But they aren’t the biggest problems. PCO is associated with some pretty serious diseases and health problems:

• Obesity (50% of women with PCO)
• Type II diabetes (10% of women with PCO)
• Infertility
• Cardiovascular disease (hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, atherosclerosis)
• Psychopathology (anxiety, depression, bipolar, eating disorders)
• Cancer (breast, uterine…)
• Metabolic syndrome

Worst of all, polycystic ovary syndrome, if untreated, leads to poor health and early death. But don’t worry! We know how to treat PCO, and I’ll talk about that in my next post.

Bioidentical Progesterone Helps Your Heart

President Eisenhower said, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened”

In my last post, we looked at some new discoveries in science about the truth of bioidentical hormone therapy. Specifically, we looked at the different ways bioidentical progesterone and synthetic progestins affect the breasts. This week I want to look at the different ways they affect the cardiovascular system.

I can hear what you’re probably thinking. “You mean some hormones might have beneficial effects on the heart? That is not what my doctor told me.”

I don’t know your doctor or your specific situation, but I do know about the latest scientific research.

Synthetic hormones increase cardiovascular risks.

One study, the Women’s Health Initiative saw a large increase in the risk of heart attacks and stroke in women who used Provera. This is not at all surprising since synthetic progestins have previously been shown (in the PEPI study) to negate the positive cardiovascular benefits of estrogen.

These results stand in stark contrast to studies using bioidentical progesterone, which has been shown to provide additional cardiovascular benefits.

Here’s some more down and dirty science. First, you need to understand that blood vessel constriction and plaque formation both increase your risk of stroke and heart attack. Bioidentical progesterone reduced blood vessel constriction and plaque formation by 50%, but synthetic progestins actually increased blood vessel constriction and plaque formation.

Wow. I wish President Eisenhower’s words weren’t so appropriate. The truth is easy when everyone believes it; but the truth is hard to follow when so many people seem blind to it.

Here’s the truth: Bioidentical progesterone provides cardiovascular benefits to women.

Hormone Symphony

Have you ever heard a great symphony play under a great conductor in a great symphony hall? I have. The music is beautiful.

Of course, it doesn’t matter how good the conductor is or how good the acoustics are—if the orchestra is not good. If the symphony’s tempo is off, or the pitch, or the key, or the volume, then it doesn’t even matter who wrote the music. Beethoven, Mozart, or Bach will just sound like noise to the audience.

Symphony comes from a Greek word meaning “agreement or concord of sound.”

Your hormones are like a symphony. When everything works together, then and only then can you appreciate the beauty of the music.

When your hormones are out of balance, your body will experience symptoms that wreck the music—hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain. Like a symphony, your hormonal balance is more complicated than any individual part. It is not just about your estrogen and thyroid as many would have you believe. Your hormonal symphony requires the balance of all hormones: all estrogen types, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid, and melatonin. One hormone out of balance can start a ripple effect that results in total hormonal imbalance.

When your hormones are not balanced, your body feels like a bad symphony, just making noise. However, when all hormones are balanced, your body can make beautiful music. If we reduce your diagnosis to estrogen problems or thyroid problems only, we will miss the mark. When we evaluate and treat your hormones as a whole system, your body can be a symphony.

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