Bioidentical Hormone Replacement (BHRT)
Bioidentical Hormones are chemically the same molecular structure as the hormones that are produced naturally in your body. They are typically derived from plants (soy or yam). In theory, the body should not be able to tell if these hormones came from our body or a lab.
Bioidentical hormones can be very effective at relieving symptoms caused by menopause and perimenopause.
Other forms of hormone replacement are chemically not the same as the hormones we produce in our bodies. They are synthetic or derived from other animals. They are not molecularly the same. This distinction can make a tremendous difference on how a hormone acts in the body and its safety profile.
25 Plus years of research and hundreds of published studies have demonstrated bioidentical hormones to be equally or more effective than non-bioidentical hormones for symptoms.
Have you been struggling with symptoms of hormone imbalance and wondering if you are a candidate for hormone replacement?
Common Symptoms of Hormone Imbalances:
Hot flashes
Depressed mood
Brain fog, decreased concentration, memory issues
Feeling sluggish or fatigue
Decreased libido
Dry skin, dry eyes
Vaginal dryness
Thinning or aging skin, including wrinkles
Weight gain despite not changing diet or exercise
Changes in your period
Increasing PMS, bloating
Anxiety or irritability
Changes in Sleep
Are Hormones Safe?
For most women, the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement, outweigh the risks, especially if they are within 5-10 years of menopause. We know that once a woman enters menopause that her risk for heart disease, dementia and osteoporosis increase significantly. Restoring hormone levels to optimal levels can help a woman significantly with symptoms and quality of life.
Some women should not use hormone replacement as the risks outweigh the benefits:
Those with known or suspected breast cancer or other estrogen or progesterone sensitive cancers.
Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding.
Active or recent arterial thromboembolic disease (such as a heart attack or stroke)
Active or recent venous thromboembolic disease (such as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)).
Known or suspected pregnancy.
Active severe liver disease.
Some conditions were previously thought to be automatic disqualifications for hormone replacement. Reseach has now demonstrated that the following are NOT automatic disqualification for hormone replacement therapy:
A history of endometriosis
A history of adenomyosis
A family history of heart disease, liver disease or breast cancer.
A history of migraine headaches
We conduct a risk-benefit assessment on each patient prior to considering bioidentical hormone replacement. The decision to start BHRT is an individual one and one that is made together after careful consideration.
If you are not a candidate for estrogen replacement therapy or don’t wish to use hormone replacement therapy, it is still very important for that you balance your other hormones like insulin, cortisol, thyroid. We also offer many non-hormonal based options for those that are not candidates for BHRT. All of our patients are educated on foundational lifestyle behaviors that are essential for long term health and wellness.
Get back to feeling like you again!
What Can Be Done?
Bioidentical Hormones are available in many forms including:
Pills
Topical creams, gels or patches
Vaginal creams or suppositories
Sublingual lozenges (troches)
We start with testing hormone levels, reviewing your symptoms and medical history. We only replace hormones that are deficient.
We use lifestyle interventions, diet, supplements and bioidentical hormone replacement. For the BHRT, we can use either FDA approved formulations from a regular pharmacy or customized dosing formulations from a compounding pharmacy.
We monitor your symptoms and make sure you are feeling better and not having any side effects.
We then re-test your hormone levels to make sure we have the right dose.
We are here to help you feel and function better! We will provide you with the support, encouragement, education and empowerment and be with you every step of the way!
