Stephanie Sciuk

07/06/2022

Hormone Therapy for Menopause

When it comes to the menopausal transition and hormone prescribing this is how I practice, what I prescribe, and how I make clinical decisions in the best interest of my patients.

I always choose the safest and most effective product when prescribing hormones for menopause. This means I follow the guidelines created by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) to decide who is a candidate for hormone therapy and more importantly— who is NOT a good candidate. I follow NAMS prescribing recommendations when it comes to dosage, route, and timing.

I always use bioidentical commercial products (examples seen above in post). Commercial products are created by pharmaceutical companies not by individual compounding pharmacies. While I use compounding pharmacies for many other prescriptions (skin creams, v@ginal suppositories, etc.) I stick with bioidentical commercial products when prescribing hormone therapy for menopause and here is why:

✔️They are chemically identical to human hormones (aka “bioidentical”)
✔️The dosages are exact and reproducible
✔️They are researched, regulated, and safer than any alternative
✔️The cost is usually covered by extended health insurance
✔️They can be picked up at ANY pharmacy
✔️There are individualized options (oral tablets, creams, gels, and patches)

DM me if you have questions about hormone prescribing and follow me for more information on who is a good candidate for hormone therapy and who is not.

06/07/2022

Happy pride month 🥳

05/10/2022

Posted • Period tracking is so important to understand trends and changes in your cycle. It is helpful to complete >3 months of tracking in order to have an accurate representation of what your period looks like on a regular basis.
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If you are preparing or actively trying to get pregnant, it may be helpful to start fertility tracking. Although the two are similar, there are some added aspects of fertility tracking that can help confirm ovulation and help you decide when is the best time to try to conceive (TTC).
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Are you interested in learning more about fertility tracking methods, tools and what it all means? I’d like to help. No matter what stage you're at with TTC, this information is valuable in helping you to reach your fertility goals.
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05/08/2022

Today is a celebration of the women who raised us and of the women who are raising another generation. But it can also be a bittersweet day for anyone who wishes things were different. It takes strength and resilience to be struggling with infertility and wishing for that beloved child. It also takes strength and resilience to be a parent. I celebrate you, wherever you are on your path. Regardless of where you are—- big 🤗 hugs! Celebrate today.

04/01/2022

PSA

Your v***a (outer genitalia) requires nothing but 💧 WATER 💧 to stay clean.

Please do not use scents on or in your pads, underwear, or directly on this delicate skin. This will change your pH and can cause infections. It’s also totally unnecessary!
There is no need to “refresh” your genitalia. Your v***a will have a smell to it, everyone has their own brand. This isn’t bad— it’s normal!!!!!

If you are experiencing an odor that makes you uncomfortable, speak with your health care provider. Otherwise give your v***a a break —- and take all v***a and vaginal products off your purchase list!

***arhealth

03/28/2022

Repost from Aviva Romm MD] Cervical mucus is the fluid produced by your cervix during your menstrual cycle as a result of hormonal shifts. It’s quite amazing - changes in color, texture, and amount are very predictable in healthy cycles - enough so that cervical mucus can be a reliable indicator of the fertile window and guide to best times for conception - or contraception - depending on your goals.⁠
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Here’s how it works: As your body ramps up estrogen production before ovulation, the cervix produces more mucus. At first, you may only have the sensation of some wetness. In the 1-2 days before ovulation, when your estrogen is at its highest, and during and right after ovulation, your cervix produces abundant, clear, slippery, wet, stretchy, elastic cervical secretions often described as egg-whites. This is peak fertile mucus and signals the best time for conception. Within just a few days, under the influence of progesterone, the mucus becomes more scant and closer to your period may be more pasty, ‘tacky,’ and you may feel noticeably drier.

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🎨 for Hormone Intelligence⁠. Thanks to the wisdom and summary from Aviva Romm MD] for caption and image

03/23/2022

If you’re going 3+ months without a period you could be at risk for endometrial hyperplasia, an excess build-up of the endometrial lining.

This can occur in long standing PCOS because of the hormonal imbalance. In PCOS you can get long, anovulatory cycles (menstrual cycles without any ovulation). Without regular ovulation your body doesn’t produce adequate progesterone to flush the endometrial lining (i.e. your period!)

When this occurs repeatedly, year after year, you get a build of endometrial tissue.

You likely won’t FEEL anything different and this means it can be hard to notice and get proper care. But it is important to stay vigilant as this condition can be a precursor to endometrial cancer.

🔍The only way to diagnose endometrial hyperplasia is via pelvic ultrasound (to measure the thickness of your lining) and endometrial biopsy (to diagnose if there is any abnormal cells “atypia”).

📝First step: If you think your periods are irregular, start tracking them to know for sure. Several cycles longer than 35 days should be brought up to your healthcare practitioner.

There are many treatment options for PCOS and the earlier the better— know your body! 🤓

03/18/2022

03/15/2022

POI occurs in < 1% of women sometime after puberty and before age-appropriate menopause (approximately age 51). It is when the body goes into menopause too early. It is diagnosed through repeated bloodwork (FSH levels run between day 2-5 of the cycle— if still menstruating) and requires medical attention and follow-up. It is often only diagnosed when there are difficulties trying to get pregnant. It is essential that this condition is diagnosed in a timely fashion and treated with hormone therapy to prevent further problems from long term lack of estrogen and progesterone.

If you suspect you may be going through an early menopause — speak up!

03/14/2022

If you're trying to get pregnant, it is important to get started on a prenatal vitamin. This can ensure that your body has all the necessary nutrients from the moment conception occurs.
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Folic acid is incredibly important for proper development of the spinal cord, which begins 4 weeks after conception. You need to be getting at least 400mcg per day of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects such as spinal bifida.
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High doses of vitamin A are teratogenic, meaning they can cause malformations in the embryo. Choose a prenatal with low (or no) vitamin A, and focus on getting vitamin A through food sources like orange and yellow vegetables.
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Some prenatal vitamins require you to take more capsules per day in order to get a therapeutic dose. If you struggle to take capsules or have poor compliance, it may be helpful to choose a brand that requires you to take fewer pills throughout the day.

Some brands contain artificial dyes and additives that can increase your chemical burden. Stick to a "clean" prenatal and focus on getting the nutrients, but nothing more.
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Need help deciding if your prenatal checks the boxes?
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02/17/2022

S***m health is 50% of the equation.

02/14/2022

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕🥰🥳. Love and freezing cold temperatures inspired my recent sweater purchase