HEALTH WITH HORMONES

BIODENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH HORMONE DEFICIENCIES

Article By Meredith McKinnie

ioidentical hormone replacement therapy is an individualized approach to treat hormonal imbalances in men and women. “Bioidentical” means plant-based, identical to what one’s body would normally produce. As many patients are in search of a more natural form of treatment, the pellet form of hormone replacement is ideal. The implanted pellet is similar in size to a grain of white rice and can be inserted right under the skin, the subcutaneous area. The pellet slowly dissolves over a 3-6-month period, depending on various factors such as the type of patient or individual body chemistry. The steady state of absorption into the body results in less risk factors and often fewer side effects than traditional hormone therapy dependent upon pills, patches, or creams.

The pellet treatment is completely individualized to each patient based on preliminary lab work and patient symptoms. After a simple blood draw, they check a patient’s existing hormone levels and make sure the patient is up-to-date on overall wellness. For females over 40, providers make sure a current mammogram has been performed. For males, providers check for prostate specific antigens. Six to eight weeks after the initial treatment, follow-up lab work is performed to address any necessary dosage adjustments. As long as a patient is feeling well and hormone levels are optimized, lab work only must be performed every 6-12 months based on the provider’s discretion. The implantation procedure is simple, with little to no pain to the patient. Many pellet recipients only report slight discomfort with the injection of the numbing medication (lidocaine), a slight sting with the initial prick. The incision is small, only three millimeters and doesn’t require a stitch, typically in the fat pads of the upper buttocks. Once the pellet is placed under the skin, the area is covered with a waterproof bandage. Typically, females must leave on the dressing for three days; men might have to leave on the dressing for up to five days due to a larger dose of required testosterone. The injection site may feel like a slight bruise for a few days, though many patients report not feeling anything post-procedure. Patients are immediately allowed to return to work, though they should refrain from any strenuous exercise until the dressing can be removed.

After implantation, the hormones take about a week to absorb into the bloodstream, and feelings of well-being continually increase for 4-6 weeks. Hormone replacement therapy helps to optimize existing hormone levels and can begin alleviating associated symptoms within a week. For example, testosterone is often considered a male hormone, but it is extremely important for women as well and is not just related to sexual function. Increased testosterone can help improve sleep, energy throughout the day, concentration, skin texture, lean muscle mass, metabolism, and female libido. When testosterone drops, females often experience increased anxiety, feelings of depression, concentration issues, and brain fog. Perimenopause can begin in a woman’s 30s causing hot flashes and aforementioned lowtestosterone symptoms. As a result, many women begin taking testosterone alone to stabilize levels and reduce symptoms. During menopause, combination treatments of estrogen and testosterone work well together, with increased levels also reducing existing symptoms. Pellet hormone therapy is best for optimizing an individual’s hormone levels.

Patients for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy vary in age and gender. Due to medical issues, some women require a complete hysterectomy in their 20s. Ovaries help protect a woman’s heart, bones, and mind. If those hormones are not replaced in someone very young, quality of life is drastically reduced and life expectancy even goes down. For patients with a history of breast cancer, traditional estrogen supplements pose a significant risk to overall health. For too long, hormone therapy providers didn’t have much to offer them. Prior breast cancer patients had to suffer through hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal atrophy. Now with testosterone therapy via pellet implantation, those patients have options. Crystal Sanches, a Nurse Practitioner at Louisiana Center for Women’s Health has been consulting with oncologists after patients’ breast cancer treatments to offer testosterone therapy. Sanches says, “It’s great having oncologists on our side. It’s such an improvement for breast cancer patients who traditionally would have no hormone treatment options.”

Many patients go directly to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy before trying other methods. While there are certain

The steady state of absorption into the body results in less risk factors and often fewer side effects than traditional hormone therapy dependent upon pills, patches, or creams.

risk factors with any kind of hormone treatment, pellets offer less risk due to their individualization by patient. With oral estrogen, some risk factors include stroke, blood clot, and heart attack. Any patients with a personal or family history of any of the aforementioned risk factors should consider the pellets. The most risk of side effects come with oral hormone replacement. Transdermal patches and creams reduce the risk of side effects, but bioidentical hormone replacement poses the overall lowest risk.

If one is unsure if they are a candidate for hormone replacement therapy, consider existing symptoms. Do you feel tired all the time, even after adequate sleep? Do you get more tired throughout the day, perhaps experience the afternoon slump? Do you aggravate easily or have increased anxiety or feelings of depression? Do you suffer from brain fog or reduced concentration? Have you noticed aching in your bones or joints? These are all signs of hormonal fluctuation. Women in their mid-30s and beyond should start thinking about their hormone levels. While some women have been put on antidepressants to address common hormonal imbalance symptoms, treatment therapy allows some of them to reduce their antidepressant dosage or come off the medicine altogether.

