Hormonal imbalances can alter your everyday life. It can impact you emotionally, limit you physically, and affect you mentally. You may have all of the symptoms indicative of a hormonal deficiency and not even realize it. At IV Wellness in Winter Park, FL, we have a solution and it’s life-changing. Whether you’re 33 or 53, one thing is true: your hormones are imbalanced, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help restore that balance.
Am I a Candidate for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
You’re tired all of the time, but is it just because you have a busy life, or is it something else? You feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster, but you think maybe you just need to change your diet. How do you know if your symptoms are signs that you need bioidentical hormone replacement therapy? Chances are if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not. This is true of many things in life, including your hormones.
Estrogen and testosterone deficiencies impact men and women very differently. Regardless of your gender, when your body experiences a hormonal deficiency, it sends you some very telling signals to let you know that something isn’t functioning as it should.
The Signs of Hormonal Imbalances in Women
Some women feel as though they are perpetually imbalanced due to their ever-changing monthly cycles, but a real hormone deficiency goes deeper than PMS and mood swings. Some women begin to experience imbalanced hormones in their early 30’s but it’s typically not until menopause that the real symptoms present themselves. These symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Mood swings
- Hot flashes
- Decreased sex drive
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Pain during intercourse
- Brain fog
- Changes in the menstrual cycle (heavy or painful periods)
- Irregular periods
The Four Stages of Menopause
There are four stages of menopause, and hormones manifest themselves differently in each stage. An in-depth look at each of these stages helps us understand the female hormones and what exactly causes hormonal changes over time that can lead to hormone deficiency.
Premenopause
Many women hear the term premenopause and think that’s a negative reference to their ticking biological clock, but premenopause qualifies as the entire period from a woman’s very first to very last menstrual cycle. Hormones are the highest during the teen years and the early 20s. They tend to level off in the 30s and begin their inevitable decline in the years that follow that follow.
Perimenopause
If there ever were a term that referenced that ticking biological clock, this is it. Perimenopause affects women who are anywhere from 35 to 50 years old. During this time, the symptoms indicative of a hormonal imbalance begin to appear. The constant changes and the hormonal ups and downs lead to all of those classic menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and mood swings.
Menopause
Menopause signifies the end of the reproductive years. The body stops producing eggs and estrogen and progesterone production significantly decreases. Once this shift occurs, pregnancy is no longer possible. Monthly periods come to an end, yet the symptoms continue. Those hot flashes and mood swings can continue for a year or longer.
Postmenopause
Postmenopause begins 12 months after a woman experiences her last period. For most women, the symptoms of menopause fade, yet hormonal imbalances remain. Such symptoms can continue to negatively impact a woman’s daily life by affecting her energy, libido, and bone density. They can also increase the rate at which she ages.
The Signs of Hormonal Imbalances in Men
Just like hormonal imbalances affect women, so too do they affect men, just in different ways. Many men experience the symptoms of hormonal imbalances daily, but they don’t realize what the root cause is. Men in their 30s can begin to be negatively impacted by a decrease in testosterone, a hormone that affects them on many different levels. Some of the most common signs of imbalance include:
- A decrease in muscle mass
- Low libido
- Changes in memory
- Weight gain
- Erectile dysfunction
- Chronic fatigue
All About Andropause
Hormones taper off with the aging process and it affects both men and women. For women, it’s called menopause and for men, it’s called andropause. During andropause, testosterone production decreases, but the only difference is that unlike menopause which is predicable, andropause is not. Men of vastly different ages can both experience andropause symptoms at the same time.
Sudden vs. Gradual Hormone Shifts
Generally, men in their 30s begin to experience the effects of andropause, which include the inability to gain muscle mass, difficulty losing weight, changes in their libido and sexual performance, and changes in bone density. For some, it’s a sudden and glaring change but for most, it happens gradually over years.
These symptoms worsen with time as testosterone production continues to drop one to two percent each year. For men in their 40s and 50s, these symptoms may begin to define their everyday life. Their energy is gone, they don’t feel like themselves, and they know something isn’t quite right but they don’t know how or if they can change it. That’s where bioidentical hormone replacement therapy comes in.
