To the women who come to me as a Last Resort.
As a Nurse Practitioner specializing in hormone therapy, there is a scenario I see time and time again: women sitting across from me, emotionally and physically exhausted, saying, “You’re my last hope.”
They’ve tried everything. Clean eating. Supplements. Exercise. Acupuncture. Meditation. Therapy. Reducing stress. They’ve gone to their primary care providers only to be told, “Your labs are normal.” And yet… they feel anything but normal.
They’re anxious. Depressed. Sleepless. Foggy. Moody. Their energy is gone, their motivation is gone, and most painfully, they feel like they are gone.
And it breaks my heart every time.
When these women finally land in my office, I can see it in their eyes: the hopelessness, the desperation, the vulnerability. And I want you to know, to those of you who’ve been in this place, I see you. I honor you. You don’t know me yet, and still, you open up to me through your tears. That is not something I take lightly. It is an honor to be trusted in that moment.
I’ll be honest, that trust is a double-edged sword. Alongside the deep compassion I feel, I also experience anger (or frustration, maybe anger is too strong a word?).
I’m frustrated that so many providers are still not educated in hormone therapy, not even the basics. I’m angered that instead of being honest and saying, “This is outside my expertise, let me refer you to someone who can help,” many say the one thing that does the most damage:
“Everything is normal.”
To a woman who feels like she is losing herself, that phrase is devastating. It shuts the door. It silences her. It makes her question her reality, and it can make her feel even more isolated. I know, because I’ve been there myself.
Let me be very clear: Just because something is “normal” on paper doesn’t mean you’re okay.
This is especially true in perimenopause, which is when hormone symptoms often first appear. To the undiscerning eye and undereducated, you will present as “normal”. Your lab results are within normal reference ranges. However, this is when your devastating symptoms appear due to drastic hormone swings.
This is not the time to wait and “see what happens.” This is the time to act and to evaluate hormone health, address imbalances, and start conversations about HRT before disease processes like osteoporosis or cardiovascular issues take hold. Early treatment can be a game-changer, not just for how you feel today, but for your long-term health and well-being.
To my fellow healthcare providers: hormone therapy is not niche, it’s vital!
You don’t have to be an expert, but you do have a responsibility. Please take the time to educate yourself. Learn the basics. Know when to refer. Understand that hormone therapy isn’t just about menopause; it’s about preventative care and whole-person health.
To my patients and to the women who sit across from me with trembling hands and tears in their eyes, I want to say thank you. Thank you for finding the strength to keep searching. Thank you for trusting me.
Helping you feel like yourself again is not just my job, it’s my why.
You are worth this journey. You are not crazy. You are not broken. You are not alone.
And I’m honored to walk this path with you.
Written by Jean Walker / WHNP