Crystal Sanches claims, “If I can take people off medicine, that’s really my goal.” Sanches, age 43, has been using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for the last three years. She never imagined her symptoms could be due to low testosterone. She was just living life - married, with two children and a full-time job. She assumed being tired was just part of it. After checking her hormone levels, she noticed her testosterone was really low. Almost immediately after the pellet implantation, Sanches noticed the small improvements. She started sleeping through the night for the first time in years. She felt better throughout the day and had more patience with her children.

Dr. Laurie LeBleu, an OB-GYN at The Woman’s Clinic, has been on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for the last 11 weeks. After noticing low testosterone levels, Dr. LeBleu decided to try the pellets and is extremely happy with the results. After battling with fatigue, sleep issues, and irritability, Dr. LeBleu noticed a difference two weeks after the initial pellet implantation and felt like a completely different person after four weeks. The Woman’s Clinic has been offering Biote hormone therapy for three months, and patients are also incredibly excited about the results. The high-quality Biote pellets are available in the Woman’s Clinic office. After initial lab work, the hormone therapy consultation and implantation can be performed during the patient’s next visit. Like herself, Dr. Le Bleu’s patients report “more energy, better sleep patterns, and they just feel good.”

Nurse Practitioner Elizabeth Hoskins at Professional Laser Center prescribed bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to one of her patients who had been using creams to address hormonal imbalances. After a combination therapy of estrogen and testosterone, the patient reported feeling better, with more effect from the pellets than the creams. Hoskins notes that only 10% of creams are actually absorbed by the body. Likewise, transdermal patches can come off the skin easily. The continuous release of the pellets allows for optimal absorption.

Hormonal imbalance disrupts living. Collectively, those minor symptoms can cause significant decreases in quality of life. Reaching out to your local OB-GYN or Nurse Practitioner for more information on hormone treatment therapy can make all the difference.

This article is only meant to inform, please consult with your physician before making any medical decisions.

YELLOWSTONE TRIVIA article and illustration by LOU DAVENPORT

When I first started thinking about what I’d write for my January column, I had ideas. I thought about writing about Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, but, while my holidays were very nice, I just wanted to write something different, something, unexpected.

One of my favorite shows, Yellowstone, recently returned for its fourth season. Since I have a head full of trivia, I thought I’d write about some of the interesting facts about the show, the writer, the director, and the actors. First, I’ll just list the cast:

Kevin Costner plays “John Dutton,” the family patriarch. Known for many wonderful movies, “Bull Durham,” “Tin Cup,” “Dances with Wolves,” and “The Bodygaurd.” He’s also won 2 Academy awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Luke Grimes, plays “Kasey,” John Dutton’s youngest son, ex Navy seal and now Livestock Commissioner.

Kelly Reilly, plays “Beth,” Dutton’s only daughter, financier, manipulator and schemer.

Wes Bentley, plays “Jamie.” Attorney General for Montana, adopted son of John Dutton whose real father is an ex-con named “Garrett Randall,” played by actor, Will Patton.

Cole Hauser, plays “Rip Wheeler,” John Dutton’s right hand man and boss of the ranch hands. He was taken in as a runaway by the Dutton’s. Wheeler has a on again/off again romance with Beth.

Denim Richards, “Cody,” ranch hand, also a classically trained opera singer. Forrie J. Smith, “Lloyd,” oldest ranch hand at Yellowstone, retired from the rodeo in real life and is now an actor. Gil Birmingham , “Thomas Rainwater,” the Chairman of the Sioux tribe. Also a talented musician as well as an actor. Mo Brings Plenty, Thomas Rainwater’s driver and assistant. “Mo” brings the evidence to John about the man who ordered the hit on his family. Kelsey Asbille, “Monica,” married to Kasey Dutton and mother of “Tate,” John Dutton’s only grandson, played by Breken Merrill. Kasey’s wife was once a teacher on the reservation. They have now rented a house near the Dutton Ranch. Ian Bohen, “Ryan,” ranch hand. Jennifer Landon, “Teeter,” lst female ranch hand and daughter of Michael Landon. Eden Brolin, “Mia,” one of the two “buckle bunnies.” Eden is the daughter of Josh Brolin. Hassie Harrison, “Laramie,” buckle bunny. Ryan Bingham, “Walker,” ex-con, hired by Rip Wheeler when he was getting out of prison. Former rodeo rider, turned singer/songwriter. Was nominated for an Academy award for his song, “The Weary Kind,” starring Jeff Bridges, a story about a down and out bar singer. Taylor Sheridan, director, executive producer, screenwriter and an award winning rodeo rider and actor, “Travis Wheatley.” “Montana,” star of the show with its sprawling land, mountains and beautiful scenery that they use to actually film Yellowstone

