What is BHRT?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is using compounded all-natural, plant-based hormones, estradiol and testosterone, to mimic hormones in our body. It is a form of hormone therapy using patented pellet formations from and FDA-approved 503B pharmacy. These pellets, the size of a grain of rice, deliver a consistent dosing of hormones over a duration of time. This type of HRT can help reduce and alleviate symptoms caused by hormone disruption. BHRT is more convenient and efficacious than other forms of HRT as it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream.
Why shouldn’t I just use another form of HRT?
While there are other forms of hormone replacement therapy such as pills, creams, gels, patches, and injections, there are drawbacks to using these modalities instead of pellet therapy.
· Pills/capsules: Daily administration required for most oral HRT. Oral HRT must first pass through both the GI tract and liver prior to being absorbed into the blood stream.
· Creams and gels: These modalities can be an inconvenience and have to generally be applied on a daily basis. There is delayed absorption into the bloodstream which can cause hormonal levels to be less than therapeutic. For women there is a risk of additional side effects such as breast tenderness and vaginal bleeding. Transfer of product from one person to another if the individual comes into contact with application site. There is also the hassle of the creams and gels involving more of a mess with application.
· Patches: common way to deliver hormones through transdermal application. This method can be unsightly and can fall off before cycle is complete. This leads to changes in hormone levels which can increase negative symptoms and other side effects.
· Solutions/Injections: Injections for testosterone are commonly used. This is a once weekly injection. This injection can cause more trauma as it is given more frequently including injection site reaction, irritation, bleeding and pain. Levels of hormones are not likely to stay stable and will increase and decrease during the week until the next injection cycle.
Symptom management
Hormone imbalance can take the form of exhaustion, fatigue, brain fog, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, hair loss, weight gain, irritability, anxiety and more. Implementing BHRT-pellet therapy helps alleviate these symptoms and can increase libido and decrease risk of disease.
Utilizing BHRT can help to optimize hormones and achieve a balanced state of wellness. After pelleting you can expect to feel the effects within days to a few weeks. Most individuals will notice at least some relief from symptoms within 72 hours of procedure.
What if my hormones are not unbalanced?
If you have symptoms associated with fatigue, low libido, brain fog, vaginal dryness, moodiness, depression, anxiety, weight gain, hair loss, insomnia, night sweats, irregular periods, hot flashes it is likely you have a hormonal imbalance. You do not have to have all of these symptoms to have a hormonal imbalance. It could be a combination of a couple of the symptoms or it could only be one symptom. If it is uncomfortable or bothersome it is beneficial to explore BHRT. Our qualified practitioner will meet with you one on one to discuss your concerns and educate you on your personal plan for hormone optimization.
Benefits of BHRT
BHRT is designed to be identical to the hormones produced by the human body. Because of this, when used as the option for HRT to correct hormonal imbalances, they are accepted into the body just as our naturally produced hormones would be. This helps to reduce bothersome side effects and alleviate negative symptoms of hormone imbalance. Optimizing your hormones can also help to protect your other body systems and prevent disease.
How long can you do BHRT?
Due to the long-term benefits of BHRT, there is no reason that therapy needs to be discontinued. As we age, the benefits of BHRT will continue. There can be adjustments to therapy as we age to continue to illicit the best response from treatment. Communication with the provider is encouraged so therapy can be customized to your personal hormone needs to continue with hormone optimization. If you decide to discontinue BHRT the uncomfortable symptoms you experienced prior to therapy will return due to hormone imbalance.
What does a consult look like?
Once you decide to embark on your journey of hormone wellness you will meet with the practitioner. You will discuss your symptoms and goals for hormone therapy. Lab work will be obtained in order to see where hormone therapy can benefit you. A full consultation will be done one-on-one with the practitioner where all your labs will be explained, and you will have plenty of time to ask questions. After the consultation, the pelleting will take place same day. The process is quick- only taking about 5 minutes for females and 15 minutes for males. In four to five weeks you will come back to re-check lab work.
How often do I need to re-pellet?
It varies. You will know when you need to make an appointment for re-pelleting when your symptoms start to return i.e., fatigue, insomnia, moodiness etc. This is on average every three to six months, depending on the individual person. Some individuals may metabolize the pellets at a faster rate than others and have to come every three months.
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