Menopause can be simply uncomfortable …or seriously problematic. At Fort Sanders Women’s Specialists we can help bring you relief – naturally – through bioidentical hormones.
Menopause symptoms:
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Poor sleep
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- General depression
- Foggy brain and poor concentration
- Weight gain and decreased muscle tone
- Low libido
How we can treat menopause symptoms – naturally.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Dr. G. Walton Smith offers hormone replacement therapy using natural hormones just like those found normally in your body to help alleviate your menopause symptoms.
Bioidentical Hormones
Bioidentical hormones are “natural” hormones with the same molecular structure as the hormones made by your body; whereas, synthetic hormones used in typical hormone replacement therapy are foreign to the human body. These medicines sometimes have unpleasant side effects and may not provide enough hormones needed during menopause.
Procedure
Bioidentical hormone therapy begins with lab work to determine your body’s unique hormone levels. Then a mixture of hormones, targeted to your body’s specific needs, is made into a compound in the form of a cream, gel, pellet, or capsule. Dr. G. Walton Smith believes transdermal applications are best because they bypass the liver and gastrointestinal system. When hormones are absorbed rather than swallowed, they go directly to the tissues and are not altered by the liver. This is called the “first pass effect.”
In the beginning of your therapy, you will need frequent testing to check that each hormone component is in proper balance. Once balance is restored, you will only need an annual treatment. You will see improvement within the first 2 to 3 weeks of therapy, but it will take up to 8 weeks to feel the full effect. We want to achieve balance with the lowest dose of each hormone – the recommendation of the FDA and American College of OBGYN. The bioidentical hormone therapy program combines hormone replacement with dietary and lifestyle recommendations.
Approximately 85% of women will experience complete relief of symptoms with bioidentical hormones – a much higher success rate than with synthetic hormone replacement therapy.
Please note most insurance policies do not cover this type of therapy, although they usually cover lab testing.
Listen to Dr. G. Walton Smith discuss bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.
Learn More
- Compounded bioidentical hormones, including pellet therapy, have been available since the 1930s.
- Bioidentical hormones were available for years before the introduction of patented hormone pills.
- Transdermal bioidentical hormones do not increase the risk of blood clots and stroke.
- Testosterone declines significantly at menopause and may contribute to many unwanted symptoms.