Marion gluck reviews?

[Thomasina2505]

Hi everyone
I was wondering if anyone has been to the Marion Gluck clinic or to any other menopause specialists who can offer bio-identical hormone treatment? I have read some of the reviews and they are somewhat dated and mixed, so if you have had a recent experience in this field could you please let me know? I'm at the end of my tether trying to decide what to do about my severe menopausal symptoms and don't have much financial room to spend on trying private treatement if it's going to be a bad experience... I am very sensitive to medications so I'm apprehensive about normal HRT and have had a bad experience with it a few months ago. Many thanks.

[PollyPerky]

Hi there
Sorry you are suffering.

Bio identical HRT is available on the NHS from your GP. ALL oestrogen except those starting with 'Pre' (Premarin) is bio (or the correct term is 'body') identical. If you want a body (bio) identical progesterone then you need Utrogestan ( micronised progesterone) also available from your GP if they are happy to prescribe, if you ask for it.

What isn't available on the NHS are 'compounded' hormones. These are hormones that are made up in a private lab according to your 'saliva' profile (which is something Gluck does along with blood tests.)
These are unregulated and, according to the top consultant gynaes in the country, not effective or worthwhile. The reason is that when you are tested, your hormone profile is a snapshot on that day; it will vary from day to day in peri meno.

You can find information on this in the media- Nick Panay who was the former Chairman of the British Menopause Society is quoted in a Daily Mail feature on compounded HRT and explains why ( I've paraphrased it above!)

If you use something like Oestrogel rather than pills, you can adjust the dose yourself, just the same as if it was 'compounded'- you adjust the dose to relieve symptoms.

Hope this helps. I do have a private consultant, and have used bio HRT for many years, but personally, I'd not bother with Gluck who is more expensive that many Harley St consultants (and she's 'only' a GP- not a consultant or gynae.)

[haineshighpoint]

Hi I'm currently under the care of Marion Gluck Clinic. I am peri-menopausal so have been prescribed progesterone. From my experience I feel a lot better - much calmer (mostly!) and a lot less anxious - was definitely not feeling myself before. It is expensive - blood tests, prescriptions - but for me I am happy with how I am being looked after. I went to the GP and had blood tests and told everything was normal - but I felt anything but normal - so thought I was going mad. Was offered anti-depressants and just knew this wasn't the right route for me. I read the book by Marion Gluck - It Must Be My Hormones - which was really interesting hence my visit to the clinic. Two years on - am happy - it's taken a little bit of tweaking along the way but we've got there - and I'm sure it'll need further tweaking as I go into menopause - whereas I really didn't feel my GP was very interested and only wanted to get me out of the door with a prescription for anti-depressants. Good luck you're not alone!

[PollyPerky]

But NICE has stated quite strongly that ADs have no place in treating women without depression, and who can take HRT (which is almost all. I heard recently that some oncologists are allowing some women who've had BC to use HRT)

There is a fashion for giving ADs to shut women up (imo) rather than deal with loss of oestrogen .

I agree with all you say about the person being discussed.

[PollyPerky]

I know, Chewing, but NICE has said ( can't be arsed to link yet again but as a dr you'll have read them) that they are not appropriate for low mood and suggest lifestyle changes, CBT and talking stuff if HRT isn't wanted.

I think the downside and risks of ADs are underplayed, as if they are all without side effects and risks, and HRT overplayed, by many GPs.

[PollyPerky]

If only all GPs were like you, Chewing!

I think the issue with the NICE guidelines is not so much cost/ effectiveness but they are trying to address the reluctance of some GPs to prescribe HRT, based on old data from almost 20 years ago.

And whilst I would whole heartedly agree that lifestyle changes are key to many issues, you try pushing that one home without getting the 'all I got was fobbed off and told to exercise' complaints.

Surely this depends on how the 'message' is conveyed? If a dr is enthusiastic about the benefits of lifestyle changes, and can point to evidence, women should be accepting.

I'm not for a minute saying that women aged 45+ can't have MH issues but I thought NICE had said that a diagnosis of depression per se was necessary for ADs to be prescribed (and if it didn't exist before peri meno / post meno it was likely in some women to be hormonal.)
And I appreciate that in a 10 minute consultation it is very hard to arrive at a sound diagnosis of depression v effects of loss of oestrogen.

I don't think we're disagreeing really, I'm just saying that from what I've read on forums, many GPs still avoid prescribing HRT - sometimes because of their own prejudices (you'll ride this out, dear...menopause is natural.....HRT causes cancer...) but are happy to give ADs instead.