(Pete Hueseman, R.Ph, R.D.'s 10th visit to Power Surge)

Dearest:  Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D., has been a registered Pharmacist for 27 
years. His work in the area of hormone therapy is with bio-identical,naturally 
compounded plant-derived hormones... Pete compounds natural prescription 
hormones, such as progesterone, estradial, estriol, estrone, tri-estrogen, DHEA, 
testosterone and pregnenolone, plus other compounds at Bellevue Pharmacy. His 
eagerness to answer our infinite questions about hormones, at a time when 
confusion seems to abound, has endeared Pete to the women of Power Surge.

Pete Hueseman is professionally associated with NAMS, the Academy of Alternative 
Medicine, Alternative and Complementary Medicine Association, and is registered 
with more than one professional Pharmacist's Association.

Welcome back, Pete. Is it true that when problems arise with synthetic hormones, 
such as Premarin and Provera that it's because these synthetic hormones aren't 
exact matches for our receptors? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, that is true. 


Dearest:  Many women don't really understand how hormones work in their bodies. 
Don't hormones give chemical messages to our bodies and cells in different parts 
of the body have "receptors" that bind only with specific hormones? Can you 
explain how hormones and receptor sites work? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Hormones are messengers in the body, each works 
their own way and then goes to the proper receptor sites hopefully.


Dearest:  How do they know which receptors to go to, Pete? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  That is a complicated process, and if everything is 
not in sync, it doesn't happen and that's when some people suffer.


Dearest:  Last question for now.. under what circumstances SHOULDN'T a woman use 
hormone therapy?


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Probably currently diagnosed with a cancer, or 
blood clot problems. 


Dearest:  What about gallstones?


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  If the gall bladder is bad, then I would stop until 
it is removed or cleared up.


Dearest:  Thank you, Pete. KLZG, go ahead with your question now. 


klzg:  I am 46.  Still having period every 25-26 days. Taking flaxseed, evening 
primrose, magnesium and calcium. TERRIBLE mood swings though. Also using 
progesterone cream. Can I start using any other hormones? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, you could, I would test first to see what you 
need, and do a complete review of symptoms.   Oftentimes mood swings are just a 
PMS time of the month problem.


Dearest:  GAYLE, GO AHEAD. 


Gayle993:  I'm a fan of Dr E Vliet who feels that E2 is the missing link, and 
will be converted to E3 and E1 as needed. What do you say?


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I agree with that.


Dearest:  TZ, go ahead 


TZ:  Do you ever find these side effects with natural progesterone?  High blood 
pressure, unstable hemoglobin. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I never saw unstable hemoglobin, but once in a 
while the high BP does occur. 


TZ:  I found my pressure went down after I started taking soy in conjunction 
with the progesterone. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  That was probably do to the Phytoestrogen in the 
soy, for estrogen is a vasodilator that lowers blood pressure. 


TZ:  Also, I lowered my progesterone from 200 daily to 100 daily and hope my 
hemoglobin stabilizes.  Thank you.


Dearest:  Pete, I've read that even 1/2 the conventional dose of estrogen and/or 
progesterone can work as well. Your thoughts? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  We are finding that to be quite true in actuality. 


Shannon:  I am 49, still having periods regularly; however, I have symptoms of 
estrogen dominance; I have thought about starting progesterone but upon reading 
recommended dosages I am a little confused. I have been diagnosed with 
endometriosis (and I never was able to bear children) but I also have symptoms 
of PMS...the recommended doses are very different. Which condition should I 
"treat" first?


Dearest:  Shannon, you need to type only a ? to screen and you will be called on 
in turn, but since your question is so long, let's address it now. Pete, you can 
answer Shannon's question. Thanks. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I would treat the endometriosis first, and that 
will probably help the PMS too. 


Dearest:  Does that answer your question, Shannon?   NEMESIS, please go ahead 


Shannon:  Yes, thank you.


