At our boutique practice near the Boise foothills, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a popular service that our patients have been excited about. Our patients, both men, and women have experienced significant benefits from this treatment. As we age, our hormone levels can decline or fluctuate. With the assistance of BHRT, the body regulates and balances itself naturally to return to its optimal physiological state. Below, you will find our comprehensive guide to the process. If you’d like more information or to book a consultation please get in touch with us.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is comprehensive. Hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) are essential in maintaining optimal health. BHRT is used to treat both men and women when their hormone levels drop or become unbalanced during menopause, andropause, general aging or disease-related conditions. Bioidentical hormones are derived from plant-based ingredients, carrying fewer risks than synthetic options. Estrogen and testosterone are among those most commonly replicated and used in treatment.
It’s most frequently used to ease perimenopause, menopause, and andropause symptoms. It may also improve cancer treatment symptoms or treat conditions such as insulin resistance, adrenal and thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, and fibromyalgia.
Aging affects all of us differently; therefore, BHRT is a customizable treatment that addresses individuals’ needs based on laboratory results and symptoms patients may be experiencing. Optimizing your hormones can improve diminished sex drive, weight management challenges, brain fog, difficulty with sleeping and energy.
Testosterone therapy has shown many benefits for women as they get age. Women experience many of the same benefits from testosterone as men do. BHRT offers the body a natural testosterone boost, which can help prevent breast cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and other forms of dementia.
Most often, perimenopausal and menopausal women struggle with sleep patterns, mood changes, or swings, including anxiety and depression, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, loss of lean muscle tone, and loss of interest in sex or painful intercourse. BHRT using either testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, or a combination can help regulate your sleep, give you more energy, stabilize mood, increase muscle tone, and increase libido.
BHRT using testosterone therapy can improve general health and overall quality of life. Specifically for men, an adequate testosterone level is crucial to energy, focus, lean muscle mass, and libido. As women go through menopause, the male counterpart can go through andropause. Andropause may be experienced by middle-aged and older men, who experience gradually decreasing testosterone levels. The decrease may cause fatigue, reduced libido, muscle loss, weight gain, sleep issues, mood swings, irritability, and depression. Our nurse looks at testosterone levels and additional ways to help improve sexual problems and your overall quality of life.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is an elevated concern for men as they age. Increasing testosterone levels can help treat symptoms of ED and work towards improving libido. With consistent therapy over time, testosterone can improve cholesterol levels, leading to improved cardiovascular health and blood flow to help improve ED. It also assists with some complications associated with diabetes that deal with the rigidity of the penis during arousal.
If you are experiencing symptoms that are interfering with your daily life and quality of life, BHRT may be ideal for you. Our Nurse Practitioner can determine whether you’re a good candidate for hormone optimization during your consultation.
The first step is to book a consultation by calling or emailing us. We’ll schedule a time for you to meet with our board-certified Nurse Practitioner. You’ll be able to express your goals for the therapy, ask questions, and listen to our expert’s recommendations. Please be ready to share your medical history. Together, you and our team will develop the best options for your holistic health. Laboratory results from a blood draw are required to determine if you are a candidate for BHRT and before pellet insertion. Typically that is done before the consultation. Other things we look at for holistic health include vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels.
Bioidentical hormones come in various forms, including pills, patches, creams, gels, and injections. Some of those forms are synthetic and not natural to the body. Those methods also cause a peak and valley effect; think of a rollercoaster. The body is designed to secrete hormones regularly and steadily, so the most effective form to mimic that is using the pellet delivery system. Pellets avoid the peaks and valleys by allowing the body to continually extract the correct amount of hormone needed to maintain a steady state. The hormones are absorbed from the pellets right into the bloodstream based on the body’s cardiac output. This process allows the effects of hormone replacement to last up to several months.
Candidates for hormone replacement therapy will receive a packet of detailed information and instructions to help them feel prepared, confident, and comfortable with the treatment. It will also include instructions on caring for yourself during the short recovery. The pellet insertion is done with a local anesthetic for comfort in the office. On the day of the treatment, we will talk you through the procedure as we numb you and makes a small incision on a concealed body area (hip or buttocks). After the custom dose of bioidentical hormone pellets is inserted, the incision is closed with steri-strips, and a small bandage is placed over it.
Recovery for BHRT pellet therapy is very generally short. Most patients can return to normal daily activities immediately following the procedure. You may experience tenderness, slight redness, minimal swelling, and bruising at the treatment site that subsides over a few days. Lightly icing the area in 20-minute intervals the first 24 hours helps minimize bruising and discomfort. Once inserted, your body will absorb the hormones naturally and gradually.
To find out if a Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is the right procedure is right for you, call a Renu Medispa skincare professional near Boise to schedule a consult – 208.939.4456