Other Telling Signs That Your Hormones Aren’t Balanced
Aside from the symptoms that are often associated with your life stage, other symptoms let you know that your hormones are out of balance. The hormonal system is delicate and when imbalanced, it can negatively impact other bodily systems. Some of the symptoms that are experienced by men and women alike include chronic fatigue, bone density loss, memory loss, low libido, weight changes, and a loss in muscle mass.
Additionally, when left unchecked hormonal imbalances can lead to other health conditions including weight gain, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. The good news is, you don’t have to let these symptoms define your life. BHRT delivers hormones to your body to replenish those that have been lost, bringing balance and stability to your body and your life.
What Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is also known as BHRT. It is a treatment that helps restore balance to the body after experiencing hormonal deficiencies. It uses all-natural and plant-based hormones that are identical molecular matches of the hormones that are produced by the human body. These hormones mimic the hormones in the body. There are different types of treatments, including injections, topical creams, and pills.
Which Delivery System Is the Best?
There is no perfect method. Different patients benefit from different methods based on their lifestyle, symptoms, and their goals. Once you begin this treatment, we will monitor your hormone levels to ensure that you are completely balanced. We want you to experience all the benefits that this treatment has to offer which is why we can make adjustments as needed to ensure that you are getting optimal results.
The Different Delivery Systems
Injections
If you choose injections as your BHRT delivery method, one of our trained nurses will administer your injections as needed. We will closely monitor your levels to ensure that your hormones are exactly where they need to be. If at any point you have questions about your levels, you can contact us and we will be happy to make the necessary adjustments and answer any questions you may have.
Creams
Topical creams are an accessible and effective form of BHRT. Progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA are all available in cream form. All you have to do is apply the necessary amount of cream as instructed on an area of your body where it will not easily rub off, such as your inner thigh. Then, all you have to do is wait for the bioidentical hormones to take effect.
The benefit of creams is that we can easily adjust them to maintain optimal levels. When you need more or fewer hormones, we will instruct you on how to apply the right amount of cream.
Pills
BHRT is also available in pill form. Those who don’t mind swallowing a pill each day will benefit from this treatment. Those who have trouble swallowing pills may need to choose an alternative delivery system. This particular method requires discipline and consistency to ensure optimal results.
The Benefits of BHRT
You’ll Feel Like Yourself Again
Many of the symptoms associated with a hormonal imbalance feel normal to some people. Sadly, many people struggle with a hormonal imbalance and don’t even realize it. Chronic fatigue and mood swings have become a new normal for them. However, when treated with BHRT, these same people notice a world of difference; they get their lives back. They have energy, motivation, and they feel like themselves again.
Some of the most common feelings that those who experience hormonal deficiencies feel regularly include lack of confidence, decreased energy, low sex drive, and even low self-esteem.
There’s No Age Requirement
While many of our patients seek out this treatment during menopause or andropause, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can begin as early as 30 years old. Age does affect hormones, but it doesn’t have the final say about who can receive treatment, your symptoms do.
Once you undergo this treatment, you’ll experience all of the life-changing effects that come with BHRT. You’ll feel more youthful, energized, and motivated to do all of the things that you love but haven’t had the energy to do until now.
What Happens During Treatment?
Step One: Your Initial Consultation
The first step in this process is an initial consultation with one of our experts. We will discuss your symptoms, health history, and any other pertinent information that will help determine if you are a candidate for this treatment. You can ask any questions you may have and you will also get to hear more about the treatment and how it works.
You may also undergo hormone testing at this stage. Hormone testing confirms that you are deficient and lets us know how to balance your hormones. Once we confirm your candidacy, we’ll schedule your treatment.
Step Two: Your Treatment
During your treatment, we’ll determine the best BHRT delivery system based on your needs and your goals. Then, we’ll begin the treatment and provide you with instructions on how to administer BHRT at home.
Step Three: Your Results
Once you begin treatment, you won’t be on your own. We’ll be with you every step of the way and we’ll monitor your levels periodically to ensure that all of your hormones are balanced. We want you to feel your best every day, regardless of your life stage, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy will give you the kind of results you may have never thought possible.
Take the First Step Today
If you feel as though you’ve lost yourself, you’re not at fault, your hormones are. BHRT can change everything. If you’re ready to experience the freedom that comes with BHRT, don’t wait another day to set up an appointment that will change your life for the better. Contact us today at IV Wellness in Winter Park, FL, and schedule your initial consultation to see if BHRT is right for you.