Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

As women get older it is not uncommon for their hormones to be imbalanced. The way our hormones function and fluctuate within our bodies is very complicated. Often our hormones are interrelated as they can have an influence on each others concentration. It is important to understand these relationships in order to be able to make proper recommendations in regards to hormone replacement therapy.

Hormone imbalances in the body can result in a variety of Signs and Symptoms:

Due to the complicated  nature of hormone imbalances and the large impact that they can have on quality of life it is helpful to talk with our pharmacists at iCare Pharmacy to provide you with a one on one consultation to provide you with personalized recommendations that helps in the restoration of your hormone imbalances.

We work with you to determine your treatment goals, medical history and determine the symptoms that you are suffering from that we need to treat. Once your treatment is started we are there to guide you to provide continued support to ensure that you are responding well to your hormone replacement therapy and make any adjustment to your treatment if needed. 

 Most patients tolerate the treatment well and do notice an improvement in their symptoms.

What are Bioidentical Hormones?

Bio-Identical Hormones are hormones that are compounded that replace  hormones that missing pr present in low concentrations in your body. They are different than synthetic hormones as synthetic hormones such as Premarin and Provera are not identical to hormones produced in your body. Bio-Identical hormones are identical in structure to  hormones that would normally be present:

  • Progesterone
  • Estrogen
  • Testosterone

Bio-Identical hormones come in a variety of forms such as capsules, topical creams, topical gels and suppositories.

Is Hormone Therapy Safe?

The women’s health  initiative is a study that was performed to study the potential long term effects in regards to use of hormone replacement therapy. It did find that patients who were using synthetic hormones were at an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots as well as cancer.

When making a decision on whether hormone replacement therapy is right for you it will depend on a variety of factors such as your family history, your personal medical history and the signs and symptoms you are suffering from as a result of hormone imbalances.

It should be noted that Bioidentical hormones are considered safer and are associated with fewer side effects than synthetic hormones.

Bioidentical Hormones have been studied in  observational studies that have shown that when Bioidentical hormones are used there was no increase in stroke, heart attack or breast cancer. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help with symptoms of menopause and hormone imbalance such as hot flashes, night sweats, mental clouding, fatigue, depression, anxiety, weight gain and vaginal dryness. It can take up to 3 to 6 months to notice the positive effects of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.

At iCare Pharmacy we can help educate and guide you in making a decision as to whether Bioidentical Hormone Replacement therapy is right for you. Contact us today to find out how we can help to restore your balance!