Hi All,
 
Thank you for all of your comments and support.  I hope you will go onto the Newsweek site to add them there as well.  I have attached a very important response to the Newsweek attack article from Deepak Chopra.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Somers

Visit me at SuzanneSomers.com!

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1.  Building of the endometrial lining due to static dosing of bioidentical hormones or synthetic hormones.

On bioidentical hormones static dosing is the same amount of estrogen every day, and then for two weeks of the month the same amount of progesterone every day.  For synthetic hormones (please get off of these dangerous drugs) only estrogen (fake drug estrogen) is being poured day in and day out the way it never did in nature.

Static dosing generally works for women who are still making estrogen from their ovaries, which is usually the case of  women in their 40’s, because they still produce estrogen but not enough to feel good and be symptom free.  The little amount of estrogen you are making combined with what you are adding  from taking bioidenticals creates a natural rhythm in you that corresponds with the way your body made them when you were making a full compliment of hormones.  

This worked for me for about 10 years.   Everything was great; I felt great, was sleeping, had a sex drive, my weight was good.  And then it started to fall apart.  My sleep became interrupted; I was hot flashing; my sex drive went away, and I started bleeding….here and there at first and then after about a year of bleeding daily and sometimes heavily, it became unbearable.  At the time my doctor was Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, who would increase my estrogen by little bits, but the problem kept getting worse.   I couldn’t find that ‘sweet spot’ that I had enjoyed for a decade. I kept complaining to my doctor that I wasn’t feeling great.  Then I had a pap smear and it showed hyperplasia, severe hyperplasia.  That meant having my uterus removed.   The continual build-up in the endometrial lining from the static dosing had created hyperplasia which is pre-pre-cancer.  Not cancer, but a prelude, and the thinking is to remove the evidence (uterus).

Shortly after I had my hysterectomy, I discovered ‘rhythmic cycling’ created by T.S. Wiley.  She is a very controversial person because she is not a doctor, but she is a brilliant woman who has invested all of her time, intellect and efforts in molecular biology to understand the entire hormonal system.  It is her theory that nature never poured hormones in a static dose.  We are rhythmic beings, we cycle to the moon and the tides just as early man did and we make hormones in different amounts every day of the month but it follows a ‘rhythm.’

In the beginning of the month we make our lowest amount of estrogen for the first three days, then in the next three days we make a little more until by the time we reach the 12th day, we are making our estrogen ‘peak.’  It is at this point the progesterone starts to pour; and if the estrogen reaches a ‘peak,’ the receptor sites open and receive the progesterone.  

But if you are on a static dose, there is no ‘peak;’ and if you are of an age when you are no longer making any estrogen, then the receptor sites never open so the estrogen and progesterone never meet.  Like a motor on ‘rev,’ the estrogen keeps building lining until the uterus cannot hold it any longer and it starts to leak and bleed,  eventually reaching a point when it can’t be stopped.  Had I known about rhythmic cycling, I would have started taking my hormones in a rhythm and most likely would not have had to have my uterus removed.

My sister had been experiencing the same scenario; and after I had my hysterectomy, I told her about rhythmic and she switched over.  The bleeding stopped, her periods became normal and she is quite a happy women.

2. The second reason for excessive bleeding is low thyroid. The thyroid gland has receptors for estrogen and progesterone and it depends on the cyclic ebb and flow of these hormones throughout your menstrual cycle to function optimally.  Irregular ovulation caused by low thyroid brings heavy periods and excessive bleeding throughout the month.

Check out my blog for an in-depth article about the thyroid and how to check if you feel you may be experiencing low thyroid.  Click on Life Extension on my website.  They offer a complete hormone panel blood test including thyroid. 

Sincerely,

Suzanne Somers

Visit me at SuzanneSomers.com!

While I know many of you have specific medical questions, only qualified experts can advise on individual cases. Use my advice to arm yourself with knowledge to pass along to your doctors. The more informed you are, the better questions you will ask of your health care providers. This will help you determine if your doctor is right for you. If you are seeking professional help, please check the Dr. Resource Guide. If you are interested in bio-identical hormone replacement, click on the Life Extension Hormone Panel to get information on low cost blood work and a referral to a physician who can prescribe natural hormones for you.

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Dear Friends,

Today was a big day for me; the privilege of appearing on Oprah’s show and then hearing her speak so enthusiastically about this way of treating menopause with bioidentical hormones was one of the thrills of my career. It has taken me 18 books to get this kind of enthusiasm, and my reaction was emotional. I told her, “Thank you for giving me this opportunity to get my message out;” and she said, “You’ve been out there for ten years; they have heard you.” I replied, “Yes, but it’s different through you.” And it is. Oprah is a spectacular person, and her success is because of her compassion and desire to make this world a better place.

Women are suffering. We have been dismissed for so long when complaining about lack of sleep and night sweats and all the rest of the terrible symptoms. We are told these symptoms are something to be “endured.” Dr. Streicher, the opposition on Oprah, claims that the bioidentical hormones I recommend through my doctors are drugs. As I said on the show, “I disagree…if bioidentical hormones are a drug, then why don’t they require a patent?”

Dr. Streicher works at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A doctor affiliated with a hospital is not allowed to practice anything but allopathic medicine. That is why she was pushing pharmaceutical grade hormones. Her message was confusing to me; she was speaking of synthetic hormones then switched to calling them hormones, claiming that the term ‘bioidentical’ was not recognized (by the FDA).

It is simply semantics; as Oprah said, “Bioidentical is here to stay.” I said, “It is easier for we lay people to refer to them as bioidentical (biologically identical) and we don’t really care if the medical ‘standard of care’ profession recognizes it or not.”

According to Dr. Streicher, the hormones she was talking about (which was not clear) were the same as mine but hers were approved. Hers were pharmaceutical, I presume, bioidentical hormones. The problem with pharmaceutical grade hormones is the lack of individualization. I get mine from a compounding pharmacy where they make them up for my EXACT needs. It’s not enough to “get close” or to do “quite well.” Until you hit the “sweet spot,” as I have called it, it is not acceptable. I have been able to get my hormones in perfect ratio for my body, exactly what I require; and now every day is a good one.

I know all the information is confusing. I know when the doctors speak we feel obliged to listen because they are the experts. But are they? The playing field is level. They did not study this in medical school; and unless they have gone out of their way to go back to school and attend conferences and work with patients, it truly is like going to a plumber for a heart bypass. Doctors are professionals we hire to help us keep our bodies healthy. They are not gods and they do not have all the answers. We must do our homework and be informed and in tune with our bodies and our needs.

What I offer to you through my books are interviews with doctors who have chosen to specialize in bioidentical hormones. These doctors know their stuff, and I have spent countless hours interviewing them. It has been quite an education and I pass that knowledge along to you.

I feel great every day. I want you to have the same quality of life and you can if you are willing to make a few changes in your lifestyle.

By the way, if you go to Life Extension on my website, they will provide a very reasonably priced blood test for all my ladies and men to determine your hormonal needs. Once they get the results, they will refer you to a qualified physician in your area. It’s as simple as that. And then you are on your way.

Information is power. Replacing hormones is about restoring your body to balance. The choice is restoration vs deterioration.

You have to replace your endocrine system daily to have quality of life once you start to decline in hormonal production or accept the deterioration that is the present template of aging. You do not have to suffer with symptoms with real natural replacement. You can kiss the Seven Dwarves away; “ Itchy, Bitchy, Sleepy, Sweaty, Bloated , Forgetful, and All Dried -Up!”

You really will be Sleeping Beauty (a good 8 hours a night) and wake up rested and feeling great. Life is to be enjoyed, but without hormones it just ain’t gonna happen!

Have a great day. 

Sincerely,

Suzanne Somers

Visit me at SuzanneSomers.com!

While I know many of you have specific medical questions, only qualified experts can advise on individual cases. Use my advice to arm yourself with knowledge to pass along to your doctors. The more informed you are, the better questions you will ask of your health care providers. This will help you determine if your doctor is right for you. If you are seeking professional help, please check the Dr. Resource Guide. If you are interested in bio-identical hormone replacement, click on the Life Extension Hormone Panel to get information on low cost blood work and a referral to a physician who can prescribe natural hormones for you.

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