Hormone Replacement

Patients often tell us, “I just don’t feel right. I don’t feel like I used to.” They describe having low energy, gaining weight, trouble sleeping and losing their libido. These are conditions that can be treated with hormone replacement therapy. There are other conditions influenced by a hormone imbalance that may not be as obvious to a patient. These can be treated as well. This includes heart function, bone and muscle loss and the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

You might already know about hormone rebalancing with creams, gels, patches and injections, but you may not have heard yet about the use of pellets for bio identical hormone replacement. Small pellets are inserted just under the skin of the hip or lower abdomen, with treatment needed two to four times per year, rather than every day or week as with other methods. A consistent level of hormones are delivered 24 hours per day.

Menopause: Bioidentical hormones have proven to be a highly effective treatment for women going through perimenopause and menopause. They can reduce or eliminate hot flashes and night sweats, improve sexual relations, balance moods and help in weight management. We closely monitor the balance of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone to use the lowest effective dose. Our patients tell us they feel alive again and free to enjoy their lives to the fullest.

Hypothyroidism: Women are eight times more likely than men to experience hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormone therapy can help. We believe our guidelines are different and more effective than the ones used by other primary care practitioners or endocrinologists. This is because we pay closer attention to a patient’s symptoms to create a highly specialized treatment plan. We monitor a wider range of hormone levels through additional testing and will use a combination of hormones whereas other doctors may use just one.

Andropause: As men age, there is a natural reduction in testosterone. Some refer to this as “male menopause” to convey the idea of a change in hormones. This is also called “testosterone deficiency” and “androgen deficiency.” Regardless of the name, this drop in hormone levels around age 50 or older can lead to reduced libido and erectile dysfunction, plus fatigue, depression, weight gain and loss of muscle mass. Treatments can include prescribed lifestyle improvements (better nutrition, exercise and weight loss) and androgen replacement therapy. We will talk about all of these options and how to add them to your routine. We offer pellet therapy to release hormones steadily for months at a time. Another option is injections or transdermal hormone replacement. Together we will determine which treatments are best for you.