Question: I have always suffered from allergy symptoms- stuffy nose, sneezing, sinus infections, etc. During my last month of pregnancy with my second child, I had my first outbreak of hives. I didn’t know what was happening so i went to the emergency room and the ER doctor informed me it was indeed hives.

He prescribed steroids which solved the problem up until delivery. Then the hives disappeared for a month and then came back with a vengence.

I went to an allergist who tested me for allergies. The allergy test showed I was allergic to basically everything trees, grass, mold, pets, dust mites etc. However, I wasn’t allergic to any foods. The allergist put me on several allergy medicines to block my H1 and H2 receptors but nothing worked except steriods. My Hives started getting worse and I also started having episodes of anaphylaxis.

Is it possible that my hormone levels are contributing to the severity of these reactions? Did my second pregnancy alter my hormone levels so much that this is the result?

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Dr. Roby: Most people are familiar with the hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. What they don’t think about, are the changes that are quietly happening in the between time, because they are usually small, and are not always the type of things that we identify with hormones.

As you know by now, pregnancy can unleash some pretty difficult symptoms that continue even after children are born. The unfortunate part of all of this is that traditional medicine doesn’t know what to do about most of these cases. They surmise that such symptoms are the result of some mysterious autoimmune disease that cannot be cured.

We treat these symptoms by examining hormone levels in the body and testing for hormone allergy, that is, allergies to the very hormones your body is naturally producing. Even the slightest hormone imbalance or disruption in hormone levels can greatly amplify the reaction you experience and the severity of allergy symptoms. By treating hormone imbalance and hormone allergy, we find that we can almost always reduce symptoms so that the patient can find personal comfort that has escaped them for years.

Often, a simple explanation is much more informative then one full of detail. As such, we thought it prudent to post a little information about the resistance many patients face when discussing bioidentical hormones.

From an article originally found Here

You may have found that when you asked your doctor about bioidentical hormone replacement for menopausal symptoms that all you got back was a blank stare. That is a very common occurrence. You see, many doctors get most of their post-medical school education from pharmaceutal companies. Since bioidentical hormones cannot be patented, no drug companies have an incentive to promote bioidentical hormones to doctors. They promote their patented synthetic hormone therapies. Bioidentical hormones are compounded by compounding pharmacies who do not have the resources of the large pharmaceutical companies to spend on advertising and promotion. So all your doctor hears about are manufactured synthetic hormone therapies. It also take a lot of time and a comittment to learn about bioidentical hormone replacement which many doctors simply to do not have thanks to the current state of our healthcare system.

A great number of people believe the only symptoms of airborne allergies and food allergies are a runny nose, congestion, a cough, and maybe sinus pressure. While these symptoms are certainly often linked to allergies, they are far from the full list!

Allergies essentially cause a swelling or irritation of muscle tissue. As such, anywhere that tissue swells can result in pain or discomfort that is directly related to allergies. We have seen countless patients who were certain their knees had degenerated past the point of use. In a matter of moments, we are able to neutralize their symptoms and help them understand that completely treatable allergies are the cause of their discomfort.

Furthermore, we have found that hormone imbalance can enhance symptoms to the point that they become unbearable. By treating allergy symptoms in conjunction with hormone imbalance, we are able to achieve fantastic results quickly, comfortably, and safely.

Tampa, Florida says: 

I’m pretty sure I have a hormone imbalance. Reason: I’ve had some severe problems (memory loss,constant anxiety,dehydration,obesity, ect…)  that have only gotten better since starting birth control last December. Some of my other issues have gotten worse (dizziness, seeing stars, breathing capacity, ect…).

The short version is that I’ve always had a weight problem, been ADD (though undiagnosed), and have had daily overwhelming anxiety. When I turned 23, I lost much of my short term memory ability (couldn’t work), and was diagnosed as being ADD.  
Then at 26, my body changed, and my symptoms became more physical: strong cravings for a particular food coupled with extreme dizziness & fatigue [not hunger]; my physical strength & breathing capacity rapidly declines for weeks out of every month; dehydration (no matter how much I drink);problems regulating body temp; skin problems,ect…

Do you think my symptoms might be tied to Hormone Imbalance?

Dr. Roby:

Your symptoms are so classic for our patient profile.  We find a number of individuals experiencing a number of very different symptoms and we are able to trace all of them back to a variance in hormones and hormone allergies within the patient’s own body.

Because allergy is so much more involved than most people (including physicians) understand, and all types of allergy are so closely interrelated, we prefer to treat several things at the same time. I suggest that you visit the main website (www.drroby.com) and read these three sections, in this order: 1) Hormone Imbalance (Allergy). 2) Food Allergy. 3) Airborne Allergy. These work very well together to make you miserable. Once you’ve read them, you can browse the site and look at anything that interests you. After you’ve read these, make a list of questions, email them to me and I’ll answer them for you.

