Customer Reviews

It's My Ovaries, Stupid!

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Every woman should read this book!

I've suffered from PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) symptoms since my first period and went from doctor to doctor seeking help. As is typical, I was often told it was in my head. One doctor told me that my problem was: "The size of my ass and the amount of time I sit on it."
Forget that I was thin when the disorder first became debilitating. Another doctor told me that I couldn't have PCOS as I only had one cyst on my ovary--you don't have to have any cysts to have PCOS as Dr. Vliet explains in this book.

Many doctors out there are totally ignorant about PCOS and the complications it causes. A lot of them will put you on progesterone if you're having hormonal problems--though often the problem is estradiol deficiency (I've been there).

For me PCOS caused severe fatigue, depression, hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia, lack of libido, 90 pounds of weight gain, excess body hair, muscle and joint pain, irregular periods, PMS that lasts all month, mood swings, IBS, and many other symptoms. I became an invalid in my mid-20's due to PCOS and the resulting estradiol decline it caused. I was a medical student with a 3.9 GPA but had to discontinue my studies due to the severe fatigue the hormone imbalance caused.

More recently, I've developed high blood pressure, hyperplasia of the uterine lining and heart problems--all complications of PCOS--I'm only 40.

All along, I knew the problem was my hormones, but doctors didn't believe me or didn't know what to do about it. This book was enlightening. I read it and thought: 'Finally there's a medical professional out there who understands.' I was elated!

Luckily, I recently found a doctor who seems to have a good grasp of the disorder (though no one compares to Vliet) and I'm beginning to feel a little better. Nothing can fix the damage that the disorder has done to my body over the years; however, and I wish I could have read a book like this long ago.

A lot of women write to me about hypoglycemia, and I always recommend this book. Again, every woman should read this book. I can't recommend this or Vliet's other books highly enough. I'm grateful to her for her body of work and for helping people understand hormone disorders through these books.

Dr. Vliet is the most insightful doctor I have ever come in contact with. Over the past few years I had no clue what was going on with my body and hormones and as a 25 year old woman having hot flashes I knew something was wrong. After going over 11 months to my regular doctors and OB/Gyn I was convinced that I was going crazy because the 3 blood tests that they ran came up showing that my hormones were "normal". I read this book and became armed with so much knowledge that I scared my own doctors. I learned that there are many more tests that should have been ran but my doctors did not want to hear a patient tell them what to do. I went to Dr. Vliet and she has helped me re-gain my life, my self-esteem, and my womanhood. This book is informative and will give you a better understanding of your hormones and in this day and age we need to become our own doctors in a sense. The more informed you are the more powerful you become.

Additionally, if you have been diagnosed with PCOS or suspect that you may have PCOS you MUST READ THIS BOOK!

Many thanks to Dr. Vliet!

Vliet does a wonderful job of explaining how hormones work and why you are dragging through life when they are out of balance. If you think you have a hormone problem, suffer from unexplained fatigue, have PCOS, endemetriosis, or any other female disorder, you need to read this book, Then, if your doctor is not listening, fire them and find someone who will help you get well.

She offers real information about the dangers of environmental chemicals and food additives that you won't find elsewhere. Learn what you need to know to regain your life and protect your body from the chemicals that are contributing to the epidemic of fertility problems, obesity, depression and fatigue.

My only problem with this book is that Vliet completely dismisses all natural treatments as dangerous. There are dangerous herbs, some of the most potent poisons come from plants. But the majority of herbs have a safety record that goes back centuries. I do hope she takes the time to learn about the herbs and natural treatments that are proven to work safely.

This book is a godsend. As a woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome, I have encountered many doctors and family members who felt that all of my symptoms could not possibly have been caused by a hormonal disturbance. You would not believe some of the stupid, unhelpful things doctors have said to me, such as suggesting that maybe the cause of my symptoms was depression (I'm not depressed!). However, since reading this book I have been able to take much more control over my own treatment. I wish every doctor would read this book. The hormone connections Dr. Vliet talks about are amazing, and the wisdom she shares indispensable. People still don't have enough of an understanding of how women's bodies work, and this book is the best one i've seen on the subject. (Because of my condition, I've read MANY books on women's health and PCOS, and this book is the only one that's truly been able to help me). I urge you to read this book and begin to take control over your own body.

