You finally get the appointment. You tell your doctor you're not sleeping, the weight is climbing, and your moods feel like someone else's. You walk out with a prescription for an antidepressant, or with nothing at all.
Dr. Deborah Kwolek, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of Harvard's Women's Health and Menopause course, joins me to talk about why so many doctors were never taught menopause care and what she's doing to change it. We cover the exact questions to bring to your next appointment, your estrogen by the numbers, the labs to know, who may need to think harder about hormone therapy, and what to do when your doctor says, "I don't believe in hormones."
Key Timestamps:
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00:00 - Meet Dr. Deborah Kwolek
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02:48 - Why Harvard had no menopause course
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07:00 - Why most doctors were never trained in menopause
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08:10 - Is the fear of hormone therapy out of proportion?
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11:23 - 3 questions to ask your doctor
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17:35 - Your estrogen levels, by the numbers
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25:15 - Can you stay on hormones after 65?
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33:46 - Who should think twice about hormone therapy?
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50:08 - What to do when your doctor says no
Memorable Quotes:
"The fear among the providers and the fear among the patients. That's really out of proportion to the data." – Dr. Deborah Kwolek
"You don't say that about anything else. I don't believe in statin drugs." – Dr. Deborah Kwolek
"Almost every cell has estrogen receptors." – Dr. Deborah Kwolek
"We don't stop someone's insulin at sixty-five. We don't stop their thyroid hormone at sixty-five. Where did that come from?" – Dr. Anna Cabeca
"It's not hard. It's just unfamiliar." – Dr. Anna Cabeca
"Your body is always speaking to you. Listen with curiosity, not criticism." – Dr. Anna Cabeca
Connect With Guest:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dkwolekmd
Harvard Women's Health and Menopause course (for clinicians): https://learn.hms.harvard.edu/programs/primary-care-medicine
Mass General Brigham: https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/doctors/k/deborah-kwolek-3001790
Connect With Dr. Anna:
Website: Dranna.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drannacabeca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor
This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider before making changes to your medications, supplements, or hormone therapy. Guest views are her own.
