Thank God for Dr. Jen! The voice of science and sanity. Our world so desperately needs a woman doctor who’s smart, diligent, and willing to stand up in the face of the medical establishment and speak the truth. I breathe easier at night knowing you are in our corner.
This series has been AMAZING. I’d love it if you’d address the giant ball of confusion called testosterone at some point. There doesn’t seem to be a consistent POV on whether/when it’s useful, and of course since there’s no FDA-approved product for women, compounded creams and the dreaded pellets are the only options (at least in the US).
Another vote here for a detailled post on your take on testosterone:).
I‘ve been taking it for a month now (3 mg a day “Testogel“ compounded at a pharmacy here in Germany as there’s no other option (I‘ve already been taking estrogen and progesterone for two years now) and after three weeks, seven months of total body pain, fatique and libido/orgasm issues have disappeared.
I‘ve read a lot about the topic but would love to hear what you have to say too as your posts are so well written and full of juicy detail:).
Thank you for all the educational work you do. It’s greatly appreciated. I read your Menopause Manifesto when I was diagnosed with POI at 32. I know we are a small subsection of the menopausal population but I know the POI community would benefit from your style of education. Any chance of a POI series? There’s even less understandable info out there for us…
I cannot express enough gratitude to you Dr. Gunter, for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us. You have been a gift to me these last few months and I’m telling all my friends to follow you and subscribe to The Vajenda. Looking forward to continued reading and learning.
Hi Dr. Jen, thank you for this! You've talked about oral vs transdermal estrogen but I haven't seen a similar discussion about progesterone. I know from friends in the UK and Mexico that they prescribe progesterone vaginally (same dose of 100 mg daily) and I read that Angelina Jolie chose a progesterone IUD together with an estradiol patch when she had her ovaries removed (I'd like to think she has access to the best medical advice!) I just started HRT and the progesterone is giving me terrible GI issues. I mentioned this to my doctor and she said that the standard of care is oral progesterone, but I wonder if there are alternatives for the progesterone that might work too, especially because I have to be on HRT for at least 10 years (I have POI). Thank you!!!
Thank you for this! I had zero knowledge of menopause but am fortunate to have minimal symptoms with the exception of vaginal dryness and pain. The only advice I was given at the time (10 - 15 years ago) was to use it or lose it. Finally found you a few years ago and read your book and was able to advocate for vaginal estrogen which has been life changing. I also have a much better understanding of MHT facts and fiction so that I can advocate for myself going forward. I recommended your resources to my doctor who is now entering menopause and aware of the lack of reliable information.
I'd love some information on alternatives to HRT for people who can't take them (previous heart attack for example) who are still bothered by symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Thanks!
Can you add a post when to stop hormones /hrt and/or when not to start ht? (Eg due to age). Also speaking of hormones can you post re: testosterone? I hear a lot about this- thankfully my gyn is against this but ive heard so many women getting cream pills etc on this.
Thank you so much for your very helpful information! I am a sexeducator in Germany and I learn a lot from you. There is nobody and no information like yours in german (apart from your fantastic translated book Das Menopause Manifesto) But many Dr. who realized to make easy money with „bioidentische Hormone“ including false promises for „stay young and healthy“. It would be great to have your Instagram posts translated in german. I recommend your newsletter to all of my friends and look forward to your newsletters in future.
Can’t wait to read more! I tried commenting somewhere else, but will repeat here: the ridiculous cost of 10 µg estradiol tablet inserts (north of $600, my insurance paid $480 and I more than $120). Not to mention the absurd amount of plastic waste that comes with this product. I’ve found a local compounding pharmacy that would put the same dose in a tiny capsule for me to insert all by myself with my finger (Shock! Horror!) and they charged me about one dollar per capsule. This was about 1/6 the cost of the commercially available formulation. My insurance company has no interest in reimbursing me for my expense at the compounding pharmacy. They would happily pay $480 several times a year then only $50 twice a year. This is the crime of the pharmaceutical Insurance complex, and it is a subheading under the section on the sexism of genitourinary health for women.
Estrogen products are overpriced and why Vagifem makes those disposable inserts is unknown to me. But the safer alternative is to get estradiol cream from Cost Plus Drugs. It is about $30 a tube I think, and then you know what you are getting. Compounded hormones tend to be unreliable in dosing and so you may be getting more or less estrogen than you need.
I love seeing what you have planned for the upcoming sections! thank you so much! Also, the Table of Contents is great because it's not just a list of posts, you also include a short summary. For instance, I had overlooked the post on "yellow-light indications" for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). You say loud and clear in that one that it's absolutely ok to try MHT for these "yellow-light indications," assuming one has no contraindications (aka "red lights"). That feels extremely validating, especially because I think there are many providers who will/may not agree to prescribe MHT for anything other than the "green light indications."
Wondering if you could write about the maximum safe dose amount of vaginal estrogen one can use to treat symptoms of GSM before needing to use progesterone ( or progestin) to protect the lining of the uterus?
I use Intrarosa 5 days per week for comfortable and more satisfying sexual activity however I still have some increased bladder urge so I use .5 g of Premarin cream 2 x week. (I have eliminated bladder irritants).
Nice one. Many thanks. I thought I could register for the meeting as well but I couldn’t. Although you are giving us enough information here on your page. If I can’t go I won’t miss anything at all. Well done again for your work. 🍁
Thank God for Dr. Jen! The voice of science and sanity. Our world so desperately needs a woman doctor who’s smart, diligent, and willing to stand up in the face of the medical establishment and speak the truth. I breathe easier at night knowing you are in our corner.
Thank you!
