What a sad, sad trajedy. And I have nothing good to say about MD's who have fallen for the snake oil sell. Such useful idiots for Big Natural. I recently had a friend recommend a supplement for osteoporosis. She got the info from someone who "did his own research". But I found out the company was in court with the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising and misrepresenting science. This just makes my blood boil. PS: laughted out loud at the Northrup comment.
I know you advised against this, but maybe we need a headline that says 'celebrity who promoted compounded hormones dies from cancer after taking compounded hormones.'
One of my sister-in-laws is at present battling 3 forms of breast cancer after taking compounded hormones for years (roughly from ages 65-71). She's getting them from her "internist," who is not accredited in internal medicine, doesn't take insurance, etc. etc. I vary from rage to weeping over this. As far as I'm concerned, this behavior should be seen as criminal behavior given the harm inflicted upon my sister-in-law.
I am one of those that fell for the Suzanne Somers bioidentical hormones back in 2005. I have been on them ever since, I am now 67 years young. I have had my doubts about them, now I see the reality of what she was saying is so wrong, WTH was I thinking all these years? I am on Progesterone SR 250MG, Estradiol SR 2.5 MG, all from a compounding pharmacy. I had the Testosterone cream but stopped that a few months back. All the Doctors I have seen over the years for this have all kept me on the same thing. Even did the pellets for a short time. I am so confused now on who to go see, what to take, what to do? Argghhhh Help!
Another fabulous article. You put your heart & soul and so much of your time into educating us. I am so glad I found you and have been able to crawl out of this misinformation hole that I was also in FOR YEARS! You are so appreciated.
Totally with you about compounded products - I've used Topical Premarin for years but during a shortage two years ago my doctor (now ex) prescribed a compounded cream that brought back a full blown period at age 63 - I was less than pleased . What really peeved me was that the pharmacist wanted me to use another commercial grade product that I'd already used safely. The compounded product was something his clinic partner recommended as she had a private side practice 'specializing' in menopause. Big learning moment - reading your stack has really reaffirmed my own experiences
"The Wiley Protocol® is so DANGEROUS that not even Dr. Christiane Northrup would recommend it!" This almost made me laugh. I was a big fan of Dr. Northrup in my 20s and 30s and still check things out in her books from time to time — she does have an effective way of suggesting that there is wisdom to be found in the body.
There is so much misinformation out there! A question for you, Dr. Gunter: do you have an article or flow chart or similar to help ordinary women discern real medical research from misinformation? For example, I keep reading and hearing about strength-building supplements for menopausal women (creatine is the latest one) and it often seems like there is some evidence to support supplementation but it's unclear how helpful it would be. How can I feel confident in the information I'm reading? Thanks!
There are actual research article about creatine in particular that support not only its efficacy but also its safety IF you have normal kidney function.
Another benefit of creatine has emerged as helping with depression and with PMS. I will try to find the references for this.
I find it difficult because many research journals require a paying membership. I used to have access to my university library but not anymore. Sometimes I can find clinical trial pubs on google scholar for those that are open to the public.
I attended a women's conference at the Javitz Center in NYC ages ago. Louise Hay was the host and Northrup was one of the speakers. This was before she was famous and remodeled. I thought she was great and read all her books too. It was all that fake female sisterhood stuff from a doctor that helped sell her for me.
A friend got breast cancer, survived, then got ovarian cancer and died from it. She thinks both were caused by the compounded hormone creams she used around menopause. We’ll never know, but stories like these with the same ending can’t be coincidental.
Thank you for writing this. I know several women who use the compounded products and I did try them as well not for the fountain of youth as I will never get that, for relief! I questioned that all compounding pharmacies were making a product in a "blender" and how do I know if it is being made correctly or for that matter will each syringle contain the same amount of hormones. It comes down to how naturopaths and some NP's (and I know of a few MD's here who were OB/GYN) use manipulative marketing techniques for the creams. Are they marketing to women who are desperate and think that someone who is larger than life in the media can not be telling lies, a definite yes in my opinion. Finding help within the medical community is difficult to say the least for what the lack of estrogen/progesterone can and does to women as they age (not just through the menopause transition).
Good lord. Thanks so much for this. I wasn’t in the USA when she was promoting this hormonal snake oil, but wow, I’m glad to know about this now so I can run at top speed from anyone who promotes it.