A fascinating article found Here does a great job summarizing a number of recent studies that have shown a link between hormone imbalance and miscarriage. The studies themselves focused on stress as a possible cause of difficulty during pregnancy (including miscarriage) and found the following:

“Researchers have long known that during times of stress, the brain releases several hormones — including one called corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)... CRH is a hormone the brain secretes in reaction to physical or emotional stress, and it is also produced in the placenta and the uterus of a pregnant woman to trigger uterine contractions during delivery.

This new research suggests that CRH and other stress hormones may also be released elsewhere in the body, where it specifically targets localized mast cells — those best known for causing allergic reactions. Mast cells are abundant in the uterus. During stress, the local release of CRH causes these mast cells to secrete substances that can cause miscarriages.”

If you are at all concerned that your ability to carry children may be affected by stress levels, allergies, or hormone imblance, please Contact Us . We are always happy to help.

Full article printed below:

How Stress Causes Miscarriage

Hormonal Effects on Certain Cells May Trigger Chain Reaction to End Pregnancy

Stress has long been suspected as a possible cause of miscarriage, with several studies indicating an increased risk among women reporting high levels of emotional or physical turmoil in their early months of pregnancy or just before conception. But while a relationship has been noted, researchers didn’t know exactly how a woman’s stress could cause miscarriage.

In what may prove to be a breakthrough finding, a team of scientists from Tufts University and Greece have identified a suspected chain reaction detailing exactly how stress hormones and other chemicals wreak havoc on the uterus and fetus. Their report, in the June issue of Endocrinology, may help explain why women miscarry for no obvious medical reasons and why some women have repeated miscarriages. And it could lead to measures to prevent miscarriage — medically known as “spontaneous abortion.” (more…)

From an article originally found Here we can begin a discussion regarding the very real fact that men have significant changes in their hormone levels as they age, just as women do. If you think that you might be suffering from a deficiency in testosterone or any other hormone, please do not hesitate to Contact Us to schedule an appointment.

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To answer the question whether there is such a thing as male menopause, let’s take a step back.

We all know the difference between men and women and it starts off at the gene level. Women have two X chromosomes, men one X and one Y. The Y chromosome is one of the smallest human chromosomes and on it is the tiny bit of DNA that’s required for the production of testosterone.

From Harvard Health Publications:

Testosterone has many direct effects on the male anatomy and metabolism. It is responsible for the deep voice, increased muscle mass, and strong bones that characterize the gender. It stimulates the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow. It also has crucial, if incompletely understood, effects on male behavior; it contributes to aggressiveness and is essential for the libido or sex drive, as well as for normal erection and sexual performance. Testosterone stimulates the growth of the genitals at puberty, and it is responsible for sperm production throughout adulthood. Finally, and for most men unhappily, testosterone also acts on the liver, raising the production of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Similar to the way that women experience drops in sex hormones (for them its estrogen) as they age, men also see a reduction in their sex hormone, testosterone. In women, the bulk of this drop happens starting around age 50 and then plunges suddenly over a 5 year period. It’s called menopause and because the symptoms are so clear (including the cessation of menstruation cycles), there is no question when it happens.

The pace of hormonal changes in men is quite different. Instead of happening in a condensed period in midlife, it starts in the 30′s and drops gradually after that (around 1 percent per year). The slowness of the decline means that the effects can be equally slow to appear and may not even be apparent until well into middle age or older

Dear Dr. Roby,
Every morning I wake up feeling awful.  I am achy, have a headache (migraine, sometimes worse then others) and feel exhausted even though I just had a full night’s sleep.  I have trouble breathing, a low body temperature, sensitive skin, and my extremities feel numb.

My symptoms last throughout the day, and feel much more acute if I have had a full night’s sleep.  Strangely, if I get very little rest, my symptoms are much better.  I have seen a physician here where I live and he has tried DHEA, Pregnenalone, Thyroid, and other methods but nothing seems to work.

I have had a test for testosterone (through a 24 hour urine test) and level came back very, very low.

Do the symptoms I have sound like something you could treat?

From,

F.J. (Philadelphia, PA)

We thought it important to provide more details from other sources regarding many of your questions about Bioidentical Hormones Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have further inquiries or comments.

Originally posted Here from the blog of Dr. Erika Schwartz.

