Dear Michelle,

You are sending an important message to the drug companies, letting them know that their way is not the only way and being a wonderful advocate for women!

I am a teacher and have suffered for 4 years with the same symtoms as you had. I had to take over 1 year off due to the symptoms..Still, I was scared to death to go the Premarin route due to the iniative a couple of years ago...As a result, I am reduced to less than half the vibrant 123 pound gal I was. My days of going to the gym daily were over, and I was, and still am suffering greatly for menopausal symptoms. Until your article, I had resigned myself to just wait 'til I die, which I find myself thinking daily. May I ask you who your doctor is? I am going to have see someone who advocates bioidenticles and will see me through to see if they help. My internal medicine doc says I need hormones because I don't have any. He said the same thing the drug companies have said....bioidenticals have not been studied and he wanted to put me on the synthetic and I opted to not take anything and I suffer in silence now, not knowing who to turn to.

Please recommend someone who you have trusted or whoyou know. I will e mail the FDA regarding your cause. Thank you or all you do...You are a blessing to many I am sure. Keep up the great work!

(Name and location omitted for privacy) 

It saddens me greatly to read your email. As far as I'm concerned there's nothing worse than suffering in silence. Honestly, I thought the same thing you did, my quality of life was dimenishing and I wasn't sure if it was all worth it. But Beth, you must know that there is help and we just have to get you to the right doctor, who believes in your philosophy. It will unfortunately depend on your insurance (another up hill battle to take on), and other factors. There are FDA approved estradiol (what your body makes) products that have been on the market since the 1970's: Climara, Vivelle, etc. They are bioidentical prescription drugs that you may want to talk to your doctor about.

Let me make several suggestions to you. First of all, I would recommend that you go onto Dr. Vliet's website, www.herplace.com, and sign up to receive her email blast's from time to time, on subjects like BHRT's. Secondly, I would recommend you get her books, Screaming to be Heard, and Women, Weight and Hormones. The book Screaming to be Heard is longer and more clinical, but that was the book that I read that changed my life. Women, Weight and Hormones is the condensed version of Screaming to be Heard, so if you have the fogginess in your brain, like I did, that may be a better way to go. Although, I found both books to be well written and very informative.

You have to remember that you're paying your doctor and if he's not listending to you, then you need to find another doctor who will. And you know better than anyone, being a teacher, that knowledge is power. So take control, read the books, gain the knowledge, and direct your life.

-- Michelle