Bioidentical hormones are used to help people manage menopausal symptoms or other hormonal imbalances. Some bioidentical hormones are not approved by the FDA. All hormone replacement therapy has risks. Bio-identical compound hormones may pose a greater risk because their effects are not right studied.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the pros and cons of hormone replacement. And most importantly, know that you don't need to live with the unpleasant symptoms of a low hormone level. Your healthcare provider can help you manage your symptoms safely.
If you've been having problems with symptoms of perimenopause, menopause, or andropause (male menopause), your doctor may recommend that you seek relief with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
(BHRT).If you have a deficiency or imbalance, your doctor will determine the correct dose of BHRT and help you decide the best way to administer it, whether through pills, creams or granule implants. When starting hormone therapy, your healthcare provider should monitor you regularly to evaluate how your body responds to hormones. Many side effects should go away and get better over time, but you should talk to your healthcare provider right away if your symptoms are severe or worsen. As hormones level out, energy levels and libido should increase.
You should also notice more mental clarity, less frequent mood changes, and less night sweats and hot flashes. If you don't see a significant difference in your symptoms within two weeks, our providers can adjust the dose of hormones you're taking. The time it takes for bioidentical hormones to ease symptoms varies from person to person. Some feel mild relief, while others with severe symptoms may need several months. In general, you can expect full relief to appear within three months.
The length of time you undergo bioidentical hormone therapy depends on your individual needs. Some women only need bioidentical compound hormones until their severe symptoms go away, while others need them indefinitely. Each compound hormone treatment plan differs from one person to another. Bioidentical hormones are artificial hormones that are similar to the hormones produced by the human body.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy uses chemically identical, processed hormones that come from plants. Most patients only need a few office visits a year to receive bioidentical hormone therapy this way. Before starting bioidentical hormone therapy to correct menopausal hormonal imbalance, your healthcare provider should prepare a complete medical history to determine if this therapy is right for you. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy doesn't contain any of the dangerous and harmful compounds you may have heard of, which cause breast cancer and other serious problems.
Compound bioidentical hormones can cause some side effects, especially right after starting treatment, until the body adjusts to increased hormone levels. Severe premenstrual syndrome may be an early sign of a hormonal imbalance, but it's hard to know until a woman reaches perimenopause, which can begin in her 30s. When you start, you'll first undergo a physical exam and extensive laboratory tests to measure your hormone levels. Many health care providers who use bioidentical hormones say they are safer than traditional hormone therapy treatments.
The goal of bioidentical hormone therapy or conventional hormone therapy is to replace these lost or low hormones. Bioidentical composite hormones provide many benefits to perimenopausal and menopausal women who suffer from hormonal imbalances. Bioidentical hormones are structurally similar to the body's natural hormones, but they come from plant materials. However, there isn't much evidence to support that bioidentical hormones are the same as conventional hormone therapy.
Bioidentical hormones have been the subject of controversy and many aren't approved by the FDA, but that doesn't mean your healthcare provider will rule them out as a treatment option. VIVAA medical providers recommend composite bioidentical hormone therapy, as this form of hormone therapy is considered safe and effective.
