bioidentical hormones

so glad to hear your report on Mr OM's experience with Dr. Soto. I went to a brief seminar he gave a few weeks ago just to start learning some things. but I still feel I need to educate myself more before even talking to a doctor who specializes in hormone therapy. but you have made me feel better about seeking consultation earlier rather than later.

keep us posted.

Dr. Soto really is great. I wanted to be there at the appt. but that was a very long day in the sun for me at Eden Gardens with the school and then at Seaside. He's very thorough.

Mr. OM's got 47 years of reversing that has to be done. He was sick with meningitis as an infant and then had steroids on and off as a child for allergies/eczema. He was on phenobarbitol for hyperactivity as a pre-teen. Then he was on various drugs (tetracycline, topical corticosteroids, oral corticosteroids, etc.) during his time with Arista Records to keep his skin clear, etc. So, by the time he hit 40, it all started to hit him back. That's where we've been for the past 7 years, trying to figure out how to get him back to health. That's the short story of it.

I will keep everyone posted, but I do want to reiterate that Dr. Soto's quite well-versed & educated in what he does.

Thank you Organic Mama for the kind words. I am practicing medicine the way it should be. Holistic and Integrative, by maintaining the balance between the brain, endocrine and GI systems. It is always a pleasure and gratifying for me to be able to restore peoples health.
I love to educate and I give free seminars on a mainly basis to the public, but I am always willing to give a lecture on Bioidentical Hormones in addition, if there is a group of people that want to learn more.
R. Soto, MD

Bio-identical Hormones

It is interesting to see so much interest in bio-identical hormones. One of the reasons this discussion is important is because a lot of women are still getting horse hormones.

Premarin, which stands for PREgnant MARe UrINe is still a very commonly prescribed hormone replacement even though there is clear evidence that it increases the risk of blood clots and strokes and heart attacks.

There is really no need to get hormones isolated from horse urine when the human version is generic and readily available. In fact, several bio-identical hormones are even available at regular pharmacies and are FDA approved.

Some of the side effects of hormones might be coming from the route that they adminstered. If taken orally, the liver chews up some of the hormone and what it makes might increase the risk of clotting. Therefore, it is best to get the hormones in the form of a cream or patch to apply to the skin.

Some hormones might actually decrease the risk of cancer. Several studies show that progesterone actually decreases the profileration of breast cells and might actually decrease the risk of breast cancer. It is well proven that progesterone decreases the risk of uterine cancer so it is always given to women who are on estrogen and have a uterus.

There are even studies showing that progesterone helps with brain function. It not only helps mood but there is one study showing that when given in case of severe brain trauma, it helps the brain!

My clinic is located in Seagrove Beach but I have patients driving in from Fort Walton and Panama City for advice on Bioidentical hormones. I have taken several courses on this issue and now give seminars on the subject as well. We do several types of advanced testing to check hormone levels and even take most kinds of insurance.

Dr. Nitin Bawa, MD
45 Sugar Sand Lane
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850)534-4170
Home

From my experience "YES" you should try them. Read "Ageless" as others have mentioned by Suzanne Somers. I use the sottepelle "pellet" therapy. They are completely all natural pellets and they are inserted in the hip (no pain at all) in less than 2 minutes and they normally last 3 to 4 months. Some have stated that your OB should do the horomone testing but that is incorrect. Only someone certified to do the sottepelle bioidentical horomone replacement therapy can correctly evaluate your results. Have labs done and they can tell you where you stand. It wouldn't hurt to try them at least. I felt like a new person within a few days. I do them every 3 months and I could not live without them !
Goodluck !

From my experience "YES" you should try them. Read "Ageless" as others have mentioned by Suzanne Somers. I use the sottepelle "pellet" therapy. They are completely all natural pellets and they are inserted in the hip (no pain at all) in less than 2 minutes and they normally last 3 to 4 months. Some have stated that your OB should do the horomone testing but that is incorrect. Only someone certified to do the sottepelle bioidentical horomone replacement therapy can correctly evaluate your results. Have labs done and they can tell you where you stand. It wouldn't hurt to try them at least. I felt like a new person within a few days. I do them every 3 months and I could not live without them !
Goodluck !

I have heard similar reports from men and women who have discovered the wonders of bioidentical hormone thereapy. thanks for sharing!

Not about bio identicals per se, but a valuable article to read when considering the issue of HRT.


The Estrogen Dilemma - NYTimes.com

Not about bio identicals per se, but a valuable article to read when considering the issue of HRT.


