Mainstream Conservative Medicine

Bridging the gap …

To the mainstream medical community the hormone progesterone is somewhat the ?black sheep?of the endocrine family.

Certain influential sections of mainstream medicine find the very existence of progesterone creams, troches and sublingual sprays to be abhorrent and ridicule their use.

Regretfully this creates negativity towards such a pivotal endocrine hormone with its wide ranging influence over so many of the body’s biochemical and physiological functions.

The public quite rightly looks towards the custodians of mainstream medical practice to provide knowledge and informed comment on matters governing our health.

Patients are better informed than ever before and often seek advice, options and in a collaborative manner with their medical practitioner embark on a course of treatment.

In the vast majority of cases patients follow the recommendations of their medical practitioner.

“Evidence based medicine” is the mantra of the mainstream when adopting professional guidelines for the treatment of various conditions. The ?evidence? does not exist for many clinical conditions because the clinical trials required to ?prove? a treatment is effective usually have not been conducted. Even when conducted the results are often open to different interpretations. This is called the ?peer review process?.

“Coal face medicine” is the real patient with a real illness sitting opposite their medical practitioner seeking a rapid and real-time solution to an immediate problem.

Often ten or more years may pass between the practices of “coal face medicine? being validated by “evidence based medicine” and subsequently “taught” in medical schools.

In today?s litigious society the term ?informed consent? is an essential in the doctor-patient relationship. Options, both good and bad, should be discussed openly and honestly by the parties prior to initiating treatment.

Options for an increasingly aware public include what is seen on television, read in magazines, books and newspapers and information accessed via the Internet. The good medical practitioner will engage their patient and endorse or rebutt an ?alternative? option with a reasonable argument.

A standard dismissive response that “such and such” is “an unproven therapy” often irritates a patient diagnosed with a debilitating condition or a life threatening illness.

It is my experience that peri-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal women who are experiencing debilitating physical symptoms and a reduced quality of life when seeking medical assistance for relief of their symptoms are often quoted the “unproven therapy” line in relation to progesterone.

The information and opinion they seek may not be forthcoming, satisfactory answers to address the health issue may not be given and often the feeling of rejection is both embarrassing and belittling.

Many women then turn to alternative sources of medical advice and in the world of the “quick buck” there are many charlatans and quasi-medical authorities willing to sell their cures.

In the world of cyber space information and comment is plentiful. Differentiating between the ’snake oil’ and ‘factual’ is often difficult.

Information however is just information - how someone interprets the information depends upon the quality of the information presented.

The more information able to be obtained on a subject usually leads to a better outcome when an informed decision needs to be made.

An internet Google search for the word “progesterone” offers over 2 million potential sources of information.

In general a well referenced factual site not trying to sell product, but rather providing multiple options is the best place to start getting answers to the questions sought in relation to progesterone use.

Sites such as Natural-Progesterone-Advisory-Network.com provides informed comment and seeks to bridge the gap between patient and healthcare professions. It is one of a number of good places to start educating one?s self as to the merits or otherwise of progesterone.

Time will tell if the type of “coal-face” information being offered by the Natural-Progesterone-Advisory-Network.com will be in the medical textbooks ten or even twenty years from now.

Michael

Michael Buckley is the Principal Pharmacist of Lawley Pharmaceuticals, Perth, Western Australia. Lawley Pharmaceuticals is an small, but progressive Australia based pharmaceutical company that specialises in pharmaceutical grade production of progesterone, testosterone and oestradiol cream for men and women. Lawley Pharmaceuticals leads the world in transdermal progesterone and testosterone cream research and development.

Testosterone.com.au is a site dedicated to the online ordering of topical testosterone and progesterone creams manufactured by Lawley Pharmaceuticals to international pharmaceutical grade Good Manufacturing Practice standards.

Michael