Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is the replacement of male and female hormones which the human body has made naturally until sometime in middle age when it begins to fail. In women, this stage of life is known as menopause and in men as andropause. In contrast to synthetic hormone replacement therapy which is what most primary care physicians prescribe in pill or patch form, bioidentical estradiol replacement therapy to date has shown no increase incidence of cancer with use up to 10 years. In fact, published research in the last five years  suggests that bioidentical estradiol may in fact  lessen the possibility of breast cancers.  While further studies need to be done before this concept can be stated as fact, preliminary results are encouraging.

In contrast to most synthetic estrogens such as premarin, bioidential estrogen is NOT created from horse urine and bioidentical hormones in general are not derived from animal tissues or fluids.

Symptoms of female hormone imbalances include: mood changes and irritability, tension, memory loss, decreased sex drive, bloating, weight gain, breast tenderness, depression, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, migraine headaches, fatigue, poor sleep, and even mental confusion. Traditional hormone replacement therapies often default to trial and error attempts at balancing hormones leaving you with symptoms you really don't want. 

In men, symptoms of testosterone deficiency often manifest with a general decline in their sense of well being, joint pain, muscle aches, excessive sweating, irritability, anxiety, physical exhaustion, decrease in muscle strength, decrease in beard growth, poor erections, lack of sexual desire, poor motivation, and depression,

It doesn't have to be this way however.  With the addition of bioidential hormone replacement therapy, especially in the form of pellets, most men and women often feel much more in control of their bodies and lives with better sleep, restored interest in sex for both men and women, better erections for men, greater mental clarity, a feeling of being more relaxed and calm, and better muscle gains with exercise. For many, this is the first time in years they've even felt like exercising. Additionally, we've often seen fibromyalgia pain diminish dramatically. 

What is the difference between hormones placed by pellets versus creams and gels?                   Pellet hormone replacement therapy utilizes a small pellet of hormones that is placed under the skin through a tiny incision in the upper region of the buttocks allowing a steady release of hormone into the blood stream for four to six months. With this type of hormone replacement therapy you get consistent levels throughout the day and the amount of hormone is released in greater amounts when you are exercising to meet the increased demands of your body. Gels and creams are made by compounding pharmacists as are pellets. The difference however is that they must be applied daily and sometimes twice daily to achieve proper levels. Many of my patients have complained that they must wait 15 minutes before getting dressed in order for  the gels and creams to be properly absorbed and if they do not wait, the hormone ends up in their clothes rather than their bloodstream. That being said, bioidentical gels and creams are still a viable option for some patients, though the general consensus has been that pellets are better.

 How long does the procedure take and what kind of limitations to activity are there?  The procedure generally takes 15 minutes from start to finish and requires that you not exercise for three days. After that initial period, you can go about your normal daily activities. It is relatively painless and most have found the benefits well worth the minor inconvenience.