The Estrogen Dilemma - NYTimes.com

I really enjoyed this article about HRT and its history, current research and thinking, and potential for future use. a lot of good sense but a lot of unknowns!

I relate to everything on this site

I started in my 40's also. I thought I ws the devil reincarnated. It was awful. I tried the sinthetic harmones and had problems witheci them. I then tried natural holistic over the counter harmone medicine and I did pretty well. I am now 53 and have no energy, don't eat right (too much trouble) and just don't feel like myself. I also don't sleep well at all and I used to. I lost weight when I started going through menopause and I was already on the thin side. I have wanted to look into the biodentical harmones because I have heard people who sound just like me that have had a wonderful turn around once on the right ones for them. Can anyone recommend a obgyn in the SoWal/Destin area? I moved here a month ago and have to find a new doctor. Your reference would be greatly appreciated. I want someone who deals in the bioidentical harmones. Thanks a bunch. I am tired a lot and feel like my memory escapes me a lot. HELP!!! Thanks everyone for all of the great information re this.

I had the sudden weight gain too. I put on 15 pounds in one year after being thin my whole life. I could not lose it no matter how little I ate or how much I exercised. It wasn't until I started the bioidenticals and got everthing back in balance that I was able to lose it and have kept it off. From what I understand the weight gain is actually our bodies effort to protect us. Fat cells produce estrogen so when our natural estrogen levels fall our bodies start producing fat cells to crank out more estrogen. BTW I started all of this at age 45 also. I kept thinking I was way too young for all this

I started in my 40's also. I thought I ws the devil reincarnated. It was awful. I tried the sinthetic harmones and had problems witheci them. I then tried natural holistic over the counter harmone medicine and I did pretty well. I am now 53 and have no energy, don't eat right (too much trouble) and just don't feel like myself. I also don't sleep well at all and I used to. I lost weight when I started going through menopause and I was already on the thin side. I have wanted to look into the biodentical harmones because I have heard people who sound just like me that have had a wonderful turn around once on the right ones for them. Can anyone recommend a obgyn in the SoWal/Destin area? I moved here a month ago and have to find a new doctor. Your reference would be greatly appreciated. I want someone who deals in the bioidentical harmones. Thanks a bunch. I am tired a lot and feel like my memory escapes me a lot. HELP!!! Thanks everyone for all of the great information re this.

believe it or not we do have doctors who have taken the time to educate themselves and become certified in bioidentical hormone therapy. the field of anti-aging medicine is not new but it is new around here as far as medical resources/doctors.

Dr. Bawa in Seagrove Beach
Dr. Soto in Santa Rosa Beach
Dr. Graham (obgyn) at Sacred Heart
Dr. Pam Svenson in Navarre (a bit far to drive but she relocated to navarre from mississippi after katrina. she is a family practice physician who also specializes in anti-aging, particularly Bioidentical hormone therapy).

there are others who have been recommended to me here on the board and off but I need to locate those names.

the above docs are not obgyn's except one (graham). I can't really recommend one over the other - they each have their own style, specialties, interests, etc. I have found that you have to find out what/who works for you.

I did the synthetic HRT for a few years and it definitely worked for me immediately, but finally started taking steps to switch over to Bios. in the process of saliva testing (for the first time with Dr Svenson) I was found to have severe hypoadrenals (adrenal fatigue) - and this explains a lot of what I thought was menopausal symptoms but turned out to be something completely different.

Read up on everything you can and then select a doctor.

I started in my 40's also. I thought I ws the devil reincarnated. It was awful. I tried the sinthetic harmones and had problems witheci them. I then tried natural holistic over the counter harmone medicine and I did pretty well. I am now 53 and have no energy, don't eat right (too much trouble) and just don't feel like myself. I also don't sleep well at all and I used to. I lost weight when I started going through menopause and I was already on the thin side. I have wanted to look into the biodentical harmones because I have heard people who sound just like me that have had a wonderful turn around once on the right ones for them. Can anyone recommend a obgyn in the SoWal/Destin area? I moved here a month ago and have to find a new doctor. Your reference would be greatly appreciated. I want someone who deals in the bioidentical harmones. Thanks a bunch. I am tired a lot and feel like my memory escapes me a lot. HELP!!! Thanks everyone for all of the great information re this.

