Many women experience changes and imbalance with female hormones, including decreased levels of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone as they get older. Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause affect a woman’s sense of well-being and balance. By using bioidentical hormones, you can improve energy, weight gain, sleep, menopausal or perimenopausal hot flashes, loss of libido and drive, and decreased mental clarity. Dr. K accepts new patients seeking treatment with bioidentical hormones and that want to restore balance and hormone optimization. Call the OB/GYN Care Orlando office in Winter Park, Florida, or request an appointment online to learn more.
Bioidentical hormones are designed to be chemically identical to hormones in your body. They’re made from plant or animal sources (like soy or yams), instead of an artificial creation from a lab. Researchers believe that because bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones you already have in your body, they’re going to work more efficiently than traditional hormone replacement therapy treatments.
If you are experiencing hormone imbalance with fatigue, foggy thinking, depression, thinning hair, excessive hair on face and arms, low blood pressure, painful or severe menstruation, tender breasts, painful intercourse, low sex drive, or ovarian cysts, you might have a hormone imbalance. Bioidentical hormones by replacing needed natural hormones like testosterone and estrogen will relieve these symptoms. Women will notice improved libido and response, better energy and focus, along with improving weight control. If you are having menopausal hot flashes and symptoms related to full menopause you will find relief from these bothersome symptoms as well.
If you are having symptoms of hormone loss or imbalance replacement with testosterone and estradiol will help you. Depending on your age and deficits in the hormone, your symptoms may be mild or severe. Symptoms Include:
In general, if you haven’t yet had a hysterectomy and still have a uterus, you will need to take progesterone along with your estrogen bioidentical hormone treatment. Otherwise, your risk of developing uterine cancer drastically increases. If you no longer have your uterus, it’s unlikely that you need to take progesterone.
Ideally, you’ll schedule annual visits — or more often, depending on your health — at the first sign or concern of hormonal imbalance even before you have perimenopause or menopausal symptoms sometimes. If you are in perimenopause, this is the stage in your life leading up to menopause, when your periods stop altogether. During perimenopause, your period may come every 2-4 months for several years, although some women report menstruating monthly up until menopause fully kicks in. Many women experience hormone loss and imbalance well before full menopause and loss of libido and drive can occur during or before perimenopause.
Dr. K can help you with uncomfortable hot flashes and symptoms that occur during perimenopause and all the way through menopause. You’ll also need to talk with him about birth control. While it’s more difficult to get pregnant during perimenopause, it can still happen, so you need to plan accordingly.
Dr. K will evaluate all of your symptoms and give you a few options for bioidentical hormone therapy treatment. Bioidentical hormones come in multiple formularies and dosages, so it just depends on your needs. You can get bioidentical hormones through several routes however transdermals and pellets are the most effective and tolerated.
*Individual results may vary
