Menopause Symptom Management
Menopause can be an uncomfortable and seriously problematic time in a woman’s life. It can cause symptoms such as:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Poor sleep
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Low libido
- Brain fog, difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Hair thinning & loss
- Vaginal dryness
- Dry skin
- Painful sex
- Increased facial hair
While menopause itself is a natural bodily process that all women go through at some point in their lives, you don’t have to accept the misery of menopause symptoms.
Indeed, you may wish to do something about it because in many cases, menopause symptoms can last for a decade or longer after you’ve officially hit menopause (when you go 12 months without a period after the age of 40). Some women continue to have hot flashes for the rest of their lives.
How We Can Help
At Ladies First Obstetrics & Gynecology, we can help you manage your menopausal symptoms and provide you with natural relief through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
Bioidentical hormones are made from plant estrogens and contain the same molecular structure as the hormones produced by your own body – as opposed to synthetic hormones used in typical hormone replacement therapies, which are foreign to the human body. Synthetic hormones can cause unpleasant side effects and may not provide enough of the hormones you need during menopause.
How BRHT Works
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy starts with lab work to determine your body’s current hormone levels. With this information, a mixture of hormones targeted to your body’s specific needs can be formulated into a compound in the form of a cream, gel, pellet, or capsule.
Transdermal (through the skin) application of bioidentical hormones is best because it bypasses the liver and gastrointestinal system. When hormones are swallowed, they are altered by the liver, whereas hormones that are absorbed go directly to body tissue, unaltered by the digestive system.
For most women, BRHT is a “combination therapy” that is intended to restore your usual levels of both estrogen and progesterone. Your body produces less and less of these critical hormones during menopause, leading to many of the telltale symptoms of the condition.
What to Expect
During the first phase of your therapy, you will be frequently tested to make sure that each hormone component is in its proper balance. Once your hormonal balance is restored, you will only require an annual treatment.
You will see improvement from bioidentical hormone therapy within the first 2-3 weeks of treatment, but it will take up to 8 weeks to feel the full effect. Approximately 85% of women report experiencing complete relief from their symptoms with bioidentical hormones.
It is recommended that you continue to take BHRT for as long as you experience disruptive menopausal symptoms. How long moderate to severe menopause symptoms last can vary significantly from woman to woman, but it ranges most often between 2-7 years.
Bioidentical HRT in Dothan and Enterprise, Alabama
To begin hormonal symptom management with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), call Ladies First Obstetrics & Gynecology and Ladies First MedSpa at (334) 671-9445 or toll-free at (877) 671-9445. You can also simply request an appointment now. We have two convenient locations in Dothan and Enterprise, Alabama, from which to serve you.