1. Bioidentical hormones are medications, they are not natural products. They are manufactured by drug companies from soy and yam oils. The only natural thing about them is their molecular formula which is identical to the molecular formula of hormones our bodies make. That is a crucial piece of information that unfortunately for all of us, most conventional doctors aren’t aware of.
2. Bioidentical estradiol looks like the estradiol your body makes, progesterone looks like the progesterone your body makes, testosterone looks like the testosterone your body makes and estriol looks like the estriol your body makes when you are pregnant (because your body does not make any measurable estriol when you are not pregnant).
3. The term bioidentical is not a marketing term, it is a descriptive term. It describes the biologically identical molecular formula born by bioidentical hormones. It is a term that makes the important distinction between bioidentical hormones and non biologically identical hormones.
4. Bioidentical estradiol, progesterone and testosterone are FDA approved. Estradiol and testosterone can only be obtained by prescription through a licensed medical practitioner (some states allow nurse practitioners to write prescriptions while others do not). Estriol is not FDA approved.
5. Progesterone is the only bioidentical hormone available without prescription in low doses, 50 mg or less per unit dose.

The Roby Institute, with locations in Austin, San Antonio, and Marble Falls, Texas, sees patients for a variety of conditions and symptoms. Many of the questions we hear are related to bioidentical hormones. Patients wander about the origin of bioidentical hormones and how they will help their hormone imbalance. Below you will find some questions and answers about bioidentical hormones.

What are Bioidentical Hormones?

From Wikipedia: in the same chemical structure that they exist in the human body. This is a modification of conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Conventional hormone replacement therapy often involves the use of synthetic hormones which have been modified so that their chemical structure is not the same as endogenous human hormones (hormones the body naturally makes). For example, a molecule is added to synthetic progesterone to make medroxyprogesterone acetate, which makes this form of synthetic progesterone more bioavailable. The term “bioidentical” is used by some marketers because the administered hormones are chemically synthesized and identical to the endogenous hormones of the human body: estradiol, progestrone, estriol (another natural estrogen), and testosterone are the most common.

What is Dr. Roby’s approach to Bioidentical Hormones?

Dr. Roby understands that developing individual treatments that meet the demands of different women requires patient participation. By making patients aware of how hormones impact their moods, weight, fatigue, skin, libido and overall health they are able to articulate what their bodies are telling them is needed to bring them back into balance.

The administration of bioidentical hormones is the cornerstone of optimal health and wellness. Rather than treating symptoms, bioidentical hormones treat Hormone imbalance that causes the problem. By monitoring blood tests, diet, exercise and stress levels, Dr. Roby provides patients with a roadmap to healthy living.

Bioidentical hormones are not supplements sold in health food stores. They are provided to patients based on their unique biological profile by prescription only. Dr. Roby provides each of his patients with information on the advantages of bioidentical hormones; the risks and how supervised treatment can be a man or woman’s best defense against diseases associated with aging.

With the proper bioidentical Hormones, nutrition and exercise women can embrace the changes offered through menopause. Dr. Roby can show women that they do not have to suffer from symptoms; instead they can enjoy a life in balance.

It is estimated that one third of women’s lives will be spent in the postmenopausal years. Many women begin to experience hormone changes in their twenties and thirties or after the babies are born, therefore, it is important to have a healthcare provider, like Dr. Roby, who can provide healthy, symptom-free and balanced treatments.

As Valentine’s Day is only a couple days away, I thought it would be interesting to present a little information about a symptom we see commonly that is often overlooked by many females: low libido brought on by hormone imbalance.

I am surprised by how many females do not realize that the very hormones that control their menstrual cycle also control their libido, aka their sex drive. I can almost see a light bulb click on above their head when I explain that the reason they have little to no sex drive is based entirely on the same factors that are causing symptoms such as premenstrual migraine, premenstrual asthma, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Thankfully, we treat all of these symptoms together, so patients are able to not only regain the energetic lifestyle and good feeling they had when their hormones were naturally in balance, but they also regain a libido level they imagined was long gone.

Jacksonville, Florida physician Gary Bernard states the following in an article published Here: “Using bioidentical hormone therapy can help women regain their sexual desires and feel alive again.”

“Experts say that loss of desire and sex drive may be directly related to a woman’s lower estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone levels, which often happens during menopause. A low sex drive is the most common sexual complaint made by women — up to 30% to 40% of them, according to experts in hormonal imbalance.”

“Even younger women not yet experiencing the clinical ‘menopause’ can feel the effect of a hormonal imbalance as it relates to their sex life. Brought on by stress, women are losing hormones long before actual menopause.”

If you are experiencing a decreased sex-drive and would prefer help that is natural and works to put your body’s hormones back in balance, please Contact Us.