Nemesis:  Gained 30 pounds in a week and a half because of estrogen patch. Also 
severe muscle spasms that still plague me. Exercise both aerobic and weight for 
7 months now--no weight or size loss, gained very little muscle tone. What's 
going on? I'm 55 and menopausal.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Are you balancing the patch with some Progesterone 
and testosterone? 


Dearest:  30 pounds in a week and a half? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  That's a lot of weight awfully quickly, do you have 
another medical problem?


Nemesis:  NO PATCH WHATSOEVER after what happened. Using progesterone cream and 
red clover estrogen OTC supplement.  No other medical problems. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  So have you lost some weight after stopping the 
patch?


Nemesis:  No loss whatsoever.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I think we should do a test of hormone levels and 
see where you are at internally. 


Dearest:  PHOENIX, go ahead with your question. 


Phoenix:  I suffered a stroke in 1994, should I use natural hormones, tried 
synthetic, gave me terrible headaches, and started my period again with terrible 
clots, stopped taking pills/patch. now age 53, every menopausal symptom there 
is, much like Nemesis.


Nemesis:  I have a new test list, will FAX it to you and talk, if that's OK. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It would be advised to use them now, yes, but start 
with low doses and work your way up.   Also take them so as to not have periods 
again. 


Dearest:  Pete, you would recommend a woman with a history of a stroke to use 
hormones? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, we have several women doing much better by 
using them in low doses, it can help with the recovery actually. 


Phoenix:  What type of hormones and what dosage?  Synthetic or natural? 


Dearest:  But isn't stroke one of the potential side effects of HRT? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I would have to talk to you to get a complete 
history, then I could better advise you of which ones and the dose. 


Phoenix:  Thanks 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It is a potential problem in high doses and with 
synthetics especially. 


Dearest:  Pete can be reached at 1-800-728-0288 or E.mailed at 
consultph@bpharmacysolutions.com 
LIBRADOLL, go ahead. 


libradoll:  Why do some women do better taking Cenestin than Estradial and if 
you smoke do you need higher doses.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I don't have a good answer for the Cenestin vs 
estradiol but if you smoke, you should also take a 81mg. tablet of aspirin once 
a day to help prevent clotting. 


Dearest:  HSPEC, go ahead 


HSpec:  Could you please explain the difference between naturally compounded HRT 
and synthetic HRT? What are the pros and cons of each?


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Natural is safer and more efficient, and generally 
cause less risk of cancer, the natural is chemically identical to what your 
ovaries used to secrete and your body does not have to metabolize it into 
something to be recognized. 


HSpec:  Thanks.


Dearest:  And all naturally compounded hormones are plant derived? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, they are.  Anything that says conjugated or 
esterified, even if from soy, is synthetic.


Dearest:  Would Cenestin be synthetic then? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, it is officially 1/2 synthetic, not totally 
natural. 


Dearest:  GAYLE, your turn. Please go ahead. 


Gayle993:  Are swollen hands and feet necessarily a sign of too much estrogen? 
(I'm on Vivelle patch now) Also, are you familiar with weird taste and vision 
problems with ERT? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, that could be a symptom of inbalance, are you 
on any progesterone with it?

Yes, the patches or any estrogen can cause some vision problems or taste 
problems. 


Dearest:  Thank you, Pete. KLZG, go ahead please. 


klzg:  Is there a listing on the internet by city of "Power Surge Approved" 
physicians/pharmacists, etc, so to speak? Pete's phone and e-mail just posted. 
Do you provide referrals. Finding a "tuned in" ob-gyn or GP is really a 
challenge! 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, if you e-mail me with your a/c & phone number 
and zip code and a few large cities within a 2 hour drive of your home I can 
usually find you a doctor. and if I can't, I can tell you about our House Doctor 
to use. 

klzg:  thank you Pete! I feel better already!


Dearest:  Thanks, Mary. NANCYR, go ahead, please. 


NancyR:  I have developed a large ovarian cyst. I took PremPro for 3 months. Do 
you think there is any connection? I will be having surgery the day after 
Christmas.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Possibly, but I couldn't answer that for sure and 
really blame it on the Premarin, maybe you had an imbalance of hormones anyway. 


