Hormone therapy

Understanding Hormone Imbalances

Hormones regulate many critical bodily functions. When hormones fall out of balance, wide-ranging symptoms can occur. Common signs of hormone deficiency include:

Hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep disturbances
Loss of sex drive or sexual functioning troubles
Depression, mood changes, or emotional instability
Trouble concentrating or memory lapses
Weight gain and slowed metabolism
Loss of muscle mass and bone density

Women undergoing menopause face a sharp drop in estrogen and progesterone. This often produces disruptive menopause symptoms that greatly reduce one's vitality and comfort.

Seeking hormone therapy can help restore optimal hormone levels, relieve deficiency symptoms, and enable one to thrive again.

Customizing Your Hormone Therapy

Expert clinics like Hormone Wellness Center offer advanced hormone replacement approaches to suit each woman's needs:

Bioidentical Hormones

"Bioidentical" hormones have a molecular structure matching natural hormones made in the body. This allows optimal activation of hormone receptors to produce normal responses. Common bioidentical hormones used include estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and more.

Compounded Hormones

Compounded hormones are custom-mixed in specialized pharmacies to create personalized doses, strengths, and delivery methods. This flexibility helps practitioners fine-tune regimens for each patient.

Monitoring and Follow-Up

Experts adjust hormone therapy over time based on follow-up testing, symptom tracking, and treatment goals. This ensures continued safety and efficacy. They may modify doses, switch delivery methods, or add complementary treatments as needed.

Benefits of Balanced Hormones

Restoring hormone balance through replacement therapy can provide tremendous benefits, including:

Relief of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and other deficiency symptoms
Reduced risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures
Improved skin thickness, moisture, elasticity
Enhanced sexual desire and functioning
Increased energy levels and ability to build muscle mass
Improved sleep quality
Better memory, focus and concentration
Heightened overall sense of health and wellbeing

Seeking Specialized Care

Experiencing disruptive menopause symptoms? Noticing other signs of hormone imbalance? Don't delay seeking help. Timely treatment can help avoid long-term effects from sustained deficiencies.

The experienced practitioners at Hormone Wellness Center offer cutting-edge testing, custom compounded hormones, and ongoing monitoring to help patients regain optimal balance. We utilize advanced bioidentical hormones and specialized delivery methods to create individualized therapy for lasting benefits.

Our personalized care has helped many local women thrive again.

FAQ About Hormone Therapy

What is hormone therapy?

Hormone therapy involves taking hormones to supplement lower levels or block the effect of certain hormones. It can help alleviate symptoms associated with conditions like menopause or prostate cancer. For many patients, hormone therapy greatly improves quality of life and manages troublesome symptoms effectively.

How is hormone therapy administered?

Hormone therapy can be administered in several ways. The most common methods include oral medications (pills or tablets), skin patches, gels or creams that are rubbed into the skin, injections, implants placed under the skin, or vaginal preparations like rings or creams. The method chosen depends on the hormone type, dosage, and patient preference. Patches or gels provide a more steady hormone release over time.

What are the side effects of hormone therapy?

Potential side effects depend on the specific hormones used, dosage, and individual factors. Common side effects may include breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, fluid retention, or increased risk for blood clots. Hormone therapy can also raise cancer risk slightly for certain types like breast or endometrial cancer. Patients should discuss personal risk factors with their doctor when weighing hormone therapy options.

How long do patients usually undergo hormone therapy?

The duration of hormone therapy is variable and determined on an individual basis. Patients experiencing symptoms due to menopause often use hormone therapy for a few years until more intense symptoms subside. Those using hormone therapy to manage conditions like prostate cancer or transitioning gender may continue for several years or indefinitely if benefits outweigh risks. This decision should be periodically reassessed with the patient’s healthcare provider.

Why consult a doctor about hormone therapy?

Hormones are powerful chemical messengers with wide-ranging effects, so hormone use should always involve medical supervision. Each case is unique, so goals for therapy should be defined. Doctors can conduct needed health evaluations, discuss expectations/risks, recommend optimal hormone formulations and dosages, and monitor progress and potential side effects with appropriate lab testing. A partnership between patient and provider helps ensure hormone therapy is safe and effective long-term.