So appreciate your series. Hoping you can bookend 'When to start' with a look at 'When to stop.' and/or 'Safe for how long."
Yes, will definitely get to that
Very much appreciated! 🙏😊
"That's all I have mapped out for now." Oh my goodness, that's a tremendous amount of information. You're amazing. Thank you.
My thoughts exactly, Deb!
I have you covered!
This series has been AMAZING. I’d love it if you’d address the giant ball of confusion called testosterone at some point. There doesn’t seem to be a consistent POV on whether/when it’s useful, and of course since there’s no FDA-approved product for women, compounded creams and the dreaded pellets are the only options (at least in the US).
Another vote here for a detailled post on your take on testosterone:).
I‘ve been taking it for a month now (3 mg a day “Testogel“ compounded at a pharmacy here in Germany as there’s no other option (I‘ve already been taking estrogen and progesterone for two years now) and after three weeks, seven months of total body pain, fatique and libido/orgasm issues have disappeared.
I‘ve read a lot about the topic but would love to hear what you have to say too as your posts are so well written and full of juicy detail:).
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you for all the educational work you do. It’s greatly appreciated. I read your Menopause Manifesto when I was diagnosed with POI at 32. I know we are a small subsection of the menopausal population but I know the POI community would benefit from your style of education. Any chance of a POI series? There’s even less understandable info out there for us…
I cannot express enough gratitude to you Dr. Gunter, for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us. You have been a gift to me these last few months and I’m telling all my friends to follow you and subscribe to The Vajenda. Looking forward to continued reading and learning.
Hi Dr. Jen, thank you for this! You've talked about oral vs transdermal estrogen but I haven't seen a similar discussion about progesterone. I know from friends in the UK and Mexico that they prescribe progesterone vaginally (same dose of 100 mg daily) and I read that Angelina Jolie chose a progesterone IUD together with an estradiol patch when she had her ovaries removed (I'd like to think she has access to the best medical advice!) I just started HRT and the progesterone is giving me terrible GI issues. I mentioned this to my doctor and she said that the standard of care is oral progesterone, but I wonder if there are alternatives for the progesterone that might work too, especially because I have to be on HRT for at least 10 years (I have POI). Thank you!!!
I'll review progesterone and progestins when I discuss formulations, so that is coming soon.
Thank you for this! I had zero knowledge of menopause but am fortunate to have minimal symptoms with the exception of vaginal dryness and pain. The only advice I was given at the time (10 - 15 years ago) was to use it or lose it. Finally found you a few years ago and read your book and was able to advocate for vaginal estrogen which has been life changing. I also have a much better understanding of MHT facts and fiction so that I can advocate for myself going forward. I recommended your resources to my doctor who is now entering menopause and aware of the lack of reliable information.
I'd love some information on alternatives to HRT for people who can't take them (previous heart attack for example) who are still bothered by symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Thanks!
Can you add a post when to stop hormones /hrt and/or when not to start ht? (Eg due to age). Also speaking of hormones can you post re: testosterone? I hear a lot about this- thankfully my gyn is against this but ive heard so many women getting cream pills etc on this.
Thank you so much for your very helpful information! I am a sexeducator in Germany and I learn a lot from you. There is nobody and no information like yours in german (apart from your fantastic translated book Das Menopause Manifesto) But many Dr. who realized to make easy money with „bioidentische Hormone“ including false promises for „stay young and healthy“. It would be great to have your Instagram posts translated in german. I recommend your newsletter to all of my friends and look forward to your newsletters in future.
Can’t wait to read more! I tried commenting somewhere else, but will repeat here: the ridiculous cost of 10 µg estradiol tablet inserts (north of $600, my insurance paid $480 and I more than $120). Not to mention the absurd amount of plastic waste that comes with this product. I’ve found a local compounding pharmacy that would put the same dose in a tiny capsule for me to insert all by myself with my finger (Shock! Horror!) and they charged me about one dollar per capsule. This was about 1/6 the cost of the commercially available formulation. My insurance company has no interest in reimbursing me for my expense at the compounding pharmacy. They would happily pay $480 several times a year then only $50 twice a year. This is the crime of the pharmaceutical Insurance complex, and it is a subheading under the section on the sexism of genitourinary health for women.
Estrogen products are overpriced and why Vagifem makes those disposable inserts is unknown to me. But the safer alternative is to get estradiol cream from Cost Plus Drugs. It is about $30 a tube I think, and then you know what you are getting. Compounded hormones tend to be unreliable in dosing and so you may be getting more or less estrogen than you need.
thank you for this. Pricing is not great all around, it seems.
I love seeing what you have planned for the upcoming sections! thank you so much! Also, the Table of Contents is great because it's not just a list of posts, you also include a short summary. For instance, I had overlooked the post on "yellow-light indications" for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). You say loud and clear in that one that it's absolutely ok to try MHT for these "yellow-light indications," assuming one has no contraindications (aka "red lights"). That feels extremely validating, especially because I think there are many providers who will/may not agree to prescribe MHT for anything other than the "green light indications."
Wondering if you could write about the maximum safe dose amount of vaginal estrogen one can use to treat symptoms of GSM before needing to use progesterone ( or progestin) to protect the lining of the uterus?
I use Intrarosa 5 days per week for comfortable and more satisfying sexual activity however I still have some increased bladder urge so I use .5 g of Premarin cream 2 x week. (I have eliminated bladder irritants).
Nice one. Many thanks. I thought I could register for the meeting as well but I couldn’t. Although you are giving us enough information here on your page. If I can’t go I won’t miss anything at all. Well done again for your work. 🍁