The drama is set on an actual ranch, Chief Darby Ranch, near Darby, Montana where you can actually stay. The show follows the conflicts along the borders of a large cattle ranch, Yellowstone and a native reservation and people who want to develop the land for a ski resort or a golf course, just about anything the Dutton’s or the Native Americans DO NOT want. The Native Americans and the Dutton’s seem to get along together since neither group want to see the land be the loser to the land developers. Yellowstone first debuted on the Paramount Network on June, 20, 2018 and got a bit of a slow start but by the third episode, fans began to “get into it” and now, having a fifth season, it is one of those shows that just keeps you on the edge of your seat! They also love cliffhangers! At the end of Season 3, fans were “wowed!” There were explosions, gunfire, murders, plots and intrigue that left us all wondering, “who died, who lived, what’s going to happen to this character or that character, and who in the world set it all up?! Then we had to wait…..and wait….until finally on November 7th of this year, we finally got to see what happened! Luckily, everybody survived! Beth, John Dutton’s daughter, was severely burned. John, was shot by some unknown assassins and was left clinging to life for about a month, but, finally survived. Kasey, John’s youngest son and Livestock Commissioner, was attacked by some unknown assailants but came out with guns blazing and threw a grenade and chased down some of John’s assassins. Rip, John’s right hand man and foreman of the ranch’s crew threw a rattlesnake on Rourke, one of the land developers that were trying their best to take Yellowstone, so, ol Rourke floated down the river, dead, and into oblivion. Meanwhile, Jamey, who had just found out he was adopted, worried that his ex-con father may have been the one behind the attacks.

Monica and Tate ran outside the Dutton house only to see Rip ride up and tell them to go to the bunkhouse. While running through the house, Monica is attacked by an unknown assailant and Tate has to shoot the man. Action packed right?

Now to those “buckle bunnies,” “Mia” and “Laramie.” In season four, “Jimmie” had fallen “head over heels” over “Mia.” And, “Laramie” had started sleeping with “Lloyd.” The “buckle bunnies” caused all kinds of bad feelings among the rest of the ranch hands, but, the worst was when “Walker,” stole “Laramie,” from “Lloyd.” “Lloyd” just didn’t understand how “Laramie” could drop him and start “shacking up” with “Walker.” Of course, a fight started with both, “Lloyd” and “Walker” nearly killing each other. “Rip” walked in as the fight was going on, grabbed “Lloyd” off “Walker” and yelled “there’s no fighting in bunkhouse!” He also made “Lloyd” sleep out in one of the stalls. Rip further humiliated “Lloyd” by not letting him help the other ranch hands break some of the horses or ride with them when they went to move some cattle.

“Lloyd” didn’t take that very well and slipped back into the bunkhouse after a couple of days of being mistreated and grabbed “Walker’s” guitar and smashed it into one of the bunks. Then, the fight was really on with both men beating the “stew” out of each other and “Lloyd” finally stabs “Walker.”

Rip comes in again and throws the “buckle bunnies” out and once again, scolded “Lloyd,” telling him, “why are you making me do this! You know the rules!” At that point, “Rip” makes the two men go out into the corral and “fight it out,” telling them, “This ends today!” Even though “Lloyd” is much older than “Walker,” he gives it to him with every bit of strength he had and finally knocks “Walker” out! It was almost like watching “Cool Hand Luke” the way “Lloyd” just wouldn’t give up. “Rip” finally gave poor “Lloyd” a hard punch and brought him down. Now, we’re left wondering is “Lloyd” really finished at Yellowstone? Will he get taken to “the train station?” (many that have disagreed with John Dutton have met their demise by being thrown off a steep cliff, “where nobody ever finds the bones!”)

And, there are more questions. Will “Rip” and “Beth” be married? She certainly wants to but when “Rip” was taken in by her father, he never found out who “Rip’s” parents were and “Rip” feels he has no real name.

Beth took in an orphaned teenager, named, “Carter,” played by “Finn Little, when her father was in the hospital and “Carter’s” father died of a heroin overdose. Beth felt sorry for him since he didn’t have any place to go. But, right now, things aren’t looking good for him. When Beth tried to buy him some new clothes, he threw a fit and acted like a spoiled brat so she brought him home and told “Rip,” “you can have him!” Right now, “Carter” is out in the barn cleaning out the stalls and trying to learn how to be a ranch hand and learn some manners!

And…..who did order the hits on John’s family? After Jamie finds out who his real father was, he visits him and they seem to make amends. But, later, John finds out that Jamie’s father, being a former inmate, had hired a guy, “Riggins,” he knew in prison to “take the kingdom” for Jamie. Jamie goes to interview the former cell mate and he confirms Will Burnett did order the hit, we just don’t find out who could had enough money to cause such a huge amount of damage, so, there’s that! WHO put up the money?

And when Jamie came home, he held his father at gun point! But, as all good con men do, he talked him out of it. The two of them walk outside and who walks out but Jamie’s ex girlfriend, Christina, who gave Jamie an ultimatum, his family or her. Also, she was pregnant and Jamie didn’t want children.. In shock and totally unprepared, Jamie found himself face to face with his son! So, what’s going to happen now?

Well, I guess you can tell I really like this show! I’ll be the first to say, “it’s not for everybody,” but, at least give it a chance if you haven’t! I only have basic cable right now, so I just rent the season on Amazon and have to watch it on Monday. But, that’s all right with me! Nothing like a good cup of coffee, watching an action packed drama with lots of good lookin’ men! Happy New Year ya’ll!