Dearest:  Pete can be reached at 1-800-728-0288 or E.mailed at
consultph@bpharmacysolutions.com 
LIBRADOLL, GO AHEAD.


libradoll:  When I used Vivelle Dot .05 or .1mg I'd get wheezing what would 
cause this. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Estrogens can flare up asthma like symptoms. 


libradoll:  What can you do for the asthma?


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Go to your Doctor and have him or her also 
prescribe some wheezing medication. 


Dearest:  Pete, when you say estrogen can flare up asthma, isn't it true that 
our histamine levels can be affected by our hormone levels and cause all sorts 
of allergies and respiratory problems? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, that is why some people get the asthmatic 
symptoms or a runny nose, watery or dry eyes, itching etc. 


Dearest:  Libradoll, I don't have asthma and had two years of wheezing problems. 
It eventually disappears and is a common symptom of menopause. 


Dearest:  GAYLE, go ahead, please. 


Gayle993:  In desperation, I've read in 2+ medical type books that "the major 
hormone secreted by the ovary is androstenedione." Why aren't we routinely 
supplemented with it, especially post-hysterectomy? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It turns into testosterone, so we do sell lots of 
testosterone, why not use what you need instead of hoping that the precursor 
will turn into enough of it? 


AtinaLee:  Hi! I'm on estriol and progesterone compounding and my biggest 
problem is that I itch on my feet and they are swollen and the itching keeps me 
up all night and I have terrible itching on my feet and they are swollen. 


Dearest:  Is that your question, AtinaLee?  Because itching and swelling are 
very common during perimenopause.


AtinaLee:  My question is what can I do about this itching I have? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Are you on hormones? Have you been to a podiatrist?  
We have to first figure out if it is due to hormone imbalance or something else.


AtinaLee:  I'm on estriol and progesterone compounding. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Why not some estradiol with the estriol? 


AtinaLee:  I have not been to a podiatrist but I am considering going to a 
dermatologist. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Lack of estrogen, estradiol can cause dry skin and 
itching. 


Dearest:  You can call Pete at 1-800-728-0288 or E.mail him at 
consultph@bpharmacysolutions.com 


AtinaLee:  I am being cautious. 


Dearest:  SHERRY1, go ahead, please. 


Sherry1:  My doctor took me off of my estrogen.  Why did I feel so drugged when 
I was taking Cenestin? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It was probably just a side effect of the synthetic 
hormone.


Dearest:  ATHENA, go ahead, please 


Athena:  Hello, I'd like to know if the estrogen I'm taking is bio-identical. 
The name of the product is Climaderm 7 B Estradiol. My gyn can't tell me if it 
is.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It sounds like estradiol 17 beta which is one of 
the natural estrogens.  Is that from the USA? 


Athena:  Yes, I live in Argentina 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  So I do believe it is one of the natural, I just 
don't know the exact names of all the foreign drugs. 


Dearest:  GAYLE, go ahead, please 


Gayle993:  I'm also a fan of Dr. Crenshaw...(!) Is there anything being done 
these days about what she calls the "little players" like dopamine, vasopressin, 
oxytocin, DHEA, PEA...? 

Athena:  OK thank you 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  We do use lots of DHEA, not a whole lot of the 
others for hormone patients. 


Dearest:  Pete, what exactly is a precursor hormone? Is that something like 
pregnenolone? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Pregnenolone is a precursor to DHEA and 
progesterone, and yes it is a precursor and that means it will metabolize into 
one of the major hormones in the body. 


Dearest:  Thanks, Pete. KARROLI, go ahead, please 


Karroli:  I was on estradiol for 10 years.  Doctor just changed to Evista.  Are 
there any side effects?


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Hot flashes mostly are the only complaint. 


Karroli:  Do the hot flashes go away?  That is one of my complaints with it. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It helps to protect the bones without causing any 
risk of breast cancer.  Probably the hot flashes will not go away without adding 
in a little estrogen. 


Dearest:  WILDFLOWERS, go ahead, please. 


