Female Hormone Therapy

There is a better option than waiting until menopause to find a provider focused on your health and wellness. At MDLifespan, our providers answer your questions about Female Hormone Therapy, do a dive deep into your lab tests, and get your body working for you before the chaos of menopause begins.

As you reach a certain age, the transition to menopause or the experience of going through menopause can be overwhelming. You might find yourself gaining weight and unable to lose it; feeling moody; lacking desire for sex; having scorching hot flashes paired with sleepless nights — all while doctors aren’t giving you any natural solutions! If your premenstrual syndrome is severe, things become even more difficult. But don’t worry—there are ways to navigate this tricky time.

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy can bring balance and harmony back to the body by considering mental, emotional, and physical health. The vital combination of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Not only will it help improve vitality and libido, but it will also reduce hot flashes while providing anti-aging benefits.

For more than two decades, our MDLifespan practitioners have helped tens of thousands of women understand the intricacies of their bodies. Our specialists determine exactly what hormone levels are right for you, crafting a bespoke program that encompasses bioidentical hormones, pharmacy-grade vitamins, and lifestyle guidance — all personalized to meet your needs.

Our MDLifespan providers are committed to utilizing only bioidentical hormones, which possess the same chemical composition as those naturally produced by your body. Making them effortlessly absorbed and quickly put into action by your body’s systems. These hormones act precisely like a woman’s hormones because they mimic their structure.

To get the most out of hormone therapy, lifestyle changes like diet and exercise are necessary. A healthy diet can help you balance your hormone levels, enabling hormones to work as they should. We also recommend regular physical activity to maintain better health and improve energy levels and mood.

Our MDLifespan practitioners will guide you through the plethora of lifestyle changes that can help make a positive impact on your hormone levels. We understand how overwhelming the menopause transition can be, with added stress and anxiety that often comes along with it. That’s why MDLifespan strives to provide safe and effective treatments tailored specifically for women needing balance and harmony within their bodies.

When taking hormones you will need to consider the route of medications to be given that you will be taking for your treatment. It is important to consult with your MDLifespan provider regarding what type of pills, creams, or gels would work best for your unique situation.

You and your provider will create a personalized plan tailored to your needs. Your provider will inform you about the medications available, how they work, and how to monitor their effectiveness in maintaining a balanced hormonal state within your body. Your plan can include the following:

Estrogen is essential to a woman’s well-being; it builds her energy, strength, and stamina. Estrogen also provides significant nourishment to the skin, hair, muscle, and bones. Furthermore, estrogen operates as an antidepressant in the brain, stabilizing moods and boosting energies. The story of estrogen causing cancer, blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes is exaggerated and will be made clear to you by our providers before starting you on therapy.

To get optimal results from this hormone, you can opt for either pellet implantation, patch application, or even vaginal rings – your MDLifespan team would be happy to guide you through which option works best!

Progesterone is an essential body component, providing myriad benefits to women throughout their lifetimes. Bioidentical progesterone therapy helps restore the balance between estrogen and other hormones in your body that govern metabolism, build bones, convert fat into energy for better regulation, and promote peace of mind. Additionally, Progesterone serves as a natural antidepressant to encourage restful sleep cycles while working as a diuretic too. Micronized progesterone (mP4) is far more effective at a lower dose with fewer side effects and a reduced risk of breast cancer than synthetic progestin, the pharmaceutical progesterone. Depending on preference, you can opt for creams or pills; you may also combine it with either testosterone or estrogen to help achieve hormonal equilibrium.

There is growing evidence to support the use of physiologic doses of testosterone for women for sexual function, osteoporosis prevention, brain protection, and breast protection. Our MDLifespan providers have improved women’s health for over 20 years with testosterone therapy.  Our women demand testosterone! Pellets and testosterone injections are the easiest and most effective way to release hormones to women with minimal side effects. Testosterone may also be administered as a pill or cream, depending on individual needs and personal choice.

With so many options, our doctors will collaborate with you to find the hormone replacement solution that best fits your needs and lifestyle. Your choices include topical creams, suppositories, patches, injections, or pellets for testosterone and estrogen. Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions about these treatments; we’re here to help ensure you get the right one!

Regular testing is necessary to ensure that your hormone levels stay balanced. When starting therapy, you will be given a testing kit or lab order to use within the 2–3-month window and then return to the office for more refills or adjustments.

Hormone replacement therapy aims to bring your hormones back into balance. Once the desired levels of hormones are achieved, you’ll start to feel the benefits in no time. Some common effects include:

• Increased energy and libido
• Better moods
• Improved sleep quality
• Improved skin health
• Weight loss or gain (depending on your needs)
• More robust immune system

Before initiating Bioidentical Hormone Therapy, seeking advice from your healthcare provider is essential. This is especially crucial if you intend on becoming pregnant, utilizing birth control pills, are undergoing cancer treatment, have experienced breast or uterine/ovarian cancers before, or had any vaginal bleeding issues.

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy, like all medications, carries some potential risks. Nevertheless, the danger might be partially decreased by administering estrogen through a patch or cream – studies indicate that women going through menopause in less than five years don’t experience any considerable spike in risk for stroke. Remaining aware of possible side effects is crucial before beginning treatment with Bioidentical Hormone Therapy.

Although there can be side effects to Hormone Therapy, our MDLifespan providers are highly experienced in determining the right type and number of hormones a woman needs. Therefore, adverse reactions are quite rare.

• Monthly bleeding
• Irregular spotting
• Breast tenderness

• Fluid retention
• Headaches (including migraine)
• Skin discoloration (brown or black spots)
• Increased breast density makes mammogram interpretation more difficult.
• Skin irritation under estrogen patch

• Infection over an area of the injection
• Injury to nerve or muscle complex resulting in damage or pain.

• Pain at the insertion site
• Bleeding at the insertion site
• Infection at the site of insertion (rare)
• Pellet extrusion (less than 1 per 100 implantations)

Possible side effects from Testosterone Injections include infection over an area of the injection and injury to nerve or muscle complex resulting in damage or pain.

Possible side effects from Estrogen or Testosterone Pellets include: pain at the insertion site, bleeding at the insertion site, infection at the site of insertion (rare), pellet extrusion (less than 1 per 100 implantations).

Waiting until you enter menopause is not the best option. Our providers are here to answer of your questions about Female Hormone Therapy. Our MDLifespan team is ready to dive deep into your labs and tests. Our Longevity Team is prepared to get your body working for you.

You should see a doctor regarding your Female Hormone Therapy at any time you have concerns, symptoms occur, or testing shows the potential problem arising in your future.
But if life-threatening symptoms arise, call 911 immediately or seek medical care from your nearest emergency department.