In this conversation, Dr. Polly Watson interviews Dr. Felice Gersh on the benefits of hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular health. Dr. Gersh clarifies the difference between bioidentical hormones and non naturally occurring hormones, particularly in terms of cardiovascular health. She discusses the Women's Health Initiative study and its impact on the perception of hormone replacement therapy as well as the larger implications of how this study was designed.

Dr. Gersh emphasizes the importance of proper dosing and the need for individualized hormone therapy based on the specific needs of each woman. She also highlights the lack of clinical data and the need for more research in this area.

Quotes

“Everyone agrees that exercise, sleep, and eating organic fruits and vegetables are good for health. It's also understood that the benefits depend on consistency and quantity, as sporadic efforts won't yield significant results.”

Links

Connect with Dr. Felice Gersh:

Website: https://integrativemgi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.felicegersh/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felicegershmd/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbn9RUdGuc6Wq-FT7V4u3g

Publication: ​​https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/progress-in-cardiovascular-diseases

Connect with Dr. Polly Watson:

Website: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

Resources: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast-resources

New Patient: https://hormonewellnessmdacademy.teachable.com/p/are-we-a-good-fit-new-patient-welcome-course

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hormonewellnessmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Tw8oHGR_6wBZmXrTu9xA

Disclaimer: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast#Disclaimer

Navigating midlife hormonal changes requires personalized mental health strategies. In this episode, Dr. Polly Watson continues her discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Cox, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in reproductive psychiatry from UNC Chapel Hill. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Cox highlights the critical impact of hormonal changes on women’s mental health during midlife.

The episode explores the use of antidepressants for perimenopausal women, focusing on the decision-making process for pharmaceutical intervention, especially when anxiety or mood disruptions affect quality of life. Dr. Cox emphasizes tailoring treatments to each patient’s values and lifestyle goals.

Addressing concerns like weight gain and sexual dysfunction, Dr. Cox suggests strategies such as adjusting medication dosages, using supplementary medications like Buspar or Wellbutrin, and exploring topical agents like CBD oil. Open communication between patients and providers is key to managing these side effects.

Dr. Cox also discusses the role of genetic testing in personalizing mental health treatments, particularly for those with multiple unsuccessful medication trials or severe side effects. Her approach in reproductive psychiatry emphasizes caution, minimalism, and collaboration, creating a supportive environment for women during hormonal transitions.

Quotes

• “If consistently you’re feeling like your anxiety or your mood symptoms are in the driver’s seat and that you’re in the back seat, just kind of like along for the ride, that feels problematic.” (03:05 | Dr. Elizabeth Cox)
• “The weight gain typically should be like 5-10 pounds max, more of like water weight. But that being said, everybody’s different. So I’m always open-minded here.” (08:37 | Dr. Elizabeth Cox)
• “What I feel from this conversation with you is this balance, this gentleness, a lot of choice, a lot of partnership, right? And I think so often women are offered antidepressant medication without a lot of this kind of more nuanced conversation and they feel like they’ve been put off and then they’re closing themselves off to something that might actually be helpful, but they have fear around it, they felt shame around it, they felt judgment around it.” (16:24 | Dr. Polly Watson)

Links

Connect with Dr. Elizabeth Cox:

Website: https://www.resetyourhealthandwellness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reset_healthandwellness/

Facebook: Reset Health & Wellness, PLLC

Connect with Dr. Polly Watson:

Website: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

Resources: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast-resources

New Patient: https://hormonewellnessmdacademy.teachable.com/p/are-we-a-good-fit-new-patient-welcome-course

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hormonewellnessmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Tw8oHGR_6wBZmXrTu9xA

Disclaimer: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast#Disclaimer

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“We think that different women’s brains have different sensitivities to changes in hormones,” says Dr. Elizabeth Cox. “It’s not so much about absolute levels of hormones that we think are the issue, but the actual fluctuations and changes,” she elaborates. In this episode, Dr. Cox, alongside Dr. Polly Watson, discusses the impact of these hormonal fluctuations on women’s mental health throughout menstruation, postpartum, and menopause. Dr. Cox highlights the importance of identifying women at risk due to heightened sensitivity to these changes and advocates for preventive strategies such as lifestyle changes and therapy.

The episode covers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for alleviating menopausal symptoms, the role of antidepressants, and the importance of cautious medication use. Dr. Watson and Dr. Cox shed light on the vital need for personalized care and encourage women to take active steps in prioritizing their health during the menopausal transition.

Quotes

• “We think that different women’s brains have different sensitivities to changes in hormones. It’s not so much about absolute levels of hormones that we think are the issue, but the actual fluctuations and changes.” (02:18 | Dr. Elizabeth Cox)
• “I recommend therapy to everyone. I think it can be so nice to be able to process relationships and stressors, changes when you’re nearing that phase of life—like you’re entering a new chapter and there’s a lot to process there too. So adding in some therapy can be another wellness initiative to do.” (09:05 | Dr. Elizabeth Cox)
• “Some amount of anxiety is good and creates resilience and it’s part of our life and being human. I still want you to be able to feel sad sometimes if something really sad happens or to feel excited. If you feel apathetic and like a zombie and numb, you’re on the wrong medicine or you’re on too high of a dose. But you should still feel like you, but just not as stressed and your bandwidth should feel better.” (18:58 | Dr. Elizabeth Cox)

Links

Connect with Dr. Elizabeth Cox:

Website: https://www.resetyourhealthandwellness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reset_healthandwellness/

Facebook: Reset Health & Wellness, PLLC

Connect with Dr. Polly Watson:

Website: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

Resources: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast-resources

New Patient: https://hormonewellnessmdacademy.teachable.com/p/are-we-a-good-fit-new-patient-welcome-course

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hormonewellnessmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Tw8oHGR_6wBZmXrTu9xA

Disclaimer: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast#Disclaimer

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm