My patient “M” is EVERY WOMAN (cue Whitney Houston, may she rest in peace).
She had the poo poo platter of "IJDFLMA” aka I JUST DON’T FEEL LIKE MYSELF ANYMORE. And she was on EIGHT medications, when what she really needed was probably hormones.
The problem? No one was connecting the dots for her.
She was seeing a psychiatrist for mood stabilizers, antidepressants + ADHD meds.
GLP 1 for the weight gain from the mood stabilizer she was on.
Trazodone for her insomnia.
Adderall for poor concentration.
Removal of her uterus for heavy bleeding (and no one explaining she is still cycling because she has her ovaries).
This is not uncommon. Here are the dots we’ve connected for her. But first, here is a message she sent me after about a month of us working together:
And yes, risperidone and other mood stabilizers 10000% PACK ON WEIGHT and they also elevate a hormone called prolactin which when elevated will shut down your menstrual cycle so you don’t ovulate.
We didn’t just decide to STOP her mood stabilizer. She talked with her psychiatrist and together they stopped this medication.
She’s talking to her GLP1 provider about titrating off that medication.
Here’s the thing about her other medications that I’m guessing we will stop— she likely doesn’t have ADHD but raging sleep apnea.
What do the two have connected? Allow me to tell you. But first, check out the boxes she checked on the screening tool I use for sleep apnea.
No one had EVER asked her about any of this. And your typical pop up med spa hormone clinic sure as SHIT isn’t asking about any of this.
When we have constant microarousals in our sleep and periods where our brain is not getting oxygen it fragments the ever loving shit out of our sleep.
Poor sleep = poor concentration and REALLY mimics ADHD. My guess is the next medicaitons we will be able to stop are her adderall + SSRI.
I’m not saying medications are never needed. I’m saying we’re slapping a bunch of fucking bandaids on women when they really just need hormones.
Here are the TOP 5 Recommendations I gave her after visit one:
I’m SO excited to keep working with her and get her feeling back to 100% herself. Here is one of the most recent messages I’ve gotten from her:
1. GET A SLEEP TEST
2. EAT 3 BALANCED MEALS A DAY
3. WEIGHT LIFTING
4. GET A DEXA SCAN
5. COLLABORATE WITH PHYSICIANS TO STOP GLP + RISPERIDONE
Here is one of the other most recent messages I’ve gotten from her:
Ready to feel like yourself again? Get Started with a Hormone Strategy Session where we will create your personalized roadmap to healing with 70+ biomarkers + a 90 minute session together.
Disclaimer: The information on this blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not replace personalized medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your medications, supplements, diet, or treatment plan.
