Adrienne Clamp, MD: I most often use compounded bioidentical hormones, though sometimes I use herbal remedies or Chinese herbal formulae. It really depends on the imbalance. I think that progesterone deficiency is a greatly underdiagnosed problem, much more so than estrogen deficiency in my experience. Also testosterone is often overlooked as well. There are many herbals that have been used and are useful, but I tend to use the hormones themselves when I have made a diagnosis of deficiency. I do not believe it is optimal to use nonbioidentical hormones.
Mary Shomon: How has your own experience getting your thyroid condition diagnosed and treated changed the way you are practicing medicine with your own patients?
Adrienne Clamp, MD: Hopefully, I can help as well to repair the feelings of mistrust and anger that some patients have towards the medical community over this issue. I think I have always listened to people in a caring and compassionate way, but I hope that my own condition has made me more sensitive and dedicated to taking patients seriously and working to get them well. Thyroid disease is something that has taken its toll on my health, and so I can understand with an expanded awareness what patients who struggle with this are going through.
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About Adrienne Clamp, MD: Adrienne Clamp, MD, is board certified in Family Medicine and Medical Acupuncture. She graduated from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1979, followed by a residency in Family Medicine at the St. Francis Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. She has served on the faculty at the Georgetown University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine. Dr. Clamp -- along with Kate Lemmerman, MD -- is in private practice in McLean, Virginia. Dr. Clamp is also a certified Usui Reiki Master and Teacher, and is an accomplished musician and artist. Dr. Clamp's website is located at www.dradrienneclamp.com.
Source: Mary Shomon interview with Adrienne Clamp, MD. July 22, 2008
Photo © Adrienne Clamp
