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[@PeterAttiaMD] Menopause HRT: Avoid These Doctor Red Flags | Rachel Rubin, M.D.

· 4 min read
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@PeterAttiaMD - "Menopause HRT: Avoid These Doctor Red Flags | Rachel Rubin, M.D."

Link: https://youtu.be/K30a74H7s-s

Short Summary​

Number One Takeaway:

Women need to educate themselves about menopause and perimenopause through diverse resources and advocate for their own care, seeking multiple opinions and being wary of practitioners offering only expensive, proprietary treatments without FDA approval.

Executive Summary:

The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-education and informed advocacy for women navigating menopause and perimenopause. They caution against exploitative practices, such as expensive, non-FDA approved therapies and encourage women to seek multiple opinions from diverse sources, including books, podcasts, and websites like menopause.org and issWSH.org, to find trustworthy practitioners.

Key Quotes​

Here are four direct quotes from the transcript that I found particularly insightful:

  1. "There's danger going to the doctor for 10 minutes and saying oh that's not safe. You don't want to do this. Right? And there's dangers of going to the very expensive pellet clinic that is going to overdose you and charge you lots and lots of money." This highlights the need for balance and informed decision-making in seeking menopause treatment.

  2. "Again, you have to advocate for yourself because no one will do that other than you. And so I think the more you educate yourself, the more you can find the right people in your pit crew who are going to fill that gas tank and get you to where you want to go." This emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy and education in navigating menopause care.

  3. "If your doctor says you can only have this really expensive product that has to be uh uh uh inserted into your butt uh four times a year and you have to pay me thousands of dollars, that's extremely suspect compounded by me. If they say you have to pay lots of money for this special compounded product that's safer and more effective, I call red flag on that situation." This provides specific examples of potentially exploitative practices women should be wary of.

  4. "If the pellet companies deeply cared about women, which they say they do, do the work that everyone takes advantage of women. All the supplement companies, all of these, they take advantage by promising these things to women, but they don't do the work of science." This is a strong statement calling for scientific validation of treatments marketed to women.

Detailed Summary​

Here's a detailed summary of the video transcript, focusing on key topics, arguments, and information, excluding the sponsor announcement:

  • Finding Knowledgeable Practitioners & Avoiding Exploitation:

    • Women need to be aware of both under-treatment by conventional doctors and potentially dangerous/overly expensive therapies from specialized clinics.
    • The speaker advocates for a middle ground and seeking multiple opinions.
    • Educating yourself is crucial.

  • Resources for Self-Education:

    • Follow multiple voices on Instagram to get diverse perspectives.
    • Numerous books on menopause are now available, including:
      • The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver
      • Pick Your Menopause Type by Heather Hirsch
      • Hot and Bothered by Jancey Dunn
      • Estrogen Matters
      • The Menopause Manifesto
    • Podcasts and documentaries are also available on the topic.

  • Websites to Find Providers:

    • Menopause.org (The Menopause Society website) - Indicates a provider has some interest/knowledge in menopause.
    • ISSWISH (isswsh.org) - The Women's Sexual Health Society - Focuses on menopause and sexual health.

  • Advocating for Yourself:

    • Women must advocate for themselves and find the right "pit crew" of medical professionals.

  • Red Flags in Hormone Therapy:

    • Limited Treatment Options: A doctor offering only one type of treatment or refusing options is suspect.
    • Expensive & Exclusive Products: Be wary of doctors pushing extremely expensive products that must be inserted several times a year.
    • Specialty Compounded Products: Claims that compounded products are safer and more effective warrant scrutiny.
    • Expensive Saliva Testing: Paying a lot of money for expensive saliva testing labs is also suspect.

  • Concerns About the Pellet Industry:

    • The speaker questions why pellet companies haven't pursued FDA approval for women's hormone pellets if they truly believe in the product.
    • They point out that FDA approval exists for male hormone pellets.
    • The speaker criticizes companies that take advantage of women by promising results without scientific backing.