At some point in a woman’s life, she will likely experience a hormone imbalance, the most notorious being menopause. Whether it presents as hot flashes and night sweats, as heavy or irregular periods, or maybe even as vaginal dryness, it is a common part of the aging process. However, just because the issue is “common” does not mean an individual needs to suffer through the discomfort of such symptoms, there are a number of options to provide relief. Enter hormone replacement therapy.
There are a few methods one may use to relieve their hormone imbalance. Age, personal and family medical history, and severity of symptoms are all factors that are considered when determining what – if any – hormone replacement therapy is right for a person. The first would be to ride it out, let nature take its course, and hope that the symptoms resolve themselves.
The second method is to use synthetic estrogens or estrogen progesterone/progestin combination therapy (EPT). Synthetic estrogens are created from man-made chemical compounds and have a different molecular structure than hormones naturally found in the body. The body converts the synthetic hormones to a functional form. These hormones can be found in many formats including pills, creams, vaginal rings, vaginal tablets, patches, and even sprays. Combination EPT is available in pill or patch form. While these traditional treatment methods can be successful at providing menopausal symptom relief, they also have some risks that are worth mentioning such as increased risk of certain cancers, blood clot, stroke, gall bladder disease, and even dementia.
The third hormone imbalance treatment option is the use of bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT). These hormones are made from plant sources and have the same molecular structure as the ones made by the body. Most BHRTs are made by pharmaceutical companies while others are custom made by a compounding pharmacy in the form of pills, patches, creams, gels, injections, and pellets.
North Atlanta Ob/Gyn is pleased to provide BHRT in pellet form through the use of Biote. Biote uses pellets containing bioidentical testosterone or estrogen. Each dose is customized to the patient to help optimize hormone levels. The pellets are inserted subcutaneously into the body during a quick in-office visit, then dissolve and are absorbed into the body. Many Biote patients report feeling symptom relief in as little as several hours or up to four weeks after insertion, however full optimization may take up to six months.
Dr. Stephen Rosenberg and Dr. Keisa Anderson are expertly trained in the proper dosing, insertion, and management of Biote therapy. Contact North Atlanta Ob/Gyn today to schedule an appointment to see if hormone replacement therapy is right for you.
