Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women

When your body is no longer adequately producing hormones SculptedMD® recommends optimizing your bodies ability to produce those hormones with our hormone therapy treatments. There are several symptoms of diminished hormone levels such as aging quicker, low sex drive, memory loss, and lower energy level.

Symptoms Include

Symptoms often occur abruptly and lead to dramatic drops in estrogen, testosterone and progesterone levels in the body.

Discuss any medical conditions that you may have with your doctor. Sharing your medical history with a doctor can help him or her determine what is causing your hormone imbalance

Hormone Therapy Denver

Hormone therapy involves optimizing hormones that are no longer produced properly in the body. Many of the symptoms experienced are all that we contribute to aging and occur in many women after the age of 35. Female menopause affects all women, typically in the 40s or the 50s. Symptoms often occur abruptly and lead to dramatic drops in estrogen, testosterone and progesterone levels in the body. Low hormone levels overall can seriously affect one’s mental and physical health. Some of these symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, low sex drive, vaginal dryness, depression, mood swings, PMS, Fibrosis, Endometriosis or foggy memory.

The hormones used in these hormone replacement therapy options at Sculpted MD mirror the same structure of the ones found in the body. We understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to hormones and that each and every patient is different. Sculpted MD will create a customized treatment plan for each patient by performing a comprehensive evaluation of your body’s needs. We will focus on improving your sleep, immune system, sex drive, cognitive function, vitality, skin and overall appearance.

Easy as 1 - 2 - 3

Initial Consultation

Hormone therapy treatment begins with a free initial consultation with Sculpted MD. This consultation will review your medical history, lifestyle, symptoms and overall health goals. This information and a medical exam will help us determine if hormone replacement therapy is best for you.

Hormone Level Tests

If at the end of the consultation we determine you are a good candidate for hormone replacement and you are interested in the process, we will take a blood sample. This sample will be sent to a lab to test your hormone levels.

Evaluation & Treatment Plan

It’s time to begin! Your Sculpted MD clinician will review your results with you and will provide you with your hormone therapy medication and help you to establish a regular treatment schedule. Get started today by contacting the professional staff at Sculpted MD.

All About Symptoms

Perimenopause

The signs and symptoms women experience may vary depending on the levels of estrogen in the body. A common sign of perimenopause is cycle changes. Cycles may become longer or shorter, periods skipped or lighter or heavier periods. While some changes in the cycle are normal, it is important to discuss them with your doctor. Always immediately contact your doctor if you have bleeding after sex, between periods, bleeding that lasts for more days than usual, spotting or any bleeding after the process of menopause at all.

While a hysterectomy ends menstrual periods, it doesn’t cause menopause. The ovaries must be removed in order to go through that process (surgery is known as an oophorectomy). This causes immediate signs and symptoms of menopause if is done before a woman has received this time of her life.

Menopause

Menopause is a period of time in a woman’s life where she naturally stops having a menstrual cycle. It is the end of what are considered the reproductive years. The average age of menopause for American women is 51 years old. Before menopause occurs, many women enter a transitional phase known as perimenopause. This is a time of change in the levels of estrogen, a hormone that is responsible for controlling the menstrual cycle. During childbearing years, both estrogen and progesterone levels change. They are made by the ovaries and balance the menstrual cycle. Estrogen is responsible for causing the endometrium, the uterine line, to grow and thicken to prepare for possible pregnancy. On a certain day in the cycle (there is no set time); an egg is releases by an ovary in what is known as ovulation. If the egg isn’t fertilized, no pregnancy occurs. This will cause the levels of those two hormones to decrease and the uterus to shed this lining. This is the monthly period.

Hot Flashes

This is one of the common symptoms of this time. It is a sudden feeling of heat that spreads across the face and body. The skin reddens and some break into a sweat. They can last a few seconds to several minutes. They aren’t harmful, but can be uncomfortable. Some women have them at night that may wake them up.

Bone Changes/Osteoporosis

During the first 4-8 years after menopause, women lose bone quickly. This rapid loss is because of the decreased levels of estrogen in the body. If too much bone is lost, it can increase a woman’s risk of osteoporosis. This can lead to bone breaks.

Vaginal or Urinary Tract Changes

When estrogen levels decrease in the body, changes can take place within the vagina. Ultimately the vaginal line gets dryer, thinner and last elastic. This dryness may cause pain during intercourse. Vaginal infections also become more common. The urinary tract changes with age too. The urethra can become inflamed, irritated and dry. Some women may feel the need to urinate more often and have a higher risk of urinary tract infections after menopause too.

What to Know About Hormone Therapy

Hormone Therapy Types

This therapy can help to relieve the symptoms of either perimenopause or menopause. This can mean taking estrogen or progestin for those who haven’t had a hysterectomy and still have a uterus. It is a form of progesterone. Taking progestin will help to reduce the risk of cancer within the uterus.

Local Therapy
The first type is local therapy, which is commonly used in women who have vaginal dryness only. This is done with a vaginal ring, cream or tablet. These forms release small amounts of estrogen into the tissue of the vagina, which helps to restore the elasticity and thickness of it while helping with irritation and dryness overall.

Systemic Therapy
With this type of therapy, hormones are releases into the bloodstream and travel to where they are needed. This form uses estrogen in pills, gels, sprays, skin patches and more. If progestin is prescribed to the patient, it will be given separately or combined with estrogen in order to be taken. For estrogen-only therapy, it will be taken daily or every few days. For women in combined therapy, they will use cyclic or continuous therapy methods. With cyclic, estrogen is taken daily and progestin every few days. Continuous therapy is when both estrogen and progestin are taken daily.

Other Therapies
Medications such as antidepressants have been shown to help with symptoms. Plant-based alternatives such as Chinese herbal remedies have shown some improvements in some patients too.

Ultimately if someone chooses to use hormone therapy, regular follow ups are important. Benefits and risks can also change over time too. Your health care provider can assess your use of continued hormone therapy and change your dose and methods over time as things change. Always report any side effects to your health provider immediately.

About Compounded Bio-Identical Hormones

The FDA believes that the risks of using these items in comparison to hormone therapy may be the same. These products claim that their products are identical to hormones made by the body. They also claim that they don’t have any risks. Bio-identical hormones may be more safe or effective than HRT. However, they are not FDA approved.

Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider

What are the benefits of hormone replacement therapy?

What are common side effects?

What are the risks associated with it?

Are hormones right for me? Why or why not?

How long should I use this therapy type?

What is the lowest dose I can take that will work for me?

Are there any non-hormone medicines that I can take?