Wildflowers:  My gynecologist prescribed low dose birth control pills to 
regulate periods..after taking 2 I became very very sick, vomiting etc.  Do you 
believe it is the synthetic bc pills?  Natural would not be as harsh on the 
system?  I stopped bc pills and periods are now again regular. I took them for 2 
weeks..nauseated the whole time and quit.  Am awaiting the arrival of Revival 
soy shakes to see how I do with that.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  You have it figured out precisely, I would call, 
and I'll give you a suggestion of what to have the doctor prescribe that would 
be natural and probably not have those bad side effects. 


Wildflowers:  okay..thank you 


Dearest:  DWHISP, go ahead with your question, please. 


DWhisp:  I am wondering why after a hysterectomy that progesterone is still 
necessary/needed? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It officially is not needed, but we do find many 
women do very well with a low dose to help level out their moods. 


DWhisp:  Head wise?  thanks.


Dearest:  Isn't it true that synthetic hormones cling to the receptor sites much 
longer than our body's own hormones or natural hormones? And what does that 
potentially mean? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  That is true and could be why they cause more side 
effects, and possibly why they seem stronger and maybe why there is a rise in 
cancer cases.


Dearest:  Thanks, Pete. GAYLE, go ahead, please. 


Gayle993:  Do you feel there should be a limit to soy isoflavones in the diet if 
you are on estrogen (Vivelle)? I'm also hypothyroid and on synthroid.


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Yes, one or two doses of the soy are adequate, soy 
can interfere with thyroid medications too.


Dearest:  You can call Pete at 1-800-728-0288 or E.mail him at 
consultph@bpharmacysolutions.com 


Gayle993:  What is a dose? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  One shake or one serving of nuts or tofu etc. 


Dearest:  SHERRY1, go ahead, please. 


Sherry1:  I had a full hysterectomy.  Why do I feel better since I stopped 
taking estrogen and will this last? 


Dearest:  He's a pharmacist, not a psychic :) 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Time will tell about if you feel good after months 
of being off it, how long have you been off?  Thank you, Dearest. 


Dearest:  MRSSLG, go ahead, please 


MrsSLG:  How important is it to wait 4 hrs. between Synthroid dose and Soy 
products like I've read in Power Surge website? 


Dearest:  That's what the manufacturer of Synthroid recommends, MrsSLG 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  Very important, so as to not nullify the dose of 
thyroid that you are taking.


MrsSLG:  Thank you. 


Gayle993:  Last question...I've often got a rumbling, "waterfall", feeling in my 
legs? Estrogen? 


Dearest:  Could also be circulation. 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  I would have to know your entire history, and what 
you are on, so I can't answer that right now.  Please call me and we can discuss 
at length.


Dearest:  What other benefits besides increasing/restoring sexual libido does 
testosterone provide to our bodies and how important is it that we supplement 
testosterone the way we do estrogen and progesterone? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  It helps to keep us strong (muscles) helps solve 
minor depression, and can help build bones and lift peoples moods.  It also 
keeps the heart strong.


Dearest:  MRSSLG, go ahead. 


MrsSLG:  When my time comes for menopause, is HRT necessary if I'm following the 
Revival plan? 


Pete Hueseman, R.Ph., P.D.:  HRT is not always necessary, try the Revival 
program first, and if run have problems, then call me and we'll work a low dose 
HRT in with your daily shake routine. 


MrsSLG:  Thank you! 


Dearest:  You can read many of Pete's previous transcripts in the Library at 
http://www.power-surge.com/library.htm 

And there's always the Ask The Pharmacist area on the Web site at 
http://www.power-surge.com/asktheexperts.htm 

Pete, thank you for another great chat about naturally compounded hormones in 
treating our menopausal symptoms. If anyone is interested in using naturally 
compounded hormones, you can talk to and purchase them directly from Pete. He an 
be reached at 1-800-728-0288 or E.mailed at consultph@bpharmacysolutions.com.  

Thanks, Pete. Happy Holidays to you and Gail :) 



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