The following stories have been taken from actual cases in Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D.’s practice. All names are fictitious to protect patient confidentiality.
Sheryl, Estrogen Therapy, age: 80
80 years old and a long-standing patient who decided three years ago after being successfully treated for breast cancer to go back on estrogen therapy with the estradiol patch.
“You’ve made my life so wonderful these last few years. I want to keep on with what I’m doing, and feel good. I am so much better off than the people here at this retirement center who are my age and even younger, but not taking any hormones. I sleep well, the hot flashes are gone, the night sweats are gone, and I have good energy and I’m really happy with the decision I made.”
Casey, PCOS
This recording was done on April 4, 2017 with Dr. Vliet and her patient regarding PCOS and what it can do to you as an adolescent and young adult.
SW from Maryland, age 52
“My anxiety is gone, I sleep well, I don’t have any hot flashes or night sweats. I do feel good on this combination, and I like the daily regimen with the estrogen and progestin in the one pill of Activella since it is so convenient. I think it has been good for my bones to have started the estrogen at 39 because I was already starting to lose bone then, and I think I would have lost a lot more by now if I had not started working with you on the hormones. I think I am doing a lot better than other women my age!”
42 Years Old, Mother of 3
“42 year old mother of 3 children, from Montana whose hormone struggles began at the age of 40 with puzzling and debilitating pain symptoms that got progressively worse and drastically interfered with her ability to function. She had seen many doctors in a variety of specialties before coming to Tucson for her evaluation with me. She is a devout Christian, and said she pleaded with God to help her find help for relief of her bladder and muscle pain so she could get her life back to be able to be a mother to her children. At her appointment December 12, 2012, she said she is so pleased with progress she has made since her first consult and being on hormone therapy for past 7 months.” Read More
Margaret S., Ph. D.
“Your warning gave us the opportunity to become informed consumers, explore our options and ask relevant questions so 
we could decide on a therapy which was acceptable to us. This is the way medicine should be practiced: freedom of choice, recommendations by experts, enough information for patients to make informed choices and the option of paying for treatments which insurance companies will not cover. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and expertise about hormones with us.” Read More
Jenn
“My first visit with Dr. Vliet was August 4th 2011. I was at my absolute rock bottom! I had suffered with extreme depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Beginning at age 18, I had been treated for these conditions. Over the years, I was prescribed 22 different antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and psychotropic medications, none of which worked.” Read More
Connie
“Dr. Vliet & Staff, I wanted to thank you so very much for making me feel welcome during my daughter’s consult visit last Thursday. I have never met a better group of women in a Doctor’s office! We were all so very impressed with how you conduct your business, and how we were made to feel “at home”. My daughter is in some ways already feeling better, and I know it is going to take time, but you have been an answer to prayer. Thank you so very much for letting God use you to get to the root of my daughter’s problems. As her mother it has been such a very hard time for me. I knew in my heart she did not have a mental issue. You gave us the answers we were looking for! I hope to see you again sometime.
God Bless and Thank you again,
Connie, from Texas”
Shelly, 34 Years Old, Premature Menopause “I’ve been on Premphase since my doctor told me I was in premature menopause. I can’t remember things, I’m gaining weight around the middle of my body, I have NO energy, my sex drive is totally gone, my joints ache, and this is all getting worse.” Read More
Cathy, 56 Years Old, Hysterectomy & Removed Ovaries Cathy still had night sweats that woke her up several times during the night. Extreme fatigue was making it hard for her to get through her daily activities. She also complained that her breasts felt full and tender most of the time. She couldn’t remember things well and felt like she had “brain fog.” Her complete loss of interest in sex was affecting her marriage. Read More
Ruby, 35 Years Old, Migraines & Weight Gain This young woman came in for a consultation because she was having problems with marked weight gain, difficulty losing weight, irregular menstrual cycles, irritability, mood swings, excess body hair, and other issues. Read More
Judith, 31 Years Old, Acne, Boils & Skin Discoloration Judith had severe cystic acne, skin breakouts, and discoloration of her skin, especially on her face. All this coincided with the progesterone-dominant phase of her menstrual cycle. She had tried all kinds of medications and approaches for this “dermatological” problem, without success. No one had ever checked her hormones! Read More
Ria, 53 Years Old, Fibromyalgia & Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Ria had been treated for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a syndrome that causes a burning, excruciating pain difficult to relieve even with narcotic medication. Over the past five years, however, she had developed a new, clearly different kind of pain — a dull and aching sensation in the muscles of her arms, hands, legs, and back. In less than a year, the pain had grown to the point that Ria had difficulty walking and had begun using a cane. Read More
Odessa, 42 Years Old, Interstitial Cystitis In excruciating pain, up all night long to urinate, exhausted from lack of sleep and chronic pain, having to urinate forty to sixty times a day, Odessa was dismissed by the urologist in her HMO who told her she didn’t need any more tests and that she just had to “stop drinking so much water.” Read More
Rya, 42 Years Old, Mood Swings, Headaches “I have terrible mood swings and constant headaches, and I have been so frustrated with this because I have always been so healthy. I just want some answers with my hormones and what I can do to take something more natural and feel better. My psychologist heard you speak and feels you are the person I should see.” Read More
VR, 65 Years Old, Hypertension “I believe Dr. Vliet saved my life. She listened to my concerns and accepted the possible validity of them. She ordered the tests that would give her the factual information she needed to confirm or deny my subjective feelings about my body. Dr. Vliet did a complete reevaluation, and with her colleague, provided me with a new regimen of preventative medicine and appropriate medications.” Read More