(Please fill out the questionnaire and bring on the day of your appointment)
Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) services at NHIMA
BHRT services at NHIMA is a comprehensive and individualized program. After an assessment of your risks, which includes completion of a questionnaire, we will assess your overall nutritional, energetic status as well as lifestyle/habits.
We then proceed with laboratory tests of hormone levels (a so-called "hormone panel"). When warranted, we then prescribe a precise dose of bioidentical estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and/or others that are prepared at a registered compounding pharmacy. Each patient is then monitored carefully through regular follow-up hormone panels to ensure she gets symptom relief at the lowest possible dosage. In the initial stages, we may do a hormone panel every three months. Once balance is restored, we'll do a panel once or twice a year.
In addition to, or instead of prescriptions for BHRT, individualized herbal formulations may be advised. Recommendations for lifestyle changes to maximize overall health are also given.
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What are "Bio-Identical Hormones"?
Bioidentical hormones are manufactured in the lab to have the same molecular structure as the hormones made by your own body. By contrast, synthetic hormones are intentionally different. Some of the most common synthetic ones in use are Premarin, Prempro, and Provera and are made by the pharmaceutical industry.
Is BHRT the first step to hormonal balance?
Bio-identical hormones can work wonders, but they are not necessarily the first place to
turn when hormonal imbalance is a problem. In our experience many women can rebalance their hormones without the use of drugs, and even without hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in any form. We have found that about 50% can find relief through a natural approach that combines nutritional supplements, gentle endocrine support, and dietary and lifestyle changes. We recommend that every woman start with this combination approach as the foundation to her health.
Even with this foundation, a minority of women will need to add prescription-strength hormone supplements to get complete relief, at least through a transition period. We recommend they use bioidentical hormones, preferably in a compounded form personalized to their needs.
Are bioidentical hormones safer than synthetic hormones?
A study called the Women's Health Initiative, published in 2002, involving over 16,000 women between the ages of 50-79, who took synthetic (horse) estrogen called Premarin as well as a synthetic progesterone called Provera, were found to have a higher rate of heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer. Since that time, European medical studies suggest that bioidentical hormones are safer than synthetic versions. However more long term studies are needed to determine their safety.
Benefits of BHRT:
Ultimately, the benefits of any HRT includes the relief of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, better mood and sleep. The Womens Health Initiative study also found reduced chance of hip fractures and colon cancer.
Ultimately, the great appeal of bioidentical hormones is that they are natural, and our bodies can metabolize them as it was designed to do, minimizing side effects. Synthetic hormones are quite strong and often produce intolerable side effects. Moreover, the compounded bioidentical hormones can be matched individually to each woman's needs - something that is not possible with mass-produced products.
