I have been prescribing hormone replacement since I was in medical school  as an intern.  When I went into private practice here in Bend, it was frowned upon and many of the gynecologists told my patients estrogen causes cancer and they want them to go off bHRT. (Bio-identical hormones). I was in family practice. I treated menopause , perimenopause, infertility, thyroid disorders including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. We had no endocrinologist or fertility specialist in Bend. I worked with OHSU on fertility patients.  I travelled for years across the country and took continuing education in hormone replacement and metabolic optimization from doctors and experts in the field.  The experts included Jonathan Wright MD, founder of bio-identical hormones, Mark Bartiss MD, and Neal Rouzier MD. I worked closely with Lloyd Central pharmacy in Portland to find delivery methods that would optimize delivery and absorption. To date it is the only Oregon compounding pharmacy I use for  my practice . 

I was fortunate to meet and speak with Suzanne Somers who was the only public voice nationally speaking about menopause and perimenopause in women and the treatments with bio-identical hormones at that time.

The WHO women’s study results were published and concluded an increase in thrombolytic  events, increases in heart disease and death in women given hormones. There was no differentiation of conjugated estrogen and progestins, all synthetic hormones, and estradiol and micronized progesterone, bio-identical hormones.  The difference is like saying I’m drinking orange juice daily (Tang, crystal light etc) vs. freshly squeezed organic orange juice. Physicians took their patients off hormones and women suffered.

In my own practice here in Bend I continued on. I tested hormone levels and prescribed.  The national press and local condemnation of HRT continued. I have developed very thick skin when Natural Medicine is put down and we as ND,s and acupuncturists are insulted.  As my practice grew and I continued to run hormone levels on patients. I was shocked when I had 6 men aged 35-40 all test under 300 for testosterone.  I needed answers and to find a way to treat them.  None of the men wanted to do injections, and transdermal testosterone was completely contraindicated as all men were fathers with children and pets at home. I continued my education with experts in hormones with an additional focus on men’s hormones.  

I was able to go to the East coast and train and study testosterone replacement in men with pellets.  I was excited to offer this additional procedure to my patients. Since then I have inserted thousands of pellets in both men and women.

Now, hormone replacement therapy in men and women has become a buzzword and fad in medicine.  Everybody is doing it, nurses, nurse practitioners, the same gynecologist who vehemently opposed  HRT.  Menopausal and  mens clinics focusing on hormones only have opened up everywhere. 

Hormone replacement therapy is not without risks.  I have seen so much clinical incompetence in my years of practice, and  never more  in this area of medicine, hormone replacement therapy.

If you are  looking for a healthcare provider with years of experience and training in this area call  541-383-3424 for an appointment.

At Preventative Medicine Clinic our focus is each individual”s wellness, prevention and optimization of health.