In addition to having your hormone levels checked you should also have blood work done to check your thyroid. Also - vitamin D as most people are deficient. Good luck

believe it or not we do have doctors who have taken the time to educate themselves and become certified in bioidentical hormone therapy. the field of anti-aging medicine is not new but it is new around here as far as medical resources/doctors.

Dr. Bawa in Seagrove Beach
Dr. Soto in Santa Rosa Beach
Dr. Graham (obgyn) at Sacred Heart
Dr. Pam Svenson in Navarre (a bit far to drive but she relocated to navarre from mississippi after katrina. she is a family practice physician who also specializes in anti-aging, particularly Bioidentical hormone therapy).

there are others who have been recommended to me here on the board and off but I need to locate those names.

the above docs are not obgyn's except one (graham). I can't really recommend one over the other - they each have their own style, specialties, interests, etc. I have found that you have to find out what/who works for you.

I did the synthetic HRT for a few years and it definitely worked for me immediately, but finally started taking steps to switch over to Bios. in the process of saliva testing (for the first time with Dr Svenson) I was found to have severe hypoadrenals (adrenal fatigue) - and this explains a lot of what I thought was menopausal symptoms but turned out to be something completely different.

Read up on everything you can and then select a doctor.

Thank you so much for this information. It is a great help and I am definitely going to look into it with one of them. Thanks again for taking the time to help.

Thank you so much for this information. It is a great help and I am definitely going to look into it with one of them. Thanks again for taking the time to help.

do a search on the forums. we've had some very indepth discussions here the last few years listing well known authors, experts, controversial issues regarding drugs and HRT, etc etc.

also make sure to really take the time to read carmen's article posted above #132. excellent stuff written by women who have done a lot of work in researching women's health and medicine. sometimes you just have to do your own damn work - it seems that women's medicine has taken a few steps back recently, but there is some good work out there if you take the time to find it and look at it with an open and critical mind.

Kurt, your post was great. I can say with 100% certainty that those things you listed worked for me, UNTIL I got off track with the sale of our house back home, leaving the place we raised our children, moving here, building house, etc.... then I got frozen shoulder which is hormone related and got into a downward spiral of less exercise (drat that cold winter too - didn't help), eating out more, eating more processed foods and OFF of my progesterone cream.

Now I am back on track and although things aren't perfect they are getting back to being 100%. I'll be 52 in October and I've had 2 children ages 25 and 22. I had my last cycle the month I turned 50.

Everyone is different, but for me the following works and I can say I stick to it most all of the time. There's always exceptions but I try not to give in to them or the healthy lifestyle will become the exception.

• Little to NO caffeine
• No booze (I stopped years ago - helps with menopot and hormones for sure) I have had an O'Doul's or Kaliber when out (those are the non-alcohol beers)
• Lots of raw foods - this time of year it is SO easy to eat mostly raw
• Minimally processed foods
• GOOD fats, almonds, walnuts, hemp, avocado, olive oil, etc...
• For me, vegan meals and the exception would be some fish or grass fed bison and a few of Renee's eggs from Twin Oaks (of course there is always the anniversary tiramasu )
• Limited grains - my favorites are brown rice, quinoa and sprouted grain breads - but breads are rare.
• Sweating through lots of exercise on a regular basis

And finally, I use Life Flo Progesta Care cream

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Flo-Progesta-Care-Natural-Progesterone-Menopause/dp/B000FF9OLQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1273947780&sr=1-4"]Amazon.com: Progesta-Care By LifeFlo - 4 oz Cream: Health & Personal Care@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41qK54VBZfL.@@AMEPARAM@@41qK54VBZfL[/ame]

25 nights on and 5 nights off.

I also use a tad bit of estrogen cream on my lips at night to combat those dreaded lip lines. It isn't a cure all but combined with retin a it helps. (I used to smoke in my youth!) :roll:

I also find that calming things like meditation, yoga, facial exercises, etc... help with hot flashes and mood swings. :funn:Limiting TV and having nightly massages are important too. Moondoogie and I exchange a 30 min massage each night (not much gets in our way when it comes to massage time)

I worked at a ladies fitness club as my last place of employment and we shared our menopause stories. There were those who drank pots of coffee, wine at night, ate chips and McDonald's, were overweight, barely exercised AND they had zero menopausal symptoms. They just stopped their cycles. Go figure!!

I have pretty low body fat and I have found, through conversation that having a little MORE body fat is sometimes beneficial at menopause. IDK if that is true, but I'm not willing to find out.

Good luck ladies. Each person has to find a program that works for them - sounds like there's lots of good info on this thread.

G