Sorry another comment. I have been told by several ob/gyn professionals as well as GP's that estrogen will help with so many issues for women after the transition and beyond that as well. Some women (NAMS and the International menopause association) state that some women can have hot flashes (I think the percentage was 10) for many many years. I seem to be one of them. The thing is women go to dermatologists, rhematologists, gyn, mental health experts and the list goes on when it comes down for many the lack of female hormones. All the studies done are sound ones and the risks are there, but how many of us are willing to take the risks? The WHI states 5 years for hormone therapy that is now changed. We take drugs for everything that ails us and yet estrogen is taboo.
There should be another emjoy we can use as liking your post seems to be very wrong. I am sorry you are still suffering like me and I am many years post meno. Men can have viagra well past 40 so why are women overlooked?
I recently attended the funeral of someone who died of ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed prior to menopause. Fifteen to 20 years ago when she was in her 30's, she spoke about how happy she was with compounded pharmaceuticals. Over the years she experimented with high doses of many various dodgy supplements. After diagnosis, she complemented her chemotherapy with more snake oil: mistletoe and high dose IV vitamin C, to the tune of thousands of dollars every month. At one point she stopped chemotherapy against medical advice, only to return again later when the cancer advanced. I am sickened by the mindset that non-regulated therapies are somehow "more natural" and even "more efficacious" than science-based, FDA approved treatments.
There were many factors into play in this particular instance, including family attitudes and religious misogyny. She left a broken-hearted family who doesn't understand what to believe about her health due to rampant medical disinformation. The FDA needs to crack down for good on the burgeoning industry of harmful "medical" therapies.
Thank you for this in-depth description of Suzanne Somer's health and healthcare advice. I just popped in to see if you had written anything about her. As usual, your article is phenomenal.
I was just on ex-news anchor Dominique Sachse's podcast. She used to have great hair and makeup tutorials that I enjoyed but now that she's a full-time influencer, she's been having guest gynecologists (Menopause Barbie??) who work outside the insurance model selling bioidentical hormones, blood tests, etc. If followers ask questions, they are banned. Dom even did a video of her having a testosterone pellet inserted into her butt by another retail gyno. Many of her followers left comments praising Suzanne Somers for being an advocate for women. Neither Dominique nor her MD friends corrected anyone.
I almost fell for Menopause Barbie but I just didn't trust her. I also noticed that Dom Sachse had her on her channel and my heart sank. Luckily I found Dr Gunter's menopause book around the same time and signed up for her newsletter. I would love to know if Dr Gunter has heard of her and what she thinks.
So you probably know the other doc she has on, Dr. Susan. Dr. Susan now has menopause retreats that cost thousands of $$$ for 3 days. All the presenters then make the rounds on each other's social media pages, selling junk. A 3rd doc, can't remember her name, is selling a $1300 2-wk detox system. It's all so disheartening. Followers are catching on though.
The lure of bioidenticals is huge because we have women (including myself) waiting upwards of a year to deal with hormonal issues, and are sick of waiting and living in hell. Willing to do ANYTHING to feel better. Waiting to see a menopause doctor, and then being told that there is nothing I can do for perimenopause - just 'wait it out'. I do everything right - exercise everyday, prioritize sleep, try to manage stress, eat a healthy and balanced diet. So yeah, the draw to something to do something and help is huge. Dr. Peter Attia put out a podcast this week about hormones and hormone replacement, stating it is all safe....... So we go down that rabbit hole and and we all get so confused. You try to educate from real experts like yourself.
Thank you for this fantastic informative deep-dive. I was having babies in the late aughts so this whole drama was not on my radar and only remembered Somers as the Thighmaster lady. I audibly WTF’d at the Christiane Northrup comment - wow! My 17yo daughter recently brought home a copy of Women’s Bodies Women’s Wisdom from a garage sale and I had to carefully control my reaction. Tried to explain her backstory and recent spiral into a conspiracy theorist. But couldn’t get too upset because then it would become her favorite book...because teenagers. I did give her my copy of The Vagina Bible and now they are sitting together in the TBR pile. My money is on Gunter’s wisdom to win out 😉
What a sad, sad trajedy. And I have nothing good to say about MD's who have fallen for the snake oil sell. Such useful idiots for Big Natural. I recently had a friend recommend a supplement for osteoporosis. She got the info from someone who "did his own research". But I found out the company was in court with the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising and misrepresenting science. This just makes my blood boil. PS: laughted out loud at the Northrup comment.
