01: My Love Letter to Women’s Health
EP. 01
Welcome to Reset/Recharge. In this episode, Dr. Patil-Sisodia introduces herself to listeners and discusses how the why behind this podcast.
Listen to the full episode:
My Love Letter to Women’s Health
As an endocrinologist deeply committed to women's well-being, my aim is to empower women with the knowledge they need to make informed choices about their health and navigate their unique health journeys with confidence.
As women, we have been conditioned to think it is normal to feel less than our best after a certain age. But we deserve better than this narrative. My mission is to challenge these misconceptions and provide practical insights into optimizing our health and well-being, especially during pivotal life stages like perimenopause and menopause.
It’s time to reset our understanding around what metabolic health looks like during this time through exploring the impacts of perimenopause and menopause on every organ system in the body.
Today, I want to start by sharing my professional background, the path that led me to this field of medicine, and the motivations behind my commitment to women's health advocacy. We will also touch on the significance of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in preventing metabolic diseases and its potential impact on women's health outcomes.
Background
I am an endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist with a passion for improving lives through medicine. Since starting my practice in 2009, I've found immense joy in meeting patients, helping them navigate health challenges, and ultimately enhancing their quality of life by addressing their medical concerns effectively.
In 2020, I decided to pursue the ABOM (American Board of Obesity) certification after witnessing many of my patients grappling with metabolic issues. The emerging science in obesity medicine presented an opportunity to offer them more effective treatments and interventions. Additionally, my partner was building a weight management practice adjacent to our endocrinology clinic, which inspired me to educate myself around transitioning patients over to her so that they were getting the best care possible.
Motivations for Pursuing a Medical Career
Growing up, I witnessed my mother's health struggles firsthand, which ignited a deep-seated passion within me to pursue a career in medicine. My mother's journey with coronary artery disease during my senior year of high school had a profound impact on me. She experienced increasing difficulty with simple tasks like walking up a slight incline, which initially went unnoticed due to her age and the limited understanding of heart disease in women at the time.
When she was finally diagnosed, it was a wake-up call for our family. Doctors discovered that she had an 80% blockage in one of her main coronary arteries, placing her at a high risk of a life-threatening heart attack. Thankfully, she underwent successful open-heart surgery to bypass the blocked artery, but complications arose years later when the graft closed off again.
During this challenging time, medical investigations revealed that my mother had elevated levels of a cholesterol particle known as lipoprotein(a), strongly associated with coronary artery disease. Witnessing my mother's health journey and the complexities of her condition fueled my desire to pursue medicine.
As I embarked on my own medical career, I carried with me a deep commitment to make a positive impact on patients' lives. Armed with firsthand experience of navigating a serious health condition within my family, I was determined to help others facing similar challenges.
Exploring Health Changes in Perimenopause
In my mid-30s, as a practicing endocrinologist, I realized the importance of proactive health monitoring. I consulted my primary care doctor for routine checks, and initially, my lipoprotein(a) levels were normal—a relief given my family history of heart disease.
Inspired to lead by example, I dedicated myself to a healthier lifestyle, including regular exercise and dietary improvements. However, earlier this year, I received unexpected news: my lipoprotein(a) levels had risen significantly, placing me at a higher risk for heart disease.
Despite my efforts, I felt disheartened, and was left wondering why this change had happened. It soon became clear that the only notable difference was that I was now perimenopausal. And this realization prompted me to delve deeper into the intersection of genetics, hormones, and preventive medicine.
Hormone Replacement Therapy: Addressing Misconceptions
Unfortunately, we have not really discussed the benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and its potential preventive use over the last two decades in medicine. This is largely because of a single, well-intentioned but poorly designed and grossly misinterpreted study called the Women's Health Initiative Hormone Therapy Trials, which had a significant impact on women's health discussions.
Unfortunately, this study led to misunderstandings, suggesting that hormone therapy was harmful for women. As a result, many doctors stopped recommending HRT, depriving women of potential benefits in managing metabolic diseases.
In future blogs, I'll be digging into the details of this study to clarify its findings and implications as it is essential to understand this context for informed decision-making in women's health.
I'm deeply passionate about educating patients and healthcare providers on the evolving understanding of hormone therapy. I hope you will join me as we unravel the complexities of women's health and strive to redefine what it means to thrive as women, embracing vitality and well-being at every stage of life!