The Power of Oprah

by: Dr. Maureen Sweeney

When Oprah speaks mountains move, public opinion mountains that is. And so it was a great day for those women who felt they were losing their grip in the haze of sleepless nights and brain fog when Oprah started the discussion on menopause, premenopause and hormone replacement. A great day for women who listened and learned that they were not imagining their symptoms, that they were not alone or crazy and that they were not going to have to put up with living with their loss of a dependable mind and body for the next year, 2 years or decade or so. They didn't have to suffer quietly wondering why they couldn't just shake it off or suck it up like the generations of women before.

It's not just about hot flashes, which often do settle down with time, it's about the 400+ functions that estrogen has around our bodies. When we lose our estrogen we lose one of our greatest assets in keeping healthy and sane. We are told the change is something to get through but the majority of women I see are experiencing significant life impairing symptoms; and many are still working and juggling multiple other demands such as teens and aging parents. Then, when they need it most, sleep abandons them; they can't think clearly, memory vanished with their sex drive and energy. No wonder they felt anxious or depressed or both, not to mention the bulging belly.

What Oprah did was "start the dialogue". She not only let women know their symptoms were common- there were lots of other women out there experiencing similar or worse problems but she also told them they didn't have to accept what they'd been told. She showed women that there was help available, in the form of safe hormone replacement. And women responded and started asking for the help they deserve. We had 13 women book to see us the afternoon Oprah's 1st show aired; GP's have been flooded with requests for bioidentical hormones. I gather she went on to repeat the show 5 times, the demand was so high. One colleague asked me if it was because of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' declaration, which was coincidentally announced the same week, that women did after all benefit from HRT combined with lifestyle changes. No it was Oprah that had started the charge, and the women whose stories were told on her shows.

I don't agree with all the opinions that were presented and let's face it most of us couldn't come close to what Susanne Somers does with her 36+ supplements. But I do applaud the general message that replacing a woman's hormones improves quality of life, relieves symptoms and will keep her bones, brain and heart healthy for the long term.
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