I know you advised against this, but maybe we need a headline that says 'celebrity who promoted compounded hormones dies from cancer after taking compounded hormones.'
One of my sister-in-laws is at present battling 3 forms of breast cancer after taking compounded hormones for years (roughly from ages 65-71). She's getting them from her "internist," who is not accredited in internal medicine, doesn't take insurance, etc. etc. I vary from rage to weeping over this. As far as I'm concerned, this behavior should be seen as criminal behavior given the harm inflicted upon my sister-in-law.
I am one of those that fell for the Suzanne Somers bioidentical hormones back in 2005. I have been on them ever since, I am now 67 years young. I have had my doubts about them, now I see the reality of what she was saying is so wrong, WTH was I thinking all these years? I am on Progesterone SR 250MG, Estradiol SR 2.5 MG, all from a compounding pharmacy. I had the Testosterone cream but stopped that a few months back. All the Doctors I have seen over the years for this have all kept me on the same thing. Even did the pellets for a short time. I am so confused now on who to go see, what to take, what to do? Argghhhh Help!
Another fabulous article. You put your heart & soul and so much of your time into educating us. I am so glad I found you and have been able to crawl out of this misinformation hole that I was also in FOR YEARS! You are so appreciated.
Totally with you about compounded products - I've used Topical Premarin for years but during a shortage two years ago my doctor (now ex) prescribed a compounded cream that brought back a full blown period at age 63 - I was less than pleased . What really peeved me was that the pharmacist wanted me to use another commercial grade product that I'd already used safely. The compounded product was something his clinic partner recommended as she had a private side practice 'specializing' in menopause. Big learning moment - reading your stack has really reaffirmed my own experiences
"The Wiley Protocol® is so DANGEROUS that not even Dr. Christiane Northrup would recommend it!" This almost made me laugh. I was a big fan of Dr. Northrup in my 20s and 30s and still check things out in her books from time to time — she does have an effective way of suggesting that there is wisdom to be found in the body.
There is so much misinformation out there! A question for you, Dr. Gunter: do you have an article or flow chart or similar to help ordinary women discern real medical research from misinformation? For example, I keep reading and hearing about strength-building supplements for menopausal women (creatine is the latest one) and it often seems like there is some evidence to support supplementation but it's unclear how helpful it would be. How can I feel confident in the information I'm reading? Thanks!
There are actual research article about creatine in particular that support not only its efficacy but also its safety IF you have normal kidney function.
Another benefit of creatine has emerged as helping with depression and with PMS. I will try to find the references for this.
I find it difficult because many research journals require a paying membership. I used to have access to my university library but not anymore. Sometimes I can find clinical trial pubs on google scholar for those that are open to the public.
I attended a women's conference at the Javitz Center in NYC ages ago. Louise Hay was the host and Northrup was one of the speakers. This was before she was famous and remodeled. I thought she was great and read all her books too. It was all that fake female sisterhood stuff from a doctor that helped sell her for me.
A friend got breast cancer, survived, then got ovarian cancer and died from it. She thinks both were caused by the compounded hormone creams she used around menopause. We’ll never know, but stories like these with the same ending can’t be coincidental.
Thank you for writing this. I know several women who use the compounded products and I did try them as well not for the fountain of youth as I will never get that, for relief! I questioned that all compounding pharmacies were making a product in a "blender" and how do I know if it is being made correctly or for that matter will each syringle contain the same amount of hormones. It comes down to how naturopaths and some NP's (and I know of a few MD's here who were OB/GYN) use manipulative marketing techniques for the creams. Are they marketing to women who are desperate and think that someone who is larger than life in the media can not be telling lies, a definite yes in my opinion. Finding help within the medical community is difficult to say the least for what the lack of estrogen/progesterone can and does to women as they age (not just through the menopause transition).
Good lord. Thanks so much for this. I wasn’t in the USA when she was promoting this hormonal snake oil, but wow, I’m glad to know about this now so I can run at top speed from anyone who promotes it.
