Newson Clinic - A cult?

[Ittybittytittycomittee]

Please can you share your experiences of the Newson Clinic.

They have so many doctors and nurses now working for them and the care I have received is so inconsistent despite paying in the realm of what now equates to a thousand pound plus. Each consultation has resulted in conflicting information which has now lead to some gynea issues.

I use instagram and there are so many accounts that seem to fawn over the mere mention of Louis Newson name, it's like she can do no wrong. It feels like Newson Health has become a cult with unsuspecting women being over medicalised with out informed consent.

I'd be interested to hear other ladies experiences.

What is each squirt of oestrogel in grammes does anyone know?

The consultant I saw last week said that each "pump" or squirt was the same as 25 mcg. So if you're using 75 mcg patches like me, that's the same as 3 squirts. Except you use the gel every day, unlike patches which you swap twice a week.

Thank you.

250mg E and 100mg Progesterone. for 14 days. At one point I approached them with a really obscure issue and their response - up your oestrogen. I might as well have said the price of frozen peas has increased and they'd have said the same.

Too much oestrogen can actually cause menopausal symptoms.

I'm finding out new data every day and I can tell you its a real eye opener. If you have Instagram, I highly recommend following Dr Jen Gunter, Amanda Thebe and The.Hormone.Doc.

Mcg? So the op using 250mg would be the equivalent of 10000 pumps 😂😂

I'm on 2 pumps of oestrogel daily and 100mg utrogestan for 25 days. Love the utrogestan, i sleep very well and feel better on the days that I take it.

It's not possible to directly compare patches with gel or tablets, as patches are in mcgs and gel/tablets in mgs.

The dose of 1 pump of gel is stated on the cardboard carton (for anyone using it.)

1 pump= 0.75gms
2 pumps= 1.5mgs

Most tablets are either 1mg or 2mgs.

Lowest dose of patches are 25mcgs which is about one pump but this is just approximate. Most women are on 37 or 50 mcg patch. Younger women in early peri may need 75.

God now I’m worried I’m on too much oestrogen. 150mg Estradot patches, via Newson. Still getting a bit of night sweats.

I agree that their stock response (in my experience) to any issue is to advise patients to up their oestrogen. I tried it but felt awful, so used my own judgement to reduce to a level that felt OK. They were helpful about the progesterone though as I wouldn't have known about using it vaginally which helped me tolerate it much better. I think this method is off licence though so I'm not sure if I am storing up other problems for myself

Article in the Telegraph today about private clinics and their ‘unorthodox’ prescribing over normal levels of HRT. I note the chief medical officer at Newson says all their clients have blood tests and monitoring. I’ve had neither and been under their care for a year now. 🤔
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/19/private-menopause-clinics-prescribing-hrt-twice-recommended/

@Nicecupofteaandabiscuitor2 Is there any chance you could copy and paste the article as it's behind a paywall? I've tried to read it and although I'm a fast reader I could only get halfway before the paywall kicked in. :)

Ah, for some reason it's allowed me a longer read!

This is an interesting comment from their CMO

“Some women need higher than the licenced doses to achieve a physiological level of oestradiol,” he said. “Blood levels of oestradiol are monitored for patients at Newson Health Clinics.”
Dr Harrison said that the data regarding actual dose of progesterone to provide adequate endometrial protection is “not robust”.

If you are using a very high dose of estrogen @Nicecupofteaandabiscuitor2 , it would be 'normal' with private care to have an annual scan. Not been suggested?

No, no blood tests, no scan suggested.

Take it up with them and ask for tests.

Newson wanted to provide nhs services for women but found there was no funding, so went private.

She's recently been giving free training for nhs gps.

My own Gp had her book on her shelf and appears to follow the same steps as Newson. Which seems to be the same as BMS.

The cult stuff could be on social media which is generally very culty on any subject.

Dr Currie at the menopause support network (forum ) is also training gps at the moment.

If it's helpful my own Gp said it was better for bleeding that way.

My oncologist believes that the surge in the use of HRT is a ticking time bomb and we will see a significant jump in cases of breast cancer. Her main concern was HRT being prescribed without a proper assessment.

I have spent £500 plus with them. Numerous consultations, private prescriptions etc. I am in two minds about what I think. In some ways I think they are very good- my GP was dismissive, I was a young woman (37) with a lot of autoimmune issues and they didn’t want to acknowledge I was in menopause. Newson clinic listened to me and prescribed HRT when no one else would. They gave me my sleep back and stopped my horrible symptoms. I was then able to get my HRT prescribed through the NHS because of them.

BUT -

When I started to have difficulties with my dose of HRT and the way it interacted with my autoimmune and pituitary issues they didn’t really have a clue and I actually felt they didn’t want to know. It was like they only wanted to help / prescribe when things were straightforward. When I was having difficulties they washed their hands of me and actually gave me some incorrect and dangerous advice.

I had to be referred to an nhs gynaecologist for the help I needed and ended up completely coming off the HRT for 2 years whilst I waited for that appointment because I didn’t feel I could trust Newson Health anymore. Eventually the nhs consultant I saw was much more knowledgeable and worked alongside my endocrinologist to find a regime that worked for me.

I think if you are struggling to access HRT through your GP and have no other health issues then Newson health are very good but if you have a complex history I would be wary because essentially they are experts in prescribing oestrogel and utrogestan and little else.

There are many other consultants doing training that never hits the news. My consultant gynaecologist has offered free talks/information and training on women's health for HCP for years.

Demand has increased enough for data to come in the next years. I guess we’ll see either way

How do you assess for breast cancer?

@Afterfire One consideration is that most (but not all) of the drs who are now working for the clinic are GPs. They are always going to have to refer patients on to other consultants if there are complex issues.

No one can expect a GP to be an expert in endocrine disorders or other complex health issues, but professionally, they have a duty of care to refer patients to consultants either in the private system (if someone is insured) or the NHS.

Of course. I completely understand that and have no issue with that. My issue is with them giving out incorrect advice and essentially “guessing” when they should have admitted they don’t know certain things .

@Kiwimommyinlondon Drs who prescribe HRT are duty-bound to discuss risks and benefits with women.

Not all HRT is equal in terms of risks.

Being overweight is the biggest risk factor for BC, (8 times higher than HRT) followed by drinking more than 2 units a day.

Women need to hear that message too so they can make informed choices.

Just want to be clear as well that it wasn’t Newson that referred me to an nhs specialist. It was my GP. Newson wanted me to keep consulting with them and taking their prescribed HRT. Which was incorrect.