Endocrinology

What is endocrinology?

Endocrinology is an ever-expanding field of healthcare that studies the endocrine system and its diseases. Endocrine disorders are conditions caused by an overabundance or deficiency of hormones. Disorders of hormone balance can greatly reduce the quality of life, causing a wide range of symptoms including:

• Fatigue.
• Unexplained weight gain or weight loss.
• Constipation.
• Diarrhea or more frequent bowel movements.
• Abdominal bloating or discomfort
• Numbness and tingling in your hands.
• Higher-than-normal blood cholesterol levels.
• Depression or anxiety.
• Irregular or painful periods for women
• Cystic acne

Endocrinology is a medical speciality that specifically deals with the health of the endocrine system. The endocrine system consists of organs, such as the thyroid gland, ovaries, testes, adrenal glands, and pancreas, which produce and secrete particular hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones control a wide range of bodily functions, from growth and development to metabolism and reproductive health. Disruptions in hormone production and/or levels can lead to abnormal bodily functions and a wide range of health problems.

Endocrinology includes an extensive list of diseases, with some of the most common beings:

• Diabetes mellitus – Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disorder caused by an insulin deficiency. This leads to excessive production of glucose in the bloodstream, which can cause damage to the body’s organs and tissues. 
• Hyperthyroidism – Hyperthyroidism is a condition caused by an overproduction of hormones from the thyroid gland. Symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, goitre, and nervousness.
• Hypothyroidism – Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. Symptoms of this disorder include fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, and hair loss. 
• Cushing’s Syndrome – Cushing’s Syndrome is caused by an excess production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Symptoms include weight gain, excessive hair growth, and weakened bones. 
• PCOS – PCOS is a condition for women in which sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone and progesterone) are out of balance in relation to one another. Symptoms are varied but include infertility and irregular periods. 
• Low testosterone – testosterone naturally decreases for men with each decade of life, but physical or emotional stress as well as infection, autoimmune disease, poor diet and exercise can cause it to decrease more rapidly. Sexual dysfunction, low energy and weakness can result. 
• Obesity – although weight gain often results directly from disordered eating, sedentary lifestyle, and poor food quality (diet high in processed foods) we know that obesity leads to hormone disruption and when hormones are disrupted, your body resists weight loss. Prescription medications often treat this disruption and support you in returning to a healthy weight.
• Gender Dysphoria and Gender-Affirming Care – Affecting as many as 1 in 10, gender dysphoria is a medically recognized diagnoses and an experienced endocrinologist can prescribe gender-affirming hormone therapy. Dr Berbano is passionate about transgender care and has extensive experience in this new area of medicine. If you are transgender and in need of hormone therapy, Dr Berbano can help you to live the life you want.

Exceptional Care for Your Hormone Issues

In 2022 Dr Recaredo Berbano joined Bethany Medical Clinic, bringing his 30 years of clinical experience to meet the needs of our patients with hormone-related diagnoses and imbalances. He comanages our patients with our primary care provider team,  psychotherapy team and nutrition team to give our patients with hormonal complaints or disorders complete 360 degree care. 

Inspired by his grandfather who was diagnosed with Diabetes, Dr Berbano pursued a career in medicine and specialized in Endocrinology. From a young age, he wanted to be someone who could help people live longer and better lives. He now draws from 30 years of clinical experience and clinical leadership to give expert care to our patients.

Dr. Berbano feels fortunate to have completed his clinical training in New York City. His medical residency was at Lenox Hill Hospital and his Endocrinology Fellowship was at  St. Vincent’s Hospital where he was first exposed to transgender management. His training helped shape him into the well rounded physician he is today. Since leaving training over 25 years ago he has worked in the Lehigh Health System in Pennsylvania and has developed a great interest in and passion for: Obesity Medicine: care for Reproductive Hormone Imbalances including Low testosterone, PCOS and Menopause; and in Transgender Medicine (including gender-affirming hormone therapy.) Through review of medical literature and extensive clinical experience, he has built an arsenal of prescription and non-prescription tools to help his patients treat hormone disorders and also optimize hormone balance so they can live the life they want.

Bringing 3 decades of training and clinical experience, Dr Berbano can offer you an unmatched expert clinical evaluation. Bloodwork can support one hormone system disruption over another, but because of the natural volatility of hormone levels (because our hormone systems are sensitive and delicate) , labs can be unrevealing at times. An astute diagnostician like Dr Berbano can tease out your underlying hormone imbalance by asking the right questions, and then give the appropriate prescription and lifestyle change to rebalance and optimize your hormones.

You don’t need to live with uncomfortable hormone-related symptoms any more!

Connect with Dr Berbano today in person or via telemedicine:

Why Our Care is Different:

At Bethany Medical Clinic, we believe that each patient deserves personalized and comprehensive care so that each treatment plan is tailored to meet the needs of the individual. Dr Berbano co-manages patients with our primary care providers and uses the latest data and approaches to provide the best possible outcome for our patients. We take pride in meeting our patients right where they’re at and providing treatment options to improve their overall health. 

• We do not dismiss your symptoms: we have heard over and over that other practices and providers can be dismissive of the complaints you bring to them. At Bethany we know you know your body. We listen when you tell us: you are tired; or have experienced mood changes; or noticed changes in your libido or sexual function; or that you are eating and exercising ideally, but your body is resisting weight loss. Its not in your head, and an expert clinician with extensive endocrinology training and experience CAN help you.
• We carefully consider side effects and risks: We do not use estrogen therapies unless there is no other option. Many endocrinologists and general providers approach PCOS patients with combination birth control pills (containing estrogen) and treat menopause symptoms with traditional hormone replacement therapy (including estrogen replacement.)
• ⅔ of women with PCOS have estrogen dominance and oral contraceptive pills containing estrogen may worsen their symptoms instead of rebalancing their hormones
•  Estrogen replacement for menopause carries the risk of heart disease, breast, and uterine cancers and rarely is needed for control of the common symptoms of menopause. Dr Berbano uses a personalized approach to address each individual symptom you are experiencing. Menopause looks different for different women and the evidence we have can take us much further than a one-size-fits-all approach. Dr Berbano prescribes replacement of progesterone alone as well as several other medications to target specific disruptive symptoms women experience in menopause 
• We use current statistically sound evidence as the basis for our care: we are a team of licenced and board-certified medical doctors who believe in science and medicine. We don’t prescribe or support any unstudied herbs but we do know that food is medicine and exercise matters. Dr Berbano can guide you through the confusing world of supplements and alternative therapies by explaining what we have evidence for and what is still unknown. He will also recommend diet and exercise changes specifically intended to support hormone re-balance. But in addition, he will prescribe you medication options that work reliably and consistently to get your hormones optimized and give you back the life you want. Avoid the noise on social media and trust the expert who has seen it all. 
• We give personalized care for every patient with every need: we have heard from many of our patients that healthcare systems have excluded them or their specific needs and we have intentionally designed care plans that address these needs completely. From those in need of medical weight loss care, to transgender medicine, to patients with rare or unusual endocrine diseases, to patients needing attention for mood swings that have been dismissed by past providers – we can help you. 

At Bethany Medical Clinic, we are proud to be your partner for better health.