Sorry another comment. I have been told by several ob/gyn professionals as well as GP's that estrogen will help with so many issues for women after the transition and beyond that as well. Some women (NAMS and the International menopause association) state that some women can have hot flashes (I think the percentage was 10) for many many years. I seem to be one of them. The thing is women go to dermatologists, rhematologists, gyn, mental health experts and the list goes on when it comes down for many the lack of female hormones. All the studies done are sound ones and the risks are there, but how many of us are willing to take the risks? The WHI states 5 years for hormone therapy that is now changed. We take drugs for everything that ails us and yet estrogen is taboo.
I am 4 years post and I am still have night sweats and warm flashes….they are less than they were but still happening
There should be another emjoy we can use as liking your post seems to be very wrong. I am sorry you are still suffering like me and I am many years post meno. Men can have viagra well past 40 so why are women overlooked?
Right hahaha we need an “indignant” emoji hahahaha
I recently attended the funeral of someone who died of ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed prior to menopause. Fifteen to 20 years ago when she was in her 30's, she spoke about how happy she was with compounded pharmaceuticals. Over the years she experimented with high doses of many various dodgy supplements. After diagnosis, she complemented her chemotherapy with more snake oil: mistletoe and high dose IV vitamin C, to the tune of thousands of dollars every month. At one point she stopped chemotherapy against medical advice, only to return again later when the cancer advanced. I am sickened by the mindset that non-regulated therapies are somehow "more natural" and even "more efficacious" than science-based, FDA approved treatments.
There were many factors into play in this particular instance, including family attitudes and religious misogyny. She left a broken-hearted family who doesn't understand what to believe about her health due to rampant medical disinformation. The FDA needs to crack down for good on the burgeoning industry of harmful "medical" therapies.
Thank you for this in-depth description of Suzanne Somer's health and healthcare advice. I just popped in to see if you had written anything about her. As usual, your article is phenomenal.
I was just on ex-news anchor Dominique Sachse's podcast. She used to have great hair and makeup tutorials that I enjoyed but now that she's a full-time influencer, she's been having guest gynecologists (Menopause Barbie??) who work outside the insurance model selling bioidentical hormones, blood tests, etc. If followers ask questions, they are banned. Dom even did a video of her having a testosterone pellet inserted into her butt by another retail gyno. Many of her followers left comments praising Suzanne Somers for being an advocate for women. Neither Dominique nor her MD friends corrected anyone.
I almost fell for Menopause Barbie but I just didn't trust her. I also noticed that Dom Sachse had her on her channel and my heart sank. Luckily I found Dr Gunter's menopause book around the same time and signed up for her newsletter. I would love to know if Dr Gunter has heard of her and what she thinks.
So you probably know the other doc she has on, Dr. Susan. Dr. Susan now has menopause retreats that cost thousands of $$$ for 3 days. All the presenters then make the rounds on each other's social media pages, selling junk. A 3rd doc, can't remember her name, is selling a $1300 2-wk detox system. It's all so disheartening. Followers are catching on though.
The lure of bioidenticals is huge because we have women (including myself) waiting upwards of a year to deal with hormonal issues, and are sick of waiting and living in hell. Willing to do ANYTHING to feel better. Waiting to see a menopause doctor, and then being told that there is nothing I can do for perimenopause - just 'wait it out'. I do everything right - exercise everyday, prioritize sleep, try to manage stress, eat a healthy and balanced diet. So yeah, the draw to something to do something and help is huge. Dr. Peter Attia put out a podcast this week about hormones and hormone replacement, stating it is all safe....... So we go down that rabbit hole and and we all get so confused. You try to educate from real experts like yourself.
thanks so much for this...
Thank you for this fantastic informative deep-dive. I was having babies in the late aughts so this whole drama was not on my radar and only remembered Somers as the Thighmaster lady. I audibly WTF’d at the Christiane Northrup comment - wow! My 17yo daughter recently brought home a copy of Women’s Bodies Women’s Wisdom from a garage sale and I had to carefully control my reaction. Tried to explain her backstory and recent spiral into a conspiracy theorist. But couldn’t get too upset because then it would become her favorite book...because teenagers. I did give her my copy of The Vagina Bible and now they are sitting together in the TBR pile. My money is on Gunter’s wisdom to win out 😉