THIS BOOK IS THE MISSING LINK, I am convinced, for women over 30. Dr. Vliet doesn't offer "one size fits all" solutions but her hormone advice is right-on. She is an expert on the female endocrine system and knows what she is talking about. I have compared Dr. Vliet's books to a few others out there, and none really compare. I wish I had found this book years ago, it would have saved me years of anguish. Premature ovarian decline is a real phenonmenon, whether the general public wants to accept it or not. I lived in denial for about 5 years thinking I was "too young" to have menopausal symptoms. It was just too embarassing and taboo to delve in to. I am so glad I did! My symptoms (acne, low energy, depression, insomnia) have resolved in less than a month on a low-dose birth control pill. Low dose birth control has done more for me than low-carb dieting, flax seed oil, progesterone cream ,etc. and other so-called "magic bullets" recommended by other so-called "experts". Dr. Vliet is an MD with 20 years of serious clinical practice, she knows what she is talking about. PMS cannot be cured through diet and exerise alone. I should know, I tried for 5 years.

Dr. Vliet's books (It's My Ovaries, as well as "Screaming to be Heard") have saved my life. I've suffered with daily headaches, including mind-bending migraines for 20 years now. It has cost me money, time, and peace of mind. I've visited nerologists, internists, gynecologists, and anesthesiologists with no relief. I picked up one of Dr. Vliet's books, and the hormone problems I had suspected suddenly became crystal clear. I disagree with the reviewer who suggests that what Dr. Vliet has done is a disservice to women. In fact, she's empowered us to listen to our own bodies to figure out what is wrong. I long suspected hormones to be the cause of my headaches, but was dissuaded from this belief by neurologist after neurologist. After visiting Dr. Vliet's Tucson center, I started a new hormone regulation regime and have felt better than ever before. There is still fine-tuning to be done, but the results are already encouraging. Dr. Vliet believes that the patient is the ultimate source for doctor's to tap into when making their diagnosis. Our bodies are complex systems, and it only makes sense that our sex hormones play a big role in the way our body functions. I recommend this book to any woman who has struggled with unpleasant symptoms and has been unable to discover why. Dr. Vliet does not talk down to the reader, but provides all the scientific evidence to back up her assertions. Thank you, Dr. Vliet!

The title of this book jumped out at me and struck my curiousity. After reading the book and being totally blown away, I went to see Dr. Vliet in Texas for a second medical opinion. Words cannot express the positive improvement in my life as a direct result of Dr. Vliet. This fascinating book is full of true life examples and actual case studies based on her years of medical experience. Her writing style reflects wisdom, warmth, humor, expertise, encouragement, and HOPE.

I'd always suspected birth control pills were triggering my vulvodynia episodes, but numerous gynecologists wouldn't even consider a connection. When I took birth control pills for a third time and had another vulvodynia flare-up -- along with urinary urgency and other symptoms of estrogen deficiency, such as pre-ovulatory and pre-menstrual mood swings -- I knew I that something to do with my hormones. Thank god for Elizabeth Vliet. I read "Screaming To Be Heard" first, which is excellent -- but this book contains most of the same information in a style that is much easier to read. Sure enough, when my hormones were tested, they confirmed everything that Vliet's book said they would base don my symptoms. This book can't take the place of your doctor, but it can help you take control of your medical problems by learning how your body works and what tests to ask for. I'd recommend it for any woman who has unexplained medical problems or is nearing menopause -- actually, any woman, period.

This book just makes sense! Every thing I have been feeling, fatigue, headache, anger out of proportion to events, moody, everything now has a possable answer. This book may not be the answer to everyones problems but it at leat gives you hope and a place to start. I didn't have that before. I'm actualy going to see this woman, she just gets it! EVERY woman needs to read this book even if she is not having problems, if not for herself then for her daughter, neice, or mother. We need to quit blindly trusting our Dr. They are only human. Information, and a good strong backbone to demand what's best for you as an individual is the key to good health care. This will greatly help with the information part of it. It's amazing how little we know about our bodies when the information is out there. Dr. Vliet not only tells you the what but explains the why as well.Then she backs everything up with documented lab studies. It's very interesting what has been found that is ignored. People go from Dr. to Dr. to Dr. on other issues untill they find a Dr. that tells them something that makes sense and that they can work with. Why not on hormones. If you have been to your Dr. for problems they can't explain or give an explnation that doesn't make sense to you, this book is your 2nd opnion. If you have or have had or love someone who has or have had overies you need to read this book. This woman just gets it!!!!

This book is a comprehensive guide to why so many young women suffer from symptoms (menstrual problems, weight issues, anxiety, depression, infertility, exhaustion, low sex drive, endometriosis, to name a few) that seem related but are dismissed by doctors as being "all in their head". If you have been feeling badly and think hormones could be the cause, buy this book. You will be amazed at how much you learn and how much more knowledgeable you'll be for future doctor visits.